butlers

[dreamy mcheesey]

Is there any news about the butlers in the lesser staterooms and how they will be different than their counterparts in the penthouses?

 

Thank you!

[Lord Haw Haw]

I believe the butlers will anticipate lesser gratuities in the lesser suites.

[dreamy mcheesey]

I phrased that poorly.

 

On the Crystal website it says simply "with butler service" for the less expensive guest rooms But it says "attentive butler service" for the more expensive suites.

 

So what I'm asking is if there an actual difference in the butler service I will receive in the less expensive guest room?

[Keith1010]

1 hour ago, dreamy mcheesey said:

I phrased that poorly.

 

On the Crystal website it says simply "with butler service" for the less expensive guest rooms But it says "attentive butler service" for the more expensive suites.

 

So what I'm asking is if there an actual difference in the butler service I will receive in the less expensive guest room?

They have not detailed this specifically as you said.  I am not sure if they will do that in advance or not.

 

For the time being if you look at the details for the category of room you booked and if you look at one say for one of the larger suites that will give you a sense of the difference.

 

The difference will be in some of the amenities/services offered.

 

For example, shoeshine service and packing/unpacking is listed for each room category but a Nespresso Coffee Maker is listed in the Aquamarine and above suites and it is the butler who replenishes this.  In the largest two suite categories you can order from a specialty restaurant and in the other accommodations  you cannot so that is a small difference but yet a difference in what the butler does. In the two largest of suites it says on embarkation day the butler or concierge will escort the guest from terminal to suite on embarkation day.  

 

Keith

[bitob]

The difference between attentive ant not might be the number of cabins the butler has to service in the lesser suites

[dreamy mcheesey]

Thanks for your replies.

 

I may be new to posting, but I've read enough to know this one catch-all response: TWT!

[Rothko1]

One can also assume that the most expensive suites might get the butlers with the most training, or with the most favorable ratings.  In other words, the more expensive the suite, the better quality of butler you might have.

[History&Wine]

I think @Rothko1and @bitobare both correct.

[CwazeAndCwaze]

[Keith1010]

Yes, we can expect butlers assigned more rooms for standard rooms compared to suites.  This is because of the difference in amenities provided.  As an FYI it is amazing how many suites each butler is assigned (can vary by voyage based on overall occupancy) but they work as a team so if one is busy someone else assists.

 

Yes, we can expect a more experienced butler for the suites because of the difference in amenities  provided.  

 

The same is usually the case for the room attendants. Typically those new to Crystal and new to the position are assigned to decks 7 and 8 and in time they often make the progression to the suites if they perform very well and if they would like that.  I've known a few who prefer not being assigned to the suites.  

 

I think the different set of words is simply as I mentioned earlier that more amenities are provided for the suites and like many things the wording is driven by marketing.

 

Old Crystal had butlers for all rooms on the River vessels, Esprit and Endeavor.  Some luxury lines have butlers for all the rooms.

 

Great opportunity for those wanting to have a new opportunity on the ship.

 

Traditionally many of the butlers on Serenity and Harmony started in the Crystal Dining Room (now Waterside). Some were elevated to butlers from there.  Others worked in Prego and then transitioned to becoming a butler. With very few exceptions even experienced butlers from outside of Crystal started in the Waterside/Crystal Dining Room just as in some cases other experienced in other areas started as room attendants.  If you are a butler that dining room experience is very key including knowing how it all works and how to make things happen. If you are assigned to work the reception desk that background as an attendant can be very helpful just as most of the shore excursion people and concierge often had reception experience and from there moved either to shore excursions or directly to concierge while others went from shore excursions to concierge and from there a variety of positions. We have always enjoyed seeing many progress to higher level positions.

 

Keith

[oakridger]

My cabin attendant on my last Crystal cruise in 2019 told me she was going to school to get her accounting qualifications (South Africa calls it a name I forgot).  I later learned that before the shutdown she did end up in the Crystal Accounting Department!  I was very happy to hear that as she was an intelligent, hardworking and personable woman.  Hopefully New Crystal will have good advancement opportunities as well.

 

~Nancy

[History&Wine]

I went back to my memoirs of my last Crystal Cruise (2019) for this:

 

A waiter from Macedonia earned a seven year advanced degree in Engineering.   He had a job supervising 40 people in Macedonia.   But he makes more money being a waiter on Crystal!

 

 

[Rothko1]

3 hours ago, History&Wine said:

I went back to my memoirs of my last Crystal Cruise (2019) for this:

 

A waiter from Macedonia earned a seven year advanced degree in Engineering.   He had a job supervising 40 people in Macedonia.   But he makes more money being a waiter on Crystal!

 

 

 

I'm not sure if that says more about Macedonia than it does about Crystal.

[May B]

On 5/15/2023 at 5:30 PM, FuncleAlbert said:

I don't know who writes this stuff, but I noticed a while ago on Wikipedia this ....

 

• The new company has announced major refurbishments and enhancements for the two ships in a Fincantieri shipyard in Trieste, Italy including increasing the number of butler suites and reducing guest capacity, with plans to resume service in June 2023 with shore excursions curated by Abercrombie & Kent.

 

I would infer that to mean there are non-butler suites.

 

But anyone could have written that. Maybe they meant there were butter sweets and also some with I can't believe it's not butter!

You should go into Wikipedia and fix those errors.