Concierge/Butlers on Pearl

[Kathylovescruises]

Does anyone know who the concierge on Pearl is? Hos 'bout them butlers? WE have always had great butlers and room stewards, not so much with the concierge.

We are travaling over New Years Eve.

 

Thanks!

 

Kathye

For some reason I can't edit the typos in this message...sorry!

Didn't even spell my name right!:rolleyes:

[sarahvch]

Carlos is the concierge He is good, very nice and friendly however he does not follow through with everything he says he will and does not offer information about thibgs. You must drag things out of him. For instance after I asked twice about the choc buffet he agreed to meet us to let us in for pictures however he also let everyone else in at the same time.

Lanie was our butler and she was awesome!

[watchdiva]

Kathy - a suggestion for you......let your concierge know what you want him/her to do on day 1. I make a spreadsheet listing each day and the restaurant that we will need reservations for which I hand to the concierge with another copy for DH and I. The next morning, you should get a letter from the concierge listing all of your dinner reservations - if you don't receive it, stop by the Star Bar (where concierge's day desk is located) and follow-up. We haven't had any reservation mix-ups since we started doing it this way. Also on your spreadsheet, you can note anything of special interest (for example, chocolate buffet) that you want to make sure not to miss and then ask the concierge "what time will we meet"? Some concierges are outstanding and some are adequate - we've been lucky to have our concierges fall in the outstanding category.

 

We love the Pearl and are going back on her 4/09 - I'll certainly look forward to reading your review.....

[Planer's Edge]

We also found Carlos to be very efficient and thorough. He followed up on everything we asked of him.

 

Lin, we will see you next April.

 

PE

[watchdiva]

Hey PE - looking forward to it! I've been watching some of these sails and am trying to find a short cruise for DH and I at the end of October. We can drive to the port so I'm hoping something will show up at the very last minute that we can hop onto (but most of the suites are long gone and we're spoiled now and DH won't cruise now without a suite and a butler:D ). I'm suffering cruise withdrawal and don't know if I'll last another 7 months....

[cls711]

We found Carlos to be warm and friendly but somewhat inefficient. We are fairly easy going people, so we didn't require much from Carlos. His follow-up was lacking and he never offered up any suggestions or insider tips. We were in an AA Owners Suite which is at the bow but we were entitled to use the private suite area that is adjacent to the Garden Villa area. Carlos never showed us this area or even told us about it and what it had to offer. Luckily I had Cruise Critic on my side and had learned all we needed to know here. If not we would have had no idea about it. On the other hand our butler was great and I am ashamed that I do not remember her name. It was the last week of her contract but she acted like it was her 1st. She learned our wants and needs without having to ask more than once. Asked for cranberry juice once on 1st day and there was a fresh pitcher in the fridge every day. She saw that I was a diet coke addict and kept the firdge stocked and extras waiting on in the cabinet. If she noticed me leving the room at meal time she would say "want to take a diet coke to lunch?" She was awesome as was our cabin steward team, the three of them made our cruise a true pleasure.

[sarahvch]

cls711 you said much better what I was trying to say! It was not that Carlos was a bad concierge just that he did not offer any information about anything on the ship. I knew most everything I needed to know from these boards and previous cruises. I had to beg to get perks I knew we were supposed to get.

Example Day 1 I asked about the choc. buffet and explained that I had never been to one and I did not want to miss it. Thursday (the day before) I asked if we could get in to the choc. buffet early. His response, well it starts at 10:00 (I think that was the time). SO called him after I told him that suite guest were let in early to take pictures and asked him could we get in early. Carlos said "yes, sure". SO told me he said yes. I asked "Where do we meet?" SO called him back and Carlos told him where to meet. SO asked if we could bring the guest we were having dinner with us. He said yes. We showed up and he was not there. Someone had to call him. He then came and escorted us in and then the let everyone in even though it was not to open for another 15 mins... so we had no time to take pictures before people began tearing things apart.

[NoPiratesPlease]

Yes, try to set up reservations early. Carlos can be excellent and if he gets too harried, he gets hard to get hold of.

 

I've forgotten who our butler was but he worked very, very hard and was very good.

 

Curiously, when Carlos has an assistant he doesn't do as well as when he's on his own....Go figure!

 

Of the Villa-class ships, we haven't been on the Gem but the Pearl is our least favorite of them. We LOVE the Star and the Dawn, like the Jewel very much, like the Jade almost as much as the Star and the Dawn, but the Pearl was only OK and we don't want to cruise on her again if something better is available.

[sarahvch]

One more thing that bothered me.... since I am getting it all off my chest...

I called Carlos because I never received my BAGS forms. He told me he would call me back because he was with another guest. I was fine that and understood 100%. Then he came to my room and I was in the middle of saying "I did not rec..." when his phone rang and he said "Please excuse me." He stood in my lobby making notes about another guest dinner reservation for that evening while I waited. He hung up and his phone rang again he answered it and stepped into the hallway (with his foot in the doorway). I sat in our lobby waiting.

 

It is interesting that you say the Pearl is your least favorite. I thought it would be the best ship. I will have to check out some of the other ships now... well after the first of the year since I have three more cruises booked for October and November.

[terrymtex01]

Sarah.. I will tell you we LOVE the Star. We have never stayed in the Garden Villa.. but we love the ship and her staff/crew. Simone is the Concierge for the Star and she is the best in the business.

 

In fact, we have been so spoiled by Simone that I am nervous about our upcoming trip on the Pearl in October. Especially after reading the things that have been said about Carlos. We do not use the butler much, but we use the concierge a lot.

[RCDR]

Sarah.. I will tell you we LOVE the Star. We have never stayed in the Garden Villa.. but we love the ship and her staff/crew. Simone is the Concierge for the Star and she is the best in the business.

 

In fact, we have been so spoiled by Simone that I am nervous about our upcoming trip on the Pearl in October. Especially after reading the things that have been said about Carlos. We do not use the butler much, but we use the concierge a lot.

 

We are thinking about booking on the Star Alaska 2009. Did your wonderful Simone mentioned that she will still be on the Star for 2009?

[terrymtex01]

We are thinking about booking on the Star Alaska 2009. Did your wonderful Simone mentioned that she will still be on the Star for 2009?

 

She didn't. I don't know how much of a choice they have as to where they are assigned. They maybe able to choose, I'm just not for sure. I do know it's all on a contract basis, usually for six months to 9 months at a time. When we were onboard last May/June, she was engaged to the Executive Chef and introduced us to him, which was a treat. I am not for sure if that will secure her ability to stay on the Star or not.