Tip Porters?

[CEOofVacation]

Have you read the entire thread? That is not what I meant. I meant that we are required to “check” our bags with those, for lack of a better term, porters at the curb. I’d certainly call it checking the bags if I don’t see them again until they appear (hopefully) at our stateroom! I did not mean they check us, as passengers, in for the cruise.

Got it. I was comparing it with our experience at Seattle port, we brought our luggages to a check-in desk just in front of the building. The check-in folks in Seattle were profesional, checked off our names from their list before asking us to leave our bags in the area next to them. No "porters" were involved.

[NHProud]

AFAIK, the curbside porters (or whatever their official designation) have nothing to do with loading the ship. They simply initiate the movement of your bags from curbside to screening to loading to delivery. Using the airport analogy, porters did exist at airports, and still do in some locations, who would take your bags from curbside to check in, or from the luggage carousel (or customs exit) to curbside when arriving at your destination. We would certainly tip them.

 

 

 

Whether longshoremen are well paid or not, and whether they deserve a tip for the few seconds work is subject to debate, but when I've spent thousands of dollars on a cruise, I'm not going to quibble over $5 if it means that my luggage will be handled properly. If that makes me a fool, so be it. I've been called a lot worse!

 

 

 

They are called stevedores.

 

 

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[Alsmez]

We just got off Silhouette in Fort Lauderdale. When we embarked, our taxi driver was directed to a drop off spot where luggage handlers (a couple of people who seemed to be organizing things administratively as well as some guys doing the heavy lifting) were tagging luggage and loading it onto large carts. We were standing right next to one of these carts and could easily have plopped our own bags onto it, but it was pretty clear they didn't want people loading their own bags onto the carts. One of the organizers approached me immediately to ensure that my bags were tagged (and presumably to make sure we didn't load them ourselves).

 

As it happened, we hadn't received luggage tags before the cruise, so I needed her help whether I liked it or not. She helped me fill out tags correctly and stick them on the bags, then she asked the lifting guy behind her to put them on the cart. We tipped the tag lady a few dollars, but the lifting guy had already moved on to someone else so we didn't tip him separately. Neither of them seemed aggressive about expecting a tip, but I had cash in hand as soon as the lady was done with my tags, so perhaps she just saw there was no need to push. Since the lifting guy walked off I assumed that they all had a pool or sharing arrangement between the lifters and organizers. Whether that is true or not, I was pleasantly surprised at the system, since I have encountered very pushy luggage handlers in Miami - it seems like they practically rip the bags from your hands there. Then again, I have no idea how they would have reacted if we had tried to load the bags ourselves.

 

Anyway, I agree with the posters who believe a dollar or two per bag is sufficient. The lady who helped us tag our four bags spent maybe one minute helping us, and the man who lifted them onto the cart spent perhaps 10 seconds. $5 per bag for this service would be ludicrous. I can see tipping more if they are moving the bags a good distance or waiting with you while you wait for a car, but $20 for less than two minutes of work is beyond excessive.

[GerScot]

FYI, you do not see the people who do 99% of the work in getting your bag to the ship, so that is plain untrue that you tip anyone who does something on your behalf. You are only tipping people who do the smallest amount of the task and are being paid the most in wages.

Not sure who these other 99% are?.... If I tip the guy who puts in on the ship then the one who brings it to my cabin, I would say they are the 2 most involved, and the ones who mean I do not have to lug the cases about!

[Fouremco]

Regardless if i am sailing on a free cruise or splurged for the Penthouse Suite I tip those who provide me with good service generously and do not tip people who are already being very well compensated in wages for doing a few seconds of work that is a basic part of their basic assignment. What’s next, people are going to tip the Captan of the ship $10 per/port out of fear the Captain will otherwise skip the port. After all you already paid thousands for the cruise, right? Ridiculous.

While I don't have a particular problem with your approach, it seems to depend upon an intimate knowledge of what everyone is paid. My time is valuable, and I'd rather pay $5 per cruise than spend the time determining who makes what where. In any event, you're happy with your approach and I'm happy with mine.

[vulcan1971]

Our experience with the porter for our last Celebrity cruise was a real turnoff. Before we even finished dropping off the luggages, the big guy held his hand out said "Time to pay up now!" We were taken aback and we should have reported his behavior to guest services but we totally forgot about it until we got home. Yes, we always tip and quite generously, but having someone demand it from you in that manner was totally unacceptable.

 

CEOofVacation - Upon arrival at the port in both Fort Lauderdale or Miami, I have also observed some porters not shy to ask for a tip regardless of any help that they actually provided or that you might have needed. Because the porters do take the bags from you to load onto a metal cart for boarding on the ship, I would have tipped them anyway, but I feel inclined to tip less than I would have if they hadn't asked for (or expected) the tip to be given.

 

 

I know sometimes people have some mixed reactions about the porters but I have to say that we have found the porters to be very helpful not only in dropping off our bags but also when we have gotten off the ships and needed assistance to take our bags outside to meet either private vehicles or taxis. On occasions porters have stood with us for 10 or 15 minutes and/or navigated sidewalks and streets and placed the luggage in the vehicle and stood there until we were driven off. We will tip them more when they assist us on disembarkation day particularly if it involves more time and getting out to the vehicle as I mentioned.

 

Keith

 

 

Keith - I'm fortunate that I am still capable of managing the baggage (physically), but I have seen plenty of folks, young and old, that use the assistance of a porter upon disembarkation. The porters are with you through the process to clear customs / immigration, and event help to get you outside to a form of transportation. This is where I think the porters are actually providing a service that warrants tipping, possibly even in a generous manner.

 

 

 

 

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[richard1s]

Regardless if i am sailing on a free cruise or splurged for the Penthouse Suite I tip those who provide me with good service generously and do not tip people who are already being very well compensated in wages for doing a few seconds of work that is a basic part of their basic assignment. What’s next, people are going to tip the Captan of the ship $10 per/port out of fear the Captain will otherwise skip the port. After all you already paid thousands for the cruise, right? Ridiculous.

Pathetic rationalization to not pay a tip; you have no idea how these people are compensated. And if I'm not mistaken, I believe that you're the sour-puss standing in front of me at Guest Relations on my last cruise insisting that the gratuities be removed from your bill. Sad

[Gonzo70]

Pathetic rationalization to not pay a tip; you have no idea how these people are compensated. And if I'm not mistaken, I believe that you're the sour-puss standing in front of me at Guest Relations on my last cruise insisting that the gratuities be removed from your bill. Sad

 

No, I am the one saving my $$$ to tip extra to the hard working crew rather than throwing money at highly compensated union longshoremen for pushing my luggage a few yards on a cart. Maybe instead of throwing your money at people performing a TINY service for which you have already paid for in your port fees you should be a good person and save this money for the crew that provides MUCH MUCH MUCH more service and earns nearly nothing in wages instead of six figure plus salary. Hopefully you are also tipping your grocery store bagger, dental hygienist, subway driver, flight attendant, ramp workers at airports who offload your luggage, activities staff on the ship, all the people who handle your luggage after the longshoremen push the cart a few yards, etc etc or you are a giant hypocrite. Most people know that people receiving a full salary for doing their job generally don’t get tipped unless they do something above and beyond. Pushing luggage a few yards on a cart is not performing any extra service.

 

As I said previously, if the longshoremen do something extra for you such as assist you from the parking lot, fill out luggage tags, escort you when leaving the terminal to a cab etc. then by all means a tip is warranted. But tipping highly paid people for doing a few seconds of work that is their most basic job duty is utterly ridiculous. Sad that you don’t grasp this very basic information and make the rich richer instead of allotting that money for the poorly paid, crew that works so hard to make your vacation great.

 

And if I’m not mistaken, your the sour-puss in front of me at guest relations on my last cruise being informed your credit card was declined as it is maxed out while I’m waiting patiently to add extra gratuity to my wonderful butler, room attendant and Luminae staff.

[browner03]

I watched how the porters just brutally handled luggage at the port of Miami on my last cruise and made me nervous about leaving my luggage...but I did anyway.

I saw how another couple was confused to what to do...seemed as if they were 1st time cruisers...and then the porters explained they were the ones to take the luggage on.

So they did and the porters then said...now tip...after going back and forth they tipped... and o was in shocked that they actually demanded a tip...

I get in the ship and after I get my luggage it's DESTROYED!!!

So I'm thinking did i pay someone to damage my luggae.

This is the 2nd time this has happend to me in a cruise.

I know airlines are known for doing the same... But I'm not tipping them.

So my wife and I decided from now on we'll just get on the ship late enough so we can carry our own luggage on and go straight to the room, and not worry about the porters.

What made thus experience worse is watching how they just threw and mishandled the luggage...like come on you ask for a tip because you claim you're going to take care of the luggage.

Now I'm all for tipping being I was in the service/tip industry for years.

 

 

 

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[delk]

We attempted to give the porters at the Port Everglades terminal $10 for 2 checked bags, he gave me a look that would kill, I was hoping that he would not lose our bags, lol.

 

 

 

I heard that you don’t tip at Port Everglades, is that true?

 

 

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[rherwig]

You do need to hand it over to the porter.

 

 

 

Keith

 

 

 

Tipping is customary.

 

 

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[funnybunny70]

We sailed out of Miami in Nov and took a shuttle in from a off site parking lot. The shuttle driver 7nloaded the luggage and the porter stood there guarding the luggage and would not take our luggage until we showed him our passport and cruise documents, and naturally had his hand out.

 

 

 

It is extortion and if you think that they can’t do anything guess again. They could tear off your luggage tags. [emoji847]

 

 

 

Just have to consider that along with all the other tips to be the cost of traveling.

 

 

 

Happy cruising [emoji305][emoji568][emoji631][emoji560]

 

 

 

OMG that’s in a way like been blackmailed!

 

 

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[dccramer]

We were told that the "porters" are not employees off the cruise line, their services are contracted by their stevadore company. Our experience has always been great so I've given either $10 or $20 depending on the number of bags. When we got off of the Anthem in Bayonne the porter insisted on walking us to our car in the parking garage and he lifted the luggage onto the car. He got a $30 tip.

 

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[Algebralovr]

Two years ago, we arrived at the port, all the tags were already on the bags. Took them out of the shuttle from Park-N-Go and a stevadore appeared. He told us to put them "there" and held out his hand, stating that he was the one making sure the bags arrived on the ship in one piece.

 

That just blows my mind. All he needed to do was put them in the metal cart and flip down the tarp.

 

I now take them, put them next to a cart where I see a bunch of other bags and go about my way. After all, I already have tags on them. They don't know who tipped and who didn't at that point.

 

If I need help getting them out of a car, moving them a significant distance, etc, it is a different story.

[cltnccruisers]

If I pop the trunk at the designated drop off area and by the time I get to the back of the car there is a porter ready to take the bags with a smile and a hardy Howdy! then I'll certainly tip. If I have to lug the bags to the cart then I still may tip (to avoid the wrath of She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed) but it will be cut by 50%.

[davekathy]

...So my wife and I decided from now on we'll just get on the ship late enough so we can carry our own luggage on and go straight to the room, and not worry about the porters.

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That's ok as long as your luggage will fit through the security scanners.

[browner03]

That's ok as long as your luggage will fit through the security scanners.

We've done it b4...it was a headache but it's not worth getting my luggage destroyed

 

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[davekathy]

We've done it b4...it was a headache but it's not worth getting my luggage destroyed

 

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We've never had our luggage destroyed or damaged. We prefer to board the ship early so it would be a nightmare schlepping our own luggage.

[davekathy]

I heard that you don’t tip at Port Everglades, is that true?

 

 

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What was your source? First I've heard of it.

[NLH Arizona]

We've never had our luggage destroyed or damaged. We prefer to board the ship early so it would be a nightmare schlepping our own luggage.

Me as well and I've never had a porter ask or demand a tip.

[Boston Joe]

The answer to the OP's question is quite simple.

Of course you tip the porters and it doesn't matter what country your in. If the porter doesn't want or can't except your tip they will be the ones to tell you.

When travelling on vacation or amongst the service industries it is only polite to tip those who are helping you along your way and enjoying your vacation. If the 5 or 10 dollars you tip the luggage embarkation steward is going to make or break your vacation bank you probably shouldn't be taking a cruise anyway!

If you run across a steward who's grouchy, maybe having a bad day leave him or her with a tip and a smile, maybe you can be the difference in his or her day getting better.

ALWAYS keep in mind, your on vacation. Getting ready to board a fantastic and beautiful cruise ship. Enjoy every aspect of it, even boarding and disembarking. If your one of these miserable people that can actually find fault while on a cruise please let other people alone, start with me. My next trip is 2/23 on Princess going to the southern Caribbean. My name really is Joe, if you meet me and your in a bad mood just keep on going...please!

 

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[davekathy]

Me as well and I've never had a porter ask or demand a tip.

We haven't either.

[Fogfog]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered many times, so I apologize. Is one expected to tip the porters who take your bags at check in at the port? Thank you! Lisa

 

 

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The guys who take your luggage at the ports (at least in FL) are longshoremen ...union and well paid. They are not Celebrity employees

The tip they "demand" (like our last sailing at Miami) was $5 "per bag" ...

 

We worry that without the tip the bags won't make it.

It is outrageous!

[Pickels]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered many times, so I apologize. Is one expected to tip the porters who take your bags at check in at the port? Thank you! Lisa

 

 

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We usually cruise with 4 bags, (yes, we over pack), and give the port porters $20 (5 per bag).

[Wine-O]

If you run across a steward who's grouchy, maybe having a bad day leave him or her with a tip and a smile, maybe you can be the difference in his or her day getting better.

 

Yeah, he's most likely the one who will get my $5er. :rolleyes: