Palo Brunch or Dinner?

[Kimosabe]

Hard to choose. We did both on last cruise. We had done dinner before, so I already had my own mind set on what I'd be getting again or trying for the first time. Our server this time was from Italy, which made the experience all the better. At dinner, I really feel like I have escaped from the rest of the ship, as it has a much more intimate feel. Even so, I did feel a little guilty deserting our kids at dinner time, since dinner was one of the few times during the day that we all came back together (both found friends on this cruise and spend lots of time out and about with them). We returned a couple of days later for our first brunch encounter, and I have to admit I had mixed feelings about trying brunch, as it just didn't seem to have the same feel to it....all the pictures I had found seemed to focus on a cold buffet, and eating brunch one little bitelet (if that's a word) at a time just didn't seem too appealing. I had also seen photos of the hot items you can order from the server, but it almost seemed secondary. I quickly learned otherwise. The cold buffet was pretty great unto itself, but really served as more of an appetizer course, as our server (same awesome Italian guy) took it upon himself to make sure we tried anything and everything that seemed even remotely interesting to us! Being from Italy, he had already put in orders of the fried mozzarella disks for each of us (he seemed to take personal pride in the Italian origins of the cheese). As we tried various other things, too, he highly recommended the lasagna. I enjoy making lasagna, but almost never order it in a restaurant, as it's pretty rare that restaurant lasagna is anything other than ordinary. We gave in and let him bring us one, and it was absolutely the best thing we ate that day, if not the whole cruise. Same thing happened the first time we ate dinner at Palo a couple of years before -- server recommended something to me that didn't sound terribly appealing on the written menu (cioppino), but it turned out to be possibly my favorite thing all week. In short, you can't go wrong with either meal option at Palo...and trust your server.

 

[plutos1fan]

Can you do both? If so. Each has its own unique reasons, romance.

Hi,

It is very possible to do both especially on the longer cruises. If you are worried about missing a great dinner in MDR, look at the sample menus online and the possible pattern of the menus and try to pick a night for Palo's that has the menu in MDR that least interests you.

 

[Trera]

We have done Palo brunch many times on the Dream and the Magic and thought the experience on the Magic is much nicer. The brunch on the Dream is mostly set up in a private room where the Magic has it spread out nicely in front of the kitchen area.

Anyone else feel the same?

 

[Trera]

I prefer dinner. My wife prefers brunch. We do both typically.

We do both if the cruise is 4 nights or longer. On the three night cruises, brunch isn't an option any more.

 

[JW9DVC]

Hi,

It is very possible to do both especially on the longer cruises. If you are worried about missing a great dinner in MDR, look at the sample menus online and the possible pattern of the menus and try to pick a night for Palo's that has the menu in MDR that least interests you.

I know people can do both brunch and dinner. I was simply asking OP if they could arrange it to enjoy both. Not if you could in general.

 

[spicycrab]

If I could only do one, I'd do dinner. I prefer the menu and it seems quieter and less chaotic since there's no one getting up and going to the buffet tables. However, we do both so I never have to choose.

Definitely agree with this. I have done both and found the dinner options a much better value for the surcharge. It was amazing! Agree that it does make you feel a little sad to miss the dining room rotation. Plus when we had our brunch I felt like we were seated under the basketball court.

 

[kiford]

Agree that it does make you feel a little sad to miss the dining room rotation.

For our next cruise, we arranged to sit with a couple we met on our last cruise. They had arranged to cruise with friends so then the six of us would be sitting together. Then a few weeks ago, two brothers who also sat with us on our last cruise are also coming. So the eight of us will be sitting together and then we arranged for us to all go to Palo's together. So while we'll miss the MDR, at least we'll all get to party together (me and the gorgonzola pasta will be partying anyway)! We're all doing brunch together too. I think the only thing better than enjoying Palo's is enjoying it with friends.

 

[JMHDisney]

This is a tough call. When I'm traveling without adult friends, I prefer brunch because it's more relaxed. But when I have adult friends, I definitely prefer dinner. Brunch is more of a buffet and, while I love the hot dishes they bring, the cold buffet hasn't wowed me. Dinner is more of an experience.

 

[MarineFam]

We've done both and I've gotta say I couldn't believe how great Brunch was. We just did brunch for the second time a few weeks ago on the Fantasy and it was outstanding. Definitely a must!!!

 

[melglnh2o]

My husband and I have done both and we definitely prefer brunch. Mostly because we really enjoy dinner time as a family and the almond croissants are amazing!

 

[livie1205]

We prefer brunch but... We just returned from the dream and did brunch and was not happy with certain changes. A big FYI the portions have been cut almost 75% ! Really. I am not a " overeater" but did not like when I ordered our reg chicken parm and I got the smallest piece of chicken I have ever seen in a restaurant. it was paper thing and not even as big as my palm. I asked where the rest of my meal was and the waiter said they made all the portions smaller but I was welcome to order another. If he would have mentioned it before I had my food I would have ordered two but I am guessing that is what they were counting on so ....
If you go to brunch I would recommend ordered double your main course ( even if your not a big eater) the portion is smaller then even a kids meal. I'm shocked that they cut them AND raised the price?? I would still go but next time I know how to order.

 

[OKW Lover]

We enjoy both, just not on the same day.

If you had to decide between the two I guess I'd recommend Brunch because there are so many good choices. I'll disagree with the PP about portion sizes and ordering double though. We couldn't finish our portion of Chicken Parm (a must do) after having so many other things, including the pizza. We sailed on the Fantasy just last week.

 

[livie1205]

Like I said in my post the portion change is brand new, they JUST changed it. I am not a big portion person but the NEW change is so noticeable I mentioned it to our server and he confirmed they had just started it. It's less then half of what they served before. We also ordered the flatbread pizza which has been changed from a flat bread type of crust to a generic pizza crust, I still enjoyed our brunch and will do it again but some of the changes should have been mentioned before we ordered.

 

[OKW Lover]

Like I said in my post the portion change is brand new, they JUST changed it.

We were on the Fantasy's 5/2/15 sailing.

 

[Trera]

We prefer brunch but... We just returned from the dream and did brunch and was not happy with certain changes. A big FYI the portions have been cut almost 75% ! Really. I am not a " overeater" but did not like when I ordered our reg chicken parm and I got the smallest piece of chicken I have ever seen in a restaurant. it was paper thing and not even as big as my palm. I asked where the rest of my meal was and the waiter said they made all the portions smaller but I was welcome to order another. If he would have mentioned it before I had my food I would have ordered two but I am guessing that is what they were counting on so ....
If you go to brunch I would recommend ordered double your main course ( even if your not a big eater) the portion is smaller then even a kids meal. I'm shocked that they cut them AND raised the price?? I would still go but next time I know how to order.

that is the first i have heard of that. We have a brunch booked for Sept this year on the dream so i will be interested to see how it goes.

 

[livie1205]

We were at the DREAM brunch this past Thursday and they did explain the change and the cost increase ( though we paid the previous cost because it was prebooked) the portion size is not much of a deal if known ahead because u can order accordingly but Ick the flatbread change was no good;( but a I still love the brunch and would keep going. Everyone is not going to love the same things.

 

[Trera]

I hate that they changed the flatbreads. I always look forward to the sausage or grape ones as part of my meal.

 

[OKW Lover]

I hate that they changed the flatbreads. I always look forward to the sausage or grape ones as part of my meal.

They had both the sausage and grape ones on the Fantasy last week.

 

[Trera]

They had both the sausage and grape ones on the Fantasy last week.

but the others said they changed the crust from a flatbread crust to a more pizza style crust similar to the other on board pizzas

 

[livie1205]

They still have the flatbreads but the crust is more like pizza Dough you find in the main dining rooms with the kids pizzas ;( if I knew how to post a pic I would post the ones I took of the pizzas we ordered. Again , I have no clue if this change is on all the ships but this is what they were doing on the dream last week.