To stiff or not to stiff: If you'll be staying at a particular hotel for more than a few days, think twice before "stiffing" bad service (leaving no tip). The lapse in service may have been a fluke; if you're too hasty in condemning staff as unworthy of being tipped, then you may incur the wrath of the hotel staff. They can make life unpleasant at best, or miserably difficult at worst (including, in some countries, arranging a break-in.) On the other hand, if the service continues to be terrible, then tip very minimally.

2torial #0592: Learn2 Calculate Tips(continued) Tip at sea   Navigating cruise tipping policies can be a bewildering experience at first glance. There are many different kinds of staff and the main bill (food and lodging and travel) is usually paid for in advance, so the rules on sea tipping change slightly. Some cruise lines provide envelopes with specific suggestions and guidelines for tipping staff that have provided good service, so follow those if they're provided. A few ships, often the most expensive, have a no-tipping policy, which relieves you of these calculations. Cabin steward (this person performs both housekeeping and room service duties): $3.50 per day per person in your room. Dining-room wait staff: $3.50 per night per person, and half that amount to the bus boy. Bartender and lounge waiters: on almost all ships, a 15% gratuity is automatically added to any beverage purchases. Exception: Wine stewards are usually given 15% of the total wine bill per night, and are generally paid that night. Personal services: Hair cutters, dressers and beauticians are tipped 15% as services are rendered, just as on land.   Don't tip: Headwaiters aren't tipped unless they've performed a special service for you. And never tip any of the ship's officers!     Step 4