Butler service

[wripro]

If you read the description for what butlers will do posted above by Keith you can see that it is mostly hyperbole. Trouble shooting problems, facilitating dry cleaning and providing special service touches is exactly what the suite attendants do. The ONLY service that they offer that is different is packing and unpacking which I doubt more than two out of a hundred will demand.

 

They also say that their butlers come to them from the finest hotels and grandest homes in the world. If that is so than why have stewardesses and waiters currently on SS ships said they will become butlers?

 

Marketing gimmick is what it is. No more, no less.

[mdmourges]

Again, they haven't even started the program. So until they do, I am going to give SS the benefit of the doubt on this one.

 

Mark

[luvtojump]

I have been reading these posts and holding my tongue.

 

Silversea is offering butler service. It's nothing that Regent, Celebrity, Cunard, Azamara, etc. aren't offering.

 

A marketing gimmick? Maybe, if that's how you'd like to look at it.

 

I on the other hand prefer to look at it in a more positive way. By "positive" I mean:

 

Am I paying more for this service? NO

Is this going to make my Silversea experience more/less enjoyable? NO

Am I choosing Silversea over Seabourn, Cunard, Crystal, Regent because of this? NO

Have I experienced this service firsthand? NO (have you?)

 

So why the premature criticism? It doesn't matter what your past stewardess says. Even if the staff is the same with a different title. Possibly they are getting more training. It hasn't cost me one dollar extra. Again, why criticize?

 

Let's let Silversea do the talking. If/when they start charging extra for this service, then let's talk.

[dwelsh]

Let's let Silversea do the talking. If/when they start charging extra for this service, then let's talk.

 

Amen!!!

[Keith1010]

I have been reading these posts and holding my tongue.

 

Silversea is offering butler service. It's nothing that Regent, Celebrity, Cunard, Azamara, etc. aren't offering.

 

A marketing gimmick? Maybe, if that's how you'd like to look at it.

 

I on the other hand prefer to look at it in a more positive way. By "positive" I mean:

 

Am I paying more for this service? NO

Is this going to make my Silversea experience more/less enjoyable? NO

Am I choosing Silversea over Seabourn, Cunard, Crystal, Regent because of this? NO

Have I experienced this service firsthand? NO (have you?)

 

So why the premature criticism? It doesn't matter what your past stewardess says. Even if the staff is the same with a different title. Possibly they are getting more training. It hasn't cost me one dollar extra. Again, why criticize?

 

Let's let Silversea do the talking. If/when they start charging extra for this service, then let's talk.

 

Celebrity, Cunard, Regent and many of the others have dedicated butlers, not someone who is called a butler and given increased responsibilities but in the end is mainly a steward/stewardess. So, that is the concern that some who have sailed these lines who know what a true bulter does wil have an expectation that they will be butlers on Silversea as they have had on those lines.

 

Azamara comes the closest to what has been described by Silversea and many people that we know have been disapointed because the butler is not a butler but a room steward and never has the time to perform the added items that are described in the brochures.

 

I have said that time will tell whether or not this is a success or not. But if not done right it actually can make the experience worse. For example, if incremental personnel are not added but responsibilities are increased then it could mean that you are impacted because while you need help from your stewardess she is busy doing things she had never done before. Now we won't know for sure, but there is no harm in a little speculation. If certainly wouldn't be the first time on cruise critic that folks speculated and gave an opinion. It might be right. It might be wrong. Time will tell.

 

Keith