Tipping curbside baggage handlers

[princessjanee]

Can anyone recommend the right tip for our bag handlers at the port. I am never sure if I am giving the right amount, is 5.00 a bag appropriate. I am sailing this Sunday and would appreciate some advice.

[pblack]

I usually tip $2-3 a bag, so I think $5 a bag is plenty. :) Enjoy your cruise!

[evandbob]

I usually tip $2-3 a bag, so I think $5 a bag is plenty. :) Enjoy your cruise!

 

The OP is a New Yorker and we are accustomed to tipping well.

[princessjanee]

I usually tip $2-3 a bag, so I think $5 a bag is plenty. :) Enjoy your cruise!

 

Thanks for the quick reply....its been two years since our last cruise didn't know if things changed.

[maldenmusic]

We tip $2-3 each bag in Mobile and NOLA

[Viesczy]

I typically give 'em a $20 for the 3 bags (1 mine and 2 for Karen).

 

It is $ well spent IMO.

[princessjanee]

The OP is a New Yorker and we are accustomed to tipping well.

 

How true...good tip equals good service (most of the time)

[Havingfun2010]

Technically, the person that takes your bag and tosses it on the cart, is only one of many people that will touch your bag before you see it at your stateroom door. The tip, that you give will actually go to the person that handles your bag the least amount of time, roughly 30 seconds. They are a union worker, and are considered longshoreman. Their average pay, is 50 times more than the average pay on the ship. With that being said, tipping is not necessary, or required.

 

There are many bag handlers that do deserve a tip, such as when you get off the ship, and they walk with you to your car. Or the ones that help you in the airport to your next plane because you are disabled.

 

Think of this. At the airport, you go check in at the counter. What does that person do with your bag? The take it off the scale, and put it on the belt to be taken away. The cruise port, the guy you give the tip to, does exactly the same thing. Do you tip the airline employee for doing it? Bet the answer is no.

 

I tip a lot of people for many reasons, but I also tip smartly for services I get that are beyond the service expected. That guy only puts your bag on a cart. Instead, if you see the workers on the ship that are delivering bags to your section, tip that guy instead. Now, he is really working, and for much less money!

[beachbum53]

Can anyone recommend the right tip for our bag handlers at the port. I am never sure if I am giving the right amount, is 5.00 a bag appropriate. I am sailing this Sunday and would appreciate some advice.

 

There really isn't a set amount. I don't know if it's true for all baggage handlers, but I've read that most of them are union employees and are paid a very good wage. A reasonable tip would be $1.00 - $2.00 per bag.

[princessjanee]

Technically, the person that takes your bag and tosses it on the cart, is only one of many people that will touch your bag before you see it at your stateroom door. The tip, that you give will actually go to the person that handles your bag the least amount of time, roughly 30 seconds. They are a union worker, and are considered longshoreman. Their average pay, is 50 times more than the average pay on the ship. With that being said, tipping is not necessary, or required.

 

There are many bag handlers that do deserve a tip, such as when you get off the ship, and they walk with you to your car. Or the ones that help you in the airport to your next plane because you are disabled.

 

Think of this. At the airport, you go check in at the counter. What does that person do with your bag? The take it off the scale, and put it on the belt to be taken away. The cruise port, the guy you give the tip to, does exactly the same thing. Do you tip the airline employee for doing it? Bet the answer is no.

 

I tip a lot of people for many reasons, but I also tip smartly for services I get that are beyond the service expected. That guy only puts your bag on a cart. Instead, if you see the workers on the ship that are delivering bags to your section, tip that guy instead. Now, he is really working, and for much less money!

 

We do tip at the airport curbside and tip everyone else we come in contact to the handles our baggage and that does include port curbside on the ship delivery of our bags as well as those handlers when we are leaving the ship we try not to exclude anyone. BTW don't piss off your port curbside handler with no or too little tip or you might be scrambling for some clothing on your cruise because your bag went missing...just saying

[Saint Greg]

I gave him $5/bag last time but feel free to tip as much as you like.

Edited September 8, 2016 by Saint Greg

[GranthamMommy]

It really depends for us. $5 if we pack light, $10 if we have a bit more, $20 for a two week when we had 4 large suitcases.

 

 

 

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[RWolver672]

I think most people hand the tip folded up. They take it and shove it in their pocket without even looking at it. You could hand them a twenty or a hundred or a one and they wouldn't even know it. So I don't think giving them more than the normal is getting you any better service.

 

I've had a guy grab my bags and walk away to grab another persons before I could tip him. I had to chase after him to give it to him. Personally I give one dollar per bag. We usually have five bags so he just made five dollars for less than a minutes work. Now multiply that by even twenty more people in an hour and he just made one hundred dollars plus his wages.

 

After the cruise when they take your luggage to a taxi or shuttle bus is different. They do work harder for that money and deserve more.

Edited September 8, 2016 by RWolver672

[MsMot]

We do tip at the airport curbside and tip everyone else we come in contact to the handles our baggage and that does include port curbside on the ship delivery of our bags as well as those handlers when we are leaving the ship we try not to exclude anyone. BTW don't piss off your port curbside handler with no or too little tip or you might be scrambling for some clothing on your cruise because your bag went missing...just saying

 

Well said...

[Nic6318]

Can anyone recommend the right tip for our bag handlers at the port. I am never sure if I am giving the right amount, is 5.00 a bag appropriate. I am sailing this Sunday and would appreciate some advice.

 

Hi there

 

There is no " right amount " to tip these porters. Give what you want.

 

A lot of people don't tip these porters. They are well paid. They would likely be the highest paid workers you will encounter on your vacation except for some of the ships' officers. Their duty includes making sure there is a cabin tag on the bag, loading the bag on the cart and bring the cart to the area where they will be loaded onto the ship.

 

You don't have to pay people extra to do their job properly. If you feel it is necessary you may give them as much as you feel right.

 

hope this helps

have a great cruise

[bptex]

A crisp $5 bill when I drop them off for our 4 bags. Then we usually carry our own bags through customs, if the line is ridiculous though I'll grab a porter and tip them $10.

[Havingfun2010]

We do tip at the airport curbside and tip everyone else we come in contact to the handles our baggage and that does include port curbside on the ship delivery of our bags as well as those handlers when we are leaving the ship we try not to exclude anyone. BTW don't piss off your port curbside handler with no or too little tip or you might be scrambling for some clothing on your cruise because your bag went missing...just saying

 

I haven't met a longshoreman yet that was willing to lose their union job, pension, and 80K paycheck over not receiving a $2.00 tip. Some cruise docks, have signs up that make the statement that tipping is not permitted. I don't tip people for doing their job, I tip people for helping me, or I tip people that are tippable employees. Meaning those that live on tips. I never begrudge a person that gets tipped, but I also don't hand out money to everyone I see.

[poobears]

Between union wages and tips they are definitely making one of the best wages of anyone there but they also have to deal with a lot of hot headed impatient people so their wages are well earned. Tipping more does not get you better service, as mentioned they don't even glance at what you give them, they don't have time to acknowledge your sucking up, they have a job to do and that job is to get your out of the way as fast as possible. If you want to fill their wallet a little faster they will be happy to allow it but that won't get you any better service than the next guy. If anything got your bags "lost" it would be coping an attitude with them.

 

We usually check a couple of bags and I tip $10 so $5 a bag. This trip there will be 4 of us we'll check 4 carry on size bags and I'll tip $20. None of our bags are big or heavy bags, they can easily be carried on if we wanted to, we do not over pack so they don't have much work to do to earn that tip for us. It's easy money.

Edited September 8, 2016 by poobears

[jgskes]

I usually tip 10.00 for 4 bags. I actually take it to the door where the porters go but still tip them.

[ourcruiseyears]

Can anyone recommend the right tip for our bag handlers at the port. I am never sure if I am giving the right amount, is 5.00 a bag appropriate. I am sailing this Sunday and would appreciate some advice.

 

Directly from Carnival.com: "Curbside porters are available at the pier to take luggage to the vessel for delivery to the guest's stateroom by shipboard personnel. Guests must first identify their bags to a curbside porter. Customary tip is $1 per bag. Curbside porters are not employees of Carnival; therefore, if the guest experiences any problems, they must report them to porter management on site."

[ryano]

I haven't met a longshoreman yet that was willing to lose their union job, pension, and 80K paycheck over not receiving a $2.00 tip. Some cruise docks, have signs up that make the statement that tipping is not permitted. I don't tip people for doing their job, I tip people for helping me, or I tip people that are tippable employees. Meaning those that live on tips. I never begrudge a person that gets tipped, but I also don't hand out money to everyone I see.

 

You keep on doing you then and we will keep on doing us. I dont care what they make per year, they expect a tip and can get rather rude and threatening when they dont get one. Ive seen it with my own eyes whether you have or not. We get it, you dont tip the porters. Good for you. As for myself, I will keep on throwing them a couple bucks a bag and everyone is happy.

Edited September 8, 2016 by ryano

[beachbum53]

Based on the responses so far, it looks like the average tip per bag is $3.00 - $5.00. So, if on average a porter handles a minimum of 200 bags per day, that's about $600.00 - $1000.00 per day, on top of their regular wages. No wonder they're so eager to pick up your suitcase, walk a few steps, and toss it on a cart.

[Ready 2 Go]

My understanding is that the person that takes your bag and tosses it on the cart is expected to tip out a certain amount at the end of the day whether they collected that much or not. This is according to a POM handler who was visbly upset when a large group with a ton of luggage only tipped him $3.

 

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[Florings]

Usually $2 per bag, folded up....they have no idea how much we've handed over.

[loubetti]

Technically, the person that takes your bag and tosses it on the cart, is only one of many people that will touch your bag before you see it at your stateroom door. The tip, that you give will actually go to the person that handles your bag the least amount of time, roughly 30 seconds. They are a union worker, and are considered longshoreman. Their average pay, is 50 times more than the average pay on the ship. With that being said, tipping is not necessary, or required.

 

There are many bag handlers that do deserve a tip, such as when you get off the ship, and they walk with you to your car. Or the ones that help you in the airport to your next plane because you are disabled.

 

Think of this. At the airport, you go check in at the counter. What does that person do with your bag? The take it off the scale, and put it on the belt to be taken away. The cruise port, the guy you give the tip to, does exactly the same thing. Do you tip the airline employee for doing it? Bet the answer is no.

 

I tip a lot of people for many reasons, but I also tip smartly for services I get that are beyond the service expected. That guy only puts your bag on a cart. Instead, if you see the workers on the ship that are delivering bags to your section, tip that guy instead. Now, he is really working, and for much less money!

 

^^^^^ Right on!