If You Could Only Pick ONE - Palo, Brunch or Dinner?

[Minniemouse07]

Dh and I will be on our first DCL cruise on the Dream this August (5 nights) w/ the kids (10 & 5). It is our family treat for our 10th anniversary.

We are thinking of trying for Palo once we arrive at port (I have no illusions of being able to book online before the cruise as first time cruisers) and I'm not sure which we should try for... the brunch or dinner?

We definitely would NOT want to miss any of the regular nights in the rotational dining rooms so dinner would be either one of the repeat nights.

Thoughts?

 

[jujupixiedust]

BRUNCH!!!!! It is hard to get sometimes as they only offer brunch on the sea days. It is a wonderful buffet of tantalizing foods and the menu offerings vary from breakfast to dinner fare. Dinner reservations may be easier to get since it is offered every night. Personally, I'd take which ever reservation you can get and wait list the other....you never know. We've actually been able to have dinner and two brunches on a seven day cruise. On the Dream a couple of weeks ago we had Christian and Julia as our servers....Julia was great! Congratulations on your 10 year anniversary!

Judy

 

[Tower]

Brunches are only offered on sea days and thus filled up more quickly. One advantage of brunch over dinner is that the DK's are looked after by the clubs/lab easier during the daytime than evenings where there may be babysitting extra charges if your dinner reservation goes too long.
In our case, we could not get a Palo brunch, so we managed to get a dinner. My mom was along and looked after the kids while we took our time with dinner. It was truly nice to have some real mom&dad time with no rush.

 

[Diamondback01]

My vote is for Dinner. We just had Palo dinner on the Wonder last week. Full disclosure that I can't fully comment as I've never had a brunch there. But, I was fairly happy with the breakfast offerings at the "free" options on the ship. I found a huge difference in service and quality in the Palo dinner we had over the "free" dinners.

 

[glindamood]

Another brunch vote here. It is amazing - totally amazing.

 

[simbasmom2]

I love both. I have now done the brunch twice and the dinner once. It is a really hard vote, but if I have to pick one I would say brunch! The dinner (btw) is much much better than the MDRs . Not even comparable!

 

[pj-atsea]

I've done both and would always try to get both but I think Brunch wins. pj

 

[cmclaura]

Do try to get both.

I love the brunch more because it's a bit relaxed and you get to try just about everything during the time you're there as most of it is laid out in front of you.

The dinner is more of a 'special occasion' meal and, therefore, a bit more dressy and formal. But still great!

If I was absolutely forced to pick, it would be the brunch as a fancy dinner is a fancy dinner, but the Palo brunch is to die for. Try the salmon mousse spoons -- yummmmmmmmm!

 

[mickymania]

I LOVE them both, but I just can't pass on the chocolate cake at dinner.

 

[com_op_2000]

Brunch all the way.
While the dinner has always been very good (have been 5 times over seven cruises), the brunch was outstanding. We went for the first time on our 25th anniversary cruise and it will be our dining outing/get away every cruise from now on.

 

[DVC Mary]

Must have chocolate souffle.....YUMMMMM!

 

[pj-atsea]

You have to order the Panna Cotta for dessert at dinner along with Chocolate Souffle...pj

 

[Coastingthru]

Brunch! I have eaten both dinner and brunch at Palo a number of times. Dinner is very, very good but it could be a fancy dinner in any good restaurant. Brunch has a simply amazing variety of incredible foods and gives you the opportunity to try many more things.

If you have to have the chocolate souffle (which is served only at dinner), you can ask your regular dinner server to bring it to you in any dining room, especially if you tell them you are celebrating an occasion.

 

[Almagetty]

If you have to have the chocolate souffle (which is served only at dinner), you can ask your regular dinner server to bring it to you in any dining room, especially if you tell them you are celebrating an occasion.

This isn't always possible and shouldn't be counted on or expected.

 

[smilingmouse]

I really enjoy dinner at Palo, but nothing beats their brunch

 

[Anal Annie]

Doing a 7 night Med this August...have only ever done Palo for dinner so WAS thinking of doing brunch on this one...but now I am torn. We only have ONE sea day and I REALLLLLY want to snag a lounge chair by the adult pool for the day and even if we go to brunch at 10:30 it's going to be Noon by the time we're done... I also realllllly like to have a breakfast in Lumiere's....we usually do THAT on a sea day as a family....This cruise is so port intensive and we have so many other plans I don't know when else we'd get to Lumiere's. So now I am thinking that brunch would interfere with both of those plans so maybe dinner is better for us after all?!?! <Heavy Sigh>

 

[TLSnell1981]

You have to order the Panna Cotta for dessert at dinner along with Chocolate Souffle...pj

Mmmmmmm...two of my favorites!

 

[melsherard]

We just got off of the Wonder, and did both. Both were terrific, but hubby and I both agreed, the BRUNCH was AMAZING!!! Dinner was great, too, don't get me wrong, but we we enjoyed brunch so much more....

 

[mickeyfan1]

I have done both and really did not care for the brunch at all. I didn't like the way the food was set up, very crowded at times. My DH liked the brunch, but said the dinner was better. Brunch was about the same as at an upscale hotel, nothing that you could not get anywhere else. I think the worst part for me was the mimosa was warm. Plus I had a migraine, so perhaps I was a little jaded. But I love dinner there, it is quiet, personal, and the food is fabulous.

 

[Grandma4ever]

For us dinner wins hands down. We enjoyed brunch but love the dinner. It is a very special time and I enjoy dressing up and having a special time wih my very special person. Brunch was just too busy.