Semi-Live Seaside Review 7/30-8/3 From A Circadian-Challenged Cruiser

[amygutman]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Sorry, I'm not as 'hip'. What is funky bud. beer?

@PompeySailor and I must have spent too much time at Woodstock. 

'Tis another term for marijuana, among many others 

[amygutman]

2 hours ago, Nikita4 said:

Butler-Letter:
A Butler is a better room steward not more on MSC. When you want really have a real butler you have to cruise with a real luxury brand cruise line, not a mass mark cruise line.

 

When I am a butler i were shocked about a letter like that, for me that is too much. When all guests want things like that, that is not working for the butler on a MSC Ship.

We always have good butlers, otherwise we speak with them and all our YC cruises were good - very good. We speak with the crew and the officers and so it always goes well.

@Nikita4 Respect your opinion, but also respectfully disagree. Perhaps it's because we've never sailed with true luxury lines, but on both MSC and NCL in the YC and Haven, we have had outstanding personalized service. Although some have different experiences, we've always had a positive response from our butler letter (and from the comments on @Sthrngary's postings, it seems to be the consensus). 

 

For a true butler experience, I suppose that relates to what your definition of a butler actually is. According to https://www.britannica.com/topic/butler-servant, the definition of a butler is: "chief male servant of a household who supervises other employees, receives guests, directs the serving of meals, and performs various personal services. The title originally applied to the person who had charge of the wine cellar and dispensed liquors, the name being derived from Middle English boteler (and various other forms), from Old French bouteillier or “bottle bearer.” 

 

On our non-luxury line cruises, this seems to fall well within the realm of what the butler staff actually do - some better / more successfully than others. Perhaps we just have more reasonable expectations as we are not paying double or triple the price as we would on Regent, et al. We love the personal attention - and yes, it truly is personal so we will stick with our modus operandi. 

 

Feedback much appreciated, though!

Warmest Amy

[morpheusofthesea]

18 minutes ago, amygutman said:

I must have spent too much time at Woodstock.

The museum?

[amygutman]

22 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

The museum?

The town - Woodstock NY (I used to teach at their Fire Department and this is the side of one of their trucks), and Bethel NY - the actual site of the legendary concert. The museum there is fabulous, even to us non-hippie types. Kiddo is here at the museum getting his inner Grateful Dead on - his favorite band. 

Warmest Amy

[Mark_T]

23 hours ago, amygutman said:

Perhaps we just have more reasonable expectations as we are not paying double or triple the price as we would on Regent, et al. 

Just on the butler point, I'd put our butler, Elvin, from our June cruise on Divina, ahead of the Regent butlers we have had on previous cruises.

 

A sample of one on MSC I agree, but he was very good indeed.

Edited August 8, 2023 by Mark_T