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

[steponboard]

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).

 

I've seen signs stating no tipping required in Florida. These long shoremen have a hefty union and salary. We have gone a little overboard with tipping.

[Gonzo70]

FYI: I just noticed that the Holland America website even states on their website that the porters are salaried and need not be tipped:

 

"Your Baggage

 

Those Guests not participating in the Luggage Direct should expect the following:

Upon disembarking the ship, all luggage is laid down in the disembarkation hall by color/number order. Once you are invited to exit the ship please come and find your color/number group and claim your bags. There are porters available, but individual carts are not available. Please exit the building with all family members and luggage, once you leave you cannot re-enter.

 

The Porters are salaried employees and tipping is not required."

 

See: http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-destinations/PortDetail.action?portCode=SAN (Click on the "Departure Information" after clicking on the link)

[Bakincakes]

We always tip..even when we sail on Holland.

 

I've never had an issue with a porter demanding a tip or being "pushy" about anything.

[marci22]

Some people have never had a pushy/rude porter; some people have. It does not matter how many times one has sailed from any particular port. Porters demanding a tip, or saying that a tip is inadequate (as I have also read on these boards) especially before doing anything, should not be acceptable.

[Aquahound]

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 know how the ports work, so I can clear this one up. All the porter does is walks the cart full of bags back to the security area. He leaves it there, and then grabs an empty cart and walks right back out to the curb. He has nothing to do with the security scanning. In fact, the security scanning is manned by ship security personnel.

[jackdiamond]

Interestingly, while my wife and I were sitting on one of the beautiful beaches in Sanibel Island Fl today, I inquired of her whether, in her recollection, we had ever had a problem with the porters at Port Everglades during any of our twenty four cruises there. Her response was negative; and, she opined that we had always been treated fairly. I further indicated to her that I had replied to the objections of some folks with a simple inquiry as to the number of times that they had cruised from this port; and, further that the response was negative. Her comment was simply that that is what you might expect from people who have little else to do but to complain.

[crusinmama06]

Interestingly, while my wife and I were sitting on one of the beautiful beaches in Sanibel Island Fl today, I inquired of her whether, in her recollection, we had ever had a problem with the porters at Port Everglades during any of our twenty four cruises there. Her response was negative; and, she opined that we had always been treated fairly. I further indicated to her that I had replied to the objections of some folks with a simple inquiry as to the number of times that they had cruised from this port; and, further that the response was negative. Her comment was simply that that is what you might expect from people who have little else to do but to complain.

 

I look at it like this. I wrote my review back in Feb 2009 -- so over a year before THIS thread.

 

I LOVED my cruise on Independence. LOVED everything about it. Couldn't have had a better time. There wasn't a complaint in the entire review. Except, as you can see on the previous page, the porter did say the line "I am responsible for making SURE your bags make it to the ship". I didn't "complain" about it. But I did write it in the review. It was something that I did remember. So all of these people aren't lying. We have heard it over and over again coming from that port.

 

But now you are saying because you and your wife say it didn't happen to you, then it just simply doesn't exist? :confused:

 

I wouldn't stoop to call you and your wife liars, like you basically have in your threads against the previous posters. But I can say that you might be a tad bit unobservant.

[shipty2]

We had a porter at Port Everglades last year who refused a tip. We were bewildered but pleasantly surprised.

[Aquahound]

I inquired of her whether, in her recollection, we had ever had a problem with the porters at Port Everglades during any of our twenty four cruises there. Her response was negative; and, she opined that we had always been treated fairly.

 

I've never had it happen to me either. However, that does not mean it hasn't happened to others.

[Cruzaholic41]

Here we go again. Folks, the people who take your bags from you at the curb are not longshoremen. Longshoremen are the guys who work on the actual pier. This topic comes up periodically and the threads are always full of misinformation. My BIL is a porter in Miami. They do not make the salaries claimed over and over in these threads. I don't know how Port Everglades pays the porters, but apparently it is completely different than Miami.

[foflocruiser]

Baggage handlers/porters are not employees of Port Everglades. The porters are members of an organized labor union called the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and are hired by the cruise line.

[bobmacliberty]

I'm glad that I read this thread. If this had happened to me, I'd have been upset, probably would have had a nasty confrontation with the porter, and would have let it ruin my first day of cruising. Now, whether or not the porter makes $100k per year or deserves a tip, I'll just give him a buck or 2 a bag. I'll know in advance that it might not be right, but I'll have made peace with it, feel confident that nothing will happen to my luggage, and not let whatever happens with the porter impact my vacation at all.

[jackdiamond]

I'm glad that I read this thread. If this had happened to me, I'd have been upset, probably would have had a nasty confrontation with the porter, and would have let it ruin my first day of cruising. Now, whether or not the porter makes $100k per year or deserves a tip, I'll just give him a buck or 2 a bag. I'll know in advance that it might not be right, but I'll have made peace with it, feel confident that nothing will happen to my luggage, and not let whatever happens with the porter impact my vacation at all.

I concur.

[setsail]

Seems they work for port everglades/union not the cruise lines

 

http://portevergladesguide.com/017.html

 

http://www.porteverglades.net/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=815&menuID=998

[twoatsea]

Sorry, this thread is too long to read all of the pages, but I found basically the same responses on 3 of the pages, so don't know why it has to go on so long. So, rather than regurgitating the same comments, why don't CC posters all call Ft. Lauderdale Port Authority & complain about the shake-downs? With enough calls, changes may be made.

 

My husband & I always tip & we tip generously. However, once at Ft. L, before our bags even hit the curb, we were not only advised to tip in order to ensure our bags would make it onto the ship, we were advised to pay $10 - DH had 1 bag & I had 1 bag! We accepted the shake-down & tipped the $10!

 

Let's all call & complain!???

[jackdiamond]

Sorry, this thread is too long to read all of the pages, but I found basically the same responses on 3 of the pages, so don't know why it has to go on so long. So, rather than regurgitating the same comments, why don't CC posters all call Ft. Lauderdale Port Authority & complain about the shake-downs? With enough calls, changes may be made.

 

My husband & I always tip & we tip generously. However, once at Ft. L, before our bags even hit the curb, we were not only advised to tip in order to ensure our bags would make it onto the ship, we were advised to pay $10 - DH had 1 bag & I had 1 bag! We accepted the shake-down & tipped the $10!

 

Let's all call & complain!???

That is an interesting observation. Was that a recent event? As I indicated earlier, we have cruised about 24 times form this port; and, we have never had a problem. As a matter of fact, we enjoy the assistance of the porters upon disembarkation. I wonder if some of the folks who have voiced their complaints have utilized the porters for disembarkation, or if they simply disembark without porter assistance.

[marci22]

Here we go again. Folks, the people who take your bags from you at the curb are not longshoremen. Longshoremen are the guys who work on the actual pier. This topic comes up periodically and the threads are always full of misinformation. My BIL is a porter in Miami. They do not make the salaries claimed over and over in these threads. I don't know how Port Everglades pays the porters, but apparently it is completely different than Miami.

 

If they are members of the ILA, they are not longshoremen? Because that's who takes your bags at Port Everglades.

[jackdiamond]

I look at it like this. I wrote my review back in Feb 2009 -- so over a year before THIS thread.

 

I LOVED my cruise on Independence. LOVED everything about it. Couldn't have had a better time. There wasn't a complaint in the entire review. Except, as you can see on the previous page, the porter did say the line "I am responsible for making SURE your bags make it to the ship". I didn't "complain" about it. But I did write it in the review. It was something that I did remember. So all of these people aren't lying. We have heard it over and over again coming from that port.

 

But now you are saying because you and your wife say it didn't happen to you, then it just simply doesn't exist? :confused:

 

I wouldn't stoop to call you and your wife liars, like you basically have in your threads against the previous posters. But I can say that you might be a tad bit unobservant.

How many times have you cruised out of Port Everglades?

[GeneK]

We always arrive by bus from the hotel. We are always told that once the bags are on our bus we don't have to worry about them. However the porters were yelling at us all, (about 70 of us) that we better be tipping them before we went in the terminal to board. They informed us that THEY were the ones who would be putting the bags on the ship. There was a large sign posted NOT to tip the porters. They are well paid union employees.

[Badlands99]

I don't think this has been mentioned yet...

 

Every guide I've ever read on gratuities has mentioned that anyone who handles your luggage should be tipped $1 - $2 per bag. I have no knowledge of or control over the base salary of these porters, but in my experience they have always "handled" my luggage, therefor they get a tip. Even if their behavior is less than ideal.

 

Here's an example of a tipping guide that specifically states "The porter who takes your bags at the pier gets $2 a bag, more if you have trunks."

 

http://life.familyeducation.com/tipping/travel/49065.html

[Gonzo70]

Here we go again. Folks, the people who take your bags from you at the curb are not longshoremen. Longshoremen are the guys who work on the actual pier. This topic comes up periodically and the threads are always full of misinformation. My BIL is a porter in Miami. They do not make the salaries claimed over and over in these threads. I don't know how Port Everglades pays the porters, but apparently it is completely different than Miami.

 

With 100% certainty they ARE longshoremen. Call the Port Authority and ask! There are stevedores employed at the ports that are not longshoremen, but they do NOT work the cruise ships.

[jackdiamond]

With 100% certainty they ARE longshoremen. Call the Port Authority and ask! There are stevedores employed at the ports that are not longshoremen, but they do NOT work the cruise ships.

How many times have you cruised out of Port Everglades?

[Gonzo70]

How many times have you cruised out of Port Everglades?

 

Why? :confused:

[dennbr9]

Funny about the butt!

 

What it comes down to is that a Tip is expected and I would suggest having it out for him to see as he takes your bag. Just is a part of the Cruise experience - not a good part, but a part that you should be prepared for.

[R & J]

How many times have you cruised out of Port Everglades?

 

 

No kidding, WHY?

 

Why is it so important for you to know how many times someone has cruised out of Port Everglades?

 

Yes, yes, yes, we all see you have cruised from there 24 times, big deal.

 

Why?

 

Please tell us why you need to know.