Tipping luggage handlers

[Stmar]

I don't know about all ports at disembarkation but at Port Canaveral they stack your luggage in an area and you can pick it up and stand in a long line or you can get a porter to load all your bags on a cart and escort you through customs. Much faster and he also takes your bags to your pick up point, in our case we had parked our vehicle and we drove it to a pick up point to get our luggage and other passengers. It was worth a tip to me, don't know if $10 was enough, like I said I thought the other guy was going to add to it.

Edited December 13, 2018 by Stmar

[thedeadman]

2 hours ago, Stmar said:

I don't know about all ports at disembarkation but at Port Canaveral they stack your luggage in an area and you can pick it up and stand in a long line or you can get a porter to load all your bags on a cart and escort you through customs. Much faster and he also takes your bags to your pick up point, in our case we had parked our vehicle and we drove it to a pick up point to get our luggage and other passengers. It was worth a tip to me, don't know if $10 was enough, like I said I thought the other guy was going to add to it.

Not the same issue.  Your tipping to expedite service from the terminal. That is ok. My issue is when you arrive at cruise line your tip determines if your bags get on board with tags and not damaged.  Some folks may think the daily tip or port cruise tax pays for this service.  It does not.  The porters are middle men.  If your luggage is lost the cruise line will not be able to help you since there is no luggage tracking like at airport.  If your tags are missing because you did not tip enough then you have to go after the porters.  The porters not the cruise line have full control of your luggage.  Only when it reaches the inside of the ship does the cruise line take over.  Since there is no tracking...What's your proof.

 

At long beach they wanted money to get my bags on board.  It's not a tip but demand for payment.  Instead the porters should post signs with price to put your luggage on ship.  Everyone should pay the same amount if porters tear off tags for low tips.  Low is relative

[thedeadman]

Update.  I am at terminal 2 for princess cruse.   We got drop off at baggage drop off.  The porter ran to the car. We told the porter no thanks.  We took our luggage on board.  Good thing because cabins ready early so we put stuff in cabins and went to lunch.

 

The porters move the baggage 10 feet to the bins.  Based on what we read and observed we did not feel comfortable leavin our luggage. We saw others with luggage.  We have a medium size luggage which fits fine . 25 or 26 inch luggage.

 

If your need assistance just use the porters and tip them well.

[beaming90]

I guess I am confused on this topic.  I have always done the cruise line shuttle.  Are we to tip the bus driver?  Does someone from the cruiseline take the bags off of the bus?  So I guess I understand tipping them but how can you be sure you are tipping the right person?  Sorry. it has been a while since I cruised.  Thanks for your help.  We are flying into Seattle the day of our cruise and taking the shuttle to the port.

[thedeadman]

You tip anyone that helps you.  Normally I take lyft and I bring my luggage on board to avoid any issues with the porters.   First since I have priority check in I can go directly to my cabin and put the luggage inside.  No chance of losing my luggage or having my luggage tags cut off.  The atmosphere at the luggage drop off has changed....it was clear when our lyft dropped us off.  We took our luggage directly to ship.