How much to tip the boat crew in Cabo, with the math for every yacht

The customary tip for a boat crew in Cabo San Lucas is 15% of the charter price, and it is not included in the price you pay when you book. On a three-hour Sea Ray 40 at USD 1,199 / MXN 22,799, that's about USD 180 / MXN 3,420 for the whole crew. Our charter prices are per boat with the 16% tax already included, so the tip is the one extra to plan for.

Do you tip yacht crew in Cabo?

Yes. A 15% tip is the custom on private charters here, the same way you'd tip at a restaurant. It isn't added to your booking or to the Stripe payment. You hand it over at the end of the trip.

The price you pay when you book covers the boat, its crew, the gear listed for that yacht and the 16% IVA. Food from our menu and the drinks you bring are separate, and so is the tip.

How much to tip on each yacht

Here's 15% worked out on common charters. Charter prices are per boat, tax included; tips are rounded to the nearest dollar or peso.

The Maxum 45 and the Regal 45 share the same prices: four hours on either is USD 1,699 / MXN 32,299, so the tip is about USD 255 / MXN 4,845.

For any other length, take the price from the yacht page or the fleet comparison and multiply by 0.15. A quick way to do it in your head: take 10%, then add half of that again. On USD 1,499, 10% is about 167, half of that is about 83, so the tip is about USD 225.

Do you still tip 15% on the McKinna 70?

Yes. The McKinna 70 is our all-inclusive yacht: a crew of five, including the captain, deckhands and a chef on board, a multi-course menu and complimentary drinks served by the crew. All of that is in the price, and the tip still isn't. With five people working the charter, it's also the boat where the tip is spread across the most hands.

On three hours the tip is about USD 675 / MXN 12,825. On eight hours (USD 11,199 / MXN 212,799), it's about USD 1,680 / MXN 31,920. If you're budgeting a celebration on the McKinna, put that number in the plan from the start.

What the tip comes to per person

Since you pay per boat, the tip splits nicely across a group. Some examples:

Set your group size and hours to see what each yacht costs per person.

What it costs per person

Guests:

10

Hours2 h3 h4 h6 h

1. Loading

Per boat, 16% tax included, tip not included. Pick a yacht to see its page.

For a bachelorette party on a yacht or a birthday group, collecting the tip when you split the charter cost saves an awkward moment at the dock when one person realizes they're covering it alone.

Cash or card, dollars or pesos?

Bring cash. The Stripe link we send after your date is confirmed doesn't include the tip.

Both dollars and pesos are accepted in Cabo, but pesos are better for the crew. A tip in dollars has to be changed at an exchange house, and the crew loses some of it on the rate. If you do tip in dollars, bring clean bills without tears or marks, since Mexican banks turn down damaged foreign bills, and skip U.S. coins, which can't be exchanged.

Get the cash before the day of the charter so you're not looking for it on the way to the boat.

Tipping when your group is on two boats

Groups larger than 18 need two yachts, since the Pontoon 38 is the biggest in our fleet. In that case each crew gets its own tip, worked out on its own boat's price.

For example, three hours on the Pontoon 38 and the Sea Ray 36 together:

• Pontoon 38: USD 1,269 / MXN 23,999, tip about USD 190 / MXN 3,600
• Sea Ray 36: USD 929 / MXN 17,799, tip about USD 139 / MXN 2,670

Collect it per boat, so whoever is in charge on each yacht has the right envelope at the end.

Tipping on a cruise port day

If you're in Cabo for a few hours off a cruise ship, you may only have dollars on you. That works: hand over clean, untorn bills and leave the coins on the ship.

The Sea Ray 65 meets you at Fisherman's Landing restaurant, by the Cabo Escape terminal, and there is no dock fee on top of the charter price. On three hours (USD 2,509 / MXN 47,699), the tip is about USD 376 / MXN 7,155. The other yachts board inside Marina Cabo San Lucas.

Who gets the tip?

Hand the whole tip to the captain at the end of the trip, in cash. On private charters it's normally pooled and shared among the captain and the crew, so you don't need to split it yourself. An envelope is a nice touch but not expected.

How many people that covers depends on the boat. The Sea Ray 36, Pontoon 38, Sea Ray 40, Azimut 45, Sea Ray 55 and Sea Ray 65 all come with a captain and deckhand. The McKinna 70 has a crew of five, chef included.

Can you tip more or less than 15%?

The amount is yours to decide. 15% is the customary figure for a charter where everything went as it should. If the crew helped with a surprise proposal, a birthday cake or nervous swimmers at Pelican Rock, going above it is a way to say thanks.

If something went wrong that the crew controlled, tell us. We'd rather hear about it on WhatsApp at +52 624 300 8029 than have it show up only in the tip.

Tipping in Cabo beyond the boat

The 15% on a charter fits how tipping works in Los Cabos generally:

• Restaurants: 10% to 15% is the norm in Mexico, and 15% to 20% is common in Cabo's tourist restaurants. Check the bill first. If you see "propina" or "servicio" already on it, the tip has been added.
• Bars: MXN 10 to 20 per drink, or 15% to 20% of the tab if you run one.
• Taxis: drivers are not normally tipped. Rounding up, or a small tip when the driver helps with bags, is appreciated. Agree on the fare before you get in.

Wherever you tip, pesos go further for the person receiving them than dollars do.

Plan the tip when you plan the day

Open the planner, pick your yacht and hours, and the total shows in USD and MXN. Add 15% for the crew, and you have the full cost of the boat before food and drinks. Our yacht rental cost guide has every price by the hour, and the packing list puts the tip cash next to the sunscreen. Our booking conditions are on the terms page. If it's your first trip to Cabo, our first-time travel tips cover the rest of the money questions.

Yachts in this guide

Sea Ray 40Flybridge yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $879 / 2 hChaparral 28Sport boat · up to 10 guestsfrom $519 / 2 hBayliner 33Express cruiser · up to 8 guestsfrom $599 / 2 hSea Ray 36Express cruiser · up to 12 guestsfrom $659 / 2 h

Questions people ask

How much do you tip a boat crew in Cabo?

The customary tip is 15% of the charter price. On a three-hour Sea Ray 40 at USD 1,199 / MXN 22,799, that's about USD 180 / MXN 3,420 for the whole crew.

Is the tip included in the yacht charter price?

No. Our prices are per boat with the 16% IVA tax included, but the 15% crew tip is not included and is paid separately on the day.

Do you tip on the McKinna 70 if the complimentary drinks is included?

Yes, the 15% custom applies there too. On a three-hour McKinna 70 at USD 4,499 / MXN 85,499, the tip comes to about USD 675 / MXN 12,825.

Should I tip the boat crew in dollars or pesos?

Both are accepted, but pesos are better for the crew because dollars lose value at the exchange house. If you tip in dollars, use clean, untorn bills and no coins.

Who do I give the tip to on a Cabo boat?

Hand it to the captain at the end of the trip, in cash. On private charters the tip is normally pooled and shared among the captain and crew.

Plan your day on the water

Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Check availabilitySee the fleet