Butler Service for all accomodations??

[herb]

I can see someone having a butler when you have a penthouse suite with numerous rooms, but ... Just curious as to the point and purpose of butler service for those passengers in small oceanviews & inside cabins. There isn't even enough room for the passengers, let alone the butler. I wouldn't even know what to ask him/her to do other than ask him to get out of my way. :D

 

Call me naive, but what on earth would the butler do for us? I would think the cabin steward takes care of cleaning the room, what else is there?

[caviargal]

Packing and unpacking perhaps? Taking shoes to be shined, laundry and pressing to be done, making specialty dining reservations, booking excursions, etc.

 

Sounds good to me:)

[1cruiselvr]

I could be wrong but my interpretation of a butler for these cabins is really just a glorified cabin steward with a few extra responsibilities thrown in. Suite pax get a 'senior butler' - and the difference is???? Happy Sailing!

[Leela]

I agree...I get the sense that they are simply calling all their cabin stewards "butlers." I've sailed Celebrity 5 times, three times in a suite and twice in a Concierge Cabin, and to tell you the truth I could not tell one bit the difference between the "butler" and the "cabin steward." (Well, except the butlers wore tail suits and that the cabin steward I got on my last trip was better than all three of my previous butlers!)

 

I think it's just a marketing thing.

 

I'm *hoping* it means that the people they have staffing these positions on Azamara as "butlers" are more highly trained/experienced with a higher record of highly satisfied reviews than the average cabin steward.

[Fblack]

So basically they have made all the regular staterooms Concierge Class. I assume then they charge more as they do for this class on Celebrity ships.

[eandj]

I don't want butlers packing and unpacking for me. And I don't need laundry service and my husbands can buff his own shoes. Adding that as a perk and charging more isn't going to make me cruise with them. Our room stewards on Celebrity were just great and hope they will continue their fine service. Not impressed with "butlers".

[1cruiselvr]

I think our Oct 12-day Quest Caribbean cruise is in the price range of a similar cruise we did last year on HAL. I don't think they are charging alot more. Happy Sailing!

[eandj]

I think our Oct 12-day Quest Caribbean cruise is in the price range of a similar cruise we did last year on HAL. I don't think they are charging alot more. Happy Sailing!

 

Thanks!!

If the prices are in line with HAL, I'll be planning soon. Love Oceania, so this will be a nice alternative. Of course, itineraries are impt to us too.

[1cruiselvr]

I did notice that prices for 2008 seem to be higher for some reason. Maybe they are hoping that after their inaugural cruise year, Azamara will be in demand?? But the price for our 12-day Caribbean Quest cruise is similiar to what we paid for our 14-day 2006 HAL Caribbean cruise. With that said, we love HAL, especially their S-class ships and are hoping that Azamara gives the same level of service only on a smaller ship. Happy Sailing!

[Sage]

We actually found their prices for the Caribbean cruise on the March 29th sailing to be cheaper than HAL.

[1cruiselvr]

Are you comparing a daily rate or total cost? HAL Caribbean cruises are usually 14 days and Azamara's are 12. Happy Sailing!

[Andy]

I did notice that prices for 2008 seem to be higher for some reason. Maybe they are hoping that after their inaugural cruise year, Azamara will be in demand?? But the price for our 12-day Caribbean Quest cruise is similiar to what we paid for our 14-day 2006 HAL Caribbean cruise. With that said, we love HAL, especially their S-class ships and are hoping that Azamara gives the same level of service only on a smaller ship. Happy Sailing!

 

Hi 1Cruise !

 

I think you have it summed up just right. The October Quest sailing is the cheapest of the lot, due to the ship being brand new, and perhaps there could be issues with the first sailing or two (as what has happened with Journey).

 

If you take a look into 2008, the itineraries are far more expensive than October 2007, as Azamara is betting on the line being more popular by then. I am sure they are confident they will be able to get higher prices. Will it happen ? I would say its likely, but that will all depend on what the returning passengers say about their Cruises over the next couple of months. Good reviews ? Prices will stay high. Bad Reviews ? Then prices will probably come down. Time will tell.

[Sage]

1cruiselv,

 

I'm sorry that I did not make myself clear as to which cruises I was comparing. I was looking at the HAL January 13, 2008 Veendam cruise which is a 14 night and the March 29th cruise on the Quest which is also a 14 night cruise. We usually book the SA or PS catergory on HAL, and we booked the PS on the Quest. The Quest was less money and included a different itinerary than generally found on the HAL ships.

[1cruiselvr]

Not a problem, I was just curious. We love HAL but also enjoy smaller ships so we are hoping Azamara stays competitive with them. I have seen the PS on these ships when they belonged to Ren. NICE but I think sq ft is larger on HAL's PS? Also, there are more of them on Journey/Quest - 10 I believe. Happy Sailing!

[Mr. Tucker]

With regard to the butlers for every cabin here is information from a returning passenger:

 

This is an issue that I am particularly disappointed with. I never saw a butler, so I went to the desk at the end of the cruise to tell them that I wasn't tipping a butler I never saw and the person at the desk informed me that in a normal room, your room steward is your "butler". Well, frankly, I told him that the young lady in the grey dress with the apron was no butler in my book, but that is what you get in the regular rooms. Only in the suites do you get what they call senior butler service and then you get what normal cruise lines would call a butler. I don't know who they think they are kidding with this butler stuff.

A glorified room attendent is pretty much what everybody suspected would happen. I'm also not sure who they thought they were going to fool with this gem of advertising. I guess the truth is out now.