Summit PH Balcony Furniture

[chemmo]

In addition to the comments of the last post we also always remember just how many rooms a butler services and his busy times....

 

For example, if we order early breakfast and coffee in the room fine, we have the butler deliver, but if we don't pre order and then want a coffee before going to Luminae one or other of us will just pop down to Cafe al Bacio...we know the butler would bring but we are aware he will be mid delivery for guests who have pre-ordered.

 

We frequently enjoy a late night snack on the balcony (prawns, cheese plate...). We let the butler know in the morning what we want then he will deliver to our chiller when he brings afternoon tea.

 

Again we tend to provide our butler with our provisional dining plan once we have the menus from Luminae in order from the Michael's Club conceirge. He can then make our bookings in one go, ensure we have good tables and the times we want. Sometimes we will modify...On our Solstice cruise a suite guest was complaining to the Michael's Club host that her butler could not get her into Murano's last night of the cruise....really not the butlers fault!

 

As Project gal says, it is about mutual respect...Just like we always tidy up before the room attendants come to clean, we also try to ensure we are being reasonable in our requests to the butler.

 

Just to finish...some of the things we have most enjoyed from butlers are things we haven't asked for like -him opening our room on returning from a trip and saying we are going to have a nice cold beer on the balcony and him returning a few minutes later with a dish of little salty snacks and nuts...

[JEDIKNIGHT]

JCPC and Chemmo, thanks for chiming in.

 

JCPC -- are you aware of who the Butler is for PH on May 1st, and how 'good' he is? Thanks

[JEDIKNIGHT]

"I am not sure how to put this without risking being flamed but I will say it anyway: Much also depends on how the guest interacts with his/her butler. Some cultures appear to believe that one should treat "staff" without any respect."

 

Well said. Personally, I've always believed in treating people nicely and also, to be honest on a cruise -- I feel sort of 'embarrassed' in that here I am, a rather young guy on the Penthouse....and I know quite well that the Butler, steward, and others are probably working harder than I do, for a wage quite lower than I can imagine. So I've always greeted the Butler, shook his hand, arm on his shoulder, etc. Always please and thank you..... and my kids always call the Butler with a "Mister" before his name.

 

Especially on cruises leaving from NJ - the staff appreciates being treated nicely. On my last (RCCL) Cruise - - TWO staffers I had a rapport with (one who is an officer) told me who staff hates cruising out of NJ because the pax are so much ruder than the rest of America. I laughed and explained to them that I do business in NJ - but don't live there to which they said "yeah, we were talking about your family last night - we knew you must not be from there" (Hey, I'm just passing along what they said, don't blame me )

 

I think we've had 5 PH cruises so far - - and 3 of the Butlers were stellar - - as in I thought I was President of the united states. The other 2 weren't bad - just 'good enough'. A good butler is a big reason I book PH's - so hoping we get a good one.

 

The best we had so far were Ram and Rikki. Phenomenal.

 

Truly - I'm humbled when I see the cruise staff. They work hard for little. And it's always been a fear for me... "hey, if things go sour, that could be me cooking pasta or schlepping luggage" - - so yes, it's just plain decency to be nice to the staff.

[jcpc]

JEDIKNIGHT,

 

I know the butler in 6148 is Domnic Pereira (we've had the pleasure of having Domnic as our Butler many times on Summit.....as Domnnic said "we're like family to him").

 

I would imagine that Jose is the butler in 6147. But I'll be on the ship for the April 23rd sailing so I'll let you know if Jose is on the ship. I think that if Jose is on the ship you'll be very happy with him.

 

And Project_Gal and chemmo - just to put your minds at ease. We do not "demand" things from our Butler at all and we treat him with respect and kindness - as we do with all the crew onboard the ships.

 

jcpc

[chemmo]

JEDIKNIGHT,

 

I know the butler in 6148 is Domnic Pereira (we've had the pleasure of having Domnic as our Butler many times on Summit.....as Domnnic said "we're like family to him").

 

I would imagine that Jose is the butler in 6147. But I'll be on the ship for the April 23rd sailing so I'll let you know if Jose is on the ship. I think that if Jose is on the ship you'll be very happy with him.

 

And Project_Gal and chemmo - just to put your minds at ease. We do not "demand" things from our Butler at all and we treat him with respect and kindness - as we do with all the crew onboard the ships.

 

jcpc

 

We had Jose as our PH butler on both the Millie (some time ago) and on Summit 2014. He was lovely and actually the butler who arranged our Indian meal.

 

No personal reference was meant re my earlier comments...I was just very aware I had clearly stated how accommodating butlers try to be and did just want to follow it up with a 'guests need to be reasonable too'.

 

Very keen to read your comments post cruise...we are on Millie (PH) again in 2017..We do have such happy memories of M class PH. We do know the rooms and furnishings inside and out need a refurb but we hope they keep their charm and comfort levels. Let us know post cruise what your views are on the new veranda furnishings...

Edited April 18, 2016 by chemmo

[philpcruiser]

Could a very recent cruiser or someone who will be cruising soon in one of the PH's please post a few pictures of the renovations done on the Summit PH's? We'd love to see what they've done to the rooms (bath included).

[kitty9]

We stayed in the PH on Summit last May, and IMHO, the new furniture looks more Goodwill than modern luxury. I guess this is what Lutoff-Perlo sees as being luxurious.

[Texed]

Well, I guess worrying about furniture in the Penthouse is one less thing some of us has to worry about. :D

[JEDIKNIGHT]

Do they still have DVD players in the Penthouse?

 

For some reason I think they used to have them then took them out - but I might be confused with RCCL.

 

Thanks