Butler is Everthing!!

[marcoigna]

 

2 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

I am having a problem trying to understand why a pax, who is not receiving good service, would not go to the head butler and make an attempt to rectify the situation as soon as possible.  Why would a pax spend an entire week going without the service that has been paid for and then just chalk it up to “oh well...better luck next time”???  This makes no sense.  

 Everyone handles a situation differently - we had a bad butler on a one week cruise.   I didn't complain nor wrote a bad review - we are   Only human and everyone has a bad day - and if on contract  for 6-7 months then they can have a bad week.   Did i want for anything, no - we just saw what our friends butler was doing for them and what our butler was not doing for us.   I truly think it comes down to what U expect from ur butler.  
 

 Some want all the escorts and falling over - others don't want it at all.  

 

Really there is no fine  line or description as to  what a MSC Butler is expected to do.   Every butler we have come across on 10 YC sailings were entirely different.  
 

Also, not 1 has given us the attention the OP describes (and we have done 90% in RS category) including an upcoming one  on the Meraviglia on the 28 October  - but also not looking for THAT much attention.  
 

The best we had was Alessandro-  the YC Director - who insisted we have a dinner for 8 of us on our YC RS Balcony - that i will never forget.  The best meal and service ever.  

 

You don't want to become -THAT - passenger in the small YC enclave  - who is spending the time complaining -  people talk !!! Just their nature.  
 

i end this with the same comment - every butler is different and not given i Instructions  as to what they are expected to do - the butlers  that go way over-the-top are perhaps making the other butlers look bad - and the over-the-top service can be a one off

 

just sayin - with all our experience. 

[hamrag]

On 10/15/2019 at 6:34 PM, Capricruiser said:

Bea the chief butler on Meraviglia is a she:  Larissa Fedoruk.

 

Yes, Larissa was Head Butler on our Mera sailings....totally on top of her game, checks that wine glasses in the bar areas are sparkling and that the bar tops are scrupulously clean! When Larissa arrives in any of the YC locations, the butlers dance to her tune. She is a lovely woman, but not one to mess with and expects all butlers to be on their game....rightly so.

 

Being Eastern European, she comes across as curt at times but that is their way and personality. We gave her warm attitude, and she returned same to us in spades!

[Seadweller001]

In all my years of cruising there have been a few problems and speaking face to face with the Waiter or Bar Server or Room Attendant always rectifies the problem.  Do onto others and in my employ it would be disastrous if I got constant negative complaints so I carry that forward.  These poor people are away from families for up to 9 months and are lonely and sad I bet and sometimes have bad days.  They always get the benefit of the doubt with me and great ratings.

[rattanchair]

I understand complaining about a cabin. Now I scour the CC for cabin reviews having chosen a noisy one that woke me up from the pool deck above for the week. Went to guest services  and asked for a comment card in advance, wrote a quick compliment about my concierge and steward, naming them and how exceptional I thought they were, and followed up with my complaint with my cabin location and the noise at 5 am every morning coming from above, and that I could never stay on this floor again. Perhaps, because it was the first comment card of the cruise, I got an immediate response, a letter of  apology with a voucher for $300pp off a future booking. Another passenger got the same response only he got a voucher for $400pp off a future cruise. I know this because he got my voucher and I got his. The vouchers had our names on them and I took the time to read. I was thrilled with his $800 until I got back mine for $600. C'est la vie ! I did not go back to guest services and try to get my extra $200. I told myself he must have paid more for his cabin than I did. Hey, I had to tell myself something !

       I never would complain about service and try to get someone in 'hot water' with their superior. It is not worth it. Animosities can be easily generated and one could 'snap' under the strain. A day may come when human service providers are replaced by AI robots, but until that day a word of caution on how we all treat those we come in contact with. What happens at sea has a way of staying at sea and events are not always reported and are covered up by the cruise lines. One seldom hears or reads about fights, assaults, rapes, suicides, poisonings etc happening at sea, after all the cruise lines want us all to believe the world at sea is Fantasyland.  In an emergency situation do you want your seat in the lifeboat depending on someone you just 'ragged on'?

[Cruisergal1208]

Butlers and the jr butlers are assigned a certain section of cabins so requesting a particular one will upset the apple cart   If you have a real problem with one, please let the YC director know so something might be done to make things right.   I don’t agree with naming “bad” ones as what one person perceives as bad, others may find awesome. Everyone can have an off performance at times due to unknown circumstances. No excuses, just facts.  

[Cruising89143]

I have a question. I saw a YouTube video of the YC on the Mera. The person (TA) stated that your butler is your room steward. Is this correct or does he assist the actual room steward? 
 

Thanks.

[rattanchair]

12 minutes ago, Cruisergal1208 said:

Everyone can have an off performance at times due to unknown circumstances. No excuses, just facts.

Many times the circumstances are obvious to the observer, but not to the oblivious passenger. The room steward is stealth in action, he  or she introduces themselves on day one to retrieve your towel preferences and make up room times and if they are good you do not see them again unless you call or last day for tips. On the other hand it is your butler who makes it his or her business to make daily contact with the passenger, unless they perceive, rightly or wrongly, a problem passenger. Sure the work is hard, tedious, long hours, demanding passengers, day after day, week after week, month after month. How many pretend 'Polyannas' can they take demanding their attention.  13 cabins per butler divided by a 16 hour day, they have to pick and choose who to accommodate. You would too if you were in their shoes. Hopefully their superiors were in their shoes at one point and pay' lip service' to passenger complaints, and placate these disgruntled with platitudes, and assign another over- worked butler, which they would not tip extra to as well. "It is supposed to be included in the price of my cruise."

[rattanchair]

42 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

I have a question. I saw a YouTube video of the YC on the Mera. The person (TA) stated that your butler is your room steward. Is this correct or does he assist the actual room steward? 
 

Thanks.

On Seaside, Vishnu our butler did not do anything with our cabin. But he would relay our requests to our room steward which were immediately taken care of . We got the impression that stewards work was beneath him. You got to love this guy, he got things done.

 P.S. He was like a 'genie" on RCCl.

Edited October 18, 2019 by rattanchair
P.S.

[Capricruiser]

On MSC the cabin steward works for the butler who works for the chief butler who works for the YC director.  That's the chain of command.

[Cruising89143]

2 hours ago, Capricruiser said:

On MSC the cabin steward works for the butler who works for the chief butler who works for the YC director.  That's the chain of command.

Thanks.

[April42749]

I'm not one to "cause someone problems at work"....but:

If I were paying the premium for the yacht club and the butler wasn't "butlering" I'd comment to his supervisor.  I know people can have off days...but if someone is having "an off week" MSC should be able to do something so that the services paid for by the passenger are met.  The level of service should be up to the butlers supervisor (knowing that some people want more than average).

[JAGR]

7 hours ago, Capricruiser said:

On MSC the cabin steward works for the butler who works for the chief butler who works for the YC director.  That's the chain of command.

In YC, that is not quite correct.  There are no room or cabin stewards.  That position is Junior Butler.  They are very proud of the title, and I have even seen them politely correct passengers who use the pejorative title of "steward."  Pejorative in their view.

 

Edited October 18, 2019 by JAGR

[rattanchair]

The CC posters on this thread must have missed this or turned the channel because it did not agree with their world view: London's channel 4 sent a reporter undercover to work for 5 weeks aboard a popular, upscale cruise ship you all talk about. The expose reported that the lowest paid on board workers were receiving about $600/ mo or about $2.00 /hr with no gratuities. Most worked 7 days a week for six to 8 months.They are forced to pay 'expensive fees' to recruitment agencies in their home countries. Our undercover worker earned $3.75 / hr, expected to work 16 hours each day, and charged $700 by his recruitment agency. Yes he started work in debt. So if you do not get that reciprocal "Pollyanna" smile back some day, maybe you will be a tad more understanding when it comes to tip time.

[rattanchair]

6 hours ago, April42749 said:

I'm not one to "cause someone problems at work"....but:

If I were paying the premium for the yacht club and the butler wasn't "butlering" I'd comment to his supervisor.  I know people can have off days...but if someone is having "an off week" MSC should be able to do something so that the services paid for by the passenger are met.  The level of service should be up to the butlers supervisor (knowing that some people want more than average).

I have learned that when anyone says" I'm not one to cause someone problems at work".. They are the first to cause someone problems at work. In sales 101 you learn when a prospective buyer says " It's not the money". You know it is exactly the 'money'.

[Cruising89143]

4 hours ago, JAGR said:

In YC, that is not quite correct.  There are no room or cabin stewards.  That position is Junior Butler.  They are very proud of the title, and I have even seen them politely correct passengers who use the pejorative title of "steward."  Pejorative in their view.

 

Thanks for the additional info. 

[gtaylor]

13 hours ago, JAGR said:

In YC, that is not quite correct.  There are no room or cabin stewards.  That position is Junior Butler.  They are very proud of the title, and I have even seen them politely correct passengers who use the pejorative title of "steward."  Pejorative in their view.

 

Thank you for stating that.

 

gary

[George C]

Great review and thread, we are really looking forward to our first yacht club in 6 weeks. 

[spencerdrivecruiser]

After cruising for a few years and observing how hard the crew works,  7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day,  I made a mental note that if I ever had a private company in the USA, I d hire anyone who has worked several years on a cruise ship.  

 

They all so atypical vs the typical land worker.  Imagine, no weekends off, no accrued sick days and almost the life of an indentured servant.  Very sad when you think of it.  I consider my additional over the standard tips as charity since the money will likely be sent home for the family food, the children's schooling, medical, etc. It is charity in its purest form without any middleman.

[AmazedByCruising]

4 minutes ago, spencerdrivecruiser said:

After cruising for a few years and observing how hard the crew works,  7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day,  I made a mental note that if I ever had a private company in the USA, I d hire anyone who has worked several years on a cruise ship.  

 

The US residents which you could hire didn't work those hours. They were looking after kids, selling art, giving a massage or were an officer.   

 

[AmazedByCruising]

1 hour ago, spencerdrivecruiser said:

They all so atypical vs the typical land worker.  Imagine, no weekends off, no accrued sick days and almost the life of an indentured servant.  Very sad when you think of it.  I consider my additional over the standard tips as charity since the money will likely be sent home for the family food, the children's schooling, medical, etc. It is charity in its purest form without any middleman.

 

There are long lines for the recruitment agencies, and people actually bribe to get a job on the ships. So to make it even more sad: you're helping the ones that earn a lot more than their neighbours who couldn't afford to learn English.

 

The good thing is that while Indonesia and the Philippines provide cheap labor for now, that won't last long. Google "indonesia gnp". In a few years, they'll be thinking twice about spending their most productive years making towel animals when there are serious alternatives. The bad thing is that fares will reflect that. 

[emmas gran]

• Brian David Bruns has revealed all in a series of best-selling books
• At the age of 30 decided to become cruise ship worker and pursue a girl
• 80-hour weeks, low pay, and limited toilet breaks all part of the job 

The article referred to on the previous page is not written by a cruise ship worker but an author and is dated Feb 2015,I just googled for it.

OK now I am definitely  leaving him to his inane comments