Butler Service: What did a butler do for YOU ?

We've only cruised with Viking so far.

But now we're looking at other lines for 2019. Some offer a butler service.

But we cannot imagine what we'd use a butler for or how butler service would enhance a river journey.

So I'd like to ask those who have taken a river cruise with butlers, what use YOU made of your butler and whether or not your cruise was enhanced by them.

They bring me coffee and croissants every morning to enjoy on the balcony.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Our butler on Silversea (Ocean) unpacked our luggage.

After that, we did not use him until we asked him to pack our luggage while we were at dinner the last evening.

Big mistake!

Returned to room to find that somehow he missed our largest suitcase that he had put under the bed and everything was crammed into one suitcase & carry ons. Hilarious once we got repacked.

Our travel companions had him bring coffee, tea and croissants every morning before going up to breakfast.

Had him bring afternoon rum & cokes before heading off to the lounge for cocktails.

Had him bring evening cordials & snacks.

Wisely, they did not have him pack. :)

Just us but we found a butler more annoying than helpful. Despite asking him not to, he'd knock at the door morning and night asking if we wanted anything interrupting our getting dressed, etc.

We have booked Uniworld staterooms that included butler service twice, for the size of the room, not to have a butler. Both were helpful but not in the way. They left fresh fruit and afternoon snacks, and cleared out the mini fridge of drinks we wouldn't use and brought what we would use, including a bottle of Bailey's that we enjoy. They expedited changing our bedding from douvets, which we find too warm, to light blankets. When DH wasn't feeling well, they served dinner in the room, although I'm sure we could have received that service anyway. A parting gift from one was a bottle of delicious white wine, selected for our taste. We had our doubts about having a butler, but we found it a pleasant experience.

The one time we had a butler on an ocean cruise, again coming with the stateroom we wanted, he provided similar service plus made dinner reservations at specialty restaurants on board, and brought me green apples and crackers the day I was seasick.

Our butler, Harry, on the Scenic Jasper brought coffee & snacks and a few miscellaneous items we forgot to pack. He always apologized for not doing more but we couldn't think of anything we needed or that he missed.

Paul

We were "surprised" with a suite on Uniworld just a few weeks ago, and had two butlers. To be honest, we felt kind of guilty using them at all, as we didn't pay for the suite, but we did utilized their services to some degree. We ended up having laundry done on 3 occasions, with the hope that we would return home with nearly all clean clothes. The laundry was returned neatly folded, divided into categories, those items which needed to be pressed were, those which needed to be hung to dry were. (all done by the butlers). We had fresh fruit in the cabin each morning, and tapas/appetizers delivered each afternoon. They were quite good. In fact, the final day, we had spring rolls which were really good. I called our butler and asked if there were any "leftover" About 10 minutes later, he returned with an entire tray. He had the chef prepare a batch just for us!

If we wanted a specific drink which wasn't stocked in our mini bar, we had it delivered.

If one of the butlers saw us coming down the hall, they would open our door for us.

They brought a "gift" each day, and on the next to last night of the cruise, presented us with "gifts" they had chosen specifically for us.

On the night we returned from Mont St Michel later than planned (and had reserved the tasting dinner) our butlers were very concerned. When we finally got back, they did everything they could to get us to the dinner, even telling me I didn't need to change clothes:-)

They made it a point to stop and speak at meal times, and see if we needed anything which wasn't being provided by the regular waitstaff. The same in the lounge.

We could have had any meal delivered to us, but we like to be social, so we didn't take advantage of this service.

We were truly spoiled, and it was a week we will never forget!

Robin

We are just about to embark on our seventh river cruise with Scenic. On some trips we hardly used our butler at all and on the others quite a lot. Morning tea and coffee, the odd cocktail, ensuring our mini bar was stocked to our liking, reminding us about laundry and presssing. Myself and several of our fellow cruisers have often remarked about the possibility of packing ours to take home. I have yet to come across one that is not completely professional and friendly. Sit back and enjoy. CA

We had a suite on our Christmas Markets cruise in 2016 and were completely spoiled. We had two butlers who brought us coffee each morning and snacks in the afternoons. They also made sure the bar was stocked with our favorites. We also received thoughtful gifts during and at the end of our cruise (a nice scarf, specialty soaps, a bottle of wine, etc.). They also took care of all of our laundry throughout the week, and if requested, would bring bar items and food to our suite. They always went out of their way to greet us and ensure we had absolutely anything and everything we needed. They offered to unpack/pack for us, but we prefer to do that ourselves.

Looking forward to the whole experience again later this year!

On Crystal River Boats, the butlers provide a free pressing service. So you can do your own laundry in the self laundry room and the the butler to do the ironing for you.

Crystal River Boats butlers are provided to all staterooms in addition to to stateroom attendants. They ensure the free mini-bar is topped up they way you want it topped up (remove all alcohol, stock with particular types of soda, mineral water bottles sufficiently stocked up), deliver all room service (breakfast lunch dinner and any snack in between), deliver evening canapés and will undertake room related tasks. They tie bow ties should you choose to wear one. We have asked them for bits of packing materials particularly for shopping at the various stops.

On Crystal River Boats, the butlers provide a free pressing service. So you can do your own laundry in the self laundry room and the the butler to do the ironing for you.

 

Crystal River Boats butlers are provided to all staterooms in addition to to stateroom attendants. They ensure the free mini-bar is topped up they way you want it topped up (remove all alcohol, stock with particular types of soda, mineral water bottles sufficiently stocked up), deliver all room service (breakfast lunch dinner and any snack in between), deliver evening canapés and will undertake room related tasks. They tie bow ties should you choose to wear one. We have asked them for bits of packing materials particularly for shopping at the various stops.

This all sounds terrific. But wait – bow ties? Who wears ties of any kind on a river cruise?

Who wears ties of any kind on a river cruise?

I do. Bow tie every night at dinner. I received many complimnts as well.

And I tie them myself.

This all sounds terrific. But wait – bow ties? Who wears ties of any kind on a river cruise?

A white tie even at the Crystal Mozart Gala Event at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna

Also if you do an excursion on the Crystal Mozart II, the small boat at the back of the Crystal Mozart, your Butler comes along to serve you champagne and drinks.

With our Butler

With our Butler, Crystal Mozart’s Captain and his assistant. The Butler takes decent selfies too!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The problem with the butlers is that God forbid you do something yourself like get your wife’s coffee or bring a drink back to the room yourself, and pass them in the hall, they make you feel guilty for not asking them to do it. Sometimes I felt like I had to make up stuff for them to do because I don’t want them to lose their job!

Sent from my iPad using Forums

What a strange way for a butler to act. We have never had that attitude. Maybe because along with proper bow ties we are more than used to more than correct buttling!😉

Yes, the only thing we 'wild colonial boys' know about Butlers is ... in mystery novels, "the butler did it." ;p