Dreaming of a Butler

[CruisesOnMyMind]

I would be absoultley thrilled to get a butler some day, and it will happen. What will a butler do for you? DH asked me if they would iron his underwear OMG! In all seriousness besides getting breakfast, lunch, dinner, shore excursions and tenders just what do they do. I guess I would like to see a list of everything you have ever asked a butler to do and they did it. Dreaming here,,but dreaming works!

[AmyinVail]

It's not just what a butler will do, but for us, it's the added perks that level of accomodation allows. Priority embarkation, no lines. Able to get a last minute dinner reservation with ease. On our last cruise in an AA, they had a VIP sticker attached to our key cards....maybe the crew noticed and that is why we had superb service? You never know. Once while cruising in an AB on the Dawn, I caught my heel and my strap ripped in two on the only pair of black sandals I had brought....the butler took them for me and they were delivered the next morning repaired. I've asked for bandaids, pens, binoculars - all were delivered within the hour. They return dvd rentals, library rentals, fix things in the suite (we had a fully automatic coffee maker that would make a cup at a touch of a button and it would need attending to from time to time). They return those towels you check out when exiting the ship at port. What else? They truly enhance the experience and I have come to love that aspect so much, that I don't think I could go back to cruising without one. On Holland America, you actually get unlimited laundry service while staying in a suite - I wish NCL would do that, it was nice coming home from vacation with very little clothes to launder. With the upsell dept, I think it's easier to get a butler!!

[gregandamy]

It's not just what a butler will do, but for us, it's the added perks that level of accomodation allows. Priority embarkation, no lines. Able to get a last minute dinner reservation with ease. On our last cruise in an AA, they had a VIP sticker attached to our key cards....maybe the crew noticed and that is why we had superb service? You never know. Once while cruising in an AB on the Dawn, I caught my heel and my strap ripped in two on the only pair of black sandals I had brought....the butler took them for me and they were delivered the next morning repaired. I've asked for bandaids, pens, binoculars - all were delivered within the hour. They return dvd rentals, library rentals, fix things in the suite (we had a fully automatic coffee maker that would make a cup at a touch of a button and it would need attending to from time to time). They return those towels you check out when exiting the ship at port. What else? They truly enhance the experience and I have come to love that aspect so much, that I don't think I could go back to cruising without one. On Holland America, you actually get unlimited laundry service while staying in a suite - I wish NCL would do that, it was nice coming home from vacation with very little clothes to launder. With the upsell dept, I think it's easier to get a butler!!

 

I don't understand the towel thing.:confused: The bin is right there when you walk back on the ship.

[Cosmopolitan]

I would be absoultley thrilled to get a butler some day, and it will happen. What will a butler do for you? DH asked me if they would iron his underwear OMG! In all seriousness besides getting breakfast, lunch, dinner, shore excursions and tenders just what do they do. I guess I would like to see a list of everything you have ever asked a butler to do and they did it. Dreaming here,,but dreaming works!

 

Between your butler and concierge....they will do EVERYTHING!

You will be spoiled forever:)

[EileenN]

Would I be able to get an automatic coffee maker in our AB penthouse? Hate the coffee and would love to bring my Dunkin Donuts ground coffee for the perfect mornings.

[Rumncoke]

No ground coffee needed... This coffeemaker uses whole beans. It grinds and brews 1-2 cups at a time, with different settings for how strong you want it, and can make espresso or cappucino, too. It's just the coolest thing. We actually found the exact machine on the Internet and it's a $1500 piece of equipment.

 

Your butler mostly handles any food/party service you might need. The concierge handles your reservations/tender tickets.

 

Butler: provides things you want in your cabin.

Concierge: schedules things you do on the ship.

[shoreguy]

No ground coffee needed... This coffeemaker uses whole beans. It grinds and brews 1-2 cups at a time, with different settings for how strong you want it, and can make espresso or cappucino, too. It's just the coolest thing. We actually found the exact machine on the Internet and it's a $1500 piece of equipment.

 

Your butler mostly handles any food/party service you might need. The concierge handles your reservations/tender tickets.

 

Butler: provides things you want in your cabin.

Concierge: schedules things you do on the ship.

 

That would be the case only on the Jewel. ABs on the Dawn/Star have a small 4 cup drip coffee maker that uses packets of ground coffee(Fodgers)

 

If EileenN wants to bring her own she will need ground coffee and small Mr. Coffee shaped filters.

[Rumncoke]

Oops, I thought they were all the same. I guess we were really lucky to be on the Jewel.

 

Thanks, shoreguy.

[CruisesOnMyMind]

Your butler mostly handles any food/party service you might need. The concierge handles your reservations/tender tickets.

 

Butler: provides things you want in your cabin.

Concierge: schedules things you do on the ship.

 

Thank you for explaining the roles of the two. I wasn't really clear on that.

 

I have indeed been enlightened by what a Butler can do from all the responses, let alone the luxury of being in a suite. I suppose the butler would even unpack and pack if requested.

[sjbdtz]

I suppose the butler would even unpack and pack if requested.

 

 

I'm not so sure.....though I definately would have expected it.....that...and maybe pressing the clothes after unpacking..

 

That alone would be worth the $100 for the week!

 

but from what I've heard here, they don't do that.:confused:

[Rumncoke]

I suppose the butler would even unpack and pack if requested.

 

It's funny, I had fantasies about this exact thing before my Jewel cruise. Truly two of the worst things about cruising is unpacking and packing.

 

I even asked that question on these boards and got no real response. Once on the ship, I just didn't get the feeling that this would be an appropriate request, so we didn't.

 

If others have enjoyed a service such as this, please chime in. I just didn't feel comfortable about it and got the impression that the butler services were more food/entertainment related, of which they'd do anything you wished at any time.

 

They're literally on call 24/7 for you.

[shoreguy]

I'm not so sure.....though I definately would have expected it.....that...and maybe pressing the clothes after unpacking..

 

That alone would be worth the $100 for the week!

 

but from what I've heard here, they don't do that.:confused:

 

The pressing would be a $100 + for the day.:eek: The bulter can in fact make it happen. They have a pressing service onboard by the piece. The bultler will take and return your closes nicely pressed. The cost will show up on your onboard account. :rolleyes: :D

[dwrist]

Hate to disagree with Shoreguy---but on the 2/5 cruise on the Star, the butler took our things that were winkled and we received them back the next day(before they were needed) nicely pressed and no charge. The only charge for laundry was from the 6th day. We enjoyed Roy, the butler and Natasha the conceige. My husband says Natasha could have bought the Brooklyn bridge for him if he had asked her.

[shoreguy]

Hate to disagree with Shoreguy---but on the 2/5 cruise on the Star, the butler took our things that were winkled and we received them back the next day(before they were needed) nicely pressed and no charge. The only charge for laundry was from the 6th day. We enjoyed Roy, the butler and Natasha the conceige. My husband says Natasha could have bought the Brooklyn bridge for him if he had asked her.

 

AA ???

[marilynd]

In just 4 days I am in an Owner's Suite on the Star. Looks like I will be going solo as my husband can't get away from work.

 

I worry a little bit that the service I receive from the Butler and Concierge won't be as attentive because I am a solo.

 

Anyone have an idea about how I can let the Butler and Concierge know what services I would like and that I will be tipping like I there was two people occupying the suite?

 

Marilyn

[CruisinMK]

That would be the case only on the Jewel. ABs on the Dawn/Star have a small 4 cup drip coffee maker that uses packets of ground coffee(Fodgers)

 

had the fancy coffee whole bean espresso machine on the Pride of America suite too

[EileenN]

That would be the case only on the Jewel. ABs on the Dawn/Star have a small 4 cup drip coffee maker that uses packets of ground coffee(Fodgers)

 

If EileenN wants to bring her own she will need ground coffee and small Mr. Coffee shaped filters.

 

shoreguy, please clarify: There IS a coffee maker but not coffee or filters? Or is it just a hot pot that boils water? Thank you, Jim

[shoreguy]

In just 4 days I am in an Owner's Suite on the Star. Looks like I will be going solo as my husband can't get away from work.

 

I worry a little bit that the service I receive from the Butler and Concierge won't be as attentive because I am a solo.

 

Anyone have an idea about how I can let the Butler and Concierge know what services I would like and that I will be tipping like I there was two people occupying the suite?

 

Marilyn

 

I traveled solo on the Dawn last year. No difference in the service. Best way to to let them know what services you want- tell them.

 

It should work out great - escorted to the shows in the evening, simple reservations for you and anyone else you wish to eat with. Lovely linen service for an in suite breakfast on the balcony.

 

It is goung to hard to finish 3 liters of booze:D :eek:

 

If you have to go alone what better way.

[shoreguy]

shoreguy, please clarify: There IS a coffee maker but not coffee or filters? Or is it just a hot pot that boils water? Thank you, Jim

 

There is a coffee maker - the Fodger's coffee is ground and in filter packs.

 

If you want to drink Dunken Donuts coffee you will need the coffee and filters for the coffee maker. If Foldger's is ok you need nothing.

 

 

Better yet have the bulter bring a pot :)

[dwrist]

AC--9002

 

To add-- ask the butler to bring a large pot of coffee. My husband still made coffee --Folgers-- in the mornings as he likes his a little "weaker" than what they serve.

[logcabin]

We have sailed on the Dawn twice in suites and booked on the Spirit in July in a Penthouse suite. Be careful! Once you've experienced a butler and conceirge, you'll never sail any other way.. Last year on the Dawn our Butler was Corina.. WOW! Was she great! We enjoy having Mimosas each morning with breakfast (get the alcahol flowing early :) ) So, we had our Embarkation bottle and our Anniversery package bottle. Enough to last us almost the whole cruise. However, we ran out of Champagne on the next to the last morning during breakfast. To our surprise, when we returned to our suite later that evening, Corina had a very nice bottle of champagne chilling on ice for us. It was a nice surprise and very thoughtful of her. Boy, are you spoiled when you stay in a suite. One of the reasons we LOVE NCL and continue to sail with them..

[Pickipickipicki]

Marilyn - if I got in my car now I could meet you in LA and you wouldn't be a solo - you could smuggle me in - I've only been off the Majesty for two weeks and miss a cruise already - I hope you have a great time and and we can talk when you get back - looking into the Dream out of Houston in April maybe - or do I just wait until July for Alaska - Have fun and don't forget to phone a friend.

 

Lynne

[AmyinVail]

I don't understand the towel thing.:confused: The bin is right there when you walk back on the ship.

 

 

9 times out of 10 I'm wearing the towel and don't feel like walking the ship in a bikini. Or, it's tucked in my bag and I don't feel like digging into the bottom of my bag to retrieve it. Back in the day, they used to get your cabin number and charge you $25 a towel if you didn't return it (they didn't do that on the POAM, but did when we sailed the Dawn) and they would look up your yellow slip - time consuming.

[Welove2cruise2]

We have sailed on the Dawn twice in suites and booked on the Spirit in July in a Penthouse suite. Be careful! Once you've experienced a butler and conceirge, you'll never sail any other way.. Last year on the Dawn our Butler was Corina.. WOW! Was she great! We enjoy having Mimosas each morning with breakfast (get the alcahol flowing early :) ) So, we had our Embarkation bottle and our Anniversery package bottle. Enough to last us almost the whole cruise. However, we ran out of Champagne on the next to the last morning during breakfast. To our surprise, when we returned to our suite later that evening, Corina had a very nice bottle of champagne chilling on ice for us. It was a nice surprise and very thoughtful of her. Boy, are you spoiled when you stay in a suite. One of the reasons we LOVE NCL and continue to sail with them..

 

logcabin: I hear you! I'm having a hard time convincing DH to sail on the Dawn in an ocean view, much less a balcony, after sailing in one of the AC suites in October -- we were SOOO spoiled! I KNEW it was a mistake!!:eek:

 

Now, if we were to book a cruise on the Majesty, it wouldn't be a problem (no butler, and we've never sailed in a suite) but on the Dawn??!! Forget it!:D

[Nessi]

We enjoyed Roy, the butler and Natasha the conceige. My husband says Natasha could have bought the Brooklyn bridge for him if he had asked her.

 

We also enjoyed the wonderful services of Roy, the butler, and Natasha, the concierge, on our Star cruise in January. They were great! We never actually required anything from Natasha, but she kept checking on us to see if we needed anything from her. Roy served us dinner in our room seven out of the eight nights. Also, when the TV broke, we had Roy, the cabin steward, and a gentleman from maintenance in our room to fix it in less than ten minutes. Imagine these three men plus my husband troubleshooting the issue. They should have all listened to me. I told them it was the battery in the TV remote control. I feel a "how many men does it take to screw in a light bulb" joke coming on.:D