What does butler service mean?

[TravelingGiGi]

We’ve cruised with Oceania and it’s our go-to.

 

My questions (since obviously we haven’t cruised for a couple of years) are:  this is our first time  with butler service (ahhh that pricey cancelled cruise and future cruise credit)…. What does butler service mean?  Or what will they do for us?  And please offer any insight about your recent travels.

[Mura]

You can use your butler for many things, especially for extra specialty restaurants if you want them. When we couldn't get extra reservations pre-cruise, the butler almost always could.  A few times when we boarded we discovered that our butler had already booked us for specialty reservations just about every evening ... many of which we cancelled.

 

If you want to dine in your suite the butler will bring you your dinner course by course if you wish, or more often we got the first two courses when he arrived, then called him to bring dessert.

 

Do you want to spring for a cocktail party in your suite? The butler will take care of it.

 

When in doubt, ask him if he can take care of a problem for you.

 

Mura

[basor]

You will be assigned a specific butler that will take care of you during your cruise.  If you order breakfast, they will be the one to bring it to your room and set up your table.  If you want/need anything during the day or evening and pick up the phone to request something, the butler will (normally) be the one to answer the phone and handle the request.  They will bring your afternoon drinks and canapes.  If you desire dinner in suite, they will handle the order and serve you course by course (or all at once if you prefer).   They do have "back ups" so if it their time off, the back up butler will handle anything you need.  They greet you with a smile and make your cruise very special.

[Harters]

We'll probably have a PH on the next cruise, so will have a butler. I really can't think of anything, in practice, that we'll need him for, over and above the services of the steward in the cheaper cabins.

[Misssmb]

I think once you have one, you never want to go back! There is nothing like him setting up breakfast for you every day or showing up at 4 PM or whatever time you wish with champagne or your drink of choice, snacks, etc. 

[janecambridge]

Different way through to tender, passing the queue! I was a bit uncomfortable for  with that. 

[jwindham]

My friend I travel with is not fond of Red Ginger so I often get the butler to bring me my favorite soup to eat in the cabin before we go to the Main Dining Room or the Terrace. Julia

[clairol]

On 6/14/2022 at 11:59 AM, janecambridge said:

Different way through to tender, passing the queue! I was a bit uncomfortable for  with that. 

Really? This was not reveled to us. We were in an Oceania Suite last October and didn't know there was a tender fast-track... is this for PH and up? We are in a PH in October. I too would feel a bit uncomfortable but it would be good to know if we were faced with a time crunch!

 

I can't say we were wowed by our butler's performance. We barely asked for anything except a standing order of tea and pot de crème every night. We even only ordered breakfast in the suite once. Whenever we asked about specialty restaurants we were told to call ourselves. We did get a very detailed unnecessary tutorial on the smart TV. Admittedly, it was Riviera's first trip back...  and it probably depends on the luck of the draw.

[janecambridge]

Yep Clairol. When we were OC we were taken down by the butler via the hospital entrance.  We were also fast tracked by the butler with our passport handover/stamping. 
But let me warn you …..We were anchored at Easter Island awaiting a tender.Our butler took us straight down and we were first on the tender. Big mistake….. the seas were extremely rough and it was uncertain we would be able to leave the ship. This caused a slow pass from ship to tender. We felt very sick watching everyone trying to get in tender.We will ask to be last next time!!  Moral of the story…. Don’t get on first if rough weather!!!! 

[Hawaiidan]

19 hours ago, clairol said:

Really? This was not reveled to us. We were in an Oceania Suite last October and didn't know there was a tender fast-track... is this for PH and up? We are in a PH in October. I too would feel a bit uncomfortable but it would be good to know if we were faced with a time crunch!

 

I can't say we were wowed by our butler's performance. We barely asked for anything except a standing order of tea and pot de crème every night. We even only ordered breakfast in the suite once. Whenever we asked about specialty restaurants we were told to call ourselves. We did get a very detailed unnecessary tutorial on the smart TV. Admittedly, it was Riviera's first trip back...  and it probably depends on the luck of the draw.

Nope...  Had them 2 x...     same experience   seemed both silly to demand all sorts of stuff easily done by us.... A hold over from Victorian and feudal times.... Telling some one what  to do just because you could?????    I have been in  high level  positions in the past  and don't need to have subordinates to pander and   serve me.    That is not a need  is have.

I sail O because of its non class ambiance   A butler is not  in that keeping to me.

 In truth it seemed intrusive to cabing life...having this stranger stopping by with out warning..  No thank you  and rather disingenuous to  say the leasr.

[Fredrik]

Last two times it has just felt kinda awkward. Him standing in the room and us just wanting him to leave. Different strokes etc but we found no use whatsoever over the 20+ nights that we couldn’t live without. 

[roberts2005]

Never had a butler get me extra specialty dining reservations.  Always did it my self by going to the desk as soon as it opened in the morning.

[sunlover12]

We get a Penthouse suite but we do it for the larger space, not the butler. They are very gracious and will always ask us if there is anything they can do for us or get us.  We'll usually get breakfast served in the cabin once per cruise but that's about it. We've never asked him for any extra speciality restaurant reservations.  If there was such a thing as the Penthouse without a butler, we'd be good with that. 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Fredrik said:

Last two times it has just felt kinda awkward. Him standing in the room and us just wanting him to leave. Different strokes etc but we found no use whatsoever over the 20+ nights that we couldn’t live without. 

Why was he standing in the room ??

[ORV]

1 hour ago, roberts2005 said:

Never had a butler get me extra specialty dining reservations.  Always did it my self by going to the desk as soon as it opened in the morning.

Have you ever asked them to?

[roberts2005]

1 minute ago, ORV said:

Have you ever asked them to?

Yes. Most times with no success.  That has been why I go do it my self.

 

‘’is there a trick in how and when to ask?

[ORV]

1 minute ago, roberts2005 said:

Yes. Most times with no success.  That has been why I go do it my self.

 

‘’is there a trick in how and when to ask?

Perhaps it's just the luck of the draw as to what Butler you get. I believe some might have more pull than others. 

[roberts2005]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Perhaps it's just the luck of the draw as to what Butler you get. I believe some might have more pull than others. 

Hopefully I luck out next month

[Fredrik]

8 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Why was he standing in the room ??

Lingering making awkward conversation. It felt kind of strange, it would have been better if he made any kind of suggestions of what service he would provide but to us I was just really confusing. Maybe it was the restart I don’t know. I would rather just have my stateroom attendant. 

[jondfk]

First sailing with O in April in a PH mini.  We found our butler useful, especially good for room service breakfast, aside from that meal we really don't prefer to eat in the room so can't say about served meals from the dining room.

 

We did ask for help getting an additional reservation in Toscana.  He did so, but choose a time I'd never have requested (8:30 or 9PM) and a sharing table, which again I'd never have requested given the level of Covid on the ship.  What was odd is he didn't asked our preferences for either, just booked it, my impression was the minimum of effort was expended.  For example, he could have asked our preference, or to offer more seamless service he might have checked our other existing reservations and noticed the clear pattern (7:00, dining alone).  Still we appreciated the effort.  BTW, what happens if you skip a specialty booking and go to the GDR - they graciously call you out - 'you have a booking in Toscana tonight don't you, shall we cancel that for you'?

 

Our butler proved his value when our shower door closure broke on night 1.  He coordinated (repeated) efforts to get it properly repaired and shared my frustration at the first 2 halfhearted attempts.

 

Not having ever had a butler before we could surely muddle through without, but the extra service was appreciated, understanding how it works and what is possible, we will make fuller use on our September sailings. 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, jondfk said:

 BTW, what happens if you skip a specialty booking and go to the GDR - they graciously call you out - 'you have a booking in Toscana tonight don't you, shall we cancel that for you'?

 

 

So they should 🙄

Only so many reservations are booked at specific times so if you change your mind please cancel & let others on the wait list dine in the specialties

 

[Hawaiidan]

21 hours ago, ORV said:

Have you ever asked them to?

Why when it takes the same effort to  call the butler to have him call for reservations that you could have done already abd then call you back,,,     Saves 3 phone calls.........  Come on is that not silly ??? 

[ORV]

2 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Why when it takes the same effort to  call the butler to have him call for reservations that you could have done already abd then call you back,,,     Saves 3 phone calls.........  Come on is that not silly ??? 

Not at all, you might be told no, but a Butler with clout could make it happen for you. 

[mauibabes]

Our Butler was GOLDEN! On a 46 day cruise October 16 to December 3, we only ate in the TC or GDR when we wanted to, otherwise about 40 nights in Specialties.  Granted the passenger count was 300 to 1100 but our Butler was booking tables for 6 for us.  They can make things happen and if you do not exactly like the reservation time, just stop in at the restaurant and ask the Maitre d if they can accommodate you.  Don’t sell your Butler short and just ask.  Be a little flexible on which restaurant because some nights they are just jammed.  
Ciao,

Mauibabes

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, ORV said:

Not at all, you might be told no, but a Butler with clout could make it happen for you. 

I guess, amigo, I have never had that problem.; always been able to get something, its not that important to me on a ship with 5-6 placed to feed each night...........I ain't that picky or wound that tight that not getting everything I want is going to change my life.......