Tipping porters

[tsgrl97]

He just told us that it is not enough and asked for more. It happened last February in Port Everglades when we were boarding 10 day Celebrity cruise if it makes a difference.

 

Do they work for tips only or do they get a wage as well? Sorry, this is new to me. Leaving on my first cruise on Thursday. Trying to gauge whether or not he was being rude or if there is some substance behind his statement.

[EllenSunny1]

This tipping porters thing has me very confused! First time cruiser here, can't you just carry your bags up to the "check in" desk? (Is there a check in desk?) I'm leaving out of Fort Lauderdale on RCI. I never had anyone carry my bags at an airport or hotel, I'm used to doing it myself! Heck these days at airports no one else even touches your bags, you attach your own tags and put your bag on the conveyer yourself. I'm not against tipping but I'm Canadian so I don't just have dollar bills in my pocket, I'd have to get money changed after landing, and I don't quite understand what service I'm paying for.

 

 

 

I’m also Canadian and never travel without US currency. You can exchange Canadian for American at any bank.

As for carrying on your luggage if it’s small and you don’t mind carrying it I don’t see why you can’t carry it aboard. Note that you must go through security conveyer before boarding too.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[EllenSunny1]

Do they work for tips only or do they get a wage as well? Sorry, this is new to me. Leaving on my first cruise on Thursday. Trying to gauge whether or not he was being rude or if there is some substance behind his statement.

 

 

 

They are like any other service industry. The get paid like wait staff and depend on tips as well as pay cheque.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[TNcruising02]

This tipping porters thing has me very confused! First time cruiser here, can't you just carry your bags up to the "check in" desk? (Is there a check in desk?) I'm leaving out of Fort Lauderdale on RCI. I never had anyone carry my bags at an airport or hotel, I'm used to doing it myself! Heck these days at airports no one else even touches your bags, you attach your own tags and put your bag on the conveyer yourself. I'm not against tipping but I'm Canadian so I don't just have dollar bills in my pocket, I'd have to get money changed after landing, and I don't quite understand what service I'm paying for.

 

The service varies. I have arrived at ports from hotel shuttles and there has always been a porter waiting by the shuttle to load all of the bags on to a cart.

 

I have arrived at other ports where I have taken my bags to the building where there is a section with one area open to the outside to take the suitcases. I took the suitcases inside that area and either handed them off to a porter or set them down by the wall inside (at the request of a porter).

 

The only time I didn't tip was when I set my bags inside by the wall because I did not hand my bags off to anyone. My husband and I tipped $5 all of the other times, except once when my husband had no change and tipped a $20. Make sure you have small bills. We have over-tipped on a few excursions due to the lack of having smaller bills on hand.

 

First time cruisers should make sure they have their valuables, passports, electronics, and boarding passes with them and don't accidentally put them in the bags that are handed to the porters.

Edited January 9, 2018 by TNcruising02

[Chrome Diva]

My 2cents. If we walk up to the Embarkation Center and a Porter is standing there next to his cart tosses my luggage not a smile or hello I do not give a tip. When exiting a ship and a porter helps us up at the luggage collection area. Then takes us through custom and then outside and into the cab we give him $5.00 a bag or more depending on the amount of time he spends with us and his attitude. Tips are a personal thing so this is my opinion. No snarky responses necessary.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[BallFour4]

They are like any other service industry. The get paid like wait staff and depend on tips as well as pay cheque.

 

Well... that’s not quite true. The men and women that handle your luggage at the port are ILA union longshoremen.

 

Most, if not all are Class A seniority and have many years tenure to get the cruise ship gig. They work off a job board, called out by the business agent to work that day.

 

To the OP, my wife and family take enough luggage to fill the vehicle, so when I drive up I find one to unload, make sure priority tape is on each suitcase and I tip $10-$20 depending on the bag volume.

 

I’ve also had my bags early for every cruise I did that prior to being platinum. It might be coincidence, but clothes are hung, suitcases stored under the bed and lunch is complete before muster.

 

Thirty-six cruises from nine ports, I could be wrong...

 

.

[Ellie_daisy]

I’m also Canadian and never travel without US currency. You can exchange Canadian for American at any bank.

We are from Canada as well. We exchange a small amount of Canadian dollars in Canada and ask for $1 and $5 bills.

[princeton12321]

The amount really depends on how attached to your bags you are.

[rhoades.c]

We usually tip $10 for a few bags (2-3) or $20 when it’s all 5 of us and fills a cart up.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[GUT2407]

The amount really depends on how attached to your bags you are.

Ahhhhh so extortion not tips.

[Underwatr]

Big signs at the Brooklyn terminal in New York advising that tips are voluntary.

[Ellie_daisy]

Big signs at the Brooklyn terminal in New York advising that tips are voluntary.

It's a big lie. They are never voluntary... at least in North America.

[chengkp75]

Well... that’s not quite true. The men and women that handle your luggage at the port are ILA union longshoremen.

 

Most, if not all are Class A seniority and have many years tenure to get the cruise ship gig. They work off a job board, called out by the business agent to work that day.

 

 

.

 

Bingo. We have a winner. This is spot on, even to noting that the cruise line jobs of handling baggage is a preferred job taken by the senior union members, who draw the highest salaries. On the West Coast, it is the ILWA, and on the Gulf and East Coast it is the ILA. Handling baggage at a public pier (as all cruise terminals are) is considered to be "cargo handling", so it falls under the longshoremen's contract with the port, just as loading the stores and food on the cruise ships does. God help any non-union person who actually handles a bag. Terminal employees, and cruise line employees will always seek out a "porter" (longshoreman) to actually move a piece of baggage.

 

Longshoremen earn from $65k for starting members, to well into 6 figures for senior members, working night shifts, or special operations like cruise ships. Hourly rates go from $15-$45/hour plus overtime and shift differentials.

[chengkp75]

It's a big lie. They are never voluntary... at least in North America.

 

The only time a tip is not voluntary is when a restaurant puts a fixed gratuity on a check for a large party. Whether or not you feel that tips are voluntary, or whether you are guilted into giving a tip when none is required or warranted is a different thing.

[princeton12321]

Not giving a tip to a porter, bellman, waiter etc just because you’ve made some self realized generalization about their livelihoods is just cheap and unseemly. If someone provides some sort of manual labor service for you it’s 5 bucks- cmon. Is that such a big deal? People who don’t tip tend to be the first people to complain about “lack of service”. It’s laughable. There is a game to be played here and it’s just easier if everyone involved does their part.

[chengkp75]

Not giving a tip to a porter, bellman, waiter etc just because you’ve made some self realized generalization about their livelihoods is just cheap and unseemly. If someone provides some sort of manual labor service for you it’s 5 bucks- cmon. Is that such a big deal? People who don’t tip tend to be the first people to complain about “lack of service”. It’s laughable. There is a game to be played here and it’s just easier if everyone involved does their part.

 

So, do you tip the plumber who either comes to your house to clean the drains, or comes to your cabin to fix the toilet on the ship?

[NMLady]

So, do you tip the plumber who either comes to your house to clean the drains, or comes to your cabin to fix the toilet on the ship?

 

Depending on circumstances, we might -- and have.

[princeton12321]

So, do you tip the plumber who either comes to your house to clean the drains, or comes to your cabin to fix the toilet on the ship?

 

 

 

Not apples to apples comparison. We’re talking about people who you are not paying already who are performing a service that makes your life easier.

 

Chances are you’re paying the plumber a fee- not as necessary. The plumber doesn’t depend on your tip. Attendant who comes to fix your toilet? That can go either way. If it’s routine then no. If they jumped over themselves in the middle of the night and came within 5 minutes of you calling with great sense of urgency because your small child needed to use the toilet? It would be a strong and classy gesture.

 

People who don’t tip would be shocked at how much life improves when you do- especially if your frequent the same places or spend a lot of time on a ship.

[chengkp75]

Boy, wish I'd met you folks when I was earning my 6 figure salary and unclogging passenger toilets when needed. Even my lowly plumbers only got tips when they saved someone's diamond ring or earring from the sink trap.

 

Well, don't want to pick nits, but you probably don't pay the house plumber directly either, you pay his company, and you don't know in any way how he is compensated by the company. But getting back to the original premise, why would you tip someone who most likely earns more than you do, for doing the job they are paid very well for, since we both know that the porters don't need the tips.

[CCC3]

Husband tips a fiver for two bags.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Ellie_daisy]

The only time a tip is not voluntary is when a restaurant puts a fixed gratuity on a check for a large party. Whether or not you feel that tips are voluntary, or whether you are guilted into giving a tip when none is required or warranted is a different thing.

There have been so many articles in the papers when a customer didn't leave a tip in a restaurant and got shamed. My husband took a cab once when he was a student, barely had enough $$ to pay for the ride. Taxi driver screamed at him for that.

[Dixie1337]

There have been so many articles in the papers when a customer didn't leave a tip in a restaurant and got shamed. My husband took a cab once when he was a student, barely had enough $$ to pay for the ride. Taxi driver screamed at him for that.

 

Generally a $0 tip isn't newsworthy. It usually hits the news when someone also leaves a rude message on a huge bill, like "here's a tip, get a real job" or something.

 

I don't tip the porters. I save my tip money for people who bust their butts on the ship or in ports and don't have good paying union jobs. My husband always wants to tip them because he's afraid of what will happen to our bags if we don't. I say that's extortion not a tip and I refuse.

[Underwatr]

I'll tip a porter but not if I have to chase him down. At Brooklyn you turn around and they're gone.

[SpaceCowboy9]

I try to carry on whenever possible - I hate the extortion. Someone said they have never had a problem when not tipping. When in San Juan, I walked my mother-in-law's wheelchair in as far as I could, gave it to the porter, who was right next conveyor belt. He stood there waiting for a tip... why should I tip him, I did 95% of the work. Anyway, needless to say wheelchair destroyed. Good thing it was a used wheelchair, could have easily been $1,000+. Had to spend an hour talking with a Carnival person and gave me an onboard credit for the cost of the wheelchair. It was a real downer during the cruise

[ditmar2007]

Dane here. Tips not common in my country. Fair and predictable wages are.

 

I hate-hate-hate the tip-the-porter thing. I would prefer to carry my bags myself, but I HAVE to check them in. And in addition I have to pay for something I don't want.

 

Luckily my next cruise is from Copenhagen. They won't expect tips from a Danish speaking person.