Longford

No, they don't.

Luggage locks sold today, most, are TSA approved and TSA has keys to open them if necessary. Use old, outdated locks ... yes, they'll break them. TSA approved locks are sold everywhere, and recommended.

Porters at the cruise ship terminals do not also offload cargo ships. They're not "longshoremen" as the term is often applied. "Longshoremen" work, primarily, at cargo offloading terminals operating fork lifts, cranes, heavy equipment. Multiple unions represent Porters, and some Porters are not union members. Longshoremen, Teamsters, Transport Workers, etc., these unions represent multiple work groups in a single local union ... and wage scales vary by job description. Tip a porter, don't tip a porter ... it's an individual choice. But don't believe that the porter who takes your bag makes six figures. Not unless you're smoking some weed, or a bottle of alcohol. LOL!

You're fantasizing if you think porters ... luggage handlers ... at cruise terminals are earning six-figure salaries. LOL!

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Good comment. I failed to clarify my comment, until the end when I referenced shipboard bartenders. The earlier reference was, generally, to bartenders anywhere. 🙃Though, while on board ... I did see many people cash tipping bartenders, maybe/likely/possibly in addition to the pre-paid gratuities.

I'm wondering if the stingy folks also stiff a bartender who may only reach into a cooler, pop the cap off of a bottle of beer and hand it to them? After all, the bartender isn't mixing a drink, just handing a bottle to us. Or in bars where the bartender puts the glass under an automatic pour-er, adds a mix and hands it to us. Do you tip them? Ship bartenders, as well?

I don't doubt that the stingy folks can be found at meal time shoveling food down their faces in the WJ ... because they want to get their money's worth ... even if they throw away some food. LOL!

Which cruise line did your friend work with?

I'm recalling that I paid +/- $25 per day. Various benefits were included: early boarding, lunch in MDR, carry-on taken to your cabin early, preference on tenders, internet, priority disembarking, last day breakfast.

There are many good reasons why it's best to have an experienced cruise travel agent handle things for us.

IMO, it's time for you to let go with your angst about unionized longshoremen who work on cargo ships ... and generalizations about luggage porters at cruise terminals throughout the USA. The discussion is about baggage handlers at cruise terminals ... handlers whose working conditions and wages aren't universal in working conditions, wages/benefits and tip policies. If we were talking about the Longshoremen's Union and working conditions/abuse at container ports ... we'd agree. But this is a very simple discussion about something very different. None of us can say with accuracy what the situation is at 20 +/- different port terminals.

Yes. The next time I cruise I'll open my mouth and ask ... if it's not clear. Like everything else in life, we learn, or should learn, after each experience.

Suggesting porters and longshoremen are one in the same and some earn more than $400k a year is laughable; disingenuous. Even if there are terminals that use porters who are unionized, unions include work groups/units where pay scales are unequal. Not all ports or terminals use porters who are unionized. Unless there's been a change in the past year or two, Disney hasn't ever used a company that provides its porters who has a contract with a union at Port Canaveral. There maybe similar situations elsewhere. As for individuals who ask porters to assist them and then stiff them when it comes to tips, one words will describe those individuals: stingy. People will spend thousands of dollars cruising, tip ships crew yet not tip someone who helps them with heavy luggage they won't lift themselves. Ok, rant over.

I’m a cruising newbie, my first cruise was out of Tampa on the Serenade 11/5/2022. I purchased the Key. Although my boarding time was 11 a.m., and the ship off-boarded late due to fog in the harbor. There were no Key directional signs and I stood in line as announcements were made telling various status levels they could jump the lines for priority boarding. At 11:45 I asked the woman controlling the lines if Key holders had expedited boarding and she told me I should already have boarded. How was I to know without an announcement or signs? I should not have been so timid. Newbie learning experience.

LOL!

I’m a newbie to cruising, but have a career in hotel management and the service industry. My recent first cruise (just me) was out of Tampa. I brought a large duffle-type bag on wheels, a small backpack-type carry-on and shipping bag with two bottles of wine. I didn’t use a porter, brought my checked luggage to the check-in and handed it over, and kept the carry-on and wine with me. When leaving the ship I used a porter who brought my large bag and carry-on through Immigration, to my car in the adjacent lot and placed them in my car. I gave him $10.

Why, when you ask some to do what you’re not willing to do yourself?

I think the pay scale varies by port.

Unless a ship’s medical facility has the particular medications for you, it may be difficult or impossible to replace prescription medication at some or many ports of call.

I’ll suggest that cruise terminal porters do not load or offload cargo ships.

Cruise lines, airlines have … for ever so long advised passengers to keep prescription medications and valuables in carry-on only. It’s advice I follow. Also, all checked luggage should be locked, to minimize the risks of pilfering and theft.

With almost 600 replies since the discussion topic was started, the subject of gratuities was first raised at reply 3, and since ... throughout.

Like you, I, too, tip at restaurants. I struggle with that internally, though. We're made to feel guilty if we don't tip all of the time because waitstadd are grossly underpaid by their employer ... and we are, in reality, expected to provide wages restaurant owners refuse to. Aren't cruise pre-paid gratuities the same thing? Underpaid employees - and guests are asked to supplement the low wages ... not paying a gratuity in advance not because of exemplary services received.

The incentive for cabin stewards to work harder or to satisfy guests is the expectation that if they do they'll be additionally rewarded with an end-of-cruise cash tip. The percentage of the pre-paid gratuities a room steward is probably small ... as are wages paid by the cruise line. The comments in this discussion thread - overall - raise the question in my mind: How many of us tip the housekeeping staff - the maids- who clean the hotel rooms we stay in when we travel on land? Do we tip - or always tip - the maid at the Holiday Inn or Comfort Suites? And the hotels don't ask for pre-paid gratuities that are shared amongst all employees.