Speaking with many guests, gratuities are one of the greatest areas of concern, for the UK's cruise consumer.
All of the cruise lines have differing policies of how much to tip, who to tip and when to tip on their cruise holiday.
Historically it was good practice to tip the people who have served you above average on the cruise.
Historically this is you cabin steward who cleans your room twice a day.
The person turns your bed down at night and makes lovely animations out of towels.
Thereafter you tip your waiter and busboy for your evening meal.
Nowadays the cruise lines are asking you to tip the Head waiter and Maitre 'D.
This is all now adding up and if you tip the amount the cruise lines suggest, on a week's cruise you can often be spending another £40 per person per week.
As a nation we don't tip we get embarrassed by tipping.
So you can imagine our dismay when presented with what to do when we get on-board.
So the question is should the cruise lines abolish tipping and actually put them in the price? The main problem we get with the cruise lines is with the American cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean cruises and Celebrity Cruises.
As these cruise companies offer a multi-cultural experience their on-board staff are expecting tips from the Brits.
This often affects the moral on the ships especially one's which are heavily promoted to the UK cruise holiday market such as Independence of the Seas and Celebrity Eclipse when the British guests don't turn up for dinner at night and leave the customary tip.
I can sit on the fence and see the argument.
I personally don't eat in the main restaurant.
I either eat buffet style or invariably I pay my cover charge and eat in the speciality restaurants.
All of the cruise companies say this cover charge is for the service so why should I pay it twice.
On the flip side, when I go to a restaurant, I will generally tip 10%.
Maybe I am not in the norm but I get embarrassed by not leaving anything.
So to leave a couple of quid per person for a meal which is invariably a lot better than I get when eating is justified.
However I think the British cruise lines get it right someone like Thomson cruises.
Their staff are always happy, they are remunerated correctly and a tip is a bonus.
The question is, are the rest of the cruise world, going to follow their lead.
All of the cruise lines have differing policies of how much to tip, who to tip and when to tip on their cruise holiday.
Historically it was good practice to tip the people who have served you above average on the cruise.
Historically this is you cabin steward who cleans your room twice a day.
The person turns your bed down at night and makes lovely animations out of towels.
Thereafter you tip your waiter and busboy for your evening meal.
Nowadays the cruise lines are asking you to tip the Head waiter and Maitre 'D.
This is all now adding up and if you tip the amount the cruise lines suggest, on a week's cruise you can often be spending another £40 per person per week.
As a nation we don't tip we get embarrassed by tipping.
So you can imagine our dismay when presented with what to do when we get on-board.
So the question is should the cruise lines abolish tipping and actually put them in the price? The main problem we get with the cruise lines is with the American cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean cruises and Celebrity Cruises.
As these cruise companies offer a multi-cultural experience their on-board staff are expecting tips from the Brits.
This often affects the moral on the ships especially one's which are heavily promoted to the UK cruise holiday market such as Independence of the Seas and Celebrity Eclipse when the British guests don't turn up for dinner at night and leave the customary tip.
I can sit on the fence and see the argument.
I personally don't eat in the main restaurant.
I either eat buffet style or invariably I pay my cover charge and eat in the speciality restaurants.
All of the cruise companies say this cover charge is for the service so why should I pay it twice.
On the flip side, when I go to a restaurant, I will generally tip 10%.
Maybe I am not in the norm but I get embarrassed by not leaving anything.
So to leave a couple of quid per person for a meal which is invariably a lot better than I get when eating is justified.
However I think the British cruise lines get it right someone like Thomson cruises.
Their staff are always happy, they are remunerated correctly and a tip is a bonus.
The question is, are the rest of the cruise world, going to follow their lead.