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

[fdnycruiser]

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.

 

It was a great cruise,wasn't it ? Everything went off without a hitch. The only problem I had was when I got home and realized I was missing a piece of luggage. However, it was my own fault. I left it at the Hertz counter in FLL !!

I got it back the next day via FedEx. LOL, because the bags travelled over 10,000 miles by plane & ship with numerous transfers,and I lose the bag.

[5waldos]

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.

 

Why is a servant a second class human? It is a job. And one they apparently do very well. Do you clean up your cabin regularly or do you allow the staff to do this for you? Is that treating them as second class humans? You may not be used to having a butler (nor am I) but I certainly won't be considering them as anything other than a well trained professional who's job is to help me.

[Seafairer]

Well said, 5Waldos.

[UKCruiseJeff]

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.

 

I certainly get feeling happier to do some of the tasks yourself but it's an usual philosophy to have, having chosen a service that is so reliant on lowly paid people who serve you behind the scenes 24/7 to cite an ethical/ moral objection to the use of a butler.

 

Arguably and logically, your approach risks the very well being and employment of those you wish to protect. If everybody did as you they would all lose their jobs. That in my view would be immoral.

[Stumblefoot]

Personally, I would never ask the butler to pack or unpack for me...

Well, what if they asked you instead like ours did? We loved the offer and were grateful for the service provided by a true professional.

[ijkh]

I have been following your conversation here with great interest. We will have a butler on our 4 month world cruise in a penthouse. We have never had a butler in the past. One of the things I most wonder about is the question of packing and unpacking. It is such a personal service. I really would love the help but blush at the thought.

 

Do you suppose the butler might have hints about placement of items in the room that might be helpful when staying long term? I would love to know where to best put things. Is a butler a bit of an expert on living in a small penthouse space long term? We are not in a grand penthouse just the normal 440+ sq feet (I know ;) smaller than SS). Since this is a long voyage I really value what the butler has to say about placement of items in the room. Can he find space for things that add ease and will save time? Can he recommend what goes where based upon his training? I am not an expert at packing. It is not my strong skill. I alway bring way too much. Maybe we can learn from the "help".

 

I am so very grateful to have this sort of problem.

[RachelG]

I have never asked my butler to pack or unpack. Have had one a couple of times on silversea and once on Regent. I just think my husband would balk at such an idea. But they are of great help in other ways. I never worried about getting my shoes dirty. The fridge always has my preferred stock of diet coke and bottled water. Dry cleaning and laundry are taken are of easily. I do prefer to do my own dinner reservations.

 

We will have appetizers and drinks in the suite a few times, and maybe room service dinner once which they happily arrange.

[Canuckdoc]

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.

 

 

...And I suppose you also get your own food from the kitchen in the dining rooms because the thought of someone "serving" you would be immoral...

You must also prepare your own meals when on board...

 

I see that this statement has already caught a bit of fire, but...come on!

 

to serve others is not a degrading job...My job is wholly dedicated to the service of others, and I don't think anyone would consider me a second class citizen...many are very greatful for the 'service' I provide...

 

I think that the difference is in showing gratitude for a service...

I would like to give my Butler achance to shine and show me the skills he has and the benefits of his experience...and I would be grateful for his efforts, and I would hopefully be able to convey my gratitude for his service...I can't see how that would be immoral or unethical...

 

and as UKJeff states - the Butler position is one to which many employees aspire..not one in which anyone would feel degraded

I'm sure that the families of these 'servants' do nothing but brag about the position they have...

[Seafairer]

Ijkh, since you're still finding your way regarding this service, may I suggest that you scope out your stateroom first, just to get your own idea of the available storage. You might gravitate naturally towards certain preferences right from the beginning.

 

Yes, your butler is trained to suggest various storage ideas and will be happy to discuss them. You can ask him to do some of the unpacking, or all of it, or none of it, depending on your comfort level. And since you'll be on a wonderfully long voyage, you can always enlist his help later on if you want to juggle things around.

[Herman The Cat]

...And I suppose you also get your own food from the kitchen in the dining rooms because the thought of someone "serving" you would be immoral...

You must also prepare your own meals when on board...

 

I see that this statement has already caught a bit of fire, but...come on!

 

to serve others is not a degrading job...My job is wholly dedicated to the service of others, and I don't think anyone would consider me a second class citizen...many are very greatful for the 'service' I provide...

 

I think that the difference is in showing gratitude for a service...

I would like to give my Butler achance to shine and show me the skills he has and the benefits of his experience...and I would be grateful for his efforts, and I would hopefully be able to convey my gratitude for his service...I can't see how that would be immoral or unethical...

 

and as UKJeff states - the Butler position is one to which many employees aspire..not one in which anyone would feel degraded

I'm sure that the families of these 'servants' do nothing but brag about the position they have...

 

 

Agreed. The OP is obviously confusing a servant with someone in a service profession.

[UKCruiseJeff]

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.

 

 

Just to add .... I see you've been a shy poster and I'm a bit concerned you have another exteneded absence!

 

Don't be put off participating more because there's been a vigorous debate about your ethics/moral dimension. Everyone loves a vigorous debate and argument.

 

Personally, I do get the other bit. It's quirky but I hate anyone else touching my shirts or underwear except my wife and we enjoy looking after ourselves. I loved the idea of a stewardess and see everything else - as you said in one of your other posts - as a bit of marketing

 

Come back soon. :)

[Les Picantins]

When I packed for my cruise I did so with the butler in mind. Everything that I did not feel comfortable with having someone else unpack went into one case, and the items that needed to be hung, shoes and my husbands polos and bermudas went into the other. After unpacking he showed me where he put everything. It is a great service that they offer and was much appreciated.

[Emtbsam]

While I have never used our butler to unpack, I am seriously considering asking him/her to do the packing at the end of our trip. While I am pretty particular about how I pack, I would be curious to see if he/she had a better way of doing it. And it would save me time on the last day of the cruise.

[Moosey5]

When I packed for my cruise I did so with the butler in mind. Everything that I did not feel comfortable with having someone else unpack went into one case, and the items that needed to be hung, shoes and my husbands polos and bermudas went into the other. After unpacking he showed me where he put everything. It is a great service that they offer and was much appreciated.

 

 

What a great idea! It seems obvious now but would not have occurred to me... Merci, Les Picantins!

[TLCOhio]

On the idea of involving the butler in doing some type of party or activities, below is an example from our July 2010 Norway coast cruise with Silversea when we had this person to provide that extra, higher level of service on the Silver Cloud.

 

BUTLER SUCCESS STORY: We wanted to have a “pizza party” in our suite to watch the World Cup soccer battle between Spain and Holland. How did it happen and work? Super great!!! And the game was good, too, going into overtime to get a winner. Our Butler was spectacular in arranging all of the details. Our Columbus friends-neighbors, Janet and Denny, were there, along with new friends Sharon and Issy from the Washington, DC, area. Six people worked well for a party in our size of suite. We started at 8 pm with egg rolls, shrimp, crab claws, chips, etc., as a warm-up, plus a tub of chilled Champagne, wine, beer, etc. Then around 9 pm, after the game started a half hour earlier, the five different pizza selections arrived along with hot dogs, cookies, etc. We could have had more food, but we were stuffed and very happy. Not only was the game good, but out our large balcony door and window, we could watch the spectacular mountains along the coast go by as we sailed south along the Norway coast. The food was ordered by the butler off of the room service menu. We were eating in our room, not the Main Dining Room, so it was not a big burden for the staff. See the picture below.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 106,053 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

For the World Cup Championship game, Spain versus Holland on July 11, this was our “PIZZA PARTY” set-up in our room as we sailed along the Norway Coast south of the Lofoten Islands. This set-up worked well for size with six in that space. We ordered in advance off of the regular room service menu, set-up through our wonderful Butler. In place of eating in the main Dining Room, we had our food and drinks in the suite. Eight people would have been too tight for such a party in a regular suite.:

 

[drron29]

We think the butlers and room attendants on SS are just fantastic.We do not use them for packing or unpacking and we usually dont have our mini bar stacked with extra drinks.So we explain this to our butler.

We have gradually got used to the advantages of a butler so on the Cloud we had lunch with friends in our suite.Our butler was superb.Staying on even though it was his rostered time off.

On the recent cruise on the Explorer we hosted our friends family for pre cruise drinks.Once on board our butler took care of everything.On this cruise our butler was a bit quieter than we were used to but the service was just as good.He noticed on the first day i was doing Soduku so every morning after that the day's soduku was posted outside our door.

 

Basically our butler and room attendant become our friends for the cruise.They are certainly not servants.

[5waldos]

"Basically our butler and room attendant become our friends for the cruise.They are certainly not servants."

 

This always befuddles me. Did you provide his favorite morning game for him? Did you arrange parties for him? Did you take care of his needs? No, or I would suspect not. Why do people so fear the notion that there is a job that people seek which is to wait on you. To serve you. And that there is nothing wrong with this? You weren't his friend. He was your butler. You were the guest on the ship. He got paid, you did the paying. There is a huge difference between being friends and being friendly.

[drron29]

5waldos Australians dont really care who is supposed to be the payer or payee.We can treat people as we find them.

Just one example.On the Cloud our butler wanted to experience Antarctica but had his doubts about the Explorer.I was able to sit down with him and show him our photos of the Explorer plus our photos of Antarctica.By the end of the cruise he had made up his mind to put in for a contract on the Explorer.

Sure that doesn't make us best friends but it went beyond he was being paid and I was paying.

[Tothesunset]

I find curious the notion that the butler is somehow a serf. Are there others who also, because they provide a service for money, are considered similarly servile? I suppose we must accept, then, that the hairdresser, plumber, electrician, baker etc that we pay to do stuff for us also falls into the same category.

 

Get real. The butler/steward is providing a service in exchange for cash. He's doing his job. Was I a servant for operating on my patients in exchange for payment?

[Older Party]

I find curious the notion that the butler is somehow a serf. Are there others who also, because they provide a service for money, are considered similarly servile? I suppose we must accept, then, that the hairdresser, plumber, electrician, baker etc that we pay to do stuff for us also falls into the same category.

 

Get real. The butler/steward is providing a service in exchange for cash. He's doing his job. Was I a servant for operating on my patients in exchange for payment?

 

I agree regarding those who are trained to serve. This is and always has been a noble profession and by refusing the service when offered graciously has the tendency to create a feeling of the server being shamed by what it is he or she does for a living. I love the mutual respect two people have when one is serving the other and both are gracious and respectful of each other.

[5waldos]

5waldos Australians dont really care who is supposed to be the payer or payee.We can treat people as we find them.

Just one example.On the Cloud our butler wanted to experience Antarctica but had his doubts about the Explorer.I was able to sit down with him and show him our photos of the Explorer plus our photos of Antarctica.By the end of the cruise he had made up his mind to put in for a contract on the Explorer.

Sure that doesn't make us best friends but it went beyond he was being paid and I was paying.

 

But then he went and got your drinks. You didn't go and get his. Your waitress gets your meals (even in Australia) you don't get her's. That was a kind and friendly thing to do but it does not change the relationship. You seem to feel that there is something wrong with being a butler (or waitstaff of any sort). I don't. It is a job.

[drron29]

But then he went and got your drinks. You didn't go and get his. Your waitress gets your meals (even in Australia) you don't get her's. That was a kind and friendly thing to do but it does not change the relationship. You seem to feel that there is something wrong with being a butler (or waitstaff of any sort). I don't. It is a job.

 

Absolutely not.Our differences are our upbringings.Americans are brought up to tip.Australians are not.Same with our attitudes to people.Basically the only people Australians look down on are the filthy rich.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Absolutely not.Our differences are our upbringings.Americans are brought up to tip.Australians are not.Same with our attitudes to people.Basically the only people Australians look down on are the filthy rich.

 

........ and Poms! :D

[drron29]

........ and Poms! :D

 

And maybe Kiwis!:D:)

[5waldos]

Absolutely not.Our differences are our upbringings.Americans are brought up to tip.Australians are not.Same with our attitudes to people.Basically the only people Australians look down on are the filthy rich.

 

Why do you assume that I am looking down on anyone? Why would I look down on someone who is doing their job? This has nothing to do with nationality- it has to do with basic civility. And I don't see what tipping has to do with it.

 

And as far as them being your friends- perhaps we do have different ideas about what friends are. I don't pay people to be my friends. And it is not my friend's job to provide services for me. And as much as it may surprise you- your butler is being paid for these things. And is also being paid to be nice to you- whether he likes you or loathes you. He does not have an option. That is part of his training- to be charming to all of us, whatever his mood, whatever his feelings. He would not last long if he was feeling mopy one day and just didn't feel like it so never turned up. Friends have that option. By its very nature it is a very different relationship.