I can't help myself, porter problems in Ft. Lauderdale

[jmraggs]

I recently embarked on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas at Terminal 25 and was totally disgusted by my porter experience when dropping off our luggage.

 

We arrived at 10:30am on March 6th in the luggage drop off area. One porter was in sight helping someone else so we waited a couple of minutes without anyone coming to assist us. We then proceeded to take our 5 pieces of luggage out of the car and bring them to the luggage carts on the sidewalk. We then stood there for another minute or two and decided to just place our luggage in the carts ourselves since we already had luggage tags on them.

 

As soon as we did that, someone comes running over from nowhere and told us we couldn't do that and we had to wait, so we did. The man that was helping the other couple then came over to us, looked at our luggage with the tags already on them and said we are set and he would be taking care of the luggage.

 

Before we started walking away, he decided to inform us that he was expecting a "donation" to handle our luggage since we wouldn't see him anymore and he is the one responsible for getting the luggage on the ship. That comment just infuriated me and I said to him that after I was the one that brought the luggage to the curbside cart area and he did nothing to help us; I am to tip him for that? He then continued to inform me that he was the one responsible for placing the luggage thru the ex-rays to make sure it gets on the ship.

 

I call this extortion as he did nothing to deserve a tip besides placing the luggage two feet away on the luggage cart. I got his badge number and I took a couple of pictures of him and emailed them to Port Everglades.

 

I always tip for service, but this to me is getting a little ridiculous.

[marci22]

Did you tip him? How much if you did?

[PantherFan]

Good for you. We decided to have a camera in hand the next time we cruise because of a similar incident in San Juan.

[pcur]

Waaaaiiiittt a minute!!

 

I wasn't there, so his explanation could have been really snotty, but he seemed to explain what he was doing for the service, which is to unload, load, unload your bags through x-ray security, and then get them to the ship. Seems like that would be worth a tip. JMO, but anyone that is handling my heavy bags AT ALL gets a dollar or two. The OP only cut out the very beginning of the job by moving the luggage over to the cart.

[pedropuppy]

In February, there was a group of 12 of us travelling together. Before the porter gave us the luggage tags to fill out since they were not mailed to us, he asked which one of us had to tip for him. Needless to say we did tip him but was just disgusted how he acted. A few bucks to make sure your luggage makes it aboard is a small price.

[pcur]

Actually, I give the porter his tip BEFORE he touches my bags, so he knows he's getting one. That way the porter is really nice to me, and my bags get taken care of, too! :D

[NorbertsNiece]

Your luggage should make it on board without having to tip. Tipping out of the fear of having the bags left behind or dunked in the sea is not tipping but blackmail.

 

I always tip because I'm receiving a valued service. If someone were to ask me to however I would view that as coercion and seek out a senior employee and have that conversation with them.

[pcur]

Yes, but my take on this is I'm going to tip them anyway and because they are LUGGING MY HEAVY BAGS AROUND, not because they are coercing me. I just let them know immediately when I meet them that I appreciate them LUGGING MY HEAVY BAGS AROUND, and tip them up front. Then, there is no unpleasant experience to start off my cruise.

[cruisinfanatic]

Actually, I give the porter his tip BEFORE he touches my bags, so he knows he's getting one. That way the porter is really nice to me, and my bags get taken care of, too! :D

do you tip your cabin attendant before he does anything too?

[pcur]

do you tip your cabin attendant before he does anything too?

 

Nope, just the person that's going to handle all my clothes for the next week, and THE HEAVY BAGS. I see no reason to tempt fate, have a disagreement, or worry about things. I also appreciate people who do heavy lifting for me!

[NorbertsNiece]

Yes, but my take on this is I'm going to tip them anyway and because they are LUGGING MY HEAVY BAGS AROUND, not because they are coercing me. I just let them know immediately when I meet them that I appreciate them LUGGING MY HEAVY BAGS AROUND, and tip them up front. Then, there is no unpleasant experience to start off my cruise.

 

We agree then. Valued service.

 

do you tip your cabin attendant before he does anything too?

 

I ask the room steward to part the beds and empty the fridge as soon as we meet and will tip then.

[pcur]

We agree then. Valued service.

 

Yes, we do! It's just that with the luggage porter you already know what they have to do, and it's hard work and heavy lifting. So, I tip up front. I know the service they will give already.

[jwlnroe]

this happened to my relatives when they went on Carnival a few years back.. but the porter was that mean that he actually put a couple of their bags on a different ship. They went on the Carnival Valor and he had them sent to the Victory. . so they were without their little babys bags, diapers, and i think one of their clothes bags etc. . for the entire cruise. Thankfully they were able to borrow clothes from one of their sisters and then they had to buy diapers, etc. .

 

but the porters can be rude if you don't tip them. . reporting them might do something but my guess is it won't do a thing because it is the Union.

 

I haven't had a bad experience yet - just hearing them from others but even if your pee'd just tip them because its better to have luggage then to go a full week without.

[Gonzo70]

People often mistake porters at U.S. ports as being equivalent of skycaps at airports or bellhops at hotels. They are not. They are unionized longshoremen earning very generous salaries. In Port of Miami they earn $40 to $90 per hour - many pull in six figures without a dime in tips. Their employers do not expect their salaries to be supplemented by tips. There are signs at most if not all U.S. ports saying that the porters do not need to be tipped.

 

The porters also do not do as much as some people are stating; they simply put your luggage on a cart, push the cart a few yards, and somebody else takes over from there. If you want to tip them, nobody will stop you - but there is no need to tip them any more than one needs to tip the captain of the ship, your dental assistant, the cashier at the grocery store, etc. The porters at U.S. ports receive a full salary and excellent benefits.

 

The Port Authority encourages people to report any porter who attempts to coerce people into giving them a "tip" (or a "donation" in the ports where they are forbidden from accepting a tip).

[livylotte]

:eek: WOW!

 

Are all porters like this? Are they employees of RCI?

 

It sounds very intimidating. I never use porters, aren't you allowed to carry your own bags?

[Gonzo70]

:eek: WOW!

 

Are all porters like this? Are they employees of RCI?

 

It sounds very intimidating. I never use porters, aren't you allowed to carry your own bags?

 

No, most of the porters are friendly and professional, but there are some rogue ones.

 

They do not work for RCI. They are unionized longshoremen working for the Port Authority.

 

In most U.S. ports you are required to turn over non carry-on luggage to the porters before entering the terminal.

[yogimax]

This wasn't one bag but 5 pieces of luggage. Seems like that should be worth a buck or two.

[Gonzo70]

This wasn't one bag but 5 pieces of luggage. Seems like that should be worth a buck or two.

 

Why? The OP was simply having the porter do what the porter is salaried to do. No tip is expected anymore than one would tip the people at the airport that take your luggage off the plane and put it on the conveyor belt in the baggae claim area. It does not matter the number of bags or weight of the bags. That would be like saying that it would be worth tipping one's dentist a buck or two if their teeth were particularly dirty.

[MalaysianSunbear]

I recently embarked on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas at Terminal 25 and was totally disgusted by my porter experience when dropping off our luggage.

 

We arrived at 10:30am on March 6th in the luggage drop off area. One porter was in sight helping someone else so we waited a couple of minutes without anyone coming to assist us. We then proceeded to take our 5 pieces of luggage out of the car and bring them to the luggage carts on the sidewalk. We then stood there for another minute or two and decided to just place our luggage in the carts ourselves since we already had luggage tags on them.

 

As soon as we did that, someone comes running over from nowhere and told us we couldn't do that and we had to wait, so we did. The man that was helping the other couple then came over to us, looked at our luggage with the tags already on them and said we are set and he would be taking care of the luggage.

 

Before we started walking away, he decided to inform us that he was expecting a "donation" to handle our luggage since we wouldn't see him anymore and he is the one responsible for getting the luggage on the ship. That comment just infuriated me and I said to him that after I was the one that brought the luggage to the curbside cart area and he did nothing to help us; I am to tip him for that? He then continued to inform me that he was the one responsible for placing the luggage thru the ex-rays to make sure it gets on the ship.

 

I call this extortion as he did nothing to deserve a tip besides placing the luggage two feet away on the luggage cart. I got his badge number and I took a couple of pictures of him and emailed them to Port Everglades.

 

I always tip for service, but this to me is getting a little ridiculous.

 

Hmmm, sounds eerily familiar! Like maybe the same person. See my previous post and responses below. (Hope the link works!)

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1073621&highlight=

[snownyet]

I recently embarked on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas at Terminal 25 and was totally disgusted by my porter experience when dropping off our luggage.

 

We arrived at 10:30am on March 6th in the luggage drop off area. One porter was in sight helping someone else so we waited a couple of minutes without anyone coming to assist us. We then proceeded to take our 5 pieces of luggage out of the car and bring them to the luggage carts on the sidewalk. We then stood there for another minute or two and decided to just place our luggage in the carts ourselves since we already had luggage tags on them.

 

As soon as we did that, someone comes running over from nowhere and told us we couldn't do that and we had to wait, so we did. The man that was helping the other couple then came over to us, looked at our luggage with the tags already on them and said we are set and he would be taking care of the luggage.

 

Before we started walking away, he decided to inform us that he was expecting a "donation" to handle our luggage since we wouldn't see him anymore and he is the one responsible for getting the luggage on the ship. That comment just infuriated me and I said to him that after I was the one that brought the luggage to the curbside cart area and he did nothing to help us; I am to tip him for that? He then continued to inform me that he was the one responsible for placing the luggage thru the ex-rays to make sure it gets on the ship.

 

I call this extortion as he did nothing to deserve a tip besides placing the luggage two feet away on the luggage cart. I got his badge number and I took a couple of pictures of him and emailed them to Port Everglades.

 

I always tip for service, but this to me is getting a little ridiculous.

 

 

And this happens only moments prior to that porter opening your bag and using your shirt to wipe his butt before he throws it as hard as he can off the cart.

[marci22]

Why? The OP was simply having the porter do what the porter is salaried to do. No tip is expected anymore than one would tip the people at the airport that take your luggage off the plane and put it on the conveyor belt in the baggae claim area. It does not matter the number of bags or weight of the bags. That would be like saying that it would be worth tipping one's dentist a buck or two if their teeth were particularly dirty.

 

I believe it, but what do you do when the porter is demanding a tip up front, as so many posters have reported on these boards?

[two4me]

This gets confusing for newbies reading these.

When i arrive at the terminal, someone takes my bags before i even check in? I would rather keep my bags till i have to hand them over.

If i tip the person whos job it is to take them, do i tip the person registering me at the counter? come on!!!!

[Gonzo70]

I believe it, but what do you do when the porter is demanding a tip up front, as so many posters have reported on these boards?

 

Do exactly as the OP did; snap their picture and report them. The Port Authority is trying to crack down on the these rogue porters. Fortunately most of the porters are classy, professional people but the few rogue ones need to be held accountable for their actions. If people simply submit to them, that will only embolden them further.

[Gonzo70]

This gets confusing for newbies reading these.

When i arrive at the terminal, someone takes my bags before i even check in? I would rather keep my bags till i have to hand them over.

If i tip the person whos job it is to take them, do i tip the person registering me at the counter? come on!!!!

 

When you arrive outside the terminal building in U.S. ports you have to turn over luggage that is too big to be considered carry on (i.e. you can only keep luggage small enough to fit through the same type of baggage scanners at airports when you are clearing security on the way to the gate). Many people tip the porter who takes your luggage just before you go inside the terminal, however, they are not actually expected to be tipped. People who tip them do so out of either fear (i.e. that the porter will intentionally damage or lose their luggage if not tipped) or because they mistake the porter as being like a skycap/bellhop. There are signs up outisde the terminals saying that one does not need to tip the porters (at least one port even has a sign saying they are not permitted to accept tips). If you want to tip them, feel free to do so but do not think that you need to tip them. They are earning very, very generous salaries. If you choose not to tip them and they give you a hard time, the Port Authority wants this reported. All of them wear name tags/badges.

[livylotte]

Glad to know it's not all of the porters although reading through this thread it does sound like this practice happens more often than it should. Isn't there security who could stop this from happening? - as a foreigner I would feel quite frightened if someone approached me in this way.

 

Porters in the UK are a rare breed, we are expected to carry our own bags so it would be nice to have help with heavy cases. I'm all for tipping for good service but there is no way I'd hand over my money ... or bags to someone who's rude.