Butler in Haven and grats

[amygutman]

It's interesting in the difference between individual experiences and expectations. Honestly - we must have been lucky because we have had amazing butler service (and our concierge service as well) on every single one of our Haven trips, as well as our 1st suite trip...and that was in an aft suite which traditionally is the poorest rated butler service. 

 

Sure, the butlers do a lot of food delivery, but working in tandem with the concierge, our butlers have helped with reservations (booking and cancelling), refunding shore excursions, arranging activities like Canvas by U, escorting us to reserved seating, escorting us off the ship, and room service - even finding popcorn & cocoa at 0300 when my son wanted to watch Home Alone on Christmas morning.

 

For my older parents and in-laws they checked on the shower safety and arranged bathmats, changed out balcony chairs for loungers, delivered morning tea service without being asked by the pool (they noticed my mom and mother-in-law both loved tea on a prior day). Essentially, they pay attention to details and it is always greatly appreciated. Our last trip, our butler and the stateroom attendant  even played minecraft with my son for 30 minutes when he asked them to sit with him.

 

Honestly - we feel bad when our butler asks us what else he can do (we've only had male butlers except for 1 trainee), as we are pretty laid-back. But remember - all of the butler and concierge tips come from the cabins themselves and not the general tip pool, so I would imagine only the most motivated butlers benefit from going above and beyond. 

 

Amy

[kewbrook]

The  one time we had a butler it was a big waste.  On the first or second dayI asked to be shown how to use the Lavaza coffee machine and the butler did not know how. I asked if we could have cream in the room and I was told I could go to the buffet to get myself cream for my coffee.  I mentioned this to the concierge and they had another butler show me how to make myself coffee.  I never did see my butler again the whole trip. Needless to say there was no tip. We have never spent the money for a butler serviced room since then.

[DMH15]

Maxi the Magnificent is the gold standard. 

[BirdTravels]

11 hours ago, barbatkins said:

I’m curious....do all cabins in the Haven have a Butler?  What does the Butler actually do?

and how much  are the extra gratuities for the Butler?

 

thanks

All suites have a butler to serve you. Neither the Butler or Concierge are part of the Daily Service Charge. Butlers are tipped $10-$15 per person in the room per days of cruse. Concierge $5-$10 pp/pd. 

[BNBR]

$10-$15 per person per day? Lol!!! 

[newty25]

I'm starting if the butler gives better service to those who booked the room without winning a bid?

 

Does anyone have experience booking the room and then winning a bid for a room in the Haven?

[DeltaOne]

1 hour ago, BNBR said:

$10-$15 per person per day? Lol!!! 

 

Maybe some folks can afford that, or think it's appropriate...but I think it is WAY too much.

 

We've had a Haven room, with its butler and concierge, twice.  I used some old tipping guidelines, along with some math...to figure out how much tip the room steward gets per day.  I used that as a base for tipping the butler and concierge.  So two cruises, four tips (butler X 2, concierge X 2).  We adjusted some tips up, some down, according to what we felt was appropriate. 

 

One the first Haven cruise, we tipped the Haven restaurant maitre D.  He made each of our visits to the Haven restaurant special...he deserved a nice tip.  On the second Haven cruise, same deal for the hostess at the Haven restaurant -- she also deserved a nice tip.

[BNBR]

Just now, Paul from Maryland said:

 

Maybe some folks can afford that, or think it's appropriate...but I think it is WAY too much.

 

We've had a Haven room, with its butler and concierge, twice.  I used some old tipping guidelines, along with some math...to figure out how much tip the room steward gets per day.  I used that as a base for tipping the butler and concierge.  So two cruises, four tips (butler X 2, concierge X 2).  We adjusted some tips up, some down, according to what we felt was appropriate. 

 

One the first Haven cruise, we tipped the Haven restaurant maitre D.  He made each of our visits to the Haven restaurant special...he deserved a nice tip.  On the second Haven cruise, same deal for the hostess at the Haven restaurant -- she also deserved a nice tip.

 

Of course it's way too much.  If everyone was tipping by those guidelines the Butler would be pulling $150,000+ per year for dropping off snacks in the afternoon.

 

If all the butler does is drop off snacks, I think $20 - $40 for the entire cruise per cabin is reasonable.  If someone uses the butler more, then up from there, of course.  If I was using the butler a bit I'd tip $100+ for sure.  But I think most people just have some snacks dropped off.

[dcipjr]

30 minutes ago, BNBR said:

If all the butler does is drop off snacks, I think $20 - $40 for the entire cruise per cabin is reasonable.  If someone uses the butler more, then up from there, of course.  If I was using the butler a bit I'd tip $100+ for sure.  But I think most people just have some snacks dropped off.

 

I think this sounds a bit right. I'll always give the butler a little something because they bring the snacks and that's always a godsend when we get back to the cabin, hungry, after a day in port. But if we don't make any requests of them and only see them in passing, we won't give them that much. 

 

For the concierge, we'll tip if we used them. If we just wave and smile when we walk by their desk, no reason to tip (I don't think).

 

We had a great concierge on our first time in the Haven (Virginia); we talked to her all the time, she got us a dinner reservation with some friends we made on the cruise, she gave us port advice, she was just super helpful, so we gave her a good tip—more than our butler, whose services we didn't use aside from the snacks.

 

On our most recent trip, we had a 6-month old baby with us, so we weren't doing many shore excursions or ship activities, we were just relaxing, so we didn't use the concierge at all. On the other hand, we used our butler's services extensively, since we were often in the cabin at dinnertime because of our daughter's early bedtime. Our butler (Lea) brought us dinner, served it to us course by course, it was wonderful—without her, my wife and I would have been taking turns to go out to eat by ourselves. We saw her in the halls all the time, she was always around, she never rang the bell—she always knocked as to not wake the baby. Lea basically made our cruise for us. We could have done it without her, but it wouldn't have been nearly as relaxing.

 

So, usage of the butler and concierge services can vary wildly, from ship to ship, from person to person, from cruise to cruise. Just tip at your discretion based on how much value they added to your cruise, and as a show of your appreciation. 

 

Easy as that. 

[njkate]

10 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

All suites have a butler to serve you. Neither the Butler or Concierge are part of the Daily Service Charge. Butlers are tipped $10-$15 per person in the room per days of cruse. Concierge $5-$10 pp/pd. 

Only if you UTILIZE the service or run them ragged.

Folks tipping is a personal choice and I'd lay odds the above amount is no where near the norm.

[njkate]

2 hours ago, BNBR said:

$10-$15 per person per day? Lol!!! 

Here we go again lol

[njkate]

10 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

All suites have a butler to serve you. Neither the Butler or Concierge are part of the Daily Service Charge. Butlers are tipped $10-$15 per person in the room per days of cruse. Concierge $5-$10 pp/pd. 

Bird the way you word that, it implies that all should tip that amount, which is not the case. Perhaps you may want to say this is what we tip, you may be different based on the use of butler/concierge and budget.

Now please don't get your feathers ruffled as it was only a suggestion to clarify and not have people think this is the norm or mandatory.

[Paphillyguy]

As I read this I feel there are some people that have quite an attitude regarding the Butler.  We had a great Butler on the Breakaway a few years back and thought he absolutely made the cruise a more enjoyable experience.  He was very attentive but never intrusive.  He did ask when he introduced himself what we like for snacks but throughout the cruise he paid attention to what we enjoyed more and adjusted the snacks to highlight the things he saw we liked.  He got us loungers for the balcony when he overheard us talking about how we liked to spend time on the balcony.  He always seemed to pop out in the hallway when we were heading out and checking if we needed anything.  At the restaurants, several times we were asked if they could have our butler take our things back to the room and put in the frig for us.  He even brought me my wallet when I left the ship and I forgot my wallet.  Security called him and he gladly brought it to me.  You may call him a glorified food runner but we felt he enhanced our trip as yes he did running for us but he also made sure we were taken care of and we felt we could ask for anything and he would do his best in making it happen.   We tipped what we felt he deserved

 

We never got the feeling from our Butler or our steward that they had to get moving on to other guests.  

Edited November 2, 2018 by Paphillyguy

[dcipjr]

7 minutes ago, Paphillyguy said:

You may call him a glorified food runner but we felt he enhanced our trip as yes he did running for us but he also made sure we were taken care of and we felt we could ask for anything and he would do his best in making it happen. 

 

I agree. I feel like calling them a "glorified food runner" is a bit harsh. Maybe some butlers are, but we've found that the entire Haven staff almost always provides us with a level of attentiveness that really makes the vacation a special one. 

Edited November 2, 2018 by dcipjr

[ColeThornton]

42 minutes ago, njkate said:

Bird the way you word that, it implies that all should tip that amount, which is not the case. Perhaps you may want to say this is what we tip, you may be different based on the use of butler/concierge and budget.

Now please don't get your feathers ruffled as it was only a suggestion to clarify and not have people think this is the norm or mandatory.

 

"Bird Travels" does this in pretty much every tipping thread and pretty much every time people make the same comment you did but they continue to do it anyway.   Personally, I don't think most of posters here believe them anyway.

[NLH Arizona]

There is no standard, "right amount" or suggested amount for tipping the Butler and Concierge.  What folks post is what they tip (I wish folks would state that so as not to confused folks) and we all know that each suite passenger's experience and needs are different, so no one should think that everyone should tip what they tip.  It is good to see what others tip, but one's tip should be based on what their needs are, how those needs are handled and, of course, their budget.  Some folks tip $15 a day per person and some folks tip $20 for the entire cruise and no matter which amount it is, the Butler and Concierge will be appreciative of the tip, because you thought of them.  I remember the first time I cruise in a suite, I also asked what I should tip on here and got responses from $500 for the week to $35 for the week and my head was spinning, so I just determined a starting point for me and I add or subtract based on what services I require and how they are performed.  I might not require a lot of attention from the Butler and Concierge, but knowing that they are there if I need or want something is something that I appreciate.

[lkj1301]

Our first experience with a butler was not on an NCL cruise but a different cruise line.  He & the room steward were wonderful. It was an Alaskan cruise for our 30th anniversary.  We came back from dinner (anniversary night) & he and our room steward had decorated our room, set up a table with a cake and a bottle of champagne.  It was very nice.  We had never said anything to him about our anniversary. So, either he made it his mission to know his people or the cruise line advised the butler of any occasions.  He also polished DH's shoes for formal night (as formal as an Alaskan cruise will get, which wasn't overly formal).

 He was always looking to see if we needed him to do something for us. 

 

On the other hand, we were on the Getaway in Feb, our butler was very nice, but was didn't use him  as much as we could have.  So, I guess it depends on your wants and needs.  

[BNBR]

9 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

There is no standard, "right amount" or suggested amount for tipping the Butler and Concierge.  What folks post is what they tip (I wish folks would state that so as not to confused folks) and we all know that each suite passenger's experience and needs are different, so no one should think that everyone should tip what they tip.  It is good to see what others tip, but one's tip should be based on what their needs are, how those needs are handled and, of course, their budget.  Some folks tip $15 a day per person and some folks tip $20 for the entire cruise and no matter which amount it is, the Butler and Concierge will be appreciative of the tip, because you thought of them.  I remember the first time I cruise in a suite, I also asked what I should tip on here and got responses from $500 for the week to $35 for the week and my head was spinning, so I just determined a starting point for me and I add or subtract based on what services I require and how they are performed.  I might not require a lot of attention from the Butler and Concierge, but knowing that they are there if I need or want something is something that I appreciate.

 

I think you can use some common sense to come up with an appropriate tip amount.  The Butlers hand upwards of 15 cabins.  We all know roughly what cruise employees make.  So suggesting $200 - $500/week for a butler, unless you are running them ragged all day, every day, is ridiculous.  If the "norm" was to tip $500/week for the cabin, then the butler would be pulling down nearly $400,000/year.  OBVIOUSLY that's not a baseline tip.   So you can figure out a baseline "suggested" tip pretty easily by figuring how many cabins the butler has and a typical income for that type of position.  It's probably in the $40 - $50 range per cabin for the week.

[NLH Arizona]

13 minutes ago, BNBR said:

 

I think you can use some common sense to come up with an appropriate tip amount.  The Butlers hand upwards of 15 cabins.  We all know roughly what cruise employees make.  So suggesting $200 - $500/week for a butler, unless you are running them ragged all day, every day, is ridiculous.  If the "norm" was to tip $500/week for the cabin, then the butler would be pulling down nearly $400,000/year.  OBVIOUSLY that's not a baseline tip.   So you can figure out a baseline "suggested" tip pretty easily by figuring how many cabins the butler has and a typical income for that type of position.  It's probably in the $40 - $50 range per cabin for the week.

Determining one's tip should have nothing to do with what the Butler is making, it should be based on services.  Your "probably" in the $40 to $50 range might work for you based on what services you require, but it doesn't mean that it works for others, as some will use the Butler less and some will use the Butler more.  As I've said, maybe folks should always say, this is what I tip based on how much I use the butler.

 

Question:  When you go to a restaurant do you base your tip on how much the server makes or do you based it on what you ordered and how the server took care of you?  

 

I do agree with you that the person who suggested $500 was pretty over the top, but then again, I have no idea what their needs and wants were nor did they state them.  I once asked one of my Butlers what was the strangest thing someone asked him to do and he said that the passenger would put the coffee pod in the machine and then call him to come and push the button on the coffee maker...maybe a $500 a week tip would have been appropriate for that passenger.

 

To those looking for advice as to what to tip, just disregard those that say this is the "standard", "right" and "probably in the right range" and determine for yourself what you feel is the right amount based on your needs.  You can also ask what others tip, but remember some will use the Butler a lot more and some a lot less than you will use him/her.

[BNBR]

6 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

Determining one's tip should have nothing to do with what the Butler is making, it should be based on services.  Your "probably" in the $40 to $50 range might work for you based on what services you require, but it doesn't mean that it works for others, as some will use the Butler less and some will use the Butler more.  As I've said, maybe folks should always say, this is what I tip based on how much I use the butler.

 

Question:  When you go to a restaurant do you base your tip on how much the server makes or do you based it on what you ordered and how the server took care of you?  

 

I do agree with you that the person who suggested $500 was pretty over the top, but then again, I have no idea what their needs and wants were nor did they state them.  I once asked one of my Butlers what was the strangest thing someone asked him to do and he said that the passenger would put the coffee pod in the machine and then call him to come and push the button on the coffee maker...maybe a $500 a week tip would have been appropriate for that passenger.

 

To those looking for advice as to what to tip, just disregard those that say this is the "standard", "right" and "probably in the right range" and determine for yourself what you feel is the right amount based on your needs.  You can also ask what others tip, but remember some will use the Butler a lot more and some a lot less than you will use him/her.

 

I think someone coming here to ask what to tip the butler is looking for some sort of advice that includes an actual dollar amount.  "Tipping them whatever you feel" is totally unhelpful.  They didn't need to come here and ask for advice for answers like that.  I also think I've offered a pretty fair answer.  Which is if the butler does little else than drop off snacks then this is what would be a pretty reasonable tip.  If you use them more, meals in your cabin, etc... then you should add more.

 

But simply "determine for yourself what you feel is the right amount" is totally unhelpful.  People want to know what is customary, normal.  They don't know what is right and they don't want to feel like they are stiffing or over tipping, either.  They are here asking for guidance and "figure it out yourself" is not an answer anyone is looking for.

 

I say this from my own experience, being that I have family from overseas.  They always ask me what is a typical tip and they certainly don't want "well, whatever you feel is right"...  They are uncomfortable with the concept and cultural norms.  They don't want to be rude.  They would like to know what is appropriate, not insulting, etc.  Just tell me an amount, please.

Edited November 2, 2018 by BNBR

[ColinIllinois]

One thing to remember when considering the amount is the large premium you have already paid in your fare to have the services your butler provides.   What should be expected from a butler as part of the fare?  What is considered over and above the expectations of what you have already paid for?

 

Any tip for the butler/concierge in MY OPINION is a bonus and not even close to being mandatory.

[NLH Arizona]

9 minutes ago, BNBR said:

 

I think someone coming here to ask what to tip the butler is looking for some sort of advice that includes an actual dollar amount.  "Tipping them whatever you feel" is totally unhelpful.  They didn't need to come here and ask for advice for answers like that.  I also think I've offered a pretty fair answer.  Which is if the butler does little else than drop off snacks then this is what would be a pretty reasonable tip.  If you use them more, meals in your cabin, etc... then you should add more.

 

But simply "determine for yourself what you feel is the right amount" is totally unhelpful.  People want to know what is customary, normal.  They don't know what is right and they don't want to feel like they are stiffing or over tipping, either.  They are here asking for guidance and "figure it out yourself" is not an answer anyone is looking for.

 

I say this from my own experience, being that I have family from overseas.  They always ask me what is a typical tip and they certainly don't want "well, whatever you feel is right"...  They are uncomfortable with the concept and cultural norms.  They don't want to be rude.  They would like to know what is appropriate, not insulting, etc.  Just tell me an amount, please.

Telling someone who asks, what you tip is one thing, but telling them what they should tip (probably in the range of) based on how many cabins the Butler has and/or what his/her salary is is far from being helpful and should never be used when determining a Butler's tip, since you don't know what services they will require.  

Edited November 2, 2018 by NLH Arizona

[BNBR]

28 minutes ago, NLH Arizona said:

Telling someone who asks, what you tip is one thing, but telling them what they should tip (probably in the range of) based on how many cabins the Butler has and/or what his/her salary is is far from being helpful and should never be used when determining a Butler's tip, since you don't know what services they will require.  

 

Which is why I have, over and over, suggested a reasonable baseline (and what I would expect from the butler for that) that can easily go up if you have additional services.

 

You asked if I go to a restaurant and think about what the server should make.  Of course not, because we have suggested standards based on the check amount.  NCL isn't kind enough to offer a guideline for tipping butlers.  Which is terrible.  So how do you figure it out?  Well, what do you tip other, similar staff based on guidelines provided by the cruise...?  You can come up with a pretty reasonable amount using common sense.  Then as suggested, go up from there if you use more than the base service (dropping off snacks).  I don't think there is anything wrong with providing those seeking advice with a reasonable guideline.

[havenfan]

50 minutes ago, ColinIllinois said:

One thing to remember when considering the amount is the large premium you have already paid in your fare to have the services your butler provides.   What should be expected from a butler as part of the fare?  What is considered over and above the expectations of what you have already paid for?

 

Any tip for the butler/concierge in MY OPINION is a bonus and not even close to being mandatory.

 

When you have a meal in an expensive restaurant do you consider the large premium you are already being charged in your bill when determining the waiter's tip?  What should be expected from a waiter as part of the bill?  What is considered over and above the expectations of what you have already paid for?

 

The tip for the butler/concierge in MY OPINION is as mandatory as a tip in an American restaurant, that is to say, technically optional but you're being a jerk if you withhold it without good reason.

Edited November 2, 2018 by havenfan

[ColinIllinois]

35 minutes ago, havenfan said:

 

When you have a meal in an expensive restaurant do you consider the large premium you are already being charged in your bill when determining the waiter's tip?  What should be expected from a waiter as part of the bill?  What is considered over and above the expectations of what you have already paid for?

 

The tip for the butler/concierge in MY OPINION is as mandatory as a tip in an American restaurant, that is to say, technically optional but you're being a jerk if you withhold it without good reason.

 

 

My expectation is that if I go to a good, expensive restaurant I will get prompt, efficient service for the prices I am paying for my meal.  The service that is actually provided over what I feel I should receive will determine what I will tip.   Not some arbitrary percentage that someone else will feel is appropriate.

 

I agree that anyone who withholds without good cause is being a jerk