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Butler Services


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I'd like to pose some questions to AZ PAX veterans, especially those who have previously enjoyed the assistance of a butler. We have had a butler once before, but were not sure what to expect, so we sort of stumbled around and didn't ask for much. On our upcoming Journey voyage, we will be fortunate to again have butler services. How do we maximize this feature? What sorts of things can the butler do to help, to make things easier, make the voyage more enjoyable?

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Just a few ideas. I'd say the best thing to do is be upfront and ask him. I'd probably leave that chat until after the first meeting when he is going around introducing himself because he will be busy then. Talk to him when he has a bit more time in the evening after the muster drill. I'm pretty low maintenance, but he will get some different pillows if you want them, take note of any dislikes food wise for the snacks (blue cheese is devil food to me!), get shoes polished if you want. He will make Specialty restaurant bookings, arrange and serve in room dining (give him notice for dinner, put the card out for breakfast). He brings tea round in the afternoon. If you are not sure you will be there on a daily basis and would still like something ask him to leave you something and tell him the sort of things you like. He normally does the tea round at 3.30/4.

 

Phil

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Just a few ideas. I'd say the best thing to do is be upfront and ask him. I'd probably leave that chat until after the first meeting when he is going around introducing himself because he will be busy then. Talk to him when he has a bit more time in the evening after the muster drill. I'm pretty low maintenance, but he will get some different pillows if you want them, take note of any dislikes food wise for the snacks (blue cheese is devil food to me!), get shoes polished if you want. He will make Specialty restaurant bookings, arrange and serve in room dining (give him notice for dinner, put the card out for breakfast). He brings tea round in the afternoon. If you are not sure you will be there on a daily basis and would still like something ask him to leave you something and tell him the sort of things you like. He normally does the tea round at 3.30/4.

 

 

 

Phil

 

 

Lots of good ideas here.

 

Like Phil we are low maintenance.

 

As an example, perhaps our most appreciated service was the delivery of grapes everyday rather than other fruits.

 

I'm certain that would be a small expectation to most cruisers, but we enjoyed having it met every day.

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your cabin peopel give you ice in the morning when they clean the room.. i tend to ask for ice around 3 or 4 on sea days. so my butler knows to leave some in the cabin then.. i find my butler had more breaks somewhere between 2 and 6 so i made sure of the ice and snack if i wanted it. .you can get jumbo jet shrimp to a sandwich at 4 pm. I learned quickly if i called room service for lunch or dinner in room the butler came with it so i just called him. he also the one who brings back your clean laundry if you send out laundry. he has even brought me a drink to the spa and found my missing room key that i left behind.

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of items you can order for snacks? Would that be in the cabin? Are there certain mixers available...eg. does the ship carry "Clamato" juice...or is that something my TA would have to special order? Diet tonic? Thanks!! LuAnn

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of items you can order for snacks? Would that be in the cabin? Are there certain mixers available...eg. does the ship carry "Clamato" juice...or is that something my TA would have to special order? Diet tonic? Thanks!! LuAnn

 

there is diet soda on ship- not sure if diet tonic.. can you bring your own from a market.. not sometihng i see in Europe.. not sure about the Clamato juices- i think not- do not drink bloody marys. your cabin has juices in fridge and you can switch out to what you like- as much as you like. my butler gives me tons of cranberry as i drink it in morning to night.

 

no real list.. some hot fried things- jumbo shrimps- cheese and crackers. . if you ask at breakfast in cabin he might get you melon etc.. but he needs notice.

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Melon is also part of the standard in suite breakfast.

 

My advice, do not seek out a list here, rather as Phil says explain to your butler what you would like, if it is possible, he will do it, but remember he will be very very busy on embarkation day so perhaps limit any requests then to the absolute essentials

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I'd like to pose some questions to AZ PAX veterans, especially those who have previously enjoyed the assistance of a butler. We have had a butler once before, but were not sure what to expect, so we sort of stumbled around and didn't ask for much. On our upcoming Journey voyage, we will be fortunate to again have butler services. How do we maximize this feature? What sorts of things can the butler do to help, to make things easier, make the voyage more enjoyable?

 

You might see the butler in action on this clip from last month.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Happy to report that we had success with our butler. It took a little bit of back-and-forth, sort of negotiating on what is possible, and working around some language communication issues. But after a couple of days we were on a roll. We are late risers and we were able to ask for fruit, juice, yogurt and lattes well after the normal room service and Windows were closed. No problem. And one night we had the butler serve an en-suite dinner for four, ordering off the Discoveries menu for the night. Very nice. Next time we will be well-prepared.

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Happy to report that we had success with our butler. It took a little bit of back-and-forth, sort of negotiating on what is possible, and working around some language communication issues. But after a couple of days we were on a roll. We are late risers and we were able to ask for fruit, juice, yogurt and lattes well after the normal room service and Windows were closed. No problem. And one night we had the butler serve an en-suite dinner for four, ordering off the Discoveries menu for the night. Very nice. Next time we will be well-prepared.

 

Windows closes at 11! your butler got the food early and kept in pantry- My butler does the same. never had a language problem. oh well!

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