Butler Help

[Cruise-y]

We are very self-sufficient and have always pushed back from butler help.  Just the way we were raised, I guess.  I'll run to the coffee deck and back in the morning before I'll ask my butler - because I like the spontaneity of it (and, mainly, I really like not having to plan ahead when I'll get up).  I want to pick the specific drawers I'm going to put my clothes and toiletries in, so I don't want them to unpack for me.  We rarely get room service (for a lot of reasons I won't belabor here).  But we've booked a late October cruise with a butler and I want to do it right this time.

 

I'm thinking a list with this:

1) Please keep my fridge stocked with xyz (wine/beer/water)

2) Please deliver "new style" canapés in late afternoon, whether we are there yet or not. We'll get to them later.

3) Please make specialty restaurant (and show) reservations for me on xyz date

4) Please bring a power strip for each side of the bed so we can plug in and read our Kindles at night (or check email or our kids on Facebook or whatever)

 

Are these reasonable requests?  Should I palm him/her a tip ahead of time?  I know tips are included but I assume an extra is appropriate at the end?  Advice is appreciated.  Sorry to be a rube.  Thanks

[Gilly]

@Cruise-y  you don't mention which cruise line you will be sailing with, so my answer is only specific to my experience, which is with Regent.  Butlers on Regent ships would expect to do all but one of those as a matter of course; in fact, your pre-cruise requests would cover your preferences for fridge contents, canapes/snacks and restaurant bookings.  The exception is the power strips - we've always brought our own.

 

As for the tip - no.  If tips are included, then there is the answer (and I have a particular aversion to tipping in advance).  Most ships have a crew welfare fund to which you can contribute if you would like to make further acknowledgement of kindness and particularly attentive service.  That fund is shared beyond the most visible crew members to those with equally vital but behind the scenes roles.

[Keith1010]

Yes it would be helpful for you to say which cruise line you are on.

 

Most of what you have listed seems very reasonable.

 

Tipping is very personal.  Some people do provide a tip to the person.  Some don't.  Some give to a Crew Fund.  No need to give a tip ahead of time.  My advice just decide as the cruise progresses whether or not you want to tip and if so how much.  Let your experience be your guide.

 

Keith

[cb at sea]

On cruises, any additional tipping is done on the last evening....not "as you go", and certainly not in advance!

[bamelin]

Tipping thread?  Tipping thread 😩

 

just joking!
 

 

I think your butler requests are very reasonable IMHO.

[LHT28]

not sure I would want some canapes  delivered & sitting around until I get to them  especially if they are shrimp or other  things that can go off

You probably could order them when you get to the cabin

Even with tips included   people may tip at the end if the Butler went above & beyond to make your cruise more enjoyable

Maybe there are outlets next to the bed & you will not need a power strip 😉

[mj_holiday]

We will have a butler on our next Regents cruise.  Getting coffee - - in the past on Regents when I wake up I usually call room service for coffee and it shows up in 5 minutes or less.  With a butler, will there be similar service for when I call?

 

If some evening we want some special drinks delivered, is that also done through the butler?

 

Besides what you want in the mini refrigerator, I would also tell the butler how/when we want ice.  With the dry dock of Navigator I noticed the ice bucket really didn't fit in the frig (one day the frig didn't get closed completely because of the ice bucket.  If we don't want ice some  days or just available after dinner - I would discuss this with the butler instead of automatically a new bucket every afternoon.

[wripro]

21 hours ago, mj_holiday said:

We will have a butler on our next Regents cruise.  Getting coffee - - in the past on Regents when I wake up I usually call room service for coffee and it shows up in 5 minutes or less.  With a butler, will there be similar service for when I call?

 

If some evening we want some special drinks delivered, is that also done through the butler?

 

Besides what you want in the mini refrigerator, I would also tell the butler how/when we want ice.  With the dry dock of Navigator I noticed the ice bucket really didn't fit in the frig (one day the frig didn't get closed completely because of the ice bucket.  If we don't want ice some  days or just available after dinner - I would discuss this with the butler instead of automatically a new bucket every afternoon.

I think you will have better luck getting answers to your questions on the Regent board as the people there know much more about that specific line. 

[Texas Oceans]

Each time we've travelled on Regent with a butler, we've asked them to provide any excursion advice that they might have since they've been to this area before and it was our first visit.  They were happy to review our excursions every couple of days and offered advice that even included turning in tour tickets and encouraging us to do some self-guided days.  The advice we received was always spot on!