The Butler did it – what it’s like to have a butler at sea
Just what do butlers do to enhance the cruise experience? We asked Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Head Butler, Prashant Tandel.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is known for the World’s Most Luxurious Fleet, with some of the biggest and most lavish suites at sea. For guests in Penthouse Suites or above, a private butler elevates the experience into the stratosphere.
So what is it like to have a butler at sea? Prashant Tandel has been a butler with Regent since 2004. “I was working as a butler in the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai when some of my colleagues were recruited by Regent. They returned home with so many exciting stories so I applied too,” Tandel said.
“As the Head Butler, I look after exclusive guests of The Regent Suite onboard Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Explorer. When I’m working on other Regent ships, I look after guests in the Master Suite,” said Tandel.
So what exactly does a butler do? According to Tandel, it is “to provide the most personalised, luxury service with minimum intrusion. It is important to focus not only on what is being offered, but the way in which these services are being delivered to our discerning guests,” he said.
“It is that ‘intangible’ touch, assisting guests to navigate the onboard experiences with efficiency and style. Butlers will unpack and pack luggage, welcome excited travellers onboard, inform them about the ship’s amenities and dining or entertainment venues, as well as onboard activities, serve meals in the privacy of their suite, orchestrate private parties and make every event truly special,” Tandel said.
From dawn till dark
The days are busy. “My day starts at 6am every morning until 12:00 midday. This is the time when I serve in-suite breakfasts to my guests followed by morning suite servicing, which includes replenishment of all in-suite food and beverage amenities, facilitating laundry/valet services and ensuring that the suites are fully serviced by my housekeeping colleagues prior to the guests’ return from their shore excursions, onboard lectures or simply enjoying time on our beautiful ship.
In the afternoon, I will return at 5pm with the canapé service, followed by a special private in-suite cocktail party, organising specialty dinner arrangements, escorting guests for their dinners, the delivery of laundry and evening suite servicing.”
Butlers also need to know how to educate guests who don’t know what it’s like to have a butler at sea, and are not familiar with a butler’s role. “This is why butlers need to know how to present all our skills and services to the guests in a discrete and appropriate manner, and to always be ready to assist without being intrusive.”
Special times afloat
Tandel’s most memorable moments are when he creates really special experiences for guests celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, or renewing vows. He recalls one such time when he had some guests who were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. “The couple’s family joined them. They gave me all the photo memories from over the 50 years. I created a collage on a memory stick and had it secretly inserted into the TV on the date of their 50th wedding anniversary. For their in-suite breakfast service, I had a special heart-shaped White Chocolate Truffle Cake prepared for them – this cake was the lady’s personal favourite. Secretly, I let the family into the suite through the guest bedroom. One of them played the guitar while the husband presented a bouquet of red roses, and the TV screened the collage of their 50 years of marriage on a loop. It was truly beautiful and memorable. The wife later said that it was the best anniversary she ever had.”
It is not all work for Tandel, who is able to explore off the ship. Butlers always try to leave the ship to enjoy the leisure time and to discover what each port has to offer in terms of shopping, local dining etc. This is very helpful when we share our recommendations on what to do in the port of call, if our guests do not wish to join our ship’s shore excursions and prefer to explore on their own.”
It is safe to say that Tandel loves his job. “What better perk can I ask for when I’m living onboard a luxurious cruise ship, meeting wonderful guests of different nationalities and visiting different ports of call across all corners of the world?”
And who can argue with that?
Information
Regent has six ships, Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Grandeur, Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Navigator, Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Voyager, with a seventh, Seven Seas Prestige, joining the fleet in 2026.
