Cruise Terminal Porters

[Scotico]

So our friends just returned from their cruise and one of their bags never made it on the ship after handing it to the porters.  The only way they can tell it did not make it is because they had an apple airtag and they could see it still in the terminal after the ship was at sea.  Has anyone ever done this and have any of you ever opted to skip the porters and bring your luggage on-board.  I heard stories about them getting greedy with the tips and requesting more $$ for the bags (my friend told me they gave them $10 for 3 bags and they were wanting more.

[Cruiser_1977]

Were your friends able to get their bag when they disembarked? Lots of folks choose to carry their own bags when they embark. However, you need to have a plan of what you're going to do with them. It's frustrating for other passengers in the buffet when folks have their huge bags taking up table/floor space.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

Don't carry on bags have to fit through the x-ray machines (sized like the airports)?  

[shipgeeks]

What port was that?

[Scotico]

They never got their bag.  Thankfully it only had their nicer clothes, shoes and toiletries.  Royal was able to assist with the bathroom stuff since they felt bad and gave them shipboard credit to use in the store for any meds/creams/etc.  It was in Ft Lauderdale.

 

The bag was waiting for them in an office but there were no apologies.  They submitted a claim with their travel insurance to see if they are entitles to any compensation.  They suspect the porter pushed it to the side since they only tipped $10 for the 3 bags. 

[Ashland]

25 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Don't carry on bags have to fit through the x-ray machines (sized like the airports)?  

Absolutely they do...and if not you must check them.

[Ashland]

1 minute ago, Scotico said:

They never got their bag.  Thankfully it only had their nicer clothes, shoes and toiletries.  Royal was able to assist with the bathroom stuff since they felt bad and gave them shipboard credit to use in the store for any meds/creams/etc.  It was in Ft Lauderdale.

 

The bag was waiting for them in an office but there were no apologies.  They submitted a claim with their travel insurance to see if they are entitles to any compensation.  They suspect the porter pushed it to the side since they only tipped $10 for the 3 bags. 

I'm gonna say I doubt the porter pushed then aside as that tip was fine.. More than likely it got overlooked. We always watch to see ours are loaded on the cart.

[Scotico]

8 minutes ago, Ashland said:

I'm gonna say I doubt the porter pushed then aside as that tip was fine.. More than likely it got overlooked. We always watch to see ours are loaded on the cart.

How do you overlook a large bag.  Not going to say it was intentional but would not put it past them to flag their bag because they felt the tip was inadequate.  What is the normal rate for each bag when tipping

[nolegirl01]

I wish ports handled luggage like airports. You check them in and it goes into a conveyor belt of some sort. I'm not a fan of giving porters my bags and then walking away. One time I left my bags with the porters and just stayed back and watched and the guy literally left my bags right where I left them (on the sidewalk, in the middle of all the crowd), while he went to get more bags and more tips from other people. I was so upset because literally anyone can just walk away with your luggage. A few mins later another porter grabbed it and took it inside. But my point is, we give a lot of trust with our belongings to these porters and with the amount of luggage going through the port for one cruise, I feel we need a better system that's a little more secure and to make sure our bags make it on. 

[George C]

We bought air tags that will track your luggage thru your iPhone 100 dollars for 4 of them . Some thieves have been caught with this.

[Scotico]

4 minutes ago, nolegirl01 said:

I wish ports handled luggage like airports. You check them in and it goes into a conveyor belt of some sort. I'm not a fan of giving porters my bags and then walking away. One time I left my bags with the porters and just stayed back and watched and the guy literally left my bags right where I left them (on the sidewalk, in the middle of all the crowd), while he went to get more bags and more tips from other people. I was so upset because literally anyone can just walk away with your luggage. A few mins later another porter grabbed it and took it inside. But my point is, we give a lot of trust with our belongings to these porters and with the amount of luggage going through the port for one cruise, I feel we need a better system that's a little more secure and to make sure our bags make it on. 

I agree.  It's a very messy process they have when taking the bags and it would be very easy to walk off with someones bag

[Scotico]

1 minute ago, George C said:

We bought air tags that will track your luggage thru your iPhone 100 dollars for 4 of them . Some thieves have been caught with this.

That was the only was they knew the bag never made it on the ship.  Best investment you can make when it comes to travel.

[Scotico]

7 minutes ago, nolegirl01 said:

I wish ports handled luggage like airports. You check them in and it goes into a conveyor belt of some sort. I'm not a fan of giving porters my bags and then walking away. One time I left my bags with the porters and just stayed back and watched and the guy literally left my bags right where I left them (on the sidewalk, in the middle of all the crowd), while he went to get more bags and more tips from other people. I was so upset because literally anyone can just walk away with your luggage. A few mins later another porter grabbed it and took it inside. But my point is, we give a lot of trust with our belongings to these porters and with the amount of luggage going through the port for one cruise, I feel we need a better system that's a little more secure and to make sure our bags make it on. 

The porters fight each other for the tips not caring what happens with the luggage.  

[nolegirl01]

1 minute ago, Scotico said:

The porters fight each other for the tips not caring what happens with the luggage.  

Exactly! Most of them are so careless with our luggage. It's such a careless system. I hate it.

[nolegirl01]

8 minutes ago, George C said:

We bought air tags that will track your luggage thru your iPhone 100 dollars for 4 of them . Some thieves have been caught with this.

I have airtags on my bags and love that you can track them but unfortunately if they miss your bag on the ship, you won't know until you leave which sucks lol

Edited January 5, 2023 by nolegirl01

[pcur]

All I can say is I've been cruising with RCCL, Princess, HAL, and Celebrity for 50 years this coming October, and never once had my bag stolen, lost, or not delivered.  I'll just keep smiling big, hand over the bag, and give them a tip, thanking them for taking care of it for me.

 

However, don't get me started on the OAK baggage handlers.  There's one common denominator to the theft of my prescription medications and  miscellaneous items.  That would be coming in or out of OAK.

Edited January 5, 2023 by pcur

[smokeybandit]

42 minutes ago, Scotico said:

They suspect the porter pushed it to the side since they only tipped $10 for the 3 bags. 

"Only" $10 for 3 bags? $10 is quite good.

[Scotico]

16 minutes ago, nolegirl01 said:

I have airtags on my bags and love that you can track them but unfortunately if they miss your bag on the ship, you won't know until you leave which sucks lol

Yea the only thing you can do to ensure that your bag makes it on the ship is to make sure it goes on one of those carts.  Not everyone has time to stand there and stare at their bags waiting fo rit to be loaded.  

[Scotico]

11 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

"Only" $10 for 3 bags? $10 is quite good.

What is the normal rate per bag.  One person tells me it $2-$3 bag and others tell me it's $5 bag.

[shellunderwater]

1 hour ago, nolegirl01 said:

I wish ports handled luggage like airports. You check them in and it goes into a conveyor belt of some sort. I'm not a fan of giving porters my bags and then walking away. One time I left my bags with the porters and just stayed back and watched and the guy literally left my bags right where I left them (on the sidewalk, in the middle of all the crowd), while he went to get more bags and more tips from other people. I was so upset because literally anyone can just walk away with your luggage. A few mins later another porter grabbed it and took it inside. But my point is, we give a lot of trust with our belongings to these porters and with the amount of luggage going through the port for one cruise, I feel we need a better system that's a little more secure and to make sure our bags make it on. 

Ever been to an airport?  Anyone can walk off with your bag at baggage claim. 

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Scotico said:

How do you overlook a large bag.  Not going to say it was intentional but would not put it past them to flag their bag because they felt the tip was inadequate.  What is the normal rate for each bag when tipping

I usually give the porters where you drop off luggage from your car anywhere from $5 to $10 and we usually have a total of 3 or 4 bags to check in.    And I always watch to make sure the luggage gets on a cart as I would be devastated, especially if it was my large bag with all my clothes.

For disembarkment I usually give those porters a bit more when they put the luggage on a cart and walk it out to the parking garage area.   

Edited January 5, 2023 by Sunshine3601

[ONECRUISER]

2 hours ago, JennyB1977 said:

Were your friends able to get their bag when they disembarked? Lots of folks choose to carry their own bags when they embark. However, you need to have a plan of what you're going to do with them. It's frustrating for other passengers in the buffet when folks have their huge bags taking up table/floor space.

Agree, one main reasons WJ was so backed up on my last Cruise. Higher number passengers carrying on their Luggage then I'm use to seeing

[HicksRA]

I saw a Royal shuttle bus driver intentionally leave off a woman’s luggage at the Miami port to airport ride once. She kept arguing with him until he finally told her to get on the bus and I saw him push her bag to the side and close up the cargo doors. 
She didn’t have luggage when we got to the airport. 

[cruiseguy1016]

2 hours ago, JennyB1977 said:

Were your friends able to get their bag when they disembarked? Lots of folks choose to carry their own bags when they embark. However, you need to have a plan of what you're going to do with them. It's frustrating for other passengers in the buffet when folks have their huge bags taking up table/floor space.

 

How do you know what time these people plan on boarding? I would bet the majority of passengers board after the hallways to the staterooms have been opened.

[BND]

I think some don't know that after bags are loaded onto carts, they are taken through scanning and moved onto bins that are loaded onto the ship.  What is loaded on the ship is a bin that is moved by forklift.  What the porters load are wheeled carts that are only used to push luggage into the terminal.  Bag could have fallen off of the cart or the bin along the way.   We've done 35 cruises (29 or so on RCI) and have never had our bags miss the ship.  One time on Carnival, the tag had been pulled off so our steward found it for us because we also have name tags on them.  It's very rare that something like this happens and it's not intentional.  We've also always had a thank you for the tip we give.  Usually $6 for two bags or $10 for 3 at most.  Never, ever been asked for more.

Edited January 5, 2023 by BND