How much to tip Penthouse Butler, 12 day cruise?

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Misssmb said:

I guess because he was great the rest of the cruise and my sensitive heart thinks of people who have less than I do. I think working 11 hour days without a day off in 6 months has to be tough. It’s my nature and I can’t help it. I agree it wasn’t a smart thing to do, but my hubby handed it to him when I was still in the bed since he came early! Ugh 

 

They do get time off  during their contracts 😉

[Jay23]

On 11/26/2019 at 4:11 PM, Sny said:

Yes, they have a pager and we have always had a return phone call within seconds. 

I agree absolutely with S and I was mystified by the post that said they could "never find"  the  Butler.  Just dial 2 (I think) and the Butler phoned back within a moment.  He did everything willingly and with a smile.   I don't think we were very demanding, but we enjoyed the service very much.   J

[bitob]

It is highly unusual and unforgivable if the butler (or a duty butler) does not respond quickly.  Can it happen once?  Sure.  But if you have that problem over and over again something is VERY WRONG and you must speak up.

[mmssnb]

We have always found the butlers quick to respond. If they go to break they hand off their phone or pager to another Butler. The only time we didn’t see our Butler as expected was after they announce a code medical....which turned out to be for our butler who was taken off the ship to a hospital. Missing our canapés was certainly a non issue.

[Scorer9]

Apart from getting taken ill off the ship, all of this is really the Butler doing their job. Like everyone else in a PH, I'll be paying an increased daily service fee on our forthcoming cruise, so I won't be providing the Butler with any tip. There again, I'm British & we tend to have a different tip philosophy!

[StanandJim]

3 hours ago, Scorer9 said:

I'm British & we tend to have a different tip philosophy!

Our British and Canadian brethren, through the onetime omnipotence of the Cunard Line  (Sir Samuel was Nova Scotian) are entirely responsible for the tipping process as we know it today on a cruise ship.

Those who disagree with it are not so much  being British, as they are being frugal.

Edited December 4, 2019 by StanandJim

[Misssmb]

On 12/2/2019 at 10:26 PM, LHT28 said:

 

They do get time off  during their contracts 😉

He told us they can work no more than 11 hours a day. They work 6 months straight with no days off. They get a few hours off in the afternoon depending on the ports and if they have safety drills, etc. scheduled. He also said someone fills in from 10pm to 8am but they must also start at 6am to make sure all the breakfast orders are being prepared. I think he was telling the truth, but then again the no room service on the last day wasn’t true! 🤷‍♀️

[StanandJim]

Full days off are rare when one lives above the store-

Moreso when room and board are a part of the deal.

 

Like everything in life, it is a tradeoff-

 

 

[juliet]

We had a butler last year on the Riviera.  Could've done without him as we really never asked for anything except breakfast in our room.  While it was nice, we usually like to have it on our balcony but he said the table was too small and never suggested anything else so we ate it on the table in the room.  The only other thing I asked for, which I had read would be available, is for a laptop or Ipad to use while we were on board.  He said there weren't any.  He did bring our little canapes every night before dinner.  In any case, we gave him $40 extra as we would've tipped for our breakfast room service anyway.

[Mura]

I thought all butler rooms also had a laptop provided.  We've always had one -- not that I use it because I always bring my own along with us.  And the ship provided laptop is extremely limited.  An iPad would be a different matter ... I don't believe I've ever had the option for one of those.

 

[RJB]

1 hour ago, Mura said:

I thought all butler rooms also had a laptop provided.  We've always had one -- not that I use it because I always bring my own along with us.  And the ship provided laptop is extremely limited.  An iPad would be a different matter ... I don't believe I've ever had the option for one of those.

 

WE were told by the  butler on our last trip that they were not providing laptops any more.

[Mura]

That could indeed be the answer.  It's a while since we have sailed.  Given the limitations of the laptops they provided perhaps most people didn't find them very useful.  I certainly didn't!

 

Mura

[bitob]

We always stuck it on a shelf to make room for useful items.  The laptop was a worthless amenity.

[clo]

On 12/4/2019 at 1:21 PM, Scorer9 said:

I'll be paying an increased daily service fee on our forthcoming cruise, s

How much please? I didn't know that.

[Mura]

2 hours ago, bitob said:

We always stuck it on a shelf to make room for useful items.  The laptop was a worthless amenity.

And I always used it to support MY laptop ... after disconnecting the power cord.

 

[Scorer9]

9 hours ago, clo said:

How much please? I didn't know that.

We'll be paying a service charge of $23 each/day in a PH, as opposed to $16 each/day if we had a cabin without a butler.

[RJB]

2 hours ago, Scorer9 said:

We'll be paying a service charge of $23 each/day in a PH, as opposed to $16 each/day if we had a cabin without a butler.

The difference is the tip for the butler.  

[Scorer9]

43 minutes ago, RJB said:

The difference is the tip for the butler.  

Exactly! Which is why I will not be paying more on top of the $23.

[StanandJim]

2 hours ago, Scorer9 said:

Exactly! Which is why I will not be paying more on top of the $23.

I always think that it is telling when somebody knows in advance that the Service that they receive will not warrant an additional tip.

 

[Scorer9]

2 hours ago, StanandJim said:

I always think that it is telling when somebody knows in advance that the Service that they receive will not warrant an additional tip.

 

Indeed, happy to tell you I give tips, but think additional tips are unnecessary. Might change my mind if the Butler saved my life.

[Jancruz]

19 hours ago, Mura said:

That could indeed be the answer.  It's a while since we have sailed.  Given the limitations of the laptops they provided perhaps most people didn't find them very useful.  I certainly didn't!

 

Mura

Mura, that was not the reason..everytime they put something different on the ship it gets stolen..the books dont get stolen they just have the last pages torn out if someone hasnt finished the book..you would not believe what people take!!

Jancruz1

[RJB]

3 hours ago, StanandJim said:

I always think that it is telling when somebody knows in advance that the Service that they receive will not warrant an additional tip.

 

For us it goes on a trip by trip assessment.  We usually give an additional tip but really don't have to.  Just how we feel each time. 

[Mura]

40 minutes ago, Jancruz said:

Mura, that was not the reason..everytime they put something different on the ship it gets stolen..the books dont get stolen they just have the last pages torn out if someone hasnt finished the book..you would not believe what people take!!

Jancruz1

That is certainly depressing to hear!  At the same time, I can see that it would be relatively easy to accomplish.  Just unplug the laptop and put it in your luggage.  Or tear pages out of unfinished books ... 😬

 

Speaking of books with missing pages ... I once checked out an opera score from the Lincoln Center Library in NYC.  I only needed the music for one aria ... which indeed was missing.  It was a relatively common occurrence.  But it certainly distressed ME! 

 

Mura

[clo]

5 hours ago, StanandJim said:

I always think that it is telling when somebody knows in advance that the Service that they receive will not warrant an additional tip.

 

Excellent point.

[Lady Meer]

On 12/4/2019 at 4:21 PM, Scorer9 said:

Apart from getting taken ill off the ship, all of this is really the Butler doing their job. Like everyone else in a PH, I'll be paying an increased daily service fee on our forthcoming cruise, so I won't be providing the Butler with any tip. There again, I'm British & we tend to have a different tip philosophy!

 

We are British - English to be exact - we don’t have your philosophy as we always tip our butler as well as paying the gratuity.