Yacht Club Interior or Aurea Balcony??

[gkbiiii]

Aurea Suite Experience, on a smaller ship such as the Armonia, has significant benefits.  You get upgraded dining at their suite/balcony dining room, a VIP Sundeck, Comp Massage, Comp Spa Facilities, VIP Boarding and Disembarkation, VIP treatment throughout.

 

As a Diamond Card, I also got a Dinner with Officers, Steakhouse Dinner for 2, Late Checkout, etc.  Seriously, had by far the best treatment on this small wonderful ship!  The meals were far better, than in the YC Dining Room on Seaside. Unlike Divina, the staff was wonderful.  Lastly, on Armonia, there is Comped Gelato on deck!

 

After being on Inside Yacht Club on Seaside, and a Suite on Armonia, I would easily choose the Aurea Suite Experience on Armonia, over Inside YC on Seaside (or any other of their ships).  The butler is not needed, the food, service, passenger spaces on Armonia & Poesia, are simply better.

[dexddd]

Seaside has, or at least did, have free Gelato throughout.

 

First I've heard of Diamond dinner with officers.  Is this exclusive to the small ships?

[hamrag]

1 hour ago, Couple-Somerset said:

YC every time - even an inside cabin.

 

I was going to say the destination would affect a balcony or inside choice too (no great benefit of a balcony if weather poor) BUT giving it thought, I would still go for YC.

 

Definitely YC, no matter the cabin type, for us....it's all about the enclave, with acres of space, and the overall experience The rest of the ship is available if/when needed, and we go there in the evenings as the top sail lounge is quiet....although we come back there for a nightcap, or two!

[gkbiiii]

They had no Diamond Party, due to few Diamonds (which I was told, is common on ship) so I was given a shared (2) Dinner with the Officers.  

[rkacruiser]

13 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

They had no Diamond Party, due to few Diamonds (which I was told, is common on ship) so I was given a shared (2) Dinner with the Officers.  

 

Being able to dine with the Officers is not an insignificant perk as long as the Officers are good conversationalists and willing to answer questions a guest may have.

 

I would like to try the Aurea Experience for myself.  

 

On 12/17/2020 at 4:59 AM, gkbiiii said:

The butler is not needed,

 

For stateroom service, I didn't see much advantage to having the gentleman available.  However, the butler service to shows and at other times were helpful.

At home, when I ask "my butler" to get me something, I find that I still am getting it "myself".  

[gkbiiii]

A suite cabin steward does much of the same job, as a butler.

[hamrag]

5 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

A suite cabin steward does much of the same job, as a butler.

In terms of servicing the cabin, regardless of type, I would agree. In the Yacht Club the butlers do much, much more...😉

[CruisingFox27]

10 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

For stateroom service, I didn't see much advantage to having the gentleman available.  However, the butler service to shows and at other times were helpful.

At home, when I ask "my butler" to get me something, I find that I still am getting it "myself".  

 

My 'at home butler' is most definitely not as obliging and professional as a YC butler. I also find myself having to do things myself to ensure they are done promptly and correctly...YC butlers are far less grumpy and certainly don't answer back 😂

 

The 'at home butler' states in his defence that you get what you pay for 🤣

Edited December 19, 2020 by CruisingFox27

[rkacruiser]

13 hours ago, CruisingFox27 said:

 

My 'at home butler' is most definitely not as obliging and professional as a YC butler. I also find myself having to do things myself to ensure they are done promptly and correctly...YC butlers are far less grumpy and certainly don't answer back 😂

 

The 'at home butler' states in his defence that you get what you pay for 🤣

 

😆

[rkacruiser]

13 hours ago, hamrag said:

In terms of servicing the cabin, regardless of type, I would agree. In the Yacht Club the butlers do much, much more...😉

 

It's the "much, much more" that I never wanted, needed, used, or, despite trying to inform myself on this Forum about the "Butler's services in YC" were available that I never had any use for.  The YC Concierge's services, on the other hand, were appreciated and useful.  

[gkbiiii]

What do the YC butlers actually do?

[Até]

I've had excellent cabin stewards in the Aurea Suites.  Two have directly told me they were hoping to advance to the YC area.  People usually see the Aurea cabin stewards often becasue they are responsible for all the services to the cabin.   The YC butlers have assistants who perform the actual cleaning of the cabins and while each butler is responsible for a set of cabins they also perform a range of activities for all YC passengers throughout the other YC areas.  On some sailings I've only seen my cabin butler a few times but become much more attached to other butlers we would frequently see in the other YC areas.  The butlers are encouraged to work as a team and it's not unusual for another butler to be "on call" and provide a service to your cabin.  I'm positive the below list in not inclusive but just some things I've seen them doing.

 

Escort passengers onto ship at embarkation and give tour of YC areas.

Search out any missing luggage items.

Keep cabin mini fridge and coffee maker stocked, handle any special item requests.

Bring Voyager Club goodies to cabin.

Provide for special pillow/bedding requests.

Ensure the cabin steward/assistant butler performs duties adequately.

Bring room service to cabin.

Bring newspaper to cabin.

Serve drinks and snacks in Top Sail Lounge.

Provide afternoon tea service.

Assist Concierge to support filling any passenger needs.

Work on One Pool deck offering drinks, snacks and towels.

Work on One Pool deck moving loungers and providing services to the cabanas.

Escort passengers to theater and dining room.

Escort passengers to tender area or off the ship at port.

Monitor re-boarding or tender lines at ports to bring YC guests back onto ship faster.

Ensure laundry gets priority service.

Pack luggage if moving to a new YC cabin on B2B.

Escort passengers off the ship at debarkation.

Edited December 20, 2020 by Até

[rkacruiser]

14 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

What do the YC butlers actually do?

 

Ate's list is comprehensive.  But, I am going to try to post a response to some of those items based on my experience.

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Até said:

Escort passengers onto ship at embarkation and give tour of YC areas.

A ground staff member dressed as a butler who was at the YC Tent when I arrived escorted a small group of us waiting to embark.  No tour.

1 hour ago, Até said:

Search out any missing luggage items.

Keep cabin mini fridge and coffee maker stocked, handle any special item requests.

Bring Voyager Club goodies to cabin.

Yes, he did do so. 

1 hour ago, Até said:

Bring room service to cabin.

Bring newspaper to cabin.

Yes.

1 hour ago, Até said:

Serve drinks and snacks in Top Sail Lounge.

Provide afternoon tea service.

Never saw him in Top Sail Lounge or when tea was served there.  Did not request tea service in my suite.

1 hour ago, Até said:

Work on One Pool deck offering drinks, snacks and towels.

Work on One Pool deck moving loungers and providing services to the cabanas.

Never saw any Butler on One Pool Deck.  It was the Pool "Boy" who did all of the above.  

1 hour ago, Até said:

Escort passengers to theater and dining room.

On Meraviglia, no escort to the dining room needed.  To the theaters, if requested, such was available.  In the Main Theater for the evening shows, there is a special seating section for YC guests and a Butler is on duty to assist with seating YC guests.

1 hour ago, Até said:

Escort passengers to tender area or off the ship at port.

Monitor re-boarding or tender lines at ports to bring YC guests back onto ship faster.

I did not get off the ship at any port other than Ocean Cay.  No Butlers were present when I returned to the ship and I found my own way back to the YC.

1 hour ago, Até said:

Ensure laundry gets priority service.

Sent out one package of laundry.  Prompt, excellent service.  (My underwear and socks still complain about why I don't treat them as well when I wash them.)  

1 hour ago, Até said:

Escort passengers off the ship at debarkation.

  My Butler "picked me up" at my suite when I was ready to disembark, escorted me to the deck where disembarkation was occurring, then turned me over to a ground staff member that escorted me off the ship.  Stuck in the same two lines for immigration/customs as everybody else on the ship.  The ground staff member did obtain my luggage in the separate YC area in the terminal, engaged a Porter, and both escorted me to my car parked in Garage G.  

 

My Butler also kept the large fruit bowl full, fully replenishing once during a 7 day cruise.  (What a waste of fruit that I had not consumed!)  Plates of macaroons and cookies would appear on the coffee table once in awhile during the evening suite service.  I had more interaction with the Assistant Butler/Cabin Stewardess than I did with my Butler.  

 

Whomever did what in caring for my suite did an excellent job.  Toiletries were kept in stock with plenty of towels and the bathroom, the suite itself, and the veranda were kept cleaned very well.