Palo - Dessert Only?

[VAgal76]

Okay, now I've booked my first Wonder cruise and with it being 3 days only it looks like we'll skip dinner @ Palo. I'm taking my MIL instead of DH for this trip so I want her to experience each dining venue. However, how do you make a reservation for dessert only? How late can I make the reservation for? Can we try just showing up for dessert without a reservation?

I can't believe I've done it again! Just over 30 days and I'll be cruising again.

TIA!

 

[DisneyVegas1]

Okay, now I've booked my first Wonder cruise and with it being 3 days only it looks like we'll skip dinner @ Palo. I'm taking my MIL instead of DH for this trip so I want her to experience each dining venue. However, how do you make a reservation for dessert only? How late can I make the reservation for? Can we try just showing up for dessert without a reservation?

I can't believe I've done it again! Just over 30 days and I'll be cruising again.

TIA!

Is this cruise #3 since June ????

 

[VAgal76]

Yeah....but shhhhh!

This is my cheap quick cruise. I'd book an inside if I didn't think I'd get sea sick. I really think I'd need at least a window. I have a Cat 5, but thinking of going with the Cat 9 for further savings. It wasn't a huge difference between the two so it's making it hard to downgrade. I don't care at this point - I just want to be on that ship.

Don't you know? I've plotted out all my cruises for the next several years. Caribbean Princess in May, NCL - Pride of Hawaii in September then later on Jewel of the Seas, Mariner, Sovereign, Freedom Princess for Alaska and Queen Mary 2 for a transatlantic is to come by golly even if it kills DH...err, I mean me.

So no word on Palo for dessert? What to do?

 

[TammiMcMan]

Hi Bonnie, another cruise you go girl! I don't think it matters at Palo if you book for dinner or just for dessert. It's your reservation. DH and I have had reservations as late as 8:30 at night. I'm not sure if they go much later than that, but you can definitely check, maybe 9pm. There is a nice bar area in the restaurant where they may be able to serve you dessert. I'm nearly positive that they won't do a meal there, but maybe a coffee drink and dessert would be okay. My advice would be to book something when it opens up on-line. With a 3 night cruise, the reservations can fill up and at least you'll have one. If it's not exactly the day or time that you want, stop by the reservation spot on board and ask about making a change. If you want to play it by ear and simply stop by Palo for a walk-in, I'd say that your best chance for an open table is on the first night. We've found that to be when the restaurant is at it's slowest. By the final night, it's packed.

 

[VAgal76]

Thanks, Tammi! How ya doin' btw? I was shooting for the first night anyway. Maybe that's the ticket then. Hmmm, I'll get waitlisted for first seating.

ETA - Just went online because I was under the assumption that Palo would be booked solid at this late date. Boy, was I wrong. What are there only a few people on this cruise or what? There are many Palo slots open. I actually found the 9 pm one on the LAST day so I booked it. :biggrin:

 

[woody73]

. . . This is my cheap quick cruise. . . I have a Cat 5 . . .

I'm impressed!

Woody

 

[woody73]

. . . Just went online . . . There are many Palo slots open. I actually found the 9 pm one on the LAST day so I booked it.

I'm glad it worked out for you. Enjoy!

Woody

 

[Thistle]

You can always go to Palo for drinks and I bet they would slip you some desserts.

 

[VAgal76]

I'm impressed!

Woody

Ok, so it's not cheap, cheap, but it was a nice rate compared to what I've paid in the past on a cruise. I was pricing out another 3 night cruise and by the time I factored in my deposit that was already paid and OBC credit there really wasn't any price difference - I had an oceanview for the other cruise and now I have a balcony. Shoot, if I downgrade to an oceanview it's going to be cheaper than the other cruise. I seriously didn't mean to come off snobbish and I hope I haven't offended you. Thanks for the well wishes on Palo dining. We do plan to enjoy every chocolately morsel of it.

Thistle - Thanks for that idea, too. In case we cut it too short on time.

 

[scrapperjill]

I don't think there's any diffrence with reservations for dinner or for just dessert. IMO....that would end up being a fairly spendy dessert...seeing you'd still be paying the same fee as you would for dinner. Don't get me wrong the desserts are well worth the $10 service fee....but for the same amount you could get a WONDERFULL dinner (which you already know). Myself I think I'd somehow work in dinner at Palo ontop of your regular dinning rotation. Do you have early seating??? If so you could book Palo for as late as possable, go to your normal dinning room for dinner...and have a very light meal...then hit Palo later that night for a good dinner there. OR if you have late seating...book Palo for as early as you can...have a good meal there then go to your dinning room at the scheduled time and order according to how hungry you are at that time. I really don't think your MIL will get the full experience of Palo without having the full meal package there.

Do they do brunch at Palo on the 3 day cruises??? If so maybe opt for that instead of dinner???

 

[VAgal76]

I don't think there's any diffrence with reservations for dinner or for just dessert. IMO....that would end up being a fairly spendy dessert...seeing you'd still be paying the same fee as you would for dinner. Don't get me wrong the desserts are well worth the $10 service fee....but for the same amount you could get a WONDERFULL dinner (which you already know). Myself I think I'd somehow work in dinner at Palo ontop of your regular dinning rotation. Do you have early seating??? If so you could book Palo for as late as possable, go to your normal dinning room for dinner...and have a very light meal...then hit Palo later that night for a good dinner there. OR if you have late seating...book Palo for as early as you can...have a good meal there then go to your dinning room at the scheduled time and order according to how hungry you are at that time. I really don't think your MIL will get the full experience of Palo without having the full meal package there.

Do they do brunch at Palo on the 3 day cruises??? If so maybe opt for that instead of dinner???

No brunch on the 3 night and I was completely bummed by that too. I prefer brunch over dinner. I'm going to request being waitlisted for main seating and will most likely do this if I get it. Thanks.

 

[brandysmommy]

There is a bar in Palo and you can drink there without a reservation - no one knows. The bartender was great when we were there - he said no one ever comes - we were his only so far on the cruise - he mainly prepares drinks for the wait staff. Don't know if you could order a desert, but you might be able to at the bar. We learned a lot about the ship and DCL from the bartender.

 

[DiaLady]

Can you go and enjoy the bar at Palos w/o a reservation? I'd love to spend more time there . . .

 

[brandysmommy]

We were on a 4 night in Dec 05 and did it the last 2 days - we did not have a reservation at Palo either night. On night 3, we went and asked if we could and they said yes, we went again on night 4 and were the only people at the bar both times. There are maybe 8 stools at the bar. Like I said the bartender seemed very happy to have conversation both times and said no one ever comes and that tending the bar in Palo is one of the worse positions because of the lack of business. He said the crew bar is generally the bar that they all want to be assigned to - I guess it is on a week or 2 week rotation system for the bartenders.

 

[woody73]

Can you go and enjoy the bar at Palos w/o a reservation?

Yes. On the Magic last month, it was drinks only (cannot order food or even dessert).

Woody