Have you ever been butled?

[Keith1010]

Keith, thanks so much for your rundown. I pretty much knew most of what you explained, which is why I was looking for "stories." Do you have any for me? Anything memorable?

 

 

Jana

 

Jana, as I metioned in my earlier post, Rikki was our butler when we stayed in the Penthouse Suite on the Summit this past March. He was the best butler that we have had on any of the cruse lines we have sailed on. His service was outstanding. Here's some examples from our last cruise.

 

The day we embarked the ship we were getting concerned as a few hours after we embarked none of our luggage had arrived. Rikki could tell that we were concerned that the ship would leave and there would be no luggage. Rikki said to us don't worry about your luggage. He would take care of it. Well about 30 minutes later, the is a knock on the door and when we opened the door it was Rikki with all of our luggage with him. He went through hundred of pieces of luggage to find all of ours. We never asked him to do this. Rikii is not a tall man, and to realize that he not only found the four pieces of luggage but also brought them up to us all at once we thought was extraudinary.

 

There is a large refrigerator in the Penthouse suite that Rikki would stock each day with fruit and cheese and probably just about anything else we would like. Well early on during the cruise we told him that we liked red grapes. So, the first day he provided some red grapes along with some other types of fruit. Well, we only had a little bit of the other fruit but all the grapes so the next day he provided a plate of the other fruit but this time a bowl of the red grapes. By the end of that day he noticed that we had finished all of the grapes on the small bowl, so on the next day he provided us with a small plate of the other fruit and this time a large bag of the red grapes. Well, this is what he continued to do the rest of the cruise. My wife and I are not big eaters but we do like fruit. Anyway, again another example where we didn't have to say anything but Rikki just took charge.

 

Due to a situation at our dining table, we ate dinner in the Penthouse on several occassions. Rikki would deliver our dinner precisely at the time that we discussed in the morning and he would bring each course to us precisely at the time he mentioned. What we thought was ectraudinary was the fact that he also had to take care of several other suites yet he was always timely in whatever he did for us.

 

I could go on and on. But, hopefully, you get the message. Rikki was a wonderful butler. Celebrity has many great bulters and Celebrity does butler service better than any cruise line. And I have to say that Rikki is the best of any butler we have ever had.

 

Keith

[Eleris]

We have had many butlers and yes they add value to the whole experience. Some of the awesome butlers we have had in no particular order were Edel, Laslow, Carl, Elvis, and Patrick. The spoiling that goes on is just amazing. :rolleyes:

[Arubalisa]

Our family was in 2 Sky Suites last year. We boarded about Noon time. Our suites were ready and the butler was in the hallway and introduced himself- period. My mother asked the Butler with assistance upacking for our 12 night cruise and he just looked at her like, "you gotta be kidding". Needless to say, upon seeing this, my 93 year old grandmother did not bother to ask for any assistance at any time. Not having a previous experience to compare it to, but from what I have read on this forum, I would have to say we just had a very average experience.

 

Looking back on the experience, after seeing a woman screaming at the butler a few hours after boarding, I believe that our butler may not necessarily have been a poor butler, but was dealing with some difficult passengers with not much time for the "others". I am sure her service was excellent since she demanded it. We booked the suites for the extra room, not the butler.

 

Each day we received "only" tea service. Canapes were never offered. Each and every evening my husband would go down one deck to the sushi bar and bring back to the cabin an assortment for dd, himself and me. From what I have read here, that is not the "norm". It appears there are many other butlers who would not have given it a second thought to perform this service. The only thing we requested from him were 2 cups of capuccino each morning at 8 a.m. and a tray of canapes and cheese and crackers for our family's Christmas Eve celebration. No one in either of our suites ever ordered room service.

 

From what I have read about the other positive experiences, I believe that having had an outstanding butler, my husband would not have to retrieve his own sushi. Overall butler service was a disappointment. We receive some of the perks, but did we feel, after the initial rejection to assistance unpacking, that we needed to be so bold as to request them. We tipped accordingly, the cruise lines, suggested amount.

 

This year we have added an additional 4 people to our family cruise, but we will be sailing in balcony cabins not suites. We are fully capable of going to the Oasis Cafe buffet and making our own cheese tray for our Christmas celebration. Dh will again retrieve his own sushi, and capuccino and we will save on the gratuity. My dd will have to survive an 11 night cruise without a body pillow. The butler service was my biggest disappointment with Celebrity.

[excitedofharpenden]

Hi Jana. We've been butled three times on Galaxy and Mercury.

• Did we enjoy the experience? Yes, it was very nice.
  
• Would we do it again? Yes, if we decided to splurge on a suite again we wouldn't complain at having one.
  
• Did the butler truly make a difference to the experience for us? I'd say no. The larger room was much more memorable. We are pretty low maintenance and are quite happy with the services of a steward.

If I would have done one thing differently the first time, it would have been to ask our butler what he could do for us and what he would be grateful to get from us in terms of notice etc. I suppose we were a bit in awe on our first outing of this chap dressed in a tux and I know we didn't really use him as much as we could have done. We made a better fist of it the next time and did enjoy the experience.

 

I go for cabin location now rather than specifically a suite and would prefer a larger balcony/nicer view over having a butler.

 

Phil

[Jana]

Thanks again to EVERYONE.

 

Phil, your point about asking what he/she can do for you and what his/her expectations are in terms of time and notice is excellent, and will find its way into the article I write over the weekend.

 

Jana

[USNDiver]

My Wife and I are on the September 18th sailing of the Mercury, in a Sky Suite, does anyone have any experiences with the Butler staff on the "Merc" good or bad? This will be our first experience with a staff and have to admit, I feel a little awkward about it.

 

I sailed with my parents a few years ago on the Grand Princess and they had a Suite (which we spent most of our time in) with a VERY, VERY formal English Butler - this guy made Mr. French from Family Affair look like a bum. Always seemed to do the right thing at the right time, never intrusive, or in the way, but always seemed to be there when needed, a real professional. Anyway a couple days before the cruise ended Mom & Dad had a small party in their room and the Butler was there serving appetizers, making martini's, etc and my Mom convinced him to join the party for awhile. I'm certain Princess would have been angry at him for this, but he was just so good to us we wanted this to be a special thank you on top of a generous tip. He told us he loved his job but also confided that many passengers used him as a personal complaint hotline - I can definately sympathize with that.

[Alaska Boo]

For those of you who have experienced superior butlering, what do you consider an appropriate tip for, say, a seven-day cruise with a really attentive gentlewoman's gentleman? Celebrity suggests something like $3.50 a day, which I considered way too low for the service we got. The three of us ended up tipping our butler about $150 for the seven days, which was about double the recommended amount. I felt we could have tipped more.

 

I only ask because, with the really exceptional round-the-clock service we got, I want to make sure we have tipped enough or that we tip enough in the future.

 

If I am out of line asking a crash money question, just tell me.

 

Vanessa

[USNDiver]

For those of you who have experienced superior butlering, what do you consider an appropriate tip for, say, a seven-day cruise with a really attentive gentlewoman's gentleman? Celebrity suggests something like $3.50 a day, which I considered way too low for the service we got. The three of us ended up tipping our butler about $150 for the seven days, which was about double the recommended amount. I felt we could have tipped more.

 

I only ask because, with the really exceptional round-the-clock service we got, I want to make sure we have tipped enough or that we tip enough in the future.

 

If I am out of line asking a crash money question, just tell me.

 

Vanessa

 

Vanessa,

 

Excellent question, I'd like to know myself.

 

Grazie

[GramaFran]

Since we are posting about Butlers - I have a question on the Celebrity's web site they list different things butlers can do for you - Look at Mercury and compare it to Century - the Centruy list does not include very much compared to the butler service on Mercury. I want meals deliverd, capucinno delivered to my cabin in the morning and everything else listed on Mercury.

Why is Century not doing the same?

 

I leave on Sept 2, 2006 in a Sky Suite which we booked last year just to get the larger cabin and a butler. Now I want butler'd.

 

Francine

[Blazerboy]

Tips- don't feel bad asking here...it's a nice quiet way to find out if what you're doing is in line....didn't sound like you were bragging, which is what one might fear, or that you were cheap! :D

 

We basically did as you did, doubling the recommended tips. We didn't use him for room service for meals, and had just the one party, and another couple in one night for a drink. He got us the extra pillows we wanted, the cheese tray we asked for instead of tea sandwiches every day, the 30 extra hangars we needed for our clothes:eek: , and was able to help with the normal pressing/polishing needs. We also tipped him separately for the big cocktail party thing, as that, we felt, was above and beyond his duties waiting on us, as I recall an extra $50.00 for setting up and cleaning up the room, and bringing more champagne (we didn't have him serve- he had his hands full with the other two suites sharing our party), so I guess he ended up with about $230 or $250 for a 13 day cruise from the two of us.

 

Your tip sounds nice and generous.

 

Andrew

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

I saw this thread and have been following with interest. We are going on Celebrity for the first time - the Summit repositioning cruise Sept 2007 -

we have a Sky Suite.

 

So we don't appear to be total county bumpkins - how do we ask our butler what type of services he is there to provide for us ? (I DO want to take advantage of what we've paid for !!)

 

THANKS

[Jana]

Vanessa,

 

Would you be asking your next butler to join you and "the girls" in the hot tub?

 

Would that affect your tip in either direction?

 

:p

[Jim_Iain]

Tipping is always a personal decision. We always tip according to the level of service and attitude or lack of it. One TA cruise on Constellation the Butler was ho-hum and always seemed to have an attitude - he got the recommended tip. Now on the same cruise our Cabin attendant, Marino was giving us service above and beyond what I would have expected of the Butler. He received a very healthy tip and a letter to Celebrity commending him and recommending he be promoted to a butler.

 

CCliff5 - On our first cruise we really didn't know what was on offer and the butler never really told us. From reading on CC I had a much better idean on our second cruise. I found the best way was just tell him some of my requirements - e.g. I don't get out of bed until about 10:00. I will be having breakfast every morning in the cabin. I also let him know that if I decide to nap in the afternoon I will close the bedroom door and he can just leave a small pot of tea and tea sandwiches on the table.

 

Similar to some of the others I let him know I will be having a couple parties both small and large and would like to know how he likes to be communicated with regarding planning. Some have enjoyed notes and lists while others have impeccable memories.

 

Finally, I treat the butler with respect and understanding that he is there to help me and that I am not his only client.

[alohavictoria]

Hi Jana,

I have never had the pleasure of a butler on a Celebrity cruise (but it sounds like I'd enjoy it). I took my first cruise on Norwegian in a penthouse suite that had butler service. My second & third cruise was on Costa in a grand suite and a suite, also with butler service. Honestly, the services received from those butlers weren't as good as some of the services I received from the room stewards on the Constellation. (I didn't have a suite on the two Celebrity cruises I've taken. (I know, I'm working backwards as far as rooms are concerned!). There are only two memorable services I can remember: one formal night on Norwegian where we couldn't "dine out", the butler served us our meal course by course in a tuxedo and one morning in Egypt I mentioned to the butler that we would probably be too tired to dine in the dining room. Upon our return, imagine my surprise when we opened the door and our butler had brought in a larger table and had it set with linens and flowers. How could we not eat in the room that night!

 

I can only imagine what butler in a suite must be like on Celebrity. Our room steward was so wonderful to us this May (Raymundo). After a few days of me constantly ordering tea from the afternoon to after dinner, I soon found the hot water, tea with lemon in my room waiting for me from 4:00 o'clock on. I had a birthday party arranged (unbeknownst to me) again through Raymundo.

 

I think butlers are worh it if they provide you the expected level of service. Alas, no butler on my next cruise on the Constellation as I'm in a FOV room.

I look forward to reading your article and seeing other opinions.

[uktog]

Jim Iain

So interested to hear about your letter to X re Muninho. We had an RS on 20 May and had Wilfred and Muninho. We wrote to both Nina (the Hotel Director) and X HO commending Muninho - he is butler material!

[cruisin'mama]

I was on Mercury June 23-30 and had Mateus for my butler. I was travelling with my 3 sons ( 2 were in a separate room ). I let Mateus know that my other 2 sons would be in and out of my suite also and gave him an extra $50 up front for his extra work. He was very sweet and anticipated our wants before we could even want something. Once he asked if I needed anything and I said that I was going to go to the Cova cafe later and before the Cova even opened at 8:30am, he had some of their wonderful warm pastries waiting for me. My youngest son has Down Syndrome and many evenings chose not to go to the dining room, but to stay in the suite with a babysitter and Mateus was very attentive to him and made sure he ate and didn't need anything while I was gone. On formal night I was running late and he was right there helping me finish getting my son dressed for portraits and tying ties for the other boys. He brought us 4 shrimp cocktails every night before dinner, hot chocolate and coffee when we had our table mates on our verandah at the Hubbard Glacier, extra food for breakfast when he thought the boys didn't order enough ( the boys were thrilled with what he brought!) and he ALWAYS had a warm smile to greet us. He always magically appeared when we were headed to our suite to meet us at the door and open it for us. It was almost like an insult to him if we tried to do anything for ourselves. He was wonderful and I wrote to the company on his behalf and I received a letter stating that they would forward it to the ship. I have even received emails from him asking how my son is doing and sending his best wishes to us. Just a real sweetheart that I hope that I will be lucky enough to have as my butler again. As far as tips go, I tipped him an extra $100 on top of the prepaid gratuities and looking back wished I had tipped him more.

 

Cathy

[Arubalisa]

I was on Mercury June 23-30 and had Mateus for my butler. I was travelling with my 3 sons ( 2 were in a separate room ).Cathy

Cathy- thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like you had and your boys had a marvelous cruise.

[Lobbylin]

It's been really interesting to read all these comments, and it's lovely to know there are such great butlers out there and the different things they do for people in the name of good customer service.

 

We've had butlers twice - both on the Infinity a year apart in a Sky Suite and I cannot begin to tell you just how different they both were. Sadly we got a great one the first time round, and a poor one the second time.

 

I would probably describe us as not demanding - the only thing we enjoy from the butler is to have the odd meal served in our suite, the afternoon tea (we're British, and this is a real pleasure after a day's sightseeing); and the evening canapes before dinner.

 

On our first cruise - the butler guessed that we liked our afternoon tea (maybe he just guessed this from our British accents) and each afternoon whether we were there or not, he would leave a large hot flask of tea, 2 cups and a selections of snacks. My husband was in heaven with this!! Again in the evening, he'd be back to clear away and leave canapes.

 

On the Second cruise - the butler would only ever leave "a" cup of tea and only if we were there.... He would always hand me a plate of sweet and savoury things even though I kept telling him I was diabetic and could only eat savoury:( And not once did we ever receive canapes in the evening during the entire 14 day cruise, yet some friends in the Celebrity Suite who also had him as their butler did:confused:

 

If I was out when the butler would come during afternoon tea, my DH would ask for 2 cups of tea, inferring one was for me and drink both!!!;)

 

One afternoon when we were ashore, we happened to look up at our cabin balcony and saw this "poor" butler sitting on the balcony next door with his feet up on the balcony ledge... I guess that summed him up!

 

We have a third cruise booked next year in a Sky Suite, and so will be interested to see how things turn out with our third butler. I think we have learned now that we should ask from day 1 for a flask of tea in the afternoon, and to ask for canapes should they not arrive, rather than sit there in anticipation each day...

 

To be honest, having a "poor" butler did not spoil our cruise, but we did feel a little cheated, and like Phil (Excited of Harpenden) posted earlier - there's definitely some merit in asking from day 1 what they can do for you.

[idssms]

You have to get your butler seasoned. They deal with many people every cruise and each guest is totally different.

 

I just have a discussion on day one:

 

Tea Time: Pitcher or two of hot water and X number of tea bags

 

Finger Sandwiches: 2 plates or whatever,, no ham, no shrimp, just tuna, chicken salad, etc

 

Pastries: Choc anything, napoleons, only choc chip cookies

 

Pizza at midnight

 

Fill the ice bucket up 4 times a day,, or leave bagged ice in the freezer and I ll do it.

 

12 pack of diet soda per day in fridge (DW) 4 large bottled waters for me per day in fridge.

 

Lunch at noon everyday

 

Every 3rd day, take bag of laundry and dry cleaning if full

 

Unpack my suitcases which are marked,, dont touch DW's.

 

Shoes shined the day of formal night.

 

Tux laid out with accessories each formal night

 

It makes the experience outstanding if both the Butler and Guest are on the same page. If there is miscommunication here as in any facet of life things dont work as well.

 

For anyone that is comtemplating a suite and a butler,,, watch a few training films,,, Trading Places or Arthur or old John Gielgud where he is a butler or Arthur Treacher or Sebastian Cabot in that show with Brian Keith...

 

Don

[Lobbylin]

.... So can anyone tell me just how many suites each butler looks after at any one time?

[Lobbylin]

For anyone that is comtemplating a suite and a butler,,, watch a few training films,,, Trading Places or Arthur or old John Gielgud where he is a butler or Arthur Treacher or Sebastian Cabot in that show with Brian Keith...

 

Don

 

Don, your comment did make me smile as it reminded me of the Chairman's chauffeur for company where I work a few years back. This chauffeur also changed lightbulbs and moved furniture at his house, collected the dry-cleaning, and did the grocery shopping :p

[excitedofharpenden]

.... So can anyone tell me just how many suites each butler looks after at any one time?

 

I think it's usually in the range of 8 - 10.

 

Phil

[AnDeNo.UK]

Can anyone tell me the 'perks' to expect. We will be in a Sky Suite for the first time on Century. :)

[cechase]

We have had butlers in our Royal Suites for all of our five cruises on Celebrity. They have been in our opinion from very good [but delightful] to exceptional.

 

Our first butler was Keith on Mercury, and we being novices were a little shy and uncertain as what our butler would do. Well during that cruise, Keith being an excellent butler sort of coached us. :D One day after embarking my DW threw her back out in Monterey, CA and had a 102-103 fever requiring two visits to the infirmary. Well, Keith was always there when ever we needed him [including always there to open our cabin door when I was wheeling DW in a wheel chair.] He served us meals in our suite in the most elaborate and elegant fashion, always checked in to see how madame was, arranged to have the Asst. Housekeeper to check in and chat with us, and since we received an invitation to dine at the Captain's Table took it upon his own inititive to have DW's gown pressed as well as shine my shoes. I give all the credit to our butler for enabling DW to now remember what could be a very poor cruise experience - as a wonderful, caring cruising experience.

 

We learned, and on each cruise thereafter upon first meeting the butler, had a chat with him as to what we liked [no fruit bowl, but a cheese platter, ice bucket filled all the time, empty out our refrigerator so we can stow our own booze and drinks, etc., liked certain pillow types, needed more hangers, etc.] as well as discussed with him his hours of duty so that we would not interfer with his off time and rest.

 

As we had a number of cruises we would mention to our butler the other butlers that we have had, and they really do know each other. That helps him to know that we are familiar with their service and are not newbies.

 

So, Eduardo on Century [very very charming chap - not the best we have had, but a very delightful gentleman], the legendary Lawrence on Century who was outstanding, Bon Fee on Galaxy who was excellent [ran into Eduardo and his brother in the tender on that cruise - he was still smiling, remembered us and was happy to see us], and then Stanley on Mercury this past January who was combination of Eduardo in personality and Lawrence in performance - absolutely outstanding and in our opinion the best butler we have had on Celebrity [by a very very small margin.]

 

Contrary to some comments posted above, each of these butlers have greatly enhanced what were wonderful cruise experiences for us on Celebrity.

[TITISSA]

Is there any difference in service between the Century and the Millennium in terms of what to expect from your butler? We'll be on the Century next year and have booked the Penthouse Suite for my 50th birthday. Since we have never had a butler before I wonder what's in store for us? Does their service vary from class to class or is it the same throughout the fleet? Thanks.:)