Gratuities for Sky Suite "Butler Team"

[OceanCruise]

When we have booked Sky Suites in the past we have always tipped our butler (and room attendant) extra at the end of the trip rather than each time the butler brought snacks, room service, did laundry, ran an errand, etc.  We enjoyed the pleasant interactions and always felt well cared for as they would anticipate our needs (such as when my spouse sustained an injury). What are we expected to do now that it may be a different (and impersonal) butler team member for any service we request?  Although Retreat gratuities are prepaid it would seem kind of awkward not to tip at time of service but is that really expected for routine types of tasks since "butler service" is already included in the very expensive Retreat fares? Will the butler team create their own list of "good tippers" and "non-tippers" that affects promptness and service during that cruise? We never ask the butler for time-intensive things like arranging a party,  decorating the room, or serving meals in the room course by course, etc. but I could see how those types of things would warrant an extra tip at time of service. 

[DaKahuna]

 While no one knows how this new Butler Team concept will work out, for now our plan is to wait and see and once we are onboard.  I am under the assumption that it will work similar to the wait it does in Luminae and that any extra gratuities provided are shared among the team. 

 

 If we receive service above and beyond or if we make special request that are out of the ordinary we'll provide an extra gratuity directly to the individual involved.  Whether they get to keep it all or not is unknown.  

 

 We do not plan to tip the butlers or stateroom attendants each time they do something, just like we do not tip in Luminae for each meal.

 

[RichYak]

There will now be fewer butlers sharing the same pool of auto gratuities (which recently increased). I doubt I would find the need to augment further. That said, my only foreseeable cruise in Retreat sails next week--supposedly the last Summit sailing prior to the reduction in service. I'll be prepared for either scenario.

[Accessor]

Increase gratuities and decrease service....sure, makes sense!

 

[dock]

Personally, I’m unlikely to tip anymore than already prepaid.

 

The lack of transparency is more annoying than the actual loss of the personal Butler. 
 

 

 

[terrydtx]

13 hours ago, dock said:

Personally, I’m unlikely to tip anymore than already prepaid.

 

The lack of transparency is more annoying than the actual loss of the personal Butler. 
 

 

 

I am in the same camp as you, we will be on the Apex next month in a Sky Suite. I am expecting that this new team concept will do nothing more than provide less service than before. 

Edited August 1, 2023 by terrydtx

[tomcruiser1234]

So here’s a thought. On a 14 day cruise. I may consider just tipping the butlers as service is rendered. Start high as first. Like Bartenders we tip extra.  Service does seem better. 

 

Gratuities are included anyways. So this way i can be specific of what and when we want by tipping those that deliver.  

 

Bribery….. $$$ always works. 

 

Frankly though it’s getting tough to keep up with all Celebrity changes. 

 

We are doing a B2B2B in April next year in a Sky suite for the first 2 and then the last in a CS last 14 days.  Should be interesting how this works.   

 

Thoughts??

[tomcruiser1234]

Just another thought on the butler issue

 

If 8 will be the number of Butlers  shared for Sky suite service, could it be because on S class ships the Sky suites are spread all over.  Making the 1 on 1 service more difficult?

 

Thus a good tip at the beginning of your cruise would likely get the groups attention of what you may like. 

 

I know that other than breakfast for the late risers we did see a quite of few other Butlers during their off hours and were quite happy with the services   

[karmamule]

Whenever we've had suites with dedicated attention from an individual then we've always tipped well. With the switch to a team service model we'll only tip an individual who stands out by repeated or "above and beyond" service, we won't tip for every individual act they do for us.

[tomcruiser1234]

👍

 

agree karmamule. 

 

As you tip..word will get around.  I bet though they pool their tips (team Butlers)

[bnurick]

I will cash tip the individual. I already cash tip most servers and they appreciate and take good care of us the entire sailing.

[Veinless]

Just like Celebrity taking payment for something and then changing what they deliver, make sure to remove tips at the end of the cruise. It's only fair.

[phoenix_dream]

5 hours ago, tomcruiser1234 said:

Just another thought on the butler issue

 

If 8 will be the number of Butlers  shared for Sky suite service, could it be because on S class ships the Sky suites are spread all over.  Making the 1 on 1 service more difficult?

 

Thus a good tip at the beginning of your cruise would likely get the groups attention of what you may like. 

 

I know that other than breakfast for the late risers we did see a quite of few other Butlers during their off hours and were quite happy with the services   

It would be a sad state of affairs if you had to give a good tip at the beginning of the cruise to ensure good service wouldn't it.

[binro01]

5 hours ago, bnurick said:

I will cash tip the individual. I already cash tip most servers and they appreciate and take good care of us the entire sailing.

feel free to ping me at rbine zero five two five at g mail if you want that contact. 

[tomcruiser1234]

Phoenix_dream

 

yep but it works. 

 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

I suspect that my daily gratuity should cover it just fine. It’s a wait and see until November but my knee jerk thought is that I will now have a little extra to pass along to my cabin steward or play in the casino. 

[mahasamatman]

12 hours ago, tomcruiser1234 said:

If 8 will be the number of Butlers  shared for Sky suite service

 

Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out.

[RichYak]

15 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

 

Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out.

[OceanCruise]

Celebrity changed their website recently. For Sky Suites it indicates "butler and Retreat team" and under list of AI amenities it says:

"If you’re wondering when and how much to tip your dedicated service team — don’t. We’ve got it covered. As a guest of The Retreat, all your gratuities are prepaid".

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, OceanCruise said:

Celebrity changed their website recently. For Sky Suites it indicates "butler and Retreat team" and under list of AI amenities it says:

"If you’re wondering when and how much to tip your dedicated service team — don’t. We’ve got it covered. As a guest of The Retreat, all your gratuities are prepaid".

Well that covers it for me, thanks

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, OceanCruise said:

Celebrity changed their website recently. For Sky Suites it indicates "butler and Retreat team" and under list of AI amenities it says:

"If you’re wondering when and how much to tip your dedicated service team — don’t. We’ve got it covered. As a guest of The Retreat, all your gratuities are prepaid".

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/staterooms/suite-class?icid=xplrsh_wrnssn_lls_hm_other_163#all-included

 

For anyone to whom it wasn't obvious, it is relatively easy to find.

 

The only problem I see with the team approach is that I don't like tipping poor performers.  And we did tip extra on Beyond.  There were some people, not many, that I thought didn't do a great job.  But they shared in the tips.  Really, I think we'll continue to tip extra on the Millennium in 2025.   I'm just not sure at the moment who that will be.  I suppose it's whoever goes beyond the minimum requirements.  Ouch.

[terrydtx]

3 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/staterooms/suite-class?icid=xplrsh_wrnssn_lls_hm_other_163#all-included

 

For anyone to whom it wasn't obvious, it is relatively easy to find.

 

The only problem I see with the team approach is that I don't like tipping poor performers.  And we did tip extra on Beyond.  There were some people, not many, that I thought didn't do a great job.  But they shared in the tips.  Really, I think we'll continue to tip extra on the Millennium in 2025.   I'm just not sure at the moment who that will be.  I suppose it's whoever goes beyond the minimum requirements.  Ouch.

By your 2025 cruise there may well be more changes in the Retreat product, and it could be entirely different from today. My TA talked with her Celebrity rep yesterday about the butler changes and her rep said there will be more changes to the Retreat product by the end of this year, the rep would not say what they are. My TA's cruise business is over 50% with Celebrity so she is very concerned about these changes.

[ohiojohn]

10 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

By your 2025 cruise there may well be more changes in the Retreat product, and it could be entirely different from today. My TA talked with her Celebrity rep yesterday about the butler changes and her rep said there will be more changes to the Retreat product by the end of this year, the rep would not say what they are. My TA's cruise business is over 50% with Celebrity so she is very concerned about these changes.

 

I guess booking the retreat now is out of the question, you certainly do not know the product you are purchasing.  What is that phase "catching a falling knife"

[thebutlerdidit]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

By your 2025 cruise there may well be more changes in the Retreat product, and it could be entirely different from today. My TA talked with her Celebrity rep yesterday about the butler changes and her rep said there will be more changes to the Retreat product by the end of this year, the rep would not say what they are. My TA's cruise business is over 50% with Celebrity so she is very concerned about these changes.

This is distressing. 

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

By your 2025 cruise there may well be more changes in the Retreat product, and it could be entirely different from today. My TA talked with her Celebrity rep yesterday about the butler changes and her rep said there will be more changes to the Retreat product by the end of this year, the rep would not say what they are. My TA's cruise business is over 50% with Celebrity so she is very concerned about these changes.

 

OK, I laugh because I don't want to cry.  When they take out the chairs in the Retreat lounge to make room for the foosball table, I'll just go sit somewhere else on the ship.

 

I'm already scratching my head about no coffee table in the SS on Millennium.  I don't know how long ago that was done.