The Suite life - not really our "thing"

[3kidsncats]

I was rereading the email that was sent by NCL after I booked, and why I prepaid (or thought I did) the "gratuity". Here is a section from it that is really misleading:

 

"Norwegian's daily discretionary service charges, which were last adjusted in 2009, make it easy for guests to provide gratuities to key onboard staff who provide superior guest service during the cruise, including their room steward, restaurant servers and behind-the-scenes support staff. Guests who are sailing in Suite categories also receive the services of a concierge, butler and dedicated wait staff."

 

If I hadn't inadvertantly made my comment, I would have not tipped the butler, etc. And it's kind of confusing about the "cabin steward" and the "butler". The email specifically states that the DSC is paying for the cabin steward -- so does the suite have a cabin steward in addition to the butler?

 

So to stay on topic for the thread, this would be a real reason for me NOT to book a suite level cabin in future, because if you don't really care about the services of a butler and concierge, then having to tip a cabin steward, butler and concierge, plus the courtyard valet is really quite a bit of unnecessary extra expense.

Edited August 4, 2015 by 3kidsncats

[Number34]

More spacious cabin

Bathroom with bath

Dedicated restaurant for breakfast and lunch (and dinner in Haven)

Haven

Priority boarding

Priority tenders

Butler for room service - especially breakfast when we need to be off ship early

Not too bothered about concierge....

Happy to pay extra for all above if price is right.

Like to prepay DSC and will tip butler & concierge in proportion to use made.

 

My choice:)

[Linda the Book Lover]

More spacious cabin

Bathroom with bath

Dedicated restaurant for breakfast and lunch (and dinner in Haven)

Haven

Priority boarding

Priority tenders

Butler for room service - especially breakfast when we need to be off ship early

Not too bothered about concierge....

Happy to pay extra for all above if price is right.

Like to prepay DSC and will tip butler & concierge in proportion to use made.

 

My choice:)

 

My choice too. Wait is that my cabin door bell ringing? It must be afternoon treats. :) It is a personal choice and may vary according to ship and or itinerary.

[Leavethekidswithmom]

So glad I made that comment and you made yours, because I had no idea that I wasn't prepaying the gratuity and rather a daily service charge. How irritating. And thank heavens I'm not finding out while on the cruise!!!

 

So the Butler and Concierge are in addition to the daily service charge. Ouch! So does the DSC cover the valet at the Haven Courtyard? Or just the waiters in the dining room and various free dining options?

 

 

NCL doesn't go into details on exactly who is in the DSC and how it is distributed. They clearly say under FAQ tipping, the butler, concierge and kids staff are not included in the DSC. As for the valet, he keeps the courtyard stocked with drinks and snacks the whole cruise and he will take breakfast/lunch orders and serve you. We tip him and we do not use him for meal service.

[DMH15]

Good Question about the Haven Courtyard valet -- I'm sure someone here can chime in and answer.

 

We were on our first NCL cruise last Dec in a Garden Villa-- there was no Haven courtyard. This year we're on the Jade in a GV so it will be a different experience with the Haven courtyard.

 

Definitely search the CC NCL board about tipping butlers and concierge-- your head will spin at all the threads. But you'll find some good nuggets of info.

 

I honestly wish NCL would just raise the Haven DSC (again, I know) to include the services of the butlers & concierge. Just my 2 cents.

 

Since some people use the butler and concierge very little and others a lot it really is better to have it like it is now. But I do agree it can be daunting "learning the ropes" of cruising in a suite. I believe most want to do the right thing and luckily I found CC when I made the transition.

[Fitzyk23]

I was rereading the email that was sent by NCL after I booked, and why I prepaid (or thought I did) the "gratuity". Here is a section from it that is really misleading:

 

"Norwegian's daily discretionary service charges, which were last adjusted in 2009, make it easy for guests to provide gratuities to key onboard staff who provide superior guest service during the cruise, including their room steward, restaurant servers and behind-the-scenes support staff. Guests who are sailing in Suite categories also receive the services of a concierge, butler and dedicated wait staff."

 

If I hadn't inadvertantly made my comment, I would have not tipped the butler, etc. And it's kind of confusing about the "cabin steward" and the "butler". The email specifically states that the DSC is paying for the cabin steward -- so does the suite have a cabin steward in addition to the butler?

 

So to stay on topic for the thread, this would be a real reason for me NOT to book a suite level cabin in future, because if you don't really care about the services of a butler and concierge, then having to tip a cabin steward, butler and concierge, plus the courtyard valet is really quite a bit of unnecessary extra expense.

 

There was another thread about that email where someone had called NCL and was told that the butler and concierge was now included. That thread ended up locked and deleted so I don't know what happened or if the info was wrong.

[Leavethekidswithmom]

There was another thread about that email where someone had called NCL and was told that the butler and concierge was now included. That thread ended up locked and deleted so I don't know what happened or if the info was wrong.

 

 

CC deleted it because it was nonsense, wrong info.

[ndabunka]

There was another thread about that email where someone had called NCL and was told that the butler and concierge was now included. That thread ended up locked and deleted so I don't know what happened or if the info was wrong.

 

That was one thread I watched VERY CLOSELY while it was up. It was actually about an interaction on Facebook with an NCL contact center employee who was... "mistaken" regarding that comment. In the end neither the butler nor concierge are included in the (current) DSC. The FACT that the room steward is included but the butler and concierge are excluded caused a bit of discussion with my wife upon departure.

 

Understandably, she felt that if we were going to give the Butler and Concierge "additional" tips that we also needed to do the same for the room steward. I agree that it didn't feel "right" not leaving her extra but we don't actually know what part of it she DID get & that is the way NCL DSC is set up so we went with the guidance from this forum as well as the NCL site.

 

In our case the mandatory DSC was something like $373 for the 2 of us and our 12 year old boy. However we have NO IDEA what-so-ever regarding how much of that went to the room steward vs. dinning room staff vs. lined the pockets of the other "behind the scenes resources" (e.g. corporate coffers perhaps?). I'd MUCH rather that NCL "do away with the DSC so that we can tip accordingly... at least for the room steward.

Edited August 5, 2015 by ndabunka

[3kidsncats]

I just wish the email had been a lot clearer -- it didn't indicate, to me at any rate, that the fee wasn't covering all the staff I would tip. I think had I really stopped and thought about the amount charged related to the number of staff receiving a cut, it would have occurred to me that it was a pretty scimpy tip. But I was just happy to have it taken care of ahead of time, I thought.

 

I'm still excited about our upcoming suite experience -- and happy that I will be properly prepared when the time comes to utilize and tip the special staff that comes with the suite.

[vinnytman]

I just wish the email had been a lot clearer -- it didn't indicate, to me at any rate, that the fee wasn't covering all the staff I would tip. I think had I really stopped and thought about the amount charged related to the number of staff receiving a cut, it would have occurred to me that it was a pretty scimpy tip. But I was just happy to have it taken care of ahead of time, I thought.

 

 

 

I'm still excited about our upcoming suite experience -- and happy that I will be properly prepared when the time comes to utilize and tip the special staff that comes with the suite.

 

 

NCL's wording can be confusing. I received an email about the DSC going up for Haven guests. The wording was weird about if the the Butler & Concierge were part of the new DSC.

 

I call up NCL and 3 people tell me that the Butler & Concierge are now covered with the DSC. Sounded too good to be true. I email The Concierge Desk and they said they weren't included.

 

Just wish the staff at NCL could get some better copywriters AND have their customer service people well informed about these things.

[Fitzyk23]

NCL's wording can be confusing. I received an email about the DSC going up for Haven guests. The wording was weird about if the the Butler & Concierge were part of the new DSC.

 

I call up NCL and 3 people tell me that the Butler & Concierge are now covered with the DSC. Sounded too good to be true. I email The Concierge Desk and they said they weren't included.

 

Just wish the staff at NCL could get some better copywriters AND have their customer service people well informed about these things.

 

Exactly. That is so frustrating. I probably would have quit after 3 people gave me the same info on the phone. Not because I don't want to tip more but because I would have believed it to be correct. The cynic in me wonders if the concierge desk is telling the truth when you had three calls to the contrary. Wouldn't it be in their interest to say they weren't included?

[Linda the Book Lover]

Exactly. That is so frustrating. I probably would have quit after 3 people gave me the same info on the phone. Not because I don't want to tip more but because I would have believed it to be correct. The cynic in me wonders if the concierge desk is telling the truth when you had three calls to the contrary. Wouldn't it be in their interest to say they weren't included?

 

I think the desk and those working on the ships are two separate entities. I just think that the customer service folk are as confused as we are at times.

[Cruise4Real]

We got an Upsell into an H3 Owners Suite on Breakaway in April -- we went from an aft balcony B1 to the H3 for $1500 extra for the two of us, or $2500 to $4000, all in. I'd probably do that deal again, though I also consider this a pretty much once in a lifetime opportunity. I do NOT consider "the suite life" cost-effective at full list price -- to do an H3 OS on BA at full price would likely be at least double what we paid and (for us) that's just too much money for not enough value. Some people have waaaay more money than others (you know, that pesky 99 percent vs. 1 percent thing you've been hearing about for the past four years at least) and they may consider The Haven a deal. Or if not a deal, it's spending money slower than it's coming in. If you're getting a million dollars a year that's $20,000 a week, so what the hell, book the Garden Villa!!

 

We tipped both Butler and Concierge, but honestly I am really not sure about the "service" the Concierge provides. Perhaps it's because in comparison to concierges in land hotel situations, what makes their job so difficult? If I go to a hotel concierge in NYC and ask him to get me tix to some hot Broadway show, he's got to go and find them or use his connections or somehow wheedle or cajole people to get the tickets.

 

But if ask the Concierge to do something for me on board a ship, what is he doing? He gets on the phone and does it. Because the person on the other end HAS to. If they don't the Concierge sends an email to their boss and trouble ensues. They all report to the same Captain. Either the Concierge has the right to demand that these pax get into Rock the Floor tonight or he doesn't. If he does, he's just doing his job -- making a phone call. No wheedling or cajoling necessary. Indeed, most of the things a Concierge can do for you on board you can do yourself.

 

The one thing that we DID find useful that the Concierge did for us was priority disembark, both at GSC and back home in NYC. But again, this really just felt like his job. Took him all of five minutes to lead a bunch of us down the back elevators and jump us to the front of the line. Again, not like he had to grease any palms to do that, it's just the rules. I honestly feel it's a bit of a rip-off. We did tip the Concierge $50 but for maybe ten or fifteen minutes of work, in total (and some of that time split with the other suite passengers disembarking at that point), it seems kind of absurd.

 

Much of the rest of the suite perks are, by themselves, not all that valuable. Sure the Haven robes were very nice and luxurious, but if I had to pay a la carte for them, would I? Maybe $5?? Most of the perks come down to that. I wouldn't have paid $1 for most of the afternoon snacks the Butler brought. I suppose we could have worked at maximizing value gleaned from the Butler, cracked the whip and demanded better stuff than the little PB&J sandwiches, or somewhat gross ham and cheese thingies, but I'm (a) not good with confrontation and ordering people to do things for me and (b) I'm on vacation, and that just feels like too much effort for not nearly enough payback.

 

On the other hand the H3 OS was a really beautiful and luxurious room. The shower was probably the largest and nicest shower I've EVER had the enjoyment of using. (We didn't use the bathtub at all, no jets for one thing and we're just not tub people.) The room itself was far and away the reason to take the Upsell, all the various perks didn't add much to the experience. The Haven restaurant was also very nice and very personable. We enjoyed all our meals there and were truly treated like "owners" LOL. We also seemed to receive good and fast service when we ate in MDR and elsewhere (contrary to many reviews complaining of lengthy MDR service), and if that was because we were presenting platinum color (suite) keycards, that would be an unspoken perk. (In other words, it's certainly not a listed perk, but might still be something NCL does?)

 

OTOH we likely would have enjoyed that large aft balcony (on deck 9, no less!) more than we did the H3's, where wind made it uncomfortable to use while under way. But it was really awesome when coming into port, a totally commanding view.

 

Anybody considering a suite or Haven, either "list" or Upsell, would do well to find the various threads on here about "suite perks" that contain a list of all the perks you get. Put a dollar value next to each one. Add them up. You may find it difficult to justify the extra money you'll need to part with, especially at list prices.

 

TL;DR Upsells are awesome and if you ever get the opportunity to do one and you can afford the extra money, think carefully before you let it pass. Booking a suite/Haven at list price? Meh, not so much.

[cadien]

We tipped both Butler and Concierge, but honestly I am really not sure about the "service" the Concierge provides. Perhaps it's because in comparison to concierges in land hotel situations, what makes their job so difficult? If I go to a hotel concierge in NYC and ask him to get me tix to some hot Broadway show, he's got to go and find them or use his connections or somehow wheedle or cajole people to get the tickets.

 

But if ask the Concierge to do something for me on board a ship, what is he doing? He gets on the phone and does it. Because the person on the other end HAS to. If they don't the Concierge sends an email to their boss and trouble ensues. They all report to the same Captain. Either the Concierge has the right to demand that these pax get into Rock the Floor tonight or he doesn't. If he does, he's just doing his job -- making a phone call. No wheedling or cajoling necessary. Indeed, most of the things a Concierge can do for you on board you can do yourself.

 

The concierge actually can't get suite passengers what they want 100% of the time. Full is full. Sometimes there are reserved spaces in shows and restaurants for last-minute suite folks but not always. What he can do is make sure that you're the first in line when there's a cancellation.

 

The part I've idly wondered is the decision process when there are more suite requests than spots. Which suite gets it? Is there a strict formula based on latitude points, concierge's discretion based on passenger attitude, etc?

[jackson bernard]

We got an Upsell into an H3 Owners Suite on Breakaway in April -- we went from an aft balcony B1 to the H3 for $1500 extra for the two of us, or $2500 to $4000, all in. I'd probably do that deal again, though I also consider this a pretty much once in a lifetime opportunity. I do NOT consider "the suite life" cost-effective at full list price -- to do an H3 OS on BA at full price would likely be at least double what we paid and (for us) that's just too much money for not enough value. Some people have waaaay more money than others (you know, that pesky 99 percent vs. 1 percent thing you've been hearing about for the past four years at least) and they may consider The Haven a deal. Or if not a deal, it's spending money slower than it's coming in. If you're getting a million dollars a year that's $20,000 a week, so what the hell, book the Garden Villa!!

 

We tipped both Butler and Concierge, but honestly I am really not sure about the "service" the Concierge provides. Perhaps it's because in comparison to concierges in land hotel situations, what makes their job so difficult? If I go to a hotel concierge in NYC and ask him to get me tix to some hot Broadway show, he's got to go and find them or use his connections or somehow wheedle or cajole people to get the tickets.

 

But if ask the Concierge to do something for me on board a ship, what is he doing? He gets on the phone and does it. Because the person on the other end HAS to. If they don't the Concierge sends an email to their boss and trouble ensues. They all report to the same Captain. Either the Concierge has the right to demand that these pax get into Rock the Floor tonight or he doesn't. If he does, he's just doing his job -- making a phone call. No wheedling or cajoling necessary. Indeed, most of the things a Concierge can do for you on board you can do yourself.

 

The one thing that we DID find useful that the Concierge did for us was priority disembark, both at GSC and back home in NYC. But again, this really just felt like his job. Took him all of five minutes to lead a bunch of us down the back elevators and jump us to the front of the line. Again, not like he had to grease any palms to do that, it's just the rules. I honestly feel it's a bit of a rip-off. We did tip the Concierge $50 but for maybe ten or fifteen minutes of work, in total (and some of that time split with the other suite passengers disembarking at that point), it seems kind of absurd.

 

Much of the rest of the suite perks are, by themselves, not all that valuable. Sure the Haven robes were very nice and luxurious, but if I had to pay a la carte for them, would I? Maybe $5?? Most of the perks come down to that. I wouldn't have paid $1 for most of the afternoon snacks the Butler brought. I suppose we could have worked at maximizing value gleaned from the Butler, cracked the whip and demanded better stuff than the little PB&J sandwiches, or somewhat gross ham and cheese thingies, but I'm (a) not good with confrontation and ordering people to do things for me and (b) I'm on vacation, and that just feels like too much effort for not nearly enough payback.

 

On the other hand the H3 OS was a really beautiful and luxurious room. The shower was probably the largest and nicest shower I've EVER had the enjoyment of using. (We didn't use the bathtub at all, no jets for one thing and we're just not tub people.) The room itself was far and away the reason to take the Upsell, all the various perks didn't add much to the experience. The Haven restaurant was also very nice and very personable. We enjoyed all our meals there and were truly treated like "owners" LOL. We also seemed to receive good and fast service when we ate in MDR and elsewhere (contrary to many reviews complaining of lengthy MDR service), and if that was because we were presenting platinum color (suite) keycards, that would be an unspoken perk. (In other words, it's certainly not a listed perk, but might still be something NCL does?)

 

OTOH we likely would have enjoyed that large aft balcony (on deck 9, no less!) more than we did the H3's, where wind made it uncomfortable to use while under way. But it was really awesome when coming into port, a totally commanding view.

 

Anybody considering a suite or Haven, either "list" or Upsell, would do well to find the various threads on here about "suite perks" that contain a list of all the perks you get. Put a dollar value next to each one. Add them up. You may find it difficult to justify the extra money you'll need to part with, especially at list prices.

 

TL;DR Upsells are awesome and if you ever get the opportunity to do one and you can afford the extra money, think carefully before you let it pass. Booking a suite/Haven at list price? Meh, not so much.

 

 

We feel the same way. Only difference is we gave the concierge $50.00 less than you did.

[ndabunka]

We got an Upsell into an H3 Owners Suite on Breakaway in April -- we went from an aft balcony B1 to the H3 for $1500 extra for the two of us, or $2500 to $4000, all in. I'd probably do that deal again, though I also consider this a pretty much once in a lifetime opportunity. I do NOT consider "the suite life" cost-effective at full list price -- to do an H3 OS on BA at full price would likely be at least double what we paid and (for us) that's just too much money for not enough value. Some people have waaaay more money than others (you know, that pesky 99 percent vs. 1 percent thing you've been hearing about for the past four years at least) and they may consider The Haven a deal. Or if not a deal, it's spending money slower than it's coming in. If you're getting a million dollars a year that's $20,000 a week, so what the hell, book the Garden Villa!!

 

I doubt if ANY of the top 1% actually travel on NCL that often but believe it or not, based on last years tax figures a family making as little as $175K in COMBINED annual income is in the top 5%! A doctor who is the sole provider for his household typically makes over $200K by him/herself (don't talk to me about student loans eating up some of that). My niece is a (relatively) new Lawyer (2 years in) and she makes over 6 figures as does her current boyfriend, also a BRAND NEW lawyer so they are only 27-28 and raking in over $200K/year. I would expect that the top 5% may well be NCL's "target" for their suite guest. I am just a typical engineering guy (without even a college degree) who works on the "bleeding edge" of technology and my wife works in the lab in a hospital making less 1/3rd of my annual income but we are still in the top 5%?!?! What The F is up with that?

 

We tipped both Butler and Concierge, but honestly I am really not sure about the "service" the Concierge provides.... if I ask the Concierge to do something for me on board a ship, what is he doing? He gets on the phone and does it. Because the person on the other end HAS to. ... If he does, he's just doing his job -- making a phone call. No wheedling or cajoling necessary. Indeed, most of the things a Concierge can do for you on board you can do yourself.

In complete agreement here and that is EXACTLY my point. Perhaps other 5%ers get on the ship without having made a SINGLE reservation (perhaps due to work schedules, not being computer literate, etc). The come on board and do NOT want to "wait in line" with all the ...peasants (term used humorously in this context) at the shore excursions desk so they... ring up either their concierge or butler and have him/her come to their cabin to function as their personal tour consultant. In fact, THIS is the purpose of the concierge guiding you onto the ship and seating you in the restaurant or suite guest only bar (in our case) on your way to lunch @ Cagneys. It's a perk for the suite owners coming on board but it's also a mechanism for giving the concierge that initial 1-on-1 time with the newly boarding suite guest. He can get an idea if you are the type of client that will need a lot or a little hand holding. In most cases, he won't actually step away from the other guest to actually book anything for you prior to lunch because after all, your are there to enjoy yourselves but, if he is good at his job, he WILL set up a time to come to your cabin to work our all your shore excursions and other activities for the upcoming week so... THAT is what he does. Clients that use him for those types of things SHOULD tip him based on delivering THOSE services at a rate in-line with what he does for them. Perhaps he books a typical family of four on NCL excursions for four of the seven days (probably a safe target) at an average costs of $100 per person per activity.

 

That's $400/day x 4 days or $1,600 in excursion costs alone. Add specialty dinning for 2 of those nights at a cost of $30/pp per day and you have another $240 for close to $2K that he has helped them book and he has also saved them HOURS (sometimes) in the line at the shore Ex and dinner reservations lines upon boarding so that they can get to their vacation without having to struggle through with the other 2,600 guest who also may be trying to book their reservations as well.

 

Much of the rest of the suite perks are, by themselves, not all that valuable. Sure the Haven robes were very nice and luxurious, but if I had to pay a la carte for them, would I? Maybe $5?? Most of the perks come down to that. I wouldn't have paid $1 for most of the afternoon snacks the Butler brought.

For the first time on a cruise, we never even use the robes so no value there to us. Snacks were the same. We asked for ONLY cookies that we could have gotten from the buffet on our own. Instead, we got salmon and cream cheese that likely had been sitting there for hours before we saw them in the late afternoon. I mean who, in their right mind, is going to come into the cabin at 4:30 pm and think ...."You know what I really NEED is a 4 hour old piece of fish on a mini-cracker?"

 

On the other hand the H3 OS was a really beautiful and luxurious room. The shower was probably the largest and nicest shower I've EVER had the enjoyment of using. (We didn't use the bathtub at all, no jets for one thing and we're just not tub people.) The room itself was far and away the reason to take the Upsell, all the various perks didn't add much to the experience. The Haven restaurant was also very nice and very personable. We enjoyed all our meals there and were truly treated like "owners" LOL. We also seemed to receive good and fast service when we ate in MDR and elsewhere (contrary to many reviews complaining of lengthy MDR service), and if that was because we were presenting platinum color (suite) keycards, that would be an unspoken perk. (In other words, it's certainly not a listed perk, but might still be something NCL does?)

Agree on all the above but none of these perks are related to either the butler or the concierge. They come simply as part of being a suite guest. You notice that the hostess ALWAYS asks you for your room number when she takes your name or prior to seating you, right? That is so that they can give the suite guest the better table and make their waiters aware that they are getting a suite guest so that they get higher priority. I have even heard that only senior wait staff who know the ropes and tricks of th trade get the suite guest so that there is less likelihood of a screw up by a newbie waiter/waitress during a dinner.

 

Anybody considering a suite or Haven, either "list" or Upsell, would do well to find the various threads on here about "suite perks" that contain a list of all the perks you get. Put a dollar value next to each one. Add them up. You may find it difficult to justify the extra money you'll need to part with, especially at list prices.

 

TL;DR Upsells are awesome and if you ever get the opportunity to do one and you can afford the extra money, think carefully before you let it pass. Booking a suite/Haven at list price? Meh, not so much.

Note that you do NOT have to "wait" for an upsell call to get this benefit. All a savvy traveler has to do is to watch the price points that the suites on a particular cruise is going for as they get closer and closer to the sailing date and then call NCL and pick up one of the discounted suites that hasn't yet been sold. This is how I did this trip this time. I checked the cost of the cruise when it FIRST was released to the market via a website notification that contacted me the FIRST day the suites were available (it may have been 18 months or even 2 YEARS prior to sail date). I recalled that I did not think that the prices were "that good" at that time*. In our case on this cruise, we saved over $4K for our 3-person stay in a SG suite for this specific week over the price we would have had to of paid for it a year prior to cruising (see my other threads for more details on those costs savings)

 

* PS - Obviously others here on CC who have been "brainwashed" think that booking the first day gives them a phenomenal bargain. They would be wrong and I DID prove it so search on my moniker for the separate thread where I showed those details. It should still be out there unless CC removed it due to sharing too many cost details.

Edited August 5, 2015 by ndabunka

[Jenjer]

I am booked in our first Haven suite on Escape. For me its not about the concierge or butler so much as it is the space. The 2 bed suites are a great option for a family. Our kids are getting older and bigger will be 14 and 12 at sailing. I looked at 2 mini or aft rooms but with the promos went with the 2 bed. Sure it was more than 2 rooms but really looks worth it to me. Its actually a surprise to my family they think we are in a large balcony mini.

 

My DD school and sport schedule with required travel mean we only get to take 1 cruise a year instead of 2 so why one make that 1 cruise as nice as possible.

 

The haven restaurant, bar and space is of value to me. I enjoy reading a book and relaxing while my kids and DH enjoy water slides and ropes course.

 

I will make all my reservations ahead of time and have no need to direct the butler. We do not plan on dinning in our room. I will tip them based upon my use. If I find I use them more than planned I will tip them more.

[Cruise4Real]

In fact, THIS is the purpose of the concierge guiding you onto the ship and seating you in the restaurant or suite guest only bar (in our case) on your way to lunch @ Cagneys. It's a perk for the suite owners coming on board but it's also a mechanism for giving the concierge that initial 1-on-1 time with the newly boarding suite guest.

 

Interesting. We definitely didn't get any 1-on-1 time with the Concierge when we were led, in a large pack, from the pier waiting area up into the ship. In fact we sort of got screwed by that as we got led up to The Haven lounge area and dropped there. They were coming around with these "sliders" and fries (that were totally nothing special) and, being noobs, we figured Okay this is it. Come to find out later that we should have gone "behind the scenes" and into the actual Haven restaurant (where, when we ate lunch there later in the week, we had very good and enjoyable lunches). I suspect we got a sort of Haven version of what the rest of pax were experiencing -- being shepherded away from MDR and into the Buffet upon boarding.

 

I've cruised enough to know that a nicer (than the Buffet) sit-down experience awaits in the MDR and if not for the "perk" of being led (astray!) up into the Haven lounge, that's where we'd have been. If there ever is a next time, we'll make sure to get lunch in the actual Haven restaurant (or Cagney's) when we board.

[ndabunka]

...mean we only get to take 1 cruise a year instead of 2 so why one make that 1 cruise as nice as possible.

 

I had to laugh at this as most "typical" families are lucky to cruise ONCE every other year or so yet your comment makes it sound like you are compromising because you will "only" get to cruise once each year.

 

You must live in Florida where access to cruising is more like access to a neighborhood tennis court. It's definitely NOT the "norm" ;)

Edited August 6, 2015 by ndabunka

[KitCatBrat]

I had to laugh at this as most "typical" families are lucky to cruise ONCE every other year or so yet your comment makes it sound like you are compromising because you will "only" get to cruise once each year.

 

You must live in Florida where access to cruising is more like access to a neighborhood tennis court. It's definitely NOT the "norm" ;)

 

I thought the same exact thing!!! LOL

[3kidsncats]

For me the reason to book the suite was also space relevant to cost -- I just happened to look for a cruise right after NCL started a big promo. My husband was actually performing that week on a Princess cruise in Hawaii, and I was at home dealing with all the parent stuff alone and thinking, "I should be on a cruise too".

 

Anyhow, we have a party of six and the cost for 3 oceanview cabins wasn't that much less than the cost of the Haven Family suite, given that we only had to pay for the first 2 passengers as part of the promo, plus we all got UDP, UBP and OBC. So my decision to book the Haven was based on that, and nothing to do with the Butler and Concierge service. Had it been a choice between booking the Haven at regular pricing (ie, having to pay for the other 4 passengers) then we would not be Haven passengers.

 

Generally I don't even use the Bell service at hotels, because I'm basically frugal. I will spend on things that matter to me when I can, but carrying my own bags is not a big deal. I have pretty mixed feelings about the extra staff that come with the suite. I want to enjoy the perks since I have them, but I also don't want to spend an extra $1000 on tips. I will have to practice balance therefore -- some use of the service because it will make my trip more enjoyable, and I will tip those staff regardless because it's not their fault that a non 5%er ended up in one of the suites, but I won't be demanding loads of their time so that I feel it's necessary to tip large.

[jackson bernard]

For me the reason to book the suite was also space relevant to cost -- I just happened to look for a cruise right after NCL started a big promo. My husband was actually performing that week on a Princess cruise in Hawaii, and I was at home dealing with all the parent stuff alone and thinking, "I should be on a cruise too".

 

Anyhow, we have a party of six and the cost for 3 oceanview cabins wasn't that much less than the cost of the Haven Family suite, given that we only had to pay for the first 2 passengers as part of the promo, plus we all got UDP, UBP and OBC. So my decision to book the Haven was based on that, and nothing to do with the Butler and Concierge service. Had it been a choice between booking the Haven at regular pricing (ie, having to pay for the other 4 passengers) then we would not be Haven passengers.

 

Generally I don't even use the Bell service at hotels, because I'm basically frugal. I will spend on things that matter to me when I can, but carrying my own bags is not a big deal. I have pretty mixed feelings about the extra staff that come with the suite. I want to enjoy the perks since I have them, but I also don't want to spend an extra $1000 on tips. I will have to practice balance therefore -- some use of the service because it will make my trip more enjoyable, and I will tip those staff regardless because it's not their fault that a non 5%er ended up in one of the suites, but I won't be demanding loads of their time so that I feel it's necessary to tip large.

 

 

Why people tip for services they don't use is beyond me. We didn't use the concierge or butler for anything. We had no reason to tip them, so we didn't.

 

On the same note, we didn't use the hair cutting place either so no tip for them.

 

We only tipped our waiters and cabin attendants and the people who took out bags. The others did nothing that wasn't already included in our fare

[Knobhdy]

I'm kinda loving that "5%" is the new 1%. Even economic inequality is subject to inflation.

 

I do cruise in suites when I cruise, because I don't have any one to look after me in my real life. I'm the working woman with people (and pets) at home I must care for after a long day - no complaints; I wouldn't trade my life for anything, but when I am on vacation I like having someone like a butler to check in on me in the afternoon and see if I want anything tasty with my cappuccino.

[3kidsncats]

Why people tip for services they don't use is beyond me. We didn't use the concierge or butler for anything. We had no reason to tip them, so we didn't.

 

On the same note, we didn't use the hair cutting place either so no tip for them.

 

We only tipped our waiters and cabin attendants and the people who took out bags. The others did nothing that wasn't already included in our fare

 

Generally I agree with you and wouldn't tip for any service I don't use -- but I view a cruise a little differently, especially given that I'm in a suite with dedicated staff. By booking this cabin, I'm agreeing to this level of service. The butler doesn't get assigned an alternate cabin just because I don't need him/her. They work or are on call very long hours, week after week, and I'm pretty sure they only get paid if I (and their other assigned guests) tip them. I see it, in this situation, as an obligation to provide some form of tip.

 

And honestly, even though I normally don't ever use the concierge, etc., I'm going to this time. Not a lot, but some. I want to feel pampered. It's been a tough year (cared for a relative with severe dementia and aggression for 6+ months plus ongoing related stuff) and I deserve it. Since I feel obligated to give something, I may as well use the service. And having breakfast delivered some mornings sounds heavenly -- seriously heavenly.

[3kidsncats]

Although, if for some whacked out reason the service was terrible, then yeah, no tip, or very low tip. I'm pretty easy going and not at all demanding. I'm appreciative and express thanks, so there is no reason for bad service and I certainly won't reward it. But I'm not expecting that