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It certainly does! My husband & Iwent on a 10-night Baltics Cruise with two friends last year, partly to cheer me up as I was to undergo major surgery for the third time only three days after we got back from the cruise. We were not really in a financial position to go at that time, but life's too short, so we booked & cruised. We had a very enjoyable time, the cabins were good, and the staff looked after us really well. We knew that we could refuse to pay the gratuities, but would have felt mean in not paying them. Together with the excursions, the original cost, and then the gratuities added on, the whole cost was more than double what we had anticipated, and certainly much, much more than we could adtually afford, and, in fact, we are STILL paying for it over a year later, and I think the same can probably be said of our friends, too. Now to learn what Byron of Banbury has said, I really regret paying the full gratuities, when the alternative, to pay individual staff what we felt was fair (and I ALWAYS tip fairly), in which case we would have not struggled to pay off our credit cards & the interest levied on them! We will certainly think twice on future cruises as to how we tip! Sue, Lincolnshire

We have just come back from a cruise to the Baltic with Princess. We paid the mandatory tip which was taken each day but felt guilty at the end just saying we had paid the tips to the waiters and cabin steward so ended up tipping twice as we gave them some cash too. I used to prefer the old way when you handed over the tip at the end of the cruise to the people who had looked after you. The only problem with that is some people wouldn't turn up in the dining room on the last night as they did not want to tip. The staff work very long hours and look after you very well. Tipping is always going to be a problem so I wish the cruise companies would just include them in the fare paid.

We tend to get envelopes from the reception desk and pay tips direct to staff as we find the service. We have NEVER paid the full amount as per the brochure guidelines.This is not being mean but feel the stewards and bar staff are more than adequately rewarded in their pay and gratuity packages. That's assuming the Company pass on all surcharges such as the 15% or more charged on drink services. Ideally an inclusive price for the cruise should be the norm and not the 'Master-gives to serf' custom.

I feel that you are made to feel uncomfortable if you choose not to tip the recommended amount and not have this included in your bill, I prefer to tip if I feel that I have had a good service, there would be no way I would have tipped the retaurant staff on our last cruise, with Princess, they were unattentive, bringing incorrect meals, the wine waiter couldn't be bothered, we had to ask the Maitre'D' to sort on more than 1 occassion. We had spent over £6000 on this cruise, it was my husbands 60th birthday I am not tight but I do expect a sevice 2nd to none, give me Celebrity every time!!!!!!!!!!!

well what we done was got five envelopes and at the end of the cruise gave fifty euros to each of the people that was signed to us like the lady that cleaned our cabin the head waiter and the three waiters that helped at our table you are not to tip them every day you just give them the one tip and when you are on the ship go to the information desk a day are two before you end your cruise and ask for a form about not paying gradtuites because most of the people on our ship done that and just gave the people i mentioned above money in to there hands because some times they dont be gave the gradtuites at all loads of complaints we all desided that was not right kind regards and i hope you have a lovley time summer

I am not sure what all the fuss is about, if you dont want to tip, make sure you have it removed from your a/c at start of cruise or go with a company (like Fred Olsen) where is is discetionary at the end of the cruise. You can then decide if you want to tip or not. to answer some other concerns, on Fred Olsen, the tips left for cabin/dining staff are shared out with other members of staff. both cruises we have been on this has been stated in the information left in our Cabin, with an option to leave as little or as much as we feel the staff have 'earned'. The staff on FO ships work 9 months on board, one young lady started her shift at 12 lunch time on Friday and finished it at 3am on Sat morning, not many of us would work that hard or with such a smile, nothing is ever too much trouble for them. They do not get paid a fortune. Like I said at the start, why all the fuss, just tip or not according to the service and your conscience!

I have always considered myself to be a good tipper, certainly compared with some I have been acquainted with I am an over-tipper BUT, I do question the amounts that are shown as the 'norm' by Cruise companies. On our last Cruise the figure was $4 per person per day for the Cabin Steward, that's $8 per cabin per day, $56 per week, she serviced 21 cabins!! that's $1176 per week. I considered I had a well paid job but I didn't have that sort of money over after all expenses. The Crew have full board, all laundry done for them etc, plus other perks (on most ships). On the last ship the steward worked from 8am to 12am and for 6.30pm to 8.30pm, that's not a long working day - although I'm not sure whether they have other chores that we don't see. Yes, I know, that's seven days a week. To be honest, I have always questioned whether all the tips actually get to the crew so be told that they do, at least on Princess, is good to know. I always prefer to tip direct the the crew but, I do consider $1176 a week a little 'over the top'. After I gave my cabin steward her tip on the last Cruise the next morning she ran up and kissed my Wife and I saying 'thank you, thank you'. She obviously wasn't disappointed. Verdah, Bexley

You are not compelled to have your tips added to your account, before you know wether you have had a good cruise or not when it comes to service.You are quite with in your rights to go to the desk and ask them to take off the tips,until you decide what you want to pay,at the end of your holiday.These cruise ships spoil your holiday before you set sail,because the english do not tip in our country,so why should we pay the wages of all the staff,when we have no proof that it is going to the said staff.We have sailed on most cruise lines,and we have also been very kind and friendly to our cabin staff etc through out the ship,and we were paid by our cabin boy stealing some clothes,and emptying the drinks bar,and we got the bill for that.(We don`t drink),so you can be as nice as pie,but when it comes down to it,the staff come from third world countries,trained for a few weeks,and expected to watch all the oppulance,they must be tempted,especially when they are due to get off the ship,when they have finished there stint on board,and are due to go home.So watch your stuff every one,if your cabin staff are due to leave,and you are still on board.So back to your question!! TIP WHEN YOU WANT TO,AND NOT WHEN YOU ARE TOLD TO,AS THIS CAN BE TAKEN AS THEFT,IF THEY TAKE MONEY FROM YOUR ACCOUNT WITH OUT YOUR PERMISSION. that usually does it.