Suite query

[Harry Peterson]

34 minutes ago, daiB said:

As far as I know room service has always been paid for in a suite. Which is why the butler has always said go through him for everything then it is no charge. That is what the butler is for.

See post 22 above, Dai. We’ve never been charged, and there’s no need to order through the butler either. 

[Windsurfboy]

Our butler said go through him, when I didn't had to get him to get charges removed. In theory don't have to use butler but you are more likely to be mistakenly  charged if you go direct, then have bother of getting it removed

[daiB]

51 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

See post 22 above, Dai. We’ve never been charged, and there’s no need to order through the butler either. 

Well we have been told by more than 1 butler to order through them to avoid being charged. Perhaps it was to avoid a mistake but I have found using the butler was much easier.

[Harry Peterson]

27 minutes ago, daiB said:

Well we have been told by more than 1 butler to order through them to avoid being charged. Perhaps it was to avoid a mistake but I have found using the butler was much easier.

I suppose experiences vary.  We've only bothered with room service on a few occasions when we've missed lunch for whatever reason and fancied a light snack or maybe a cream tea.  Ordering via room service just involved a quick phone call, and there were never any charges on the account because they know which numbers are suites.  Sometimes one of the butlers brought it, and sometimes not, but it tended to be at a time when they were having a very well deserved rest and I was loathe to break into that when it wasn't necessary.

 

Having a butler never featured in our thinking in choosing a suite though - it was always all about the additional space and fantastic location of those large aft suites!

[livinforcruisin]

On 5/15/2023 at 4:15 PM, Harry Peterson said:

For what it’s worth, that was the situation in our suite when we were last on Azura - but the reality was that there were no charges. They just hadn’t bothered to provide the correct documentation in suites.

 

That may have changed, of course, but worth checking.

 

[livinforcruisin]

Thanks for the info Harry, we are back on her in September so will definitely use room service, now that we know that.

[smokey01]

On 5/15/2023 at 10:11 AM, db51 said:

Iona has special water bottle filling stations which taste fine. The big platters from room service ( Indian, fish and Mexican) are all free in a suite and great for parties on the balcony. You get a bottle of champagne on boarding day, and canapés on formal nights. We asked our butler to bring the daily crossword and also asked him to get tickets for the limelight club for us and some friends ( who weren’t in a suite) and despite it being ‘sold out’ he managed it. Breakfast in the Epicurean on Iona is lovely, great views and very peaceful. If you want something which isn’t on the menu just ask. Get on early and book the ‘Gary Barlow’ 910? Might be 710! Club, and everything else that you can’t book until you get on. Don’t bother with the boarding vip lunch- it is chaos. Enjoy your suite - they are amazing, especially the bath. 

How bubbly/powerful is the whirlpool bath? Is it comparable to the on deck jacuzzi’s?

[Harry Peterson]

11 minutes ago, smokey01 said:

How bubbly/powerful is the whirlpool bath? Is it comparable to the on deck jacuzzi’s?

Pretty powerful, I’d say. But I’m afraid I can’t give you a comparison with the jacuzzis because one of the very last things I’d ever want to do is share a warm bacterial breeding pit with a bunch of complete strangers and their unknown, but probably unpleasant, quite possibly faecal, bacteria. 🤮

[smokey01]

On 5/22/2023 at 9:02 AM, Harry Peterson said:

Pretty powerful, I’d say. But I’m afraid I can’t give you a comparison with the jacuzzis because one of the very last things I’d ever want to do is share a warm bacterial breeding pit with a bunch of complete strangers and their unknown, but probably unpleasant, quite possibly faecal, bacteria. 🤮

Similar for me, I used to use them but got fed up more by young kids getting in and out all the time, splashing and even diving under the water. I do miss a jacuzzi though so hope the jacuzzi bath will make up for not using the on deck ones.

[Windsurfboy]

On 5/22/2023 at 9:02 AM, Harry Peterson said:

Pretty powerful, I’d say. But I’m afraid I can’t give you a comparison with the jacuzzis because one of the very last things I’d ever want to do is share a warm bacterial breeding pit with a bunch of complete strangers and their unknown, but probably unpleasant, quite possibly faecal, bacteria. 🤮

 

The morning I left my suite to go to breakfast the room steward asked if ok to start to disinfect Jacuzzi.  Said he Filled it right up , added some bleach, said they leave it on for an hour. Said it was normal practice between guests. Cunard do the same. So Jacuzzis are pretty clean

Edited May 23, 2023 by Windsurfboy

[Harry Peterson]

1 minute ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

The morning I left my suite room steward asked if ok to disinfect Jacuzzi. Filled it up , added some bleach, said 

Absolutely.  We've never been remotely bothered about using the ones in the suites because, as you say, there is a cleaning routine.

 

It's sharing a jacuzzi with complete strangers in it at the same time that I am that bothers me!  There's a lot of unpleasant evidence around about the risks.  Swimming pools - fine.  Jacuzzis - no thanks.

[Windsurfboy]

Had it wrong way round 🤐

[Manwithagoldenstick]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. We had a great time!

 

Our butler, Edward, was amazing. He was very helpful, insisting we use his services. We had room service through him several times and weren't charged. He brought beers to the room so I could have a drink on the balcony whenever I fancied. They were charged for, obviously. My wife is happy with coffee but wasn't fussed on the pods supplied. 

 

Both of us have mobility issues and found the ship large so didn't make it to the Epicurean every day, but breakfast there was peaceful (and delicious) with no screaming kids while we were there. More luck than judgment I expect as we saw lots of toddlers/pre-schoolers on board. 

 

The whirlpool bath was lovely. My wife thinks it seems as strong as the deck jacuzzis but obviously not as deep. Our balcony overlooked the jacuzzis and we were a bit shocked to see people taking toddlers and young kids into them. We stuck with our 'private' jacuzzi after seeing that! 

 

Our cabin steward came in as we were about to disembark and asked if we minded if he cleaned the bath while we were there - he filled it, put chemicals in then ran it. Reassuring if you have the heebie-jeebies about stuff like that (like my wife who remembers a hotel whirlpool bath that had clearly never been disinfected so had pools of black grot in the jets!)

 

We couldn't see any sign of priority check-in when we arrived at the terminal but as we used assistance I doubt we'd have come across it anyway. If you have mobility issues this service is rather special. A shout of thanks to the guys and gals (especially Bob) that man it. My wife was whisked through (though the wheelchair was wobbly so was a bit alarming at times) and very grateful as walking it would have worn her out and taken us ages. 

 

So, thanks again for all the tips. We had a great time and are thinking of booking again.

 

 

 

 

 

[bobstheboy]

A thorny question but I'll ask it. How much do you tip the butler on a 14 night cruise ? Having a suite on the Azura in Jan 24, first time, and no idea what is the norm. We will not want cases unpacked or packed and he will not be expected to be constantly on call. I am thinking about £50 or is that too low ?

[david63]

6 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

A thorny question but I'll ask it. How much do you tip the butler on a 14 night cruise ? Having a suite on the Azura in Jan 24, first time, and no idea what is the norm. We will not want cases unpacked or packed and he will not be expected to be constantly on call. I am thinking about £50 or is that too low ?

There is no requirement to tip the butler at all but a lot will depend on what the butler does and how you interact with him/her.

 

We do use the butler mainly for having lunch in the suite and refreshing the stocks of wine and water (not mixed!!). £50, for a 14 night cruise, is more than I would be giving (for me it would be half that) but at the end of the day it is up to you.

[SeaJane]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

There is no requirement to tip the butler at all but a lot will depend on what the butler does and how you interact with him/her.

 

We do use the butler mainly for having lunch in the suite and refreshing the stocks of wine and water (not mixed!!). £50, for a 14 night cruise, is more than I would be giving (for me it would be half that) but at the end of the day it is up to you.

We tipped ours £15 on a recent 7 night cruise. He was one of the better more experienced ones we have encountered, but we only used him for room service lunch twice and delivering a couple of bottles of wine. 

[bobstheboy]

Thanks for the replies. £30 it is 😁 

[Mama.nurse]

Hi,

I am looking to book a suite on Iona, we will have our toddlers 4 and 3year olds. Would our butler be able to get the children into the kids club without us having to book them in? If we forget or if we are on an excursion the day before? 

Don't worry we won't go to the epicurean for breakfast, although very well behaved. Just incase. 

 

Does anyone else know what we could use the butler for with having two little ones? 

[david63]

2 hours ago, Mama.nurse said:

Hi,

I am looking to book a suite on Iona, we will have our toddlers 4 and 3year olds. Would our butler be able to get the children into the kids club without us having to book them in? If we forget or if we are on an excursion the day before? 

Don't worry we won't go to the epicurean for breakfast, although very well behaved. Just incase.

I doubt it - I believe that a parent has to sign them in and out.

 

There is no problem with children going to Epicurean for breakfast and the staff will cater for their needs.

[Mama.nurse]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

I doubt it - I believe that a parent has to sign them in and out.

 

There is no problem with children going to Epicurean for breakfast and the staff will cater for their needs.

Ah, sorry I don't think I was very clear. Myself and my husband will always be taking them and collecting them and probably floating near by as they are young I meant about the butler booking a slot for the following day for the children to have a space for the club. 

 

I have read lots about people not being best pleased with children in there and I didn't want to upset fellow guests. 

[Camberley]

35 minutes ago, Mama.nurse said:

Ah, sorry I don't think I was very clear. Myself and my husband will always be taking them and collecting them and probably floating near by as they are young I meant about the butler booking a slot for the following day for the children to have a space for the club. 

 

I have read lots about people not being best pleased with children in there and I didn't want to upset fellow guests. 

In all of our cruises in suites, we’ve always found the children at breakfast in Epicurean to be very well behaved so I wouldn’t worry about upsetting other guests.

[Mama.nurse]

12 minutes ago, Camberley said:

In all of our cruises in suites, we’ve always found the children at breakfast in Epicurean to be very well behaved so I wouldn’t worry about upsetting other guests.

Thank you for this. My two are really good but I think I worry so much. This is really supportive thank you. 

[daiB]

2 hours ago, Mama.nurse said:

Thank you for this. My two are really good but I think I worry so much. This is really supportive thank you. 

You should take your children to the Epicurean most certainly. The staff will make a fuss of them 

[crompton21]

Butlers always appear to be hard working and active, in recent times there seems to have been less butlers employed and consequently I think that they are probably busier and faced with more requests than was once the case.
If the attendance of your children in the kids club on a specific day is important to you then I’d recommend booking it yourself.  It will take longer to explain to the butler what you want and then to confirm that it has been arranged than it will take you to do it yourself.

[david63]

17 minutes ago, crompton21 said:

Butlers always appear to be hard working and active, in recent times there seems to have been less butlers employed and consequently I think that they are probably busier and faced with more requests than was once the case.

There are certainly less butlers on most ships but the butlers are, and always have been, assigned to the room service department - therefore you will quite often see them delivering to non suite cabins amongst other duties that they have to perform.