Club Continent Suite and Butlers

[mj_holiday]

Our next Azamara cruise is in a Club continent Suite and we mainly got this for the extra size. I have read a lot about butlers helping with Specialty Restaurants reservations and bringing afternoon tea.  What other things can a butler help with?

[manc]

We have booked CC when on longer cruises, with more sea days and b2b but we didn't want afternoon tea and we booked our speciality restaurants as we embarked as we have prepared list of dates, times and venue.  We like the extra space but the cost differential is so great that a balcony means we can cruise twice as often. Once on board who knows which cabin the guests are in,  the living Room has afternoon tea available. Whichever cabin you will have a great time with helpful, caring and thoughtful staff. 

[takemewithyou]

It’s been so long since we had a CC suite.

I thought I read in a previous post  that if you have the top beverage package, I think it’s called the ultimate package, that the butler can deliver drinks to your cabin?  
Is that correct. Would be lovely to have a mimosa with breakfast on the balcony……..

[takemewithyou]

I don’t believe there is a charge to order a drink in your cabin, regardless of whether it is a suite or any other cabin if you have the ultimate beverage package……can anyone confirm?

[Riocca]

27 minutes ago, takemewithyou said:

@Dr HI have read a lot of your posts, and as you always say…..half the fun of going on a cruise is in the planning and dreaming and anticipation before you ever cruise…….and I agree!

 

People choose to cruise in a suite for many different reasons.  I have not been in one on Azamara since 2009 and I am anticipating and dreaming.   Very much looking forward to the extra real estate primarily but I am interested in the OP’s question of what the butler can do for you…….things have probably changed since I cruised in a CC 12 years ago!

Our first cruise on Azamara was in a CC suite in 2010 and our last was 2019, other than the suites have been completely refurbished not a great deal has changed. In 2010 there were two full bottles of spirits now there’s 4 half bottles. 
We enjoy the extra space afforded by a CC don’t trouble the Butler too much other than having early morning tea and breakfast served in the cabin, if we’re about the afternoon tea trolley is a bonus. We often have to stop them leaving too much food in the room as they are keen to please. 
Agree with others the cost of a CC suite has risen steeply in recent years but we have managed to find deals that work with our budget. Our last Azamara cruise in October 2019 we actually managed to book a Club World Owners Suite cheaper than we normally pay for a CC, that was a treat ☺️

[takemewithyou]

4 hours ago, mj_holiday said:

Our next Azamara cruise is in a Club continent Suite and we mainly got this for the extra size. I have read a lot about butlers helping with Specialty Restaurants reservations and bringing afternoon tea.  What other things can a butler help with?

I did find this thread from 2019

 

[Vineyard View]

We also are looking at a CC and I would like to clarify - one of the benefits listed is the ability to make reservations at the specialty restaurants. Reading this, it sounds like there is still the same charge of $30/pp? 
If so, are there any included before that charge is active or is it from reservation #1?  

[takemewithyou]

CC suites have complimentary specialty dining included in the price of your cruise.  Does that answer your question?

[Grandma Cruising]

13 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

I don’t believe there is a charge to order a drink in your cabin, regardless of whether it is a suite or any other cabin if you have the ultimate beverage package……can anyone confirm?

I haven’t heard of that - and I can’t find anything on Azamara’s website about it. However, you are never far from a bar on the ship!

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, Grandma Cruising said:

I haven’t heard of that - and I can’t find anything on Azamara’s website about it. However, you are never far from a bar on the ship!

There was talk of this before here before the world stopped turning. It had always been my understanding that room service alcohol would only be delivered if you had a beverage package (either of them), but then Bonnie confirmed that the included daily pour could now be delivered too. Of course that's just the wine. I'm sure it won't be other items. This is the only link I could find which is contradictory to what Bonnie said. 

 

https://www.azamara.co.uk/booked-guests/onboard-packages/complimentary-beverages

 

Phil 

[Riocca]

We were told that with the Ultimate package we could have drinks delivered by room service or the butler, although we’ve never tried it as it’s never far to a bar and much prefer to be out and about.

However we were told by a butler that they can deliver the complimentary wine with meals, and we have done that with the occasional balcony lunch or dinner.

[excitedofharpenden]

Found it. 

 

Phil 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2021 by excitedofharpenden

[takemewithyou]

Thanks everyone for the help on delivering a drink to the room.  I have no problem going to the bar either for a drink to bring back to the cabin…..except In the morning it would be nice to have a mimosa delivered with breakfast when I am still not up to running out to get one.  Thanks Phil….you are a wealth of info always!

[takemewithyou]

I wish Bonnie could come back to help us with all these little quandaries!  I miss her……..😥

[laurieb]

21 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

I don’t believe there is a charge to order a drink in your cabin, regardless of whether it is a suite or any other cabin if you have the ultimate beverage package……can anyone confirm?

If you have purchased the ultimate beverage package, there is not a charge to have delivered to your stateroom.  Without the ultimate package, there is a charge

[takemewithyou]

18 minutes ago, laurieb said:

If you have purchased the ultimate beverage package, there is not a charge to have delivered to your stateroom.  Without the ultimate package, there is a charge

Thanks Laurie! 

[delraydoll]

On our last (and only) Azamara cruise in 2018, we were in a CC suite (last minute booking could only get a handicap cabin with large roll-in shower).  Now we just prefer a regular shower, not a tub for mobility issues.  Anyhow, the room is definitely larger, and we were very pleased.  The butler on the first day kept popping in asking if we needed anything 'til we finally told him no hors d'oeuvres in the afternoon or added fruit as we didn't want to over-eat plus prefer to meet/mingle with folks in the public areas rather than stay in our cabin.  We'll be on the May 2 Onward inaugural Monte Carlo-Venice cruise and really looking forward to traveling again. 

[BBQ Lover]

Will the Azamara butlers unpack for you at the beginning of the cruise, and pack everything back up at the end of the cruise?

[uktog]

3 hours ago, BBQ Lover said:

Will the Azamara butlers unpack for you at the beginning of the cruise, and pack everything back up at the end of the cruise?

In theory yes, but you have to be present with them and in relation to unpacking they have a lot of duties day one so will not be able to do it until later.  It’s a listed perk I have never used, much easier to do my own. 

[Covepointcruiser]

We liked the CC suite because of the included Specialty Dining.   Never ate in the regular restaurant, alternated between the two Specialties.    Never had the Butler unpack our bags, even when in the top suite on Azamara.

[silkismom]

We will have our first butler in Nov--crossing, do you tip him/her extra and if so, how much??

[excitedofharpenden]

5 hours ago, BBQ Lover said:

 

Check out this video, and you will see the types of things that butlers will normally do for you.

 

BTW - Packing and unpacking is on the list.

 

 

I've seen videos from this source before. Some are good and some are not so good. This is one of the not so good in my view. Watching this video will set you up for disappointment. Certainly on Azamara.

 

Unpacking has always been a detail of the butler service on Azamara (and Celebrity too), but in reality and for the reasons stated in the above posts it's rarely done and never offered. It falls at a time when the butler is most busy with other duties ie at the beginning and end of the cruise so if you did want it done then you'd need to be flexible.  Which doesn't exactly fit with packing and unpacking. 

 

I think the best thing to do is when your butler first introduces himself, ask the question of what he can do for you. This will give you an idea of the services he can offer and also him to understand how demanding or otherwise you are. 

 

Finally, that video did make me smile with the guest trying to stuff the suitcase. I would never ever do that. More chance the butler would!

 

Phil 

Edited July 21, 2021 by excitedofharpenden

[DenGNNJ]

On 7/20/2021 at 6:57 PM, silkismom said:

We will have our first butler in Nov--crossing, do you tip him/her extra and if so, how much??

We generally always tip extra-helpful staff (bartenders, sommeliers, cabin folks, etc) regardless of whether gratuities are included or not.  Regarding how much tip for the Butler... that really depends on how much we utilize him/her. 

We always rely heavily on the Butler for things like dinner reservations, solving room issues, show seats, etc. (we never go to the service desk or the suite concierge person before talking to the Butler first).  But on one cruise where we were traveling with a bunch of people, we decided to have champagne and snacks in our cabin at tea service time.  We told this to our butler who had been holding on to the champagne we brought on board in his service refrigerator, that we would like to have it, some glasses, our normal tea time snacks, and some plates from the room service menu.  I think we had 12-15 people in our cabin.

 

The butler went WAY beyond what we had asked for or expected... we got food for EVERYONE from the tea service cart (non suite guests included), various plates from the room service menu, when we ran out of champagne he brought us a couple of bottles that other suite guests didn't want and sent back, and he popped in and out occasionally to straighten up the room... pick up used plates and napkins, etc.  We tipped him more than we would have if we didn't have a party ($100-$150 normally, and then an extra $100 for the party).

 

So yeah, there's a pretty good example of what Butlers do over what's listed on the ship's website. 

 

PS... In our experience the idea that the butler is also your cabin steward is incorrect.  Both the cabin steward and Butler have always introduced themselves at the beginning of the cruise... they do however seem to work as a team.

Edited July 23, 2021 by DenGNNJ
added PS

[silkismom]

Thank you!

[Riocca]

On 7/20/2021 at 11:57 PM, silkismom said:

We will have our first butler in Nov--crossing, do you tip him/her extra and if so, how much??

Not wishing to disagree with other answers but Azamara is a bit different from other cruise lines the crew are more a “family”. We find the best way to reward good service, which hopefully you will find all over, is to put a donation into the crew fund. This can be done at guest relations either with cash or via your onboard account, the crew will be aware and usually express their appreciation.

Funny thing is we’ve held parties in suites on many lines but never Azamara there just never seems to be the need, most passengers are very sociable and impromptu gatherings can spring up anywhere.