worst butler

[Barb Nahoumi]

There's only one thing worse than having an inefficient butler----------being at home and totally fending for yourself.

 

"I'd like a reservation at my kitchen table please."

[Fishbait17]

I have been hesitant to post on this thread so far. We've had excellent butlers and good butlers on our sailings, and really never had a "bad" or "worst" butler, and I think it's just a matter of going with the flow and not letting things annoy you. For example, on our last sailing in the DOS, our butler messed up our room service orders a few times: Three people, ordered three beef tartare apps from La Cucina with dinner, he brought one (we were fine, plenty of food anyway). Breakfast ordered one plate with three fried eggs and bacon, he brought three plates of two fried eggs with bacon (we tried to eat all he had brought us, lol). Also, when trying to place our "upgraded for a cost" liquor order, he spent three days trying to find a brand of rum that was for sale by the bottle in Bliss - we told him several times where it was located (in a glass case where they displayed liquor for sale and prices). He never did "find" it, and three days into the cruise he finally delivered a different brand, and it was fine. Even so, he was not a "bad" butler, he just maybe wasnt as spectacular as a few we have had in the past - and he tried. Part of the problem may have been that our communication to him just wasnt as clear as he needed, so we are to blame as well. We have had Juremar on the Breakaway - he has a more reserved and professional manner than some other butlers, but he was efficient and got the job done for the most part (he recognized us on our next BA sailing, and was reserved about saying hello until we approached him). Some people may prefer his more professional demeanor.

 

What I'm trying to say is that people's opinion on butlers/concierges will vary from their own viewpoints and expectations. Heck, on our last Sun sailing, my hubby was very annoyed by the concierge because he stopped into our suite on every port sailaway to check in on us - it didn't bother me in the least, and I felt he was being very attentive - so even between the two of us, expectations differed. We arent big fans of Ruth, we find her a bit cold personally, but she is extremely efficient and many people adore her style! Some people are annoyed if the butler stops in to check on them often, others feel neglected if he doesn't stop in. Some people expect course-by-course meal service automatically, others feel this is a waste of time. Some people want the concierge to personally check in on them often, others think this is intrusive. It must be difficult in these positions to find the perfect style for everyone. I'm don't think there is a "perfect" butler for everyone - it's all about personal preference, expectations and communications. I'm sure there have been some truly bad butlers, but they are few and far between.

 

Robin

Edited May 11, 2014 by Fishbait17

[DMH15]

Ok, I win.

 

Our first butler got off the ship in one of the ports. Never to be seen again. At least during our cruise. Seriously. He left without notice. Nothing "official" was ever said to us, but the concierge told us on the last morning and after the cruise at the airport NCL crew who were going home told us no one knew, even his girlfriend.

 

His service had been sub-par and two other suite groups had also been unhappy with him. (Yes, we discussed it with our concierge and the HD).

 

In fact, one couple, when hearing us say something about our afternoon snacks having crashed to the floor while we were out and about and the butler telling us they would clean up the mess tomorrow... Said "what snacks?"

 

We gave his tip to the concierge.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fishbait17]

Ok, I win.

 

Our first butler got off the ship in one of the ports. Never to be seen again. At least during our cruise. Seriously. He left without notice. Nothing "official" was ever said to us, but the concierge told us on the last morning and after the cruise at the airport NCL crew who were going home told us no one knew, even his girlfriend.

 

His service had been sub-par and two other suite groups had also been unhappy with him. (Yes, we discussed it with our concierge and the HD).

 

In fact, one couple, when hearing us say something about our afternoon snacks having crashed to the floor while we were out and about and the butler telling us they would clean up the mess tomorrow... Said "what snacks?"

 

We gave his tip to the concierge.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Hehehe! Now THAT'S a BAD butler...

 

Robin

[Barb Nahoumi]

Ok, I win.

 

Our first butler got off the ship in one of the ports. Never to be seen again. At least during our cruise. Seriously. He left without notice. Nothing "official" was ever said to us, but the concierge told us on the last morning and after the cruise at the airport NCL crew who were going home told us no one knew, even his girlfriend.

 

His service had been sub-par and two other suite groups had also been unhappy with him. (Yes, we discussed it with our concierge and the HD).

 

In fact, one couple, when hearing us say something about our afternoon snacks having crashed to the floor while we were out and about and the butler telling us they would clean up the mess tomorrow... Said "what snacks?"

 

We gave his tip to the concierge.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I'll bet that he was FIRED!!!!!

[Arzeena]

Folks quit complaining about creature comforts.....Just send all the bad ones to me! I can use some /ANY butler service around the house!:D;)

[Barb Nahoumi]

Folks quit complaining about creature comforts.....Just send all the bad ones to me! I can use some /ANY butler service around the house!:D;)

 

Add to that, a waiter, chef and steward also.

[elhenry]

Our BEST butler....Teodoro (Gem)...so very accommodating and pleasant...!:D

 

I wonder if this is Theodore from the Jewel in 2012? He was a sweetheart. Not that I have many to compare him too, although my sister's butler on the POA in 2013 was not so great.

 

OP's butler, not so sweet.

[cruzsnooze]

We recently returned from an 11 da cruise on the Sun. We had a penthouse ( family ) suite. We have been on several NCL cruises and most cruises were in a penthouse so we had a butler. Maybe we are the exception but we didn't ask for anything out of the ordinary. He brought the daily treats and we asked him to change the champagne in cabin for a merlot. I like when the butler isn't checking on us and bothering us and I don't especially need to make a new friend, ask about his homeland, does he like his job etc.

 

Actually the concierge for the suites bothered me. Every breakfast and lunch at the La Cucina on the Sun ( changed name from Il Adagio ) she would visit our table and make small talk. I felt it was rude to continue eating when she was talking to us and often she would go on and on for at least 5 min. The only thing we asked her to do was make reservations for dinner one night at Le Bistro and when we showed up, the lady said there was no reservation for us. She seated us anyway. Of course we generously tipped the concierge and butler even though we are totally low maintenance and ended up making our own reservations.

What's the incentive to do a decent job if you tip them for a less then stellar experience?

[marelind]

I, too, have been hesitant to post, but here goes. I agree with Fishbait that what works for one passenger doesn't work as well with someone else. I feel for the butler who is trying to figure out what the passenger really wants. Some passengers want very personal service, some very little.

 

With that said, we have had butlers we "meshed" with very well and others not so much. Was it us? Was it them? I can't say for sure, but hands down our favorite butler is Juremar (sorry to any other butler we've had that's reading this). We had him on the Pearl for a two week Panama Canal and again on the Sun last September. When we walked into the VIP lounge at boarding in September and saw him I hugged him! He "gets" us and is very good at communicating until he is clear on what we are thinking.

 

I would also say that I have met concierges that in the beginning of the cruise I thought was aloof and unfriendly, but by the end of the cruise I find I really like. I don't want to be their best friend, but to be a person to them. It seems to happen when we have a chance to talk a little as people, not on a professional level, about family and home. That seems to be the time I get a connection with them.

 

You never know what is going on inside them, they are people after all. One butler admitted they were so "done" with the cruise ship life. That conversation enlightened me as to the tiredness and lack of enthusiasm I had seen throughout our cruise. Was that butler a "bad" butler? No, just not our favorite.

[Arzeena]

Add to that, a waiter, chef and steward also.

 

You bet!!!:D

[beachmonkey]

The first butler experience we had was when we were booked in an aft cabin on the Pearl. Our butler was very friendly, but seemed a little stressed at times. It turned out that he was responsible for training a new person and had cabins in the front of the ship as well. He was friendly, professional and responsive, but not the best we have experienced. We never had any needs that were not met, but we did not require much anyway.

 

Has anyone else been in an Haven aft suite? What was your experience?

[rossworld]

I was on the breakaway in a Haven aft and I feel we had the worst butler ever. I think we annoyed him every time we talked to him. I really liked our night butler. He would bring our morning coffee and danishes. and he always made us feel like he enjoyed doing it!

 

So ask you, did you have a crappy butler? If so, did his name start with a J?

 

We came off 31 days on the SUN. We had Constancio as our butler. He was absolutely fabulous. Always there for us, ready to assist but not intrusive. Did everything we asked accurately and on time. Very peasant and a pleasure to talk with him.

[FireEater]

We were on the Sky earlier this month to try out the Suite life (3 days) before a 7 day suite life on the Sun next year.

 

The butler did not know anything about NCL's pretzel rolls (the gal!). He said he could not get any. I had to sick our concierge on him. They showed up a few hours later after he went to the bakery shop I was told. Another time, I wanted fries not chips with a burger. He said he could not get them. Ring Ring to concierge, butler said bla bla......needless to say, I got the fries. LOL

 

We were not impressed with our butler, but again, it was a vacation, and I did not starve and still ENJOYED the cruise and WILL go on the Sun next year.

 

He did bring us a bowl of fruit the 1st day and some snacks the 2nd.

 

One side note. Our fancy coffee maker was not in the cabin. I was told it was out for maintenance. BUMMER!!!! Guess I could have asked for a normal one, but did not. Neither the cabin steward or our butler offered to replace the missing machine with any type of machine.

Edited May 29, 2014 by FireEater

[cruiseinfoseeker]

Just my two cents about overworked/too many cabins per butler:

 

I'm sorry but I don't think it is proper for the butler to tell you this...especially if you don't ask...and quite frankly, even if you do.

I know I was told (unsolicited info) of being overworked, too many cabins, and "lots of requests" from the higher category suites by a couple of our butlers (once on NCL, once on Celebrity) and of course it made me feel bad to ask for anything. But shouldn't I be allowed to ask for anything that is within the perimeters of the suite benefits? Yes, I should. But do I also feel bad adding to someone's over work load, Yes. So, either way I was put in a situation that made me uncomfortable. (Slightly annoyed at loss of perks, but more ashamed if I asked for things knowing that the butler had told me their story of woe)

 

I think if that happens to me again I will ask the concierge to change my butler to someone with less room responsibilities.

[mommyto2girls]

I hesitated as well to post but Juremar he is a dream, can't imagine anyone having a tough time with him, or Roy or Armando or Antonio the list is endless. We have only sailed NCL in the Haven about 10 trips so far in the past few years and have never had a bad Butler. It is all about how you communicate with them.

[JMHAM1]

We had side by side penthouses on our last cruise but we had different butlers. Mine rocked! Hubby's did the bare minimum sometimes not making the cabin up until late afternoon. He also didn't put the couch back up so we had room to hang out. I'm just glad I got the good one!

 

 

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[DMH15]

I hesitated as well to post but Juremar he is a dream, can't imagine anyone having a tough time with him, or Roy or Armando or Antonio the list is endless. We have only sailed NCL in the Haven about 10 trips so far in the past few years and have never had a bad Butler. It is all about how you communicate with them.

 

 

Sorry, disagree. Sometimes it IS the butler. When all the other stewards, butlers and concierges have been awesome, pretty sure it is not my communication skills with that one only. Especially when that one butler is no longer on board to communicate with. :)

Edited May 30, 2014 by DMH15

[DMH15]

We had side by side penthouses on our last cruise but we had different butlers. Mine rocked! Hubby's did the bare minimum sometimes not making the cabin up until late afternoon. He also didn't put the couch back up so we had room to hang out. I'm just glad I got the good one!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

 

Our steward made up our room. Not the butler. Unusual.

[computerworks]

I know I was told (unsolicited info) of being overworked, too many cabins, and "lots of requests" from the higher category suites by a couple of our butlers (once on NCL, once on Celebrity) and of course it made me feel bad to ask for anything. But shouldn't I be allowed to ask for anything that is within the perimeters of the suite benefits? Yes, I should. But do I also feel bad adding to someone's over work load, Yes. So, either way I was put in a situation that made me uncomfortable. (Slightly annoyed at loss of perks, but more ashamed if I asked for things knowing that the butler had told me their story of woe)

 

I think if that happens to me again I will ask the concierge to change my butler to someone with less room responsibilities.

 

That happened once to me, when things were slipping. The butler said he was overworked with a demanding family in the GV.

 

It was not uncomfortable to me... just needed to be addressed. I asked the butler to have his boss meet with me that afternoon and explain why another guest's demands will be negatively affecting my trip.

 

Things did get fixed rather quickly.

[sdmike]

 

It was not uncomfortable to me... just needed to be addressed. I asked the butler to have his boss meet with me that afternoon and explain why another guest's demands will be negatively affecting my trip.

 

Things did get fixed rather quickly.

 

Did a meeting fix it, or threat of a meeting fix it?

[silvercrikhix]

Just my two cents about overworked/too many cabins per butler:

 

I'm sorry but I don't think it is proper for the butler to tell you this...especially if you don't ask...and quite frankly, even if you do.

I know I was told (unsolicited info) of being overworked, too many cabins, and "lots of requests" from the higher category suites by a couple of our butlers (once on NCL, once on Celebrity) and of course it made me feel bad to ask for anything. But shouldn't I be allowed to ask for anything that is within the perimeters of the suite benefits? Yes, I should. But do I also feel bad adding to someone's over work load, Yes. So, either way I was put in a situation that made me uncomfortable. (Slightly annoyed at loss of perks, but more ashamed if I asked for things knowing that the butler had told me their story of woe)

 

I think if that happens to me again I will ask the concierge to change my butler to someone with less room responsibilities.

 

Totally agree with you on this!

A peeve of ours sometimes!

Cabin stewards do this too often also and other service members in other venues besides cruises.

I do not care about your work problems. Or other personal issues.

Not to say that literally, but not here to hear about them, anyway.

 

We paid for xyz service(s) and expect to get them.

If there are reasons the duties can not be performed, they should complain to their boss/union or whatever.

It also makes us wonder if they are trying to tug the heart strings in hopes of catching a larger tip.

They should know that annoying people does not make them more generous.

[rvsullivan]

We had side by side penthouses on our last cruise but we had different butlers. Mine rocked! Hubby's did the bare minimum sometimes not making the cabin up until late afternoon. He also didn't put the couch back up so we had room to hang out. I'm just glad I got the good one!

 

 

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We've never had a butler making bed or cleaning rooms. Always the job of the room steward. I have had the butler following behind the steward to make sure the job was done correctly. Butlers job usually is to serve, not clean and maintain.

[All-ready2cruise]

We've never had a butler making bed or cleaning rooms. Always the job of the room steward. I have had the butler following behind the steward to make sure the job was done correctly. Butlers job usually is to serve, not clean and maintain.

 

That's what I thought too. Our Steward rocked, we had Sherton from Jamaica, and he was great, made our cabin up for every morning. Sometimes we just lounged out on the aft PH balcony while he did it, then he'd come out to let us know he was done. So nice.

 

Our Butler brought us snacks and coffee pods and basically complained that we didn't need him :eek: :p but no way did he make up our room or do any cleaning.

[computerworks]

Did a meeting fix it, or threat of a meeting fix it?

 

Mike, not done as a 'threat,' but merely an honest request to elevate a dilemma that he was caught in. Never had to meet... they assigned additional help for our coverage without the need for escalation.

 

Worked out fine for everyone. My point is not to accept substandard service, but to get out in front of it. :cool: