How much do you tip porters?

[terigo]

I am just curious about the level of resentment about how much money the porters make? They do not handle a ship every day and I am sure their hourly wages are not that high.

 

Here at Port Canaveral there are three days of shipping activity, possibly four - Sat and Sun and then a mid-week to accommodate the 3 day/4day Sensation cruises. Certainly not a 40 hour week worth of work. I tip and do it gladly not resentfully and I have never felt obligated to do it other then my own personal biases. If they can make 6 figures as a porter because of tips, I say more power to them and get me a job application.

 

I don't quite understand, either.

So you spend a coupla bucks acknowledging someone's efforts....

for what I spent on this vacation, $10.00 isn't going to break me, and it sure as heck makes someone else's day a bit brighter.

[ward10]

No one cares how much the porters make. The tip complainers are just complaining about any penny that anyone tries to squeeze out of them. I'd Guess, only a guess, that 95% of the time the porter tip complainers are also the auto-tip complainers.

 

Yes, that is just a guess of yours about tip complainers.

 

First off, here's why I differentiate between the two. My cabin attendant/waiter/whoever on board ship, has an unbelieveably low base salary and is dependant on tips to bring his/her salary up to an acceptable wage. I have also yet to receive anything short of stellar service from my cabin attendant who deserves the auto tip and an extra recognition of great service at the end of the cruise.

 

On the other hand, the porters on the quayside, may or may not belong to the Longshoreman's Union (or equivalent around the world) but are certainly well paid for their efforts in terms of base pay and possible benefits before they start demanding a tip for, as some have pointed out, the luxury of moving bags from the kerbside to the luggage cage. Hardly back breaking compared to the 16 hour days cabin attendants put in.

 

IMO this ridiculous notion of automatically tipping porters is legalised extortion, fanned by the stories that if you don't pony up, your bags will never make it to the ship. I have no problem acknowledging service and assistance but this doesn't fall into that category for me.

[gottahavefun]

Yes, that is just a guess of yours about tip complainers.

 

First off, here's why I differentiate between the two. My cabin attendant/waiter/whoever on board ship, has an unbelieveably low base salary and is dependant on tips to bring his/her salary up to an acceptable wage. I have also yet to receive anything short of stellar service from my cabin attendant who deserves the auto tip and an extra recognition of great service at the end of the cruise.

 

On the other hand, the porters on the quayside, may or may not belong to the Longshoreman's Union (or equivalent around the world) but are certainly well paid for their efforts in terms of base pay and possible benefits before they start demanding a tip for, as some have pointed out, the luxury of moving bags from the kerbside to the luggage cage. Hardly back breaking compared to the 16 hour days cabin attendants put in.

 

IMO this ridiculous notion of automatically tipping porters is legalised extortion, fanned by the stories that if you don't pony up, your bags will never make it to the ship. I have no problem acknowledging service and assistance but this doesn't fall into that category for me.

 

http://www.cruiselinejob.com/housekeeping.htm

 

If these are low wages, then I gotta say I'm working poverty level and I want tips to bring my wages up to an acceptable level too!

And if I follow the same line of thinking, the bartender only waits on me for a few minutes, pouring a pre-made product into a glass. Why does he get a tip? Or the waittress/waiter get a tip all they did was bring the plate. What's that a 30 second trip? I don't care if it's 10 feet or a mile away, go sling 200ish 50 to 100 pound(or more) bags all day long and then come back tell me how "easy" it is.:rolleyes:

[bobbyleduck]

We usually tip a buck per bag and figure it is more than the service is worth.

 

If we could I would roll my bag about 20 ft more and than pick it up and put it in the cage and save myself the few dollars.

 

This IMHO is one of the worlds biggest ripoffs.

 

+1

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

[98Charlie]

We generally tip dock porters $1 per bag when we have only 1 bag a piece or $5 when we have 3 or 4 bags total.

 

The people we wish we could tip we never see. They're the ones inside the port area that do the scanning of the luggage for contraband.:D;)

 

Dianne

[golfadj]

No one cares how much the porters make. The tip complainers are just complaining about any penny that anyone tries to squeeze out of them. I'd Guess, only a guess, that 95% of the time the porter tip complainers are also the auto-tip complainers.

 

I am an Economist by schooling and expect value for what I spend.

 

We always leave the autotips alone or add to it and feel we get our money's worth.

 

For the porters, the longshoreman's union signed a contract with the port and these guys make ridiculously high wages for doing very little work.

 

Try to add a little competition at this and blood would run.

[cruznlobo]

Here's our stories...

Fort Laderdale...One person did not tip...We tip 10.00 for 4 bags...The porter took our bags and set them on the side of the crate. The guy who didn't tip got his bags thrown into an empty crate while ours just sat there. We were standing in line and watching our bags. After the crate was full, the porter took our bags and laid them on top of the full crate then continued piling other baggage on top of the ones he threw into the other crate.

Port Canaveral...After tipping the porter 10.00 for 4 bags I told him that our smuggling bag was very important to us...He put a big orange INSPECTED sticker on it. Two people from our party had there stuff confiscated...Ours made it to the cabin unscathed.

Moral...10.00 is worth it to me.

[Senoj84]

Like mostly everyone said I tip $1.00 per bag and I only carry 2 bags. They're glad to accept it.

[mattman7779]

Here's a tip for you who want to save on tipping. Take 50 cent pieces and hand them to the guy in a stack, he will shove them in his pocket figuring they are dollar coins. Use the 50 cent JFK coins as people do not know how much they are worth normally without close inspection. Also they are large and people figure bigger is better. Turns that 8 dollar tip into a 4 dollar tip the fast way. Hey, we are in a recession right, everybody takes a hit. Just kidding but I bet it would work.

[yogimax]

I am just curious about the level of resentment about how much money the porters make? They do not handle a ship every day and I am sure their hourly wages are not that high.

 

 

Scroll below and see that many sky caps easily make over $100,000/year in salary and tips.

 

http://www.engineersalary.com/overpaid.asp

[golfadj]

Yes, that is just a guess of yours about tip complainers.

 

First off, here's why I differentiate between the two. My cabin attendant/waiter/whoever on board ship, has an unbelieveably low base salary and is dependant on tips to bring his/her salary up to an acceptable wage. I have also yet to receive anything short of stellar service from my cabin attendant who deserves the auto tip and an extra recognition of great service at the end of the cruise.

 

On the other hand, the porters on the quayside, may or may not belong to the Longshoreman's Union (or equivalent around the world) but are certainly well paid for their efforts in terms of base pay and possible benefits before they start demanding a tip for, as some have pointed out, the luxury of moving bags from the kerbside to the luggage cage. Hardly back breaking compared to the 16 hour days cabin attendants put in.

 

IMO this ridiculous notion of automatically tipping porters is legalised extortion, fanned by the stories that if you don't pony up, your bags will never make it to the ship. I have no problem acknowledging service and assistance but this doesn't fall into that category for me.

 

Excellent post!

[dan40]

I am an Economist by schooling and expect value for what I spend.

 

We always leave the autotips alone or add to it and feel we get our money's worth.

 

For the porters, the longshoreman's union signed a contract with the port and these guys make ridiculously high wages for doing very little work.

 

Try to add a little competition at this and blood would run.

 

WELLLL, Bless your heart! I have degrees in Business Management and Accounting. The material fact is that the porter comes to me and off loads my auto and relieves me of the burden of my luggage. We do not discuss each others incomes. He does a service for me, I tip him for that service.

[Backwoodsdan]

How many people cannot afford at least $1 per bag?

[golfadj]

WELLLL, Bless your heart! I have degrees in Business Management and Accounting. The material fact is that the porter comes to me and off loads my auto and relieves me of the burden of my luggage. We do not discuss each others incomes. He does a service for me, I tip him for that service.

 

I see your degrees and raise you one mba.

 

Typically I find we must go to the porter.

 

Feel free to tip him to your hearts content.

[dan40]

I see your degrees and raise you one mba.

 

Typically I find we must go to the porter.

Perhaps I look like the "Big Spender from the East Coast?" But they always come to the car.

Feel free to tip him to your hearts content.

Naw, just 2 bucks a bag, singles, not deuces!

 

No time for a mba, had to work. But the wife has 2, I'll see if she'll let me see yours and raise you 1.:p

[golfadj]

No time for a mba, had to work. But the wife has 2, I'll see if she'll let me see yours and raise you 1.:p

 

Went to grad school at night while working full time days for 3 years to get it.

 

By the time I got it I was making too much to make use of it in a new job.

 

Long term it has been useful so no complaints.

[JEANSKI79]

$2 a bag. I usually only have two bags. I have gone to different cruise terminals and each time the porters were too busy to look at what I handed them. I've had some be indifferent to me and some that were nice enough to say "Have a nice vacation!" and smile. Never had bags go missing and don't feel like if I hadn't tipped them they would have. Like I said they have all been too busy...on to the next group of bags. :)

[T. Advisor King]

I can see that if the porter is actually providing a service and that service is wanted, then a tip is in order. In that case, it is really a fee for service.

 

The issue I have is that I don't just drive up to the curb, pop the trunk and tip with my arm out the car window while the motor is still running. Typically, I arrive with my family and we're all in control of our own luggage. Depending on the set-up, you're pretty much prevented from dropping off your luggage yourself (or heavily intimidated against doing so). As a result, even though you really don't want a porter, you have virtually no choice.

 

I wouldn't call it extortion, but it's pretty close.

 

My rule is that if I can just as easily do something myself, I will. I don't become an invalid when I'm on vacation. I don't let porters touch my stuff at hotels and I do my level best not to let them get my stuff at cruise terminals (even if that means treating all my luggage as carry-ons).

[mrpayroll]

Just wondering: Who is responsible for the signs at the Port Canaveral port saying....Tipping of porters is not necessary..( or something to that effect ) They are hanging from the awnings when you unload you luggage.

[Zambini]

Usually a dollar per bag

[SMSACE6]

1 to 2 dollars per bag, depending on size and weight.:)

[blindrid]

The standard tip would be $1 to $2 per bag. However, I tip according to how much effort the porter puts into the job. More effort and courtesy deserves a bigger tip. There is a thread about the porters here.

 

I agree with exception of the extra effort. What extra effort is needed to throw two or three bags on a cart. Now if something is extremely heavy, I'll buy that.

 

Typically, I'll have two suitcases and I'll round up to a 5. I've been fortunate and have had courteous porters as a rule.

[bptex]

I was tipping $2.50 a bag when dropping off, now it's going to be $1.25! Coming back though if I use a porter it depends on how long the line for customs is and how much time they save me. On my first cruise the porter literally saved me 2 hours wait and who knows how much in duty and lost goods by someone in my group declaring EVERYTHING she purchased on the customs form. He got a $50 tip for about 12 bags.