Butler in Haven and grats

[bonvoyagie]

Our butlers and suite room stewards have really made our cruises delightful. They have escorted us on the ship, made sure we felt at home in our suite. Yes they bring snacks as part of their job, We also use them for in suite meals and setting up for entertaining. I have not used them outside the suite. We saw ours on a daily basis - he always made a point to say hi when we saw him in the hallways.  I don't want them to unpack  or pack for me. As far as tipping, now that NCL has increased the DSC for suites over the regular cabins, I have reduced my tipping and like others have said - I base it on how much I use them.

 

Same with the concierge I try not to use them unless I am up against the wall - like last minute dinner reservations etc. 

[BNBR]

8 hours ago, Paphillyguy said:

BNBR. I would not want to be your butler. 

 

Deal. 

[FLcruisergrl]

8 hours ago, bonvoyagie said:

Our butlers and suite room stewards have really made our cruises delightful. They have escorted us on the ship, made sure we felt at home in our suite. Yes they bring snacks as part of their job, We also use them for in suite meals and setting up for entertaining. I have not used them outside the suite. We saw ours on a daily basis - he always made a point to say hi when we saw him in the hallways.  I don't want them to unpack  or pack for me. As far as tipping, now that NCL has increased the DSC for suites over the regular cabins, I have reduced my tipping and like others have said - I base it on how much I use them.

 

Same with the concierge I try not to use them unless I am up against the wall - like last minute dinner reservations etc. 

But the butlers are not included in the DSC. How does an increase in the DSC justify tipping the butler less?

[papa B me]

We will be in a DOS on Pride of America in February.  So no Haven but will have a Butler.  This is our first cruise with NCL but have had butler suites on several other cruise lines and all inclusive resorts.  Our primary reason for booking butler suites is that they are usually larger cabins/suites.  We like the additional space. But we have found that normally the butler service greatly adds to our enjoyment.  I think we have stayed in 8 butler cabin/suites over the past 5 years. Out of those 8 I would say that two have been over the top great, 1 not even responsive to requests, and the rest really good(especially on a responsive basis).  We have settle on roughly $20 a day for the 2 of us then as many have said adjust based on service.  

 

I did want to mention for those who feel they don't use or need the butlers service and never ask for anything therefore they don't tip should consider the fact that the butler is relying on tips as a large part of their income.  So if they have 12 suites to care for to earn their living and someone books one of their suites with no intention of using their services(therefore not tipping), it really isn't fair to the butler.  It would be the equivalent of going into a nice restaurant and ordering a glass of water to tie up the table then not tipping since you didn't have a meal.  It would seem to me it makes sense to build in a base tip for a butler suite even if you don't plan on utilizing their services or book a non butler suite.  Just one mans opinion

[BirdTravels]

10 hours ago, BNBR said:

 

Do tell. What is 20% of the $0 bill for the butler? 

You are more than welcome to tip 20% of the $20,000 cost of the suite to the butler if you wish. We stick to $10-$15 per person per day. 

[DebQ5]

3 minutes ago, papa B me said:

We will be in a DOS on Pride of America in February.  So no Haven but will have a Butler.  This is our first cruise with NCL but have had butler suites on several other cruise lines and all inclusive resorts.  Our primary reason for booking butler suites is that they are usually larger cabins/suites.  We like the additional space. But we have found that normally the butler service greatly adds to our enjoyment.  I think we have stayed in 8 butler cabin/suites over the past 5 years. Out of those 8 I would say that two have been over the top great, 1 not even responsive to requests, and the rest really good(especially on a responsive basis).  We have settle on roughly $20 a day for the 2 of us then as many have said adjust based on service.  

 

I did want to mention for those who feel they don't use or need the butlers service and never ask for anything therefore they don't tip should consider the fact that the butler is relying on tips as a large part of their income.  So if they have 12 suites to care for to earn their living and someone books one of their suites with no intention of using their services(therefore not tipping), it really isn't fair to the butler.  It would be the equivalent of going into a nice restaurant and ordering a glass of water to tie up the table then not tipping since you didn't have a meal.  It would seem to me it makes sense to build in a base tip for a butler suite even if you don't plan on utilizing their services or book a non butler suite.  Just one mans opinion

I was trying to articulate my belief about butler tipping and you just did it!  I thought back to my only butler experience and yes, he basically brought snacks and meals in our room, and we didn't have him unpack or fetch things for us.  That being said, he was there, he was pleasant, he always said hello and asked if we needed anything.  It was one more person who was trying to make our vacation the best it could be.  Regardless of how we used him, he is in a service industry that relies on tips as part of his income.  After spending xxx on a suite (non-haven, but still pricey), another $200 - $250 wasn't going to kill us, and would certainly help him.  It's not right to tie up one of his rooms and not provide part of his income.  If space is an issue get two rooms.  It's probably about the same cost depending on the room/cruise.  

[vpearlkc]

4 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You are more than welcome to tip 20% of the $20,000 cost of the suite to the butler if you wish. We stick to $10-$15 per person per day. 

 

Last cruise in suite we gave butler $100 about four days in and $50 at the end. 

 

On our next cruise just before Christmas we are planning on $100 a few days in if the butler is as good as the last one and $100 at the end. We tip more around Christmas.

 

In line with above post. 

[BirdTravels]

29 minutes ago, papa B me said:

I did want to mention for those who feel they don't use or need the butlers service and never ask for anything therefore they don't tip should consider the fact that the butler is relying on tips as a large part of their income.

Cruise ships are like restaurants. A large part of their base income comes from tips. 

 

In the major US city we live in, a waiter can be paid as little as $3.50/hour with a guaranteed $13.50 minimum wage. So, the first $10/hour of your tips goes to getting you up to minimum wage ($81 for a 6 hour shift)

 

The 6 minute video below describes this from a cruise ship perspective on Celebrity. The bottom line of the story was that with a $60 base wage, $600 in tips, plus-up from the cruise line of $175 to get the waiter to his minimum salary (i.e., 100% of his tips went to getting him to his minimum salary), he earned less than $3/hour. From which he had to pay for his uniforms, etc. 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2018 by BirdTravels

[Trimone]

CE UK Free Pre-Paid Service Chargers Per Day in Mini-Suites and Below

CE UK Free Pre-Paid Service Chargers Per Day in Mini-Suites 

Service Charge on Beverage, Water & Coffee all inclusive

Service Charge on Beverage, Water & Coffee all inclusive

 

The U.K. all our tips etc are included 

[sverigecruiser]

18 minutes ago, Trimone said:

CE UK Free Pre-Paid Service Chargers Per Day in Mini-Suites and Below

CE UK Free Pre-Paid Service Chargers Per Day in Mini-Suites 

Service Charge on Beverage, Water & Coffee all inclusive

Service Charge on Beverage, Water & Coffee all inclusive

 

The U.K. all our tips etc are included 

 

But not if you have a suite, right?

Edited November 3, 2018 by sverigecruiser

[sverigecruiser]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Cruise ships are like restaurants. A large part of their base income comes from tips. 

 

 

Do we know that?

 

If they need the extra income, why aren't they included in the DSC for the suites? Every suite on NCL has butler and concierge so why don't include them in the DSC for the suites?

[havenfan]

On 11/3/2018 at 3:01 PM, sverigecruiser said:

If they need the extra income, why aren't they included in the DSC for the suites? Every suite on NCL has butler and concierge so why don't include them in the DSC for the suites?

 

That is an excellent question.  Arguably they should.  I believe the higher DSC for suites reflects the fact that suites are larger than regular cabins and so take more of a steward's time than regular cabins.  I would very much prefer that NCL also incorporate a "butler and concierge service charge" so that I could size my "tip" to be a gratuity, not a guess at a service charge as well.

Edited November 5, 2018 by havenfan

[madgran]

51 minutes ago, havenfan said:

 

That is an excellent question.  Arguably they should.  I believe the higher DSC for suites reflects the fact that suites are larger than regular cabins and so take more of a steward's time than regular cabins.  I would very much prefer that NCL also incorporate a "butler and concierge service charge" so that I could size my "tip" to be a gratuity, not a guess at a service charge as well.

My guess would be that the higher DSC is to cover the servers used in the haven bars and restaurants  and for breakfast and lunch in non haven suites,  as well as the larger cabins.

[SuiteTraveler]

One of the things you can have a butler do for you is set up a party in your suite.  We have met nice people on excursions and invited them to our suite and done fun stuff like let them pretend it was their suite and our butler took photos with our guests pouring champagne and in one silly gag photo feeding a man some grapes while he reclined on a chaise in our living room. (The butler's idea) The butler brought several platters of food for this and several bottles of champagne and wine.  We tipped him for that event based on what the food and beverage would have cost if we were in a land based restaurant and then added some extra on top of that for taking the time to pose for photos.  The butler was happy he got a good tip for the specific event and the guests had fun and so did we.  I have also heard of butlers arranging pizza parties for kids in the suite, bringing games, dvd's and other things to please the kids.  Our butler also brought a birthday cake for my husband.  

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, madgran said:

My guess would be that the higher DSC is to cover the servers used in the haven bars and restaurants  and for breakfast and lunch in non haven suites,  as well as the larger cabins.

 

They could also include the butlers and the concierge in that.

 

Since they don't I assume that they already have a decent salary.

 

 

 

[tel2]

I think it is impossible to assess the appropriate amount of a tip in advance.  We - husband and I, so usually 2 of us, but occasionally his sister has also joined us in a 2 bedroom suite  -- have been in NCL suite/haven probably about 10 times so far, and our tips to the butler have varied widely, not only based on the level of service provided, but also on the degree to which we used them and our assessment of the effort which they expended.  AT the base level, we have a standard list of requests we always make - by leaving a pre-prepared note -- at the beginning of the cruise, which include, ice every day by 3pm, a full pitcher of iced tea and cranberry juice in fridge, along with a plate of lemon wedges, a pitcher of half & half for coffee, all to be refilled as necessary, and mini BLT and turkey sandwiches on pretzel bread bought right around "back on board" time on shore days.  We generally also get room service for breakfast on shore days, but generally no other room service.  Yes, that is all food service,  but if executed well we tip fairly well for it, but not extravagantly - usually somewhere between 140-200 total.  On one occasion when our butler did none of the things we asked for, and multiple calls to concierge and then hotel director prompted an improvement for one day and then the guy disappeared again but showed up as we were leaving, and also told us when we ordered breakfast the one and only time we ordered it that he was "very busy" and did we know the Haven had a great breakfast... we tipped nothing.   

 

On 1 cruise we had a large surprise party in our suite -- 20 plus people.  We ordered shrimp trays and cheese trays and bottle service and mixers (for which we paid)  for my brother-in-law's 50th wedding anniversary, but our butler set it all up, brought a blender and huge tub of ice for making frozen drinks, brought an array of extra free snacks, dips etc, brought a free anniversary cake, decorated the cabin and deck, none of which we asked for and none of which we were charged for, and cruised in and out throughout the 2 plus hour party to get rid of dirty dishes, make sure we had enough utensils and plates/napkins, refill ice, make sure we weren't running out of food or booze (and then would ask us if we wished to order more), and took a gazillion photos for us.  We all left for dinner, and when we came back, the room suite spotless, the cake boxed and left, the remaining snacks wrapped and refrigerated, the open wines corked etc.  We tipped 500. for that week.   

 

On our last cruise, my husband had a tooth abscess which resulted in a raging infection and landed him in the hospital getting IV antibiotics on board overnight, and left him pretty ill, in pain and miserable for the remainder of the week.  Our family was also on board, and I wanted to go do things with them, but felt bad leaving him alone.  I also was afraid he would become dehydrated etc.  Our butler told me to go have fun, said he would bring him soup, crackers and juices every couple of hours and check on him and call me if there was a problem, and he did exactly that for 3 days, plus run down to the infirmary to get prescription refills a couple of times.  We tipped 500 for that week too. 

 

Again, I think it depends on both the circumstances, and the execution.

[Trimone]

6 minutes ago, tel2 said:

I think it is impossible to assess the appropriate amount of a tip in advance.  We - husband and I, so usually 2 of us, but occasionally his sister has also joined us in a 2 bedroom suite  -- have been in NCL suite/haven probably about 10 times so far, and our tips to the butler have varied widely, not only based on the level of service provided, but also on the degree to which we used them and our assessment of the effort which they expended.  AT the base level, we have a standard list of requests we always make - by leaving a pre-prepared note -- at the beginning of the cruise, which include, ice every day by 3pm, a full pitcher of iced tea and cranberry juice in fridge, along with a plate of lemon wedges, a pitcher of half & half for coffee, all to be refilled as necessary, and mini BLT and turkey sandwiches on pretzel bread bought right around "back on board" time on shore days.  We generally also get room service for breakfast on shore days, but generally no other room service.  Yes, that is all food service,  but if executed well we tip fairly well for it, but not extravagantly - usually somewhere between 140-200 total.  On one occasion when our butler did none of the things we asked for, and multiple calls to concierge and then hotel director prompted an improvement for one day and then the guy disappeared again but showed up as we were leaving, and also told us when we ordered breakfast the one and only time we ordered it that he was "very busy" and did we know the Haven had a great breakfast... we tipped nothing.   

 

On 1 cruise we had a large surprise party in our suite -- 20 plus people.  We ordered shrimp trays and cheese trays and bottle service and mixers (for which we paid)  for my brother-in-law's 50th wedding anniversary, but our butler set it all up, brought a blender and huge tub of ice for making frozen drinks, brought an array of extra free snacks, dips etc, brought a free anniversary cake, decorated the cabin and deck, none of which we asked for and none of which we were charged for, and cruised in and out throughout the 2 plus hour party to get rid of dirty dishes, make sure we had enough utensils and plates/napkins, refill ice, make sure we weren't running out of food or booze (and then would ask us if we wished to order more), and took a gazillion photos for us.  We all left for dinner, and when we came back, the room suite spotless, the cake boxed and left, the remaining snacks wrapped and refrigerated, the open wines corked etc.  We tipped 500. for that week.   

 

On our last cruise, my husband had a tooth abscess which resulted in a raging infection and landed him in the hospital getting IV antibiotics on board overnight, and left him pretty ill, in pain and miserable for the remainder of the week.  Our family was also on board, and I wanted to go do things with them, but felt bad leaving him alone.  I also was afraid he would become dehydrated etc.  Our butler told me to go have fun, said he would bring him soup, crackers and juices every couple of hours and check on him and call me if there was a problem, and he did exactly that for 3 days, plus run down to the infirmary to get prescription refills a couple of times.  We tipped 500 for that week too. 

 

Again, I think it depends on both the circumstances, and the execution.

So what about the other cabins and guests they were supposed to have looked after, butlers are not exclusive to one cabin

[tel2]

I agree that butlers are not exclusive to one cabin.  And I have been on cruises where a butler is run ragged by one suite, most usually one involving multiple children.  But as so many people here have pointed out, some people do not use them at all, and some people only get snacks, and some people use them more heavily.  We generally fall into the we don't use them that much category, and when we planned the party, we inquired at the beginning of the cruise whether it was an issue, and we were told it was not a problem - it was a 3, maybe 3 1/2 hour event including set-up and clean up, so we certainly didn't view that as impinging on other guests.   On the husband sick issue, we obviously didn't plan that and we hope it didn't impact others, but cannot imagine how it would, as he wasn't sitting them babysitting him, just going by the room a couple of times a day to check on him and bring food/juice.  Isnt that what they are there for?

[NLH Arizona]

1 hour ago, Trimone said:

So what about the other cabins and guests they were supposed to have looked after, butlers are not exclusive to one cabin

I think it pretty much evens itself out, as there are some, like me, who use the Butler very little and those that use the Butler a lot.  A good Butler knows how to juggle their passenger's needs.

[tanjan4evr]

haven't been in the Haven yet but last year we had an aft balcony suite and we used our butler to bring us DVD's in the evening when we were tired of running around the ship. My DH was having serious back problems so it came in handy, he had surgery this summer and fixed that -now his hip is bugging him ahhh the golden years lol  hopping to get one of our Haven upbids accepted but have a BA cabin and will be happy with that, but sure would like to eat in the suite restaurants again.   loved that option!

[GetMeOutOfMN]

We are in a Haven Suite in March.  I have seen reference to a "night butler" bringing evening room service.  Do you tip that person separately if it is he/she that brings a room service order instead of your regular butler?  Is that someone you see regularly that you can tip at end of cruise?  Thanks!

[dexddd]

14 hours ago, tanjan4evr said:

haven't been in the Haven yet but last year we had an aft balcony suite and we used our butler to bring us DVD's in the evening when we were tired of running around the ship. My DH was having serious back problems so it came in handy, he had surgery this summer and fixed that -now his hip is bugging him ahhh the golden years lol  hopping to get one of our Haven upbids accepted but have a BA cabin and will be happy with that, but sure would like to eat in the suite restaurants again.   loved that option!

If your next trip is on BA they have moved to PPV movies free for suites.  We've had anywhere from roughly 75 to just under 100.

[dexddd]

13 hours ago, GetMeOutOfMN said:

We are in a Haven Suite in March.  I have seen reference to a "night butler" bringing evening room service.  Do you tip that person separately if it is he/she that brings a room service order instead of your regular butler?  Is that someone you see regularly that you can tip at end of cruise?  Thanks!

Do at time of service.  We had one that was washy washy at noon, our waitress at Le Bistro, then fill in night butler.

[dongordon]

On ‎11‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 8:04 AM, BirdTravels said:

You are more than welcome to tip 20% of the $20,000 cost of the suite to the butler if you wish. We stick to $10-$15 per person per day. 

I agree with you about the amount.

We only request a few things from our Butler on our cruise....sandwiches on port days when we return from the ports, ice bucket filled 3X per day (usually the steward's responsibility), but they often work together as a team. We also enjoy the usual snacks and goodies that he or she delivers daily to our suite.

 

We (two people) are usually on a 14 day cruise every winter and we tip the Butler $300 for the cruise and give our steward an extra $50 for our two week cruise.

 

The Concierge team books all our dinner and show reservations (and changes) as well as the few excursions we book.

They also provide for escort service for the theatre shows (to reserve seating)  and leaving the ship.

For this we provide a $200 gratuity.

 

We feel these gratuities are appropriate.

Don