Tipping porter at the cruise terminal

[pharaoh]

When we sailed out of either Miami or Fort Lauderdale about 8 years ago, I handed the porter 6 dollars for our 2 bags. He said, this is what you give the person in charge of your luggage? I was so stunned and pretty intimidated so I just said yes and he looked at me a second and put the bags on the cart. It was an awful way to start the cruise. Looking back and being older and braver I would have handled that quite different today.

 

 

That's terrible and I'm sorry you experienced that. I'm sure it was in Miami. I used to work as a pier agent at the POM about 10 years ago, and the porters there were terribly rude and intimidating. [emoji35]

[perditax]

I don't mind tipping, but I really dislike when it's framed as some sort of protection racket for your luggage.

[OCruisers]

I tip cause I dont want my bags going for a swim

 

~ :D Have to admit the above is a good reason to tip. Also that luggage tags with cabin numbers are not ripped off.

[Aquahound]

I remember a case a couple years ago where a passenger's bags ended up on another RCI ship docked at the opposite side of Port Everglades. That doesn't happen on accident. ;)

[riclop]

We also tip $5 for 2 bags.

[Keith1010]

Most people tip $1.00 to $2.00 per bag.

 

Keith

[Cruisingthesuitelife]

Our cruise was a short one 4 years ago on Liberty, from Ft Lauderdale. When we got off the ship people wanted to grab our bags and take our luggage through customs. There were signs all over stating no tipping allowed. Not sure if I explained my question ok or not but wondered about port Canaveral. And it was our Ontario TA that said do not tip.

Again, never seen any signs to that effect when entering or leaving the terminal. I don't use porters when I get off the ship. However, I distinctly remember in the departure video it said along the lines that 'upon entering the luggage hall porters will be available to help you with your luggage. They are usually tipped for this service.' I know those videos are probably a little old by now but there was nothing inside the terminal before or during bag collection or immigration that says not to tip.

 

If I did use one of these porters, I would absolutely tip them but again, it's a personal choice.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Cruisingthesuitelife

[Aquahound]

Our cruise was a short one 4 years ago on Liberty, from Ft Lauderdale. When we got off the ship people wanted to grab our bags and take our luggage through customs. There were signs all over stating no tipping allowed. Not sure if I explained my question ok or not but wondered about port Canaveral. And it was our Ontario TA that said do not tip.

 

In all my cruises, most of which have been out of Port Everglades, I have never seen a sign in a US port that says tipping is not allowed. I've seen signs they say they're not mandatory and they are at your discretion, but never one that said not allowed.

[Big_G]

I've never seen any signs or been told not to tip. Is this new?

 

I've never seen the signs either but I recall a similar thread a few years ago here on CC. This thread is way more civil than that one was. I have to admit, the only sign I'm looking for at the terminal is the 'Enter' sign and the tipping is just part of the routine.

[papaflamingo]

When we sailed out of either Miami or Fort Lauderdale about 8 years ago, I handed the porter 6 dollars for our 2 bags. He said, this is what you give the person in charge of your luggage? I was so stunned and pretty intimidated so I just said yes and he looked at me a second and put the bags on the cart. It was an awful way to start the cruise. Looking back and being older and braver I would have handled that quite different today.

 

Ok, just gotta ask, what would you do differently now? I think you handled it perfectly. Simply saying "yes" is a GREAT comeback. Simple, to the point, the perfect comeback. Sort of stopped the guy in his tracks. Good job!

[Cruise a holic]

We always tip at least $10 to the porter. We typically have three or four checked bags.

 

The days of the $1.00 per bag is long gone. We never have had a misplaced or "lost" bag on the airlines or at the cruise port.

[why2klisa]

Ok, just gotta ask, what would you do differently now? I think you handled it perfectly. Simply saying "yes" is a GREAT comeback. Simple, to the point, the perfect comeback. Sort of stopped the guy in his tracks. Good job!

 

 

I think I would have snapped a photo of him and told him I'll know who to coming looking for if I had any issues. I suppose you are right though. Probably would have made things worse.

[BecciBoo]

We usually have only the one big bag $5:D

[yogimax]

The median salary of a longshoreman at the Port of Miami is over $71,000 a year. If these guys who take your bags are longshoremen, they should be tipping us for giving them such well paying jobs!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Have been told not to tip the porter at the cruise terminal. There were also signs not to. This was in Ft Lauderdale. Is it the same at Port Canaveral. It was our TA that said tips were not spec ting because they were long shore men.

Any ideas, thank you.

 

We boarded the Serenade in FLL on November 2. We gave the porter 2 bags and DH gave him five ones since he did not have a $5 bill on him. The porter motioned to my husband with his hand and said "keep it coming". In other words he did not feel the tip was adequate. . . . pretty annoying. :rolleyes:

 

I am sure they expect tips.

[Havingfun2010]

Everyplace you go on the cruise, and in the islands, someone has their hand out. When embarking, the person places the bag on a cart. This is not your Service!!!!! They are loading cargo to go on a vessel at the port. Several people will handle this before it gets to the ship. Once on the ship, the "real" work begins, by the staff of the ship. If anything, they are the ones to tip.

 

Getting off the ship, if you request or require the assistance of a porter, and they wait with you in line, and take everything to the car, and help you load the car etc, than sure, they deserve a tip. Not the gut that puts you bag on the cart.

[Susie51]

$ 1.00 per bag

[Alaska Newbie]

Thank you everyone for your thoughts.

[Alaska Newbie]

Everyplace you go on the cruise, and in the islands, someone has their hand out. When embarking, the person places the bag on a cart. This is not your Service!!!!! They are loading cargo to go on a vessel at the port. Several people will handle this before it gets to the ship. Once on the ship, the "real" work begins, by the staff of the ship. If anything, they are the ones to tip.

 

Getting off the ship, if you request or require the assistance of a porter, and they wait with you in line, and take everything to the car, and help you load the car etc, than sure, they deserve a tip. Not the gut that puts you bag on the cart.

 

Thank you for this info. This is what I was looking for.

[papaflamingo]

I think I would have snapped a photo of him and told him I'll know who to coming looking for if I had any issues. I suppose you are right though. Probably would have made things worse.

 

Agreed, taking a photo would have been pretty confrontational. I don't think these guys actually throw luggage over the side. They work pretty fast and they stack it in big bins to be loaded onto the ship. No real time to "get even." But again, I think your answer was superb. You could not have made it any better. He was obviously trying to embarrass you into more money and your simple answer, really probably took him completely by surprise. I wish I could have been there to see his face. I'm betting it was priceless. So, again, great comeback. Funny, the comebacks that just "slip out" are usually the best. :)

[gr8.guy]

The porters are union employees of the port, and probably make a very decent salary to put your bag on a cart and push it a few feet. Save your money.

[tip]

The porters are union employees of the port, and probably make a very decent salary to put your bag on a cart and push it a few feet. Save your money.

 

If it is such a good deal, why aren't YOU doing it?:rolleyes:

[gr8.guy]

If it is such a good deal, why aren't YOU doing it?:rolleyes:

 

 

Thanks for your response, we all have to help serve humanity in the best way possible by using the skills that we have. As a nurse, I'm there to hold your hand when you are scared, silently pray that the tumor being removed is not cancer, hope that you don't bleed to death at 3:00am after a horrific traffic accident where you were hit head on by a drunk driver, cry with you when you wake up from surgery because you asked for your wife and kids and found out they died.

 

I have never gotten a tip for what i do for work, and I work very hard and sacrificed a lot to get to where I am today. If you think I don't tip for good service then you're wrong but I refuse to part with my hard earned money for someone that preys on someone else through intimidation to be rewarded for pushing a cart of luggage a few feet inside a building to pass them off to someone else so he can hurry outside to get more.

[gerif]

Most people tip $1.00 to $2.00 per bag.

 

Keith

 

How exactly do you know this? Is there a particular survey you can point to?

[Submariner]

Thanks for your response, we all have to help serve humanity in the best way possible by using the skills that we have. As a nurse, I'm there to hold your hand when you are scared, silently pray that the tumor being removed is not cancer, hope that you don't bleed to death at 3:00am after a horrific traffic accident where you were hit head on by a drunk driver, cry with you when you wake up from surgery because you asked for your wife and kids and found out they died.

 

I have never gotten a tip for what i do for work, and I work very hard and sacrificed a lot to get to where I am today. If you think I don't tip for good service then you're wrong but I refuse to part with my hard earned money for someone that preys on someone else through intimidation to be rewarded for pushing a cart of luggage a few feet inside a building to pass them off to someone else so he can hurry outside to get more.

 

One of the best responses to all this 'tip til you drop' posts you read on these forums. ...