Tipping at embarkation?

[93yearsyoung]

On 10/4/2022 at 1:21 AM, 93yearsyoung said:

Thank you for the quick response. Do I tip the port employee and not the Princess one? Or both?

 

My inclination would be to tip each $10.

 

We did tip both $10 getting on and the same getting off.

[cr8tiv1]

Playing Devil's Advocate.  If you don't hand your luggage over to the porters....what would you do with them?  It's not like they have a drop off/self check baggage counter.  Porters are not paid by your cruise fare.  They are providing a service.  Not arguing, just pointing out the obvious.  

[wowzz]

30 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Playing Devil's Advocate.  If you don't hand your luggage over to the porters....what would you do with them?  It's not like they have a drop off/self check baggage counter.  Porters are not paid by your cruise fare.  They are providing a service.  Not arguing, just pointing out the obvious.  

In Southampton and Barcelona you take your cases up to the baggage area yourself. No porters required.  No need for a tip.

And if porters are around, I just ignore them, and take my cases myself. 

There is absolutely no reason to use porters and be blackmailed into giving them an extortionate amount of money as a tip.

[JF - retired RRT]

32 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Playing Devil's Advocate.  If you don't hand your luggage over to the porters....what would you do with them?  It's not like they have a drop off/self check baggage counter.  Porters are not paid by your cruise fare.  They are providing a service.  Not arguing, just pointing out the obvious.  

We're careful about what we pack and usually manage to carry-on 1 or 2 suitacases. We stopped using the porters after our luggage (with a whole bunch more than just ours) was dumped on loading. They all went in the harbor. It was 3 days before we got our clothes back from the laundry, in spite of the tag being marked "expedite - dropped in harbor".

[cr8tiv1]

4 minutes ago, wowzz said:

In Southampton and Barcelona you take your cases up to the baggage area yourself. No porters required.  No need for a tip.

And if porters are around, I just ignore them, and take my cases myself. 

There is absolutely no reason to use porters and be blackmailed into giving them an extortionate amount of money as a tip.

 

This option is not available in the United States.  Tipping is a personal matter.  Do as you please.  I'm not the tipping police.  

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

This option is not available in the United States.  Tipping is a personal matter.  Do as you please.  I'm not the tipping police.  

If there is no option, then obviously I will use the porters, but they won't get a tip just for doing what they are paid for.

[Thrak]

If only half the passengers tip a porter $5 he will likely make more money in tips than most people here make in a day working.

[justafem]

I watched a porter literally chase a guy down because the pax didn't tip.  Yelling about how he was stiffed and didn't have to take it.  

[MissP22]

18 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Playing Devil's Advocate.  If you don't hand your luggage over to the porters....what would you do with them?

I realize that it's not an option for everyone but just simply carry your bags onto the ship yourself. We've been doing that for years & never had any problems. 

[richla]

21 hours ago, wowzz said:

In Southampton and Barcelona you take your cases up to the baggage area yourself. No porters required.  No need for a tip.

And if porters are around, I just ignore them, and take my cases myself. 

There is absolutely no reason to use porters and be blackmailed into giving them an extortionate amount of money as a tip.

 

That's not the case in some US ports. If it doesn't go to the luggage handler/porter, you'll need to carry it through terminal passenger screening and then on board the ship to your room on your own.

[cr8tiv1]

3 hours ago, MissP22 said:

I realize that it's not an option for everyone but just simply carry your bags onto the ship yourself. We've been doing that for years & never had any problems. 

 

I admire anyone who can manage traveling with a carry on for a cruise.  I have my CPAP, computer bag, and an assortment of "must haves" for the cabin.  Not to mention clothes and shoes.  I keep telling myself....some day, I will learn how to travel lighter.  

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, richla said:

 

That's not the case in some US ports. If it doesn't go to the luggage handler/porter, you'll need to carry it through terminal passenger screening and then on board the ship to your room on your own.

I'd rather do that than give someone $5 to carry my case 10 metres.

[Ombud]

On 10/29/2022 at 2:35 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

Playing Devil's Advocate.  If you don't hand your luggage over to the porters....what would you do with them?  It's not like they have a drop off/self check baggage counter.  Porters are not paid by your cruise fare.  They are providing a service.  Not arguing, just pointing out the obvious.  

I take it onboard. It's either my 22" or my new 17" carryon (just 1 + purse). Take it directly to my room. Then off to MDR for lunch. 

 

The heaviest it's even been was 12kg. That was when it was loaded down with formal wear. 

[Princessfan20]

Tipping is such a personal matter there is really no right answer.  We tend to be very generous tippers because we feel blessed in life and are grateful for everything and do not mind spreading it around.  

We have learned and experienced that what goes around comes around.

[MissP22]

13 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

I admire anyone who can manage traveling with a carry on for a cruise.  I have my CPAP, computer bag, and an assortment of "must haves" for the cabin.  Not to mention clothes and shoes.  I keep telling myself....some day, I will learn how to travel lighter.  

 

So do I....we only travel with one regular size bag for each of us and it still works out OK for carrying it onto the ship ourselves. Of course if I didn't have my husband to lift the bag onto the security conveyor belt I would be checking my bag.

 

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

I'd rather do that than give someone $5 to carry my case 10 metres.

Same with us and since we always drive to our local embarkation port we handle our own bags and transport them to the terminal.

Why should anyone have to tip someone to move the bags from my car to their luggage rack? I could understand if they actually did a service but not to just move them a short distance. 

[Roberto256]

On 10/29/2022 at 5:35 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

Playing Devil's Advocate.  If you don't hand your luggage over to the porters....what would you do with them?  It's not like they have a drop off/self check baggage counter.  Porters are not paid by your cruise fare.  They are providing a service.  Not arguing, just pointing out the obvious.  

 

Well, in port everglades, the berthing fees paid by the ship cover line handlers, steveadoring/longshoreman, etc.

As far as I have seen, no one has ever tipped the line handlers, or the guy driving the fork lift moving bags to the ship.

 

As far as I know all the steveadoring/longshore services include all the personel.

 

Not a fact for sure, but your statement about what is obvious is clearly wrong.

 

[93yearsyoung]

I started the topic to ask specifically about tipping the wheelchair assistants in San Pedro who would take me from the curb, onto the ship, and the question wasn't "should I", but "how much". There was no doubt I was going to tip them. People, instead of answering my question, foamed at the mouth and decried all tipping.

 

We also tipped the porters who took our four bags for our 15 day cruise, just like we tip the curbside porters at airports.

 

I am amazed at how many people from certain cultures are so "tight with their brass" as James Herriott would say. We feel so lucky to be able to travel on cruise ships and we share a portion of what we have with those who help us along the way.

[Rick&Jeannie]

3 hours ago, 93yearsyoung said:

I started the topic to ask specifically about tipping the wheelchair assistants in San Pedro who would take me from the curb, onto the ship, and the question wasn't "should I", but "how much". There was no doubt I was going to tip them. People, instead of answering my question, foamed at the mouth and decried all tipping.

 

We also tipped the porters who took our four bags for our 15 day cruise, just like we tip the curbside porters at airports.

 

I am amazed at how many people from certain cultures are so "tight with their brass" as James Herriott would say. We feel so lucky to be able to travel on cruise ships and we share a portion of what we have with those who help us along the way.

Many of us here on CC tend to stray off subject VERY often!  We wouldn't know what to do with ourselves if we didn't!  😄 You asked a very straightforward question...and mixed in with all of those replies you did get some valid responses.  Hope you had a great trip!