Tip or bribe?

Our travel agent has been pricing a cruise through New England and Eastern Canada. The cruise is 11 nights and we've been told that 'gratuities' will be charged at £104 each and this needs to be pre-paid. We happily tipped all individuals when we were on holiday in South Africa but it really irks me when you are told how much to tip regardless of the level of service. I'm sure the cruise will be excellent but if it did fall short, could you ask for a refund on the tips?

I don't tip hairdresser, as he owns the salon. I sometimes give the girl who washes it something.

If you go through Border control in Nigeria things are taken off you "as a tip" my brother used to go there. They just took any book or glossy magazine he had on him.

Hadn't thought about Xmas boxes. When I lived in London years ago the dustmen would spill your bin if you didn't give a box so I guess that was a sort of bribe but that doesn't seem to happen now. Petra you've eased my mind somewhat. I was feeling bad about colluding with the "tip" but really there was no alternative. Anyway moving on today so hopefully the border police won't come to get me Stansgran. I was just feeling a bit paranoid? (Cue knock at door)..........

Always, always tip for everything when travelling in poorer countries, as previous poster said the cost of my holiday is huge compared to their wages so feel much happier.to try to give a bit back.

My DD works as a waitress in a chain restaurant during her holidays ( she is a student). the tips are shared among the staff with the kitchen staff and cooks getting a share too. No set amount, and nothing added to bill. Cash goes to waitress, if added on to bill they all get their share at the end of the month.

Tipping makes me uncomfortable. Never sure if I have left too much or not enough. However we always tip in cash separately from card because lots of waiters have told us that the company deducts costs from the tips given on cards before they get any. Our children had summer waiting jobs at a very posh golf club and all tips were, they were told, shared out at Christmas! So they never got any.
I was once chased across a restaurant in the USA because I hadn't left a tip. When I explained that the meal had been awful and incomplete and the service terrible, the waitress looked at me as if I was deranged.

We bribed a border gaurd in Romania because we hadn't bought our vinyette. That was €100. If you were caught without it, it was a €1,000 fine.
We also bribed a policeman in Romania ( different trip ) We gave him €50. He was so grateful that he kissed my hand. It's part and parcel of the way of life in poor countries.

Tricia we still give a £5 tip to paper boy (who is in his 50s) and milkman as well as postman, and a 4 pack of beer for bin men,
I do tip my hairdresser but always feel embarrassed. We also tip taxi drivers and waiters - un less service has been poor. Hated it in America where they virtually ask for tips "Do you want the change?" They ask! DH says "Yes I do!" And thn feels disinclined to leave a tip.

Sorry Welsh wife I was just commenting that tipping and working on the black are a form of tax evasion. It was not intended personally.
It's a self perpetuating cycle if people on low wages need tips to survive, they are never going to have a wage increase. I think it's an abhorrent practice, demeaning to both parties.

I don't tip at all. I pay people for the job they do. No one ever tipped me for doing my job.

Christine how will I know someone is working 'on the black'? They do not wear a badge to say so and I think that is rather a sweeping statement.

having been firmly told by the staff that they don't see the tip if added to the bill after service charge, I now only tip in cash in pubs and restaurants. It is not illegal to remove the extra charges other than tax from your bill in a restaurant. We sometimes do that if the service has been less than sparkling.
Don't travel by taxi often enough - but the last time i did, the taxi driver "didn't have change" for a £30 note, and I had to go backwards and forwards from my hosts house in the pouring rain to get him the right money. no tip!

We had a hefty service charge added to the bill when we went to a chain for DGS's birthday.
Neither food nor service was great so we queried the service charge which they said was optional - although they had already added it on to the bill without asking (20%).
We got them to take it off and just tipped one waitress who had been very helpful.

Some places use the tips for a 'Christmas party' for the staff if it all goes into one pot. Cheeky imo.

I thought most restaurants had a rule that all tips should be pooled and shared out?

If the tip is not enough, I'd have taken it back altogether - b....y cheek!
I object to a service charge being added to a restaurant bill automatically. I've paid for my meal, should I expect to cook it and serve myself? I usually take it off when I pay by card and leave whatever cash seems appropriate. Having said that, it does seem unfair that the chef, who has actually prepared the meal you've enjoyed, doesn't obviously get a tip.

Before I moved from Somerset I used the best & cheapest Taxi firm - Drivers who carried my shopping to the front door always got £1 tip (fare was £6) - grumpy ones got nothing.

As a teenager I worked as a Waitress & always appreciated tips - meant I had given good service, I only tip now if service is good & it's not added to Bill (one of my bugbears - why should I pay if I'm not satisfied?)

Hairdresser I don't tip except at Christmas. Never see my "paper boy"!!! as he comes at about 6.15 & Postman is no longer same one all the time. As for bin men these days - not a chance

We tipped very heavily for a rickshaw ride in Katmandu. The poor chap struggled in heavy traffic and up hills. He was shaking when we got to the hotel so I made DH give him a tenner instead of the £3 he charged.

I don't think border guards read Gransnet.

About wages being low for waiters/waitresses, they chose that job. I do leave a tip but they don't always listen properly when I request something. Taxis, I know for a fact take a longer route if they think you don't know the area. I was charged a difference of £3 for the same journey with two different companies. I knew the route home but he spent the journey pretending he was giving instructions to a new driver via handsfree. Took half an hour longer through a busy area to get back because he kept ignoring my instructions where to turn.

Sounds like Egypt to me.

I never ever tip when at home but away here in SE Asia its a different matter. Tipping at the border is $1 and these border guards earn $40 a month. They pay for everything, education, health care, fuel and electric is not cheap. If they try to strike ( as the garment workers did) the army are called out with armed tanks and the police are armed. I have seen it happen. So what is$1 to me after I have paid whatever for my air fare? and its less than a drink.

Tipping is always confusing I think, I loathe when the person holding the Credit card machine in a restaurant, waits for you to add a tip. I dont tip my hairdresser anymore, but do "round it up" when payimg a taxi driver.

It depends on the service in the restaurant if I leave a tip. Always cash, never debit card!
My daughter works in hospitality and their tips are a welcome relief every few months!
If a taxi driver assists me getting the shopping to the door (I'm disabled) I will tip. The ones who dump the bags on the pavement & drive away get short shrift!

what's the difference between tipping, and giving a "xmas box" to the postman, binmen etc. Used to be milkman, paperboy etc, but not now.
I do that here (France) and they always seem surprised and pleased.