Palo Brunch -- odds of getting a ressie after we board?

[monicainindy]

We were only able to get one for dinner. Could we still get one after we board? I keep on checking online but shows sold out.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We were only able to get one for dinner. Could we still get one after we board? I keep on checking online but shows sold out.

Brunch reservations are always harder to get than dinner reservations, but it's doable. On the recent Hawaii cruise, brunch was sold out long before the silver CC members could book online, but we were able to reserve them onboard.

If you're in an early boarding group and go right to the reservations area (it will be listed in the navigator, or just ask a cast member) your odds are quite good. DCL holds back a lot of the reservations -- I think it's 50% -- for onboard booking.

 

[HsvTeacher]

We were only able to get one for dinner. Could we still get one after we board? I keep on checking online but shows sold out.

I would say your odds are very good. They keep some reservations open for passengers to book during embarkation. Just be sure to check as soon as you board.

We were not able to book brunch for our June cruise on the Fantasy, because we booked the cruise about five weeks out. We were still able to get book one brunch when we boarded (late, about 2:00ish), and then another one later the next day.

 

[abdgeek]

Make sure and go straight to wherever they are doing onboard Palo reservations when you board. My tablemates on my April cruise ate at the Palo brunch 3 times and dinner twice during the cruise. They said they always book their additional Palo times when they get onboard the ship.

 

[kathi]

We just booked the September 7th Canadian cruise last night. Totally shut out of Palo. We are definitely heading directly to the reservations location when we board to try to secure dinner and brunch.

From everything I have read, it's totally doable. And if not, call to Palo or stop by and check to see if they have had cancellations. We have been able to get a second dinner in Palo on past cruises due to people not showing up or canceling at the last minute and they let us walk in.

Good luck and enjoy!!

 

[MPS516]

We always schedule a brunch when reservations open and then add our names to the cancellation list for dinner on nights we repeat n certain restaurants, depending on the menu. We almost always get a call to see if we would like to dine.

 

[mmouse37]

Boarded the 2 night Magic cruise out of NYC on Friday (saturday was the only sea day, obviously)...no Palo brunch reservations were availalbe to me prior....went to Rockin Bar D when it opened at 12:00 and I was the only one in there. got Palo brunch for our party of 7 at the time we wanted....and even was given the private room!!!

Your chances are very good.

MJ

 

[kcashner]

There is an excellent chance of getting a reservation after boarding, especially on cruises of 7 or more nights. And since tea is no longer being served, brunch has more reservations available (longer hours).

To further explain the "extra" Palo reservations--you can make ONE reservation per person in advance or on the first day for each of brunch and dinner (total 2 reservations). You can ask to be placed on a waitlist for additional seatings. If the spots don't fill or there are cancellations, you will be called. We did 2 dinners on our last Fantasy cruise. If you are paying for a concierge cabin, it is even easier to get extra spots after boarding.

 

[mmouse37]

There is an excellent chance of getting a reservation after boarding, especially on cruises of 7 or more nights. And since tea is no longer being served, brunch has more reservations available (longer hours).

To further explain the "extra" Palo reservations--you can make ONE reservation per person in advance or on the first day for each of brunch and dinner (total 2 reservations). You can ask to be placed on a waitlist for additional seatings. If the spots don't fill or there are cancellations, you will be called. We did 2 dinners on our last Fantasy cruise. If you are paying for a concierge cabin, it is even easier to get extra spots after boarding.

Interesting thing onboard....yesterday was supposed to be the last day that High Tea on the Magic was to be offered......heard that they had to cancel it as there was only one reservation....so they did not even have the last one that they were supposed to.

MJ

 

[kcashner]

Interesting thing onboard....yesterday was supposed to be the last day that High Tea on the Magic was to be offered......heard that they had to cancel it as there was only one reservation....so they did not even have the last one that they were supposed to.

MJ

Ah well....on our last 2, there were only 2 or 3 tables seated. All the confusion over cost may have contributed--on the second to last, the web said it was $15 (not worth that!) but the charge was $10. I think the last one had the $10 correctly listed. It was a nice, civilized afternoon break.....but not worth $15 PP.

 

[monicainindy]

This is great news! We board at 11:30 on Sept 2..... just three more weeks.

 

[com_op_2000]

DCL holds back more than 50% of bookings for on-board booking.

 

[Weedy]

It depends on how long your cruise is and how many sea days your cruise has. On a 4 day cruise there will only be one day brunch is served so it is harder to get a reservation.

 

[steph5377]

I was worried about the same thing. I tried for weeks from home to book Palo brunch reservations and according to the online reservation system, everything was booked. When we arrived on the ship, I called the Palo desk from my stateroom and they had plenty availability. The day we arrived for our brunch at 11:00 am, it was kind of empty. At 11:30, I saw maybe four more families, so it wasn't fully booked. Go figure!

 

[dizney-cruiser]

We had gotten brunch on our last 7 night cruise and then one evening the phone rang, my sister answered it and I heard her say, "No Thanks!" so when she hung up I asked her what that was about - she said they wanted to know if we wanted to go for a second brunch because they had some available!! I was ready to cry!!! She isn't allowed to answer the phone anymore!!

 

[Silverfox97]

Our booking window opened at midnight. We are cruising on Dec 8th and while DH did get a brunch reservation (we are Gold CC members), I wanted it for the AM before we dock at Costa Maya and brunch was already sold out online. I plan on going to switch that ASAP once we board the ship. I hope that they can accommodate a reschedule........

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[mmouse37]

Our booking window opened at midnight. We are cruising on Dec 8th and while DH did get a brunch reservation (we are Gold CC members), I wanted it for the AM before we dock at Costa Maya and brunch was already sold out online. I plan on going to switch that ASAP once we board the ship. I hope that they can accommodate a reschedule........

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honestly, I have never been not been able to reschedule...I know it is not a guarantee that you they can accommodate everyone but I think your chances are probably good...especially if you can get to the dining change venue early.

MJ

 

[Silverfox97]

Thanks for the vote of confidence MJ!!! Guess Gold isn't good enough - won't be Platinum until after March 2014 (& who knows if they'll restructure the CC levels before then.....)

We'll be there to reschedule ASAP!!!

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[LiveYourLife]

Our booking window opened at midnight. We are cruising on Dec 8th and while DH did get a brunch reservation (we are Gold CC members), I wanted it for the AM before we dock at Costa Maya and brunch was already sold out online. I plan on going to switch that ASAP once we board the ship. I hope that they can accommodate a reschedule........

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Hello Silverfox97! Coming out of lurkdom to respond to your post. We just got off the 7 night Fantasy Western this morning. I, too, had the same idea as you...Palo brunch on the Costa Maya day. I was able to secure a brunch reservation online for the 1st day at sea when the booking window opened for the Silver CC. Brunch for the Costa Maya day was sold out already. I really love the sea days, so brunch on the Costa Maya day was perfect, and I planned on changing once we boarded. Got up to Palo around 11:45am, spoke with the Hostess, her name is Morag, and was told no problem, they had available times for brunch on the Costa Maya day. Perfect!! Sign me up!!!

Well, later that evening, I received a call from Cecile at the Palo podium to let me know there is no Palo brunch offered on the Costa Maya day, and they needed to move my reservation to either the 1st sea day, or 2nd sea day. We took the 2nd sea day.

Our Palo Server, Michael (fabulous, BTW), told us at our Palo dinner on Wednesday night that there is a glitch in the online booking on the DCL website, that it shows a Palo brunch on the Costa Maya day, but there is not and that Cecile must contact each guest who booked a brunch that day, and move them to either the 1st or 2nd sea days.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my very recent experience with this.

Enjoy your upcoming cruise!!!!

 

[Silverfox97]

Hello Silverfox97! Coming out of lurkdom to respond to your post. We just got off the 7 night Fantasy Western this morning. I, too, had the same idea as you...Palo brunch on the Costa Maya day. I was able to secure a brunch reservation online for the 1st day at sea when the booking window opened for the Silver CC. Brunch for the Costa Maya day was sold out already. I really love the sea days, so brunch on the Costa Maya day was perfect, and I planned on changing once we boarded. Got up to Palo around 11:45am, spoke with the Hostess, her name is Morag, and was told no problem, they had available times for brunch on the Costa Maya day. Perfect!! Sign me up!!!

Well, later that evening, I received a call from Cecile at the Palo podium to let me know there is no Palo brunch offered on the Costa Maya day, and they needed to move my reservation to either the 1st sea day, or 2nd sea day. We took the 2nd sea day.

Our Palo Server, Michael (fabulous, BTW), told us at our Palo dinner on Wednesday night that there is a glitch in the online booking on the DCL website, that it shows a Palo brunch on the Costa Maya day, but there is not and that Cecile must contact each guest who booked a brunch that day, and move them to either the 1st or 2nd sea days.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my very recent experience with this.

Enjoy your upcoming cruise!!!!

Thank you for your help!!! I prefer to chill on our sea days instead of having to be somewhere and I thought having it on Costa Maya AM would be a great option. So sad....

THANK YOU again for your info

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