Tips in Palo

[garytam]

Just want to find out how much should we tip in Palo. The bill will be $10.00 for the two of us, so the normal 15-20% will not do. Suggestions ?

Thanks

 

[xABearx]

When we ate there, we tipped an additional $10 for the 2 of us.....Andy

 

[tbuot]

I will tip when we go and I was wondering do we charge our tips to stateroom account or do we bring cash for the tip?

 

[xABearx]

We just charge it to our stateroom, however, i'm sure cash is always welcome.....Andy

 

[ColeenD]

We did a $20 tip for two people. I am guessing that the meal was worth at least $100, and the service was excellent, so the $20 was probably close to acceptable.

 

[Masonpips]

our bill was $10 + a bottle of wine (about $45? can't remember; mainly due to the wine LOL) and we tipped about $25-$30 on top of that. The entire bill was $84 (I think).

Considering the meal (OMG, the *very* best), the service (Gabrielle, she ROCKED), the wine, et al it was a small price to pay for *the* outstanding meal on the cruise.

 

[Lisa F]

Just to clarify, your meal is included in the price of the cruise, so $10 isn't really your "bill." Think of it more as an autogratuity. We, too, value our meal at $100+ and usually add on an extra $10+ depending on service (service is always very very good but sometimes it's even better)

Lisa

 

[ThreeCircles]

We have always tipped $25 for Champagne Brunch and $30-$35 for dinner.

 

[takemeaway]

WE tipped $30.00 plus $3.00 on the drinks for the bartender. We figured the meal was worth $100.

 

[justcruisin]

OMG! I didn't realize the Palo tips were not included with regular tips. I assumed the servers rotate like the do for other meals. Thanks for the "tip"!

 

[MNTigger]

The food and service at Palos was outstanding! Illana was fantastic. We tipped $10 service charge and then gave Ilana 2x 60 minute telephone cards.

She was speechless and couldn't believe it! I told her to call her family and she said her Mom would thank us very much and want us to come back very soon.

Later that evening she saw us again and ran to say, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

The next morning we awoke to find a thank you note from her tucked into our door frame.

BTW- You HAVE to get the chocolate souffle! It was heavenly!

 

[disney3144]

We tipped $50.00 at Palo. Ericka was incrediable!! We figured the meal was worth at least $100.00, so paying the money was like getting a great deal. It is definatley worth every penny.

Jennifer

 

[alexandrew]

50% tip....I'm in the wrong business...

 

[JLSE50]

ALEXANDREW: It is not a $10 meal. It is a $10 charge in addition to what you have paid in your cruise package for meals. You reserve ahead so they know what diningroom you will not be in that night, so food is not prepared for you there--hence money will not be spent for you eating there that night.

The $10 can be counted as a tip but we figured it was the extra cost of the restaurant so we did not count it and gave our tip based on a $100 meal for the two of us & --and it was phenomenal!!

DH paid the tip, and I do not know what he paid, but he usually tips high so I am guessing it was over $20.

ENJOY your meal!
Jan

 

[Lisa F]

I think alexandrew is reaction to the poster who said they figure the meal to be worth $100 so they tip $50. That's a 50% tip. I think that's excessive and most people don't tip THAT much, but whatever makes you happy!

 

[alikat99]

We just sailed on 10/11 and went to Palo one night. We had the regular $10 charge + 1 drink and I think the total after our additional tip was about $40. I think that the meal was well in excess of $100, and was fantastic!!! Marco was the best too!!! We had completely earned that "extra" tip. If it weren't for Marco, our experience would not have been the same!!!

 

[alexandrew]

we usually tip $15.00, in addition to the $10.00 Palo charge, which, I agree with the folks who have posted, is a meal that would cost about $100.00 in a restaurant....this does not include auto gratuity for any alcohol ordered...

I think leaving $40-$50 for a meal worth $100 is too much...IMHO

In addition,while on the subject of Palo....I love the food and ambiance , but after 5 cruises and 6 times at Palo, I feel the servers tend to be a bit "ingratiating", as well as smothering - especially when I want a romantic night alone with DW - Am I the only one who feels the servers spend too much time engaging us in small talk?Sometimes, and flame if you may, they really border on obtrusive... Also, I outlined in my trip report that the server on our last Palo trip, after chatting us up for the entire meal, disappeared before dessert for 45 minutes to allow us time to digest....thus we missed the character farewell that we really wanted to see....also returned with only one chocolate souffle and some other thing, even after we ordered in advance one for DW and one for me.... server had some sort of idea, since DW and I shared apps, that we wanted to share dessert....

 

[Lisa F]

alexandrew,

I can see where you'd say that about some Palo servers. It almost seems like they are trying TOO hard to make it special and go over the top. A truly great server knows when to just leave you alone and when to lavish you with attention. Some do seem to try a little too hard and if you're really in the mood for a quiet dinner, it can be annoying. I think it depends as much on our mood as it does on the personality of the server.

Of course, lucky us to have gone to Palo enough times to compare servers! I think that part of it is since they don't get very many "repeat" visitors on any particular cruise, they tend to treat everyone as if it is their first time in Palo and really try to make it special. Oh well, give me a chatty server in Palo over the drive through at Wendy's any day!

Lisa

 

[alexandrew]

very true Lisa...I can see your point

 

[turtlekrawl]

Disney 3144,

I second your opinion of Erika....she was best!!

We had her for our brunch, and reserved one of her tables for dinner too.

When we got to Palo for dinner, they walked us past Erika waiting to seat us at our reserved table and tried to sit us at a table with another server... I stopped, politely declined and reminded them that we had a reservation with Erika, and we were happily seated with Erika.

As for tipping, I tipped her $30 for brunch, and quite a bit more for dinner. She was extremely grateful, and I felt like I had gotten a bargain.

Jim