Butler service in suite

[Viktoria]

Never been in a suite. What can I expect? :D

[patty1955]

Do your research here on Cruise Critic. Do NOT depend on the butler or Michael's Club concierge to tell you what they can do for you. We missed out on a lot while in our first/only suite because we thought they would let us know what the suite included. We only found out that we had a free specialty meal when they told us it was almost all booked.

[39august]

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that suites booked recently with the "Go Best" promotion get a free specialty dinner. Other than providing room service meals from the dining room or breakfast on the balcony and afternoon snacks, I really don't know what a butler does, so any info is welcome.

[jules815]

Just curious. I know one of the things they'll do for you is unpacking. Has anyone here ever had them do this?

[patty1955]

Just curious. I know one of the things they'll do for you is unpacking. Has anyone here ever had them do this?

Have a strange man touch my "granny panties?" I don't think so.

[SraLiz]

We booked the S1 with Celebrity and they confirmed we have one free specialty dining.

[jelayne]

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that suites booked recently with the "Go Best" promotion get a free specialty dinner. Other than providing room service meals from the dining room or breakfast on the balcony and afternoon snacks, I really don't know what a butler does, so any info is welcome.

You are correct that suites no longer recieve the 2free speciality restaurant dinners. That changed when Sky Suites were give access to Michaels Club & Luminae. Booking made before the change do have a speciality dinner. But those were booked in 2015.

 

In addition to bringing and setting up meals for in room dining some other things the butler will do are:

- pick-up and deliver any laundry or dry cleaning you have

-meet you at the Theater on EC nights and escort you to seats reserved for suite guests.

-make speciality dinner reservations

-oversee the maintenance of your suite, anything broken or not working the butler will arrange & follow-up on repairs

-if you are having friends in for drinks the butler will arrange for glasses, plates, napkins, and things like cheese plate, shrimp, finger sandwiches & clean up afterwards.

 

I'm sure there are other things but these are things we have had the butler handle.

[39august]

Thanks for all the info.

[watchdiva]

If you let them, your butler will pamper you and make your cruise so enjoyable! Our butler worked with the concierge to arrange a special tour of the specialty galleys (there were only 6 of us). We had afternoon snacks delivered daily (we didn't want to go to Michael's Club for tea service) and one evening our butler hunted down a slice of carrot cake for me.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[jules815]

Have a strange man touch my "granny panties?" I don't think so.

 

LOL! I was thinking the same thing! On the other hand, at my age, do I really care? I'll be sailing with my 27 year old daughter, and she is absolutely against having the butler unpack for us.

[NCHPcruiser]

We have had good sky suite butlers and very mediocre sky suite butlers. Our last S1 butler this past October was rarely seen and really pushed us to go to Michaels for afternoon snacks which we had no intention of doing. I have no desire to disturb my afternoon by getting passably presentable for tea in Michaels. It was only after mentioning our friends butler who was superb (also S1) that our butler upped his game somewhat.

 

We are just off the Reflection in our first Royal Suite and had an unbelievable Butler, Dominic. We are now completely spoiled when we go back to our S1 in June. Dominic noticed on the first day we were getting our own plate of cheese and crackers from Oceanview Cafe and from then on absolutely insisted on bringing us a special plate each afternoon. There were any number of special things he did to make this cruise special. Unfortunately a RS is not in the cards again and was really too much room for just two people traveling alone anyway.

 

We have never had a butler unpack for us.

[chemmo]

Another regular suite guest who would not want my butler packing/unpacking for me!

 

However, we love afternoon tea in suite (we have been assured this still happens on request). We also enjoy early morning coffee, shrimp and cheese plates to enjoy on the balcony late evening. Our butlers have arranged sail away parties for us when cruising with friends and generally looked after us.

 

We rarely use in suite dining but nice to know it is available. Also rarely want escorting to theatre shows but have benefited from being escorted to the front of the tender queue...

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

If you request that your butler unpack/pack for you, you must be present while this is going on. Therefore, I don't quite see the point. Easier just to do it yourself.

Re the afternoon tea in Michael's vs. the cart the butlers used to bring along: I was on board when they made the switch. I explained to my butler that I wasn't about to get dressed and go to Michael's for this--this was my relaxing time in my suite. Also told him I enjoyed visiting with him briefly every afternoon. He made sure some treats were brought to my suite every afternoon. If he had to be on duty in Michael's, he sent one of the other butlers up with them.

Butlers are there to make your cruise wonderful. Ask and you shall receive.

[Muushka]

We booked the S1 with Celebrity and they confirmed we have one free specialty dining.

 

Here we go again! Anyone else have a sky suite with specialty dining included?

Could it be from your travel agent?

 

We have an S2 and our friends have an S1 and neither of us has been offered specialty dining for an upcoming cruise.

[galensgrl]

Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that suites booked recently with the "Go Best" promotion get a free specialty dinner. Other than providing room service meals from the dining room or breakfast on the balcony and afternoon snacks, I really don't know what a butler does, so any info is welcome.

 

 

Just my 2 cents, we booked a Sky Suite under the Go Best promo and a complimentary dinner was not included. Maybe they are for the higher suites like RS and PH, or the complimentary dinner is a perk from the travel agent. But I will be surprised if a free specialty dinner is offered to us at any point.

[CruisersTimesThree]

Just my 2 cents, we booked a Sky Suite under the Go Best promo and a complimentary dinner was not included. Maybe they are for the higher suites like RS and PH, or the complimentary dinner is a perk from the travel agent. But I will be surprised if a free specialty dinner is offered to us at any point.

 

Royal suites and higher have unlimited specialty dining included as a high end suite perk, not just one night.

The one specialty dinner as a suite perk was stopped at some point in 2015, BUT if you booked your cruise prior to when it was pulled you are still entitled to it because it was available at the time of your booking.

The one free dinner was scraped completely once Luminae came to be and access to Michaels Club was included for Sky Suites.

[patty1955]

Here we go again! Anyone else have a sky suite with specialty dining included?

Could it be from your travel agent?

 

We have an S2 and our friends have an S1 and neither of us has been offered specialty dining for an upcoming cruise.

We got an upgrade from AQ to S2 on our last cruise. We had access to Luminae, Michael's Club and a free specialty dinner.

[jules815]

If you request that your butler unpack/pack for you, you must be present while this is going on. Therefore, I don't quite see the point. Easier just to do it yourself.

 

I wasn't aware of this. Agree much easier to do it yourself.

[dkjretired]

Royal suites and higher have unlimited specialty dining included as a high end suite perk, not just one night.

The one specialty dinner as a suite perk was stopped at some point in 2015, BUT if you booked your cruise prior to when it was pulled you are still entitled to it because it was available at the time of your booking.

The one free dinner was scraped completely once Luminae came to be and access to Michaels Club was included for Sky Suites.

 

The cut off date was Dec. 31, 2015

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We are in a Celebrity Suite in August and might be one of the last guests with a free specialty dining meal. Our original booking was made in July 2014, on an Alaska Cruise, and transferred several times. As stated, the cut off date was 1/1/16 to book a sky or celebrity suite and receive free specialty dining (1 or 2 nights depending on the length of the cruise. We are going back to Alaska in August.

[emjayel56]

Hi Everyone.

I have had suites and butlers on other cruise lines but I splurged two weeks ago on Summit and booked a sky suite. I read in advance all the amenities that comes with it and was happy with what was advertised. I can tell you on celebrity it was a big disappointment. The only time I saw the "butler" was day 1 when he brought my luggage. At no time did he offer to help with unpacking (although probably would have declined). He left me his number if i needed anything and i never heard from him again until 10 pm the night before we disembarked. Luggage had to be put outside cabin by 10 pm and he called about 5 minutes before then do say I want to "come by and say goodbye" "do you need help packing"... I did not lol. He showed up at my door at 8 am on disembarkation day obviously looking for his tip.. was a total waste. Michael's Club also disppointment. 1 hour a day they opened for appetizers. I think Holland's neptune lounge far superior. That's just my experience I am sure some people love the celebrity suites and butlers. The room on celebrity (a "suite") was about the size of a standard cabin... nothing special. Was nice getting priority checkin and expedited departure but that's about it. Thanks.

[Westyone]

What can a butler do for you???

 

So many things in so many subtle (and unpublished) ways. We travel in suites and only once every two years or so.

 

 

This happened in mdr before Luninae, maybe 2008. First night in Mdr was terrible ....don't remember details but we were assigned a large table for 12 in the middle of the dining room. Service was horrid as was the food but we chalked it up to first night cruising. The next day our butler asked how our dinner was so we told him of our disappointment. This was just routine conversation stuff for us, not complaining. He said nothing but left and came back later to tell us he made reservations for us to dine in Blu which turned out to be wonderful. Back then we didn't know suites could eat in Blu.

 

Another cruise,( 2014): the ankle joint on my husbacd's prosthetic leg became loose and started to fail. The butler came in as my husband was trying to fix it with a Swiss Army knife. Butler looked, left, came back with tools and fixed it! How do you tip that? It would have been almost impossible for my husband to get around without a working prosthetic.

 

Again another cruise when there were formal nights including tux: We were invited to the Captain's Table. My husband couldn't find his razor! Called the room attendant thinking perhaps he moved it somewhere. Both attendant and butler came to search. Butler left and immediantly came back with a razor and shave cream! (Husband found razor where he put it. Lots of storage drawers in a Royal suite.)

 

As someone else said, the room attendant takes care of the room. Your butler takes care of you......in soooo many big and little ways. Is a butler necessary? We certainly don't have one at home. But our cruise butlers have have taken care of us and spoiled us for the very short time they are with us on vacation. Some say they rather cruise three times a year in an inside room. We prefer to cruise once every three years in a suite, sit on a spacious balcony and have our butler surprise us cappuccino.

[Jim_Iain]

Here we go again! Anyone else have a sky suite with specialty dining included?

Could it be from your travel agent?

 

We have an S2 and our friends have an S1 and neither of us has been offered specialty dining for an upcoming cruise.

 

I believe there is a bit of misunderstanding regarding free specialty dining. Originally all suites got either 1 - 2 free specialty dining's. That perk was eliminated about a year ago but those that had booked before 1/1/16 were grandfathered in and still got the 1 or 2 free specialty dining's.

 

Currently if you book Penthouse, Royal, Reflection Suite or Signature Suite you get unlimited specialty dining.

[guy999]

Hi Everyone.

I have had suites and butlers on other cruise lines but I splurged two weeks ago on Summit and booked a sky suite. I read in advance all the amenities that comes with it and was happy with what was advertised. I can tell you on celebrity it was a big disappointment. The only time I saw the "butler" was day 1 when he brought my luggage. At no time did he offer to help with unpacking (although probably would have declined). He left me his number if i needed anything and i never heard from him again until 10 pm the night before we disembarked. Luggage had to be put outside cabin by 10 pm and he called about 5 minutes before then do say I want to "come by and say goodbye" "do you need help packing"... I did not lol. He showed up at my door at 8 am on disembarkation day obviously looking for his tip.. was a total waste. Michael's Club also disppointment. 1 hour a day they opened for appetizers. I think Holland's neptune lounge far superior. That's just my experience I am sure some people love the celebrity suites and butlers. The room on celebrity (a "suite") was about the size of a standard cabin... nothing special. Was nice getting priority checkin and expedited departure but that's about it. Thanks.

 

 

my experience has been the same as yours. mine was very elusive. I have actually now been in a Royal Suite and a celebrity suite on two different cruises. So far hmm fair.. The cruise in the royal suite in the med pretty good butler, but no where near what people here talk about. He did help me pack my stuff the last night, my wife didn't want it. That was nice. Otherwise for reservations for the specialities better to call them directly or call the michael's club concierge to do the reservations. I was able to get some pretty good tours of the ship that seem to be reserved for elite folk but I think that's because I was in a royal suite. Overall I would give the first one a B, so for my second cruise, now I did downgrade to a celebrity suite because I really didn't need all of that room that the royal suite gave us, and we never got in the hot tub, the large bathroom was nice, but the regular celebrity suite was fine. So I pretipped a 100 when we met the guy, maybe I shouldn't have done that, and after the end of the cruise I really wish I hadn't. We asked him to make reservations and he would tell us to call directly it was faster. We asked about excusions and he told us to call the michael's club concierge, who was amazing. Let's see packing and unpacking, i decided against it this time, but he didn't offer, so I don't know if he would have do it. He offered to walk us to the show, but he showed up, we didn't actually know he was coming and he said he was leaving with some others in a couple of minutes and if we weren't ready he couldn't take us. Serving us breakfast in our room, nope that would be room service. Dinner from one of the speciality restaurants, nope he can't do that either. Any tours available, sorry no i can't get you into those..

 

I got tired of calling him, so i mostly stopped after half way through. I do remember like seeing him 3 days later, and exclaiming hey I didn't know you were still on the boat, I thought you might have gotten off on one of the stops because I hadn't seen him..

 

So the point is, have some things you want, but if you don't get them don't be pissed off like me. I'm taking another cruise this summer in europe. I'm getting a butler again, if I get a good one great, hopefully i get one that the others have talked to, but I won't hold my breath.

 

Now having access to the michael's club concierge is amazing. I would take a sky suite if i didn't need to be in the middle of the boat to prevent nausea.

[Muushka]

I believe there is a bit of misunderstanding regarding free specialty dining. Originally all suites got either 1 - 2 free specialty dining's. That perk was eliminated about a year ago but those that had booked before 1/1/16 were grandfathered in and still got the 1 or 2 free specialty dining's.

 

Currently if you book Penthouse, Royal, Reflection Suite or Signature Suite you get unlimited specialty dining.

 

Yup, I know how it works. But the problem is that today people are mentioning that they will receive specialty dining when booking a sky suite. I can only assume that they booked prior to that cutoff date. I think that is where the confusion is coming from.

 

 

my experience has been the same as yours. mine was very elusive. I have actually now been in a Royal Suite and a celebrity suite on two different cruises. So far hmm fair.. The cruise in the royal suite in the med pretty good butler, but no where near what people here talk about. He did help me pack my stuff the last night, my wife didn't want it. That was nice. Otherwise for reservations for the specialities better to call them directly or call the michael's club concierge to do the reservations. I was able to get some pretty good tours of the ship that seem to be reserved for elite folk but I think that's because I was in a royal suite. Overall I would give the first one a B, so for my second cruise, now I did downgrade to a celebrity suite because I really didn't need all of that room that the royal suite gave us, and we never got in the hot tub, the large bathroom was nice, but the regular celebrity suite was fine. So I pretipped a 100 when we met the guy, maybe I shouldn't have done that, and after the end of the cruise I really wish I hadn't. We asked him to make reservations and he would tell us to call directly it was faster. We asked about excusions and he told us to call the michael's club concierge, who was amazing. Let's see packing and unpacking, i decided against it this time, but he didn't offer, so I don't know if he would have do it. He offered to walk us to the show, but he showed up, we didn't actually know he was coming and he said he was leaving with some others in a couple of minutes and if we weren't ready he couldn't take us. Serving us breakfast in our room, nope that would be room service. Dinner from one of the speciality restaurants, nope he can't do that either. Any tours available, sorry no i can't get you into those..

 

I got tired of calling him, so i mostly stopped after half way through. I do remember like seeing him 3 days later, and exclaiming hey I didn't know you were still on the boat, I thought you might have gotten off on one of the stops because I hadn't seen him..

 

So the point is, have some things you want, but if you don't get them don't be pissed off like me. I'm taking another cruise this summer in europe. I'm getting a butler again, if I get a good one great, hopefully i get one that the others have talked to, but I won't hold my breath.

 

Now having access to the michael's club concierge is amazing. I would take a sky suite if i didn't need to be in the middle of the boat to prevent nausea.

 

I agree. We've had 3 butlers. I thought the first one (in a RS) was awesome. Then we had a S2 and that guy was even better. We only asked for shrimp (in the RS) for the afternoon snack and a cappuccino in the AM for both suites. But the S2 butler, he was so good, I could not believe all of the kind things that man did for us, and we never asked him to do these things! I hope we get him again this November.

 

 

Then we had a RS this past summer. Ugh. I could go through the list, but it is similar to yours. I had no idea that there was such a thing as a butler with absolutely no personality!