Butler

While we have cruised a lot this will be our very first cruise with Regent and our very first cruise with a Butler. So may I ask you experienced Regent cruisers what does a butler do and just as importantly what can I do to help my butler help me?

We sail our on our first Regent cruise with butler service in August, so I can't speak from first hand experience. I did however find this cruisecritic article that was helpful.

Your Butler (and Steward/Stewardess) will call in to your suite on the afternoon of boarding to introduce themselves and confirm any special requests.

Your Butler will:

• Assist with unpacking/packing (if requested)
  
• Keep your suite stocked with your choice of spirits, mixers, beers and soft drinks
  
• Deliver early evening canapés of your choice
  
• Arrange speciality restaurant bookings
  
• Collect & deliver laundry, pressing & dry cleaning as required (charges involved)
  
• Clean & polish your shoes
  
• Deliver morning coffee or breakfast in your suite if required
  
• Be your initial 'go-to' person for any questions or issues you have during your cruise
  

In order to allow your Butler to 'buttle' efficiently and effectively just ensure that you tell him/her clearly what you require. You can contact your Butler via a paging system on the phone in your suite.

Before your cruise you can indicate some of your preferences by filling in the Butler Request Form on the 'My Account' section of the Regent website.

Hope you have an enjoyable first cruise on Regent :)

We found the use of the butler to be nothing but an expensive addition to the fare, we know how to pick up the phone and make reservations and your room steward does stocks your bar and fulfills most of the same service that your butler would do.

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I haven't cruised on Regent yet-but soon. On "O" we always have a Butler and enjoy the service, and I hoping Regent is even better. We think they make the trip a lot better than without one. Don't forget they can do things for you off the ship also. And if you have a party in your suite for a few friends, everything is done for you-and you get to have fun. And the best thing is breakfast---the service is done right. To be honest, wouldn't have one at home---but on a cruise, 100% yes.

Rick

Agree pretty much with all above posts. Yes, your Steward(ess) can handle most things (not all) that butlers can do, but butlers do them better and are more available to you (except during their afternoon breaks when there is an on-call butler).

We try to not ask our butler to unpack for us as he is extraordinary busy on the day of embarkation - trying to insure that all of the suites that he handles is properly taken care of (he would certainly do it but we try to be considerate of his time). We have had help from our butler when we have changed suites on a B2B cruise.

We do not find the butlers better on Regent. One of our favorite butlers (formerly on Regent) is now on Oceania and our favorite butler ever was on an Oceania cruise.

Regent does allow for a party with limited guests in Grand and Master Suites (on the Regent Suite on Explorer they have a dedicated butler and can likely have a party every night if they wish). We have arranged our own get togethers with the assistance of our butler (ordering extra canapés and drink mixes in our suite for our guests - we generally have enough alcohol there). If passengers in PH, Seven Seas Suites or Mariner/Navigator/Voyager Suites want a party, they can charge for it (we attended one on the Explorer and forget how much they paid per guest but it was reasonable).

In terms of breakfast, if you do not have a butler, you will still receive a full breakfast and set-up in your suite.

Strongly suggest making dining reservations as soon as they become available on the Regent website (same with excursions). If you need to make a change to them or want to request additional reservations, your butler will assist.

We do not treat a butler like a servant as that is not what they are. We interact with him - learn about his life at home, his family, future goals, etc. He will try to make your cruise a special one and they are almost always successful in doing that:D

Thank you so much everyone for your input. As I mentioned, this will be our first experience with a Butler and it came about more by fate than choice as we had been waitlisted for our cruise and the first opening (which we jumped on because this cruise will be an Anniversary Celebration) happened to be in a PH which comes with a Butler so, as I hoped, Cruise Critic members have come to the rescue with advice that helps us and hopefully the Butler as we are introduced to a new way of cruising.

To those who have mentioned the ability to use the butler for breakfast service...would that mean that when ordering you should dial the butler instead of room service?

To those who have mentioned the ability to use the butler for breakfast service...would that mean that when ordering you should dial the butler instead of room service?

Technically yes but if you do dial room service, your butler will deliver your breakfast!

OMG, TC is right. The butler is there for you for everything. I THINK her favorite is our favorite. Pritam is the word. He is now on Oceania, but we do Oceania all the time. What I do it have a written list of what I like/do not like. We do not do any hosted tables and we do no accept any invitations from any of the crew, we want certain things in our cabin (a bottle of Titos) which is important to us. We almost always do the top suite, we we have done a lot of the others. Our butler is always there for us. We just push "the number" and he arranges dinner reservations and helps us off if we want to get off early at the end of the cruise. A butler is "just everything". Enjoy.

Your butler on the ship will pretty much do all the things that your butler at home does. :-).

The Butler we like best is on "O" Mr. Churchill. Really nice and attention to detail. Never in your face, but always thinking ahead of you. It's a nice touch and makes the cruise so much better.

In addition to serving small dinner parties in your cabin (course by course or all at once, as you prefer), if you so desire your butler will accompany your spouse to the dining room (e.g. for a special occasion), or accompany solo travellers to the dining room. A small additional special touch.

We've been butled and not. The only thing I'd recommend is making on-board dinner reservations directly. Your butler serves several suites and will take the information from you, but it almost certainly won't be the first thing he does. More importantly, if you call and ask for 7 PM and they say nothing available, but 6:30 or 8:00, you can decide which works best for you. Otherwise you need to give the butler a very specific set of instructions covering all possibilities. Actually, now with the dedicated dining reservations desk on Explorer (and I think someone said they were or have added this to the other ships), I'd go there. Easy to have them tell you all the options for all the restaurants which besides the date and time include whether you want your own table or are willing to share. Hint: if you are willing to share, your odds of getting the restaurant you want at the date and time you want goes up dramatically.

And, of course, like previously recommended, make on-line reservations in advance.

We've also been "butled and not". :D

I don't mind having a butler, but frankly I'm just as happy without one. The butlers we've had have been excellent - and we still talk about the dinner Ryan set up for us a few years back. But between our excellent cabin stewards and room service, and frankly the overall ease of getting in touch with people willing to help with any questions we may have, a butler is sometimes a bit of overkill for us.

Last summer we took my in-laws to the Mediterranean with us and they got upgraded to a butler cabin - they were both like, "Why do we need a butler? We don't need a butler. Trade cabins with us - we don't want a butler." But by the second day, we'd stop by their cabin for drinks and my father-in-law was all about "Hang on, let me call our butler for more wine. I'll have him bring snacks, too." It didn't take him long to get used to being butled.

Man, is it August yet?!?

I can't believe it's July already...

Your Butler (and Steward/Stewardess) will call in to your suite on the afternoon of boarding to introduce themselves and confirm any special requests.

 

Your Butler will:

• Assist with unpacking/packing (if requested)
  
• Keep your suite stocked with your choice of spirits, mixers, beers and soft drinks
  
• Deliver early evening canapés of your choice
  
• Arrange speciality restaurant bookings
  
• Collect & deliver laundry, pressing & dry cleaning as required (charges involved)
  
• Clean & polish your shoes
  
• Deliver morning coffee or breakfast in your suite if required
  
• Be your initial 'go-to' person for any questions or issues you have during your cruise
  

In order to allow your Butler to 'buttle' efficiently and effectively just ensure that you tell him/her clearly what you require. You can contact your Butler via a paging system on the phone in your suite.

 

Before your cruise you can indicate some of your preferences by filling in the Butler Request Form on the 'My Account' section of the Regent website.

 

 

Hope you have an enjoyable first cruise on Regent :)

What type of offerings are available for the afternoon/evening snacks?

What type of offerings are available for the afternoon/evening snacks?

There is a menu and I'm trying to remember what is on it. I know that there are hot and cold canapés and I believe shrimp and a few other things. The main reason that I'm posting this time is to remind you that there is an over-the-top "tea" with sandwiches, decadent desserts, scones with clotted cream etc. at 4:30 p.m, your butler delivers canapés at 5:00 pm. and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. While we occasionally have canapés in our suite, we generally forego it so that we'll be hungry for dinner.

Note: Caroldoll, Pritham is one of our favorite butlers that is now on Oceania but our very favorite is also on Oceania -- I do not recall his name. He was over the top - better than I have ever seen!

There is a menu and I'm trying to remember what is on it. I know that there are hot and cold canapés and I believe shrimp and a few other things

Thanks TC. We will check it out once onboard. I am hoping that in addition to the more formal canapés, we will have the flexibility (on occasion) to get more simple selections, such as mixed nuts, chips, etc.

are we tied to a menu for room service?

I wouldn't use my butler for this (not really sure what I'd use him for)

If I fancied in the evening a small dish of cheesy nachos would they oblige?

What type of offerings are available for the afternoon/evening snacks?

From memory:

• Shrimp
  
• Crab legs
  
• Parma Ham & Melon
  
• Cheese
  
• Crudités & dips
  
• Hot Canapés
  

Probably some more alternatives - your Butler will give you a menu.

We seldom take the offer of early evening canapés, unless we have friends in for drinks. As others have said, we like to leave room for Dinner ;p

For those without the services of a Butler, canapés are available in the bars before Dinner :cool:

Thanks TC. We will check it out once onboard. I am hoping that in addition to the more formal canapés, we will have the flexibility (on occasion) to get more simple selections, such as mixed nuts, chips, etc.

We have mixed nuts and chips in our suite - refilled daily. It sounds as if you haven't filled out your Butler Form yet. This is where you can specify many things including alcohol choices, fruit and snack choices, whether you want a duvet or blanket on your bed, etc. Go to the rssc.com website, then to 'My Account' to set everything up. Then you can add your cruise (booking number, dates, etc.) and you will see the Butler Form. You can change and/or update it as many times as you wish.

garyb(uk), you ask a good question. While nachos are to on the Room Service Menu, I assume that they would do their best to accommodate your request. During the day, nachos are made at the Pool Grill (the worst thing they have on their menu IMO - but if you are not used to authentic nachos, they may be fine -- just don't expect salsa).

From memory:

• Shrimp
  
• Crab legs
  
• Parma Ham & Melon
  
• Cheese
  
• Crudités & dips
  
• Hot Canapés
  

Probably some more alternatives - your Butler will give you a menu.

 

We seldom take the offer of early evening canapes, unless we have friends in for drinks. As others have said, we like to leave room for Dinner ;p

 

 

For those without the services of a Butler, canapés are available in the bars before Dinner :cool:

Thanks!

We have mixed nuts and chips in our suite - refilled daily. It sounds as if you haven't filled out your Butler Form yet. This is where you can specify many things including alcohol choices, fruit and snack choices, whether you want a duvet or blanket on your bed, etc. Go to the rssc.com website, then to 'My Account' to set everything up. Then you can add your cruise (booking number, dates, etc.) and you will see the Butler Form. You can change and/or update it as many times as you wish.

 

garyb(uk), you ask a good question. While nachos are to on the Room Service Menu, I assume that they would do their best to accommodate your request. During the day, nachos are made at the Pool Grill (the worst thing they have on their menu IMO - but if you are not used to authentic nachos, they may be fine -- just don't expect salsa).

Thanks again TC! Actually, this is exactly what I had in mind. We will likely forego the formal canapés, and rely on the stocked snacks like chips and nuts if we feel peckish in the afternoon. Thank you for the reminder on the Butler Form. This will be our first Regent cruise, and I'm finding I need to keep a checklist of all the things we need to do. ;) We've scheduled our excursions, and I've got a reminder on my Google calendar when our dining reservations open up. Now I need to add another reminder about the Butler Form! How far in advance do most folks submit that?

How about doing the Butler Form now? That way you don't have to remember to do it:D.

P.S. flossie, crab legs were not on the butler menu in March - not sure if they have returned or not - perhaps it is seasonal.

How about doing the Butler Form now? That way you don't have to remember to do it:D.

 

 

P.S. flossie, crab legs were not on the butler menu in March - not sure if they have returned or not - perhaps it is seasonal.

Hope the spanakopita is still on the butler menu!

TC2 - On our next cruise on the Explorer we will have the option of a cocktail party for eight in our suite. Will our butler be dedicated to our suite for that time (and would you know how long?). Will there be another butler covering for him in his usual suites?