Mafia style baggaging in Miami RCI terminal?

[Ret MP]

Nothing frosts my butt faster and to the point of almost outrage than the inconsiderate people that just stop in the middle of passageways, luggage or not.  A whole theater is let out and hundreds of people are trying to get to various other activities/locations, and a large group stop in the middle of the passageway between the elevator banks on the bridge-looking thing (Oasis Class), in a large circle stretching from on side to the other, just talking and whatever.  Completely oblivious to the throngs of people trying to get by them.  And many other examples I could give.

[Pellaz]

18 hours ago, time4u2go said:

It doesn't sound like the issue is whether or not to tip the porter. It sounds like the issue is that the supervisor threatened that the luggage would not be delivered if he wasn't tipped.

 

BINGO!   Tip the porters or not...but what that ILA supervisor did was extortion, plain and simple.  

 

18 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

I would have tipped the shuttle driver and the baggage handler at the port as they were the one to put the baggage onboard the ship.

This is incorrect.  The porters you drop your luggage with at the pier do NOT ever enter the ship; that is handled by ship's personnel.   All the porters do is put your luggage into the baggage cages and get it to the ocean-side of the terminal; on the way, some pieces will be X-rayed and some not. 

Ship's personnel take the luggage onboard the ship and into the "marshalling area." 

 

18 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

A tip is optional though to either. If you want to follow up and complain about the threat you should complain to the Port of Miami. You were interacting with their employee. RCI seeing the pictures probably won’t accomplish much as they don’t work for RCI. 

No reason why the OP shouldn't have posted the photos here, though.   Why not?  

What would be even better if the exchange had been recorded, either audio or video.  As I mentioned, it's extortion. 

 

18 hours ago, Mark_K said:

Well, you are talking about a Teamsters Union job in Miami …

I doubt RCI wants to touch it.

 

As others have correctly stated, these are ILA union longshoremen.  Their average salary is north of $80,000...not including your tips.  

But yeah, Royal probably wouldn't want to touch it.  Not from any aversion to improving our guest experience, but because there is diddly-squat they can do about it.  It's not as if PortMiami (or any other cruise port) can suddenly decide "Hey, let's become a non-union right-to-work port."   It ain't happening.  

 

17 hours 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,

 

Again, this is incorrect.  The union longshoremen have nothing to do with onboard cabins or delivering your luggage to your stateroom; that is all handled by overworked ships' personnel.  Turnover day is always hectic for the crew. 

 

17 hours ago, alfaeric said:

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.

 

Correct.  While some longshoremen DO receive tips (from us), the majority do not, and the guys in the back of the terminal don't either.   It is not an industry "where tips are customary" as IRS defines it, whereas restaurant servers, etc. are.  

[loman]

12 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Take up a lot of room in elevators on a busy boarding day.

 

But backpacks on an elevator are the worst.

 

Don't get me started

True , backpackers take up twice as much space as a normal human in an elevator.

 

[loman]

11 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Nothing frosts my butt faster and to the point of almost outrage than the inconsiderate people that just stop in the middle of passageways, luggage or not.  A whole theater is let out and hundreds of people are trying to get to various other activities/locations, and a large group stop in the middle of the passageway between the elevator banks on the bridge-looking thing (Oasis Class), in a large circle stretching from on side to the other, just talking and whatever.  Completely oblivious to the throngs of people trying to get by them.  And many other examples I could give.

Common sense is not that common any more .

[Newcruiser215]

I love the overdramatic topic titles I see on here. Lol. 

[HappyTexan44]

Seems like the solution will be people regularly videotaping the treats.  Maybe even have it started before you approach so they don't clam up when they see you start recording.  

[ZoeyVictoria]

13 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Take up a lot of room in elevators on a busy boarding day.

 

But backpacks on an elevator are the worst.

 

Don't get me started

I stand against the side of the elevator with my luggage in front of me to protect my toes and avoid being touched by random strangers, but even that is not enough clearance to avoid being smacked by backpacks. 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

7 hours ago, Pellaz said:

What would be even better if the exchange had been recorded, either audio or video. 

This jumped out at me too.  Pictures of this really don't "tell a story".  You'd just end up with a he said/she said situation.  Video would have been MUCH more telling.

[moposh]

I also had problems at the Port of Miami.  This was a few years ago.  I didn't know I was supposed to tip the baggage handler so when he was shaking me down, I was quite surprised.  It was a bit aggressive.  I was concerned about luggage getting on ship, but it did.

 

I'm sailing out of Miami in a few weeks.  I will probably give $5 for two suitcases.  

 

What does everyone tip?

 

[Neeny12]

DH: “Is there a problem?”

M: “No problem, I’m just waiting for the Porter to put our luggage on the cart”

One time I got to the door and then went back to the porter because it was still at the curb, so I asked him if he could put it on the cart. 🤷🏻‍♀️ If it doesn’t go on right away then I usually ask them and wait for it to be done. We tip about $5 per bag. Everything has gone up these days so our tip will likely be a bit more next time.

[mjkacmom]

On 3/19/2023 at 10:16 AM, Cruise5life said:

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.      
 

Servers get taxed on assumed tips, I’ve had kids working as servers and bartenders, basically their paychecks are close to zero after taxes and assumed/verified tips.

[neverbeenhere]

I'm reserving comments as I don't want to wake up with a you-know-what in the bed next to me.

Edited March 20, 2023 by neverbeenhere

[Charles4515]

34 minutes ago, moposh said:

What does everyone tip?

 

I tip $5.

[Charles4515]

8 hours ago, Pellaz said:

 

 

This is incorrect.  The porters you drop your luggage with at the pier do NOT ever enter the ship; that is handled by ship's personnel.   All the porters do is put your luggage into the baggage cages and get it to the ocean-side of the terminal; on the way, some pieces will be X-rayed and some not. 

Ship's personnel take the luggage onboard the ship and into the "marshalling area." 

 

 

They don't enter the ship but they load the bags on to the ship. How do you think it gets onboard?  A forklift takes the cages to the loading dock or they push the cages. Or in some terminals it goes on a carousol which is run by the longshoreman. The ships personnel do not take the luggage onboard. Union rules. The crew takes charge of it after it is loaded on. The only other way to get bags onboard is if we carry it ourself. 

[nelblu]

Keep in mind that not to lump all shoremen as shake-up artist.  Only a minority work on loading and unloading cruise ships.  My father who was a long shoreman worked his ass off and went to different seaports in North Jersey to find work.  He developed throat cancer (removed voice box) from working in the ship's cargo hold and as we look back, he probably was impacted by asbestos which was not acknowledged at that time.

[loman]

1 hour ago, moposh said:

I also had problems at the Port of Miami.  This was a few years ago.  I didn't know I was supposed to tip the baggage handler so when he was shaking me down, I was quite surprised.  It was a bit aggressive.  I was concerned about luggage getting on ship, but it did.

 

I'm sailing out of Miami in a few weeks.  I will probably give $5 for two suitcases.  

 

What does everyone tip?

 

I give 5 bucks for two suit cases . I also have them staple the luggage tags on the bags for me.

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I stand against the side of the elevator with my luggage in front of me to protect my toes and avoid being touched by random strangers, but even that is not enough clearance to avoid being smacked by backpacks. 

 

Yes, folks have no idea how far back they intrude

[soremekun]

I give $2 per suitcase.  I attach my own luggage tags.

[moposh]

11 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Yes, folks have no idea how far back they intrude

People will turn around and not know (or care) their bags and/or hair is being swung into other people.

[John&LaLa]

6 minutes ago, moposh said:

People will turn around and not know (or care) their bags and/or hair is being swung into other people.

 

Laura got smacked in face hard when someone put their pack on after it went through scanner. No apology

[nimbex1970]

On 3/19/2023 at 11:41 AM, Lionesss said:

We just disembarked from the Oasis at port of Miami. And located behind pickup area #5 were porters standing in front of a large baggage cart shouting LUGGAGE DROPOFF 

they were not going to cars that were unloading. Nor were other porters bringing luggage to them. 
They were waiting for cruisers to bring the luggage and they placed on cart. Then they accepted a tip. 
 

I also saw the escalator that lifted the luggage up. That door was open. The attendant threw the bags on belt. Yes. Definitely not gently. 
 

Nothing amazes me anymore. 
 

11:42 

THis is the most true statement of the port of miami. 

[moposh]

1 minute ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Laura got smacked in face hard when someone put their pack on after it went through scanner. No apology

Ouch!  😒

[nimbex1970]

I live in Florida and cruise out of Miami, FLL, and port canaveral... rarely jacksonville.  The port of Miami is the worst with the baggage handlers at the port.  They are sometimes assertive, and sometimes aggressive. I pack VERY heavy bags as I don't fly, like 75 pounds each, and tip $5 a bag, They still balk sometimes. It's a racket and I agree with the OP that this could happen. This is reported to the port authority I believe, although unless folks complain in droves, I don't see things changing. 

[Ret MP]

3 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I stand against the side of the elevator with my luggage in front of me to protect my toes and avoid being touched by random strangers, but even that is not enough clearance to avoid being smacked by backpacks. 

On my last cruise, Independence OS, Oct-Nov 2022, in an effort to limit the amount of stuff that I hand carry on to the ship, I decided to use a backpack, first time for that, it had the backpack shoulder straps, a hand carry strap, and wheels with extending handle on it.  My intent was to carry my electronics and a few other things.  I also didn't want to push a bag around on wheels, taking up room, maybe even running over other people's feet.  So, I put it on my back.  I must admit, that was a big mistake, and wasn't thinking of others in tight spaces when I had to turn, especially in an elevator.  The first time I turned and realized that I almost hit someone on the shoulder or face with the backpack, I realized how unthoughtful and inconsiderate I was being.  So, I took it off when I got to a space where I had room to do so.  I figured it is better to MAYBE run into someone's feet than smack someone in the face with a backpack.  I'll never do that again, I'll just roll the backpack.    

[ZoeyVictoria]

2 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

On my last cruise, Independence OS, Oct-Nov 2022, in an effort to limit the amount of stuff that I hand carry on to the ship, I decided to use a backpack, first time for that, it had the backpack shoulder straps, a hand carry strap, and wheels with extending handle on it.  My intent was to carry my electronics and a few other things.  I also didn't want to push a bag around on wheels, taking up room, maybe even running over other people's feet.  So, I put it on my back.  I must admit, that was a big mistake, and wasn't thinking of others in tight spaces when I had to turn, especially in an elevator.  The first time I turned and realized that I almost hit someone on the shoulder or face with the backpack, I realized how unthoughtful and inconsiderate I was being.  So, I took it off when I got to a space where I had room to do so.  I figured it is better to MAYBE run into someone's feet than smack someone in the face with a backpack.  I'll never do that again, I'll just roll the backpack.    

I grew up long before backpacks were a thing and I am just too old (and uninterested) to try it now. I figure my carryon is going to take up the same amount of floor space whether it is next to me or in front of me, so I use it as a barrier to save my toes.