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Tipping your ski instructor _ advice?

jaelni

Certified Ski Diva
Hello all Diva's,
I was hoping to get some advice on tipping ski instructors. I am Australian and we are not big on tipping in this country so I am at a a bit of a loss and do not want to embarass my instructor or myself by getting it wrong.
Doing a 2 week ski improvement course ( approx 20 hours of lessons per week) in Canada in 2010. The company I am going with recommends around $20 per day, so all up for 2 weeks it would be around $ 200 as a tip. Does that sound OK?
any feed back from any instructors out there would be much appreciated....
And what is the situation if your instructor is really not very good? Do you still pay up?

any thoughts appreciated

Thanks Jaelni
 

Bumblebee

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I do normally tip $20 a day but then I usually take a 3-day course, so $60. I would be a bit :eek: for $200... I'd be interested to know what our trans-atlantic cousins think!
 

SnowHot

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I do normally tip $20 a day but then I usually take a 3-day course, so $60. I would be a bit :eek: for $200... I'd be interested to know what our trans-atlantic cousins think!
I normally tip similarly.
I recall taking a 5 day clinic and tipped 100.00. Not sure what the rest of the group tipped.
For me, and this particular coach, 100.00 was a bargain and the coaching was incredible.

I tend to adjust tipping according to the quality of instruction as well. Let that help guide you.
 

marge

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Honestly, I do not tip by what is "recommended", I tip by quality of the instructor. I feel tipping is for above and beyond kinds of things, even just a more than wonderful attitude. If the instructor is just there to do their job I will not tip. If they're fun, knowledgable then I will tip but usually $10 per day.
 

cwmscm

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I believe that tipping is usually expected as it is for a waiter or waitress. I usually tip $20 or 20% of the lesson, which ever is more. I've never had a bad instructor.
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
Keep in mind, all, JUST HOW LITTLE $ most ski instructors actually make.
You might be surprised and (I hope) dismayed.
There clearly is an elite group of instructors who do well; they, however, are in the minority.

For the majority, it’s a position chosen out of love of the sport - and love of teaching others.

Hard to believe how much overhead expense is involved in the whole endeavor: insurance, training clinics (most are NOT cost-free), PSIA dues (national and regional), training/exam prep/exam, continuing education - and all costs associated therein. And, obviously, the travel to/from resorts.

At “some” resorts, ski instructors are allowed very little free-skiing time. If they are there, on-site, they must report in and be available for duty. Doing otherwise is, well, grounds for dismissal. (Not all resorts are this tight, however.) Many resorts also require changing out of at least the uniform jacket when/if taking a free run between commitments. (For DH, it usually amounted to a maximum of 3 runs a day.)

All-day (or better yet, multiple-day) privates are a JOY - SO much can be accomplished. No instructor truly expects a tip – but as in any similar service industry, it’s such a nice bonus.
A brief note, though, based on a terrific 3-day private my son had some years ago: offering the instructor/coach lunch is very nice, but keep in mind that most ski/ride schools have a strict no-alcohol policy while on duty. (Afterward is your own decision.) So skip the beer offer! (I believe said multi-day private yielded him a $100 tip and booking for the following xmas.)

And do keep in mind what most of them have to go through just to get to where they are, expense-wise. It’s quite mind-boggling.

Just an observation from someone who has lived many years with 2 instructors - and hurried with them to be out the door at 6:15 a.m. for the Saturday 7:30 safety meeting.
 

marge

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I understand that they make very little. I understand that they do it for the love of the job (usually the trade-off for a job loved). My dh makes little and yet doesn't expect to get tipped. He does get tipped when he goes above and beyond. I just hate the whole "tipping" thing that is expected but not expected. I mean, when you do save up the money for the trip you're out $30 before you even get to your destination for baggage handlers, drivers, etc. :sigh

Believe me, I am a VERY good tipper when the service warrants it. :smile: Last year at least 2 times I gave my kid's instructors a $25 to $50 tip for ONE day of lessons. They were incredible and deserved every penny! :smile:
 

deannatoby

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It never even occurred to me to tip instructors. I'll know next time! When you all say $20/day are you taking just 1-hr lessons or all day lessons? Is that for a private or group lesson?

The only lessons we took last year were through school. I feel certain instructors aren't usually tipped by the fourth graders, but this year I'll remember to tip. If I tipped $20/day for each child, the tipping would actually be the same price as the lessons. That's why the school lessons are so awesome--a total bargain! That helps when you've got four taking lessons. What would you tip for those situations?
 

Bing

Angel Diva
I'm like Deanna - never occurred to me to tip a ski instructor - though I do usually give my season instructor a gift card at the end of the lessons ... usualy $ 30.00 for an 8 week course.

I look forward to what others say!
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Keep in mind, all, JUST HOW LITTLE $ most ski instructors actually make.
You might be surprised and (I hope) dismayed.
There clearly is an elite group of instructors who do well; they, however, are in the minority.

For the majority, it’s a position chosen out of love of the sport - and love of teaching others.

Would you handle tipping differently between an instructor doing a private lesson while working for the season at one ski resort vs one teaching a clinic organized by a private ski school that operates in a variety of locations?
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
Would you handle tipping differently between an instructor doing a private lesson while working for the season at one ski resort vs one teaching a clinic organized by a private ski school that operates in a variety of locations?
The type of snow-sports school affiliation wouldn't matter, at least to me, as much as the type of lesson. In a clinic, presumably all attending would contribute to whatever tip. In a private lesson, the one student is responsible for any/all tipping.
 

skidoc120

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanks for the tip on tipping!

I'm really glad we're discussing this. I tipped for a group lesson, $100 for two days because I got a lot of inidividual attention and great instruction. But I noticed alll the other folks skipping happily away and wondered if one usually tips for group lessons. What's the consensus?
 

cwmscm

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yes, you should tip for a group just as you would tip a waiter or other individual who does not make a great wage but is dependent upon receiving tips for providing service.
 

DobeMom

Certified Ski Diva
I usually tip about 20%, whether it's an all-day private or a 3-day (all day) clinic. May be higher in the clinic if the instructor is really good and the group is small...
 

loafer

Certified Ski Diva
As an instructor, I know that we delight and appreciate getting tips.

I almost find it more gratifying to receive a tip from a member of a group lesson (or from the parents of a child in a group lesson).

That being said, only tip if the service provided was worthy of it... which hopefully it is:smile: and always remember that giving something, even if it a fiver instead of a twenty is appreciated!
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I'm really glad we're discussing this. I tipped for a group lesson, $100 for two days because I got a lot of inidividual attention and great instruction. But I noticed alll the other folks skipping happily away and wondered if one usually tips for group lessons. What's the consensus?

I've given a tip for my daughter's instructor in a group setting, especially for the full-day ski school. But only when she is learning something new. We go to a very small mountain, so usually I can see the class from a distance a few times during the teaching sessions.

Most of the parents where we go do not tip. Since we are in the SE, there are a lot of non-skiing parents getting their kids started on skis. So they may not think about tipping. May think of it more like an afterschool music or dance class.
 

pinto

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
When our kids were in the Scooters program at Copper (3 Saturdays with the same group/instructor), we would tip $40 per instructor at the end of each session.
 

skibum4ever

Angel Diva
I've taken a Women's Clinic at Mammoth a couple of times, and we always tip at the end of the 3 day clinic.

But both times I took it, I was the one who asked the rest of the group about putting together a thank you note and a tip. It does seem that many people just don't think about it.
 

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