 Poster: A snowHead
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snowball, In US 10-15% tip is pretty standard.... I'd tip what you think... many folks think instructors earn heaps and so do not tip... so they are often pretty used to not getting 10%
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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snowball, Looking forward to the TR as I'll be burning a significant amount of cash in visting JH later in the season (no S&D camp though)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Are the tipping rules for Canada the same as for US, ie 10-15% depending on quality of instruction?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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slikedges, I believe so.... they made sure to remind the aussies of the "local custom" because aussies are known for not tipping!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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There're no "rules", and we get tipped so rarely everyone's stoked to get $10 or whatever. If you're dropping $400 on a long course or whatever though, you'll make someone's month tipping them $40 or whatever you can afford. Basically, think of us like a charity and give whatever you can - help keep a poor instructor in a home and supplied with beer this winter 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Right, it is $800 without lift tickets, so take off what? - $250 for 4x communal dinners and lunches? So should I be tipping $60 (11%) for the 4 days? ie about x3 what I tipped in Chamonix for 5 days? These are not private lessons, by the way - there will be 40 of us I think.
PS I am amused that tipping technique comes under the ski technique thread. I think My knees will be bending as I give a tip that big.
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snowball, in groups you may get away with everyone putting in $20 or so and putting all in a card on last day... I've done that... but then I'm an aussie & we don't tip 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Would you tip your Dentist, Surgeon,Estate Agent,Doctor,Architect? No, they are all professionals charging an appropriate fee for the their services.Therfore no need to tip. However, if you have a good time in a ski school group lesson, its possible that the instructor is working his way throught the qualifying system and at the bottom end of the pay scale.So tip him. Freelance fully qualified ski teachers are as professional as the clients who hire them and charge accordingly.They need no tip.
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Alpine Logic, I must say that's the way I prefer things. I don't like the tipping system for a job well done. I expect to pay a fair price and get a job well done for that price. If it's exceptionally gone out of the way beyond the call of duty well done, then maybe. However I accept that the US/Canada pay system may make it a necessary evil.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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there seem to be more and more small ski schools these days and if using such an outfit, the chances are that you will be skiing with someone who appears to be a principal in the business. It seems odd to tip someone in that position.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Alpine Logic, very good post. Particularly in North America, where the instructor is likely to be getting less than 10% of the total takings for a lesson... Ronald emailed me the Wengen pay rates, noting that they weren't great - still more than twice than that in the States and Canada. 
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 3-02-09 19:31; edited 2 times in total
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I really resent the expectation that guides should be tipped. The going rate for a guide hired privately is €300-€350 per day, and some outfits charge significantly more than that. The norm is also frequently to buy them lunches (if the restaurant doesn't give them it gratis - that does seem to happen in France, but my recent experiences are that it is much less common in Switzerland). For a 5 day/week, 45 week year (which they can do), that's of the order of €70k+, plus free lunches. If the guide is booked independently then that's straight in their pocket. Now out of that OK there's equipment costs, and they would also pay something like 10% to a local guides' bureau. But many of us never get to earn that in the first place, and I certainly don't get tips for doing my job - so why should they?
If it's been an exceptional week, then I will make a small gesture of appreciation, but that does need to be for something well out of the ordinary.
US instructor pay rates are just immoral - and they should go on strike for a decent wage from the ski schools who are clearly creaming it.
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You know it makes sense.
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skisimon, Anything less then Wengen, and there is little chance the wages actually pay for equipment, clothes, food, rent, your very own qualifications... So anything less is immoral and rediculous.
Most jobs its normal the employer will provide equipment needed to do the job, but this is not the case for instructors. Just discounts, which are generally available to anyone if they search, resort prices for gear are very high, after discounts you're getting to ebay levels at best..
If you work full time for 4-5 months a season, you're really getting close to writing off a full set of equipment (Skis/boots).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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US instructor pay rates are just immoral - and they should go on strike for a decent wage from the ski schools who are clearly creaming it.
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It'll never happen. It's non-union labour, and the ski areas have monopoly control over their ski schools. Most instructors are part-time, and there's a fair number of overseas instructors (usually students - cheap immigrant labour: Argentinians/Chileans are very popular, right now) who need to keep their jobs to keep their residential qualifications.
The best-qualified instructors (PSIA3/CSIA4) may be full-time (during the winter) but can only manage this by gradually building up a portfolio of regular clients who book private lessons and who provide good tips on top of the regular cost of lessons (the bulk of which goes to the ski school = ski area).
This has been discussed ad nauseam over on Epic.
The bottom line is if you've had a great lesson, give an appropriate tip.
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