Con artist porters at Port Canaveral asking "Would you like to make a donation?"

[mikeerdas]

I think gonzo and the others in the no tipping camp are simply trying to wooo over the others so they won't be in the minority. I will continue tipping the porters because I think it is the right thing to do. My buddy is checking to see if they are union jobs (he thinks they aren't and if they are he will be on it). Maybe I can get one too!

 

I speak only for myself. But I don't find tipping itself to be objectionable. What I find objectionable is the practice of some rogue (in my opinion) porters (they don't all do it) explicitly asking for donations / tips--the subtext is, "If you don't, you may not see your luggage again." And that's absolutely wrong and menacing as I see it.

 

So, I guess I'd like those who feel so to come out and defend the practice of porters explicitly asking for tips. Is that an acceptable practice in your mind? Don't exactly know what the point is, but it might spice up the conversation. :-)

[Aquahound]

I am still waiting on that proof of a porter's 6 figure salary.

[mikeerdas]

I am still waiting on that proof of a porter's 6 figure salary.

 

Me too. Could be an urban legend. Perhaps the truth lay somewhere in between. Perhaps someone could write to the port authorities directly and ask. I'm still waiting for a reply to my email. If I get a reply, I will ask about salaries and why, in fact, the signs are there.

 

The existence of the signs fits better with the explanation that, even if it's not "six figures", they're reasonably well paid than with the explanation that they're not paid well enough (if anyone has argued that or wants to). I don't have any evidence to back up the specific figure quoted. But the general premise seems reasonable. Will be interesting if anyone can uncover the real figure.

[Kittycatwlv]

OMG I'm so confused! :confused:

 

I could not even imagine NOT tipping the porters when I sail out of port Canaveral in a few months. I am planning on having EXTRA luggage with me because I am bringing used shoes to Jamaica to donate (we are flying southwest and can have up to 2 bags per person free so I will use all 6 of the bag allowance I have)

 

...? :confused:

have you considered donating to Americans? The homeless and poor here need your help and it would be patriotic and helpful to your own country and economy :D

[wayne_trisha]

I really don’t give a crap how much they make. All I know is that I pull up, empty my car of luggage, and the porter takes them away. Now I can tip or not tip. I’d much rather give $5 and have my bags show up outside my cabin door then have them mysteriously get left on the dock. I’m also very happy to tip at the end of the cruise when a porter loads up our luggage and wheels it through customs and out to our car. Living in Florida we drive to the ports. We don’t have the weight issues people flying in have. We usually pack too much on longer cruises but we only have to wheel our luggage 5 feet into the cabin and then 5 feet to outside the door. 3 day cruises we each have a carry-on and do not deal with porters.

[mikeerdas]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the real issue isn't what they earn. I agree. It's the practice of some rogue porters putting customers in an awkward situation by covertly asking for "donations." Who here agrees with that? Please share. I'd like to know. I don't want to know if you tip, because tipping is ok with me. It's coerced tipping that bugs me.

 

So, who's for coerced tipping?

[Aquahound]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the real issue isn't what they earn. I agree. It's the practice of some rogue porters putting customers in an awkward situation by covertly asking for "donations." Who here agrees with that? Please share.

 

I respectfully disagree with the first half of your post, and agree with the second half.

 

It has been stated in this thread that these people make 6 figure salaries (of which I am still patiently waiting proof on). If that is the case (which I doubt), it certainly is not meant to be a tipped profession.

 

But either way, I have always found that people asking for tips is tacky. I give tour guides in the islands the benefit of the doubt. But porters? Yea, I don't like that either.

[alwayshappytocruise]

The husband of a work friend of mine is a porter at Port Canaveral at the Disney port. Believe me, he does not make six figures!!!! He owns his own cleaning business, lawn care business and works at the port to supplement his income.

Lynda

[Alexis]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the real issue isn't what they earn. I agree. It's the practice of some rogue porters putting customers in an awkward situation by covertly asking for "donations." Who here agrees with that? Please share. I'd like to know. I don't want to know if you tip, because tipping is ok with me. It's coerced tipping that bugs me.

So, who's for coerced tipping?

 

We have been on 27 cruises from many ports.

We have NEVER in any of those ports ever been asked for a tip.

We have NEVER had a Porter put their hand out to us looking for one either.

The closest we have come to what you are saying was in Puerto Rico and it was a cab driver who picked us up from our hotel.

He was so old that my husband had to put our luggage in the trunk for him because he said he could not lift it. When we got to the Pier, he told my husband we owed him the fare, plus extra for handling our luggage.

My husband paid him, but told him he should be paying us the luggage fee.

We were not going to start our vacation with an argument. He was actually way older than us and still working. :(

[bluecookies]

I find it out that the reason that those who choose to tip keep saying they do so because they want their bags to arrive at their stateroom!

[frito58]

Man I hate the thought of throwing $5 away on a cruise.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[ken_nyc]

For our first cruise I tipped the porter $2 a bag and he was cursing under his breath but loud enough for me to hear...I couldn't believe it! :eek: When we got off the ship I saw him when he came over and asked if we needed a porter and I said no and had some choice words for him since he must of forgot who he was cursing at to embark the ship. We used a different porter.

[cruzendude]

I think gonzo and the others in the no tipping camp are simply trying to wooo over the others so they won't be in the minority. I will continue tipping the porters because I think it is the right thing to do. My buddy is checking to see if they are union jobs (he thinks they aren't and if they are he will be on it). Maybe I can get one too!

 

Not sure about Florida but in California you can't even THINK about working anywhere near a port unless you are union.....pretty much the same all over the U.S. I would assume....some may make 6 figures with crazy union overtime rules but I bet the average wage is still well over 60K a year which is way more than should have to be paid for a steveadore....I say don't tip them.....its really just another union extortion technique...:eek:

[Aquahound]

Here is a link posted by Aurelius180 on another thread:

 

http://www.oceancareers.com/2.0/career_salary.php?career_id=43

 

According to this, their salaries are very low, especially compared to the high cost of living in S. Florida. 17k to 27k a year deserves a tip in my opinion.

[FlorenceItaly]

The port of San Diego is the ONLY port where I had a porter refuse my tip! I tried, but he wouldn't take it. I have probably cruised out of there 4 or 5 times, but it was only on one occasion, that I was refused. I tip at all ports which is sometimes ridiculous because alot of times I am handing them the bag, and they are maybe walking it 2 feet, but whatever, lol.

[BuzzF117]

Well, I don't "tip" my dentist and doctor in the usual sense, but I do give them both a pretty nice bonus at the end of the year to thank them for their work and dedicated care. I did the same for our doormen when I used to live in a condo. The boy who used to cut our lawn for 3 years and was paid very well graduated college this past spring and was leaving to go to grad school. So my boyfriend and I bought him a new car as an added bonus because we were greatly appreciative of all the work he did for us. With all that said, none of this was required or requested of me but I was taught to reward hard work regardless of position or salary, especially when they are providing a service for me personally.

 

So with this said, I will continue to tip the porters regardless if they are making $100k or $20k a year, because I am grateful for the job they do in making sure my bags get on board safely. It might not be expected nor required, but I feel it's the right thing to do.

 

HEY my 15 yr old son that carries a 3.95 gpa is looking for some lawns to mow where do you live?

[tahqa]

I am still waiting on that proof of a porter's 6 figure salary.

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Longshoreman/Hourly_Rate

In Florida the median hourly wage for longshoreman is $16/hr. Even with overtime that's a far cry from a six figure salary.

[GeckoGirl]

The husband of a work friend of mine is a porter at Port Canaveral at the Disney port. Believe me, he does not make six figures!!!! He owns his own cleaning business, lawn care business and works at the port to supplement his income.

Lynda

 

 

A patient of ours works as a porter at Port Canaveral and he works 2 jobs to make ends meet and support his family. He has 2 kids, lives in an average neighborhood and his wife also works . So unless they are spending LOADS of money each day, I dont think he makes 6 figures.

 

I give them credit for hauling heavy luggage in the hot Florida sun, so yes I will tip them.

[Aquahound]

In Florida the median hourly wage for longshoreman is $16/hr. Even with overtime that's a far cry from a six figure salary.

 

The longshoremen are the guys actually on the pier, not the guys who take your luggage.

 

But yea, the longshoremen still make more than the stevedores, who start at only $8.22/hr.

[tahqa]

Yes it is a fact. The porters at U.S. ports are longshoreman. Google them and you will see they earn very nice salaries. I am 100% in favor of tipping people in the service industry who have a low base salary with the expectation of receiving tips (i.e. waiters) and tip them generously. I do not understand why some people feel the need to tip people who are paid a full salary and are simply carrying out the duties for which they are being paid to do.

 

The longshoremen are the guys actually on the pier, not the guys who take your luggage.

 

But yea, the longshoremen still make more than the stevedores, who start at only $8.22/hr.

Post #17 said they were longshoremen so that was what I looked up... but if they're actually stevedores making much less than that then it's even worse. In the scheme of things $1-$2 per bag is insignificant compared to the cost of the cruise. I won't stop tipping, but neither am I going to try and convince others that they should start.

[Aquahound]

Post #17 said they were longshoremen so that was what I looked up... but if they're actually stevedores making much less than that then it's even worse.

 

Actually, I wasn't even 100% correct in my statement. Technically, a stevedore is a person who loads the ships. The person actually taking the bags is a porter.

[fungirl28]

Personally, I don't care whether they earn six figures or $6/hr. If they are schlepping my luggage and saving me the hassle, I will tip. They ONLY time I wouldn't tip is if I dragged the luggage on board myself. JMHO:)

[Nano]

Do you have to give them your bag at all? We're taking a short cruise on the Monarch in August, and I was only planning to take a roll-aboard bag. If I can, I'd rather just roll my own bag onto the ship so I don't have to worry about it getting lost (not just trying to avoid the tip)....

[MrsPete]

You can avoid this whole scenerio by doing what we do: Refuse to travel with anything more than carry-on luggage. We find it much more convenient in a number of ways. It requires planning and a little laundering, but it's possible.

[Gonzo70]

The longshoremen are the guys actually on the pier, not the guys who take your luggage.

 

But yea, the longshoremen still make more than the stevedores, who start at only $8.22/hr.

 

Sorry, I am fairly certain you are wrong on this. I have heard from many people they are Longshoremen and there are articles to support this such as:

 

http://www.porteverglades.net/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=674&menuID=998

 

Edit: OK, I just found an insightful article that states that: "Another plus for Port Everglades: The stevedoring work force is a combination of the International Association of Longshoremen, Teamsters and nonunion workers, which ''allows shipping lines to have a choice,'' Buqueras said." Here is the full article: http://www.fitpev.com/uploads/Port%20Everglades%20steams%20ahead.htm

 

So it looks like people on both sides on this issue were partially right and partially wrong. Some of the porters are highly paid Longshoremen and Teamsters, but there are non-union porters mixed in (who one can presume likely earn far less). So I guess the signs are up stating that one does not need to tip because they all are making a living wage - but since it does appear some are not being paid all that much, if one wants to tip, one should.

 

What I think everybody can agree on is that bullying by the porters into tipping or tipping more should not be tolerated.