Brits and Tips.

We Brits as a nation have always been somewhat uncomfortable with the whole tipping scenario. Ok, in a restaurant environment maybe, but when was the last time you found yourself handing over extra cash to the nice lady on the checkout in Sainsbury’s or the very nice man who changed your car tyres in Kiwk Fit? Were they not all just doing their jobs, albeit well?

This poses the question as to why we have to either pre-pay what can amount to noticeable sums of money when booking a cruise, or have a sizeable percentage added to our (already large enough) bill at the end of our cruise for tips. While in my experience levels of standard and service on cruise ships are generally exceptional, the same could also be said for the boys at Kwik Fit.

I understand that the service industry overseas has culturally always had a tipping culture but this doesn’t make us Brits anymore comfortable with the situation, as we generally have not. You know how it is, the Bellboy having shown you to your hotel room hangs around a little too long only to realise you have no change and are unable to furnish his palms with silver, it’s just…uncomfortable.

So how’s this……why don’t cruise companies increase their prices (gasp) a little, build in the cost of tips into the price of the holiday, leaving them free to distribute as they please in the form of either higher wages or bonuses for their staff?

We pay it, they get it, but without the rigmarole.

Lets face it, they are going to get it anyway barring an unpleasant scene at guest relations, and us Brits can’t have that can we?

I’d be very interested to know what you think.