Service at Palo and other restaurants.

[dharma517]

I have been reading alot about CM tips and the service you receive during your meals at Palo and the other restaurants. Is it that great? Is it better than a normal restaurant? Can anyone give an example? Maybe examples including preschoolers would help me also. Can you order two different entrees? Does the head server and the asst server and all of those other people actually come into contact with us? Since we have to tip them I guess they do but what do they do? I have NEVER been on a cruise so please forgive my ignorance. Thanks!
Jenn

 

[plutojudy]

I will answer one of your questions. You can order whatever and how many of anything you would like. They will gladly bring you anything you order.

 

[mmouse37]

You will have much contact with your server and assistant server every night when you dine in the dining rooms. The head server usually shows up a few nights at the table...he is there to oversee any problems whatsoever...We had so much fun with our server (servers the food) and assistant server (takes care of beverages) that we wanted to take them home with us at the end of the cruise!!! We have sailed DCL 9 times and never had a bad serving team...some were better than others, but none bad.

I have often seen servers pull two chairs together for a little one to be more comfortable if they happen to doze off at dinner. I have also seen servers entertain the younger set with Magic tricks and little surprises like specialty napkin folding, etc.

The food and service at Palo is very good....comprably to fine dining standards. Everything is cooked to order and the waitstaff is very good and attentive, for the most part. There are always going to be a server or two who do not make the cut, but luckily it is few and far between.

MJ

 

[neverlandclub]

Here is what happened on our last cruise, I was 5 months pregnant, and we had (including my friend's little girl) 3 little girls with us. They dressed in princess dresses for formal/semi nights. Our head waiter escorted each of them to the table, after bowing to them,calling them princesses and saying how lovely they were. He cut their meat, checked on them often. He took all of our lobsters off the shell.
Our waiters- OMG! Jevan and Wilson- the best ever. They entertained, catered to every whim, did magic tricks, took photos, explained our ports and the menu- just Amazing. In fact it was Jevan's last cruise before he was promoted to manager at Topsiders. The last evening we made soooooooo much noise for him and Wilson, the entire restaurant was staring. We will never forget him or Wilson. Hope to see them again.
In Palo, at brunch, our waiter brought me many of the food items so I did not have to walk. At dinner there, our waiter had the bartender create a special non-alcoholic for me, as I was sick of water and lemonade. It was just awesome and I have never gotten that level of service anywhere else!

Oh, and I ordered multiples on the menus!
Melissa
NeverlandClub

 

[Katdb]

The service on DCL is the best service I have ever experienced.

I have had so many wonderful experiences, and I'd like to share a couple with you.

On our first cruise (4 day over christmas) they had a special christmas menu as well as the regular menu. My Nana and I couldn't decide between the Turkey (a traditional christmas dinner) and the Glazed Salmon, and since that would be our only night at that restaurant, we were having a terrible time deciding. Our waiter (australian with a wonderful sense of humour) said to order the turkey, and if the next night, we didn't see anything we liked better, he would come back to animators (i think) and get us the salmon... which is what ended up happening.

On our last cruise, there was some "prank playing" between our head waiter and my sister and I. On our day at castaway cay, I managed to dump some ice cubes down his back, and we were told that we had better be careful at dinner that night. SO my sister and I wore out Mickey ponchos to dinner (at Lumieres, we got quite a few stranges glances).

At palos, I ordered an apetizer that I didn't like at all (although My mom loved it, just different tastes I guess) and our waiter brought me another apetizer that was absolutely delicious and made sure that I liked this one.

I also can't tolerate spicy foods at all on my stomach, and our waiter was exceptional at pointing out which food I should steer clear of. If you have any food issues, the waiters will be able to help you out in a jiffy!

The service at the restuarants are phenemol, which is increased by the fact that your wait staff (i hate calling them this, because they're more like friends by the end) travel with you. As you can tell from previous posts, it's the little things that really make dining disney style magical.

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

Mom & I have had excellent service with DCL! They will do whatever you need/want. They cut my food me & sometimes go in the buffet line with me to help out. I am in a wheelchair so handling a plate is and wheeling myself around is near impossible!! I feel like a princess throughout the cruise. The staff is so nice. Have a great time!

Allison an associate (DVC)

 

[kcashner]

Yes, the service on the Magic is totally wonderful. Your assistant will learn your beverage preference the first night. The second night, he'll ask if you want the same. After that, it usually shows up without you being asked (I'm referring to the free beverages).

Yes, you can order as many of anything as you'd like. My daughter was always escorted to the table and seated as if she were a queen...she was called "my dear," etc. She told the server that broccoli was her favorite vege. From then on, no matter what she ordered, it came with a side of broccoli. Meat was cut for her, baked potatoes were "smushed," etc. They learned that Mickey Bars were to be served with no sprinkles...it became a nightly joke that she'd "remind" them. Lobsters were taken out of the shells....I ordered a sugar free dessert one night. That night, the server had to check on what the sugar free was--after that night, he always knew.

It all starts on the first night when the server comes over and asks about any allergies or special food needs at the table. We don't have any issues, but it is that sort of special care that makes DCL a notch above. When a travelling companion had special needs, both the server and head server made notes as to what she said and verified each dish with the chef.

We have seen the head server almost every night on 9 cruises--only for a quick "is everything wonderful?"...but always for a stop by. My DD has made special requests, up to planning a birthday party for our server. All of them were met.

So, yes, the service is "Magical."

 

[inkkognito]

We dine out a lot, and we have some very upscale restaurants in Chicago, so I have a lot of comparisons. DCL's service is definitely superb! In 35 cruises, we've met so many wonderful servers. I tried my first escargot at their urging, they have humored hubby and I with our endless special requests, and we've had singing and merriment at birthdays, anniversaries, etc. We watched one of our servers make paper airplanes with the little boy at our table, I've worn a silly napkin hat made for me by a waiter in Parrot Cay and participated in the limbo, and I've been "forced" to try multiple desserts when I just couldn't decide. I could go on and on, but believe me, the service is excellent.
And of course Palo is in a class by itself. It definitely ranks right up there with my favorite land-based restaurants. The service is attentive and the food is made to order...and of course, the chocolate souffle is in a class by itself.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[dharma517]

So, when I ask for my diet coke glass to never be empty they will oblige? I usually go thru like 4 or 5 while eating in a restaurant...don't ask...they use to much ice...lol. Also.. we are going on the 4 nighter on Sept 25th cruise (in 2005) and my daughter Maddie will be turning 3 on October 2nd..will they do a little birthday celebration for her? what should I ask for?
Thanks!
Jenn

 

[auntrenae]

I can't say enough about the servers on the Magic!
I've been on 4 times counting the one we leave on in 2 days, and look forward each time to meeting our servers. They do become friends by the end of the cruise and we keep in touch with each one afterwards.

We had Sunny and Lloyd on one cruise, and they are amazing. Sunny took time each night to teach our 21 yo son napkin folding and made dinner wonderful with jokes, special treats we hadn't ordered and extra of anything we liked. He found out that my DH couldn't eat pepper or garlic, so had the chef make special dishes that were interesting and flavorful without those spices. He saved a couple of lobsters for the night after 'lobster night' so my DH could have more after the 3 he had on the big night. He always brought us some rolls in the style we liked even when they weren't on the menu that night. Lloyd played tricks on Sunny and they had a great time entertaining us each night. Lloyd arranged for us to have an officer at our table on Formal night, which was a great treat.
Last time we had John from Scotland for our HW. He was a hoot! He spent a lot of time at our table every night and goofed off with our 21 yo son, pretending to steal his prized fedora. He and our server, Gemma from England, would trade off who had the hat and hiding it different places so DS couldn't find it till the end of dinner every night. They always remembered what we liked and didn't like and Fernando, our assistant server, always had our OJ ready when we got to the table each night. They are a team in every way, and make our cruises special. John has a smile very like Dennis Quaid, and we told him so, and he didn't know who he is, so we sent him one of his movies. We just feel like these are friends.
Needless to say, when they do the professional photos of everyone at the table one night, we always end up having our servers in the photo, because they are a huge part of our cruise. I send them copies of the photos they are in after getting home with a thank you note. These people make the cruise special!!!