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Mafia style baggaging in Miami RCI terminal?

Kbonner

By Kbonner,
in Royal Caribbean International

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alfaeric

alfaeric

Posted
Posted

What a scam.  These guys make good wages, and when you consider the number of cabins that they get $2-5 a cruise, all of this NOT part of their wages- since they would not really be part of the group that has to include tips as wages- the extra thousand or so a week they get is not taxed at all.

 

I'll be carrying on my luggage until I'm not physically able to.

 

 

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alfaeric

alfaeric

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

Who gets upset about people carrying on their own luggage? I have always carried mine on, and if I am upsetting people by minding my own business, then I guess I am having a better start to my cruises than I thought. 🤣

There are plenty of posts who complain about people dragging their luggage all over the ship when boarding.  Or slowing down the lines because of their luggage (and it's not them- there are people who have real issues that slow the security line down- who I very much give a break to).

 

They also complain about the people getting off the ship that their carried luggage takes up so much space (which it doesn't).  

 

The issue isn't about being cheap, it's about keeping track of all of my luggage.  After we lost two items for 2 weeks from a snowstorm, we just bring carry on's for flying.  And when our luggage arrived in our cabin really late, we decided the same thing for cruises.  That was about 25 years ago for flights, over 40 cruises ago.

Edited by alfaeric
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Cruise5life

Cruise5life

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, alfaeric said:

What a scam.  These guys make good wages, and when you consider the number of cabins that they get $2-5 a cruise, all of this NOT part of their wages- since they would not really be part of the group that has to include tips as wages- the extra thousand or so a week they get is not taxed at all.

 

I'll be carrying on my luggage until I'm not physically able to.

 

 

Tips are taxed.   Now are they honest about what they say they make a week in tips.   I’d say not.    

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time4u2go

time4u2go

Posted
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1 minute ago, alfaeric said:

since they would not really be part of the group that has to include tips as wages- the extra thousand or so a week they get is not taxed at all.

Why is that?  I'm not disagreeing...I'm just curious why they wouldn't have to pay income tax on tips.

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alfaeric

alfaeric

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2 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Why is that?  I'm not disagreeing...I'm just curious why they wouldn't have to pay income tax on tips.

They are not in an industry where it's a normal part of their wages, like food workers.  So IF they report it, it's all on them (and I would applaud that).  But given the shakedown at the port, I doubt most do- it's cash and there's no receipt to back up that they should get a tip.

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loman

loman

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We bring two pieces of luggage . I hand the porter 5 bucks and ask him to staple the tags onto them. He seems happy when i ask him to hold the fiver while i dig out the tags.🙂

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alfaeric

alfaeric

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1 minute ago, Cruise5life said:

He’s incorrect.   Tips are taxed.  Like every one else.  

Tips are taxed, sure.  If there are records and it's expected as part of the industry.

 

But this isn't the restaurant industry where there's any record that they would get any tips.  And it's also not an industry where tips are nominally considered part of their income.  So if they report it, it's all on them.  And given the cash and the lack of records, I doubt most do report it.

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jean87510 Great Review Rare

jean87510

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

Who gets upset about people carrying on their own luggage? I have always carried mine on, and if I am upsetting people by minding my own business, then I guess I am having a better start to my cruises than I thought. 🤣

As long as you don't block places to walk in the WJ, I'm cool with that.  I think that's what people object to.  Hard to steer scooters, wheelchairs and strollers around suitcases.

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Cruise5life

Cruise5life

Posted
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1 minute ago, alfaeric said:

Tips are taxed, sure.  If there are records and it's expected as part of the industry.

 

But this isn't the restaurant industry where there's any record that they would get any tips.  And it's also not an industry where tips are nominally considered part of their income.  So if they report it, it's all on them.  And given the cash and the lack of records, I doubt most do report it.

Actually it is an industry that tips are involved.    People have been tipping bell men, porters,  valet drivers and others not in the Resturant industry for years. No records there. If you tip a waiter cash it’s the same thing.    
just because they don’t claim the tips doesn’t mean they shouldn’t and aren’t taxed.      
 

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nelblu

nelblu

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15 minutes ago, Cruise5life said:

He’s incorrect.   Tips are taxed.  Like every one else.  

Jokingly, if declared.  The question how many do declare.  In restaurants most of the time the grats are part of the bill being charged to a CC and there is some sort of a trail.

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klfrodo

klfrodo

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hard to argue that when "mob" families ran things, there was a little more efficiency. Some things were tolerated, some things were dealt with immediately. Las Vegas was better for the little guy, Allied forces invasion of Sicily, prohibition ended because of these folks, luggage made it onto the ship quicker.

Edited by klfrodo
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Cruise5life

Cruise5life

Posted
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9 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Jokingly, if declared.  The question how many do declare.  In restaurants most of the time the grats are part of the bill being charged to a CC and there is some sort of a trail.

Not jokingly at all for sure not everyone declares there tips.   My point is it’s not just the Resturant industry and not everyone pays with a CC but many do.   
The IRS for sure knows what industry tips and which don’t. Lol.   

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nelblu

nelblu

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My Father was a Longshoreman (ILA) and was forced to retire due to illness.  A couple of years after he retired, the Union in the new contract won a guaranteed annual wage due to the introduction of containers.  The initial amount was nothing to sneeze about.  He also, had to pay $1,000 to be recognized by the Stevedores that basically ran the ports.  Remember being quite upset as that was basically the entire family savings.  However, the payback was rewarding. 

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Scottdalfonso

Scottdalfonso

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, time4u2go said:

Why is that?  I'm not disagreeing...I'm just curious why they wouldn't have to pay income tax on tips.

 

1 hour ago, Cruise5life said:

He’s incorrect.   Tips are taxed.  Like every one else.  

Oh you guys are funny, You think these guys are reporting these tips? They already make a good salary and pay tax on that, I can assure you they are not reporting tips handed to them at the dock. 

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easyqueasy

easyqueasy

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Posted

I doubt the porters report their tips as income. But the IRS certainly wants it. Excerpt from an article: According to IRS Publication 525, taxpayers are legally required to report the value of whatever property they stole during the tax year.
"If you steal property, you must report its FMV (Fair Market Value) in your income in the year you steal it, unless in the same year you return it to its rightful owner," the rule reads.
The same rule applies to bribery, drug deals and other income-earning crimes.


 

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p525#en_US_2022_publink1000229086

 

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time4u2go

time4u2go

Posted
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17 minutes ago, Scottdalfonso said:

 

Oh you guys are funny, You think these guys are reporting these tips? They already make a good salary and pay tax on that, I can assure you they are not reporting tips handed to them at the dock. 

I never said I thought these guys are reporting tips.

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Scoobydobe7

Scoobydobe7

Posted
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1 hour ago, Cruise5life said:

He’s incorrect.   Tips are taxed.  Like every one else.  

Tips are taxed only on what they claim.  Unlike restaurants sales (8% of sales) and credit cards tips...there is no way to track what each individual porter makes on tips..

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Charles4515

Charles4515

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Posted
Just now, Scoobydobe7 said:

Tips are taxed only on what they claim.  Unlike restaurants sales (8% of sales) and credit cards tips...there is no way to track what each individual porter makes on tips..

The government does get records of of bank deposits over a certain amount. If someone has large income not reported it could get noticed unless they keepit in a mattress. Probably the porters report some of the tip income. 

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