Butlerteering is outsourced?

[computerworks]

I posted this earlier on the "18%" thread, but it got lost in the argument about tipping. :rolleyes:

 

Originally Posted by RetiredFL

... we learned that the butlers are also not employees of Oceania but work for a company that specialized in butlers and supplies them to many ships.

 

Really!?? Is this true?

[YoHoHo]

It is possible, lots of services are 'outsourced' by the main provider. Makes for efficient, cost effective services. Does not mean that they are fly-by-night but instead well trained staff from a supplier that has a vested interest in ensuring their employees can provide service as expected. I suspect many of the staff are not direct employees of O but supplied by various providers. They might have contract offerred to them as individuals but it would be under an agreement with an agency that provided them.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Many cruise ship employees work for an agency that supplies the ships with the personnel. There are different agencies based on where the crew is from, what the jobs are. Some ships have restrictions on the build as to which nationality the captain and officers may be.

[Tarpeian Rock]

Long history of this. The musicians on Titanic weren't White Star employees, to cite one example.

[Paulchili]

Here is an example of one such company - V.Ships:

http://www.vshipsleisure.com/portal/site/leisure/

[computerworks]

Here is an example of one such company - V.Ships:

http://www.vshipsleisure.com/portal/site/leisure/

 

Understand... Vcrew handles below-deck and tech management positions...

...What I was surprised at ... if front-line service personnel would be contracted employees.

 

I understand third party training, but would expect the front-line reps to be direct.

[Noxequifans]

I believe that butlers on O are O employees. The knowledge our recent butler had about the details of the speciality restaurants clearly showed he had spent time working in them. Highly likely he had been promoted from within. The butler on our cruise before that told us he had been a waiter earlier in his time with O.

 

There is also info about butlers on Cruise Critic with details by cruise line.

[Paulchili]

Understand... Vcrew handles below-deck and tech management positions...

...What I was surprised at ... if front-line service personnel would be contracted employees.

 

I understand third party training, but would expect the front-line reps to be direct.

 

According to this source:

http://goldringtravel.blogspot.com/2013/07/silversea-cruises-silver-shadow-failed.html

many cruise lines (including Silversea discussed in this article, as well as Regent) employ V.Ships for their above deck employees as well, if I understand it correctly.

Seabourn did in the past but discontinued the service.

I do not know about Oceania in regard to V.Ships.

[wripro]

I have personally had butlers on O who were previously waiters in restaurants so they can't all be outsourced.

[fairbourne]

Computerworks .... This has been bugging me all afternoon and I now just have to ask, no offence btw .... Butlerteering? Did you make this word up? ;):)

[computerworks]

Of course. :cool:

[RetiredFL]

I have personally had butlers on O who were previously waiters in restaurants so they can't all be outsourced.

Perhaps they changed employers to become a butler.

All I know is what our butler on Nautica said last year. Have no other confirmation.

[fjdelrio]

Neither Oceania Cruises, nor Regent Seven Seas Cruises has had ANY relationship with V-Ships in the last 4 years.

FDR

[computerworks]

Neither Oceania Cruises, nor Regent Seven Seas Cruises has had ANY relationship with V-Ships in the last 4 years.

FDR

 

...thanks.