Tipping luggage handlers

[WinnieinWA]

Port handlers, if you want your luggage to arrive in your stateroom in one piece or arrive at all I would boost that estimate up a hair. :eek:

 

I find this thread very interesting. The two cruises I've been on where the taxi driver gave our luggage to the men at the port all they did was transport luggage from the ground to a conveyor belt that led to the ship. I did tip $2.00 per bag but I did not see where the dock porter did anything except lift our bags from ground to conveyor belt.

Granted this is 2 times that I noticed and I can't recall what happened with my other cruises because I sometimes use cruise ship transfer buses. I do know that I have always gotten my luggage in a timely manner and have never had any complaints with any cruise line I've been on except RCI. I boarded at noon and got my luggage about 9 PM.

 

My question to some of you is this:

How do you tip the porters when they take your luggage off the transfer bus? It isn't like you are present when they are unloading. ?

 

I do not believe for a second that tipping the port porters has anything to do with how soon you get your luggage. I believe it has to do with first to board..first to get luggage. That is my own opinion and observation. I tip because I want to and I tip $2.00. per bag.

 

 

 

You got that right Jack! When one has spent time with a child who is dying from a deadly disease one doesn't find too much to complain about while on a cruise.

 

It's all good!:)

[aaerobear]

ILWU porters in SFO make approximately $47 dollars an hour to schlep bags for passengers. There are many signs saying that tipping is not required, but I for one would never think of not giving them a tip. Sometimes they are pretty scarry looking guys and there is no reason to get off on the wrong foot.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Can't you just carry your bags onboard? I think we did last time?? But. that was 2 yrs ago,, so perhaps I have forgotten.

 

Only luggage up to around 23 inches will be allowed to be carried on since the larger pieces won't fit through the scanner.

[kenexx]

ILWU porters in SFO make approximately $47 dollars an hour to schlep bags for passengers. There are many signs saying that tipping is not required, but I for one would never think of not giving them a tip. Sometimes they are pretty scarry looking guys and there is no reason to get off on the wrong foot.

 

In my opinion those guys in SFO extort money from passengers. When we embarked a year ago from SFO for the trans pacific we gave the guys our bags and while being aware of the signs saying no tipping, when we gave him the last bag he said "I wont be seeing you guys any more" I really didnt know whether to hug him goodbye or shake his hand but instead gave handfuls of cash like about $30 ( we had a lot of bags)

 

Didnt make one bit of difference as by the time we sailed under the Golden Gate we still only had 1 item of luggage

[bhopal21]

In my opinion those guys in SFO extort money from passengers. When we embarked a year ago from SFO for the trans pacific we gave the guys our bags and while being aware of the signs saying no tipping, when we gave him the last bag he said "I wont be seeing you guys any more" I really didnt know whether to hug him goodbye or shake his hand but instead gave handfuls of cash like about $30 ( we had a lot of bags)

 

Didnt make one bit of difference as by the time we sailed under the Golden Gate we still only had 1 item of luggage

 

See, you should have hugged him instead.:D:D

 

Mike:)

[50cruiser]

I always tip. No matter who. My dauter worked as a waitress while in College for extra spending money. It bothered me when she didnt get hardly anything for an eavning work because the restrant only gave tips to their waitresses. She worked very hard and some nights only got $10. Other nights though she got $300. This is at an upscale restrant. She mentioned a couple of times the wealther the custamer the lower the tip. Most working customers were the best tipers . In Jan. , March, May on our cruises out of Ft lauderdale I tiped the porters $20 for our 4 bages on the 3 cruises and ours was the 1st to arive in our rooms on all 3 cruises . Coincedence , I dobt it. I think the porters let the people on ship know who are good tippers. On our RCL cruise the porter carried the bags quite a ways to carts . I watched just for fun while waiting what happened to our bags. They were put on carts 1st of 40 bags . The person behind me who didnt tip bags were still on the ground after 2 carts were filled and taken to ship. I know it makes a diference. Even if you give a little $1 per bag It shows you apreaciate what hes doing, I would CARL

[ncovert]

Tipping at a standard rate is a personal thing. I think 1 to 2 dollars a bag is fair. However my mother in law will tip 5 bucks a bag. In my experiences we have both recieved our luggage even though she shells out $20 bucks and I give $8. I say do what seems fair to you.

[Stevesan]

I've seen the occasional bag floating in the water. :p

[ncovert]

I've seen the occasional bag floating in the water. :p

 

Me too!!! Actually on our honeymoon my wife and I watched as the bags were being loaded and saw 3 drop in as they were loading them. Luckily they were not ours.

[steponboard]

Me too!!! Actually on our honeymoon my wife and I watched as the bags were being loaded and saw 3 drop in as they were loading them. Luckily they were not ours.

This doesn't happen anymore, I've observed netting around the convey which catches any piece of luggage before it goes astray.

[Celest1022]

$2.00 per bag, always.

[Minoushka]

My Hubbie's cousins were on my cruise out of FLL on Miracle .They chose to not tip ...IMO NOT SMART .The dock person ...I'm not sure what he is called ...insisted they leave their garment bag to be delivered to the cabin .....THEY DID.......NOthing was locked .The Bag arrived minus 2 suits and 1 gown ..Realized AFTER we left ,got the bag that evening

This was a New Year's Cruise .

Coincidence???No tipping ..lighter bag???

LOCK your bags .Buy TAS locks Make sure BAGS are properly identified CAbin Number BOLD

TIP THE GUY ..1 or 2 $ per bag ...Hope for the best

ALWAYS TIP ....

I only lost my bag once on FREEDOM OTS yet it was clearly identified ...delivered to other CC members with my married last name...I found out at our CC meeting

I was VERY upset they misplaced it ...I got 2 T shirts for my troubles ...WHOOPIE!!! I would have preferred my bag ....It was CLEARLY TAGGED AND IDENTIFIED

Consider it as part of expenses of total cruise

 

Michele

[fireofficer5]

One bag, one dollar, because its heavy with my smuggled liquor.

[Colo Cruiser]

You are correct tipping has absolutley nothing to do with whether you will get your bag quicker but it has a heck of a lot to do with getting your bag at all. :(

[aaerobear]

have often heard the porters in SF referred to as "thugs"

[m steve]

Pay the man the $2. Especially if you have booze in your bag and you want it unbroken and delivered in your cabin. We usually have 4 bags, case of water, box of wine so $10 seems fair to me. Returning add 2- 6 packs of liquor and no wine or water.

[billet]

The time of your lLuggage delivery is very much luck of the draw depending on which cart comes next on deck 4

[FritzG]

In Port Everglades when we were boarding the Ruby for the TA, there was a man on the docks directing where luggage should go, and he was telling the passengers how hard the porters worked and "suggesting" that everyone give them a good tip. We were going to tip anyway, and it kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but I really wanted to see my bags again. We referred to him as the "luggage ****". I'm not even sure if he was a porter himself, one of the supervisors, or one of the porter's husband/boyfriend.

[Mindy97]

In San Pedro, going TO the ship I tip $5. for 2 bags. On the way OFF the ship, I ask the guy if he'll take me to the handicap parking area for me. This is generally a no-no, as they aren't allowed to take the cart into the parking lot. Some will take it to the edge of the road next to the lot, and occasionally one will hand carry the bags the rest of the way. Instead of $5., they get $10 and my thanks.

 

Fern

[kenexx]

See, you should have hugged him instead.:D:D

 

Mike:)

 

I dont think it would have gone down to well if I had :D I rather think I would have ended up in the bay along with the bags. :eek:

 

have often heard the porters in SF referred to as "thugs"

 

Thats what this huge guy looked like which is why I never went ahead with the hug idea and handed over the cash :p

[hubofhockey]

I must be missing something. If we are talking about the porters who take your bags and just move them a few yards into Princess' baggage cages, I give $1 per bag and think that's fair. We have never had problems having our bags arrive in our rooms.

[Putterdude]

While I have some difficulty in paying highly paid, union longshoreman, porters, I nontheless tip them somewhere between $1 and $2 per bag. I will say that the nicest and hardest working ones that I have encounterd so far are the one at San Pedro.

[hansi]

I tip $1 per bag and my luggage has always arrived. In Florida where they are well paid long shoremen and there are signs posted that tipping is not necessary I do not tip.

 

Why on earth do you have to tip to make sure your luggage arrives? What do you think they would do with your baggage if you didn't tip!!!!!!!!

[Colo Cruiser]

Why on earth do you have to tip to make sure your luggage arrives? What do you think they would do with your baggage if you didn't tip!!!!!!!!

 

Damage it or leave it on the dock.

[hansi]

Absolute nonsense! When we join a cruise from the UK, we just give the luggage to a porter and he puts it straight on to the conveyor belt and doesn't expect a tip.