Butler- Packing and Unpacking

[leisuretraveler223]

I've sailed in a number of suites with butler service, and I realize they really do put this down as a service, but it's never even crossed my mind to consider it.  And now I'm wondering, can ANYONE here chime in who has actually taken advantage of this?

[cruiser02]

Never !  Have stayed in many cabins with butler unpacking service but never even thought to request it.  

Can't imagine having someone else unpack and put away my stuff.   

 

[mahdnc]

I asked our butler when we were in a suite on board Horizon about this (so this is many moons ago).  He said that on rare occasions he has provided this service.  In those cases, it involved a very old person who was too feeble to unpack or pack.

[Dr. Pam]

Uhhhhhhh, NO!  I prefer to put my own clothes away so I know where to find them!  PLUS! I do not want someone else handling my intimate wear. 😜  I can think of other things that I would prefer our butler to do!

[chemmo]

I don’t think this is a much requested service. We have never asked for it or been offered it although it is advertised...

 

However, for guests with mobility issues it could be useful. If we did feel we needed it we would liaise through ‘special needs’ so the butler would be alerted. He could then either organise his time or arrange for another member of staff to support. Without this prearrangement it could impact on the butler’s general role to all guests on boarding day of ‘meet and greet’....

[Swordfish1949]

Noooo way! I'd much rather our butler restock the frig with our favorite beverages and leave our clothes to us.

 

[Phxazzcruisers]

No No No.  Of all of the services they offer, this is a definite NO. I would never know where to look for anything if they unpacked for me.  I am able and happy to do this myself.

[Jim_Iain]

Out of over 50 cruises we have only done it once and that was at the butlers insistence many years ago in the PH.   Basically you have to be there and tell the Butler where you want him to put things.   I'll be honest even when we have had a butler push to assist I tell them we will take care of it. 

 

On a more practical side we have had numerous butlers tell us to just leave our dirty laundry on a chair or sofa and he would fill out the paperwork and deliver it to the laundry.   

[39august]

We've only had a suite once. So may I ask what is meant by "restock the fridge"? I thought stuff in the mini bar was off limits for beverage package drinks.

[Jim_Iain]

1 minute ago, 39august said:

We've only had a suite once. So may I ask what is meant by "restock the fridge"? I thought stuff in the mini bar was off limits for beverage package drinks.

They do restock the refrigerators but in Upper Suites (RS and Above) they come with unlimited waters, beers and juices and mixers.   They restock these daily.      Many butlers will also stock complimentary bottled water as a treat.

[wrk2cruise]

9 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Many butlers will also stock complimentary bottled water as a treat.

 

I've had them do this in lower suites IF they knew you had a beverage package.

[abbydancer2003]

We were in a Sky suite, and our butler kept our fridge stocked with bottled water.  Part of our beverage package.

[kenevenpar]

If Butler unpacked/packed DW, he would be tied up for numerous days 😮  She is not on here, I'm safe, I think

 

 

[Dr. Pam]

6 minutes ago, kenevenpar said:

If Butler unpacked/packed DW, he would be tied up for numerous days 😮  She is not on here, I'm safe, I think

 

 

😁 U never know.........

[clskinsfan]

I cant image asking someone to put my underwear away. How could he look at you with a straight face the rest if the cruise? 🙂

[Bo1953]

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

I asked our butler when we were in a suite on board Horizon about this (so this is many moons ago).  He said that on rare occasions he has provided this service.  In those cases, it involved a very old person who was too feeble to unpack or pack.

LOL - you would consider moi even more 'feeble' when I request it??

 

bon voyage

Edited January 24, 2020 by Bo1953

[Bo1953]

12 minutes ago, clskinsfan said:

I cant image asking someone to put my underwear away. How could he look at you with a straight face the rest if the cruise? 🙂

I would say 'intimately'....

 

Then again, it does depend if one brings 'new and clean' vs 'old and clean'.... LOL

 

bon voyage

[mahdnc]

10 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

LOL - you would consider moi 'feeble' when I request it??

 

bon voyage

 

I am the messenger, conveying what I was told.  The butler did it.  I believe he actually used the word, "feeble"!

Edited January 24, 2020 by mahdnc

[clskinsfan]

1 minute ago, Bo1953 said:

I would say 'intimately'....

 

Then again, it does depend if one brings 'new and clean' vs 'old and clean'.... LOL

 

bon voyage

Problem is, for me at least, the older they are the more comfortable they are. lol

[PhotoGal07]

I can't speak to Celebrity, but we took our butler up on the offer to unpack and pack for us when we've stayed at the St. Regis in Bora Bora, and it was heavenly not having to touch a thing.  They unpacked everything while we were out at lunch on the day of arrival, and then packed everything up while we were at dinner the evening before we were due to leave (we unpacked/packed our own carry-ons with our cameras/laptops, etc). 

Your hotel room or cabin is not that big, and there are limited places for them to put things, I promise nothing will get lost.  Everything is put exactly where you would assume it would be.  Collared shirts and dresses hung up in the closet, a drawer or two with extra tee shirts, and shorts.   Hairbrush and cosmetic bag set nicely in the bathroom (they won't take everything out of your cosmetics bag, just set it on the vanity). Bathing suit, coverups all folded nicely on the closet shelf with your sun hat on top.  Paperback book and extra chargers set on the nightstand.  I took a separate lingerie bag for undergarments, and everything was left inside.  Shoes were lined up at the bottom of the closet.   

Storing clothes is pretty intuitive, and there's not much variation.   I imagine if you had 100 people unpack their clothes into a room, 85-90% of them would put their clothes in the same basic spots.  If it's offered, I highly recommend utilizing the service assuming your presence isn't required to supervise, in which case yes, you might as well do it yourself.  But if you can have someone else do it, while you are already lounging and grabbing your first drink, that's the way to go.

Edited January 24, 2020 by PhotoGal07

[leisuretraveler223]

Thanks for all the feedback!  And pleased to hear from someone who has used this service (albeit at a different resort).  Personally, I don’t give a flip if someone sees my undies.  They’re a professional doing a job.  I never would think of it except they do mention it under the amenities.  Not so interested if I have to stand there and supervise.  But I am a little intrigued at the thought of telling my butler to feel free to unpack our things while we enjoy the ship.

[opa&oma]

The one time we asked our butler to unpack, we could tell he was not happy about it.  Boarding day has enough for them to do.

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, kenevenpar said:

If Butler unpacked/packed DW, he would be tied up for numerous days 😮  She is not on here, I'm safe, I think

 

 

LOL.... you should hear what she said about you.....   😁

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

Thanks for all the feedback!  And pleased to hear from someone who has used this service (albeit at a different resort).  Personally, I don’t give a flip if someone sees my undies.  They’re a professional doing a job.  I never would think of it except they do mention it under the amenities.  Not so interested if I have to stand there and supervise.  But I am a little intrigued at the thought of telling my butler to feel free to unpack our things while we enjoy the ship.

At least on Celebrity they will not do it unless you are there.   i believe it has to do with security and the potential for something going missing.   

 

I found the same with the Room Safe.  My battery died and when they came to fix it they required me to be present and also to take everything out of the safe even though I was standing there.   I'm sure it is for the protection of both the guest and the staff member.    They were very efficient and fixed it quickly.

[kenevenpar]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

LOL.... you should hear what she said about you.....   😁

I do, frequently 😲😉