Carrying luggage onto the boat.

[molsonschooner]

22 hours ago, loman said:

Why not just tip the porter and you wont have to worry about your luggage not making it on to the ship 

I give them 5 bucks for two bags and he makes the tags for us  . And they are happy to accommodate .

The fiver speaks for itself.

 

if you want to tip then go ahead and tip. Another thing you could do is just watch the porter load your bags onto the cart. Do you think the porter would take the bags off the cart after he loaded them onto the cart. There is a good chance that the person who loaded your bags onto the cart will never see your bags again. I think it could be another worker who comes with a tugger that takes the cart to the ship. Then the cart is lifted onto the ship by a person driving a lift truck. If you think giving someone a fiver to the person who throws your bags on the cart is going to guarantee you get your bags , then go ahead and tip them

[loman]

Just now, molsonschooner said:

if you want to tip then go ahead and tip. Another thing you could do is just watch the porter load your bags onto the cart. Do you think the porter would take the bags off the cart after he loaded them onto the cart. There is a good chance that the person who loaded your bags onto the cart will never see your bags again. I think it could be another worker who comes with a tugger that takes the cart to the ship. Then the cart is lifted onto the ship by a person driving a lift truck. If you think giving someone a fiver to the person who throws your bags on the cart is going to guarantee you get your bags , then go ahead and tip them

I choose to tip , if you don't , that's ok

I know It doesn't guarantee anything .

I just like to tip . It makes the service provider feel good , and that makes me feel good .

 

[SRF]

23 hours ago, island lady said:

We always tip the porters..but find it makes no difference/rhyme or reason ...when and how our bags get to our cabin.  All bags simply tossed onto wheeled luggage racks in the order they are received.  Tips pocketed.  

 

The "porters" who take your bags and get them on the cart are longshoremen.  Overall, longshoremen get the luggage onto the ship.  The ship's crew distributes the luggage to the cabins.

 

You can tip the guy on the dock $1000 and you still won't get any better service in delivery, because they are different people, and work for different employers.

 

BTW, longshoremen make VERY good money, most are easily 6 figures.

[Joseph2017China]

I remember two items.  The first is this family of 4, younger kids, sitting in a buffet (not RCCL), with a pile of luggage at the table, and I would say at least 6 or more suitcases.  They were trying to juggle all this, fit into a tiny space, and they planted themselves until the rooms opened.  I was like, boy, I hope I never become that family. 

 

The other item was an elderly couple getting off the ship.  They did not want to leave their bags outside.  So they did self assists.  I watched them "struggle" or should I say the "husband" struggle with 3 large bags.  He wanted a porter and the cruiseline rep told him, that if he needed a porter, he will find them outside.  This is "self assist" which means you take your bags yourself.  I did overhear him blame his wife for making him do this.

 

Porters are not going to toss you bag along with the 500 people who did not tip.  They will not have their jobs very long, and they make double what most people make. 

 

Yes you can take your bags yourself, but I rather have the paid employees do it for me. 

[SargassoPirate]

51 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

Yes you can take your bags yourself, but I rather have the paid employees do it for me. 

 

Ya gotta do whatever works for you.  We prefer to roll our own bags on.  We are unpacked by mid-afternoon while others are playing "gopher" by popping their heads out to see if their bags are there yet.

[Pratique]

On 12/14/2019 at 11:19 AM, island lady said:

I carry my luggage directly to the life "boats"....just in case.  😉 

 

One of the captains once said "A ship can carry a boat, but a boat can't carry a ship".  😄 

Not to belabor the point, but I saw this last week at St. Thomas and was pondering philosophical.

 

 

[grapau27]

On 12/15/2019 at 12:28 AM, island lady said:

 

We always tip the porters..but find it makes no difference/rhyme or reason ...when and how our bags get to our cabin.  All bags simply tossed onto wheeled luggage racks in the order they are received.  Tips pocketed.  

That is our experience too.

[NavyCruiser]

On 12/15/2019 at 3:17 PM, SargassoPirate said:

Our pullman bags have wheels and are no worse than pulling the next size smaller bag. 

 

Or are you saying we should leave all of our bags with the porter - even the carry on size?

 

YES!!!

We give the porters everything.  Tip him & watch him load onto cart.

I just hand carry passports & board passes, nothing else.  Easy.

30+ cruises, never had a missing bag.

[island lady]

On 12/16/2019 at 9:29 AM, Pratique said:

Not to belabor the point, but I saw this last week at St. Thomas and was pondering philosophical.

 

 

 

Great picture, thanks for posting!  Yeah, we have seen those freighter ships carrying yachts there at Crown Bay many times.  Interesting watching them load and unload them.  

 

But still good example of ships carry boats...boats can't carry ships.  😉 

[island lady]

On 12/15/2019 at 7:07 PM, SRF said:

 

The "porters" who take your bags and get them on the cart are longshoremen.  Overall, longshoremen get the luggage onto the ship.  The ship's crew distributes the luggage to the cabins.

 

You can tip the guy on the dock $1000 and you still won't get any better service in delivery, because they are different people, and work for different employers.

 

BTW, longshoremen make VERY good money, most are easily 6 figures.

 

Yup, thanks...already knew that.  Which also was my point...but you spelled it out much better than I did.  😉 

Edited December 18, 2019 by island lady

[Galatz]

My last cruise I was shocked, I got there and the porters said if your bag is tagged just leave it next to the truck but line up if you need help tagging. So we just walked up and put them up against the truck and as we walked away the guy added ours with the bags from the person they just helped. It was extremely quick and smooth and they clearly didnt expect a tip because they didnt come closer than 30 feet from us.

[SRF]

16 hours ago, NavyCruiser said:

 

YES!!!

We give the porters everything.  Tip him & watch him load onto cart.

I just hand carry passports & board passes, nothing else.  Easy.

30+ cruises, never had a missing bag.

 

So you let them handle your medications and electronics?

 

I don't.

 

And it seems you do not take on wine, as that is supposed to be in your carry on also.  Or case of non-alcoholic drinks.

[josephmz]

I'm a buck a bag guy. As has been already said, once it's on the cart the amount of the tip has nothing to do with how soon you will get your luggage.

I really dislike having to run the gauntlet of luggage in the waiting area. Yes, take your meds and valuable in a small carry-on, but leave everything else outside.

[NavyCruiser]

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

So you let them handle your medications and electronics?

 

I don't.

 

And it seems you do not take on wine, as that is supposed to be in your carry on also.  Or case of non-alcoholic drinks.

 

I don't use/have medications, & the only electronics I bring on a vacation/cruise is my cell phone.

No, I don't bring wine nor any other drinks.

Easy.

[KansasK]

I read posts of people who take a carry on size suitcase for the week and if this works, more power to them. I take two suitcases and can manage both of them. They stay under the airline's weight and size limits. At the pier, I tip the porter to put them on a cart. They fit under the bed after I unpack. I don't mind having two suitcases, in fact, I like having two suitcases.  To each his own. 

[island lady]

23 hours ago, SRF said:

 

So you let them handle your medications and electronics?

 

I don't.

 

And it seems you do not take on wine, as that is supposed to be in your carry on also.  Or case of non-alcoholic drinks.

 

I hear ya there!!  😮   I just had to order a larger carry on bag with wheels due to longer trips now scheduled. 

 

Bathroom ditty bag, jewelry, meds, bottle of wine, bottle or two of water, light jacket (when needed), my small laptop (and charger), paperwork...etc.   

[island lady]

15 hours ago, KansasK said:

I read posts of people who take a carry on size suitcase for the week and if this works, more power to them. I take two suitcases and can manage both of them. They stay under the airline's weight and size limits. At the pier, I tip the porter to put them on a cart. They fit under the bed after I unpack. I don't mind having two suitcases, in fact, I like having two suitcases.  To each his own. 

 

Case in point..."To each his own".   My DH and I now pack our own separate suitcases to check at the pier  (one each)....I got tired of him complaining about what I did not pack for him.  😉  And of course...now guess who over packs.  😄 

[loman]

16 hours ago, KansasK said:

I read posts of people who take a carry on size suitcase for the week and if this works, more power to them. I take two suitcases and can manage both of them. They stay under the airline's weight and size limits. At the pier, I tip the porter to put them on a cart. They fit under the bed after I unpack. I don't mind having two suitcases, in fact, I like having two suitcases.  To each his own. 

This is exactly what we do , bring two 25 inch ( middle size ) suitcases , cross pack them just in case one gets lost , and we have a small purse like bag we carry with us . 

We never exceed 35 lbs on each of them and we can handle them as we do express check out at the end of the cruise.

 

 

[Ellis1138]

39 minutes ago, loman said:

This is exactly what we do , bring two 25 inch ( middle size ) suitcases , cross pack them just in case one gets lost , and we have a small purse like bag we carry with us . 

We never exceed 35 lbs on each of them and we can handle them as we do express check out at the end of the cruise.

 

 

 

The 25" wheeled suitcases will fit through the cruise security machines?

[Biker19]

21 minutes ago, Ellis1138 said:

 

The 25" wheeled suitcases will fit through the cruise security machines?

Yes, the tunnel opening on most x-ray machine are about 24"x16" - length/height of luggage (how they are classified) doesn't matter, just the width or depth.

[loman]

4 hours ago, Ellis1138 said:

 

The 25" wheeled suitcases will fit through the cruise security machines?

My suitcases are the second largest size and I doubt they would fit in the xray machine .

I never tried as I leave my bags with the porter , he makes up my luggage tags and I give them a tip .

A couple of hours later they appear in front of my cabin .

I don't drag anything around with me . Too much work for me , I`m on vacation .

[critterchick]

On 12/16/2019 at 6:22 AM, SargassoPirate said:

 

Ya gotta do whatever works for you.  We prefer to roll our own bags on.  We are unpacked by mid-afternoon while others are playing "gopher" by popping their heads out to see if their bags are there yet.

 

That's what works for us, too. Once in awhile we cruise from our home port of LA and drive to the pier with big bags. I hate not being unpacked and napping before muster drill!

[BND]

On 12/13/2019 at 11:24 PM, Merion_Mom said:

 

Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

It's a ship.

If the cases will fit through the security scanners, you may carry them on.  What size are they?

I was going to say, go up to the Captain and ask him about his "boat".  LOL