ColinIllinois Posted June 12, 2016 #26 Share Posted June 12, 2016 So,,, whether you think you used the butler or not, the butler has duties that he preformed in your suite every day. Even if you don't drink the coffee, the butler comes to check and refresh the water. Checks for laundry. On embarkation day, if you were escorted to the havens, the concierge staff and butlers do that. If you got a room key, the concierge staff is responsible for getting those ready for you on embarkation day. Every day, they check your reservations to see if there are dinners you need to be escorted to. Whether you say "I didn't use them, therefore I owe them nothing" they have routine duties they preform for you. Every day. And they do work for tips. And to stiff them is unfair. One could easily argue that those are just basic duties that should be expected as part of the higher fare in the Haven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demonyte Posted June 12, 2016 #27 Share Posted June 12, 2016 The issue with the butler is that they're paid by their tips. Could you please give a reliable reference for this claim? To my understanding concierge and butlers are salaried staff just like staff at kids' club - however none of them are covered by the programs funded by DSC, as clearly told by NCL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie cruzer Posted June 12, 2016 #28 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Yes they are salaried staff...a good butler with many years experience would be on approximately $1600 p/m....plus cash tips. Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisingohiolibrarian Posted June 12, 2016 #29 Share Posted June 12, 2016 We just got off the Gem today. We stayed in a two bedroom haven suite. I tipped the butler $150. He brought us lots of snacks, we ordered room service a few times and also got us ice water every evening. I felt we used him enough to warrant that tip. We gave the concierge $50 for our priority embarkation and disembarkation and for arranging express laundry cleaning due to a flooded bathroom soaking our clothing in sewage (more on that to follow.) We also tipped our room steward $100 and the courtyard valet $100. Our room steward had her work cut out for her and although I know she gets tips from the daily service charge, she had to go above and beyond. Our shower flooded two days in a row (and repairs took five hours each day) and she had to reclean the bathroom and scrub the carpets several times. Some say that is her job, but it is not one I would want! The courtyard valet also have excellent service. He brought us breakfast and lunch many days and was so sweet to my 80-year-old grandma, whom he treated like a princess! I can't fault any of the service we received although I think the bathroom issue could have been fixed quicker than the 10 hours we couldn't use our room. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida 1 Posted June 12, 2016 #30 Share Posted June 12, 2016 We just got off the Jewel yesterday where we had our first suite - Aft Penthouse (not Haven if it makes a difference). From what I had read in advance on CC, we budgeted $50 for concierge and $100 for butler since everyone else should have been covered in the prepaid gratuities. I would have to guess that we utilized their services far less than the average suite guest, but we did utilize them. The priority embark/disembark was worth a LOT (and yes, it's part of the price paid being a suite guest, but the concierge put a personal touch on it). The night we decided we wanted to try Cagney's, they were sold out for that evening until much later than we wanted to dine. However our concierge Bruno must've monitored the situation because as soon as someone canceled he called and offered it to us. Our butler Putu was not seen often in person, but with the treats left for us, coffee refills, etc. we know that he had been there. I called only once for room service and surprisingly it was Putu that answered my call, took the order and delivered to us. But at the end of the week, it was our steward Sulihin that truly made us feel like "VIPs" and not because of the cabin/suite we were in. It was just his way. So even though he was covered by prepaid gratuities, we felt he deserved more. We split our gratuities budget between the 3 - $50 Concierge, $50 Butler and $50 room steward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchdiva Posted June 12, 2016 #31 Share Posted June 12, 2016 We just came off the 10 day Pearl Alaska cruise and had the best butler service EVER. Loy was our regular butler and Michael was the evening butler (he delivered our coffee every morning at 6 AM). We ate every breakfast in our suite, one dinner in our suite and had dessert delivered a time or two. We made sure that these two men knew how much we appreciated them... Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieBel Posted June 12, 2016 #32 Share Posted June 12, 2016 We just got off the Gem today. We stayed in a two bedroom haven suite... express laundry cleaning due to a flooded bathroom soaking our clothing in sewage (more on that to follow.) Can I ask which stateroom you were in? We are in one of those soon (14010)... and hoping there's no ongoing bathroom issues! Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisingohiolibrarian Posted June 12, 2016 #33 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Can I ask which stateroom you were in? We are in one of those soon (14010)... and hoping there's no ongoing bathroom issues! Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app 14512 so you might be in luck! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteCruiser Posted June 13, 2016 #34 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Could you please give a reliable reference for this claim? To my understanding concierge and butlers are salaried staff just like staff at kids' club - however none of them are covered by the programs funded by DSC, as clearly told by NCL. https://www.ncl.com/faq#tipping I'm not saying they only get tips, everyone on NCL gets a base salary, but their salary is much lower than it would be for the work they do, because there is an expectation to tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteCruiser Posted June 13, 2016 #35 Share Posted June 13, 2016 What has the ability to afford a suite got to do with anything? What someone can afford does not change the price or value of something. If I can afford to pay a 100% tip at a restaurant should I? I only tip 15% -20% like most people. It's more of going to $100 per person dinner and leaving $20.00, but then going to a $300 per person dinner and leaving $20. Just because you paid more for the second meal doesn't mean that the service is included. If I can afford to go to a $300 per person dinner, I plan on being able to pay $60 in tips. There are costs associated with having a suite, and if you plan on using the services, you should be prepared to pay the tip. If you don't use them, like you stated, then it's a different thing altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieBel Posted June 13, 2016 #36 Share Posted June 13, 2016 14512 so you might be in luck! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Thanks [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusin6 Posted June 13, 2016 #37 Share Posted June 13, 2016 What has the ability to afford a suite got to do with anything? What someone can afford does not change the price or value of something. If I can afford to pay a 100% tip at a restaurant should I? I only tip 15% -20% like most people. Exactly.....I certainly have enough money to pay suite....penthouse....haven prices.....but I won't...nor even want to I don't feel deprived either. Lol Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted June 13, 2016 #38 Share Posted June 13, 2016 If you got a room key, the concierge staff is responsible for getting those ready for you on embarkation day. Whether you say "I didn't use them, therefore I owe them nothing" they have routine duties they preform for you. Every day. And they do work for tips. And to stiff them is unfair. Really? Tip for the room key? :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CasinoCruzGirl Posted June 13, 2016 #39 Share Posted June 13, 2016 I will be setting sail on the NCL Pearl on 06/19 to Alaska for 7 days. I will be staying in the 3 bedroom Garden Villa "The Haven". My question....I have already pre-paid the service charge and I understand that the Concierge and Butler is not included. What would be an appropriate tip for both of these people? I don't want to under tip anyone. Thanks in advance for replies. I am so excited! :) How many people will be staying in the villa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CasinoCruzGirl Posted June 13, 2016 #40 Share Posted June 13, 2016 I think it's fair if you don't use the butler at all like cruisesnooze, then don't tip. The issue with the butler is that they're paid by their tips. I think it would be great if NCL paid their staff and then if you want to tip an extra $20 then that's great. But that's not how it works, you pay them and I figure if I can afford a suite, I can afford $70 for the butler and $35 for the concierge each for a week and can work up or down from that based on service for the week. I will be in a suite by myself for the transatlantic on Epic this year, so will plan on 13 days worth of tips for the butler of $130 and $65 for the concierge. When we were in the Garden Villa, the butler brought trays of sandwiches, not the little tea ones, but big delicious sandwiches, chips and pico, guacamole. He spent a lot of time in our suite, served us dinner one night with rose petals on the table cloth, poured water for us, cleaned it all up afterwards, he far exceeded our expections. There were 7 of us in the suite and we paid far more than $10 each per day, but the experience warranted it. Yep our butler was wonderful. And I think we took very good care of him, our consigneor and even our steward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kboltwkreations Posted June 13, 2016 #41 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Oh, please tell us about the GV experience. WEre you on the Pearl? Yes we were on the Pearl in 14500. Whole experience was amazing. Our sailing was a little cool to enjoy the top deck a whole lot but having the floor to ceiling windows to watch everything was a dream. There were 5 of us in the suite and we never bothered each other. Super priority boarding (took us 45 min from setting our bags down curbside to being on the ship). Priority disembark was great also at each port, Suzie came and got us and led us down so we never waited in any lines. We had breakfast pastries each morning with fresh fruit, snacks each afternoon (sandwich platters, chips, wings, tenders, fries, etc). Butler was fantastic. I can answer any specifics for you as well. The only downside of being in that room is that it is mid-ship and that set of elevators is always crowded so most times we took the stairs. It was a fantastic time and we already booked GV on the Dawn for next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dttampa Posted June 13, 2016 #42 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Yes we were on the Pearl in 14500. Whole experience was amazing. Our sailing was a little cool to enjoy the top deck a whole lot but having the floor to ceiling windows to watch everything was a dream. There were 5 of us in the suite and we never bothered each other. Super priority boarding (took us 45 min from setting our bags down curbside to being on the ship). Priority disembark was great also at each port, Suzie came and got us and led us down so we never waited in any lines. We had breakfast pastries each morning with fresh fruit, snacks each afternoon (sandwich platters, chips, wings, tenders, fries, etc). Butler was fantastic. I can answer any specifics for you as well. The only downside of being in that room is that it is mid-ship and that set of elevators is always crowded so most times we took the stairs. It was a fantastic time and we already booked GV on the Dawn for next year. Thanks so much! I have some other questions that would be off topic here. Please, would you send me an email? denise dot travers at gmail dot com . Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxon6732 Posted June 13, 2016 #43 Share Posted June 13, 2016 From reading the message boards and what I feel I will need on my cruise I have an amount of tip set in mind. If they meet my expectation of them they will get the full tip I have in mind. If they don't meet my expectations I will adjust tip accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewelmick Posted June 13, 2016 #44 Share Posted June 13, 2016 From reading the message boards and what I feel I will need on my cruise I have an amount of tip set in mind. If they meet my expectation of them they will get the full tip I have in mind. If they don't meet my expectations I will adjust tip accordingly. Same Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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