What do you tip for luggage?

[HsvTeacher]

We tip $5 per bag, and our bags have beat us to our door both times. Coincidence? I don't know, but the porters always seem happy to get our tips. (Unfortunately, from what we've witnessed, it seems most people don't tip.)

We also tip the same when we disembark, and both times porters walked us over to customs lines with no one in them, bypassing the long lines.

[sissy_ib]

Originally Posted by HsvTeacher

We tip $5 per bag, and our bags have beat us to our door both times. Coincidence? I don't know, but the porters always seem happy to get our tips. (Unfortunately, from what we've witnessed, it seems most people don't tip.)

We also tip the same when we disembark, and both times porters walked us over to customs lines with no one in them, bypassing the long lines.

When we got off the ship in January the porter we had did the same for us more or less. There were no empty lines but he got us to where there was only one person in front of us. And we did not tip him until we got out to the shuttle stop.

[kcashner]

Yeah....on the way to Customs, the porters do have an interesting way of cutting off guests who have their bags and are in line. That has irritated me on more than one trip. And no one points them to the back of the line!

[Keggy]

Originally Posted by kcashner

Yeah....on the way to Customs, the porters do have an interesting way of cutting off guests who have their bags and are in line. That has irritated me on more than one trip. And no one points them to the back of the line!

I had words with a porter yesterday who tried to cut. I think he was shocked I told him no. But he tried telling me he was with the guy in front of me and he wasn't. The line was really long so I wasn't having it...

[woody73]

Originally Posted by kcashner

Yeah....on the way to Customs, the porters do have an interesting way of cutting off guests who have their bags and are in line. That has irritated me on more than one trip. And no one points them to the back of the line!

I too find it annoying when porters cut in line.

Woody

[hurleysweety]

Forgive me for being dense - but when/where do you give a porter your bag and a tip? Just want to make sure I'm ready.

[kcashner]

Originally Posted by hurleysweety

Forgive me for being dense - but when/where do you give a porter your bag and a tip? Just want to make sure I'm ready.

If you are using private transportation to get to the terminal (limo service, rental car, private car that you are parking somewhere, etc), your luggage will get onto the ship by handing it to a porter. You will drive up (or be driven) to the drop off point. Porter will come over and take your luggage--unload it from your car if needed--make sure that it has DCL tags on each piece, apply tags if not already there, and take your bags. Tip is appropriate at this point.

After your cruise, your luggage is placed in the terminal if you put it outside your cabin on the last night. There will be porters in the terminal offering to assist you with locating and transporting the bags. Tip is usually given when they finish the service--handing the bags off to a bus or limo driver or placing them in a car trunk.

If you use DCL transportation from WDW or MCO TO the cruise terminal, no porters, no tips. On the way home, if you use on board airline check in, no porters, no tips.

And I'm so glad to hear about a guest telling off a porter. I'm sorry, but we ALL pay for US Customs services with our taxes and our port charges. Using a porter vs. not should not give one improved access! Perhaps if DCL gets enough complaints, the porters will me "notified."

[Sebby]

Getting off the Fantasy 2 weeks ago I didn't see much of a way for a porter to cut the line. We got in line while he went to find our luggage then he came back and waited with us. It was a long line, but it moved swiftly. The only time we passed people who had been in front of us was when they were standing to the side in the baggage area and not moving with the rest of the line. Our porter didn't seem bothered by waiting in line with us.

As for tipping, I think we tipped $10 to the shuttle driver who handled each of our bags 4 checked and probably 6-8 carry-on. Then $8 to the porter who took our checked bags to the ship. I think we tipped $12 to the porter who retrieved our luggage and then loaded most of our carry-ons to his cart too and took it outside for us. Shuttle driver back to the hotel I think he got $12.

It felt like a lot of tipping at the time, but looking back at how all the little bags added up, we probably didn't tip enough. C'est la vie. We're investing in more real luggage/rolling bags before our next trip. So maybe we can get the # of bags down if not the quantity of stuff. We only carried on medical equipment, medications, electronics, and swimsuit & 1 change of clothes for each of us. Oh and my 4-year-old carried her sand toys. I was worried they would get squished & broken. We checked them on the way out and they were fine.

There was a woman in front of me who hissed angrily at her husband 'Don't you dare tip these people' - about the shuttle driver. Then there was conversation about if the sign up front saying the driver really did work for tips. She insisted he received a wage and didn't need a tip. Sadly her husband put away his wallet. I don't know if he managed to slip a tip anyway. But even if not for luggage, I would still tip at least $1/person.

[pdwimmer]

Originally Posted by sissy_ib

Well, somebody has to have their bag delivered first, right?



Housekeeping is not a tipped position in most hotels. That is why most people do not tip them.


OP, we tip about $1 per bag no matter where we are, ship, shuttle driver, hotel. If you need anything in your bag sooner I would suggest carrying it with you rather than trying to tip more and thinking you will get your bag sooner. For only one bag I would probably give $2-3.

I believe it's a misconception that housekeeping is not a tipped position in most hotels. It is. Again, typically $1-2 dollars per day is considered adequate for single/double occupancy. More for rooms that have kitchens etc.

That being said I am also the schmuck that tips the courtesy van drivers, the guys at the car wash, my paper delivery boy, mail carrier and FedEx/UPS drivers at year's end, etc. It's all a very personal decision.

[sissy_ib]

Originally Posted by pdwimmer

I believe it's a misconception that housekeeping is not a tipped position in most hotels. It is. Again, typically $1-2 dollars per day is considered adequate for single/double occupancy. More for rooms that have kitchens etc.

That being said I am also the schmuck that tips the courtesy van drivers, the guys at the car wash, my paper delivery boy, mail carrier and FedEx/UPS drivers at year's end, etc. It's all a very personal decision.

It's not a misconception. They get paid a full wage. Nothing wrong with it, but it is not expected. It is a personal decision, just like you tipping the FedEx guy. I don't do that but I think it is very nice of you to do so if you wish.

[thegales]

Originally Posted by kcashner

More likely it is that pdwimmer was in concierge (per previous posts). The porters don't take your luggage to your stateroom--the stateroom hosts do that after they have the rooms ready for incoming guests. The porters only take the bags to the holding area on the ship!

...

I also thought this was the case, but learned something new on our last cruise where we were directly across from the crew staircase/elevators midship. The door was opened, so we saw the luggage process. The porters were the ones bringing the suitcases to the floors, and the stateroom hosts were the ones bringing to the hallway outside the rooms. Mostly the porters used the elevators, but I saw some carrying luggage up the stairs.

[zealandsmom]

Originally Posted by thegales

I also thought this was the case, but learned something new on our last cruise where we were directly across from the crew staircase/elevators midship. The door was opened, so we saw the luggage process. The porters were the ones bringing the suitcases to the floors, and the stateroom hosts were the ones bringing to the hallway outside the rooms. Mostly the porters used the elevators, but I saw some carrying luggage up the stairs.

Yikes!!! Up the stairs? That sure puts tip into perspective!!!

[RedxPanda]

We tip $1-2 per bag. Just like we would at the curb at the airport. Our bags showed up shortly after rooms opened at 1:30. We also got to the port right after 11, I think that helped with delivery.

[Belle4]

To the OP - one bag for a family of four is very impressive!! I don't think I could even do that on a three day cruise lol!!

[socababy]

Originally Posted by jdb in AZ

On the 15-day Hawaiian cruise a couple at our table had only one carry-on each. No checked luggage. The mind boggles.

Wow! Between my friend and I, we had 10 bags for that cruise! Some were duffel bags, but still. Only a carry on is impressive!