How to use the Butler...Please share tips/advice/knowledge/experience

[Canuckdoc]

Ok...for me, if 'EVERY' room has a butler...it is really a room attendant in a tux...

 

A while back, at my Honeymoon - we had a butler, but I was a very different person, and really felt that I would be too much of an imposition on him, so I really made no requests...(My mother raised me to clean up after myself, and to not be a burden)...

 

With more experience, I've come to be comfortable with attentive service, and realize that some staff really get offended if you don't allow them to do their job...they study and train just like I did, and I would be similarly offended if someone came to my ofice, but refused my advice or efforts...

 

But this brings me back to my original question...What are we supposed to do with this Butler??

 

- We have already resolved that, based on previous posts, we would make our own reservations at the specialty restaurants...

(again, if everyone has a butler, butlers will have no greater influence on getting a reservation...maybe different if Butlers were only offered to higher lever suites)...

 

So I am eager to take advantage of everything SilverSea has to offer, please someone out there enlighten me...is there a best way to make use of this service??

 

or is it a room attendant in a tux, a marketing ploy that sounds good on paper....

[Wellseasoned]

Okay, at first, a few years ago, I was also skeptical. But we have since had many SS butlers, and, except one, they have been wonderful. Yes, real butlers. They have been trained. They do make reservations well, and they polish shoes without being asked. They will pack and unpack if you wish (we don't wish). They are sad if you don'r want to have them bring you hors d'ouvres. They always ask what they may bring to your suite or your bar. If you want to have a small cocktail party or anything else, they respond. They work wonderfully with the suite atendants, but they really are butlers!

[Stumblefoot]

I'm watching Downton Abbey now to learn how I should utilize their services. ;)

[jettman]

Going is tough enough. Would be great to have it be a consultative experience, (not a meat packing shed). I always respect and admire my docs but the visit process is another story.

 

I too find it tough to maximize access to a butler. I try to use a task list, and try to match stuff we need/do to their function, and that are not crucial to us, just in case...we then eliminate from our list things they have agreed to manage. I then ask them to just handle the requested task as they se fit, within a time schedule,, and we move on with our holiday.

[Tothesunset]

This is a difficult one. In truth, a butler would be dedicated to one or two individuals and would ensure that all aspects of their daily life were planned and executed as if by magic. It is unreasonable to expect any butler to be able to do this unless they know the Master/Mistress really well (think Downton).

 

On SS (and, I suspect, other lines) the butler is more of a roving concierge who looks after several cabins and also performs some domestic tasks.

 

So to answer your question, the butler should really do whatever you ask - food service, reservations, special requests to any other aspect of daily life - but in reality must juggle the needs of several customers. So, to answer your question, he/she should be available to do for you anything you choose not to do yourself but good luck if you go this way!

[badgerdee]

We make best use of the Butler by not using them at all. We are very low maintenance and figure we can do pretty much everything we need to do onboard ourselves. So the less requests we have, the more time they have for those who have greater needs.

[Seafairer]

I'm watching Downton Abbey now to learn how I should utilize their services. ;)

 

Excellent idea, Stumblefoot! It's all about mutual respect, isn't it, and understanding that the staff takes great pride in their work. This is what Lord Grantham had to teach Matthew. It's true on Silversea, and in life in general.

 

I do think the use of butlers was largely a marketing decision, because Silversea's nice stewardesses were always top notch. Other lines were adding "butlers," so I'm sure management shrugged their shoulders and said: people won't realize we already provide this high level of service, so we'd better re-name the position to stay competitive.

 

They did add extras like unpacking/packing, restaurant reservations, delivering and setting up room service meals (previously done by a waiter) etc., so the job description changed a little, but we feel the in-suite experience hasn't changed, because it's always been superb. We're pretty self-sufficient, but many passengers are grateful for time-saving assistance in packing, scheduling spa appointments, and other amenities Silversea wants you to have at your disposal.

 

Getting back to Canuckdoc's question on how to use this service, I'd suggest having a little chat with your butler when he arrives and ask him to explain some of the things he does (he'll do this anyway). Then play it by ear. You might find that you need a little something at some point. Or you might not. It's all very individual and you needn't feel pressured one way or the other.

 

On other, non-luxury cruise lines, some passengers probably go out of their way to create "make work" just to be able to tell people back home, "I had a butler and made him do this and that and that.. " Lord Grantham would not approve!

[dougburns]

I agree with Wellseasoned. To give you an idea as to qualifications( and I was skeptical when they first started this in 2010), our butler on 4 cruises( same one) was from Sri Lanka. He was a college graduate; had served as a butler in Oberoi hotels and had 3 years as a butler at the Burg el Arab in Dubai before coming to SS. We do not use the butler to pack and unpack. We do use our butler for room service, restaurant reservations, laundry/dry cleaning, in-suite parties, etc. We have found the butlers on SS to be top notch, even though each one serves several suites. They are definitely not just glorified stewards. Treat them as professionals and they will do everything in their power to please you and make your trip a pleasant one.

[newlondon]

Doug, You have it absolutely right. On our Valpo-BA. cruise we found it very reassuring to know that our room service breakfast, our canapes and other requests would always be handled by the same person,ie., the Butler. Ours was also a college grad and had had substantial experience in India. Our first Butler, on the Wind, was a retired Indian military officer, delightful gentleman. We have found on both SS and Regent, that a discussion on arrival as to our needs and what's not needed sets up a rewarding relationship.

[josephone]

I think my biggest joy in having a butler is receiving my morning cup of tea at 7 am every morning! Then in the evening a double check that the wine I like is in the room and hasn't been there too long if opened!

 

They all bring vast experience and are very capable and have excellent ideas about excursions in terms of what other guests have said! We appreciate what they have to say.

[MuseCruiser]

The butler is by no means merely a "roving concierge." We always have them pack/unpack for us, get us our drinks, etc. Once in Spain we bought a lot of jamon iberico bellota and the butler would, every day, serve it on a silver platter and take it to us in the bar.

 

No, they're a lot more than a roving concierge.

[wripro]

If you had bought some sliver I'm sure he would have polished it.

[CASHIPman]

If you had bought some sliver I'm sure he would have polished it.

 

Good idea! I'm taking all our silver to the Spirit on Wednesday. :D

[Joc123]

Often wondered - if the butler packed your luggage, when asked at the airport, did you pack your cases, how do you answer?

[5waldos]

Often wondered - if the butler packed your luggage, when asked at the airport, did you pack your cases, how do you answer?

 

 

Now that is an interesting question- not sure that saying "No- I had my butler pack my bags" would go over well in most airports!

[MuseCruiser]

They are packed at our direction therefore since we supervised and examined the work I assume we packed them.

[wripro]

Unless you are flying first class in which case it would be typical, right?

[5waldos]

well.....not sure even in 1st class. And TSA doesn't usually ask.

[Seafairer]

Just as an aside to the notes above about the number of suites the butler services - on the Vista deck, I seem to remember they're responsible for 14 or 15 suites, about the same as the former stewardesses. While they have an assistant to do a lot of the cleaning (as the stewardess did), the butlers also perform many of the routine housekeeping responsibilities and work right alongside the assistant, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, etc. With all that, and their various concierge duties, they're also available for our calls 24/7.

 

Silversea does a fabulous job of training the butlers. In addition to hiring from the outside, they also keep an eye out for promising crew members all over the ship and groom, train and promote them into these high-profile positions. Like all jobs at sea, the butler's work is highly demanding but he has a real respect for his position, a desire to please, and the ability to convey his genuine happiness that you are on board with him.

[fdnycruiser]

we've sailed Oceania & Seabourn and never really used the butler,or found that they really ever did anything outstanding. However ,we just came home from our first SS cruise on Whisper. Our butler Samrat was outstanding. He was very proactive . Our shoes were always shined,glasses cleaned ,but the best was coming back after along ashore and finding sandwiched and cold drinks. If he hadn't seen us all day,he'd ring the bell and ask how we were or if we needed anything. My wife's glasses broke and he took them to the ships carpenter to repair,he even straightened our shoes in the closet everyday.A true professional!

[Stumblefoot]

What a wonderful testament to your Butler! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[MillieMeter]

To my knowledge Seabourn doesn't have butlers only room stewards or stewardesses. They not in any sense the same as a butler.

 

 

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[CruisinPashmina]

After several years and a few snarky posts about not liking the switch of two stewardesses/stewards to one room attendant and one butler, I think we are well on the way towards appreciating the change. Just got back from a 26 day cruise on the Whisper and having a well trained, efficient, very willing butler enhanced our overall wonderful experience.

[Ocean Bound]

Personally, I would never ask the butler to pack or unpack for me or to treat him as "my servant." I know it is advertised that way, but my ethics/morals would not allow me to treat a "servant" as a servant should be treated - as a second-class human.

 

I found the butler to be a bit of an intrusion on my SS trip. A guy in a tux coming into my room during the day was not necessary.

[fdnycruiser]

MillieMeter,you are correct,my error. They refer to it as a dedicated stewardess.