Butler Service in the Haven

[spanishguy1970]

I have read on other threads that some people would like to book a suite in the Haven but they don't want a Butler. I wonder, if you had a choice to forfeit the butler service before your cruise, would someone be more prone to booking a Haven Suite?

 

Also, if someone wins a bid for a Haven suite does it come with a butler? and if it does, would you be more interested in bidding if you knew the butler is not part of the service when you bid?.

 

just curious.

[Laszlo]

I could easily go without butler service. We don't need anyone bringing coffee in the morning or bringing snacks in the afternoon

[BikerAl]

Butler and Haven are linked.  If you get in the Haven, and don't want butler services, tell him/her the first day.

 

[PATRLR]

Why wouldn't you just politely let the Butler know that you didn't want or need any of their services?

My wife and I are about to bid on Haven.  Neither of us likes the idea of anyone fussing over us, we'd already discussed that we'd intend to tell the Butler that if we need anything we'll seek him out but otherwise don't worry about us.

Edited September 12, 2022 by PATRLR

[KeithJenner]

We don't tell the butler we don't want them. We just don't ask for anything. It's not a big issue.

[skeeter195]

I may get blasted for this but I think it should be said.  Butlers are counting on your tips as their salary.  Even if you ask the butler to never show up in your room I think a tip should still be given.  A Haven room comes with a butler and the tip.  Some do not understand this but that is why CC is such a great place to give and get information.   

 

On the other hand if the butler is horrible and there was no attempt by them to correct the problem(s) then a tip is by no means required.  

[Two Wheels Only]

58 minutes ago, spanishguy1970 said:

I wonder, if you had a choice to forfeit the butler service before your cruise, would someone be more prone to booking a Haven Suite?

 

Would the forfeiture of service mean a discount in price?

Do you mean that butler service could be an option to select like FAS options?

 

1 hour ago, spanishguy1970 said:

Also, if someone wins a bid for a Haven suite does it come with a butler?

 

Yes.

[Captain-John]

13 minutes ago, skeeter195 said:

Even if you ask the butler to never show up in your room I think a tip should still be given.

 

I'm afraid I wholeheartedly disagree and how they are salaried should be absolutely nothing to do with the guest.

 

To your latter point (not on NCL) - I have had a butler who ignored a direct request not to escort us to dinner, not to escort us off the ship etc. - butlers should be able to 'gauge' the level of service their guests require and in fact that overbearing approach actually detracted from our experience, and did not enhance it. No tip was given. I find it heartwarming that so many people in the world are seemingly so generous - paying for a service not received a great example - but I'm not wired that way and it shouldn't be expected. It's really unfair of the cruise lines to 'guilt trip' guests like this, to help lower their own bottom line.

[palpieha]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

Why wouldn't you just politely let the Butler know that you didn't want or need any of their services?

My wife and I are about to bid on Haven.  Neither of us likes the idea of anyone fussing over us, we'd already discussed that we'd intend to tell the Butler that if we need anything we'll seek him out but otherwise don't worry about us.

 

Yes, this is the way to go.

 

In my experience, the butler doesn't fuss over you. Maybe if you ask them to serve you a meal in your room in courses, they might.

 

Most of the butler's services are on request. The exceptions: daily snacks in the afternoon, and refilling your Nespresso pods.

 

You can ask your butler not to bring you any snacks when you meet them on the first day, and then you won't really talk to them again unless you ask them for something.

Edited September 12, 2022 by palpieha

[KeithJenner]

21 minutes ago, skeeter195 said:

I may get blasted for this but I think it should be said.  Butlers are counting on your tips as their salary.  Even if you ask the butler to never show up in your room I think a tip should still be given.  A Haven room comes with a butler and the tip.  Some do not understand this but that is why CC is such a great place to give and get information.   

 

On the other hand if the butler is horrible and there was no attempt by them to correct the problem(s) then a tip is by no means required.  

We give the butler a small tip, as there are still a few things they do regardless of whether we request it, but also the fact that we don't ask them for anything means that they have more time for people who do want that service. That gives the butler more opportunity to earn tips from those who will get a benefit from the service.

 

If we are saying that we should give the butler a tip for services that we don't want and don't receive then I absolutely agree with the OP, we should be able to book suites that don't include them.

[dandelpino]

1 hour ago, spanishguy1970 said:

I wonder, if you had a choice to forfeit the butler service before your cruise, would someone be more prone to booking a Haven Suite?

 

Why wouldn't you have the choice?? If you don't want a butler you just tell them to leave you alone and not enter your cain the whole cruise. They don't force themselves upon you...

[Lupush]

Why wouldn't someone want a Butler?  Just an added convenience if you want it.

[graphicguy]

You can easily remedy this by telling the lead concierge and the Butler you don't need their services at the beginning of the cruise.  Tell them you don't want snacks, don't need room service, or anything that would require a Butler's services.

 

That's it.

 

And, if you don't require, request or use the Butler's services, I don't understand why you'd tip them?  For what?

Edited September 12, 2022 by graphicguy

[KeithJenner]

15 minutes ago, Lupush said:

Why wouldn't someone want a Butler?  Just an added convenience if you want it.

They just don't offer anything that we would want. Even the bits that they do apparently do for us (restock coffee and leave snacks) are either something we aren't fussed about (snacks) or could be done just as well by the room steward (coffee).

[Peachypooh]

Depending upon the cabin the butler does have duties that he has to perform even if you don't want the extra service. The room stewards are swamped with work and can't replenish the coffee and tea, stock the liquor bottles for the cabins that get free liquor etc. They also remove any dirty dishes in the room that the room steward didn't. We have always tipped our butler. If he is not asked for anything besides the basics he is asked to do by the cruise line he gets a modest tip. If we ask him for things like special food in the afternoon or one time we had a party he gets a larger tip. Having a butler is part of being in certain cabins. Everything of course is your choice.

[Quencups]

We have had some great butlers, some ok butlers and some not so great butlers and they get tipped accordingly.  Have never not given any tip as I feel that they all work hard.  Some are just better than others.

[wolft927]

1 hour ago, skeeter195 said:

I may get blasted for this but I think it should be said.  Butlers are counting on your tips as their salary.  Even if you ask the butler to never show up in your room I think a tip should still be given.  A Haven room comes with a butler and the tip.  Some do not understand this but that is why CC is such a great place to give and get information.   

 

On the other hand if the butler is horrible and there was no attempt by them to correct the problem(s) then a tip is by no means required.  

I totally agree....We sail in the Haven often, and we are very easy to please...but even if the Butler hasnt done a lot for us we always make sure we Tip. So far have not had a bad butler exepiance, Johnathan was our Butler on our December Cruise last year on the BReakaway and was amazing!!!!!

[KeithJenner]

13 minutes ago, wolft927 said:

I totally agree....We sail in the Haven often, and we are very easy to please...but even if the Butler hasnt done a lot for us we always make sure we Tip. So far have not had a bad butler exepiance, Johnathan was our Butler on our December Cruise last year on the BReakaway and was amazing!!!!!

Your post would suggest a difference in interaction with your butler than those of us who really don't use them at all.

 

I have absolutely no idea of the name of our butler on our last cruise, and whether they may or may not be amazing. Their coffee capsule/snack carrying skills could have been award winning for all I know. 🙂

Edited September 12, 2022 by KeithJenner

[LaCal]

1 hour ago, Captain-John said:

 

I'm afraid I wholeheartedly disagree and how they are salaried should be absolutely nothing to do with the guest.

 

To your latter point (not on NCL) - I have had a butler who ignored a direct request not to escort us to dinner, not to escort us off the ship etc. - butlers should be able to 'gauge' the level of service their guests require and in fact that overbearing approach actually detracted from our experience, and did not enhance it. No tip was given. I find it heartwarming that so many people in the world are seemingly so generous - paying for a service not received a great example - but I'm not wired that way and it shouldn't be expected. It's really unfair of the cruise lines to 'guilt trip' guests like this, to help lower their own bottom line.

Did your butler do 

things for you during the week? 
 

Like bring treats, meals, etc?

 

If so they deserved some kind of tip 

[LaCal]

We enjoy having a butler when we get a suite but are pretty easy going IMO 

 

We’ll have him bring breakfast/set up one or two days during the week and maybe dinner once while leaving a port on the balcony 

 

Other than that the daily treats are about all they do for us 

 

[Captain-John]

Just now, LaCal said:

Did your butler do 

things for you during the week? 
 

Like bring treats, meals, etc?

 

If so they deserved some kind of tip 

 

No, nothing at all of that nature. It was MSC Yacht Club so they don't bring snacks by default nor serve meals in the cabin. The cabin steward did a phenonmenal job and was tipped accordingly.

[LaCal]

Just now, Captain-John said:

 

No, nothing at all of that nature. It was MSC Yacht Club so they don't bring snacks by default nor serve meals in the cabin. The cabin steward did a phenonmenal job and was tipped accordingly.

Yeah in that case if they didn’t do anything then I’d agree a tip isn’t needed 

[jetact]

Just having gotten off the Bliss and having a butler I agree with the people that say other then the daily snack and pick up they can be a ghost. You need to tell them if you don't want your daily snack or just don't want their services. I am guessing like others have said also that they do have some duties for each cabin that is their job. We dont ask allot of our butler but are fine with them being around if we need anything.

[spanishguy1970]

2 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Would the forfeiture of service mean a discount in price?

Do you mean that butler service could be an option to select like FAS options?

 

 

Yes.

hmmm? good question, don't know about that.

[spanishguy1970]

1 hour ago, dandelpino said:

 

Why wouldn't you have the choice?? If you don't want a butler you just tell them to leave you alone and not enter your cain the whole cruise. They don't force themselves upon you...

hmm don't recall not having a choice being part of my questions, or forcing themselves on me either but ok.