Butlers

[cpinstein]

So what do you have a butler do for you that enhances your cruise? Just bought the upgrade to a PH suite and am really curious.

 

Thanks.

[Playtennis]

You may want to search the word "butler" on this site. There are plenty of suggestions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruisingxpert]

You may want to search the word "butler" on this site. There are plenty of suggestions.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Unfortunately, the search option has been disabled for days now. Hope it will be restored soon.

 

CJ

[Travelcat2]

Looks like most of us are too lazy to respond today:-) Our butler brings canapes in the afternoon, has my DH's shoes shined, makes dining reservations -- has made and cancelled excursion reservations for us and is there quickly if we are in need of assistance. Instead of wondering who to call if you need something, just call your butler and he will contact the necessary department. He also does the set-up (tablecloth on the table, etc.) when we want to dine in-suite. Butlers can pack and/or unpack but this is not something we ask of them.

 

Butlers are also a great source of information. We discuss the ports with them and have learned where to get some excellent local food (inexpensive). And, if you do not have included internet onboard, they know the best places to go for WiFi on shore:)

 

As a side note, if we utilize butler services frequently, we do tip more than the automatic tip that is put onto your account ($7 per day for penthouse suites).

[rallydave]

As a side note, if we utilize butler services frequently, we do tip more than the automatic tip that is put onto your account ($7 per day for penthouse suites).

 

Am absolutely shocked with the above statement. On the Regent board you have extremely often commented that any extra tips above the included should be put into the "Crew Fund" yet here on the Oceania Board you are stating that you tip the Butler extra.

 

Shouldn't people put extra tips into a Crew Fund to cover the many people who help the Butler provide all of these extras???

[Travelcat2]

Am absolutely shocked with the above statement. On the Regent board you have extremely often commented that any extra tips above the included should be put into the "Crew Fund" yet here on the Oceania Board you are stating that you tip the Butler extra.

 

Shouldn't people put extra tips into a Crew Fund to cover the many people who help the Butler provide all of these extras???

 

Oceania isn't Regent. There is little about Oceania that resembles Regent. Oceania is tip based - Regent is not. You will be less "shocked" when you sail on Oceania.

[orchestrapal]

Am absolutely shocked with the above statement. On the Regent board you have extremely often commented that any extra tips above the included should be put into the "Crew Fund" yet here on the Oceania Board you are stating that you tip the Butler extra.

 

Shouldn't people put extra tips into a Crew Fund to cover the many people who help the Butler provide all of these extras???

 

I have never even heard of a Crew Fund on O and of course would never give my butler's tip that way. Our butlers have always earned and deserved whatever extra tip we gave them.

[LHT28]

I have never even heard of a Crew Fund on O and of course would never give my butler's tip that way. Our butlers have always earned and deserved whatever extra tip we gave them.

 

On Regent the gratuities are included in the price of admission

People are encouraged NOT to tip extra but donate to the crew fund

Oceania is operated differently

[wripro]

Fro me the most valuable thing a butler can do, if he/she is good, is get extra restaurant reservations. Other then that I have him deliver breakfast. That's about it.

[cpinstein]

Thanks everyone.

[Playtennis]

Looks like most of us are too lazy to respond today:-) Our butler brings canapes in the afternoon, has my DH's shoes shined, makes dining reservations -- has made and cancelled excursion reservations for us and is there quickly if we are in need of assistance. Instead of wondering who to call if you need something, just call your butler and he will contact the necessary department. He also does the set-up (tablecloth on the table, etc.) when we want to dine in-suite. Butlers can pack and/or unpack but this is not something we ask of them.

 

Butlers are also a great source of information. We discuss the ports with them and have learned where to get some excellent local food (inexpensive). And, if you do not have included internet onboard, they know the best places to go for WiFi on shore:)

 

As a side note, if we utilize butler services frequently, we do tip more than the automatic tip that is put onto your account ($7 per day for penthouse suites).

 

"Most of us..."??? Since I was, at the time you made your post, the only one who responded....

I appreciate your understanding that: 1) I was using my iPhone and didn't really have access to search tools as effortlessly as being at the computer, 2) wanted to give some guidance to someone who may have been a new blogger on the O site and wanted a response quickly, 3) did not understand that the search function was down...and posted a polite suggestion to the OP

but

maybe I was just being lazy (BTW may name and the word "lazy" have never been used in the same sentence together - except by my mother when I was 15:roll eyes:

Edited February 26, 2014 by Playtennis

[Travelcat2]

"Most of us..."??? Since I was, at the time you made your post, the only one who responded....

I appreciate your understanding that: 1) I was using my iPhone and didn't really have access to search tools as effortlessly as being at the computer, 2) wanted to give some guidance to someone who may have been a new blogger on the O site and wanted a response quickly, 3) did not understand that the search function was down...and posted a polite suggestion to the OP

but

maybe I was just being lazy (BTW may name and the word "lazy" have never been used in the same sentence together - except by my mother when I was 15:roll eyes:

 

Really was not referring to you at all. Many people including myself read the OPs question and did not respond (there were many "views" on the thread and no real responses). A while later I noticed that there were still no responses so I decided to stop being lazy and write something.

 

BTW, I am rather happy that the search function isn't working. While doing a search works to some extent, on the Regent board a few days ago, someone resurrected a 2006 thread with information so old that the responses pertained to how things were under the former owner. So, it appears that "search" was working long enough for someone to dredge that up:)

[ronrick1943]

Started to think about this, a butler really does a lot for you besides the normal stuff. However when they bring you breakfast, they lay it out every morning at the time you ask--then when we get up it's ready for us (we just like coffee and rolls). The butler will make you a cocktail, bring the type of snack you enjoy. Make sure your cabin is made up as soon as you leave. Making sure whatever you want (in reason) you'll have. It's really a great way to enjoy your time on the ship. And yes we tip the butler extra for those services, not because we should but because we want too.

Rick

[Bruin Steve]

Okay...my take...

 

Last Oceania cruise, I was on the Marina in an Oceania Suite

 

Note: I've also had Butler service on Celebrity. Once on Celebrity Summit, we had two Sky Suites--one for us, one for our daughters (then 18 and 20). We couldn't figure out what to use the Butler for...but the girls had him running around like crazy--serving them breakfast in their suite, bringing them DVDs for the TV, setting them up with Spa Appointments, etc.

 

Now, on Marina, our Butler service was beyond great...We were actually served by a Butler AND an Assistant Butler...plus a Cabin Steward with two assistants. Our Butlers brought us Canapes, they brought mixers for our bar...They exchanged a bottle of Gin (which I don't drink) for an extra bottle of Black Label Scotch (which I do)...Occasionally, if he happened to be by when I was about to get a drink, he played bartender and mixed the drink for me. He showed me how to work the balcony Jacuzzi...dealt with the TV reception problems...brought me daily newspapers. When we wanted to host two other couples in a specialty restaurant toward the end of the cruise, he set up the reservation for the six of us--and at an "in-demand" time...

 

Overall, the service was incredible...

 

OTOH, the Oceania cruise before that was on Nautica...in a Concierge cabin. There we had no Butler...but we did get great service from our cabin steward--who set up breakfasts in our cabin and did everything else we could think of asking.

 

So, overall, is a Butler REALLY necessary? For me, no...The service is great Butler or not...

However, OTOH, the additional tip is a pittance compared to what you are overall spending on the cruise. The crew, generally, deserves much more than "standard" gratuities...If you have a category that includes Butler Service, then, great...just go with it...It really adds a special quality to the experience--even if you can't think of much to ask the guy...

[cpinstein]

We also once had a sky suite on Celebrity, and we loved our butler. But it was because our whole family was on, and the Butler would take care of them whenever they came to visit. When he heard the grandkids running down the hall, he would go get ice cream. Needless to say, they loved him.

 

My 5 year old asked how we got him. He wanted to know if we ordered the butler off the menu. Just curious what to ask in terms of just 2 adults. You've all been very helpful.

[ronrick1943]

CPINSTEIN,

 

You know were just two adults also, and so what-you use the butler for whatever makes your vacation the best for you, that's what it's all about. We only cruise in a suite with a butler, not because we think we're better than others--because we sure don't have butler at home (and no one knows we have a suite on the ship, except the butler). But on vacation we're lucky to be able to afford one, and we really want a great vacation. We've worked hard to get what we have, so why not enjoy life the way you want, and having on a butler on the ship is part of it doing the things everyone else said.

Rick

[Lane412000]

The main reason we use the butler is to set up dinner in the suite after a long day on land. We will coordinate what we would like for dinner before leaving the ship in the morning and what time we would like dinner in the evening. Usually we get back to the cabin and the table is set. He confirms that we would still like dinner at a certain time and then begins to deliver the food.

 

This way we are not rushed to take a shower or bath to get down to the main dining room or one of the specialty restaurants. We are able to get back to the cabin and relax after a long day in port.

[traveler916]

We have had a butler in our suite on a few cruises.

 

For us, food is they key

 

as mentioned above, the butler brings canapes in the afternoon. You can get a menu the day before to decide what he should bring (DW likes cheese; I like the chicken wings). Breakfast or lunch or dinner in the suite - he handles it all. Dining reservations. Keeping the fridge stocked with water, ice. Basically...whatever needs to be done.

 

I am an early, early riser and was able to have the assistant butler bring breakfast at 4AM.

 

It makes a cruise into a wonderful vacation!!

 

gary

[Mura]

We have had a butler in our suite on a few cruises. [sNIP] I am an early, early riser and was able to have the assistant butler bring breakfast at 4AM. It makes a cruise into a wonderful vacation!!

 

 

Gary! 4am????!!!! This is a VACATION!

 

Omigosh. Our butler (when we have one) does NOT have to worry about bringing us breakfast at 4am! That's for SURE.

 

Maybe 9am if we're not on a tour ... 7am if we are.

 

Mura

[RJB]

Am absolutely shocked with the above statement. On the Regent board you have extremely often commented that any extra tips above the included should be put into the "Crew Fund" yet here on the Oceania Board you are stating that you tip the Butler extra.

 

Shouldn't people put extra tips into a Crew Fund to cover the many people who help the Butler provide all of these extras???

Never heard of a crew fund on Oceania. As to the tipping we give extra to our Butler when he goes above and beyond for us. Just got off Marina and our butler was wonderful. Even escorted us to dinner.Also the butler tipping that was on our on board account was just a part of the amount of tipping for the entire cruise. We were billed almost 700.00. Butlers work very hard and sometimes they deserve extra tips. :):)

[burm]

For us, food is they key

 

 

Oh, yes!

 

Eating every night at the specialty restaurants if we wanted. Meals delivered to our cabin from the specialty restaurants if we arrived back from excursions too tired to clean up for dinner. Double orders of escargots delivered to the cabin as appetizers. Cream puffs from Jacques waiting for us when we returned from the show. Double orders of grilled lamb chops delivered by the butler for breakfast.

 

One day we had booked a late dinner because we didn't know when we would be back from an excursion. Our butler had a treat waiting for us to "tide us over" until our later than normal dinner.

 

Sometimes C ordered special dishes for us because he was sure we would like them. He knew our tastes well.

 

Home a week now, and oh, how I miss him. I have tried dialing 2 on our phone, but no one answers. :(