Requesting a different bulter for a future cruise on the same ship

[Fouremco]

I'm still at a loss as to why people give 10's to crew members whose work isn't up to par, particularly those in more senior positions who know, or should know, what their duties entail and the expectations of them. Sweeping problems under the rug does no one any good, and as you can see, creates further problems down the road. While everyone who reads the Celebrity board is probably under the impression that terrible things will happen to an employee who receives less than perfect marks, most cruisers don't read Cruise Critic and most will provide a range of scores reflecting the range of service they have received.

[Chonga]

We booked a royal suite a couple of years ago and had a butler who we felt was a little hard work. He wasn’t very confident so didn’t particularly offer things, we had to be very specific with all our requests and repeat them, and felt that he wasnt always clear to let us know what he could do for us.. we were new to suite life at the time. At the end I gave him a relatively good rating (not a 10) and made a few comments trying to make constructive criticism around the fact that he seemed new in the role and needed to develop his confidence a bit to deliver better service. I did feel we could have had a better experience with a different butler.

 

The following year we got on the same ship, royal suite again, and lo and behold he walked in and was our butler again. My heart initially sank, but actually, he was really good. Remembered us and seemed to make an extra effort. For instance if we asked for something once he would do it again and ask if we wanted same every day, etc. So with more experience you might find the same guy would do a really good job. Especially if he felt he wasn’t as good as he could be due to his overloaded workload on your original cruise. Don’t worry, and I agree with what someone else said.. you could have a different butler who isn’t as good!

 

Hope it works out well for you whether you get the same person again or not!

 

 

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[warmwinds]

What's the old saying? "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know"...

 

All these butler threads are almost (almost) making me dread our first suite experience upcoming next year - almost seems like another headache to deal with rather than something to make your life easier. We'll try to be specific, reasonable, and kind, yet still make it clear what is important to us.

 

Has anyone ever written down their "must haves/must do's" rather than expecting him to remember different things from a variety of cabins?

[watchdiva]

Our cruise in December was the first time we DID NOT give our butler a written list of likes, dislikes, etc and we think our butler service suffered because I forgot the list at home (my bad). We have found that whenever we have provided our “list” our service has been seamless and outstanding. You can bet we won’t make that mistake again!

 

 

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[junetraveler2014]

We travel yearly on the Summit to Bermuda and stay in a Royal Suite. I make a list of what is expected and what we will be doing and review with our butler when we meet him. At that time I have already made an inspection of the condition of the quarters and am prepared with a list of all things required to clean, repair or move to assure our stay to be perfect. For example we ask for fruit salad to be in the room daily, breakfast daily, tours of the ship (if possible) what beverages to be in the fridge (cooler) etc. Dinner reservations in any restaurant, you name it. Last inspection the whirlpool seriously needed cleaning. Everything was done immediately. The butler is the boss, so all goes thru them and I find if I adhere to the chain of command, I never ever have a problem.

Only once in all our trips did we have the same Butler, and he remembered us and asked if we still wanted all the same as the previous year. So I really don't think by you being prepared with your to do list, is insulting.

 

Don't worry, your stay will be great. Just communicate and never go directly to to understaff for your wishes, call your Butler!

 

Have a great cruise!

[warmwinds]

Thanks to both of you - we will definitely make a list.

[Jim_Iain]

Not sure if you have selected a specific cabin but you might consider moving rooms to the other side of the ship. Usually each butler is only assigned either port or starboard cabins.

 

You might also make your request via the MC Concierge if their is a minor problem.

 

I had a very nice Butler on our last cruise but he couldn't seem to resolve a problem I had with the TV/Remote not working in the bedroom. Each time he would immediately call engineering and IT they would show up but the problem wasn't resolved. I figured he just didn't have the pull needed to resolve the problem so I mentioned it to the MC Concierge. The TV was replaced in less than an hour and she called me to confirm that everything had been fixed to my satisfaction.

[benjoon]

Our last butler in a royal suite was a little lack lustre. He never seemed to be around. He never answered his phone. Everything seemed to be hard work for him. Getting ice for the room was a struggle. Cheese and crackers also seemed to be extra work for him. We tried to organise a few drinks for people on Christmas Day and he arrived 10 mins before they were due to chill the wine. We had sent the request through days before. We were left a bit flat after this cruise. We have had a couple of excellent Butlers to compare to and he didn’t come even close. Our room steward made up for it.

 

 

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[CHEZMARYLOU]

We've had good butlers and great butlers and would be happy to see any of them on our next sailing.

On our last cruise my DH went for a shave after lunch on embarkation day and I headed to the suite. The butler was there very quickly to introduce himself, etc. I had a bottle of Pellegrino that I could not open and asked him to do it for me. After that, every morning when he brought breakfast he opened a bottle even though my DH was there to do it.

[Texed]

It would be my luck, the butler would request other guests. :o

[kasowell2]

I'm going to be the one that is not going to sugar coat this. If you were unhappy with this person's performance on the last cruise and you gave him/her 10's for a bad performance then what is his/her incentive to improve the service? You are paying way too much money for a suite regardless of the category and unless you are a multimillionaire the you deserve the service you are paying for. It's your vacation so you deserve to get what you pay for so my advice is to take care of it before so your vacation is a true vacation.

[Straughn]

We have had the same CS (1615) numerous times on both Silhouette and Equinox. Never have we had the same butler. They get moved around to different sections, they go on holiday or they change ships with a new contract. I have seen butlers that we have had before in the halls, but have never had the same one twice. Unless your sailings are very close together, I wouldn’t worry about it.

[wwcruisers]

It would be my luck, the butler would request other guests. :o

 

LOL -- Only if he found himself on 24-hour 'waffle duty'! ;p

[Texed]

LOL -- Only if he found himself on 24-hour 'waffle duty'! ;p

 

Good one! :cool:

[Mike981]

First, we have never had a butler ON A CRUISE. We have had several at resorts. There is an art and science to getting the best experience. We learned (as others have mentioned) to set the tone and expectations right away. If they can't do that, they are not worth a good/great score/tip.

 

For most it is human nature not to be 'that demanding person'. I can tell you from experience that they prefer you to tell them your expectations right away so they don't have to guess.

[chemmo]

There is an art and science to getting the best experience. We learned (as others have mentioned) to set the tone and expectations right away.

 

For most it is human nature not to be 'that demanding person'. I can tell you from experience that they prefer you to tell them your expectations right away so they don't have to guess.

 

Agree...I do think it can be hard for a butler to ‘guess’ what you want out of a cruise. Some guests simply don’t want anything at all whilst others do want to experience all the perks from unpacking to being escorted into the theatre (two perks we never use)...

 

I do think another issue comes with initial lack of information and then conversation....

 

For example, we mentioned to a few fellow Michael’s guests on a South Pacific cruise that our butler had set up a fantastic sail away spread for us and old cruise friends to enjoy. One of the couples became quite cross that their butler hadn’t offered to do this for them! I explained it was something we had asked for pre cruise through the shoreside concierge...I tried to explain it was something butlers would happily do but wouldn’t just offer. I am not sure the couple were convinced.

 

On another occasion I mentioned we had a shrimp platter awaiting us in our suite as a late night snack on the balcony...another fellow guest was unaware you could request snacks and thought room service only provided breakfast....(clearly not a CC reader).

 

Very easy for unknowledgeable guests to then jump to the conclusion that their butler is no good because he is providing less service for them than other guests are receiving from their butlers!

[texanaust]

Agree...I do think it can be hard for a butler to ‘guess’ what you want out of a cruise. Some guests simply don’t want anything at all whilst others do want to experience all the perks from unpacking to being escorted into the theatre (two perks we never use)...

 

I do think another issue comes with initial lack of information and then conversation....

 

For example, we mentioned to a few fellow Michael’s guests on a South Pacific cruise that our butler had set up a fantastic sail away spread for us and old cruise friends to enjoy. One of the couples became quite cross that their butler hadn’t offered to do this for them! I explained it was something we had asked for pre cruise through the shoreside concierge...I tried to explain it was something butlers would happily do but wouldn’t just offer. I am not sure the couple were convinced.

 

On another occasion I mentioned we had a shrimp platter awaiting us in our suite as a late night snack on the balcony...another fellow guest was unaware you could request snacks and thought room service only provided breakfast....(clearly not a CC reader).

 

Very easy for unknowledgeable guests to then jump to the conclusion that their butler is no good because he is providing less service for them than other guests are receiving from their butlers!

 

But what you mentioned is the problem. There is no list of what the butlers can and cannot do. In addition, many of them are not proactive in offering a particular service. It means more work for them so there really is no incentive for a butler to tell you what is available.

 

The whole suite experience would be greatly enhanced for those not reading CC every day by simply placing a list of services in each suite. They often do this at hotels with Club Levels-it may not be a complete list, but at least it gives you an idea of what you can ask for.

[pretzlaff]

I wonder if with other cost cutting that butlers are now assigned additional duties. I am on the Connie now, sitting in Michael's, my butler is serving tables.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Celebrity switched from in suite tea service from the tea cart to tea in Michaels Club each afternoon served by the butlers. So, it is not an additional duty, just a change in duty.

[WorcesterPear]

We love the afternoon tea served by the butlers in Michael’s Club, and find it so much nicer than the old tea trolley rounds of the suites. We get to chat with fellow Michael’s habituees and meet other butlers as well as our own, while enjoying scones and cream with Champagne- delightful!

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

I gave him a 10 with no comments as he was a nice guy and definitely didn't want to hurt his livelihood. Service was just OK, but not good. I just really don't want to be assigned to him again on this upcoming trip as I have the same cabin. I'm thinking I'll read through some reviews and see if a butler is named for Equinox that someone was happy with and just request a different one that way. This way I'm not saying I don't want him, but will be requesting someone else by name.

 

 

 

I think the problem is that they have too many cabins (he had 11) and all it takes is one or two demanding ones to mess up the service to everyone else. Some probably handle it better than others is my guess.

 

 

 

How do you expect him/her to improve if you don't say something to him (first) or the supervisor/mid cruise survey (if uncorrected)?

 

 

 

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[Schmoe38]

But what you mentioned is the problem. There is no list of what the butlers can and cannot do. In addition, many of them are not proactive in offering a particular service. It means more work for them so there really is no incentive for a butler to tell you what is available.

 

 

 

The whole suite experience would be greatly enhanced for those not reading CC every day by simply placing a list of services in each suite. They often do this at hotels with Club Levels-it may not be a complete list, but at least it gives you an idea of what you can ask for.

 

 

 

There really isn’t an incentive, dollar wise, for a butler to do anything out of the “ordinary.” Performance ratings of course would be at risk if the Suite experience was not up to par. We consider ourselves low maintenance, but we have asked for sail away and in suite hosting events where we have requested special set up, including orange juice for mimosas and cheese/shrimp platters. We do tip extra for these times (purely our choice). The butlers have been more than happy to facilitate these requests when initiated.

 

I agree if the butler was a little more proactive in mentioning these services are available, we would not only have a better educated cruiser, but may have a friendlier butler staff as well.

 

Randy

 

 

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[Schmoe38]

Duplicate post. Sorry.

Edited February 3, 2018 by Schmoe38