dropping bags off at Guest Services

[ReneeFLL]

51 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

I can't believe that people still think the people you drop you luggage with are porters.  They are longshoreman, and the person you see, does not deliver your bags.  He puts bags on a loading cart.  That is all he does.  Far cry from a porter that walks your bags to your room.  He never steps foot on the ship.  

True, that's all they do.

[BND]

I'm trying to figure out how anyone would think guest services would babysit someone's luggage.  Simple answer to OP's questions is just no.   

 

As for the longshoremen, this has been an issue forever and is worse at some ports.  It's extortion for them to threaten that bags won't make it onboard unless someone tips.  No telling how much money they rake in.  And, yes, we do tip, but if they stated a specific amount, it would be less.  

 

Several years back we had a parking fee collector in Baltimore ask for a tip.  For taking our fee and handing us a tag.  We just looked at her and didn't give her a dime.  They have since changed the company they use and they are a lot more professional and friendly.  

Edited September 11, 2022 by BND

[cruisegirl1]

3 hours ago, jkx said:

If I want to carry my suitcase through the terminal and skip the porters, can I go in the ship and drop them off at Guest Services until the room is ready? I am sailing with Oasis

NO.  Simple as that.  

 

 If the case fits through the security scanners, then you may bring it on board with you.   Alternatives to storage at guest services have been mentioned, Key program, Genie suite, wait till cabins open, etc. 

 

I never assumed it was about tipping the baggage handler, but more about having it with you when cabins opened.   Good news is that a good percentage of luggage is already delivered to the cabin by the time the cabin opens. 

 

M

 

 

[nferr]

44 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

We've taken our 25" bags on all recent cruises both in US and abroad. Love the idea of being able to unpack as soon as we get to the cabin.  Been there/done that waiting for suitcases and/or having to find them in the big group at the end of the hall. 

 Can't do that if the rooms aren't ready. You're dragging those bags all around until they open the cabin areas.

[Airbear232]

3 hours ago, jkx said:

If I want to carry my suitcase through the terminal and skip the porters, can I go in the ship and drop them off at Guest Services until the room is ready? I am sailing with Oasis

Why?

 

[suzyluvs2cruise]

19 minutes ago, nferr said:

 Can't do that if the rooms aren't ready. You're dragging those bags all around until they open the cabin areas.

We wait until the cabins are ready.....unless we're on Celebrity.....who allow you to drop off your bags in the cabin prior to them being ready. We don't go all over the ship until AFTER cabins are available and we're unpacked. 

[loman]

2 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

 

Funny, my ouija  board says "Take the Steelers" today. 😉

good pick . lol 😃

[loman]

I have a ritual at curbside , i have a fiver in my hand as i approach the porter .

I ask them to do up some luggage tags for our two bags . 

As i look for the copy of the luggage tag i ask him to hold the fiver for me . 

Always gets a smile out of them. 🙂

[Tlbecker1]

8 minutes ago, loman said:

I have a ritual at curbside , i have a fiver in my hand as i approach the porter .

I ask them to do up some luggage tags for our two bags . 

As i look for the copy of the luggage tag i ask him to hold the fiver for me . 

Always gets a smile out of them. 🙂

We tip and we always print out and attach our own luggage tags.  😀

[Ashland]

The WJ is crowded enough on boarding day...all those "large" multiple carryons sitting all around the tables makes it worse. At least put your carryons out of the way so others can get to and out from their table. 

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

 

Funny, my ouija  board says "Take the Steelers" today. 😉

What a finish 

[publicpersona]

1 hour ago, BND said:

I'm trying to figure out how anyone would think guest services would babysit someone's luggage.  Simple answer to OP's questions is just no.   

 

It was a perfectly reasonable question to ask, although it should have been obvious that Guest Services wouldn't be able to handle it.

 

But I've seen on another cruise line where you can check your carry-ons with someone on the pool deck who puts it in a roped off area. It is an incredibly convenient and customer pleasing service so one doesn't have to schlep carry-ons around in the buffet and touring the ship before rooms are available. And it can all be handled by one crew member for about a 3-4 hours period and a roll of tickets.

[DirtyDawg]

23 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

What a finish 

That was fun!

[DirtyDawg]

2 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

We've taken our 25" bags on all recent cruises both in US and abroad. Love the idea of being able to unpack as soon as we get to the cabin.  Been there/done that waiting for suitcases and/or having to find them in the big group at the end of the hall. 

We have become big fans of carry on only air travel post Covid but I'd still use the porters on a cruise.  Not because of the hassle of luging around 2 small bags to the windjammer but it's the third one Mrs. Dawg would have bought, and filled to the brim, in the port city the day before embarkation. 😲

 

 

[pcur]

Urban myth about longshoremen salaries.  Salary.com says:

 

The average Longshoreman salary in Florida is $55,669 as of August 29, 2022

 

My husband was a retired mechanic, and he used to say "you don't see old mechanics still working", because it's so hard on their knees, wrists, fingers, elbows, and backs.  Same for longshoremen.

 

I say give them their tips.  I usually greet them with a HUGE smile and say, "I am so very happy to see you!  Here take this heavy suitcase, please." I say it, give them money, and they take the suitcase away.  It's magic.

Edited September 11, 2022 by pcur

[BND]

25 minutes ago, pcur said:

Urban myth about longshoremen salaries.  Salary.com says:

 

The average Longshoreman salary in Florida is $55,669 as of August 29, 2022

 

My husband was a retired mechanic, and he used to say "you don't see old mechanics still working", because it's so hard on their knees, wrists, fingers, elbows, and backs.  Same for longshoremen.

 

I say give them their tips.  I usually greet them with a HUGE smile and say, "I am so very happy to see you!  Here take this heavy suitcase, please." I say it, give them money, and they take the suitcase away.  It's magic.

They probably make easily that much in tips also which I doubt they report. We do tip, but I won't if they make a crack about my bag not making it onboard without one.    Average salary is base salary.  They also have overtime so my guess is the average income is  higher.  

[poocher]

2 hours ago, loman said:

I have a ritual at curbside , i have a fiver in my hand as i approach the porter .

I ask them to do up some luggage tags for our two bags . 

As i look for the copy of the luggage tag i ask him to hold the fiver for me . 

Always gets a smile out of them. 🙂

Not sure why you go through that.  I have my luggage tags already attached, hand the bags to the porter and then tip them.  Simple and straightforward.

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, publicpersona said:

 

It was a perfectly reasonable question to ask, although it should have been obvious that Guest Services wouldn't be able to handle it.

 

But I've seen on another cruise line where you can check your carry-ons with someone on the pool deck who puts it in a roped off area. It is an incredibly convenient and customer pleasing service so one doesn't have to schlep carry-ons around in the buffet and touring the ship before rooms are available. And it can all be handled by one crew member for about a 3-4 hours period and a roll of tickets.

 

There was a time when the Grandeur did this - anyone could drop carryons at the South Pacific Lounge and pick them up when cabins became available at about 1 P.M.

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, davekathy said:

I've seen horribly long lines at GS as soon as boarding starts. I can't even imagine the nightmare that would be dropping off what you carry on. 😵

So true, I guess some people think it's like a hotel where sometimes guest services can store your luggage.  What a disaster that would be on a cruise ship 

[Eddie Wilson]

5 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

 

Funny, my ouija  board says "Take the Steelers" today. 😉

 

I was there, I told my son before the game the Steelers had a real camp, where the bBengals did not.  He followed with, “then you should bet on them”

 

i didn’t.  But I will check my bags with the porter 

[Mapleleafforever]

4 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

Someone lied to you to get a few bucks. You don't need to tip the person who takes your bag 10 feet then puts it on the cart. They don't touch it after that. Tip or don't tip, but don't let them intimidate you.

Flying in from Canada I'm still not willing to take the chance of my bags disappearing in order to save 5 bucks or less. 

[Mapleleafforever]

6 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I never tip porters at embarkation, and have never lost a bag.

I am easily guilted into tipping sadly, I'm working on it. 

[CGinMTL]

7 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

The porters get their couple bucks per bag or your bag doesn't make it on to the ship. This is how it was explained to me by a porter on one of our first cruises anyway. To this day I can't tell if he was joking or not but I'm not willing to find out. 

Never tipped porter. Always got my bags

[DirtyDawg]

31 minutes ago, Eddie Wilson said:

 

I was there, I told my son before the game the Steelers had a real camp, where the bBengals did not.  He followed with, “then you should bet on them”

 

i didn’t.  But I will check my bags with the porter 

You have a very smart son! 🙂

[loman]

1 hour ago, poocher said:

Not sure why you go through that.  I have my luggage tags already attached, hand the bags to the porter and then tip them.  Simple and straightforward.

I get value from the tip 🙂