Porters at Southampton

Do you tip the porters when you arrive and if so how much?

Do you tip the porters when you arrive and if so how much?

No, not when we arrive usually. I have occasionally done a £1 for all cases in our party. However I give them £5 minimum when we disembark.

The difference is that on arrival I am very near to where they put cases through the wall whereas when we disembark.

You have to obtain the porter at the bottom of the escalator. Get him to: follow you to baggage reclaim, load your cases onto his barrow, walk it through customs to the CPS kiosk, take your cases to your car and load your car with your cases.

It is a lot different!

Regards John

The porters are so quick to take all your cases when you arrive that they are gone before you can turn round - be careful they don't take your hand luggage as well if it's in the boot of your car. We have never tipped the porters when we've arrived - all is done with so quickly, them taking the cases doing the sign off of the car with CPS and handing over keys, by the time we have time to think the porters are long gone.

I have used porters on disembarking only once. Usually my husband does all the heaving of our cases onto the trolley and then into the car, however I did cruise once with a friend and so decided to use a porter when we'd left the ship. They were waiting in the baggage hall so he followed us and helped to find and then put the cases onto his trolley. Then he followed us over the road to the CPS car park, waited while I got the car keys and then lifted all the cases into the boot. This made things so easy for us and I tipped him £10 - I don't know what the going rate is but it was definitely worth it to us.

The reason I asked is because I have a story about a porter from joining Ventura at Mayflower last year. We booked with parking4cruises so went to drop cases off. I waited with the 3 cases and hand luggage as no porters around while hubby went to drop off car in short stay car park. I waited and waited and the porters kept going to others. So I thought I better try and move cases myself. Now I am only little and was struggling, the guys directing cars told me to wait for a porter. I said I have been waiting over 15 minutes. So they called one. He said in a minute, came over in a few minutes and said if you were to have given a big tip you would have got one. Said he would be back soon. Came back in about 5 minutes just as hubby arrived. He took cases but no way was I going to tip him after he asked for tip. I did watch cases to make sure they went to right place though. I mean for a start I had no chance to offer a tip as none of them came up to me.

I was going to complain to P & O but didn't think they could do anything as presumably the porters are employed by the docks. (Haha the spell thingy just changed my docks to dicks, fortunately I caught it before hitting submit)

I always tip as they help me with my scooter out of the car. They certainly are not looking for a tip as if you are not quick they are off.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

The reason I asked is because I have a story about a porter from joining Ventura at Mayflower last year. We booked with parking4cruises so went to drop cases off. I waited with the 3 cases and hand luggage as no porters around while hubby went to drop off car in short stay car park. I waited and waited and the porters kept going to others. So I thought I better try and move cases myself. Now I am only little and was struggling, the guys directing cars told me to wait for a porter. I said I have been waiting over 15 minutes. So they called one. He said in a minute, came over in a few minutes and said if you were to have given a big tip you would have got one. Said he would be back soon. Came back in about 5 minutes just as hubby arrived. He took cases but no way was I going to tip him after he asked for tip. I did watch cases to make sure they went to right place though. I mean for a start I had no chance to offer a tip as none of them came up to me.

 

I was going to complain to P & O but didn't think they could do anything as presumably the porters are employed by the docks. (Haha the spell thingy just changed my docks to dicks, fortunately I caught it before hitting submit)

I have read this twice and cannot understand what the porter meant. You don't tip until after a service has been provided. He did not collect your bags so how did he know if you would tip or not???? In our experience the porters are so quick as others have said tipping is pretty well impossible.

Exactly why did he say it, I don't know but I do know I was a bit taken aback and thought well you aren't getting anything now mate.

I always tip the porter who takes the cases out of my boot.

I know they are quick and ready to take the cases away quickly so I am also quick and have money ready in my pocket which I put in as I check out of the hotel before setting off for the last bit of the journey to the docks.

I always tip the porter who takes the cases out of my boot.

 

I know they are quick and ready to take the cases away quickly so I am also quick and have money ready in my pocket which I put in as I check out of the hotel before setting off for the last bit of the journey to the docks.

Snap.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

I don't tip Porters.

No we don't tip porters I prefer to get my own suitcases out of the car and then let them take them to the "hole in the wall".

Quite often you draw up to the kerb and the car boot is opened and the cases removed before you have time to get out of the car. Compared to porters in other countries ( Cape Town where a truck full of cases went into the water, thankfully not ours ) Southampton guys are the best.

David.

Quite often you draw up to the kerb and the car boot is opened and the cases removed before you have time to get out of the car. Compared to porters in other countries ( Cape Town where a truck full of cases went into the water, thankfully not ours ) Southampton guys are the best.

 

David.

That only happened to us the once and the porter was quite heavy handed getting the cases out of the boot. So now the boot stays shut until I open it and get the suitcases out and give them to the porters to take away.

That only happened to us the once and the porter was quite heavy handed getting the cases out of the boot. So now the boot stays shut until I open it and get the suitcases out and give them to the porters to take away.

Have you seen how they're handled after they disappear when they are out of sight?

David.

Have you seen how they're handled after they disappear when they are out of sight?

 

David.

Wasn't worried about my suitcases more damage to my car.

I tip £5 on the way in and £10 on the way out. There are 4 of us and normally at least 6 cases / bags. Well worth it to us and they offer a rally good service, unlike the people who guide you to your lane, why is it always lane 3? even when you're dropping off?