Booking a Haven Suite on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship comes with a major perk – your very own butler. But if you’ve never had one before, it’s easy to wonder: What exactly can they do for me? And just as importantly, what can’t they do?
To save you the guesswork, I’ve scoured cruise forums and Facebook groups to uncover the most popular (and sometimes surprising!) requests guests have made. So if you want to make the most of your butler without feeling awkward, here’s exactly what you can ask for.
NCL Butler and Concierge Services Explained
When staying in a Haven Suite, you don’t just get a butler, but you also have access to a special Concierge. It can be a little confusing, but the butler is mainly responsible for any in-suite requests, while the Concierge handles everything else about your cruise – speciality dining reservations, reserved seating in the theatre, excursions, etc.
So, when it comes to what a Norwegian Haven butler does, it tends to be handling requests related to your suite and your experience there, rather than the rest of your cruise. However, always feel free to ask your butler for help with any aspect of your cruise – they might pass on your request to the Concierge if it’s more their area, or sometimes they’ll just do it for you.
NCL Haven Suite Deals
I recommend booking with luxury specialists Panache Cruises for the best service.
It’s important to know that there isn’t one butler per suite, so while you can ask your butler for anything, bear in mind they will be looking after a few different suites at once, and they aren’t at your beck and call 24/7.
Unique Haven Butler Requests
Here are some of the things you can ask your Haven Butler to do for you:
1. Unpack Your Luggage
One of the most common requests is for the butler to unpack your luggage on the first day of your cruise. They’ll make sure everything is put away neatly, and your formalwear is properly hung to protect it, before hiding the suitcases for you, leaving you to just enjoy your suite.
Understandably, some people aren’t a fan of this service and prefer to unpack their own clothes and underwear. They won’t do it without you asking, for that reason.
2. Bring Snacks
Butlers will bring snacks to your room, sometimes on request or sometimes without you even needing to ask. You can tailor the requests, though – a lot of people like to ask for M&Ms, others prefer chocolate-coated strawberries, or maybe you’re a cookie person.
Sometimes, they can get a little eager, though, as this review shows…
3. Serve Meals
If you would rather eat in your suite than attend a restaurant, your butler will be able to serve you instead.
They can also visit multiple restaurants for you, if you want to eat from different locations, though they’re only human – don’t expect everything to arrive at the same temperature.
Also, if you dine in-suite, all of your courses will usually be served at once. It’d be unreasonable to expect a butler to trek back and forth to each restaurant to serve courses one at a time.
4. Draw You a Bath
One of the best ways to relax at the end of a long day exploring a port is with a hot bubble bath, and if you want, your butler will happily draw it for you, making sure it’s at a good temperature.
Of course, you’re perfectly capable of turning on a faucet yourself, but if you want to feel pampered, then this is a nice touch.
5. Shine Your Shoes
Butlers are trained in shining shoes, and while NCL isn’t a very stuffy cruise line, you may still look forward to putting on your best clothes for a nice formal night around the ship. Ask your butler to shine your shoes before the evening and they’ll look as good as new.
6. Remove Your Coffee Machine
Haven Suites all come with a Nespresso coffee machine in the room, but not everybody drinks coffee, and those who do might have particular tastes.
If you’re not going to use the Nespresso machine, you can ask your butler to remove it for the duration of your cruise. It’ll free up a bit of desk space, which might be useful, or you might just prefer the suite to be a little less cluttered.
7. Clear the Mini Fridge
When you arrive in your Haven Suite, the Mini Fridge will already be stocked with a selection of drinks, but just because you’re in a Haven Suite, you don’t get to enjoy them for free.
If you’d rather use the space for your own drinks, just ask the butler to clear the fridge for you, and they’ll take away all of the chargeable drinks.
8. Bring Fitness Equipment
Have you ever considered making use of that beautiful balcony space with a bit of sunrise yoga? Ask your butler if they can bring you a yoga mat – it’s not a common request, but they should be able to fulfil it, and you can start your day the zen way.
9. Emergency Clothes Cleaning
While you will still need to go through the proper processes to get a full load of laundry dealt with on an NCL cruise, if you have a clothing emergency – even the most refined of us can accidentally spill something sometimes – then you can ask your butler to take care of it.
They may not guarantee a full laundry service, but they’ll be able to remove the mark before any permanent stain takes hold.
10. Tailor Your Room Service Requests
Room service is something you can enjoy in any cabin on an NCL cruise. But if you have a butler available to help, you can tailor your requests and they’ll do what they can to resolve them for you.
You can’t ask for anything, but minor adjustments to existing dishes or having something prepared a certain way would be a reasonable request.
11. Make Towel Animals
Towel animals are not the job of a butler – your room steward would take care of that for you. But if you do want towel animals in your room, you can ask your butler and they will see to it that it happens.
You might not see your room steward if you’re out during the day a lot, so asking your butler in person or via a note to pass on the message will usually see to it that it happens. Perfect if you’re travelling with kids.
12. Help Host Parties
Some of the best suites on NCL ships are easily big enough to host a small party, and your butler can help prepare the suite for it if you want them to. Whether it’s the addition of a few decorations or making sure there are canapes served, they’ve got you covered.
13. Find Lost Laundry
Sometimes you can send a bag of laundry off to be cleaned and something can go a little wrong. It’s not just at home where those pesky socks can wander off.
Yet if it happens while you’re in a Haven Suite (or in this case, a Norwegian Jade suite with a butler), just let them know…
14. Seek Urgent Assistance
Quite a unique one this, but your butler will basically try to help with anything you ask, even a serious and urgent incident.
This story from a cruise passenger may not shed the best light on the normal Guest Services team, but it shows how a butler can take charge of a situation:
Tipping a Haven Butler
Your Haven Butler (along with the Concierge) is not included in your regular gratuities when you cruise with NCL – the expectation is that you will tip them separately.
Because of that, your butler is likely to go above and beyond to help you as much as possible during your cruise. They want to impress you so that you, in turn, want to reward them for the service offered.
As a guide, guests tend to tip between $100 and $300 per week for their butler. If you don’t use them much, then don’t worry about tipping a lower amount – they will likely be kept busy enough by other guests, who will hopefully tip the higher amounts. Tip what you feel is right for the amount of time you keep your butler busy.
Final Word
Haven Butlers are really helpful, and will do everything they can to make your suite feel special, so don’t be afraid to ask.
Some people can feel uncomfortable asking the butler to do too much, but remember that this is their job, so they expect you to lean on them with a few requests.
At the same time, the more you use them, the higher you should aim to tip, as a thank you for the service.
And don’t panic about your request seeming a little too unusual. As long as you aren’t expecting something unrealistic, they will be happy to help if they can.
NCL Haven Suite Deals
I recommend booking with luxury specialists Panache Cruises for the best service.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
