Balloon Man Posted May 6, 2013 #1 Share Posted May 6, 2013 We enjoy the extra space and amenities of suites with O but never fully utilise the service of butlers. On our recent Nautica cruise he brought orange juice and tea each morning and that was that. No complaint about him - he was charming. Yes, I know we could have made more use of him but never have and have never wanted to on all our cruises. So why not make butlers optional? If you DON'T want their services in a suite you save the gratuity - and the feeling that you should be finding something for them to do to justify their existence. If you DO want their services in another type of stateroom you should be able to opt-in and pay the additional gratuity. Logical? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted May 6, 2013 #2 Share Posted May 6, 2013 We enjoy the extra space and amenities of suites with O but never fully utilise the service of butlers. On our recent Nautica cruise he brought orange juice and tea each morning and that was that. No complaint about him - he was charming. Yes, I know we could have made more use of him but never have and have never wanted to on all our cruises. So why not make butlers optional? If you DON'T want their services in a suite you save the gratuity - and the feeling that you should be finding something for them to do to justify their existence. If you DO want their services in another type of stateroom you should be able to opt-in and pay the additional gratuity. Logical? Food for thought :D Although having them run all over the ship on all decks (as for opt-in for any cabin) seems very complicated and not very practical for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Caroldoll Posted May 6, 2013 #3 Share Posted May 6, 2013 or use another line. If you want a butler cruise where there is a butler. If you don't want to have a butler, go on a cheaper line without butlers and then you don't have to worry about tips. I think that the upscale lines have butlers and the people who are on those lines expect to pay the tips irregardless. My opinion only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted May 6, 2013 #4 Share Posted May 6, 2013 I could see the option of opting -out working but as Paul said it would be a logistical nightmare to opt in for other cabin Categories JMO I would not know what to do with a butler either ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted May 7, 2013 #5 Share Posted May 7, 2013 or use another line. If you want a butler cruise where there is a butler. If you don't want to have a butler, go on a cheaper line without butlers I do not think you need to go with another line you can just go with a lower cabin cat without a butler They do not have butlers for all the cabins on Oceania not everyone needs or wants a butler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted May 7, 2013 #6 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Or go with your large cabin, but don't use the butler. You'll pay his tips, yes, but in the scheme of things, that's small potatoes. I also rarely use a butler when I have one, but I admit until now I've been on a line that includes tips, so it's not an issue (and my coming O cruise has tips included as well, so I don't really care if I don't use the butler much.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted May 7, 2013 #7 Share Posted May 7, 2013 My husband and I would agree that one of the most enjoyable aspects of our Oceania cruise was having the service of our charming butler and his adept assistant butlers. He brought sunshine into the room each time he appeared, entering the room with a delightful "Good evening, good evening, may I come in?", just like the charming Transylvanian that he is. (So charming that I must admit that we—or should I say "I"—probably overtipped him and also the butler's pool, way above the required amounts.) It was our choice, and we had a lot of extra OBC on that cruise, so that paid for it, really, but our butler was so attentive and kind that we would book a suite again just for that attention to detail and level of service. We'd still tip more than the suggested amount (our choice), but not as much extra as before. If butlers were discontinued, we simply would not book a suite. I don't think anyone should be able to opt out of tipping butlers, either. It would be a scheduling nightmare, plus very unfair to the butler staff's income and perhaps to their own sense of worth. If you book a suite, expect to pay more for the gratuity. It's fair, I think. One cannot opt out of tips for dining room staff, even if one never sets foot in the restaurants and dines instead in one's stateroom, so why opt out of tipping a butler? I think it would hurt morale if someone could opt out of tipping, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Knitter Posted May 7, 2013 #8 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Having a Butler is great on port intensive itineraries. I return to my cabin, hors d'oeuvres are waiting, wine is chilled, etc. The plus for me when I do have one is ordering from the specialty restaurants and having the meal served in the cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondorner Posted May 7, 2013 #9 Share Posted May 7, 2013 or use another line. If you want a butler cruise where there is a butler. If you don't want to have a butler, go on a cheaper line without butlers and then you don't have to worry about tips. I think that the upscale lines have butlers and the people who are on those lines expect to pay the tips irregardless. My opinion only., On Oceania and Regent, you only get the butler by booking a penthouse suite or above. On NCL, arguably one of the "cheaper" lines, booking a suite will get you both a butler and the services of an exclusive concierge. Butlers are not unique to upscale lines... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted May 7, 2013 #10 Share Posted May 7, 2013 The butlers help make our experience outstanding. Meals from the specialty restaurants is a wonderful perk of a large suite with it's own dinning table. We never have to leave the suite for anything knowing the butler will think of what we want before even we do. Yes they are worth the big tips we give them and hopefully that great service will always continue on O.:D Don't want a butler they won't bother you!;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie60 Posted May 7, 2013 #11 Share Posted May 7, 2013 We book a Penthouse Suite on Oceania party because of the Butler. We too didn't know exactly how to utilize his services but it only took a few days to realize he was thinking of how he might make our cruise even better: Reidel wine glasses in our suite every day; fresh ice at just the right times; extra bottles of Evian water (we don't drink soft drinks or juices); canapes every afternoon -- special service of extra wine glasses and canapes when we entertained other Cruise Critic folks in our suite before dinner -- course by course dining from Polo Grill and Toscana -- I could go on and on. People - if you have a butler, make his/her day by making sure they have the option to serve you - that's what they are there for!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohmark Posted May 8, 2013 #12 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Meals from the specialty restaurants is a wonderful perk of a large suitewith it's own dinning table.;) And a wonderfulperk of Penthouse suites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swissyrescue Posted May 9, 2013 #13 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Here are some tips on how we found creative ways to use our butler: 1) Deviate from the regular in-suite breakfast card. Look at the bottom of the card -- it says "Extended menu available upon request". Ask for that menu from your Butler, then have fun ordering from it. 2) If you love specialty coffees, have your butler bring them to you. I love having a cappuchino every morning with my in-suite breakfast. I'd just write in "cappuchino" on my morning breakfast card and, voila! I have a cappuchino with my breakfast. 3) So, you can't get into that specialty restaurant on the day you want? Well, just order in! Let your Butler know the night before that you want dinner from Toscana, Jacques, wherever. Then have your Butler deliver it to you in suite that night. No, you're not in the restaurant itself, but at least you get to enjoy the food. 4) Special water, sodas, whatever? My husband loves Coke Zero (not diet Coke). So, before the voyage, we alerted Oceania that we wanted our mini-fridge to remain stocked with Coke Zero. Voila! Done. Our Butler ensured our fridge was always stocked. 5) When there are problems... have your Butler do the leg work. The laundry service "lost" our dry cleaning. We asked our Butler to track it down so we didn't have to keep making phone calls and tracking it down ourselves. We should start a thread: "101 Ways to Utilize Your Oceania Butler", LOL. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playtennis Posted May 9, 2013 #14 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Here are some tips on how we found creative ways to use our butler: We should start a thread: "101 Ways to Utilize Your Oceania Butler", LOL. :D YES!!! Please do. Our next O cruise will be in a PH and being very much a DIYer and a person who often says, "Oh, don't bother, I'll do it myself", I would greatly appreciate suggestions on what a butler can, will & should do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted May 11, 2013 #15 Share Posted May 11, 2013 YES!!! Please do. Our next O cruise will be in a PH and being very much a DIYer and a person who often says, "Oh, don't bother, I'll do it myself", I would greatly appreciate suggestions on what a butler can, will & should do. From experience, if you cant think of how a butler might help you then probably you really don't need one.. On a 36 day cruise in the past found a butler more intrusive than helpful to the enjoyment of our cabin. I guess the concept of having a "servant" seemed to go against our attitude. Asking someone to do menial tasks that we could do easily ourselves felt uncomfortable and out of character. A little too much like " upstairs-down stairs" and a bit, to me silly. On the other hand if your a person who craves that attention then you might enjoy it. As for tipping. if you book a cabin that comes with a butler, you don't have to use them, but should respect the standard tip as part of the cruise price.... it comes with the territory that you selected. Your choice is thus your responsibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playtennis Posted May 11, 2013 #16 Share Posted May 11, 2013 DW and I are both DIYers in the sense that we will do menial things that need to be done rather than ask someone else. Therefore, a butler will be a pure over-the-top luxury for us. For a 20 day cruise we thought that the extra room in a PH would be good to have. As we both liked the Toscana menu we will have a meal or two from there in our suite. BTW: WWII, Korea and/or ??? I am a retired SWO having served from 69-95 Maybe one of these cruises we will cross paths and swap stories. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted May 11, 2013 #17 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Has anyone booked a PH and told the butler he was not needed? Any problems with this? Some people may want the extra space but not the extra attention I think if you are in a PH or upper suite you should be able to Opt -Out if that is your choice JMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted May 11, 2013 #18 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Has anyone booked a PH and told the butler he was not needed?Any problems with this? Some people may want the extra space but not the extra attention I think if you are in a PH or upper suite you should be able to Opt -Out if that is your choice JMO The butler would find that an insult! Remember even if you just want coffee in the morning it will be brought by the butler. It's hard to picture anyone never making some use of the butler and IMHO quite sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted May 11, 2013 #19 Share Posted May 11, 2013 The butler would find that an insult! Remember even if you just want coffee in the morning it will be brought by the butler. It's hard to picture anyone never making some use of the butler and IMHO quite sad. I do not find it sad....it is a personal choice We do not drink coffee/tea in the morning, we do not eat in our cabin unless we are sick Some people may just want the extra space as I mentioned above Lyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted May 11, 2013 #20 Share Posted May 11, 2013 A butler is not a servant. He/she is a professional who is there to make your trip more enjoyable. That is his job just like whatever we do is our job. To not use him/her because you consider them a servant means you should not allow waiters to bring your meals. the stewardess to clean you room etc. None of these people are servants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaiidan Posted May 16, 2013 #21 Share Posted May 16, 2013 He is a person dedicated and trained to provide service and function "above" the required norm He is extra frosting on an already frosted cake.. My point is that waiters, stewards bus boys, are persons required to deliver the norm of basic required service. Butlers.however, are to serve the whims and whimsy above that which is required or necessary.. DO you reall need some one to pack for you regulary and call to make dinner reservations? A service well in excess of the basic norm. Not being demanding or wanting of any special desire other than to have a serene cruise, I have never found the need nor the necessity to require one in the past 40 years......If you do great.. But for me no!, Yes, service for the non necessity I find entering the area of servitude....Requiring or requesting things beyond the range of your normal needs.. But as I said that me.:cool: I dress my self, take my own bath or shower and make reservations as necessary. Its not real hard and pretty menial.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted May 16, 2013 #22 Share Posted May 16, 2013 Nobody "needs" anything on a cruise including the cruise itself. By this logic one could ask why not go to a cabin on the lake, cook for yourself, change your own sheets etc. Do you really "need" people to do that for you? Of course not but if one wants to pay for that privilege no one should look down their noses at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted May 17, 2013 #23 Share Posted May 17, 2013 On the other hand if your a person who craves that attention then you might enjoy it. One does not have to be "a person who craves attention" in order to appreciate having a butler. We thought of our butler as more of an executive, and that is how he carried himself. He was in charge of our housekeeping staff, among other things, and he ensured that everything went smoothly (well, except for the extremely bumpy ride when the engine was in disrepair). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joysav Posted May 17, 2013 #24 Share Posted May 17, 2013 One does not have to be "a person who craves attention" in order to appreciate having a butler. We thought of our butler as more of an executive, and that is how he carried himself. He was in charge of our housekeeping staff, among other things, and he ensured that everything went smoothly (well, except for the extremely bumpy ride when the engine was in disrepair). "We thought of our butler as more of an executive" Give us a break. An Oceania Butler is Glorified Lacky. It is apparent from these posts that they cannot fulfil what Oceania promises. Real Butlers / Personal Chefs / Personal Assistants / Captain of your Yacht/Ship are for the most part regarded as Family . . Its a bit like the people over on the Forum with the really big ships going on about Junior Suites. As I pointed out these Junior Suites are a fraction bigger ,but are excluded from all others perks/ benefit's that other Suites get. I did suggest that it was a deliberate Marketing Ploy by RCI to make these available to a certain type of passenger to go home and brag that we stayed in a Junior Suite. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieK Posted May 17, 2013 #25 Share Posted May 17, 2013 It has been my experience that the butlers we have had the pleasure of interacting with have always fulfilled oceania's promises. We have had course by course meals from specialty restaurants many times in PH's, OC's and OS's. Never a complaint. Some are friendlier than others, Some more talkative. In the end, we have NEVER been disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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