Cruise Terminal Porters

[not-enough-cruising]

12 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

I don’t know what they have but from about 20 years of group cruises there was often someone called to the naughty room. My luggage was never there but I went with group members to assist them. A pain in the neck but there was always a 30 minute line and the bag was opened by the group member and inspected in front of them. If they unlocked and inspected bags out of site why would they have to have a naughty room? None ever had items removed from their bag by the cruise line on the dock before they were loaded on the ship. A cruise line has never asked us that bags be unlocked. That was something the TSA was recommending at airports before TSA approved locks became common. If the TSA at an airport wants to break my TSA lock it is no biggie. Not expensive and every bag I buy has had one included. I carry a spare in case they did break one to have for the return flight

 

Also bags are sitting out in hallways for a while at the beginning and end of cruises. I would not want to tempt anyone with unlocked bags. 

Thank you 

[rjrpar]

On 1/5/2023 at 5:22 PM, Scotico said:

So our friends just returned from their cruise and one of their bags never made it on the ship after handing it to the porters.  The only way they can tell it did not make it is because they had an apple airtag and they could see it still in the terminal after the ship was at sea.  Has anyone ever done this and have any of you ever opted to skip the porters and bring your luggage on-board.  I heard stories about them getting greedy with the tips and requesting more $$ for the bags (my friend told me they gave them $10 for 3 bags and they were wanting more.

Don’t believe everything people tell you. Sure, mistakes get made with baggage and not just with cruising, but the world is not out to get you. We’ve always had decent porters that appreciate a few bucks/bag

[billslowsky]

On 1/7/2023 at 2:19 PM, Charles4515 said:

Over 60 sailings I have never had that happen. 

I hadn't seen it often until our last cruise.  It looked like the bsgs got to the area of the ship jihhlighted on yhe tag , like port rear, and then dimped together.  People had to search like when you disembark. 

[Longford]

4 hours ago, superduper123 said:

There has been a time or two when I was not prepared with small bills in order to tip. I have always felt a little bad about it. One time a porter actually asked me "What, no tip?" I will admit, I was nervous if my bag was going to make it onboard. Since then, I am always prepared, and do, tip. 

 

This interesting thread definitely has me thinking and reconsidering, realizing I tip them because it's expected, and I feel obligated

Referring to tipping in the USA, generally:  

 

Most people probably tip airport curbside check-in luggage porters.  We almost all probably tip hotel bellmen and room service personnel, and some tip the housekeeper who cleans our room.  Bartenders, waitresses and waiters are tipped.  Taxi or Uber drivers, too.

 

Why to we tip these and others?  Because although they are paid to do the job, we feel as if we're obligated /  expected to do so ... even if the service received isn't above and beyond what they're paid to do, extra or extraordinary.

[soapbxking]

On 1/5/2023 at 5:22 PM, Scotico said:

How do you overlook a large bag.  Not going to say it was intentional but would not put it past them to flag their bag because they felt the tip was inadequate.  What is the normal rate for each bag when tipping

exactly, no one bag is overlooked, because in my experience, you hand them bag they place on buggy(maybe wrong term), so if that bag was gone more were!!!

[Charles4515]

6 minutes ago, soapbxking said:

exactly, no one bag is overlooked, because in my experience, you hand them bag they place on buggy(maybe wrong term), so if that bag was gone more were!!!

Yep. Likely a whole buggy or cart was left behind by mistake. It is paranoia to think one bag was purposely left at port. The baggage handlers who are looking for tips may want you to think otherwise though. 

[Pellaz]

On 1/11/2023 at 6:37 AM, not-enough-cruising said:

No, they won’t. They do not have TSA keys; and they won’t break the lock-they will set the bag aside until you come to inquire about it. 

As I said earlier, I was not summoned to the shipboard "naughty room" and my terrifying pair of scissors and that frightful power strip were confiscated and retained at the terminal. 

Now, my bag was NOT locked, so maybe that's why the items were confiscated there?   An interesting thought.  

 

On 1/11/2023 at 6:37 AM, not-enough-cruising said:

I love the rest of your post, it reiterates what I have been trying to convey throughout this thread in a very concise manner. 

Thanks.   Sometimes posting a link to factual info can be useful.  I wish the ILA article had as much info about salaries and numbers as the ILWU article.  I think the ILA has a substantially larger member roll.