What does the Butler do?

First I admit my knowledge is extremely limited to Mr. Belvedere and Mr French from Family Affair.

In researching reserving a suite for Alaska next year,

It appears that there is a room steward, who cleans the stateroom, and if you need help with dining/excursion reservations/assistance there is the concierge. So if anyone has had a suite, what does the butler do?:D

The butler brings you things!

Goodies in the afternoon, serves breakfast/lunch/dinner in your stateroom if ordered beforehand, makes sure you have all that you want inside the stateroom, will stock your coffee machine, keep things as requested. He's there to do for you!

The butler will do about as much or as little as you request. But you basically have to let him/her know what you want or need. We need very little, even having to insist we do not need afternoon snacks. So we seldom see them. But they're there if needed.

I often get mine to read to me to help me get to sleep. I'd recommend this.

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Your room steward and butler tag-team in maintaining your room.

The butler is responsible for all things food. Each afternoon, he brings snacks (let him know if you have any additional snacks). For example, since we are big kids, we ask for PB&J sandwiches some afternoons. We ask him to keep bowls for gummy bears and M&Ms full in the room.

On early/busy port days, we have breakfast delivered. There are the standard check-the-box breakfast cards in the room. You can write anything you want on the cards for breakfast items from the MDR or the Suites restaurant (e.g., eggs over easy, filet steak, bacon, ham, sausage, hash browns, breakfast potatoes, egg white omelet, grilled tomato, mushrooms, fresh fruit, fresh breads, juices, and a diet pepsi.

We have the steward empty the fridge and have the butler keep a pitcher of ice water and/or ice tea filled in there.

On an Alaskan cruise, the very, very best room on the ship is a forward facing penthouse suite. We had our butler bring up a stack of deck blankets for sitting out on our balcony each evening and especially on glacier watching days.

Thanks for the info

Your room steward and butler tag-team in maintaining your room.

 

The butler is responsible for all things food. Each afternoon, he brings snacks (let him know if you have any additional snacks). For example, since we are big kids, we ask for PB&J sandwiches some afternoons. We ask him to keep bowls for gummy bears and M&Ms full in the room.

 

On early/busy port days, we have breakfast delivered. There are the standard check-the-box breakfast cards in the room. You can write anything you want on the cards for breakfast items from the MDR or the Suites restaurant (e.g., eggs over easy, filet steak, bacon, ham, sausage, hash browns, breakfast potatoes, egg white omelet, grilled tomato, mushrooms, fresh fruit, fresh breads, juices, and a diet pepsi.

 

We have the steward empty the fridge and have the butler keep a pitcher of ice water and/or ice tea filled in there.

 

On an Alaskan cruise, the very, very best room on the ship is a forward facing penthouse suite. We had our butler bring up a stack of deck blankets for sitting out on our balcony each evening and especially on glacier watching days.

 

Very helpful! Thank you!

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The butler is the suite perk that makes transitioning back to "real life" difficult. On our Hawaii cruise on the POA last April, I bought a sarong, but could not figure out how to tie it. No worries - I knew our female butler would be able to show me.

Butlers give you individual attention. As others have noted, they bring you afternoon snacks, which are delicious and can be items you don't find anywhere else on the ship. On POA, our butler brought us cookies one afternoon and I never saw cookies anywhere else on the ship. I have a food allergy, so some days she would being separate snacks for my husband and I so that he would not be limited by my allergy.

We've had butlers three times and they are always wonderful - helpful, very thoughtful, good sense of humor. They make you feel like you are the only people they have to take care of and I can't stress enough how much they are missed when you return home.

First I admit my knowledge is extremely limited to Mr. Belvedere and Mr French from Family Affair.

In researching reserving a suite for Alaska next year,

It appears that there is a room steward, who cleans the stateroom, and if you need help with dining/excursion reservations/assistance there is the concierge. So if anyone has had a suite, what does the butler do?:D

Butler Mark Santos can do Magic .:cool:

Quick question. If we have the unlimited beverage package can the butler bring us our favorite adult beverage? Or must we go to our bar of choice?

Quick question. If we have the unlimited beverage package can the butler bring us our favorite adult beverage? Or must we go to our bar of choice?

The butler will bring you drinks, but you will not be able to charge them to the UBP.

So in the example of keeping gummy bears stocked, or pitchers of iced tea -- are those items "paid for" as an extra, or "provided" (free) by the butler? Just book 2 cruises in the Haven Feb 2018 on Jade through Panama Canal / Colombia & Epic in Europe 10/18

So in the example of keeping gummy bears stocked, or pitchers of iced tea -- are those items "paid for" as an extra, or "provided" (free) by the butler? Just book 2 cruises in the Haven Feb 2018 on Jade through Panama Canal / Colombia & Epic in Europe 10/18

Park of the perks of having a Haven suite

Butlers can do a ton!

On the Dawn a few years ago, we needed to keep some medicine cold during the cruise, but the mini fridge in the room wouldn't get cold enough for us. Our butler brought us an ice chest (a HUGE cooler, like you might expect camping or tail gating) and kept it full of ice for the entire week. She also kept us well stocked with milk, chocolate milk, juices, cocktail mixers (we had 3 bottles of liquor with the DOS) and garnishes.

If our butler spotted us in the hallway as we were heading back to our room, she would hurry ahead to unlock our door and hold it open for us -- especially helpful when coming back with tote bags in both hands.

Our butler would also keep us well stocked with snacks each day and would learn our preferences so that we would get exactly what we wanted when we got back to our suite each afternoon.

A butler can tie a tie, tie shoes, zip up a dress, etc. which could be helpful to older guests who have issues such as arthritis or Parkinson's disease.

So in the example of keeping gummy bears stocked, or pitchers of iced tea -- are those items "paid for" as an extra, or "provided" (free) by the butler? Just book 2 cruises in the Haven Feb 2018 on Jade through Panama Canal / Colombia & Epic in Europe 10/18

Provided for free by the butler.

In terms of normal (non-specialty restaurant) foods and drinks, everything is free, 24/7. If you normal butler is off duty, the night butler will bring you anything you want.

There are time when we have had a big meal and not ready for dessert yet, so we order our dessert in a specialty restaurant and have the butler pick it up and deliver it to our room (since take out food is frowned upon in most restaurants).

Butler Mark Santos can do Magic .:cool:

He certainly can. Saw him on the first day, and then poof he disappeared for the remainder of the week. Except for the last day to collect a tip.

Butler Mark Santos can do Magic .:cool:

Mark the photographer. Kept a supply of PB&J and Chips coming every day and arranged for some caviar canapes on the Breakaway last month.

In the Haven, is room service free? I know its a $7 or $8 charge in other parts of the ship.

Another question kinda off topic but applies, if we have on board credit, can we charge alcohol to our room? Like if we want to order alcoholic drinks I know it isn't part of the UBP, but for the convenience at any point of the butler bringing it. Thanks.

In the Haven, is room service free? I know its a $7 or $8 charge in other parts of the ship.

 

Another question kinda off topic but applies, if we have on board credit, can we charge alcohol to our room? Like if we want to order alcoholic drinks I know it isn't part of the UBP, but for the convenience at any point of the butler bringing it. Thanks.

Yes room service is free in the Haven, and I don't know of a reason why you couldn't have drinks delivered and charged to your stateroom account.

How much do you normally tip the butler?

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I often get mine to read to me to help me get to sleep. I'd recommend this.

 

 

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keeps company with your partner while you gamble or go to the bar

keeps company with your partner while you gamble or go to the bar

Then the butler would be giving the tip...;p

How much do you normally tip the butler? Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Butler: A suggested tip would be $10-$15 per person in the room per day of cruise.

Concierge: A suggested tip would be $5-$10 per person in the room per day of cruise.

Steward: Your room steward gets a portion of the daily service charge. Since you have a large room, a suggested additional tip would be $5-$10 per person in the room per day of cruise.

Commits murder .. Don't you know, it's always the Butler who does it. :o