Mafia style baggaging in Miami RCI terminal?

[Pellaz]

On 3/24/2023 at 7:42 AM, jean87510 said:

free diving fins, liquids, sneakers, 1 pair heels, 1 pair dress shoes, snorkeling bag, 2 pairs hiking sandals,snorkeling masks, regular fins, metal water bottles, blowup beach chairs and portable tent take up 2 suitcases.  2 carryons for clothes which are rolled to fit.  We carry backpacks for electronics, passports, cc, and cash.  If we didn't snorkel and hike, yes, a school bag might work.

 

Dive fins, masks, snorkels, GoPro cameras, extra swim jammers, extra rash-guards, coral-safe sunblock....  

The fins alone won't fit into most backpacks, but I've found that the drop-bottom in my rolling duffle accommodates all of the above...barely.   That duffle is a bit like a magical Bag of Holding; I've not yet managed to cram it beyond capacity.  🙂  

 

On 3/24/2023 at 6:45 PM, LobsterStalker said:

?? I wish I needed a backpack for my cash 

 Mine fits nicely in a pretty small space  🙂

Cheers

 

I actually encountered this problem on a Certain Other Cruise Line last February.   😄 

 

On the last night of the cruise on my way up to my stateroom (solo), passing through the casino, I put $10 in the Cash Crane machine -- no luck, as expected -- and then $10 in the Cash Vault machine...and won!  $2,500, in the form of a big "cube" o' cash.  All $1 bills.  😮   

So...ummm...do I just...stroll off with it, and head back to the stateroom?  No-one EVER wins from those Cash Vault games.  What do you do? 

Then I remembered, to my horror:  this was around 12:30 am on the last night.  My big rolling duffle was already down on Deck 0 awaiting debark.  My backpack didn't have ANY extra room for this cube of cash.  Maybe stick it in a (big) plastic bag or something?

--Nahh.  I decided to go to the casino "cage" and ask for smaller bills.   When they saw the "cube," their jaws dropped.  "Did you really win that?"  "Yep."  

This was a wise decision, because as it turns out, there's only $1,000 in singles in the "cash cube."    Wait, this is robbery!   No, not really:  they showed me the tag inside saying "take this to the cashier to get the rest of your money."  2,500 singles in a cube wouldn't fit in the machine.

45 minutes later, after they presumably reviewed the security footage and after filing out the  required tax forms, I had 25 Franklins and tiredly went up to my stateroom. 

 

Now, If I HAD strolled upstairs with The Cube, then I'd have been stopped when trying to leave the ship.  "Uh, sir, there are some tax forms we're gonna need you to fill out..."      😄  

 

[stephenp]

On 3/19/2023 at 2:10 PM, Mark_K said:

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

 

I doubt RCI wants to touch it.

One reason I never sail from MIAMI   !!!!!!!!! 

[HappyTexan44]

 

I was looking into hidden cameras for a friend of a friend in an abusive relationship.  There is a pen one for less than $30 on Amazon.   So, price in the toy-gadget range.  If I went through Miami, I'd totally get one of these.  

 

[poocher]

1 hour ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

I was looking into hidden cameras for a friend of a friend in an abusive relationship.  There is a pen one for less than $30 on Amazon.   So, price in the toy-gadget range.  If I went through Miami, I'd totally get one of these.  

 

And me?  I’d tip the guy $5 in the first place and save $25. 🤷‍♀️

[ZoeyVictoria]

We just embarked in Miami today ☹️.  We missed the entrance into the parking garage at Terminal A and had to drive through much of the port to get back to try again.  At one point, there was a porter standing in the street doing nothing, so Gary stopped the car and I asked him (very nicely) how to get there. He asked if I was checking luggage and when I said no, he turned away and would not help us. 

[Ret MP]

I have a Samsung S21, it is large enough to put into my breast pocket and the camera lens is high enough to be sticking out of the pocket and record stuff, kinda covertly.  I'd start recording before I get to the baggage drop-off area and get proof that you are being coerced.  Make sure to get a great view of the porter's face and nametag if he/she has one on.  Then ask to speak to a port's official/manager, not a union representative either.  Show him or her the video and let him/her know that a copy of the video will be sent to WSVN, WPLG, and others.  I might even get the police involved.  

 

Fortunately, Terminal A (I believe that's the new one, right) is one of my favorites and I've never had a problem with it.  Great experience, actually.  But, video can be your best friend.

[BonTexasNY]

18 hours ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

We just embarked in Miami today ☹️.  We missed the entrance into the parking garage at Terminal A and had to drive through much of the port to get back to try again.  At one point, there was a porter standing in the street doing nothing, so Gary stopped the car and I asked him (very nicely) how to get there. He asked if I was checking luggage and when I said no, he turned away and would not help us. 

We missed the entrance also on our Oasis cruise on March 12.  We kept driving around among all the cargo boxes and it took us a long time to get to Terminal A parking.  Our GPS was going crazy  recalculating to streets we couldn't find.  We found our way out of the cargo area on our own and checked our luggage quickly and without problem.  We were not asked to tip but did anyway.

 

Very rude of that porter not helping you.

 

 

[Pellaz]

On 3/27/2023 at 1:55 PM, stephenp said:

One reason I never sail from MIAMI   !!!!!!!!! 

 

If you're trying to go to other ports to avoid the "Teamsters" or (more accurately) the ILA or ILWU longshoremen, you are totally S.O.L.  Every cargo and cruise port in the U.S. is controlled by either ILA (East) or ILWU (West).  

Having said that, there are ports where they might be more or less aggressive in "soliciting" tips than at others...and PortMiami may well fall under the former category.  🤷‍♂️

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, Pellaz said:

 

If you're trying to go to other ports to avoid the "Teamsters" or (more accurately) the ILA or ILWU longshoremen, you are totally S.O.L.  Every cargo and cruise port in the U.S. is controlled by either ILA (East) ror ILWU (West).  

Having said that, there are ports where they might be more or less aggressive in "soliciting" tips than at others...and PortMiami may well fall under the former category.  🤷‍♂️

I agree, all commercial ports, at least as you said the cargo and cruise ports are unionized.  

 

I actually like the Port of Miami.  But, I don't give a damn for Miami, one bit.  That's why when I cruise out of Miami, I always stay in Ft. Lauderdale/Dania Beach.  Cheaper too.  

[Pellaz]

38 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I agree, all commercial ports, at least as you said the cargo and cruise ports are unionized.  

 

I actually like the Port of Miami.  But, I don't give a damn for Miami, one bit.  That's why when I cruise out of Miami, I always stay in Ft. Lauderdale/Dania Beach.  Cheaper too.  

I really and truly HATE driving in Miami -- last October I was rear-ended HARD just ten minutes short of our pre-cruise hotel, plus I've gotten lost once (on my 3rd cruise waybackwhen) and spent an hour trying to get to our hotel.  The port itself isn't too bad, especially with the "new" tunnel in place, but I much prefer driving in Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood/Dania Beach.  

I'd prefer to stay up in Lauderdale or Dania Beach, but it's a loong way from PortMiami and the hotels don't have free/discount shuttles to the pier.   Gonna have to make that decision soon for two upcoming cruises, too.  

[poocher]

14 minutes ago, Pellaz said:

I really and truly HATE driving in Miami -- last October I was rear-ended HARD just ten minutes short of our pre-cruise hotel, plus I've gotten lost once (on my 3rd cruise waybackwhen) and spent an hour trying to get to our hotel.  The port itself isn't too bad, especially with the "new" tunnel in place, but I much prefer driving in Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood/Dania Beach.  

I'd prefer to stay up in Lauderdale or Dania Beach, but it's a loong way from PortMiami and the hotels don't have free/discount shuttles to the pier.   Gonna have to make that decision soon for two upcoming cruises, too.  

Our shuttle from Ft Lauderdale to POM is only $15 pp.  easily covered by the cheaper hotel rates.

[goldfish65]

Miami has always been rough. 

[Cruising Jedi]

I still remember our very first cruise, back when we were Very Young and naive, and still believed that tips were not ``required``, but were rather an extra bonus for good service if we were so inclined.  Well, we did not tip the luggage mafia and didn`t think anything of it until we got our bags on the ship.  

 

The bags were banged up, ripped, and someone had even opened the bag, took out the toothpaste from a secure zipped storage area, and squeezed it ALL out and onto our clothes. 

 

We just looked at each with realization and said, ``Oh.`` 

 

And so now we duly tip the luggage mafia. 

[Pellaz]

4 hours ago, poocher said:

Our shuttle from Ft Lauderdale to POM is only $15 pp.  easily covered by the cheaper hotel rates.

 

That IS a good rate.  If it's allowed here, what hotel offers that?  

[Kbonner]

4 hours ago, Cruising Jedi said:

I still remember our very first cruise, back when we were Very Young and naive, and still believed that tips were not ``required``, but were rather an extra bonus for good service if we were so inclined.  Well, we did not tip the luggage mafia and didn`t think anything of it until we got our bags on the ship.  

 

The bags were banged up, ripped, and someone had even opened the bag, took out the toothpaste from a secure zipped storage area, and squeezed it ALL out and onto our clothes. 

 

We just looked at each with realization and said, ``Oh.`` 

 

And so now we duly tip the luggage mafia. 

So Mafia longshoremen after all in RCI`s Miami terminal, arrival level.

A stark contrast between outside (Mafia-porter longshoremen) and inside terminal helpful staff

[poocher]

7 hours ago, Pellaz said:

 

That IS a good rate.  If it's allowed here, what hotel offers that?  

It’s not a hotel, it’s a shuttle service.  SAS Transportation (ridesas.com). Their website lists all Ft Lauderdale hotels from which they pick up.

[NateUpNorth]

7 hours ago, Pellaz said:

That IS a good rate.  If it's allowed here, what hotel offers that?  

Not to derail this topic but I will vouch for SAS as well. 

[Ret MP]

8 minutes ago, poocher said:

It’s not a hotel, it’s a shuttle service.  SAS Transportation (ridesas.com). Their website lists all Ft Lauderdale hotels from which they pick up.

That's a good and comprehensive list of hotels.  One of them, The Cambria, was the first hotel we stayed at the night before our first-ever cruise.  Man is that hotel ever "Family-Friendly".  But, it was budget-friendly too.  Brings back some very fond memories of our first-ever cruise. 

 

We always drive into Ft. Lauderdale/Dania/Hollywood, so transportation is not an issue.  But, as we get older, SAS is an option, for sure.  Funny, I don't remember seeing SAS when I worked at FLL.  But, I probably wasn't looking either. 

 

Thanks for the site address and info! 
 

[Ret MP]

13 hours ago, Pellaz said:

I really and truly HATE driving in Miami -- last October I was rear-ended HARD just ten minutes short of our pre-cruise hotel, plus I've gotten lost once (on my 3rd cruise waybackwhen) and spent an hour trying to get to our hotel.  The port itself isn't too bad, especially with the "new" tunnel in place, but I much prefer driving in Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood/Dania Beach.  

I'd prefer to stay up in Lauderdale or Dania Beach, but it's a loong way from PortMiami and the hotels don't have free/discount shuttles to the pier.   Gonna have to make that decision soon for two upcoming cruises, too.  

It's possible, if you shop well, that the money you save at an Ft. Lauderdale/Dania (and I'll throw in Davie, too) hotel, will be more than enough to cover the cost of a shuttle.  Fruit for thought!

 

EDITED IN:  Oh, also airfare is usually cheaper than flying into Miami, too.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Ret MP

[mspink98]

On 3/19/2023 at 7:49 AM, John&LaLa said:

We boarded Oasis on 12th and experienced none of that. But we parked in garage and handed bags to the folks to the right of elevator. 

 

Gave him $4 for two bags. They seemed appreciative

Were porters in the garage, our down the elevators in/near the shuttle drop off area? We're traveling with a large group and just wanting to plan our attack. 

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

It's possible, if you shop well, that the money you save at an Ft. Lauderdale/Dania (and I'll throw in Davie, too) hotel, will be more than enough to cover the cost of a shuttle.  Fruit for thought!

 

EDITED IN:  Oh, also airfare is usually cheaper than flying into Miami, too.

Just did a little looking into the parking prices at FLL/Port Everglades/Port of Miami.

 

Fll and Port Everglades are the same, $15.00 per day, max.  Port of Miami is $25.00 per day for a 6 or more day cruise, and $28.00 for a less than a 6-day cruise.  Now, considering the POSSIBLE saving staying in a hotel in Dania Beach/Davie and the POSSIBLE airline fare savings flying into FLL, Parking at FLL and taking a shuttle to the Port of Miami may yield significant savings or, at least, cover the cost of the shuttle.  There is no enforceable rule that says you have to fly into or out of FLL to park at any of their parking facilities.  They don't care what color your green money is.

 

That's if you drive into town, obviously!

Edited March 29, 2023 by Ret MP

[shofer]

After 15 cruises this last one on Symphony in Miami (first time) was the ONLY time I was approached by a baggage handler and informed if I wanted my luggage on the ship I should take care of him.  Frankly, I was gob-smacked and didn't know how to reply, just to point to my husband and said talk to him.  DH didn't hear this "request" as he was taking the luggage out of the taxi, but when the man approached him, he just peeled off a couple of 5's and thanked him.   And yes, our luggage showed up on the ship.

[Ocean Boy]

So from what I've been reading here it seems that these porters have learned that coercion scares people enough to produce the desired result. Therefore, no one should expect this behavior to change anytime soon.

 

I wonder what would happen if everyone withheld tipping and no luggage got loaded?🤔🤔

[NC State]

I remember our first cruise back in Miami (once the port reopen). Our shuttle from the hotel let us out at our terminal and a porter made an announcement about "they would take care of our baggage".  The hold time he was holding up a $20. I had $3 ready to hand to him (we had 2 pieces) I just folded it again hoping he thought I had more bucks!  Didn't have a problem but we do sail in 23 days and now I'm thinking maybe I should up that to $5. 

[Kbonner]

21 hours ago, NC State said:

I remember our first cruise back in Miami (once the port reopen). Our shuttle from the hotel let us out at our terminal and a porter made an announcement about "they would take care of our baggage".  The hold time he was holding up a $20. I had $3 ready to hand to him (we had 2 pieces) I just folded it again hoping he thought I had more bucks!  Didn't have a problem but we do sail in 23 days and now I'm thinking maybe I should up that to $5. 

Tell the Mafiosi longshoremen that inflation hurts you as well as them. Hand him 2 dollars for 2 pieces