There is a tiny, universally understood test that happens at every cruise terminal. You arrive with your suitcase, spot the bag drop-off sign, and suddenly eye contact with the porter becomes a high-stakes negotiation.
You hand over your luggage and debate the perfect amount like it is a scientific formula. One dollar shows appreciation. Five dollars sends a message. Nothing feels worse than walking away and wondering if you underpaid the person who will haul your bag up three staircases.
Sometimes you tip immediately. Sometimes you tuck cash in the luggage tag or plan to reward the cabin steward later. Either way, it becomes part of the pre-cruise ritual that reveals whether you are calm or still in full travel mode.
Tell us your approach at the bag drop. We promise we will not judge the math.
There is a tiny, universally understood test that…
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Yes always,
No, I never have done
If you want your bags to get on ship yess. I use to work on Explorer of the seas and and many times some of our passengers luggage ended up on Navigator of the seas that was in port next to us. I bet you they did not tip lol.
I tip $5 per bag. They work hard and if you pay all that money for your cruise and don’t tip shame on you!
We only carry a carry-on and a backpack. When we travel. We have had our luggage missing, misplaced. We don’t want to wait for our luggage.
I tip the porter before he carts off the luggage. He is a porter employee, I would have no chance meeting him on ship.
If I didn’t, they would have to have concerned me to the point where I wouldn’t trust them enough to handle my luggage. I usually tip a few dollars per bag.
ou wanna make sure your suitcase doesn’t end up in the wrong room 😂😂😂
Always tip because I want to make sure that my bags are to arrive in my stateroom. Who to they work for. The cruise line or the port. My assumption is the work for the port. Always tip because it’s the right thing to do.
Be the guy who did, not the cheapskate who didn’t. Be the example not the stereotype. Life is full of those moments.
I alway cash $100 bill into all $5 bills prior to the cruise. I tip generously the first few days of the cruise until I run out. The staff remembers you. I just consider it an expected expense of the cruise. Just my .02
Clearly everyone is from America, we don’t have this mad desire to tip our way through life in the UK, we just pay everyone a fair wage to start with. We are very polite with them though! 😊
Think about it. If the Porter is working a big ship with 6000 guest and there are 20 Porters that is 300 guest per Porter. At $10 per bag that would be $3000 for a half days work!!!
They never get less than 20 from me. And magically, our bags have never had a problem making it on our ship
Absolutely they depend on it. Plus can you imagine doing that most of the day. While your heading on a relaxing cruise. I can imagine the physical Therphy on their back they will need. At least give $5 per bag
Happily in Australia the mostly young people who handle the luggage are paid a decent living wage!
In Miami terminal A I tipped the porter my usual tip of $5 per bag. This man found a bench behind his area that my wife could sit on and then tracked down another wheelchair assistance porter to help us further. The tip was well worth it.
What you are tipping for is to have your bag set on the cart. The porter has nothing to do with getting your bags to your cabin. You can set your bag on the cart yourself if you wish.
Absolutely… I tip my Stuart, upon meet them and anyone else, that will be providing services for me and my lovely wife…I call it “Pre installed courtesy environment”. If you do it right and early…before they’ve even had a chance to do anything for you…they’ll provide you with a level of services that is V.I.P worthy.