REALLY Dumb Question about Luggage

[shorbr]

I feel really silly asking this question...

 

I realize the airlines are charging fees for our luggage. When we check in at curb-side...do we pay the porter at that time?

 

Sorry...I really don't know :confused:

[M&M Hayden]

If you mean at the airport I have no idea, never done that.....

At the port, yes a tip is in order.

[cawagner]

How much tip per bag?

[beastiemom]

At the airport, we tip a $1.00 per bag. I would assume it would be the same for the porter at the ship, but someone correct me if I am wrong.

[snausman]

I always tip a $1.00 per bag at the port.

[shorbr]

I feel really silly asking this question...

 

I realize the airlines are charging fees for our luggage. When we check in at curb-side...do we pay the porter at that time?

 

Sorry...I really don't know :confused:

Sorry for the confusion that I may be causing...I know that tips are in order for the porter, but I am talking about paying for the actual baggage that we check in. Some airlines are charging $20 per checked bag. Are the baggage fees required up front?

[digital_curator]

There is no actual fees for luggage on the cruise ship- you can bring as much as you want (but do remember that the rooms are small and storage space is at a premium!).

[madra2112]

Shorbr, perhaps I'm reading this incorrectly, but I think there's confusion here between the airport and the port.

 

We've had luggage charges imposed by airlines in Ireland / UK for some time now, and those charges are added to the cost of the ticket when paying for the flight. Checking in is the same as it always was (unless using one of the express machines).

 

The charges which may or may not be imposed for checking in luggage on planes for flights will have NO impact on checking in bags at the port for a cruise.

[readytolose]

When you check your luggage in at the airport they will ask for your credit card and charge the baggage fee at that time. If you do self check in the machine will ask for your credit card.

 

I'm not sure what airline you are flying but I know that a couple of them have reduced luggage fees if you check in online before you get to the airport. You can then print the luggage tags from your computer or get them at the airport.

 

Hope this helps!

[TEXASMUNK]

The porter at the airport...he does not collect baggage fees. He does earn his tip if you use his services. The airline will collect any additional fees when you check in...either automated or person-to-person. Baggage fees are then collected.

At the pier, the porters expect tips...some ports advise you need not tip but the porters suggest otherwise!

[Loves_Dogs]

Not a dumb question at all. Not sure what airline you are flying but on Delta when you do your online check-in the night before you can pay for your bags then online. Just print out the boarding passes and it will show that you have paid for your checked bags. In fact, they charge $5 more per bag if you dont pay that way. Go to your airlines website and search for baggage.

 

Cut and pasted from Delta Web Site:

Checked Baggage—within the United States

 

When traveling within the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico, customers are charged $15 for the first checked bag and $25 for the second checked bag (each way, for round trip). There is a $5 surcharge on each of the first two checked bags when checking in via ticket counter, kiosk, or curbside. There is no surcharge for bags prepaid during online check-in at delta.com.

[snausman]

Sorry for the confusion that I may be causing...I know that tips are in order for the porter, but I am talking about paying for the actual baggage that we check in. Some airlines are charging $20 per checked bag. Are the baggage fees required up front?

 

Sorry thought you were talking about at the port.

[Gonzo70]

How much tip per bag?

 

At a Florida port (seaport, not airport), $0 tip is necessary. The "porters" are unionized longshoremen already being paid $40 to $90 per hour without tips to take your luggage. I am not sure if the same applies to ports outside of Florida.

[Mark_K]

I feel really silly asking this question...

 

I realize the airlines are charging fees for our luggage. When we check in at curb-side...do we pay the porter at that time?

 

Sorry...I really don't know :confused:

Good question, I'm not sure how curb-side check in works since they've started charging, I always just go inside. Keep in mind that a lot of airlines charge an additional fee ($2-3/bag) for curb-side check in beyond their normal $20-25 charge, and beyond that, the porter also expects to be tipped.

[Ashland]

At a Florida port (seaport, not airport), $0 tip is necessary. The "porters" are unionized longshoremen already being paid $40 to $90 per hour without tips to take your luggage. I am not sure if the same applies to ports outside of Florida.

May not be "necessary" but come on you really don't tip the porter taking your luggage at the cruise dock. ?? :eek:.....I'll stick with the tip system for anyone providing a personal service, so I don't have to keep track of their job description and pay scale to decide whether a tip is warranted or not...;)

[Gonzo70]

May not be "necessary" but come on you really don't tip the porter taking your luggage at the cruise dock. ?? :eek:.....I'll stick with the tip system for anyone providing a personal service, so I don't have to keep track of their job description and pay scale to decide whether a tip is warranted or not...;)

 

Nobody tips people for providing a personal service. I do not tip my dentist, doctor, city bus driver, bagger at the grocery store, airline employee who removes my luggage from the plane or any of a number of other people who perform a pesonal service but receive a full salary to do that service. Neither do you. The "porters" at Florida cruise ports are in this category; they receive a full (very generous) salary to take your luggage, place it on a cart, and push the cart a few yards. According to the port authority they earn $40 to $90 per hour to do this.

 

One Florida port even has signs stating that tipping them is not permitted. Another has signs saying tipping is optional. The "porters" at the Florida cruise terminals are not the same as skycaps at the airport or bellmen at hotels (who receive a low salary that is expected to be supplemented by tips).

 

If a "porter" at the cruise terminal did something beyond expectations for me, I'd tip them (same as I tipped my electrician when he did some extra work for me and did not charge me for it). If they simply take my luggage and place it onto their cart, I do not tip them. If you and others want to, that is your right to do so, but I personally have far better uses for my money and if I want to give my money away I have certain charities I opt to donate to rather than well paid longshoremen.

 

I am a very generous tipper when a waiter, room steward or someone in a profession where they receive a low salary that is supplemented by tips provides good service to me, but I think that our society has gone a little too tip-happy and I do not buy into tipping people who are already being generously compensated to carry out the service for which they are rendering.

[imsulin]

Sorry for the confusion that I may be causing...I know that tips are in order for the porter, but I am talking about paying for the actual baggage that we check in. Some airlines are charging $20 per checked bag. Are the baggage fees required up front?

 

Yes. You have to pay this fee whether you do curbside or counter check-in.

[shorbr]

When you check your luggage in at the airport they will ask for your credit card and charge the baggage fee at that time. If you do self check in the machine will ask for your credit card.

 

I'm not sure what airline you are flying but I know that a couple of them have reduced luggage fees if you check in online before you get to the airport. You can then print the luggage tags from your computer or get them at the airport.

 

Hope this helps!

 

That is exactly what I need to know. Thank you so much :) We are flying on American Airlines the day before the cruise.

 

Also, I made a mistake in the terminology. We usually check our bags with the "skycap". My mistake was saying "porter".

[shorbr]

Can we just pay cash. I HATE using my credit card.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies. They were very helpful.

[Ashland]

Nobody tips people for providing a personal service. I do not tip my dentist, doctor, city bus driver, bagger at the grocery store, airline employee who removes my luggage from the plane or any of a number of other people who perform a pesonal service but receive a full salary to do that service. Neither do you. The "porters" at Florida cruise ports are in this category; they receive a full (very generous) salary to take your luggage, place it on a cart, and push the cart a few yards. According to the port authority they earn $40 to $90 per hour to do this.

 

One Florida port even has signs stating that tipping them is not permitted. Another has signs saying tipping is optional. The "porters" at the Florida cruise terminals are not the same as skycaps at the airport or bellmen at hotels (who receive a low salary that is expected to be supplemented by tips).

 

If a "porter" at the cruise terminal did something beyond expectations for me, I'd tip them (same as I tipped my electrician when he did some extra work for me and did not charge me for it). If they simply take my luggage and place it onto their cart, I do not tip them. If you and others want to, that is your right to do so, but I personally have far better uses for my money and if I want to give my money away I have certain charities I opt to donate to rather than well paid longshoremen.

 

I am a very generous tipper when a waiter, room steward or someone in a profession where they receive a low salary that is supplemented by tips provides good service to me, but I think that our society has gone a little too tip-happy and I do not buy into tipping people who are already being generously compensated to carry out the service for which they are rendering.

OMG...:eek:...The "porters" at the Florida cruise ports are in the same "catagory" as my dentist and doctor...do they know this...:rolleyes:...??? And what could a porter do for you that would be beyond your expectations :confused: ........Relax Gonzo70

[Gonzo70]

OMG...:eek:...The "porters" at the Florida cruise ports are in the same "catagory" as my dentist and doctor...do they know this...:rolleyes:...??? And what could a porter do for you that would be beyond your expectations :confused: ........Relax Gonzo70

 

Yes, the porters at the Florida ports are not receiving a reduced salary that is expected to be supplemented by tips. Same as your doctor and dentist. Same as the bagger at your local grocery mart. Same as the city bus drivers where you live. Same as the cashier at the fast food restaurant (though some cashiers now seem to think they should be tipped and have placed tip jars on the counter). Some of the porters are likely earning more than your dentist! With tips they are sometimes pulling in over $200 per hour.

 

As for what I would consider beyond expectations, for me that would be something more than me handing my bags to them and them putting them on the cart. One time I had my stateroom assignment changed after my doucments arrived and when I asked the porter how I should handle it, he pulled out some blank luggage tags, filled them all out for me, and put them on my suitcases and did so while carrying on friendly banter. I gladly tipped him a few dollars. The other couple of times I left out of Florida I did not tip as all I did was hand over my suitcase.

 

If you want to tip the already well paid porters, that is your choice. Don't begrudge me for not doing so, especially when the Florida ports have signs saying either that tipping is not permitted or that it is optional (depending on the port).

[Sam's Mom]

Since skycaps were brought up I wanted to mention, whenever my bags are over the weight limit I have noticed that the skycap never mentions it. I don't know if it's my generous tip (and smile), but the tip is far less than what the airline would have charged for overweight bags and I don;t have to wait in the long line inside the terminal!!!!

[shorbr]

Since skycaps were brought up I wanted to mention' date=' whenever my bags are over the weight limit I have noticed that the skycap never mentions it. I don't know if it's my generous tip (and smile), but the tip is far less than what the airline would have charged for overweight bags and I don;t have to wait in the long line inside the terminal!!!![/quote']

 

Last year I had excess luggage...skycap mentioned it...I acted surprised and tip him generously and that was it. That is exactly why I do not wait in the long line inside the terminal. I would rather much tip them nicely and proceed to the gate.

[amybeth4]

At a Florida port (seaport, not airport), $0 tip is necessary. The "porters" are unionized longshoremen already being paid $40 to $90 per hour without tips to take your luggage. I am not sure if the same applies to ports outside of Florida.

 

Gonzo, because you've said this before, I purposely paid attention at the Miami pier on 11/1 and not only did the sign say "Tipping porters is optional" (something to that effect), the "longshoreman" also took my bag and "suggested" I tip the man whose now "taking care of your bags."

 

I'm just sayin'. Do I fear he'll throw my bag in the street and I'll never see it again? No...I tipped him AFTER he walked it the THREE FEET to put it in a cart. But they certainly do shake you down, $60/hour or not...

[TheWog]

OMG...:eek:...The "porters" at the Florida cruise ports are in the same "catagory" as my dentist and doctor...do they know this...:rolleyes:...??? And what could a porter do for you that would be beyond your expectations :confused: ........Relax Gonzo70

 

and my doctor or dentist won't toss my bags in the water for not tipping either. :D