FROM: Barb Pargiter in London : A word of warning. Watch the actual phrasing used in regards to tipping policies on board your ship. "Tipping included" means just that. "Tipping not required" does not mean the same thing!

FROM: Seb Stewart : When gratuities are supposedly included in the price of our cruise, I use small gifts rather than money to say thank you to staff who have excelled. It is far more personal and usually very much appreciated.

EDITORS NOTE: SEE OUR CRUISE ADVICE PAGES FOR TIPPING

NEW INPUT . . . FROM: Jake Kitson, Springfield, Illinois: Tipping is one of the most vexing questions facing first-time cruises. Even the cruise lines themselves are not too sure how to resolve the problem. I read this on the NCL web the other day: “Guests should not feel obliged to offer a gratuity for good service. However, all of our staff are encouraged to "go the extra mile," and so they are permitted to accept cash gratuities entirely at the discretion of our guests who wish to acknowledge particular staff members for exceptional or outstanding service. In other words, there is genuinely no need to tip but you should feel free to do so if you have a desire to acknowledge particular individuals.” Does this mean I have to tip?

NEW INPUT . . . FROM: Alan Johansson, California – I have no idea what the NCL explanation means. So do we only tip those of the staff who “go the extra mile”? Shouldn’t we expect the staff to go that extra mile for EVERY guest?