Tipping porter at cruise port

[bones774]

47 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

The porters don’t get a salary.  They work strictly on tips.  And, they don’t get benefits, either, as they would get socialized medicine in the U.K or any other cruise port in Europe.  They only work weekends, given no ships go out or come in during the week.

 

So, the idea that they make a fortune isn’t quite accurate.

ships are coming and going in NYC all the time. I just can't believe that porters are working strictly on tips in the NYC area. it would never sit with the longshoreman union, nobody works for free in NY

[graphicguy]

56 minutes ago, bones774 said:

ships are coming and going in NYC all the time. I just can't believe that porters are working strictly on tips in the NYC area. it would never sit with the longshoreman union, nobody works for free in NY

My Father’s cousin is a porter in New York.  He depends on his wife for insurance (she’s a teacher).  He only works weekends when the cruise ships sail in and out.  He works early mornings 6:00 a.m. until about 3:00 p.m.

 

He loads and unloads the luggage carts.  So, it’s not just taking tips and throwing the luggage on the cart.  He has to make sure they get unloaded and on the ship.

 

He picks up other pier work, but it’s not certain or consistent.  And, dock work is paid at the end of the daily work hours.  There’s no salary involved.

[jlabs03]

19 hours ago, erdoran said:

What’s an appropriate tip in Southampton, UK?  In NY I’d think $1-$2/bag, $5 minimum.  We will have 2 bags to load & will keep our carry-ons with us, bags aren’t super big or heavy.

 

Also yes, Seattle does have bag folks right at the curb, when we sailed out of there the shuttle dropped us off and the porters were right there - and yes, were tipped.

I sailed out of Southampton in May and did not tip.  We had two bags both less than 30lbs.  They did not walk out to us, they just stuck the bags onto the carousel and just picked up the next bags from the next group, they did not stop. No one else that I could see was tipping them either, nor did I feel they were expecting a tip. The only time I felt pressured to tip (something would happen to my bag) was in NOLA.   I have not sailed out of NY yet but I will be next summer so I will see.  

[bones774]

46 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

My Father’s cousin is a porter in New York.  He depends on his wife for insurance (she’s a teacher).  He only works weekends when the cruise ships sail in and out.  He works early mornings 6:00 a.m. until about 3:00 p.m.

 

He loads and unloads the luggage carts.  So, it’s not just taking tips and throwing the luggage on the cart.  He has to make sure they get unloaded and on the ship.

 

He picks up other pier work, but it’s not certain or consistent.  And, dock work is paid at the end of the daily work hours.  There’s no salary involved.

you've been here a long time and I always respect your info but something just does not jibe well here.  those are union docks with a notoriously tough union and for your fathers cousin to just show up for two days unpaid work at a union shop don't sound right. may be he is not telling all the facts? and picking up other pier work??? taking jobs from a union guy???  He'd be swimming with the fishes.  C'mon does that sound right to you?

[DZcreature]

We always tip the porter $5.00 for two medium size bags. Everything usually happens so fast at embarkation ports since they have so many people to process. Even if you don't tip, your bag will go through just like everyone else's. If anything happens to it, that is just bad luck. You may get a brief dirty look if you do not tip, but I think it would be quickly forgotten when they move on to the next group.

 

 We have cruised out of NY, Boston, Miami etc.

[graphicguy]

1 minute ago, bones774 said:

you've been here a long time and I always respect your info but something just does not jibe well here.  those are union docks with a notoriously tough union and for your fathers cousin to just show up for two days unpaid work at a union shop don't sound right. may be he is not telling all the facts? and picking up other pier work??? taking jobs from a union guy???  He'd be swimming with the fishes.  C'mon does that sound right to you?

Just telling what the man does for a living and repeating what he’s shared with us.  Aside from being a porter (which I don’t believe is union work),  I don’t know what he actually does on the piers. Just that he’s said he picks up freelance work.  He’s been doing this for years.

[ldock]

Rome specifically,

I actually I don’t remember tipping at all, nor did the thought cross our minds. Rome felt very different then your typical us port. We walked from the train station right into the building, we’re met with amazing friendly people maki g sure everyone had there tags. We were traveling light, as we do when in Europe (been traveling a week by this point) and the nice gentleman convinced us to not bother carrying any bags through check in. He tagged them and put them on a conveyer belt right behind him. I don’t recall anyone tipping. We actually felt very welcomed in Rome as soon as we walked up. 

 

similarly in Venice Italy, we walked up to building, that also had a conveyer belt, we plunked our bags which were already tagged and along we went.

 

Again in japan, we walked up and they looked at our ticket, grabbed our bags and placed them in a roped of area, and off we went to check in.

 

Us ports are the only place I really recall tipping, and feeling the pressure to do so, or......🙄

 

I’m now trying to remember what it was like in Vancouver Canada...  ??? 

 

 

[jaja]

I believe I was told  that this is the union for NY...International Longshoremen's Association Local 1814.  I know it  is for the dockworkers, maybe porters also.  I really am not sure.

[Zippeedee]

11 hours ago, Named-Tawny said:

Wow.  It never even occurred to me that that would be a tipping situation - it felt exactly like when I check my bags at the airport (do Americans tip the people who take your bags at the airport baggage check?).  I had assumed they were just NCL employees, tbqh.

Good to know.

If I check my bag outside at the sidewalk check in I always tip $2 per bag. When the airlines stared charging for curbside check-in tips dropped dramatically so I always make a point to tip.

[phillyguy31]

The last we came into New York the porter stayed with us for close to a half hour looking for a bag that was missing. Then after we found it he took us across the street, which they are not supposed to do. Because he stayed with us the entire time and helped look we gave him 40.00, he refused to take it saying it was too much.  Does someone who only works on tips stay with us instead of moving on or refuse a really good tip. 

[newmexicoNita]

11 hours ago, jaja said:

I believe I was told  that this is the union for NY...International Longshoremen's Association Local 1814.  I know it  is for the dockworkers, maybe porters also.  I really am not sure.

This is what I have heard more than once. Yes, I do still tip, but I also am rather sure they are union employees and receive a darn good salary.  

[SlipperyVic]

I don't tip porters anywhere for any reason. They already get paid well to do that job and they cannot offer me any above and beyond service so they can't earn a tip either.

 

The only way they could actually earn a tip would be to show up at my house and collect my luggage from there. I'd tip for that, but only a buck or two.

[Gershep]

We tip the porters in NY a couple of dollars per bag.

[Peachypooh]

We usually have two bags and tip $5