So what happens after you drop off the tip envelopes?

[smokeybandit]

I've for some reason wondered what really happens after you drop off that envelope in the box.  Do they directly go to that employee and that's the end of it? Or does someone go through all the envelopes (without opening) and record who's getting an envelope and who its from.  Does the existence of the envelope for a given employee go towards a performance review?

 

Normally we give the envelope (or just cash without the envelope) to the employee, but due to the close contact quarantine on our last cruise we could only do the box.  I'm just curious if there's a process there or just an easy central dropping off point.

 

 

[tonyfsu21]

14 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I've for some reason wondered what really happens after you drop off that envelope in the box.  Do they directly go to that employee and that's the end of it? Or does someone go through all the envelopes (without opening) and record who's getting an envelope and who its from.  Does the existence of the envelope for a given employee go towards a performance review?

 

Normally we give the envelope (or just cash without the envelope) to the employee, but due to the close contact quarantine on our last cruise we could only do the box.  I'm just curious if there's a process there or just an easy central dropping off point.

 

 

This is the first I’ve heard of this box. We get the tip envelopes in the room and put cash in them and then hand them directly to the recipient. I personally don’t think I would trust that anything put in this box actually makes it directly to the employee w/o being filtered through some kind of group collection system before being dispersed across an entire dept.

[WAAAYTOOO]

Yeah...not sure what box you are talking about.  If we give envelopes we just give them directly to the employee.

[smokeybandit]

There's a box at guest services.

[ChrisK2793]

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

There's a box at guest services.

Is there some reason you can’t still hand the tip directly to the employee it’s for even though RCL is  telling you to put it in the box now instead?  Will the employee be fired or something because of Covid if they accept the tip directly from you?

 

 

 

[smokeybandit]

38 minutes ago, ChrisK2793 said:

Is there some reason you can’t still hand the tip directly to the employee it’s for even though RCL is  telling you to put it in the box now instead?  Will the employee be fired or something because of Covid if they accept the tip directly from you?

 

 

 

No, nothing has changed in how you can tip employees. But that box is there and has been there. I'm sure plenty use it either because they don't think about tipping on the last night or they want to tip someone from earlier in the cruise.  

[Lovetocruise2002]

I always thought the box at guest services was for those who wanted to leave a review (in writing) for a crew member....

[Linda R]

Plus I tip bartenders and you really can't do that in a box very well.

[tonyfsu21]

2 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I always thought the box at guest services was for those who wanted to leave a review (in writing) for a crew member....

Yep, I remember the review box at guest services. Not familiar at all with a tip box though. 

[Yo2slick]

I always tip directly to the crew member I want to receive the money.

[smokeybandit]

Honest question though, what's the intent of employee name and guest room number on the tip envelope?

Don't get me wrong I tip directly when I can, just I couldn't this last cruise. And I remember from year's past that we were instructed to put the envelope in the box at guest services.

[tonyfsu21]

I can’t think of a good enough reason to put anything in this tip box other then maybe it’s a person who is difficult to get to? Meaning that maybe someone wants to tip the crew member that was at the flow rider because they had a great time and for some reason this person was off shift and couldn’t be located? I suppose if you had the crew members name you could put some tip money in an envelope with a name on it and drop it in this box? I still don’t trust it but we normally tip the bartenders and service at speciality dining via the bill or leave an envelope in the stateroom for the cabin steward. When we sail in a suite I personally hand the concierge or genie the envelope which almost certainly guarantees they get to keep the money. I suppose this is a good question to ask the gentlemen “Chris” who works on Odyssey and posts on this forum. I wonder if all tip money regardless of where it comes from must be pooled and split within the department? If this is the case, I do t think that’s right at all. 

[PG Cruiser]

Just a guess, maybe it’s for crew members that could not be located on disembarkation day.

On one cruise I forgot my tips for my waiter and the assistant in my room the last night. I tried to find them before I disembarked in the morning but they were not in the MDR breakfast.  I left their tip at Guest Services. (I can’t remember the box)