Tipping Porters at NYC Cruise Terminal

[klepton]

I've always heard the $1-$2 per bag guideline. I generally tip $5 for 3 or 4 bags (never had fewer than 3) and $10 for 5 or more bags (never had more than 8).

 

I'm glad I read this thread, I need to look into the porter situation at Manhattan a little closer. I didn't know the porters weren't right at the curb where we'd get dropped off. We travel somewhat heavy with two young kids. I can move all the bags myself by strapping them together, but that doesn't do well in crowds or on elevators. I might need to go get a porter and bring them back like others have mentioned.

 

Or just stop cruising 'til my kids are old enough to carry their own bags, and we can ditch the stroller. :D

[buckeye rob]

Okay now, another twist. What about the person delivering the bags to your cabin ? They actually seem to do the most physical work in transporting your luggage. I generally give the dock porters $20 for our 4 bags. Gave the RCL person bringing the bags to our suite $10. ( smallest bill I had on me at the time). Felt kind of bad. Gerry

[LMaxwell]

Okay now, another twist. What about the person delivering the bags to your cabin ? They actually seem to do the most physical work in transporting your luggage. I generally give the dock porters $20 for our 4 bags. Gave the RCL person bringing the bags to our suite $10. ( smallest bill I had on me at the time). Felt kind of bad. Gerry

 

Have never seen anyone that has delivered our bags. they leave them outside the door. I'm sure if you see someone they would appreciate the gesture.

 

Dock porters don't work for the cruiseline. They are all paid very nice salaries. They put the luggage on the rolling carts and someone else takes it away, then a longshoreman loads it onto the ship. It's a great racket for them though!

[Cloudyrain]

We have always cruised from Europe and never tipped. To be fair we wheel our bags over and the porters pick them up and move them a meter into a luggage rack: it doesn't seem tip worthy really. In fact I don't think I have ever had anyone move my bag anywhere for me on any holiday, it's not the done thing in Europe.

 

I'm guessing from what you are all saying is that the porters at NYC physically run up and take your bags all the way through the terminal and into the baggage area??? Is this not something we can do ourselves?

[edawn]

We have always cruised from Europe and never tipped. To be fair we wheel our bags over and the porters pick them up and move them a meter into a luggage rack: it doesn't seem tip worthy really. In fact I don't think I have ever had anyone move my bag anywhere for me on any holiday, it's not the done thing in Europe.

 

 

 

I'm guessing from what you are all saying is that the porters at NYC physically run up and take your bags all the way through the terminal and into the baggage area??? Is this not something we can do ourselves?

 

 

In my experience, they don't wheel your luggage anywhere when you get to the terminal. It's just as you stated; you carry your luggage up to the porters and they put it on a cart. That's all they do. I've had more than one in NYC state that he would be the last person to handle my luggage. At the time I thought they were trying to extort money from me but I suppose he could have meant he would be the person taking excellent care of my luggage [emoji57]

[CapCrunch]

When boarding in Miami, I thought people here had said you can keep your bags with you if you want - is that correct? Or are you required to give them to a porter? I was assuming the porters a like the ones at airports, where it's optional, but I don't know.

[Turtles06]

We have always cruised from Europe and never tipped. To be fair we wheel our bags over and the porters pick them up and move them a meter into a luggage rack: it doesn't seem tip worthy really. In fact I don't think I have ever had anyone move my bag anywhere for me on any holiday, it's not the done thing in Europe.

 

I'm guessing from what you are all saying is that the porters at NYC physically run up and take your bags all the way through the terminal and into the baggage area??? Is this not something we can do ourselves?

 

At the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, there's no passenger-accessible baggage area. Whatever bags you are not carrying on board yourself you give to the porters at the entrance. They immediately put them on large carts to be hauled away.

 

Per American custom (and I am an American), we always tip the porters.

[Cloudyrain]

At the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, there's no passenger-accessible baggage area. Whatever bags you are not carrying on board yourself you give to the porters at the entrance. They immediately put them on large carts to be hauled away.

 

Per American custom (and I am an American), we always tip the porters.

 

I am fully aware of what the custom is when it comes to tipping, and believe it or not we Brits do tip here in our own backward country: half a shilling for a jug of mead is the standard ;)

 

I was purely pointing out that in my mind someone moving a case a few meters into a luggage rack wasn't really tip worthy, I mean I don't tip the supermarket checkout girl and they move a lot more of my stuff than one rolling suitcase :D

 

If someone was taking my case and taking it a few hundred meters or whatever then I would tip a dollar or two :)

[Barb Nahoumi]

For a few bucks, we let the porters take our bags. Why break our backs lugging them ourselves?

[Laszlo]

I am going on the Gem November 23, 2015... I will have one piece of luggage to check in at the terminal....can someone give me an idea of how much to tip the porter for one 28" piece of luggage.... have been reading some horror stories, and i want my luggage to arrive at my cabin in one piece...

 

Would appreciate if someone has an idea...to forward to me an answer...

 

Thanks,

Cathy

 

Your a little paranoid, I tip $5.00 a bag

 

I'm a LOT more concerned about what happens to my bags and any airport. At every cruise terminal I have been to my checked bags went from my or my wife hand to the porters to the cart. Your bags, tip or not is as safe any anyone else's

 

If ANYONE should get a tip for moving bags around its the guys on the ship delivering the bags to your cabin door. We have been around a few times when our bags were dropped off and I tipped the guy the same $5.00 a bag

Edited October 17, 2015 by Laszlo

[mjkacmom]

I am fully aware of what the custom is when it comes to tipping, and believe it or not we Brits do tip here in our own backward country: half a shilling for a jug of mead is the standard ;)

 

I was purely pointing out that in my mind someone moving a case a few meters into a luggage rack wasn't really tip worthy, I mean I don't tip the supermarket checkout girl and they move a lot more of my stuff than one rolling suitcase :D

 

If someone was taking my case and taking it a few hundred meters or whatever then I would tip a dollar or two :)

 

Believe it or not, a tip is expected, even if just moving the bags a foot or two.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-how-much-you-should-tip-for-every-service-2012-8

[ColinIllinois]

Believe it or not, a tip is expected, even if just moving the bags a foot or two.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-how-much-you-should-tip-for-every-service-2012-8

 

 

I laughed as I read that. What a crock of bovine feces. Tipping has gotten so out of control in this country to the point of absurdity.

[Cloudyrain]

But would all you port tippers tip the air steward who puts a bag in your overhead locker, or stows your wheelchair/pushchair? I have never seen anyone do that - so why would people tip someone who moves a suitcase less than a meter :confused:

 

I agree with the comment on rather tipping the person who brings the suitcases to the room, wether it be a cruise or a hotel room - although in Europe you mostly take your own luggage.... maybe they should tip me :D

 

We will always tip people who provide a service, but just as I wouldn't tip the checkout staff, an air steward or a bus driver, I won't tip a "moves it a meter" porter: if that porter does a few hundred yards with my cases, or navigates stairs with them, then I would give them a pound or two.

[NLH Arizona]

But would all you port tippers tip the air steward who puts a bag in your overhead locker, or stows your wheelchair/pushchair? I have never seen anyone do that - so why would people tip someone who moves a suitcase less than a meter :confused:

 

I have never had a flight attendant put my bag in the overhead storage and I usually fly first class. What airline do you fly where they do that? If someone pushed a wheelchair for me through the airport or I rode one of the carts in the airport, yes, I would tip and I see that many do tip them.

[Turtles06]

But would all you port tippers tip the air steward who puts a bag in your overhead locker, or stows your wheelchair/pushchair? I have never seen anyone do that - so why would people tip someone who moves a suitcase less than a meter :confused:

 

I agree with the comment on rather tipping the person who brings the suitcases to the room, wether it be a cruise or a hotel room - although in Europe you mostly take your own luggage.... maybe they should tip me :D

 

We will always tip people who provide a service, but just as I wouldn't tip the checkout staff, an air steward or a bus driver, I won't tip a "moves it a meter" porter: if that porter does a few hundred yards with my cases, or navigates stairs with them, then I would give them a pound or two.

 

I realize that being from the UK, you have a very different culture when it comes to tipping. Questions were asked on here about tipping the porters at the NY terminal, and correct answers were given in terms of our American customs. You may not like the answers, but those are our customs. The porters in NY are taking your bags, loading them onto carts, and getting them to wherever they need to go to be loaded on the ship.

[Samstress]

We recently took a cruise departing from the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal. We were 4 girls with LOTS of luggage and we usually tip quite well. It was worth every penny of what we tipped to help out someone who works so hard & she was very appreciative.

And just as an aside; we had to return to the area where she worked & we noticed that our luggage was tucked into the carrier nice & neatly. So maybe it does pay to pay:)

JMHO.

Cheers

Sandra

[IrieBajan54]

Man some people get uptight over tipping.

 

I don't think people are uptight about tipping. Yes, it is a custom but also a racket. Longshoremen are unionized and make very good pay compared to the average person. Tipping is such a racket these days that there is a tip jar just about every place. Years ago, I did not see that. Also, the percentage keeps changing arbitrarily. It seems that 25% is the new 15%.

Edited October 17, 2015 by IrieBajan54