Arcadia butler "duties"

[californiacruising]

We have a suite with a butler and don't really know what their "duties" include. I have read on the board about having breakfast on the balcony which sounds delightful to me. Do they also arrange for pressing and is this complimentary or for a fee?

 

TIA

[Janey]

To be honest with you the butler didn't do anything for us that the cabin steward didn't do. We did have breakfasts and lunches on the balcony which was great but room service did that anyway although the menu is better via the butler. We had ice and lemon every day but the steward would have done that anyway. He give us the excursion tickets but they are delivered to your cabin automatically. You still have to pay for the pressing/laundry service. He did deliver canapes every evening but you can get them from room service (at a charge) but who needs them when you are about to have a 5 course dinner. Butlers will organise parties for you (at a charge) in your suite but as we weren't into that sort of thing we didn't have a party. All the advantages of being in a suite (you do get tender prioritisation and other little things like flowers, champers, chocs but the the butler has nothing to do with that) for us were the larger room, large bathroom, dressing area and the massive balcony, not having a butler. He will unpack and repack for you if you ask him to. The suites are lovely without the butler, as far as we were concerned that was just a small extra.

[Adammara]

Detail from when we had a suite in 2007

The card is headed 'At your Service' and tells you all about the butlers services.

'He is available between 7.00 am and 10.00pm (we sometimes had another butler if he was off duty) The suggeste tip then was £1.30 per person per day (but worth a lot more)'

The services mentioned on the card are:

UNPACKING he will unpack for you

BEAUTY SALON make bookings

CELEBRATION pre dinner drinks parties

FLOWERS AND CAKES will make arrangements

FOOD AND DRINKS in cabin snacks and full meals

LAUNDRY SERVICES don't think he does it himself!

RECEPTION exchange currency, get stamps, post

SHOE SHINE just leave your shoes with the butler

STATIONERY will organise personalised stationery

TOURS book them and organise tailor made tours

NEWSPAPERS in ports of call when available

RESEVATIONS FOR SPECIAL DINNERS at alternative dining restaurants

PACKING will pack up all your clothes!!!

'Please don't hesitate to ask the butler for any assistance outside the areas described, he will do the best to exceed your expectations.'

Frankly, we love the cabin, would still book it without a butler!

Enjoy!

[annieuk]

Basically the butler will do anything to do with food, drink, book tables in select dining restaurants, spa appointments etc. We had a drinks party for a couple on our table who got married on board. Yes we could have ordered things from room service but the butler discussed what we wanted, drink and canapes. Then he and another butler both brought all the things and then stayed and served them. He also decorated our suite for the party - balloons and posters celebrating the wedding. We then went to dinner (yes we managed that) and he then cleared everything away. We also chatted to him about background music for the evening and he appeared with all the CDs they had on board for us to choose!

 

The butlers like being used so don't hesitate to ask them for anything you would like.

 

Carole

[californiacruising]

Thank you all for your comments. They are so very helpful. The idea of a butler has been intimidating but we do want to make good use of him. This is a once in a lifetime adventure for us. My part will be to simply relax and enjoy! Think I can do that.