How much do you typically tip the luggage people at the port?

[Kurbanfan]

What someone makes an hour has NO bearing on what I tip them.

What they earn is none of my business, nor is it anyone else's.

 

I also don't think that knowing what someone earns gives you knowledge on what they need or require.

 

I agree!.........

[glrounds]

I was thinking about staring a new thread because of the same reason the OP started this thread because I have a couple of questions.

 

First,,I have never seen a porter because my 4 previous cruises I came from hotel stays and HAL took care of bags from hotel to stateroom.

 

In March I am driving to the ship. Now since I have never seen what goes on,,would I be safe to assume that the porters that will be at the parking structure (Long Beach) will want to take my bags for a ride on a cart to a place where they will be handed off to CCL personnel that will run them through some kind of xrays machines then take care of them,,just the same way a porter at an airport would take your bags and then the airlines take care of them. If this is true, why can't I just wheel them to the xray machine,,like I do at airports,,and let whomever handle them from there? Would I do this before I get into the jumbo embarkation rooms,,,,or is it just easier to let a porter do it?

 

I'm not adverse to tipping (I would probably tip 10 bucks), but I am adverse to losing my bags , especially since I won't even be flying.

 

I've cruised out of Long Beach several times now and have watched the entire process (once from a balcony directly over the luggage loading area).

First of all, in case you don't have an ungodly amount of luggage, you park your car first, then take your luggage to the 1st floor of the garage where a porter at a table takes it and puts it in a 3-sided forklift "cage".

That "cage" is picked up by a forklift and put in neat rows on the dock. Then it is loaded onto the ship. When onboard, the CCL personnel sort it by decks and sections of decks by putting it on carts to deliver to your cabin. I don't think your checked luggage is ever x-rayed (however, your carryon is).

There is, IMHO, almost zero chance of your luggage getting lost or ending up in the harbor. I wouldn't seriously entertain any ideas to improve on or try to bypass this system.:)

Enjoy your cruise and give us a good review comparing Carnival to HAL. :D

[CMM]

What someone makes an hour has NO bearing on what I tip them.

What they earn is none of my business, nor is it anyone else's.

 

I also don't think that knowing what someone earns gives you knowledge on what they need or require.

 

It does to me. If I know someone is making nothing else, but tips, it would be very mean not to tip someone. Like in a port I am stopping I read there are snorkel guides who don't charge, but ask for tip if you are satisfied. Could you imagion only tipping that person $1 or $2?

 

If someone makes a great deal of money per hour, that money comes from someplace. It is passed down to the customer. So in a sense you are paying his wage and a tip. I see that as a different consideration.

[Kurbanfan]

It does to me. If I know someone is making nothing else, but tips, it would be very mean not to tip someone. Like in a port I am stopping I read there are snorkel guides who don't charge, but ask for tip if you are satisfied. Could you imagion only tipping that person $1 or $2?

 

If someone makes a great deal of money per hour, that money comes from someplace. It is passed down to the customer. So in a sense you are paying his wage and a tip. I see that as a different consideration.

 

I have a friend who works as a waiter in an inclusive restaurant at a well known resort and he actually pays a fee to work there......He makes a 6 figure income........and he always receives a tip for a job well done.......as he should;)

And how much someone tips should also be of nobody's concern.......

[BIG_Steve]

I really couldn't care less if a porter makes more than some other service worker. And I don't like tipping at all. But I play the game. So far, each cruise we checked two bags, and each time I gave the porter $5.00. It's vacation, I tip, it's over. If we ever had only 1 bag (unlikely) I'd probably give him 2 bucks.

[BIG_Steve]

I have a friend who works as a waiter in an inclusive restaurant at a well known resort and he actually pays a fee to work there......He makes a 6 figure income........and he always receives a tip for a job well done.......as he should;)

And how much someone tips should also be of nobody's concern.......

 

My Dad was a chef. He told me one time on a rainy Monday night during the depression when the restaurant was very slow, a newly hired waiter was counting out his tips in the kitchen. He had about $20.00, and dad said to him "you did pretty good!" Well, the waiter said "@#$%!! I don't work for less than 50 bucks a night!" And walked off the job.

[halos]

It does to me. If I know someone is making nothing else, but tips, it would be very mean not to tip someone. Like in a port I am stopping I read there are snorkel guides who don't charge, but ask for tip if you are satisfied. Could you imagion only tipping that person $1 or $2?

 

If someone makes a great deal of money per hour, that money comes from someplace. It is passed down to the customer. So in a sense you are paying his wage and a tip. I see that as a different consideration.

 

I guess we tip for different reasons then.

 

I tip for a service recieved.

I have never investigated the salary of any job or inquired of someone what they earn and then decided upon hearing the answer if that meant I 'should' tip or not. (I will investigate tipping customs or lack of, in other countries however...)

Porters keep me from dragging weighty luggage. I'm getting old and spoiled. I don't care how much they make, I will happily tip them. Like Kurb said, I also tip the skycaps at the airport.

 

On NCL, they offer a 'bags program'. I just tried this out and loved it. For $20pp at the end of the cruise when you put your luggage out, they will take 2 suitcases pp straight from outside the hallway of your cabin to the airport. The $20 pp is a service fee....some would consider that a tip. I don't care what you call it. I got off the ship with a carry on and my camera case and didn't have to see my luggage until I got off the plane in Maine. :p If I could avoid touching my luggage at all that would be even better. :D

 

Wish I could get a suite and have a butler unpack and then pack for me :p:p

[mrpayroll]

On our last cruise out of Port Canaveral, the shuttle dropped all of us off and the driver handed all of the luggage to the porters who only walked about 5 feet if that to put the luggage in the crates.

 

We did not see any special treatment of any luggage as they were all "heaved ho'd" into the crates.:eek:

 

We tipped $5.00, I guess $1.00 a step:D:D

 

I'm with you. I think some people think that those guys actually deliver your bags to your rooms. The people that deliver the bags to your room deserve the tip .IMO. I'd gladly stand and do their job for an hour. Bet they make more than most of the people that are tipping them....

[BigDoug]

What someone makes an hour has NO bearing on what I tip them.

What they earn is none of my business, nor is it anyone else's.

 

I also don't think that knowing what someone earns gives you knowledge on what they need or require.

Sorry but I have to disagree with this. There is a vast difference between service employees working for tips and unionized dockworkers. For service workers, the tips make up the majority of their income. The unionized dockworkers are paid a very high hourly wage and don't depend on tips for their income. The cruiselines are paying these dockworkers to assist you. Repeat, they are being paid (very, very well) to assist you. These are not some guys hustling tips to make some extra money. They are very well paid union employees requesting (sometimes extorting) tips by the use of intimidation. As I said before, tip them if you want to but don't feel obligated to give them a tip. Does anyone think that these tips are being reported as income for taxes?

[Kurbanfan]

I'm with you. I think some people think that those guys actually deliver your bags to your rooms. The people that deliver the bags to your room deserve the tip .IMO. I'd gladly stand and do their job for an hour. Bet they make more than most of the people that are tipping them....

 

 

No they don't deliver them to your cabin.........but they do load them onto your ship.........

[Kurbanfan]

Sorry but I have to disagree with this. There is a vast difference between service employees working for tips and unionized dockworkers. For service workers, the tips make up the majority of their income. The unionized dockworkers are paid a very high hourly wage and don't depend on tips for their income. The cruiselines are paying these dockworkers to assist you. Repeat, they are being paid (very, very well) to assist you. These are not some guys hustling tips to make some extra money. They are very well paid union employees requesting (sometimes extorting) tips by the use of intimidation. As I said before, tip them if you want to but don't feel obligated to give them a tip. Does anyone think that these tips are being reported as income for taxes?

 

The cruiselines do not pay the porters..........

[dan40]

Sorry but I have to disagree with this. There is a vast difference between service employees working for tips and unionized dockworkers. For service workers, the tips make up the majority of their income. The unionized dockworkers are paid a very high hourly wage and don't depend on tips for their income. The cruiselines are paying these dockworkers to assist you. Repeat, they are being paid (very, very well) to assist you. These are not some guys hustling tips to make some extra money. They are very well paid union employees requesting (sometimes extorting) tips by the use of intimidation. As I said before, tip them if you want to but don't feel obligated to give them a tip. Does anyone think that these tips are being reported as income for taxes?

 

 

Tipping is dependent on what that service person does for me. What they make, and how they make it is NONE of your business, my business, or anyone else's business.

Good service, TIP. Bad service no tip. Why complicate a very simple act?

Penny pinching needs no rationalization. If one finds a tip onerous to their wallet, don't tip.

[BIG_Steve]

I don't know what unionized stevedores are paid, and I wonder if anyone here really knows? I've been in 2 Unions in my life. Neither job paid more than the non-union guys across town made. The simple fact that a Union is involved doesn't automatically equate outrageous salaries.

 

One can rationalize all they want about not giving a tip to a service worker where it is considered the norm to tip. But I think most of the non tippers are just cheap, or they have a grudge with Unions.

[halos]

One can rationalize all they want about not giving a tip to a service worker where it is considered the norm to tip. But I think most of the non tippers are just cheap, or they have a grudge with Unions.

 

 

I have a sneaky suspicion that people who earn less than what they suspect the service workers earn, may have 'issues' with tipping.

 

just a guess on my part.....

[dan40]

I don't know what unionized stevedores are paid, and I wonder if anyone here really knows? I've been in 2 Unions in my life. Neither job paid more than the non-union guys across town made. The simple fact that a Union is involved doesn't automatically equate outrageous salaries.

 

One can rationalize all they want about not giving a tip to a service worker where it is considered the norm to tip. But I think most of the non tippers are just cheap, or they have a grudge with Unions.

 

 

Prior to the inception of a form off auto-tips throughout the cruise industry, non-tipping was commonplace. On any given cruise AND line, somewhere between 40% and 60% of the pax STIFFED the waiters and room stewards.

I don't imagine any of those people thought the waiters and room stews were union members. Those people were just cheapos.

 

 

An oft told porters tipping story:

Barb and I inadvertently booked a spring break cruise [we had a great time] After dropping the rental car, we shuttled to the ship with 2 college guys. At luggage drop off, the 2 collegians pointedly, did not tip the porter. I did tip him, carefully pointing out which bags were our and which were theirs. About 11:30 that night we ran into the guys at a Lido aft bar and had a drink with them. One said, "I'm sure glad we didn't tip that luggage guy!" "Why?" I ask. "Because we don't have our luggage yet!" He answers. Barb and I just looked at one another!:D

[BIG_Steve]

Prior to the inception of a form off auto-tips throughout the cruise industry, non-tipping was commonplace. On any given cruise AND line, somewhere between 40% and 60% of the pax STIFFED the waiters and room stewards.

I don't imagine any of those people thought the waiters and room stews were union members. Those people were just cheapos.

 

I'm sure that is true. But in this thread, most of the non tippers keep mentioning the porters are unionized....... So I'm reading into that.

 

We had a family friend that was as cheap as it gets. He and his wife would take bunk-bed inside cabins. On the last day, they ate on Lido so they didn't have to tip. The kick is that he was an apartment building super for awhile. And every Christmas eve he would leave the door to his apartment open, and sit in a chair in the door way. He wanted to make sure all the tenants saw him, and hopefully gave him a tip as they got the elevator. And I'm sure it left that angst about what would happen if they didn't tip, but had to call for help during the year.

[Kurbanfan]

One can rationalize all they want about not giving a tip to a service worker where it is considered the norm to tip. But I think most of the non tippers are just cheap, or they have a grudge with Unions.

 

I find that to be very true;)

[BigDoug]

Ok for the doubters out there. Here's an article about the recent ILA Atlantic Coast District Contract.

 

The agreement immediately boosts starting pay from $16 to $20 an hour, raises top hourly pay from $31 to $32 in 2011, and narrows the gap between wage tiers in 2012 by sharply raising pay of less-experienced workers.

*For weekends and holidays remember to double or triple that amount.

Here's an article about porter training at Port Everglades.

 

Approximately 650 cruise ship baggage handlers from the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local ‘1526 participated in this two-hour training course. Recommendations have been to continue the program annually and even to add refresher courses for those who already completed the training.

 

This is not about being cheap and not tipping. My point has always been, the porters at the docks are not your typical service workers who are dependent on tips for income. The porters are well paid hourly workers that MAY deserve a tip if you feel it is warranted.

[BigDoug]

The cruiselines do not pay the porters..........

You are being a bit disingenuous here. The terminal operator hires the crews and the cruiselines pay the terminal operators for the service.

[dan40]

Why care if the porters are union members, Eagle scouts, ex Marines, Catholic, Methodists, Agnostics, model train enthusiasts, duffer golfers or scratch, football fans or vegetarians? The ONLY reason to care is cheapness. There is no other possible reason.

[Nunu]

Why care if the porters are union members, Eagle scouts, ex Marines, Catholic, Methodists, Agnostics, model train enthusiasts, duffer golfers or scratch, football fans or vegetarians? The ONLY reason to care is cheapness. There is no other possible reason.

 

I doubt that a vegan could handle luggage all day.

[NutsAboutGolf]

Why care if the porters are union members, Eagle scouts, ex Marines, Catholic, Methodists, Agnostics, model train enthusiasts, duffer golfers or scratch, football fans or vegetarians? The ONLY reason to care is cheapness. There is no other possible reason.

 

I declare because I both quoted you and am cheap that you owe me a tip...My paypal is:

[deepnite10]

$5 for 2 bags unless i ve got some six packs..then i may go as high

as $10..

 

im one not to worry about what others make..just krass, to nosey into what someone else is making..

[cruiserbryce]

typically we give $1 for each bag handled...some of the ports are a big chore to lug the bags around. Happy for them to take it and happy to give a few bucks so I dont have to deal with the bags

[cccer]

I am not a big fan of unions, but what is wrong with tipping. You are spending thousands of dollars on a cruise, and some of you can't give a couple of dollars a bag. Who cares what they make and knowing what I know $40 is a bit high.

I give about $3 a bag. Last cruise we got 4 pieces of luggage outside of our room the first day that were not ours. They had tags filled out by the porter (tags were from a different ship with only the room number written on it). I hope they got their bags, but I wonder if they tipped.