How Much To Tip At Pier

[1Puglvr]

Wine-O, Gonzo70

Your numerous post and pictures have been instrumental in the cabin choice that I made. Along with all the other information you have provided which I have found quite informative. "No tip required" though if I could buy you a drink I would. I do think each person makes a decision to tip on their experience "to each his own" Did someone say there is a sign stating tipping is not required?

Just curious, what do the port charges cover?

[Viesczy]

You've got to be kidding! Correct? Either that or you have more money than...

 

Happy cruising to all!

 

Bob

 

Bob,

Honestly, I gave an Andrew Jackson to each person each time - $20x2 porters x 2 ports. The $40 @ the port each time isn't something that bothers me, overpriced spirits on board is what steams my clams. I mean c'mon, some of that stuff isn't even as good as Mad Dog 20/20! Luckily we aren't drinkers, so we don't have a bar bill to sweat. Maybe that is why I don't "feel" the tip @ the dock? We're also not a "spa" person either, so we're not soaked in that regard.

 

On our cruise in the fall, the only bar bill we had was $60 w tips for beer and a margarita that Karen had one night @ the Mexican restaurant. The beer was because it was so hot heading to/from Aruba & Curacao, that on deck I buckled and got 2 buckets of beer for the ice on those 2 HOT days. Learned/reminded of 2 things:

 

1 - beer tastes like @$$, I can't believe folks drink it.

2 - when it is 90 with 90% humidity, ice is AWESOME!

 

I am not rich... I'd not be comment on the CC boards while @ work if I was! The little bit I put out for those tips was dwarfed by the stateroom cost (regular balcony) and $ spent for excursions. Plus it is vacation, $ spent on a good time is $ well spent IMO.

 

Derek

[Lsimon]

Ok - I admit it, we usually end up tipping these guys more because of fear of our luggage not making it then because of service. If they do truly help us with the luggage then I don't mid a tip, and sometimes they do help. But more often than not we get our luggage to them and all they do is throw it on the pallets - sometimes moving it a few feet. At at least one port (can't remember which one) there is always a line and one has to get there luggage into, and along, the line up to the end of the line where the "porters" are holding their hand out before loading it onto the pallet. I never wanted to find out what would happen if I didn't put something into that hand so I joined the masses who just pay up.

 

The worst example I've seen of pier-side robbery was in San Juan when disembarking. We handled our own luggage with no porter and headed to the taxi line. About 2 cabs from the end of the line a guy grabs our luggage and rolls it 30 feet to the front cab and loads it into the trunk. We presumed this was the cab driver, but you guessed it, it was just some handler looking for a handout. The only English he appeared to speak was "tip" and he wasn't going to let the cab door close without one so I handed him a single and closed the door as he grabbed it. I wasn't too happy about this and neither was he as he clearly thought one dollar wasn't enough. Oh well....

[labeachcomber]

Can someone explain to me how exactly the bags work at Civitavecchia? Are the porters there the equivalent of what you might find curbside at an airport or are they literally right at the entrance to the boat. And do you see your bags actually get on the ship? I am completely neurotic about this so I want to eliminate any unncessary layers with the baggage :).

 

Should I assume bringing bags onboard yourself is out of the question???

 

The porters are right there, curbside. You take your bags out of the bus/taxi, and the porters load them into the normal baggage carts that you see all cruise ships using. When they fill up, they are rolled over to a holding area to await loading onto the ship. I never actually saw that process. Once the bags were loaded onto the carts, we never saw them again until they were delivered to our stateroom. I felt pretty comfortable with the process. I didn't see anybody tipping the porters, and they didn't seem to give any eye contact or body language requesting a tip.

 

I wouldn't worry about it. I haven't read any threads concerning missing luggage at Civitavecchia -- only stuff missing when loaded onto the bus leaving the port to the airport.

 

Just returned from the Equinox. The luggage process is very very easy. When you get off the port shuttle bus, the bus driver opens up the luggage compartments of the bus and you basically have to pull your own bags out of the bus. Yes, the bus driver did not do this nor did he actually assist in loading the bags. So no tip necessary. Once you get your bags, you immediately proceed to the luggage area, which is literally right at the entrance of the port. Even if you have a lot of luggage, you don't need to worry, since basically you're pulling your own bags about ten feet. The baggage handlers are separated from you by those retractable "airport line dividers". They basically walk up to you and individually take your suitcases back behind them where I believe they were sent through a scanner or just loaded up on carts. From there you then proceed into the port to check in.

 

This port is different than ones I've been in the past, since porters weren't stacking mountains of luggage on carts curbside and you really weren't sure if you were going to see your bags again. I tipped our porter/handler, and he actually seemed annoyed that I was giving him a tip! In fact, he called over a supervisor who then took the tip from him.

 

One could argue that there really was no tip necessary. In fact, I didn't see anyone else tipping the handlers. There really was no heavy lifting or suitcase balancing involved. They just wheeled the suitcases about 20 feet behind them and that was all.

[dzcruisers]

Just returned from the Equinox. The luggage process is very very easy. When you get off the port shuttle bus, the bus driver opens up the luggage compartments of the bus and you basically have to pull your own bags out of the bus. Yes, the bus driver did not do this nor did he actually assist in loading the bags. So no tip necessary. Once you get your bags, you immediately proceed to the luggage area, which is literally right at the entrance of the port. Even if you have a lot of luggage, you don't need to worry, since basically you're pulling your own bags about ten feet. The baggage handlers are separated from you by those retractable "airport line dividers". They basically walk up to you and individually take your suitcases back behind them where I believe they were sent through a scanner or just loaded up on carts. From there you then proceed into the port to check in.

 

This port is different than ones I've been in the past, since porters weren't stacking mountains of luggage on carts curbside and you really weren't sure if you were going to see your bags again. I tipped our porter/handler, and he actually seemed annoyed that I was giving him a tip! In fact, he called over a supervisor who then took the tip from him.

 

One could argue that there really was no tip necessary. In fact, I didn't see anyone else tipping the handlers. There really was no heavy lifting or suitcase balancing involved. They just wheeled the suitcases about 20 feet behind them and that was all.

 

In some countries a tip is considered an insult, almost like a bribe. One has to be careful in foreign countries not to inflict our American culture.

In Italy tipping is not the norm.

[lysolqn]

I don't know, but I always tip working people, more so when I'm on vacation.--Rich

 

Other than children, retirees and the infirm, aren't we all "working people"?

[Snerd]

To the poster who tips $20 per porter, more power to you!! We don't quite do that, but every year when Christmas shopping we over tip during a lunch with good service. I do not not have a lot of money myself, but a 100% tip, $20-30 doesn't break the bank and can hopefully make a difference in someone's day. If I could give $100, I would!

 

One year I had decorative candles in my car and brought them in to our very friendly Waffle House waitress (on top of tip). She had tears in her eyes.

 

Being nice makes me feel good. Sometimes it's as small as paying the $2 toll for the vehicle behind me. Maybe one day this will catch on.....but for now, I'm still waiting for a stranger to pay my toll, LOL!

[travellovers2]

We tip $3 for two bags.

[kymbakitty]

I'm always amazed at the brilliance of the people with whom I agree and the shallowness of people who don't think like I do.. :D

 

I've not seen it put that way...but I like it. I've been saying it for years--it's the "World According To Garp Syndrome." I think we all suffer from it a little bit, but of course, there are varying degrees!

 

George Carlin made millions on it...."Did you ever notice that the guy that is going faster than you [in a car] is an idiot and they guy that is going slower than you is going to cause an accident!"

 

Ha!

[Chicago Boy]

3 bags, one hard working guy, helpful and cheerful, $5. Not having to schlep the bags ourselves...priceless.

 

:p

 

 

We always tip $4.00 or $5.00 per bag. If we can afford to cruise we can afford to tip when appropriate. I don't care for cheap tippers. :o

[HappyCampers3]

The worst example I've seen of pier-side robbery was in San Juan when disembarking. We handled our own luggage with no porter and headed to the taxi line. About 2 cabs from the end of the line a guy grabs our luggage and rolls it 30 feet to the front cab and loads it into the trunk. We presumed this was the cab driver, but you guessed it, it was just some handler looking for a handout. The only English he appeared to speak was "tip" and he wasn't going to let the cab door close without one so I handed him a single and closed the door as he grabbed it. I wasn't too happy about this and neither was he as he clearly thought one dollar wasn't enough. Oh well....

 

We experienced a similar situation when traveling to St. John a few years ago. Upon arriving at Red Hook Ferry in St. Thomas, a handler walked up to us, and while holding his hand out told us he would see that our bags are loaded on the ferry...so we paid him. Once he received tour tip, he handed us a slip of paper (with nonsense on it) and he walked away. We assumed this slip of paper indicated our payment/tip for having already paying a handler and not to be charged twice. Not feeling comfortable with where the handler left our bags until the ferry arrived (basically where we left them close to the curb), we decided to remain near the bags. As everyone started to board the ferry, we were approached by yet another handler (the first handler disappear and was not seen anywhere) and he proceeded to take our bags to the ferry as we followed behind him. Once the bags were loaded, he turned to us with an open hand. My husband told him we had already tipped the first handler, and the second handler said, 'that was not me'. We showed him the slip of paper and he denied knowing what it was. We were scammed by either the first handler or the entire group working together!

 

Thanks for the tip on your experience in San Juan. We will be there in January and will be sure to pay attention to the activity around us.

[phinn]

After our Freedom cruise in Port Canaveral, with 5 bags total, sis and I had a female porter who not only took our bags outside, but when I reached for one to carry the rest of the way, she asked if we drove there and when I said yes, she not only took the bags right to our car, she loaded them in the trunk for us. She got a $10 bill from both of us. I don't care who she works for, she saved me lugging them and we totally appreciated that.

[MYMOTHERSCHILD]

On cruises, I take only one "fits into plane overhead bin" bag now that I've learned that I never find the time to work at my computer. No purse. Necessary papers are zipped into outside pocket of the luggage. I roll it aboard ship simply to avoid waiting for it to be delivered. Unpack quickly and plop into bed for a nap--home sweet home. I often wonder what passengers pack in that huge luggage. In port, I never, never carry a handbag or wear jewelry (which I ain't got.) ID, credit card, a couple of bucks is tucked into my pocket and pinned with a safety pin, covered with my blouse. No self-respecting thief would even think of robbing me...not even at midnight in Casablanca.