Tipping stevedores at embarkation?

[donaldsc]

 

As an FYI, dockworkers do make a nice hourly wage and benefits. But they are assigned on a rotation. New Orleans for example gets three ships a week. 24 hours of work to be rotated amongst them. The old days of getting 40+ hours a week are long gone for most of them..

 

They have chosen to work a job that only has limited hours. They should be paid only for the limited hours.

 

Are we expected to tip them to make up for those limited hours. If so, I am going to try to find a job that pays 40 hours per week for only working 10 hours. Nice work if you can get it.

 

BTW - am not a Brit but an American. I tip fairly when appropriate such as at restaurants. I do not put money in the tip jar at a self service place. I tip above the minimum on cruises as the people working cruise ship jobs work very hard and the bargain that we make with the cruise companies is that we pay the salaries that the companies should be paying.

 

DON

[rvsullivan]

They have chosen to work a job that only has limited hours. They should be paid only for the limited hours.

 

Are we expected to tip them to make up for those limited hours. If so, I am going to try to find a job that pays 40 hours per week for only working 10 hours. Nice work if you can get it.

 

BTW - am not a Brit but an American. I tip fairly when appropriate such as at restaurants. I do not put money in the tip jar at a self service place. I tip above the minimum on cruises as the people working cruise ship jobs work very hard and the bargain that we make with the cruise companies is that we pay the salaries that the companies should be paying.

 

DON

 

 

They do only get paid for the hours worked. Nobody said they get paid for 40 hours and only work 10. I did not say we should make up their pay, I was responding to those that mentioned the highly paid dock workers. I tip anyone that provides a service to me at a level appropriate to the help/benefit given. A couple of bucks to handle my luggage is ok by me. You can choose to do otherwise if you wish.

 

And I've never heard of anyone "losing" their luggage because they didn't tip, I don't think they can take the time out to try to manage all that. I think they do just fine even when considering those that stiff them. From what I've seen, I think 80-90% of cruisers tip the baggage handlers.

[betterthanvegas?]

What currency do you tip the dockside luggage handlers? We're boarding in Spain but the ship is American owned. Thanks!

[notentirelynormal]

What currency do you tip the dockside luggage handlers? We're boarding in Spain but the ship is American owned. Thanks!

 

The workers will be Spanish so I'd tip in Euros.

[notentirelynormal]

And I've never heard of anyone "losing" their luggage because they didn't tip, I don't think they can take the time out to try to manage all that. I think they do just fine even when considering those that stiff them. From what I've seen, I think 80-90% of cruisers tip the baggage handlers.

 

Despite heavy pressure from the guys in Miami, the more they pressured the more he resisted, so my brother refused to tip them because of their nasty attitude. My brother's suitcase was damaged and his luggage tags removed meaning that he got his luggage long after they left port. Others had their luggage dropped in the water.

 

At the end of the cruise my brother tracked down the guy who took his suitcases, and the guy bolted when he saw my brother coming, but he found out his name and filed a complaint. Miami is NOT the place to not tip these poor umm, gentlemen.

[sail7seas]

What currency do you tip the dockside luggage handlers? We're boarding in Spain but the ship is American owned. Thanks!

 

 

Euros if you have them.

They would not say No to U.S. $$ but they don't really want them.

 

[betterthanvegas?]

Thanks for that. I figured but wanted to be sure.

[GORDONCHICK]

You do not need to understand local customs to follow them..

I don't understand

Tea in the afternoon

British royalty

Sending children to boarding school

 

But when I visit your country, I promise not to take out my issues on other people.

 

EXACTLY!

The old phrase, "when in Rome" comes to mind.

[Alex71]

I guess I always looked at the baggage handlers in port the same way I looked at folks at the baggage dropp off at an airport and therefore did not tip them. Last time we boarded a cruise in Genoa, they asked for a tip, so I gave them a two euro coin and they seemed happy with it.

[Elaine5715]

I guess I always looked at the baggage handlers in port the same way I looked at folks at the baggage dropp off at an airport and therefore did not tip them. Last time we boarded a cruise in Genoa, they asked for a tip, so I gave them a two euro coin and they seemed happy with it.

 

If you are talking about curbside or sky caps, they are a tipped service. Why? Because of the convenience factor. You tip $1-2 a bag.

If you mean the folks at the airline service desk, they are not tipped. You have taken your luggage as far as possible.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I tip the usual $1 or $2 per bag to the porters. I look for a uniform of some sorts (like a vest or a shirt) and/or a name tag with the company name, just to make sure they're indeed the porters and not people off the street. Then I hand over my bag, along with the customary tip. I got my bags long before dinner (late seating) on both of my cruises.

 

I heard that the "no tip, no bag" problems is most severe in Miami, but happens in other ports too. Is the Miami thing true or just hearsay?

[lakelorain]

What currency do you tip the dockside luggage handlers? We're boarding in Spain but the ship is American owned. Thanks!

 

If you are boarding in Barcelona, the porter will be long gone before you have time to give a tip. They don't expect a tip.

[Alex71]

If you are talking about curbside or sky caps, they are a tipped service. Why? Because of the convenience factor. You tip $1-2 a bag.

If you mean the folks at the airline service desk, they are not tipped. You have taken your luggage as far as possible.

 

Sorry, yes, meant the baggage drop-off inside the terminal where the check-in used to be before online check-in became the norm. I understand that a porter who would help me to get my suitcase from the car or cab to his point would receive a tip. We travel lightly and our suitcases have wheels, so we usually don't need that extra service.

 

In some ports porters were already available in the parking lot to help get the suitcases to the terminal. This is of course also an extra service that we would gladly tip for in case we needed it. The folks who simply put on the luggage tags on and put the suitcases on the luggage belt or into a luggage cart usually don't get a tip from us.