Butler Etiquette Question

[UntrainedBrain]

The use of the term "Butler" by NCL is actually a hybrid position of Butler/Waitress and Valet/Lady's Maid (by Waitress I am referring to the female member of household staff who is in charge of the Parlor.)

 

When do we get Footmen on NCL?

[IluvZ]

My question is what kinds of "special touches" can butlers/concierge do for our son who will be 11 almost 12 at time of sailing? He is going through testing right now for Crohns/Colitis, so I know I will need to request certain foods/drinks for him to help with his health. But what "FUN" things do butlers do so the kids have just as good of an experience as the adults?

 

Any parents/grandparents or observers out there with any info on the kids?

 

Thanks!!

We have been in a suite with our DS at 3, 5, and 7 so we are familiar with the ropes as far as kids. We asked for a few items that our son liked to be in the fridge/room, ie chocolate milk, cereal boxes and fruit. Magically, when ever something got low, it would be restocked without asking. I remember one day telling my son we didn't have any chocolate milk and he said, "yes we do, Denny brought some." And I never saw him, only our DS did.

 

However, we did find a limit on a few items. My DS loves berries and one cruise requested them for each breakfast. Four days into the cruise the head of food

Service called personally to apologize that they had limited berries and wouldn't have any more to spare. Funny enough, the last full day for breakfast, our Butler found a secret stash and brought them for DS.

 

Best thing we did was have butler bring food and a movie in the evenings while we got ready for dinner. DS would eat and the. We would drop him at the kids club. We enjoyed dinner later.

[jim1reed]

When do you give each person their tips? How do you get the tips to the different people you might not see every day?

 

Jim

Edited December 28, 2013 by jim1reed

[Demonyte]

When do you give each person their tips? How do you get the tips to the different people you might not see every day?

 

You should be able to see the butler at least on your last night and concierge during the disembarkation. Only "different people" might be the night time butler that can be tipped for deliveries etc as they happen but if it's your own butler, you can (some butlers even say "should") tip them at the end of the cruise. Pretty much all other crew members (kids club staff excluded but that has nothing to do with suites) get their share of DSC so no additional tipping required unless you feel it's warranted.

[NLH Arizona]

When do you give each person their tips? How do you get the tips to the different people you might not see every day?

 

Jim

I didn't see my butler everyday, so I called and ask him to bring me some chocolate chip cookies on the last day and when he came I gave him his tip and thanked him.

[CactusFlower527]

I didn't see my butler everyday, so I called and ask him to bring me some chocolate chip cookies on the last day and when he came I gave him his tip and thanked him.

 

 

How do you know how much to tip? is there a standard?

[Demonyte]

How do you know how much to tip? is there a standard?

 

I'm sorry to say but starting this specific discussion is like opening a can of worms with neverending battles of how much to tip. There are already more threads about the subject than anyone wishing to stay sane would care to read.

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ncl+butler+tipping

Edited December 28, 2013 by Demonyte

[NLH Arizona]

How do you know how much to tip? is there a standard?

I asked the same question on here, but got answers from $35 for a week to a ridiculous $500 for a week. So I came up with my own figures, based on the more sensible posts. I started out with $10 per day per person for the Butler and $5 per person for the Concierge and then was going to add or take away based on services rendered. Since both did everything I asked (even though I didn't ask for much) in a timely manner, I didn't take anything away on this cruise.

 

Hope that helps; this is just what I did, you might want to give more or less.

[kh6275]

I was on the Gem from 12/14-12/23 in a 2 bedroom Haven Suite. I tipped the Steward and Butler $100 upon arrival. I tipped the Concierge $150 at the end, Haven Butler $100 in addition to tipping him on any paid service, another $150 to the Butler and $50 to the Assistant Steward.

[DMH15]

I asked the same question on here, but got answers from $35 for a week to a ridiculous $500 for a week. So I came up with my own figures, based on the more sensible posts. I started out with $10 per day per person for the Butler and $5 per person for the Concierge and then was going to add or take away based on services rendered. Since both did everything I asked (even though I didn't ask for much) in a timely manner, I didn't take anything away on this cruise.

 

Hope that helps; this is just what I did, you might want to give more or less.

 

Great answer. For most fks it is spot on. I allot more for the Concierge as the ones I have had were incredible and did a lot for us.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[Casino Comp Chick]

When do you give each person their tips? How do you get the tips to the different people you might not see every day?

 

Jim

 

Well for my 1 nighter I gave mine $20.00 when I saw her & and then another $5.00 when I requested a pot of coffee (I am not really into the fru-fru coffeemakers). Outside of the pot of coffee I only made 1 request for a bucket of beer in the room when I got there. I am not a high maintenance type of person but I do feel all the staff work their butts off and they should be compensated for it.

 

T.o

I.nsure

P.rompt

S.ervice

 

They do, and so should you ;)

[sjbdtz]

Well for my 1 nighter I gave mine $20.00 when I saw her & and then another $5.00 when I requested a pot of coffee (I am not really into the fru-fru coffeemakers). Outside of the pot of coffee I only made 1 request for a bucket of beer in the room when I got there. I am not a high maintenance type of person but I do feel all the staff work their butts off and they should be compensated for it.

 

T.o

I.nsure

P.rompt

S.ervice

 

They do, and so should you ;)

 

 

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

 

 

This one miffs me a bit, because if you wanted to ensure something, it would be to make certain it happened, not to compensate against loss.

 

However, if you insure something, you are protecting against loss, thereby ensuring that the claimant is not out-of-pocket.

 

 

This gem was circulating on the internet yesterday:

 

"All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life."

 

 

English is fun, but annoying.

Edited December 29, 2013 by sjbdtz

[Casino Comp Chick]

People on here complain that they get crappy/slow service. I never do. Figure it out.

SMH

[Casino Comp Chick]

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/tip.asp

 

 

This one miffs me a bit, because if you wanted to ensure something, it would be to make certain it happened, not to compensate against loss.

 

However, if you insure something, you are protecting against loss, thereby ensuring that the claimant is not out-of-pocket.

 

 

This gem was circulating on the internet yesterday:

 

"All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life."

 

 

English is fun, but annoying.

 

I am sorry how I came across before. I was getting a haircut and this woman comes in to get her hair done, then decides to get eyelashes (to long) makeup (to dark, not enough this) and her nails (decides 1/2 way through she didn't have time). She had 3 different people working on her & complained about everything. She proceeded to leave a $10.00 to split between everyone. I was shaking my head the whole time. After she left I said to the owner if I ever become that high maintenance ban me from your shop. I am sorry I didn't lash out at her but instead you. My apologies.

[Barbique00]

Hi there, just an FYI, I received a complimentary bottle of Merlot on the Epic just last month, and I don't drink reds. They give me headaches. I took it myself to the barkeep, courteously asked for and got an exchange, without a hitch. I must be misunderstanding the story you're telling about Mr. Up the Food Chain dude. What a donkey! Oh, and I wasn't in the Haven, either, and still got my Chardonnay...

This is one of the better threads in CC, for folks who will be in the Haven the first time (like me and my friends this coming September 2013 [Pearl RT Seattle Alaska]) and are not polished in the Butler-Concierge-Steward-Pool Boy Department. We're all well-seasoned travelers, just not B-C-S-PB Dept types.

We used to smile at and look every employee in the eye that we met in our travels, ask them their names and where they're from, tip them immediately, just because, look for opportunities to fork over more dollars to these hard-working good souls, ask questions with kindness, be happy and grateful to see them when we made requests, and tip them when we said farewell.

But now, we're all scared!!! So we're all scrambling to be more classier and stylisher than we have been in our lives up till now. One of us is taking lessons on looking down her nose. Doug is practicing saying, "Hey!" real loud and such. Me and my BFF? We rehearsed singing, "You Missed That Spot," until we found out it's not really a song. Whatever. We're getting the Haven hang of things. Sure we are.

 

:D

Hilarious....and easy to relate to. It is our first time in a suite(with services) and I am just now figuring out the message boards. We cruise a lot, but I have never splurged on the Haven...so I am really on this board to figure out the etiquette and what I should be tipping.

[sjbdtz]

I am sorry how I came across before. I was getting a haircut and this woman comes in to get her hair done, then decides to get eyelashes (to long) makeup (to dark, not enough this) and her nails (decides 1/2 way through she didn't have time). She had 3 different people working on her & complained about everything. She proceeded to leave a $10.00 to split between everyone. I was shaking my head the whole time. After she left I said to the owner if I ever become that high maintenance ban me from your shop. I am sorry I didn't lash out at her but instead you. My apologies.

 

 

If you snipped at me, I missed it entirely. No harm, no foul. And I wasn't snipping at you, either.... just at the mistaken interpretation held by far too many, about the origin of tips.

[sjbdtz]

Hilarious....and easy to relate to. It is our first time in a suite(with services) and I am just now figuring out the message boards. We cruise a lot, but I have never splurged on the Haven...so I am really on this board to figure out the etiquette and what I should be tipping.

 

 

I find tipping to be somewhat uncomfortable. I don't mind supplying the money, but the whole process of handing it over feels (to me) as though it's demeaning to the recipient.

 

I don't mean room service, or pizza delivery... and I'm quite fine with "just make it $15" when exiting an $11 cab ride.

 

But the idea of sticking money in an envelope, and making a point of locating the person and handing them this envelope feels really alien to me.

 

Instead, I go to the Guest Services desk the night before disembarkation, and have them add a gratuity for each of the concierge & butler. I then leave a thank-you card or note, in the cabin for them.

 

As for how much, it varies... we seem to get far more benefit from the concierge, than from the butler.... so we wind up leaving $100 and $50 respectively on a typical 7 day cruise.

 

 

But we barely ask for anything. On my last cruise, my butler kept having the concierge ask me if I needed anything, because he never heard from me.

 

 

Remember, SNOB comes from

 

Seeking

Notice

or

Better

 

(that's not at all true, I just made it up). :)

[Casino Comp Chick]

I find tipping to be somewhat uncomfortable. I don't mind supplying the money, but the whole process of handing it over feels (to me) as though it's demeaning to the recipient.

 

I don't mean room service, or pizza delivery... and I'm quite fine with "just make it $15" when exiting an $11 cab ride.

 

But the idea of sticking money in an envelope, and making a point of locating the person and handing them this envelope feels really alien to me.

 

Instead, I go to the Guest Services desk the night before disembarkation, and have them add a gratuity for each of the concierge & butler. I then leave a thank-you card or note, in the cabin for them.

 

As for how much, it varies... we seem to get far more benefit from the concierge, than from the butler.... so we wind up leaving $100 and $50 respectively on a typical 7 day cruise.

 

 

But we barely ask for anything. On my last cruise, my butler kept having the concierge ask me if I needed anything, because he never heard from me.

 

 

Remember, SNOB comes from

 

Seeking

Notice

or

Better

 

(that's not at all true, I just made it up). :)

 

I like that! I may use that :) (I am not one btw)

Have you packed for next week yet? I did mine yesterday. I soooo need a vacation.

Edited December 29, 2013 by iimmie

[crusinmama06]

Hi Nancy ;)

 

I had noooo idea what to do with mine! So when you figure it out after your cruise, you let me know. But I was told that I missed out on a whole bunch of things that I never thought of - like pretzel rolls delivered for an afternoon snack :) lol

[MrsNancyG]

Actually, Michelle, I don't think I'm gonna be at all shy about utilizing the butler. Norwegian now has a bona-fide menu of baths your butler can draw for you! LOL :p

[SeaShark]

Hi Nancy ;)

 

I had noooo idea what to do with mine! So when you figure it out after your cruise, you let me know. But I was told that I missed out on a whole bunch of things that I never thought of - like pretzel rolls delivered for an afternoon snack :) lol

 

I think you just hit the core of the whole "what does a butler do" issue that seems to make frequent appearances here on Cruise Critic.

 

I would surmise that many people are less interested in what the butler actually does and more interested in ensuring that they don't "miss out" on asking for anything they are allowed to in order to get their money's worth out of the experience.

[kh6275]

Actually, Michelle, I don't think I'm gonna be at all shy about utilizing the butler. Norwegian now has a bona-fide menu of baths your butler can draw for you! LOL :p

 

Here is the bath menu that was hanging in my bathroom.

[triptolemus]

I think you just hit the core of the whole "what does a butler do" issue that seems to make frequent appearances here on Cruise Critic.

 

I would surmise that many people are less interested in what the butler actually does and more interested in ensuring that they don't "miss out" on asking for anything they are allowed to in order to get their money's worth out of the experience.

 

I've got to agree with this and add that folks who use the term "my butler" as opposed to "the butler" might be more prone to the dynamic you have described.

[Barbique00]

I find tipping to be somewhat uncomfortable. I don't mind supplying the money, but the whole process of handing it over feels (to me) as though it's demeaning to the recipient.

 

I don't mean room service, or pizza delivery... and I'm quite fine with "just make it $15" when exiting an $11 cab ride.

 

But the idea of sticking money in an envelope, and making a point of locating the person and handing them this envelope feels really alien to me.

 

Instead, I go to the Guest Services desk the night before disembarkation, and have them add a gratuity for each of the concierge & butler. I then leave a thank-you card or note, in the cabin for them.

 

As for how much, it varies... we seem to get far more benefit from the concierge, than from the butler.... so we wind up leaving $100 and $50 respectively on a typical 7 day cruise.

 

 

But we barely ask for anything. On my last cruise, my butler kept having the concierge ask me if I needed anything, because he never heard from me.

 

 

Remember, SNOB comes from

 

Seeking

Notice

or

Better

 

(that's not at all true, I just made it up). :)

yes....a lot of different opinions on tipping. Even when I did not have a butler, I would always tip the steward if exemplary. Also...the kids club gets a nice tip from me. Not sure how I will handle it on board, but I have to admit I am very excited about the haven......thanks for the tips :)

[MrsNancyG]

That's so cool! Didja use the service?

'

Here is the bath menu that was hanging in my bathroom. [ATTACH]296732[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]296733[/ATTACH]