One of the main reasons almost every cruise ship is flagged in a foreign country is so they do not have to comply with United States Labor laws on wages, hours, and conditions. If you Google you will find NCL flagged some ships under the United States for Hawaii and hard time providing good customer service. As to tipping.....cruise lines have tips included,or very very strongly suggest tips and the amout...For example RCL has a form you fill out that atomatically tip your state rm, waiter, matire de, etc and bills all in total about $10 per person per day (more for suites)... so a couple on a seven day cruise would pay $140 and it would show up on the folio at disembarkation.