No butler service for penthouse suites on Jewel class starting late 2020

[dexddd]

14 hours ago, Peachypooh said:

I checked the Jade for January 2021. The OS on Deck 10 are now classified as Deluxe Owner's Suite and the ones on Deck 9 say Owner's Suite. Both list butler and concierge service. The ones on deck 10 are aprox. $500 more pp now than the ones on Deck 9.

That is crazy.  Yeah, there is a slight difference in the rooms but not $500 nor any reason to make them different.  So did they make the existing DOS Super Deluxe DOS or PrivaSea DOS or some other marketing word?

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, FLcruisergrl said:

Of course it’s about making money for NCL. That’s the bottom line for any business. I have no illusions that this will mean lower prices. I think it’ll mean higher prices for Haven suites. Those that don’t put a higher value on butler and concierge services can then pay for the lower level suite. But it still increases options. I don’t like higher prices, but I do like the Haven. The higher prices have caused me to consider other lines, but I haven’t made a switch yet.

Those who don't value the butler and concierge services have the option right now to pay for the lower level, non-Haven suites (or any suite), and just not use the butler or concierge if they don't want to.  NCL isn't going to remove those services from the lower level suites and reduce the prices, it's going to increase the prices for those suites that will keep those services.   All of the options exist right now, it's just about NCL raising prices.  

[Peachypooh]

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

That is crazy.  Yeah, there is a slight difference in the rooms but not $500 nor any reason to make them different.  So did they make the existing DOS Super Deluxe DOS or PrivaSea DOS or some other marketing word?

Jade 2021 shows the old DOS now DOS with large balcony

10th deck OS now DOS with balcony

9th deck OS now OS with large balcony

 

Except for when we cruised to Alaska and wanted the larger balcony on deck 9 we always book the 10th deck OS due to the larger room. However I don't think it is worth $500 more per person than the 9th deck so if we cruise the Jewell class in 2021 we probably will get the 9th deck.

[GeezerCouple]

56 minutes ago, Peachypooh said:

Jade 2021 shows the old DOS now DOS with large balcony

10th deck OS now DOS with balcony

9th deck OS now OS with large balcony

 

Except for when we cruised to Alaska and wanted the larger balcony on deck 9 we always book the 10th deck OS due to the larger room. However I don't think it is worth $500 more per person than the 9th deck so if we cruise the Jewell class in 2021 we probably will get the 9th deck.

 

It's rather silly of them not to call both the [current] OS the same, perhaps with some modifier, but to lump the current DOS and the 10th floor [current] OS *both* as DOS.

 

As they say in Sesame Street, "One of these things is not like the other"...

 

Or should we write, "Two of these things ARE like each other..."?

 

Either way, changing the names *this* way makes little sense.

 

GC

[maja651]

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Lots of people use the butlers very little. If the only difference is that people in the penthouse suites doesn't get the snacks in the afternoon it's not a big deal. 

My issue is without a butler, that means no full breakfast, lunch, dinner, whichever your preference, in your suite. One of the perks we enjoy a lot with butler service is the ability to have meals in our cabin. This is especially important for us when  arrive at ports early or are put in port for along day. 

[CruisingSince1982]

On 12/19/2018 at 5:08 AM, pieshops said:

This is perfect for the people who constantly say they have no use for a butler and don’t tip them anyway 

 

I agree. We truly have no use for a butler.  Would definitely book a suite with an option not to have a butler.

[All-ready2cruise]

I'm another one that really doesn't need or use a butler much and would be quite happy with, the new Concierge category like the Joy offers.  I wonder if that's the road NCL will be taking, the suites without Butler service to be renamed as Concierge.  That would be fine with me, still getting most of the other suite benefits.

 

[VideoTech]

For every person who doesn't feel the need to have Butler service, there is one who enjoys and does use the Butler service. For us, it's part of the overall Haven experience and while we don't keep the Butler hopping, we do use his/her services and appreciate them. 

 

What bothers me is that (as has been pointed out), NCL won't create a cheaper "Non-Butler" class of cabin. What they'll likely do is use the opportunity to add an additional charge to the price of cabins that have Butler service.  

[littlelulu01]

40 minutes ago, maja651 said:

My issue is without a butler, that means no full breakfast, lunch, dinner, whichever your preference, in your suite. One of the perks we enjoy a lot with butler service is the ability to have meals in our cabin. This is especially important for us when  arrive at ports early or are put in port for along day. 

This!  We order specialty dinners to room.  The shorter sailings likely not much issue but we take the longer port intensive sailings and have most of our dinners specialty. We don’t feel like going to the venue every night.  For us one of the main benefits of being in a suite is specialty dining on our balcony or stateroom dining room a few nights out of 14-21. 

 

Ive noticed a cutback in number of butlers.  This hasn’t affected our service. In 2016 we had a garden villa for two weeks med on the Jade.  Our butler had one half of haven.  In 2017 we did British isles... one segment was in two bedroom family suite and the next segment was haven 2 bedroom.  Our butler had our section of deck 11 and also half the haven including the gv.  He was excellent And highly experienced but I can’t imagine most people adequately able to service that many cabins. 

 

There’s no way I’d pay over 1k/night and have zero ability to order good food to my room. 

 

Fall of 2020 is a long time away so I’m not too worried.  ALOT can change in that time.  Ncl is getting these $ on haven and suites today for the sailings I book but when the economy changes it’s going to be a very difficult sell!

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, maja651 said:

My issue is without a butler, that means no full breakfast, lunch, dinner, whichever your preference, in your suite. One of the perks we enjoy a lot with butler service is the ability to have meals in our cabin. This is especially important for us when  arrive at ports early or are put in port for along day. 

 

Lots of people never order full breakfast, lunch or dinner for the cabin. I assume that "standard" room service will be available.

 

We like to order a first, small breakfast to the cabin but we always eat our full breakfast in the restaurant. We have eaten dinner once in our suite and don't feel the need to do it again.

 

On MSC they don't serve dinner in any of the suites unless you are sick!

 

I understand that the butler is important for you and we want him/her too but some people probably don't care.

[Two Wheels Only]

25 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

Lots of people never order full breakfast, lunch or dinner for the cabin. I assume that "standard" room service will be available

 

But will suite guests get charged for standard room service?

 

26 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

On MSC they don't serve dinner in any of the suites unless you are sick! 

 

MSC will make an exception for dinner...for certain guests...who might just happen to be in the Royal Suite...😉

 

As for breakfast, a huge delivery is no problem. The issue with MSC is where in the suite (or balcony) will people sit and eat? Maybe NCL will remove the dining furniture from the suites without butler service...for your convenience, of course.

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

But will suite guests get charged for standard room service?

 

 

MSC will make an exception for dinner...for certain guests...who might just happen to be in the Royal Suite...😉

 

As for breakfast, a huge delivery is no problem. The issue with MSC is where in the suite (or balcony) will people sit and eat? Maybe NCL will remove the dining furniture from the suites without butler service...for your convenience, of course.

 

My guess is that if they exclude the butler from some suites they will have to pay for room service.

 

Maybe MSC make exceptions but as I understand it the policy is that noone will be served dinner in their suite unless they are sick.

 

It should be easier to eat dinner in a small Yacht Club suite, at least on Meraviglia, than in the spa suites on Norwegian Epic.

[CILCIANRQTS]

What!?!?

No butler service???

I’ll NEVER cruise NCL again!!! 😉😎

[goldmom]

Well, although the butler is a nice perk, we could probably do without them.  My concern though would be lack of Concierge service.  That would mean no priority boarding or debarkation and no escort off the ship in ports or priority tender service.  I would probably miss those more.  If they also decide to take away the suites breakfast and lunch then there would really be very little advantage to booking one of the lower level suites.  Really hope that NCL will rethink this whole thing.

[All-ready2cruise]

39 minutes ago, goldmom said:

Well, although the butler is a nice perk, we could probably do without them.  My concern though would be lack of Concierge service.  That would mean no priority boarding or debarkation and no escort off the ship in ports or priority tender service.  I would probably miss those more.  If they also decide to take away the suites breakfast and lunch then there would really be very little advantage to booking one of the lower level suites.  Really hope that NCL will rethink this whole thing.

I agree with the Concierge service and especially embark and debarking the ship. And yes, if they decide to take away the brky and lunch in the special resty, that would be a downer for suites as we know them.  Unfortunately, if NCL thinks they can make more money without Butler service, they will do it, regardless of what their loyal pax think. Sad but true. 

[footballbabe3]

It’s a shame that these rooms are really getting priced ridiculously. We have sailed in the Haven a few times. We are sailing in a Penthouse on the jade. I can’t see paying for the Haven on the Jade the area is so small. Now we are finally Platinum and NCL might be forcing us to look somewhere else.  Wonder if the economy getting worse is going to make it tough for NCL. They seem to be booking the Haven. Just not sure that will continue. 

[GeezerCouple]

14 minutes ago, footballbabe3 said:

It’s a shame that these rooms are really getting priced ridiculously. We have sailed in the Haven a few times. We are sailing in a Penthouse on the jade. I can’t see paying for the Haven on the Jade the area is so small. Now we are finally Platinum and NCL might be forcing us to look somewhere else.  Wonder if the economy getting worse is going to make it tough for NCL. They seem to be booking the Haven. Just not sure that will continue. 

 

If NCL keeps allowing lower bids to get Haven suites, then yes, the Haven will continue to sail full.  But they won't be getting the revenue it might seem from the prices that they show.

 

We've already "jumped ship", so to speak 

 

GC

[Linda the Book Lover]

On 12/19/2018 at 11:59 AM, david_sobe said:

I have mixed thoughts on this.  We know the price wont go down even with this change.  We don't use the butler that much. I love suites on the Jewel ships that don't have haven access.  We never use the Haven pool so it seems like a waste.  I love the large cabin, priority disembarkation and breakfast and lunch in Cagneys.  I wish I could only sign up for these things.

Butlers are stretched  thin and run all over the ship.  Maybe this is a way to improve the Haven experience where the butler can really serve only a few suites.

The DH and I loved the Aft SF on the Star because of the wrap balcony. We love the Haven on the Epic because of Posh. We really enjoy Suite/Haven cabins because we actually enjoy having meals in our cabin sometimes. We also have never used the Haven pool but we do love the Haven restaurant. We are happy with Cagney's breakfast and lunch on the Jewel ships. That said, the cabin prices keep going up for Suite/Havens. We booked our next cruise in the YC on MSC. My DD and I are fine traveling in a spa balcony, so for now, we are still booking on NCL.

[bonvoyagie]

We were spoiled from our first cruise on the Sky in 02 when our TA worked NCL to upgrade us to a suite - a corner one with the wraparound balcony - and all the trimmings that came with it. Since then we have only cruised in balcony cabins twice - the rest have been in suites. I learned of the extra large balcony on deck 10 in the Jewel class ships in 2012 going to Alaska - now we were able to snag one of these for our Panama Canal cruise in 2020. We enjoy the Butler and Concierge  service esp for in suite dining - as well as the snacks.

 

I am not sure where NCL is going with all of this as they are also changing the categories on the Away and Away+ ships as well. It looks like only the non-haven ships are being exempt from the changes. I think that all of this bidding on upgrades has fueled these extra categories too - now changing floors is a category upgrade.

[dexddd]

21 hours ago, Peachypooh said:

Jade 2021 shows the old DOS now DOS with large balcony

10th deck OS now DOS with balcony

9th deck OS now OS with large balcony

 

Except for when we cruised to Alaska and wanted the larger balcony on deck 9 we always book the 10th deck OS due to the larger room. However I don't think it is worth $500 more per person than the 9th deck so if we cruise the Jewell class in 2021 we probably will get the 9th deck.

That is beyond stupid.  Nothing but marketing garbage.

 

See Escape DOS now is DOS w large balcony.  H3 OS now DOS w balcony.  I can see inclusion of word balcony since Dawn, Star DOS don't have one.

[dexddd]

19 hours ago, VideoTech said:

For every person who doesn't feel the need to have Butler service, there is one who enjoys and does use the Butler service. For us, it's part of the overall Haven experience and while we don't keep the Butler hopping, we do use his/her services and appreciate them. 

 

What bothers me is that (as has been pointed out), NCL won't create a cheaper "Non-Butler" class of cabin. What they'll likely do is use the opportunity to add an additional charge to the price of cabins that have Butler service.  

Bingo.  They must not have gotten the full descriptions out there yet - suite xxx - with butler and balcony.

[dexddd]

20 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

It's rather silly of them not to call both the [current] OS the same, perhaps with some modifier, but to lump the current DOS and the 10th floor [current] OS *both* as DOS.

 

As they say in Sesame Street, "One of these things is not like the other"...

 

Or should we write, "Two of these things ARE like each other..."?

 

Either way, changing the names *this* way makes little sense.

 

GC

They have missed their opportunity to call the ones on 9 10 ......with large front balcony and double-wide PrivaSea balcony.

[dexddd]

16 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Lots of people never order full breakfast, lunch or dinner for the cabin. I assume that "standard" room service will be available.

 

We like to order a first, small breakfast to the cabin but we always eat our full breakfast in the restaurant. We have eaten dinner once in our suite and don't feel the need to do it again.

 

On MSC they don't serve dinner in any of the suites unless you are sick!

 

I understand that the butler is important for you and we want him/her too but some people probably don't care.

Recent report on MSC offering dinner in room in Royal suite

[TSUmom]

After reading these posts I thought I would look at my upcoming cruises.  My Med cruise for next Oct does not have my cabin # which is (was) a B1....nothing listed now.  My other 2 cruises for 2020 show OX instead of a cabin.

[boopsahoy]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 5:04 AM, sverigecruiser said:

 

Lots of people use the butlers very little. If the only difference is that people in the penthouse suites doesn't get the snacks in the afternoon it's not a big deal. 

Are they taking away the free movies and free room service?