Tipping on cruise?

Where we taken advantage of. I went on a cruise a few yrs ago and when we were getting our baggage checked the guys who were loading up our stuff. stuck his hand out like he was expected a tip. We were surprised by this. does this always happen. We hadnt even boarded the ship yet obviously. Are you supposed to tip these guys? We ended up giving him a tip cuz he just kept his hand out like he was waiting for something..this happend when i was 22 and my husband was 23 do you think they did that because they thought we were too young to know better or could tell we were newbies.....Is this a standard practice on cruises? If it were to happen again what should we have said or did? thanks

* we are planning on a cruise sometime in 08 or early 09...

we actually ended up giving these guys 10bucks..i feel we were taken advantage of. because tipping is a tip it shouldnt be expected and didnt know...I also didnt see anything in the packet about tipping at baggage check!

no dont tip! they tried to do that with me.....but my mom jumped in front of me and said uhuh!!!

how were u taken advantage of??? it was up to u to tip or not....IT IS customery to tip the porters one dollar or two wen there loading ur baggage....it even says this in the cruise documents u get b4 boarding!! i mean really its only a buck!!! i think that since most ppl do it they just expect it...yes it was rude for him to stick out his hand like that next time just give him a high five!! and then a buck..LOL
HAPPY CRUISIN!!!

The luggage porters don't work for the cruise line so the tips you pay the cruise line don't get to these service people.

It is customary to tip the luggage porters $1.00 per bag for loading and unloading your luggage at the cruise terminal. These guys don't earn a salary and the tips are their income for performing this service.

Also, it is customary to tip shore excursion tour guides while in port.

Cruise with a supply of $1, 5 and 10's in US dollars for these expenses.

Tipping the porters who take your bag is standard with all cruise lines and ports. The porters at some ports are more forceful than others in vying for a tip. But its just the same as any other time when you check into a hotel and the bell desk send your bags to your room. A tip of about $1.00 a bag is standard.

The people who take your bags at the sidewalk do not work for the cruise line and they take your bags to the ship's loading dock and then ships' personnel take them from there and distribute them to your cabin. The is no tipping for bag delivery on ship.

In that past situation you could have declined to tip or just given them a few dollars and they would have been satisfied. With that $10 tip they were elated!!!!!

We have never seen the guys that bring up the luggage. A 15% gratuity is added to your Sea Pass / Sail & Sign account. You have complete discretion to change it up or down. Some ppl reduce this and give their cabin steward and dining staff money directly, but I prefer the automatic route. That way, everyone on board shares in the tips, keeping in mind the security staff, the dancing girls, ppl that clean the pool, laundry, welders, countless other departments.
It's not necessary to tip the baggage handlers.
Bon Voyage!!!