What’s Your Take on Giving tips?

To tip or not to tip must be the biggest topic of discussion on cruise forums, even Loose Women covered tipping in their show today

Call it tips, gratuities or hotel service charge, every day I discuss the pros and cons of pre paying them, charging them on board or paying individual members of staff a tip for their good service and to show your appreciation

Tipping is expected by the staff on board and regular cruises expect to tip, most people that I speak to are happy to tip but do like to know exactly what they are tipping for unlike US guests that tip as a matter of daily life, I was surprised to order a drink in a bar in New York to pay 15% just to be served a beer, I have been a barmaid and did not expect to be tipped just because I was doing my job, similarly I hate the fact we are expected to leave a percentage of the bill in a restaurant regardless of the service and then feel guilty if we don’t

However, it does annoy me when guests say that they are not going to tip and say it’s a rip off, if the staff on board work hard and make your holiday special then surely they should be tipped?

It’s a bit of a mine field really, British cruise lines like P&O and Fred Olsen have a relatively low’recommended’ daily amount of £3.75 per guest per day, American cruise lines suggest as much as $13 per guest, Celebrity even charge more if you book a Concierge cabin or Suite

The obvious answer is to include them in the price, Royal Caribbean’s recent campaign even paid your tips for you- Azamara, Thomson cruises include all gratuities and for the 6* Luxury lines tipping is neither required nor expected, but none of the middle market companies will go down that route as they will look expensive against their middle-market competitors

Ultimately with the exception of Costa Cruises tipping IS DISCRETIONARY and is not compulsory but I would be interested to hear your comments on how and who you tip on board!