Has anyone ever had a butler ...

Then you didn't read there post...For some people it no, but once you work with your Butler you'd see how valuable he/she is in making your trip a great, relaxing cruise. Most people don't use them for packing, it's all the other things they help you with.

Yes I know they are invaluable with other things we just wanted to see if the packing aspect would be one of them. In all our years of cruising we have never asked a butler to deal with packing and it appears most on this board feel likewise. This post is about packing/unpacking by a butler not whether a butler is useful.

Speaking of butlers, does anyone know what ship Churchill is on now. We will be on the Riviera this summer and would love to see him again.

Speaking of butlers, does anyone know what ship Churchill is on now. We will be on the Riviera this summer and would love to see him again.

Also has anyone had Sydney as their butler?

I do not have any use for a butler. I am not comfortable letting anyone pack or unpack for me and all other functions (making reservations, bringing tea to our room, etc) are not something we really need.

 

Yes we have had butlers, but they had a lot of free time with us.

 

Ivi

I totally agree. It would be creepy to me for a butler to be handling our clothes, especially our underwear.

On one Oceania cruise, the butler took away our shoes without our knowledge and polished them. It bothered us that he was lurking in the closet looking for things to do.

We have indicated on surveys several times, that we wish they would do away with butlers, or at least give passengers an option as to whether or not they want them.

We just returned from Celebrity Reflection, and the butler would not leave us alone every day, even though we politely told him that he would not be needed. On the last day, he offered to bring drinks, and even offered a bottle of wine, likely looking for an extra tip.

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Reference Churchill the Butler. He was our Butler last summer on the Nautica. When we got back on the Nautica in Hong Kong on February 4, we asked about him. Our Butler informed us we had just missed him in that he had left the ship the day before for vacation. He thought Churchill was taking two months off and was not sure where he would go next. In July, he had indicated to me he wanted to go back to an O ship, on his next assignment, but would have to see what was available at the time.

I could not agree more had one 3 times, it felt intrusive and uncomfortable to have this guy popping in and out. Too, it seems totally silly and bordering on obnoxious to ask someone to do such simple stuff that you could so easily do. Not comfortable with having servants to order around just to do it...that's not the cloth I was cut from.. If it works for you fine, not me.

Anybody who grew up with a younger brother is perfectly happy to ask someone else to do simple stuff and to have someone to order around just to do it.

That said, I don't think I've ever been on a cruise without a butler, but I've never taken advantage of the unpack/pack service. I suppose I just have an aversion to strangers handling my discreet articles of clothing. We've always found our butlers to be an incredible asset and of great assistance in dealing with internal shipboard matters.

I had many butlers. As far as packing or unpacking I askmfor help with dresses. Saves me time running into and out of closet. I grab he folds. Or in some cases I have packed a suitcases while he does the dresses. If I have done it all I let them drag them off the bed, floor etc and push them out the door. I can not lift my suitcases from bed to floor. I push them off and can wake the sleeping.

I enjoy breakfast in cabin and sometimes dinner too.

I love having a drink in the cabin and like magic the ice arrives or afternoon snacks.

Some people never use them and I do. Enjoy! You paid for his help.