First NCL Suite - Butler Service

[ChiefMateJRK]

On 11/11/2022 at 5:17 AM, JGmf said:

Actually, I'd like an "opt out of the butler" option

 

11 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

opt out sounds like a great idea.

I opt out of a butler on every single cruise I take.

[AstoriaPreppy]

On 11/7/2022 at 2:48 PM, Nilbog said:

We board the Pearl in 11 days, and it's our first time in a suite on NCL.  What are some of the things you have the butler do?  All the NCL website talks about is unpacking your luggage.

As someone who has only sailed in an NCL suite once, my biggest pro-tip would be to make sure you meet the butler on day 1, and address any service issues with the concierge. 

 

Our butler was MIA until dinner time on day 2, when he apologized for being too busy day 1. He explained that he was responsible for room service deliveries and "servicing the espresso maker." We found that particularly funny as we have the same Nespresso machine in our apartment and it doesn't require any sort of servicing other than emptying pods.

 

I explained that our only requirement was that snacks should be sugar-free since my father in law has diabetes, which immediately went out the window as he just brought us the same cookies and chocolate covered strawberries as every other suite each afternoon. Other than a 1.5 hour wait for BLTs after returning from a day ashore, and a drop-off of breakfast one morning, we never saw him over the next 10 days. We never received any sort of meal setup, snacks, escorts to dinner, etc.

 

We actually saw him wheeling a passenger in a wheelchair to dinner past us in the bar one evening and had a very peculiar "I don't really want to talk to them but need to acknowledge them" sort of interaction when I said hi. Our whole butler experience was just... odd?

 

In retrospect, a lot of this was on us... had we realized he wasn't really engaging or performing like butlers generally should, we would have talked to the concierge (his boss). It wasn't until the end of the cruise talking to other suite passengers about what a butler actually did that we realized we'd been getting pretty poor service. Apparently they're supposed to set a table with tablecloth and not just leave a pile of room service trays and cambros on the table... who knew? We certainly didn't, and he wasn't going to give us any indication that he was underperforming. 

 

That said, he didn't hit us up for a tip at all, which was refreshing.

[Russiamomm]

On 11/11/2022 at 8:55 AM, cruiseny4life said:

The coffee pods! You need the coffee pods from the butler! 

Agreed!  That was the only thing we asked for in September.  Extra pods and plenty of cream.  Every day we had the most beautifully arranged bowl of coffee creamers you ever saw.  😃

[mscdivina2016]

Just got off Encore today after 21 days in Haven.

Butler did almost nothing. Our most basic request of ice twice a day was only done 75% of the time.

Pods, we wanted a whole box of 24, never got them and even did not have a restock for two days.

 

I had an envelope for him this morning and never saw him??? Even waiting to get off for 25 minutes.

 

I will do a review of Haven versus MSC yacht club in a day or so.

Haven is not worth it!

[Captain-John]

2 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Just got off Encore today after 21 days in Haven.

Butler did almost nothing. Our most basic request of ice twice a day was only done 75% of the time.

Pods, we wanted a whole box of 24, never got them and even did not have a restock for two days.

 

I had an envelope for him this morning and never saw him??? Even waiting to get off for 25 minutes.

 

I will do a review of Haven versus MSC yacht club in a day or so.

Haven is not worth it!

Looking forward to that comparison. Have sailed Yacht Club twice and once had a great butler who was perceptive to our needs, and one who ignored our request to be left alone and insisting on appearing at our stateroom door to escort us to dinner, despite not being ready or wanting to go to dinner at that time. 

 

Really keen to do Haven so your 'not worth it' comment intrigues me. For both YC and Haven though I would only do it for the right price, and forgive me if I'm mistaken but I believe you were 5 figures for your upgrade (although appreciate it was a lengthy cruise)...

[Sailing12Away]

4 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Just got off Encore today after 21 days in Haven.

Butler did almost nothing. Our most basic request of ice twice a day was only done 75% of the time.

Pods, we wanted a whole box of 24, never got them and even did not have a restock for two days.

 

I had an envelope for him this morning and never saw him??? Even waiting to get off for 25 minutes.

 

I will do a review of Haven versus MSC yacht club in a day or so.

Haven is not worth it!

Butler isn't the one who escorts you on/off the ship or to dinner & shows. That would be the concierge. And they usually leave letters/notices the night before each port of call saying where to meet them and when for the escort service.

[mscdivina2016]

10 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Butler isn't the one who escorts you on/off the ship or to dinner & shows. That would be the concierge. And they usually leave letters/notices the night before each port of call saying where to meet them and when for the escort service.

This is one of the items I will cover when I compare them. With MSC it was the butler who did the escorting all the time. Not on NCL actually at all.

Also on NCL was just a letter not the night before but on day of boarding for the whole cruise for priority to go ashore.

[CDR Benson]

The butler experience on board Norwegian vessels appears to be hit or miss.  Some Haven travelers report excellent interactions with their butlers.  Others describe a familiar litany of problems:  the butler didn't show until the second or third day (or later), that he rarely made an appearance, that he wasn't responsive to their requests, and so forth.

 

The Good Mrs. Benson and I were Haven guests for a cruise aboard Norwegian Joy two months ago.  It was to be our first experience with a butler.  For over a year, I followed Mr. Gary Tilkin's posts "The NCL Haven Luxury VIP Experience 'Secrets'" and the "REVISED for 2022" version.  This is where I read most of the reviews, good and ill, about NCL butler service.

 

In his OP's, Mr. Tilkin describes measures he takes to enhance his interactions with Haven butlers.  He states that, before these measures, his experience with NCL butlers was spotty, as well.

 

Principally, Mr. Tilkin provides his butler with a letter introducing himself and his wife and specifying precisely what their requests and expectations are.  He also includes his tip to the butler up front.  (Note: yes, he knows that the advance tipping is a controversial issue.  It's been discussed to death on his threads, and I'm not meaning to open the discussion, again.  I'm simply reporting what he does.)  Mr. Tilken also contacts the concierge if he doesn't see the butler on the first day.

 

Mr. Tilkin reports that, since implementing these practises, he's had successful service from the butlers.  He stresses, though, that he can only report on his experiences; he cannot allow that othet Haven passengers will get the same results.  In essence, he allows that there will always be some butlers who do a slipshod job.

 

For our Haven cruise this past September, I prepared a letter along the lines of Mr. Tilkin's, in which I included only half the intended tip to give to our butler on the first day.  (I also prepared an alternate letter, with no tip enclosed, if I didn't see our butler on the first day.)

 

In our case, our butler impressed us with his performance at our first meeting---when we weren't in our suite, he tracked us down in the Horizon Observation Lounge to introduce himself to us, and the ship wasn't even underway, yet.  He got the letter with his partial tip, of course, and we received excellent service from him.  In fact, he went above his usual duties for us.  (For details, see my trip review in the "NCL Haven Luxury VIP Experience 'Secrets' REVISED for 2022" thread--page 29, post # 710.)

 

Like Mr. Tilkin, I can comment only on the quality of service we received from our butler.  It is a testimony that one can receive excellent treatment from NCL butlers, and I believe the letter and some degree of advance tip helps.  However, I have read enough posters' reports of receiving poor service from often-absentee butlers that I cannot preclude that you, or another Haven traveler, won't get one of those foul balls.

 

If you do get one of those, I would recommend going to the Haven concierge no later than late the second day of the cruise to report your difficulties.  The butlers work for the concierge office and the problem should get remedied.

 

You are paying for the proper performance of a butler within the scope of his duties.  Some folks don't want or need the services of the butler, and that's fine, but it's one of the perquisites of the Haven experience.  If you want it, you should get correct butler service.

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by CDR Benson

[graphicguy]

NCL...concierge escorts guests on and off the ship...and to most (not all) entertainment venues for prime seating, usually way before shows actually start.

 

It's been a few years since I sailed MSC, but the Butler did the escorts on and off the ship.  Felt the Butlers on MSC were quite a bit better than those on NCL.

 

MSC concierges are good, but they're mostly focused on taking care of reservations, billing and internet snafus, and excursion questions and bookings.  They're good.  Just not to the same degree as NCL's Concierges, who sometimes seem to be able to get you into restaurants that are sold out.  That said, I've never tried to get into a sold out venue with an MSC concierge.

 

Rightfully or wrongfully, I've never thought it to be necessary to give an NCL Butler "the letter".  I inform them of my wishes.  But mostly, I don't require much of them, if anything at all.

 

Butlers on MSC handle my luggage, on and off the ship, they are many times my server in the Yacht Club Lounge (there's little in the way of bartender interfacing in the Yacht Club...another difference from NCL Haven Bar), and the Butlers escort me to the entertainment venues.  Never used them for in suite dining, as I prefer to sit down in a restaurant to do so, not in my cabin (at those tiny tables).

 

 

 

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

NCL...concierge escorts guests on and off the ship...and to most (not all) entertainment venues for prime seating, usually way before shows actually start.

If you're getting super special reserved seating, wouldn't you prefer to be escorted to the show just before it starts?

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

If you're getting super special reserved seating, wouldn't you prefer to be escorted to the show just before it starts?

This, so this! I've always (always since April) wondered why Haven guests had to be escorted 45 minutes prior to the show. As you know, I have taken advantage of this perk. Neither time, was it necessary. I just had a lot of club soda before the show, then had to walk out (with no one holding my seat) to use the restroom. Guess who's seat was still available when he came back? Yep! It's silly to require 45 minutes before.

[graphicguy]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

If you're getting super special reserved seating, wouldn't you prefer to be escorted to the show just before it starts?

In the case of Syd Norman's, they escorted us in 45 minutes before show time to get the pick of seats we wanted.  Then, about 10-15 mins later, they opened the doors.  30 minutes before show time, all seats were taken and SRO was the only way to see the show.

 

Seats in the big shows are cordoned off for Haven Guests. But, I believer they open any empty seats up 10 minutes before showtime.

[ChiefMateJRK]

6 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

In the case of Syd Norman's, they escorted us in 45 minutes before show time to get the pick of seats we wanted.  Then, about 10-15 mins later, they opened the doors.  30 minutes before show time, all seats were taken and SRO was the only way to see the show.

 

Seats in the big shows are cordoned off for Haven Guests. But, I believer they open any empty seats up 10 minutes before showtime.

That makes sense.  Hopefully they don't extend this to the Cavern Club.

[vtgumby]

On 11/14/2022 at 9:39 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

If you're getting super special reserved seating, wouldn't you prefer to be escorted to the show just before it starts?

We find the reserved seats to be less desirable and enjoy arriving as the show is starting for a better seat. Our experience only but I just don’t like those reserved suite guests seating areas and prefer choosing my own depending on the show.

I also don’t like the escort service EXCEPT once during a port unloading that was backed up, big time, we so cut the line and while it was embarrassing it was also cool.

[complawyer]

first thing we ask of the butler, is that every morning around 730, he bring in a pot of coffee, decafe, and hot water for tea, along with assorted rolls, pastries, butter and milk. my wife and friend who shared a 2 bedroom suite with us, like frosted flakes so i asked for a few boxes.

 

also had him bring me some cans of pepsi and a couple of bottles of heinekin.

 

asked for peanut m/m's gummie bears, and cheese an crackers.

 

we will unpack our own bags, thank you.  since you have a butler you can eat breakfast and lunch at at moderno's and cagney's. one morning our friend wasnt up to coming up to breakfast, so our waiter had thebutler bring her breakfast down to her in our cabin.

 

by the way, why opt out of the butler service if it's included in the cabin fare, and you are already paying for the service.

 

by the way, some butlers our more helpful than others.  on our recent cruise, i had  our butler swap out the bottle of champagne (that nobody seems to want to drink, kind of like fruitcake)for a bottle of prosecco 

[mscdivina2016]

29 minutes ago, complawyer said:

 

 

by the way, why opt out of the butler service if it's included in the cabin fare, and you are already paying for the service.

 

 

Because $10 per day per person for a Butler tip at the end for them doing nothing is a reason. The cruise I just got off of would have been over $400 suggested tip.

Our butler was useless.

[complawyer]

fyi, you are not in any way obligated to tip the butler, it was just suggested,  and if he was in fact useless, maybe you were not utilizing him/her correctly. he cant be useless if you give him directions of what you would want, like, and need, right from the start of the cruise. i may have had some butlers that were not as good as others, but never had one that was useless. remember yours is  not the only cabin he has to service. it's not your personal butler

 

besides, if youre unhappy with your butler, merely talk to the concierge and have a different one assigned.

 

having a 24 hr on call butler is one of the major marketing points  by ncl for getting passengers to book  the haven or regular suite.

[Laszlo]

How many cabins does a butler normally take care of? We have a Haven Spa Balcony on deck 14 of the Getaway. I count 16 Haven cabins forward and 2 aft. I'm guessing two butlers for the deck?

[mscdivina2016]

7 hours ago, complawyer said:

fyi, you are not in any way obligated to tip the butler, it was just suggested,  and if he was in fact useless, maybe you were not utilizing him/her correctly. he cant be useless if you give him directions of what you would want, like, and need, right from the start of the cruise. i may have had some butlers that were not as good as others, but never had one that was useless. remember yours is  not the only cabin he has to service. it's not your personal butler

 

besides, if youre unhappy with your butler, merely talk to the concierge and have a different one assigned.

 

having a 24 hr on call butler is one of the major marketing points  by ncl for getting passengers to book  the haven or regular suite.

24 hours is a joke.

On this past sailing we had the Haven Spa suite which is not in the Haven but all the way near the aft.

 

When we called at 2 am for something as simple as ice, it should not take 45 minutes to get and also to be delivered by someone who looks like one of the cleaners.

 We also called around 230am once for cutlery and that was also a good 45 minutes wait, again from someone who like they were from room service.

When I mentioned it to the concierge,he said my call was being forwarded to the customer service desk and they were fulfilling the request due to the late hour. They can see that I am calling from a haven room.

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

19 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

24 hours is a joke.

On this past sailing we had the Haven Spa suite which is not in the Haven but all the way near the aft.

 

When we called at 2 am for something as simple as ice, it should not take 45 minutes to get and also to be delivered by someone who looks like one of the cleaners.

 We also called around 230am once for cutlery and that was also a good 45 minutes wait, again from someone who like they were from room service.

When I mentioned it to the concierge,he said my call was being forwarded to the customer service desk and they were fulfilling the request due to the late hour. They can see that I am calling from a haven room.

 

 

There is a night time butler. Do you really expect your personal butler to dash off on your request for ice at 2 AM? And the next room's request for a pizza at 3 AM? 

 

I'm guessing you don't quite understand how butlers work as you also said there is a "suggested" tip. There isn't. You tip what you want for the service you received. Others (in different topics) have said what they tip, but it is by no means what you should tip. If you received bad service, then you shouldn't tip, though raising your concerns to the concierge is the best thing to do. I'm glad you did that. I will say if I were to cruise on a 20+ day cruise, that tip would be considerably more than my nine day September cruise. 

 

Even when you do order during the day, there is a wait. I've waited half an hour for a pizza. Heck, one night, the dessert I asked to be delivered to my room from the restaurant I was sitting in came two hours after we returned to the room. None of my requests were emergencies and I got everything I requested, with a little patience. 

There's no "snap, snap" to the butlers in the Haven. No one is paying enough for that kind of service on NCL. 

[complawyer]

well said !

[Laszlo]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

There is a night time butler. Do you really expect your personal butler to dash off on your request for ice at 2 AM? And the next room's request for a pizza at 3 AM? 

 

I'm guessing you don't quite understand how butlers work as you also said there is a "suggested" tip. There isn't. You tip what you want for the service you received. Others (in different topics) have said what they tip, but it is by no means what you should tip. If you received bad service, then you shouldn't tip, though raising your concerns to the concierge is the best thing to do. I'm glad you did that. I will say if I were to cruise on a 20+ day cruise, that tip would be considerably more than my nine day September cruise. 

 

Even when you do order during the day, there is a wait. I've waited half an hour for a pizza. Heck, one night, the dessert I asked to be delivered to my room from the restaurant I was sitting in came two hours after we returned to the room. None of my requests were emergencies and I got everything I requested, with a little patience. 

There's no "snap, snap" to the butlers in the Haven. No one is paying enough for that kind of service on NCL. 

You need to remember just like your room steward your Butler also takes care of other cabins

[Two Wheels Only]

3 hours ago, Laszlo said:

I count 16 Haven cabins forward and 2 aft. I'm guessing two butlers for the deck?

 

The butler that handles the aft-facing suites only handles the aft-facing suites on all decks. A different butler will handle your section. 

 

As for "opting out" of butler service, unless there is some sort of reduction in fare, opting out would mean paying for something that you aren't using. It happens on any cruise that guests pay for things that they don't use but I see no reason for anyone to opt out. I understand that some people don't want much from the butler and that some people may feel pressured (by forum members or by the butler) to tip but those things are optional. 

 

The butler is there. If you use the service, that's your choice. If you don't use the service, that's your choice. If you tip, that's your choice. If you don't tip, that's your choice. There's nothing wrong with any of those choices. 

[DaisyGoldberg]

I'm trying to figure out what a 2:30 am cutlery crisis consists of.  

[mscdivina2016]

2 hours ago, DaisyGoldberg said:

I'm trying to figure out what a 2:30 am cutlery crisis consists of.  

The cutlery in the room was not replaced when they took it.

 We had food in the fridge and wanted to eat it.  Simple call became a fiasco. I highly doubt the butler is busy at 2am. 

 24 hour is 24 hour!

They also won't ring the doorbell so if we are on the balcony we can't hear it.

I highly doubt that those who are 6am to 10pm have to wait so long to get such simple requests done.

We are 3am to 11am.

Totally useless as no butler showed up. Another department eventually did. Like I stated before, it's the main customer service desk that answers.

I also got a  voicemail on the last night reminding me of the debarkation procedure and that concierge, butler, and youth staff are not part of the pool.