Speaking of tipping, and how the U.S. is supposedly out of step with most of the rest of the world because the servers rely on tips, is this information incorrect or is it fact that the main difference between the U.S. (along with Canada) and all of these other countries is that the tip is mandatory and included in the bill in the latter?

In the same vein, Holland America Cruise Lines used to advertise that tipping was "not mandatory." After Carnival bought them, tipping is included automatically. That's not to say that there's no tipping - it's compris. @:-)