Your Butler Experiences

[no1talks]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

Why would you even book a boring itinerary ?

 

If the cruise line has a reputation for exemplary service and the ship looks enchanting, that's all we need to do serious research and then make a reservation if the due diligence holds up. We still work and can't be take a cruise longer than 10-11 days, so all we want is an onboard experience that immerses us in excellent service and lovely surroundings. We are far more ship-focused than port-focused.

[Yesimapirate]

On 9/3/2023 at 3:23 PM, Sthrngary said:

@Sabbycat My comment is directed to the person you comment too, not you.  I fully agree with you.

It seems to be a thing to complain about not getting service followed by how horrible it was.  In most but not all cases, the guest does not complain while on the ship.  Or their complaint is a survey not a real person.  Another group of people do complain and claim the leadership of that ship never took any action.  

 

When most people cruise and they pay the big premium for a Penthouse, the biggest amenity they receive is their butler.  If you take the Butler out of the equation, the Penthouse is a Concierge Level which is quite nice for far less money.

 

For the life of me, if I pay for a Butler and don't get service from them, I don't understand why folks don't take immediate action. You don't have to be mean, you just have to communicate you are unhappy and why. Why their action is to complain AFTER the fact?  People in todays day try to avoid confrontation but encourage it when they are on Social Media because no one knows who they are.  

 

If something is so off that you are that disappointed, take care of it then or accept it.  Don't complain when you did nothing to solve the issue.  Just my two cents.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

Gary, 

You aren't wrong.  However,  there's also the other side to this. 

 

I travel most weeks.  And having lived 20 years in NY, I'm not afraid to open my mouth.   Unfortunately,  it seems that more often than not, middle management in hospitality treats many customer complaints as people just looking for free stuff.  This has only worsened since covid.  Very few actually solve the problem,  even when the solution is easier and more cost effective. 

 

Just today I checked into a nice hotel.   The bed shared a wall with an elevator shaft (who the hell designed that).  I went to the desk and nicely asked for another room.  The agent said they had no other rooms and got an attitude.   No problem,  I'll just ask the manager instead.   We go back and forth for 20 minutes with "there are no other rooms".  Finally, it turns to "there are no other rooms on the Concierge level".  It's one night in a hotel.  Who the hell cares?  I asked her how there's suddenly a room now and I'm told "it was always available but I thought you'd be mad if I moved you off your floor".  I don't get it.  Is communication so poor that they couldn't have mentioned it 20 min earlier?  

 

I don't want to waste my time and energy arguing on vacation.   There are battles you have to pick.  That doesn't mean I'm not going to warn others so they can avoid the situation. 

[babysteps]

5 hours ago, Yesimapirate said:

...   We go back and forth for 20 minutes with "there are no other rooms".  Finally, it turns to "there are no other rooms on the Concierge level".  It's one night in a hotel.  Who the hell cares?  I asked her how there's suddenly a room now and I'm told "it was always available but I thought you'd be mad if I moved you off your floor".  ... 

You are not alone. One upon a time in a prior century I arrived late evening on a business trip to a cigar-smokey suite. Back to front desk, took 10+ minutes to convince them a tiny but non smoking single room was better than the smokey suite

[ORV]

9 hours ago, Yesimapirate said:

Gary, 

You aren't wrong.  However,  there's also the other side to this. 

 

I travel most weeks.  And having lived 20 years in NY, I'm not afraid to open my mouth.   Unfortunately,  it seems that more often than not, middle management in hospitality treats many customer complaints as people just looking for free stuff.  This has only worsened since covid.  Very few actually solve the problem,  even when the solution is easier and more cost effective. 

 

Just today I checked into a nice hotel.   The bed shared a wall with an elevator shaft (who the hell designed that).  I went to the desk and nicely asked for another room.  The agent said they had no other rooms and got an attitude.   No problem,  I'll just ask the manager instead.   We go back and forth for 20 minutes with "there are no other rooms".  Finally, it turns to "there are no other rooms on the Concierge level".  It's one night in a hotel.  Who the hell cares?  I asked her how there's suddenly a room now and I'm told "it was always available but I thought you'd be mad if I moved you off your floor".  I don't get it.  Is communication so poor that they couldn't have mentioned it 20 min earlier?  

 

I don't want to waste my time and energy arguing on vacation.   There are battles you have to pick.  That doesn't mean I'm not going to warn others so they can avoid the situation. 

10 bucks says it was a Millennial.

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

When we have complained before (long story about cabin etc.) we were met with a very rude concierge who thought we were just after something free.  

 

On arriving home, we wrote to the UK General Manager, and I even prefaced the letter with “I am not bringing this to your attention in the hopes of getting anything, but to make you aware of what has transpired”.  I explained what had happened and how badly it’d been dealt with, both before the cruise, and whilst on the cruise.

 

The response “We notice you have another cruise booked and would like to upgrade you from a PH 2 to a PH 1”. I replied we had deliberately chosen a PH2 because we specifically did not want a cabin directly under the pool deck.  No, we will investigate how the problem had occurred, (it was entirely O’s fault) and we’re sorry that we didn’t resolve it to your satisfaction, just assumed we wanted some compensation.

[LHT28]

31 minutes ago, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

On arriving home, we wrote to the UK General Manager, and I even prefaced the letter with “I am not bringing this to your attention in the hopes of getting anything, but to make you aware of what has transpired”.  I explained what had happened and how badly it’d been dealt with, both before the cruise, and whilst on the cruise.

 

I agree though many  just want to have the problem fixed  & not always about  "getting something"

 

Interesting you would write to the UK office  since you have Texas as your location

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

56 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

 

Interesting you would write to the UK office  since you have Texas as your location

I live in Texas now, at the time I was UK based. 😄

[1985rz1]

52 minutes ago, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

I live in Texas now, at the time I was UK based. 😄

When was the cruise?

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

20 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

When was the cruise?

This was pre-Covid, can’t remember the exact date.  

[JeffElizabeth]

On 9/19/2023 at 7:04 PM, JFontaine said:

Here are some of my butler disappointments, other than the hidden invitation:

 

Breakfast is always early and both hot and cold food are delivered at room temperature, I've not once received a call before he delivers (he rings once and uses his key to immediately enter) despite me sleeping on a rollaway bed facing the door (senior mom in bedroom), he pressured me to order all of the wine at the first meeting and then said everything had to be delivered to either room or dining room - I couldn't split it up; ignores request for diet Coke and water: as advertised laundry took 3 days (10 pieces), I asked him when the latest I could get disembarkation room service breakfast and he said 6:30, but I just found hidden card and it says 7:30 to 8 (he did say we had to be out by 8).  Never a smile or a warm word or a what are you doing today (I asked him on port day).  Funny thing: randomly he delivered chips, pretzels and nuts, and after a lousy dinner I was so happy to devour the chips.  I told him that he came to my rescue with those chips and thanked him. Never got them again. 

 

I've had lousy butler service before on other lines, but I think this is the worst.  

 

That is bad. So sorry to hear about your bad experience,  our butler complained because we weren't using him enough. Have to love that attitude.  I hope you complained to Oceania.