Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Two

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff, thanks so much for posting the picture and the directions for Manly! I can hardly wait! And excellent response to the one-liner! You are a wit! :)

 

 

If you do get to the hotel I pictured earlier .... at the top of the road by the northern beach .... raise a toast to us two! This is wifey and I there. Part of her main mission in life is that I shout "FETCH!" and off she goes to the bar to get me a beer. We always sit in the back yard.

 

Jeff

 

 

 

[TLCOhio]

I found some pictures of inside the hotel. It has a lovely small Moroccan garden ... a real haven of peace considering you are in the center of Palma. They also put some sherry and nibbles out each evening at 5 so you can meet and mingle the others that stay and sit in the garden. Only a few rooms and suites ..

 

Nice Palma pictures from Jeff. Have not been there and have it on our future to-do list.

 

Earlier there has been mention on Prague. Such a super wonderful, historic and charming city. Below are a few of my visual eye-candy samples from 1997 when there. We were there in late March when things were a little cooler. You'll notice people wearing coats. Loved this town, its culture, architecture, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 203,210 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Here is a sampling of sights in wonderful Prague, include a view of its historic church from a statue next to the river below; the town’s historic square, the unique Prague clock town, the headstones in the Jewish Cemetery and a river view of the Charles Bridge with the church above. It's wonderful. Great history and architecture, charm and character, etc. Fortunately, the interesting buildings were not damaged during the pre-World War II period, nor at the end of that war. Prague was beyond the range of Allied bombers. Then, since they didn't have lots of bombed out sites, the Communists didn't build their ugly concrete structures of the 1950's and 1960's in the heart of its historic areas. These factors makes Prague so special and unique. :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[specialcruisegirl]

:D

 

I found some pictures of inside the hotel. It has a lovely small Moroccan garden ... a real haven of peace considering you are in the center of Palma. They also put some sherry and nibbles out each evening at 5 so you can meet and mingle the others that stay and sit in the garden. Only a few rooms and suites ..

 

Monet Kitchen, garden etc ...

 

 

It looks so lovely and peaceful Jeff...thanks. Have you ever been up to Deya?

 

S :)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Yes, we particularly like the drive up the Northern side of the island ...and we use to really like Soller although it has got busier over the last few years. The Hotel Formentor is now a part of a group and of course all the posers go to Bransons posey hotel.

 

Magaluf and Palma Nova and those areas south are horrendous.

 

There was one place we use to eat in that we loved. It was an old windmill on the road out of Arenal going inland. It was basically a butcher that had this enormous barn like room attached with lot's of separate wood fired brick bbqs. You bought your meat, found a bbq and sat round it and grilled your own meat. It was great on a Sunday when it was full,of families but seemed empty of tourists. I often thought places like this would be great in the UK but 'elf and safety! :rolleyes:

 

The place you mentioned ...... there use to be a place above the fish market on the fish boat and above the fish market called Eduardos. In those early days it was just fisherman eating there with the odd boat owner, but they got more and more fashionable until today. The waiters use to smear some grilled bread with tomato for our kids. They were the place in Palma for seafood paella.

 

Was this the place?

 

http://www.caneduardo.com/

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=casa+eduardo+palma+mallorca&biw=1024&bih=676&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMIo_CAwu2_xwIVkinbCh3v6A_x&dpr=2

 

Their food ...

 

http://www.caneduardo.com/?Section=Gallery

 

 

Jeff

 

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Edited August 23, 2015 by UKCruiseJeff

[mysty]

If you do get to the hotel I pictured earlier .... at the top of the road by the northern beach .... raise a toast to us two! This is wifey and I there. Part of her main mission in life is that I shout "FETCH!" and off she goes to the bar to get me a beer. We always sit in the back yard.

 

Jeff

 

 

If we get to the hotel you pictured, we will definitely toast you and Mrs. Jeff! You will definitely be in my thoughts on Manly! And I think if you really tried to get any response to a shouted "Fetch" from your lovely wife, you would get something completely different from the beer! :)

 

Here is a picture I took in the Scottish Highlands at Eilean Donan Castle in 2012. It is strategically located on its own little island, overlooking the Isle of Skye, at the point where three great sea-lochs meet, and surrounded by the majestic splendour of the forested mountains of Kintail.

 

 

 

And here is another picture taken from our aft balcony on the 2010 Alaska cruise.

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Lovely pictures of Scotland ...

 

Jeff

 

.... and of Prague Terry!

[TLCOhio]

Lovely pictures of Scotland ... Jeff .... and of Prague Terry!

 

Appreciate Jeff's shout-out on Prague. After many great food and travel pictures, it's time for a "change of pace" with some weekend flower pictures from around in our nearby neighborhood, etc. Today, as shown earlier, was another perfect weather day, especially for August in Central Ohio.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 116,794 views for this posting.

 

 

Here is a little nearby floral actions. First, a couple of nice hanging baskets in the downtown of Worthington, just north of where we live. Then, an example for how somebody with a patriotic flare mixes flowers and plants with the their porch decorations. Third is a porch with lots of these nice red flowers both hanging and setting in a railing planter. Fourth is a nice floral mix at the street.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall is coming soon and this garden store had some white-yellow mums starting to bloom for fall and ready to be planted. Second are some purple Asters looking good for later summer planting.:

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Out of interest .... and you all know how inquisitive I am! :D

 

Do others feel discomfort rather than being impressed with calling stewards (or any of the other previous alternatives titles) now "Butlers"?

 

I find it to be a really uncomfortable and inaccurate and sort of almost disrespectful term. It also feels like it is adding both deception (they are most certainly not butlers) and a layer of fomality absent before. I just don't like it but I am unable to fully and articulately express why. It just doesn't lay comfortably with me.

 

Any others have similar feelings and are able to say more clearly why they either agree or disagree?

 

Jeff

[MJN1]

Perhaps we'l chat closer to the trip ....Jeff

 

Jeff,

thanks. Sorry to hear about your wife's fall. Yes, lots of cheap Chinese plastic these days. Another reason for Hellbrunn, a bit more local....

Let's reconnect in Nov. on details.

 

TLCOhio,

re logistics for VIE and SZG:

- Lufthansa flies 4x daily FRA-SZG and return (and more times FRA-VIE).

- BA ex LHR or LGW may also work for you to SZG (and obviously VIE).

- Best way for VIE-SZG (and vice versa) is the train: www.Westbahn.at < 2 1/2h and a first class seat for currently about Euro 40.

[UKCruiseJeff]

.... I believe the LHR BA flights will be winter only and Austrian always via VIA whihc makes it a long flight.

 

The other option which I use to take on work trips when I use to have to have a day or two in VIE and then SZG is to LHR>VIE>SZG but then take the train to Munich and have a night there and fly back from there. Historically main carrier SZG flights have been expensive and flights from Munich relatively cheap and so the idea of a night in Munich drinking some beer and the total price being less was attractive.

 

Jeff

[mysty]

Out of interest .... and you all know how inquisitive I am! :D

 

Do others feel discomfort rather than being impressed with calling stewards (or any of the other previous alternatives titles) now "Butlers"?

 

I find it to be a really uncomfortable and inaccurate and sort of almost disrespectful term. It also feels like it is adding both deception (they are most certainly not butlers) and a layer of fomality absent before. I just don't like it but I am unable to fully and articulately express why. It just doesn't lay comfortably with me.

 

Any others have similar feelings and are able to say more clearly why they either agree or disagree?

 

Jeff

 

Morning Jeff!

 

Do you find the term "butler" disrespectful to the person doing the job or to the person receiving the services? I think some people may be uncomfortable with the term not necessarily because it is a inaccurate "title" for the work the person is doing, but because it carries implications about the person receiving the services. In a society with a very stricly defined social class system, the plebs do not use the services of a "butler" but are more likely to be the "butlers". The nobility and the rich and privileged are the group mostly associated with using the services of "butlers". Perhaps there is a inclination to dissociate from this group thus making the person uncomfortable with having the services of someone called a "butler". Butlers were not as common here in the colonies as they were in other parts of the world so our associations may not be the same.

 

Or do you perhaps find the use of the term for the work being done by "stewarts" disrepectful to the craft for which many true "butlers" train extensively in order to merit the title?

 

I find job titles everywhere these days have become greatly inflated and do not reflect the nature of the job being done. A silly example of this is "Canine relocation specialist – Dog catcher" which was taken form the article linked below:

 

http://www.eurolondon.com/blog/en/the-rise-of-inflated-job-titles/

 

I do not personally have any issue with a job title. I just want the person to do a good job of the duties assigned and to receive a fair wage for that job. Bottom line is that the term "butler" does not make me uncomfortable. :D

[lincslady]

We have never had a 'butler' (Seabourn have never had them - as yet, and hope they never will ) but IMO they seem to be, from what I read, a rather glorified steward/ess who looks after quite a few suites, so is not actually your 'butler', and can be a positive nuisance if you want room service and have to go through them rather than just ringing room service yourself? On some lines you get one in a 'posher' suite, which presumably gets you higher in the pecking order for special dining rooms than those without, but I gather on SS everyone has one. No doubt many are good, and passengers appreciate them, but they would not be for us country bumpkins in deepest Lincs., who have never had 'servants', even though previous generations did.

[jpalbny]

A few random thoughts before work starts in earnest... Have been reading all the posts but not much time to reply.

 

Glad to see Terry's automatic photo uploader is working gangbusters again! Lots of great shots to look at.

 

Dublin - an interesting thought as well. We'd have some tour guides there - a couple from a cruise we took in 2008, who we've kept in touch with and have seen a few times since. We have visited them there on a cruise stop, and have seen a few of the sights. Could knock off a lot more in 3 days. Weather? We would like to get outside some.

 

Palma... Visited on our first Med cruise almost 10y ago. Did a ship's tour which was obviously a mistake but we weren't as independent back then... Came away unimpressed. In contrast, when we visited Menorca 3 years later, we rented a car and went off on our own. Loved it! So some day Mallorca will need a second chance. I'm sure there are gorgeous places there to explore. Jeff, the hotel looks divine!

 

Jeff, thanks also for the Paulaner shots. Think I can get that at my distributor. Don't go for the lighter beers that much though.

 

WRT the butler question - both of us grew up solidly middle-class, (me, definitely lower middle-class) so the idea of a butler is very foreign. We are self-sufficient DIY types, so it feels doubly strange to have someone hovering to help with things we can do for ourselves. We splurged for a suite on our Uniworld Danube cruise next year, mainly for the size of the room. But a real butler is included, so I guess we will have to get used to the idea. I haven't found the SS butlers too over the top yet.

 

Off to start the work week! Cheers all.

[lincslady]

Just to add to jp's many choices, Palma is nowadays a great town (city?) to visit, as IMO is Valencia, especially the City of Arts and Sciences. Perhaps they should just rent a car or campervan sometime, and visit all of these places?

 

We even enjoyed the touristy little train from Palma to Soller a couple of years ago, followed by a large glass of fino at an outdoor cafe in Soller.

[UKCruiseJeff]

M and L.

 

I guess the question about why I feel uncomfortable deserves some answers however disjointed and ill-informed and I should be forced at least to provide some - so at least they can be blown down. my inability to articulate is because I am possibly inarticulate and perhaps because of the several seperate layers to the discomfort I guess. But I will try to give it a go. No layer is predominant it is the totality that causes me discomfort.

 

It does seem to me that Butlers started in British society and remain although less so and relates to (normally) a man who is a loyal long term "servant" within a large house and provides unquestioning loyalty to the man of the house. He also manages all of the other staff. It seems to me that this became a part of American society and my first awareness of butlers in American society is with respect to the promotion of black cotton slave worker being promoted to the house, being re-uniformed and giving a chance for nouveau landed slave exploiters to ape British households with their own "Butlers". But these were slaves. I do not believe that Butlers really appear in American society more widely outside those parameters. So on SS, being undrpaid, relying on tips on a line that says none-expected and sending home cash to support families back home. I find it difficult to get that connotation out of my mind particularly against the background of the way that posters now talk about "my butler" on cruises as though they were "slaves" in sometimes a somehat dismmisive and disrespectful way as they they are of less status in life generally.

 

I'm stating hoenstly how I feel - wrong or right.

 

We then have the Downton Abbey effect which caused varying ripple and aspirational stuff in the US. And then we had SS with a sub-optimum product call stewards "Butlers". We then had somee US SS customers seem to think that by association this elevated their status. A steward morphed into a "Butler" but often not "The Butler" or "Our Butler" but "My Butler". That path of arguably misinformed and perhaps factually wrong or incorrectly presumed path causes me discomfort.

 

That background of discomfort is made worst by a belief that the US is a great country but hasn't really confronted and made right the remnants of that past and still has one of the worst mulit-cultural (ie Black) unresolved issues of the first world. And the largest market for SS is North America. And these people are underpaid and are in a way pretty close to being in a practical sense"slaves" and are now being called "Butlers". That proximity to origin I think is a feelings issue for me.

 

So Butler has discomfort for me in that set of thoughts.

 

There is also the issue, that they are not and never will be Butlers. Butlers have had a specific meaning. It is a long-term single owner servant who is loyal, has a single customer etc.

 

The term is being used by companies like SS to give it seems to me less IQ'ed customers a belief that they are in fact elevated to a more important status than merely "customers" than they really are. It is as though the product has morphed into a childish Adult Disney World where room service is a "Butler". And I find myself edgy about fellow citizens buying in to the decpetion.

 

SS are it seems to me to be hooking in to the tails of the Downton syndrome and some daft/dumb people really behave when posting as though somehow their status in life has been enhanced temporarilly because they have a Butler rather than a Steward. I don't like it. They also then expect more but do not get it and they get into a huff and make what use to be a steward and are now Butlers lives unhappy.

 

This is a starter to unravel my discomfort - it is not one discomfort but several layers. But what do others think generally and about my misplaced presumptions and conclusions? I know that what I have said makes no sense to most but at least treat the thoughts respectfully.

 

:)

 

Jeff

 

no typo corrections ...:D

Edited August 24, 2015 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

[mysty]

Thanks Jeff for explaining the origins of your discomfort. I can understand the underpinnings now. And I agree with the potential for "airs" that could result from thinking that somehow because you have the services of an SS staff member with a title of "butler" you are "better" than that person. We had our first experience with a staff member with the title of "butler" on an Azamara cruise in their beginning days as a spin off of Celebrity. It made no difference to us what the title was as the service was very much what we had expected from a 'steward" and it was all we needed. In fact, we did not request any additional help from him at all - no unpacking, no restaurant reservations etc. Our first cruise with Silversea was a treat, but it was because of the excellent service we received not because of the job titles of the staff who provided it. They were all genuinely caring and extremely helpful. There was an attitude of privilege that we noticed with some passengers but that attitude was not unique to the SS cruise. We had noticed it on other cruises we had taken. So for me, the attitude was a function of personality not necessarily related to any particular cruise line or job title. There will always be people who need to "look down" on others in order to make themselves feel important. And if having a staff person with a title of "butler" encourages that, it is a reflection on them not on the staff person doing their job. In all probability, that attitude would show up whether the staff person was titled "butler" or "steward". That is just my opinion based on my admittedly limited experience and slightly naive view of the world.

[TLCOhio]

TLCOhio,

re logistics for VIE and SZG:

- Lufthansa flies 4x daily FRA-SZG and return (and more times FRA-VIE).

- BA ex LHR or LGW may also work for you to SZG (and obviously VIE).

- Best way for VIE-SZG (and vice versa) is the train: www.Westbahn.at < 2 1/2h and a first class seat for currently about Euro 40.

 

Appreciate this added Salzburg flight info. Have visited this wonderful town twice. First was in December 1970 while in college in travel via Eurail pass from Munich to Vienna. Explored the famed Castle, etc. Love this town, its history, character, etc. Wonderful!!! Was back in 1997 while doing this town with my wife as a train day-trip from our base in Vienna. Lovely, again!!

 

During my second visit, we did the Sound of Music tour and learned many added and interesting facts about the long history there. This includes for how that famed movie was never that popular there. Also, learned about the main highway from the airport that Hitler had built to make it easier for the German leader to access his nearby mountain hide-a-way. Will try to post more Salzburg pictures from my files in the future. Great location with so much charm and interest.

 

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 184,309 views.

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

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks Jeff for explaining the origins of your discomfort. I can understand the underpinnings now. And I agree with the potential for "airs" that could result from thinking that somehow because you have the services of an SS staff member with a title of "butler" you are "better" than that person. We had our first experience with a staff member with the title of "butler" on an Azamara cruise in their beginning days as a spin off of Celebrity. It made no difference to us what the title was as the service was very much what we had expected from a 'steward" and it was all we needed. In fact, we did not request any additional help from him at all - no unpacking, no restaurant reservations etc. Our first cruise with Silversea was a treat, but it was because of the excellent service we received not because of the job titles of the staff who provided it. They were all genuinely caring and extremely helpful. There was an attitude of privilege that we noticed with some passengers but that attitude was not unique to the SS cruise. We had noticed it on other cruises we had taken. So for me, the attitude was a function of personality not necessarily related to any particular cruise line or job title. There will always be people who need to "look down" on others in order to make themselves feel important. And if having a staff person with a title of "butler" encourages that, it is a reflection on them not on the staff person doing their job. In all probability, that attitude would show up whether the staff person was titled "butler" or "steward". That is just my opinion based on my admittedly limited experience and slightly naive view of the world.

 

Thanks.

 

I totally agree.

 

To be clear, It isn't what they do that is the issue for me .... it is calling them "Butler" rather than any other option.

 

Jeff

[mysty]

Thanks.

 

I totally agree.

 

To be clear, It isn't what they do that is the issue for me .... it is calling them "Butler" rather than any other option.

 

Jeff

Yes Jeff, I understand that! :)

[mysty]

And perhaps some of your concern relates to how the staff are treated by customers who consider them their personal "servants" because of the title "butler". And that is a valid concern!

[lincslady]

As so often, Jeff, you have perfectly expressed what I have thought but not articulated properly. Thanks.

[PS Caledonia]

I apologise for this intrusion, as I don't post often but during a break from the office this afternoon, I read Jeff's post on "Butler's" and it struck a chord...

 

I agree 100% with his sentiments... and his reasoning.

 

In the glory days when liners were a means of transport, those that were rich enough, often travelled with their own Butlers, valets, maids etc. It was they who tended to the needs of their employer with the assistance of the bedroom steward. That way of life ceased to exist in 1939.....

 

After the war, the position of Bedroom Steward in First Class on one of the Cunard Queens was considered one of the best paid jobs on the ship, quite often earning more in tips than the captains' salary on some occasions.

 

Times have changed, as have peoples's aspirations and the cruise companies have realised this.

 

I'm not quite sure when the term "Butler" appeared on the modern cruise scene, but I suspect it was when cabins suddenly became "Staterooms" or when cruise lines started calling them "suites" and referring to passengers as "guests".

 

It's all smoke and Mirrors..... a Butler is a room steward, the only difference with his predecsessor is that he has to deal with many more "cabins" in less time..

 

Unrealistic expectations increase as a result....., but I still blame "Drownton Abbey" for all this aspirational nonsense, Bah Humbug...

 

Iain

 

:D

[TLCOhio]

Here is a picture I took in the Scottish Highlands at Eilean Donan Castle in 2012. It is strategically located on its own little island, overlooking the Isle of Skye, at the point where three great sea-lochs meet, and surrounded by the majestic splendour of the forested mountains of Kintail.

 

jpalbny: Glad to see Terry's automatic photo uploader is working gangbusters again! Lots of great shots to look at. WRT the butler question - both of us grew up solidly middle-class' date=' (me, definitely lower middle-class) so [b']the idea of a butler is very foreign[/b]. We are self-sufficient DIY types, so it feels doubly strange to have someone hovering to help with things we can do for ourselves. We splurged for a suite on our Uniworld Danube cruise next year, mainly for the size of the room. But a real butler is included, so I guess we will have to get used to the idea. I haven't found the SS butlers too over the top yet.

 

UKCruiseJeff: the issue for me .... it is calling them "Butler" rather than any other option. Jeff

 

Appreciate super breakfast visual from Jeff. Looks so great and wonderful!! No breakfast or bagels this morning for me. Just some of my usual Diet Mountain Dew' date=' the nectar of the Gods!! Will have for lunch soon warmed up pizza left over from late last week. It's good. Maybe not to the Jeff level, but it will work well for me. Another perfect weather day here in Central Ohio. It's now only 66F and sunny with a high expected of 76F and an overnight low of 53F. Can't dream of any better weather in August.

 

[b']On "Butlers"[/b], I can fully understand where Jeff is coming from on that term compared to the British traditions and as shown to a high degree with Downton Abbey. But from doing our 15-day Norway cruise and most recently with our 26-days on the Silver Cloud earlier this year, our experiences with our Butler was super wonderful. Nothing too bothersome. Great service and help, etc. Lots of "extras" nicely done, including getting shoes re-hab'd after a challenging day hike in the Amazon jungle, fixing a little screw on my sunglasses, etc. Clearly there are "semantics" involved as they are not "true" Butlers in the English, historic sense. But, for our interests, it was a nice, higher level of "service", above and beyond that of a normal room maid.

 

When Silversea rolled out this labeling around 2010, there was serious question as to whether this was just "marketing hype". Yes, a little of that is true. Many Americans were confused as to how that person would work or fit into the flow of a cruise with Silversea. JP noted very well: "the idea of a butler is very foreign" for those in the Americas and "I haven't found the SS butlers too over the top yet". Yes and yes from our viewpoint!! No need for our Butler to unpack and/or pack our suitcases. Below is more on one example where the Butler worked very well on our Norway cruise.

 

BUTLER SUCCESS STORY: We wanted to have a “pizza party” in our suite to watch the World Cup 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 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.

 

THANKS to JP for the nice mention on the pictures! No "auto uploader" for me, but the fast Internet hook-up does make things work well. Will try to post of my Scotland pictures in the near future. Always lovely in that part of the UK.

 

Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 203,311 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

For the World Cup Championship game, Spain versus Holland on July 11, 2010, 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.:

 

[mysty]

On the SS cruise in 2012 our first "butler" was a young man who was obviously trying to get his feet under him as he had been recently "promoted". He was struggling valiantly and was always attentive and trying desperately to please. Within a couple of days, he was gone and was replaced by the wonderful young woman who had previously been responsible for the upkeep of our "cabin". When we inquired as to the fate of our first butler, we were told it was a problem with his work visa (an excuse we had heard on cruises before to explain the disappearance of staff). We suspected at the time that someone had complained about him. Were expectations higher because of the "butler" title? I'm not sure. :(