News & Updates

Port Everglades/ILA Host Hospitality Training for Porters

January 15, 2024

Professional porters who are members of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1526 are participating in a hospitality training program designed to augment Port Everglades’ world-class service.

Porters’ primary role is to greet cruise guests, confirm stateroom numbers and stow guests’ luggage for embarkation. They also assist guests with their luggage upon their return.

“Porters are integral to the port’s success as they are often the first and last personal contact for our cruise guests,” said Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Jonathan Daniels. “I applaud the ILA for taking the initiative to offer customer-service training that enhances the experience for the nearly 4 million cruise guests we anticipate will travel through our port this cruise season.”

Approximately 250 porters are expected to participate in the two-hour training workshops that will be held at various dates in January.

“The interactive workshops are specifically designed to equip port porters with the best ways to deliver a well-received guest experience during the brief — and often rushed — time that they have with cruise guests,” said the training facilitator Pam Evans, Principal at The Evans Group of South Florida.

At the Broward County seaport, ILA members often work for both cargo and cruise operations. Third-party companies that offer shore and port services contract with the union to staff the cruise porter program at Port Everglades.