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When we arrived at the port, we were greeted with a very long line of cars waiting to get in. While we had about $180 in cash on us, we had no clue we would need any of that money prior to getting onto the boat. As we got up to the parking garage it had a sign that said their credit machine was broken and the cost was $60 cash.
No problem.
We pull up and they had lines directing you into on the lower level of the parking garage and then they told us to get out. Remember, we have never been on a cruise before so we were sorta just going with the flow. A guy was there and said he was taking our bags, then we could go park the car.
I had zero idea that someone would be taking my bags from me in the parking garage and there wouldn’t be some sort of check in system. Let me remind you, we only had 20′s and were not prepared at all to tip someone for baggage. Chris asked him if he could break a $20. He said no. We had (1)$1 bill on us. Chris gave him that for our 2 bags and apologized and said we only had $20s. If he couldn’t break it, unfortunately that was all we had.
We got in the car and we did feel terrible. Chris has been a bellman before in his life and we understand the service industry. We are normally tippers, but to be honest, we would have only tipped him about $3 as it was. He wasn’t extra helpful and someone else came over to answer a question I had, so its not like this guy earned anything extra for superior service.
However, we could tell he was pissed off. He kept standing over and walking and looking at me and then looking at Chris. It’s not like it was a deliberate planning of no tipping someone. But I will say that I get irritated when people expect a tip, rather than earn a tip. We got in our car, went up a level and parked right by the elevator so it wasn’t a far walk with our carry ons.
The garage is only used for the cruise line so it was all vacationers parking.
We got back today and the back of our car had been deliberately keyed with a very large letter on our SUV. Its not a walk by with keys, its a letter. Someone stood there and did it. Since the cruise wasn’t overrun by teenagers or kids and I cant imagine a little old lady keying in her name on my car trunk, I honestly believe this guy came up and keyed our car over it.
I know that parking garages don’t technically have fault on car damage, but if one of their employees did it, they would. And i bet they have security cameras in that place because its a port and it was heavy security upon checking in.
I don’t really know how to file a complaint, but I am pretty pissed off. Should I file a police report and make the allegation, should I call the port, should I call the parking garage? I do not have the guys name, but I imagine it cannot be all the hard to find out who took our luggage since they write down the cabin information.
I don’t really feel like letting it go.
~Trisha
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Okay, so apparently I’m the only person who would let it go. But, I would. I would be pissed, but in the end, it’s just a car. I’m also pretty sure that you would call and go through a bunch of people telling you nothing can be done and then you will just get more pissed. Not worth it to get worked up again, in my opinion.
I might file it with my insurance. I don’t know though, depends on how bad it looks I guess. Dealing with cars is a lot of trouble, so I’m not even sure I would bother. But then, I’ve never had a new car either.
Good luck with your decision.
Is there a camera? Most parking garages have those now. I’d inquire with the company to see if it was caught on tape, and do as another reader suggested and contact the company.
Maybe you can write a letter to the company that the guy works for. Explain how he acted when he didn’t receive a big tip, and the vandalism you found when you got back. The company will realize that nobody can be sure that the vandal was him, but they can hold him responsible for his behavior about not getting the tip. If it’s a good company, they will have a meeting with him and let you know that they did. Good luck!
I would hunt that SOB down and use my own key to carve a letter T right into his forehead as a constant reminder not to eff with TRISHA.
But I’m just psycho like that.
Or you could call and report it… Either way.
That’s really sad that someone would do that. People are so ignorant it’s amazing.
What’s even more sad is that you can’t prove that the guy did it.
I’d report it. It’s not like you’re going to deliberately key a letter on your car. If nothing else, you’ll have to file a claim under your insurance policy, and it *should* fall under your comprehensive coverage since it was vandalism, and you’ll just have to pay what your deductible there is. A pain in the ass, yes. Right, no. But at least you wouldn’t have to pay for a full new paint job.
I wouldn’t drop it, that’s a big deal. And that’s one reason they have security cameras. I totally bet it was that guy.
That is so stinking awful, of course that jerk did it. GRR…I’d call and file a report with the police.
Are you friggin’ kidding me! That is so messed up. I would file a police report, and contact the company.
I’m so sorry!! What a crappy way to end a vacation, and that guy just sounded creepy even before you mentioned the scratch (or should we say “carving”) on your car. It had to be him. Hopefully they have cameras – and you would be able to identify him right?
I would contact all of the places you mentioned – just to cover all of your bases. Unfortunately, they may not be able to do anything, but if you could at least get that guy in trouble – he needs to be caught. All over a tip…I would be so pissed too…
Call. NOW. I too wouldn’t have left if I had seen it but since you didn’t you need to call as soon as possible.
That’s royally sucks!
What letter is it?
For sure you need to call and report it.
That is RIDICULOUS! File a report with the cruise, definitely, and a police report while you’re at it!
Call the police. Your insurance company will probably insist on it anyway, I think. Even if you didn’t tip at all, that was criminal.
sheesh, I would not be able to let that go. keep us updated!
@ Stefanie:
the letter was “A” Chris said like Asshole.
Seriously, not our fault he couldn’t break a $20.
Well I would still file a police report! What was the letter? I bet if you called the place where you parked and complained BIG TIME and told them if it wasnt fixed you would A) report them to the BBB. B) You’ll take them to Judge Judy! lol or C) You’ll blog about them! lol I hope you can get it fixed!
Stefanie wrote:
I didnt see it till we had left the garage. We stopped for gas on the way home and as I came around the car, I saw it on the trunk. I didnt know about it while there but it was NOT there when we dropped the car off. It happened while on the cruise.
OMG, what a terrible experience! That over a tip??? That guy has issues. I would file a police report and when you do tell them you have a good idea who did it, but no proof. I’d ask for a recommendation on how to proceed from the police. I would also def file a complaint with the parking garage company…with bill in hand for repairs and ask them to review their tapes so you can file an insurance claim.
Oh no, see I wouldn’t have left the parking garage until i made a police report because then you have proof that it happened there! Good luck! I would still make one! Did you happen to take a pic of it in the garage before you left?