Porters at Ports Tampa

[airlink diva]

I sailed out of Miami and Fort Lauderdale for my last few cruises. I never had a problem with the porters. Frankly, I when I arrive at the ship, I'm ready to enjoy my vacation !! I'm glad that someone is there to take the bags from me. Instead of dragging two check bags, a carry on and a purse around for check in, security, around the ship until the rooms are ready, finding my room and then depositing them. Besides, for a buck a bag, we are getting the bargain.

Now if you don't want to tip, that's a personal choice. But from reading the primary person who's stating that he never will tip (along with another thread where he's seeking info on getting compensation for free upgrade) for the service, that's fine because that's his opinion on the situation. You will always have some people who want everything with the minimal amount of cost :rolleyes: !

On my cruises, my worst experience with someone forcing a tip was two years ago when I returned to port from a cruise. The porters where great (I told them what my bags looked like and the guy found them for me, I just stood back and watch the mob of people looking for their bags), when the rental car shuttle arrived, I placed my bags on the shuttle myself. When we got to the airport, the driver took them off the shuttle and placed them on the curb. He stood there in front of me and another couple until we tipped him :mad: :mad: !! Now I felt that just walking my bags down two steps and placing them on the curb didn't warrent a tip. It was also his pushy attitude about it. I mentioned this to the agent when I went to get my car. The agent told me that they had quite a few complaints about this driver and would forward my concern.

I could understand tipping the porters at the port because they offered me convenience from dragging bags all over the place until my cabin was ready oppose to just placing them less than 3 feet in front of me.

[rubyfino]

Are you saying that you are not well paid BEFORE taxes? That is the comment that I made and I DO NOT think I am incorrect on that point.

 

You are absolutely AMAZING! How could my income possibly be any of your business? I'm a longshoreman, yes, but I am not a porter. I'm not carrying your bags, and even if I were, do I OWE you a look at my last year's tax statement for a $1 a bag?

 

Keep your tip.

 

Lisa

[crazidude1400]

I sailed out of Miami and Fort Lauderdale for my last few cruises. I never had a problem with the porters. Frankly, I when I arrive at the ship, I'm ready to enjoy my vacation !! I'm glad that someone is there to take the bags from me. Instead of dragging two check bags, a carry on and a purse around for check in, security, around the ship until the rooms are ready, finding my room and then depositing them. Besides, for a buck a bag, we are getting the bargain.

Now if you don't want to tip, that's a personal choice. But from reading the primary person who's stating that he never will tip (along with another thread where he's seeking info on getting compensation for free upgrade) for the service, that's fine because that's his opinion on the situation. You will always have some people who want everything with the minimal amount of cost :rolleyes: !

On my cruises, my worst experience with someone forcing a tip was two years ago when I returned to port from a cruise. The porters where great (I told them what my bags looked like and the guy found them for me, I just stood back and watch the mob of people looking for their bags), when the rental car shuttle arrived, I placed my bags on the shuttle myself. When we got to the airport, the driver took them off the shuttle and placed them on the curb. He stood there in front of me and another couple until we tipped him :mad: :mad: !! Now I felt that just walking my bags down two steps and placing them on the curb didn't warrent a tip. It was also his pushy attitude about it. I mentioned this to the agent when I went to get my car. The agent told me that they had quite a few complaints about this driver and would forward my concern.

I could understand tipping the porters at the port because they offered me convenience from dragging bags all over the place until my cabin was ready oppose to just placing them less than 3 feet in front of me.

 

You should have taken a dollar out, and gotten your bags, and put the dollar back in your pocket.

[rubyfino]

Whatever works. I bet you've got a quarter on a string...:D

 

Lisa

[dan40]

I've never been hassled for a tip at any port. [including Miami]. If I was I'd 'splain his error to him. But never been hassled.

Maybe because when I get out of the car, taxi, bus, or shuttle. The first things I do are start looking for a porter while my hand goes to my pocket. Out comes the money and here comes the porter. Bags go away, I'm happy.

People in the service business [good ones] can read their "client?" in a second. They know I'm going to tip even when I'm not so obvious.

If your standing there deciding if you should tip or not, THEY KNOW IT.

If you decided ahead of time, the porters will read that.

 

Dan

[fdwt994]

I'm still waiting for somebody to explain to me exactly what Porters do. Are you all saying that if I don't give my bags to a Porter, they won't wind up on the ship unless I carry them onboard? You're saying I have to carry them up the gangway, past the photographers, up the elevators, down the hallway, and to my room? Or is it not quite like that?:confused:

 

When I give my bags to a Porter, where do they take them? Do the Porters literally take my bags, put them in the bin, truck the bin on the ship, and then deliver the bags to my room? Or do they simply put them in the bin and then Carnival takes over?

 

I'm not saying do or don't tip a Porter or how much, I'm just curious how it works.

 

Thanks!

[crazidude1400]

I'm still waiting for somebody to explain to me exactly what Porters do. Are you all saying that if I don't give my bags to a Porter, they won't wind up on the ship unless I carry them onboard? You're saying I have to carry them up the gangway, past the photographers, up the elevators, down the hallway, and to my room? Or is it not quite like that?:confused:

 

When I give my bags to a Porter, where do they take them? Do the Porters literally take my bags, put them in the bin, truck the bin on the ship, and then deliver the bags to my room? Or do they simply put them in the bin and then Carnival takes over?

 

I'm not saying do or don't tip a Porter or how much, I'm just curious how it works.

 

Thanks!

 

I don't know what they do, aside from throwing my bag in a crate. That is why I DONT' TIP!!

[surfklutz]

You are absolutely AMAZING! How could my income possibly be any of your business? I'm a longshoreman, yes, but I am not a porter. I'm not carrying your bags, and even if I were, do I OWE you a look at my last year's tax statement for a $1 a bag?

 

Keep your tip.

 

Lisa

 

Lisa - I don't give a rat's butt what you make. do you have a hard time reading? I don't believe that I asked what YOU made or made any reference to that fact that I was interested in what you made. Did I ask you to carry a bag? Did I ever say that Longshoremen carry bags? Maybe someone - perhaps one of those lowly porters can read the previous post and explain what my comment was.

 

Lisa - you obviously think this is all about you....dream on honey.

[rubyfino]

Are you saying that YOU are not well paid BEFORE taxes? That is the comment that I made and I DO NOT think I am incorrect on that point.

 

 

Your words...

 

 

Keep your tip.

 

Lisa

 

P.S. You're a classy person, and it shows.

[CorbinCatFan]

It is so easy to give your luggage to the porters when you arrive at the dock. A couple of dollars per bag and life is stress free.

 

I've taken my bags through customs at the end and I've had porter help at the end of a cruise. I can say that a porter makes going through customs easier..

[westernmom]

Not to slight you, but both of you would probably get your point across if you had even the slightest idea of what you're talking about. All you see is the 'front-of-the-house' operation. Your posts are inaccurate and pretty darn snarky.

 

I've had people like you throw change at me, curse me, wrestle the cart from me, leave their kids, luggage or grandma for me to mind, snap your fingers, load me down with luggage and then pretend to make an urgent cell phone call to avoid giving me a tip.

 

As far as the union raising costs, give me a big, fat break! I guess it would be a whole lot cheaper in your estimation to let folks just carry their luggage behind the terminal, bypassing xrays, and toss it onto the ship. Then, when someone slips and falls, or sprains a wrist, etc., they can sue the cruise line. Yeah. That'll make it much cheaper to cruise.

 

If you get hurt at work, you come home with a papercut or a finger slammed in a file cabinet. If I get hurt at work (which I did a month ago, falling off a slippery rung on a rail car), I'm damn lucky if I leave on a stretcher. I've seen more than a couple leave with the lights and sirens off.

Keep your tip.

 

Lisa

 

Lisa,

 

Before I begin my reply let me assure you that we tip - bellhops, waiters, skycaps, shuttle drivers, etc. so anticipate tipping at the port as this will be our first cruise. I also apologize for customers that have no manners.

 

With that said, you go on and on about getting hurt and suing the cruise lines. It might be cheaper than those who get hurt at work. Please don't assume that most people have jobs where a paper cut is their only injury.

 

I handle all of the worker's comp claims for our company. Imagine having a person work for less than a day, climb up on the back of a truck (which was against all rules), hyper-extend a knee, and then take the company down the line for a knee surgery (which had already been diagnosed and recommended before this "accident"), pay for rehab, schooling, cost of living wages for two years, and a final settlement in the thousands, and all for a person that was just going to work for two weeks during harvest! Happens all the time. I have a binder full of claims of people who, from their own carelessness, get hurt on the job.

 

Now, don't tell me that if you are union and leave on a stretcher that you won't be well compensated for your injury.

[rubyfino]

I read your post addressed to me, but I'm not sure

what your question is?

 

Lisa

[westernmom]

I read your post addressed to me, but I'm not sure

what your question is?

 

Lisa

 

No question asked - just had to comment on your rant about getting hurt on the job.

[ala-kat]

My one experience was out of NO, and it was great. He was there as soon as the car was parked, and - no - I don't know how far he had to tote the bags of six people, but is was a trek. He was very personable (we all have pictures of him - I know - we're a sad bunch), and really set the tone of things to come. He was worth every penny we tipped, and probably more.

 

Scary part is, the standard has now been set. We'll see.:)

[surfklutz]

Lisa,

 

Before I begin my reply let me assure you that we tip - bellhops, waiters, skycaps, shuttle drivers, etc. so anticipate tipping at the port as this will be our first cruise. I also apologize for customers that have no manners.

 

With that said, you go on and on about getting hurt and suing the cruise lines. It might be cheaper than those who get hurt at work. Please don't assume that most people have jobs where a paper cut is their only injury.

 

I handle all of the worker's comp claims for our company. Imagine having a person work for less than a day, climb up on the back of a truck (which was against all rules), hyper-extend a knee, and then take the company down the line for a knee surgery (which had already been diagnosed and recommended before this "accident"), pay for rehab, schooling, cost of living wages for two years, and a final settlement in the thousands, and all for a person that was just going to work for two weeks during harvest! Happens all the time. I have a binder full of claims of people who, from their own carelessness, get hurt on the job.

 

Now, don't tell me that if you are union and leave on a stretcher that you won't be well compensated for your injury.

 

 

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