Tipping baggage handlers

[Torfamm]

On 2/13/2023 at 8:08 PM, Times Prince said:

You've really hit a pet peeve of mine.  Why should passengers who pay for someone to move their luggage get ANY priority through immigration/customs over those who schlep their own?  I totally understand it if the passenger is disabled, as it is their disabling condition which makes standing in long slow-moving lines difficult, but I don't understand why healthy well-to-do people can buy priority.

 

It’s not uncommon or anything new to pay for extra or priority service when traveling. Many airports offer offer it. Sometimes it’s called VIP or concierge service. You get help with your luggage, priority lines,  and sometimes access to lounge spaces. Airlines offer the same to passengers who pay for first class or business class tickets. 

[roadster08]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

"Hard work " !

Moving a suitcase 10 yards !

I get it. When you come from a culture where the people that do these types of jobs have other ways to get money besides relying on tips, it's hard to understand why everyone doesn't do it the way it's done back home.

 

When you travel to an area that has different cultural practices, it's appropriate to adapt to the culture there. That's part of the reason why most of us travel, to be exposed to other cultures.

[memoak]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

"Hard work " !

Moving a suitcase 10 yards !

When you look at Princess’s page regarding embarking in Fort Lauderdale it says hat it is customary to tip porters

[martinitime1]

When it comes to tipping, the person in question has to work as hard for the tip as I did when I earned it in the first place. If not, pound sand.

[Princessfan20]

On 2/17/2023 at 12:13 AM, donaldsc said:

 

Extortionists!!

 

DON

LOL.  That is rich coming from someone who says they live in Las Vegas where everyone is ripped off by the hotels with their notorious "resort fees" and every casino worker seems to want a tip.  Not to mention the valets who easily make over a $100,000 at some resorts for parking and fetching a car.  

 

Tipping a baggage handler seems like a small price to pay.  It really is all relative in the big scheme of things.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Princessfan20

[Potstech]

So now instead of Twitter, Instagram there is a new unknown telling us how to live our lives and act.  Which one is next?

[CeCe_]

My general rule is if I include Airport transfer to Ship or transfer from Ship to Airport, I do not pay tip to porter.  We paid a lot to Princess already.

 

If we arrived to the port on Uber or taxi, we will tip the taxi driver and the porter.

 

But if they "demanded" tip, that's different perspective.  The porters at Fort Lauderdale in particular are extra aggressive on that.  In that case, we would not give them any money.

Edited February 24, 2023 by CeCe_

[MissP22]

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

"Hard work " !

Moving a suitcase 10 yards !

When I was working my way through school, I would have been more than grateful to just make their salaries,  not to mention any additional tip.

[drowelf]

We have a sliding scale based on how long they have to handle our bags. At embarkation it will generally be $5 or $10 for 4 bags, depending on how long we have them attending us. A few times its been zero as they got the bags and whipped them onto the big cages and were gone before I could even pull any money out. Another time in Amsterdam I tipped the 2 porters that helped us $20. These were young folks doing the porting work that day. We had both a girl and guy, who did this work in the mornings before university classes each day. So I doubt they got paid a whole lot. I found this out, as we chatted in line trying to get the luggage inside. It was a mad house that day in Amsterdam with 2 HAL and at least 1 princess ship in port for embarkation. 

 

For disembarkation, I'll go with the $5 a bag, as they tend to end up spending 20-30 minutes dealing with us, as we go through customs/immigration, unless we are using ships transfer in which case we will tip less. 

 

Its all a matter of the service we get that controls the amount. 

[roxievegas]

We normally have two 22 inches suitcases that we turn over to the porter and we tip $5.00

 

My husband says it is insurance to make sure that we don't see our suitcases in the water as we leave the port.

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, roxievegas said:

We normally have two 22 inches suitcases that we turn over to the porter and we tip $5.00

 

My husband says it is insurance to make sure that we don't see our suitcases in the water as we leave the port.

No way that is going to happen.  If that was the case  (sic) there would be hundreds of cases in the water every cruise !

[MissP22]

4 hours ago, wowzz said:

No way that is going to happen.  If that was the case  (sic) there would be hundreds of cases in the water every cruise !

It's really funny that some folks believe the porters would jeopardize a great job just to get even for the lack of a tip.

[Potstech]

Some folks believe just about anything.

Edited February 25, 2023 by Potstech

[Happiest when cruising]

On 2/11/2023 at 6:46 PM, startedwithamouse said:

 

But everything is taxed on the $70k a year. That is certainly not take home. Average rent is $2,500 a month, small homes start at $750k, plus utilities, gasoline (highest taxes in the country). Longshoremen are not wealthy. Southern California is not affordable.  Tips are also taxable income. 

That sounds like just about any city. 70K plus tips that might not be accounted for is certainly a decent income. 

[Happiest when cruising]

On 2/12/2023 at 8:12 PM, ericosmith said:

So, let's assume they take a bag every minute and move it 5 feet.  With an average tip of $3 that's an hourly rate of $180.  Not a bad gig...

And that’s before their hourly wage. 

[caribill]

14 hours ago, roadster08 said:

When you travel to an area that has different cultural practices, it's appropriate to adapt to the culture there. That's part of the reason why most of us travel, to be exposed to other cultures.

 

And that is where many Americans often fail to adapt.

 

They will tip where the culture is not to tip.

 

That often changes the culture.

[cr8tiv1]

When I was at the Pan Pacific (Vancouver),  it was mentioned several times and actually in writing on a card given to me by the bellman.  If I wanted someone to pick up my bags from my room and deliver them to the ship, there was a suggested fee of $3-$5 per bag (US $ or CD$).

 

When I check in for a flight at Honolulu International Airport, I always look for a curbside porter to check me in.  Beats dragging my luggage to a check in counter…then to agriculture for inspection….then to baggage drop off.  
 

You do you and I will do me.  

[Times Prince]

10 hours ago, roxievegas said:

We normally have two 22 inches suitcases that we turn over to the porter and we tip $5.00

My husband says it is insurance to make sure that we don't see our suitcases in the water as we leave the port.

The suitcase in the water thing is a tale that's been passed down for years.

However, one time I found I did not have the ready cash as we handed off our 2 suitcases to a FLL porter, and as we walked away from the area I observed our suitcases were next to one of the wire cages used to bring them aboard ship - after the porter saw I was looking at them he finally moved them into a cage.

 

Also to be noted that porters at US ports proudly wear their union badges.  They are not undercompensated.

[JoRoy218]

Yup, never liked dealing with the aggressive porters at Port Everglades. 
Opposite end of spectrum: those of you who have been to Australia can relate. Attempted to tip our taxi driver, he very nicely explained “we don’t tip here in Australia.”  He just asked us to enjoy our visit and come again.

How refreshing! 

[roadster08]

7 hours ago, caribill said:

 

And that is where many Americans often fail to adapt.

 

They will tip where the culture is not to tip.

 

That often changes the culture.

Agreed and not the first time our good intentions backfired. 😉

[CeCe_]

7 hours ago, Times Prince said:

The suitcase in the water thing is a tale that's been passed down for years.

However, one time I found I did not have the ready cash as we handed off our 2 suitcases to a FLL porter, and as we walked away from the area I observed our suitcases were next to one of the wire cages used to bring them aboard ship - after the porter saw I was looking at them he finally moved them into a cage.

 

Also to be noted that porters at US ports proudly wear their union badges.  They are not undercompensated.

 

7 hours ago, JoRoy218 said:

Yup, never liked dealing with the aggressive porters at Port Everglades. 

 

Have you considered making a complaint to Port Everglades?  It is easy, we had sent an email to the email address below.

 

PortEvergladesCruise@broward.org

 

I don't know where it would go from there but doesn't hurt to try.

[memoak]

22 hours ago, CeCe_ said:

My general rule is if I include Airport transfer to Ship or transfer from Ship to Airport, I do not pay tip to porter.  We paid a lot to Princess already.

 

If we arrived to the port on Uber or taxi, we will tip the taxi driver and the porter.

 

But if they "demanded" tip, that's different perspective.  The porters at Fort Lauderdale in particular are extra aggressive on that.  In that case, we would not give them any money.

Porters do not work for Princess 

[CeCe_]

On 2/25/2023 at 8:30 AM, memoak said:

Porters do not work for Princess 

 

A reliable source told me that "the Porters are hired by the stevedores, employed by the cruise lines."  They indeed work for the Cruise lines.

Edited February 27, 2023 by CeCe_

[davekathy]

28 minutes ago, CeCe_ said:

 

A reliable source told me that "the Porters are hired by the stevedores, employed by the cruise lines."  They indeed work for the Cruise lines.

I know a guy, who knows a guy...🙄

 

The porters do not work for the cruise lines. 

[CeCe_]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

I know a guy, who knows a guy...🙄

 

The porters do not work for the cruise lines.