veteran cruisers??

[valeriekc]

For those of you that have been on the Magic 7 day before....
It seems that the best choice for lunch on embarkation day is Parrot Cay instead of Topsiders??
Is Topsiders outside?? Or is just the seating outside?
What might be the earliest that we can put our carry-ons in the room?
Also if we do swimming on embarkation day, where will the kids be able to dress, and more importantly dry off and change back?
Also it seems we won't know our dining rotation until we check in so how will what night to do Palo's? And is the charge at Palos 10.00 per person or for the whole group?
And lastly will they be showing any movies in the theatre on embarkation day??
Thanks in advance for all the help
Only 6 more sleeps and we board!!

 

[mketting]

We boarded at 11:55, enjoyed the awesome lunch buffet in Parrot Cay, looked around the ship a bit and then our room was ready. We were able to get in our room at about 1:00, official papers said 1:30 but we checked our room and it was ready before 1:00.

We waited until then to hit the pool and because the Disney buses arrive after 12:00 the pool was still pretty empty.

 

[LibertyBelle]

Ok here we go...

Topsiders is an inside/outside resturant (the food is inside with some seating... and there is some outside seating.)

You can usually get into your room as early as 1:30, in 5 sailing we have never been later than 1:30 to access our stateroom.

Since you should be able to get into your room by 1:30 that should answer the pool question as well (just make sure the swim suits are int he carry on as the luggage will not be to your room yet).

When you check in you will find on your ID card a little code something like A-P-L- ETC... this is the dining rotation (A-Animators Palate, P-Parrot Cay, L- Lumiers) check it out when you get your ID cards and then decide when you want to go to Palo (you will be getting your ID's before you board so you will have them before you are able to make the Palo reservations anyway). And the charge is per person (think of it as the tip since you would not be tipping the Palo server in your regular tipping funds).

Not sure about a movie in the theater the first night, they did show one on our first sailing and not on our second, so check the daily guide when you arrive.

ENJOY YOUR CRUISE!

 

[valeriekc]

Thanks LibertyBelle for the information.
So the charge is only $10.00 per person for dinner at Palo???
Someone told me it is now $ 20.00.
And I guess the best thing is for us to try for dinner at Palo on the 4th night?
Then we will have tried all the different restaurants by then.
Thanks all

 

[CGBatch]

Originally posted by valeriekc
It seems that the best choice for lunch on embarkation day is Parrot Cay instead of Topsiders??
Is Topsiders outside?? Or is just the seating outside?

We just do Topsiders because it is eaisier and quicker. Topsiders is inside but there is outside seating available if you'd like.

Originally posted by valeriekc
What might be the earliest that we can put our carry-ons in the room?

1:30 is usually the time so just take your bags to lunch.

Originally posted by valeriekc
Also if we do swimming on embarkation day, where will the kids be able to dress, and more importantly dry off and change back?

Dress in your room. Your room should be done by the time you're done with lunch.

Originally posted by valeriekc
Also it seems we won't know our dining rotation until we check in so how will what night to do Palo's? And is the charge at Palos 10.00 per person or for the whole group?

You will know you rotation when you get your KTW cards. It will have a bunch of letters (P, L, and A and that is your order). If your have young kids (Over 8) You will start in Parrot Cay. If your children are under 8 then Animators. Or, if your kids are older or you don't have kids with you then it will be in Lumiers first. Oh and the charge is per person.

Originally posted by valeriekc
And lastly will they be showing any movies in the theatre on embarkation day??

They usually have 2 or 3 on opening day.

 

[tvguy]

We arrived at the Port about noon, we were on board by one, and our room was ready, but our luggage didn't arrive until after the lifeboat drill. Actually, they shut EVERYTHING down for an hour for the lifeboat drill, and our luggage arrived as we returned from the drill. So, if you have the swim trunks with you in your carry on, you can swim before the lifeboat drill.

 

[LibertyBelle]

Originally posted by valeriekc

So the charge is only $10.00 per person for dinner at Palo???
Someone told me it is now $ 20.00.

Not sure on that one, last time we went it was still $10 per person, could have been raised...

 

[jrabbit]

We arrive at the port by 11am and get in line to board the ship. We then make our Palo ressies, then go to the room to drop off our carryon luggage and then go to lunch. We are at the room before 12:30 and never had a problem with leaving our stuff there. Since the room stewards are still working you can't close / lock your door, so if you have something valuable, you will want to keep it with you.

 

[mmouse37]

Palo dinner used to be $5.00 per person but has been raised to $10 per person....Palo Brunch has always been $10.00 per person and still was on the 2/7/04 Magic.

We prefer Parrot Cay for embarkation lunch because it is air conditioned and less crowded. We are usually in and out and done with lunch in 30 minutes or so. It is just a nicer atmosphere after the rushing around of the morning getting to the ship, waiting in line, etc.

I for one, hate to eat out in the humid air and Topsiders has some seating inside and some outside so you never can be sure where you will be sitting. At Parrot Cay it is obviously all indoor seating. They serve the same buffet at both places.

And this cruise we found DCL much more strict about letting anyone to their cabin before 1:30....they actually had our hallway roped off so we could not get to the cabins.

MJ

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by valeriekc
So the charge is only $10.00 per person for dinner at Palo???
Someone told me it is now $ 20.00.

We ate at Palo on Feb 24 on the Wonder......it is $10 per person.It was $20 total for the 2 of us(plus tip).

 

[valeriekc]

Thank you all for the information.
However I was reading my cruise documents today and it indicated the there is only a $5.00 charge per person for dinner at Palo.
It also says there is a $ 10.00 charge for the brunch however.
I guess I can show that booklet to the folks at reservation time and make sure I only get charged $5.00 for dinner.
I don't want to be a cheapskate or anything I just want things to be as they are promised.
I will save the extra money for the servers that I have heard so many wonderful things about.
Thanks all!

 

[ksjayhawks]

We just got off the 2/28. The charges for Palo were:
$10 per person for the brunch and dinner
$5 per person for the high tea

If you decide you don't want to go after you make reservations, be sure to cancel at least 24 hours ahead or you will be charged.


We emjoyed the brunch the best of all.

We ate at the Topsiders buffet and really liked it. We were in our stateroom by 1 or so. We were on the second bus out and were in line to board by 11 a.m.

 

[PEPKAP]

With regard to dining rotation, we have been on the Magic twice with the same rotation of APL traveling with children aged 10-14 so I do not believe the rotations are dependent on the children's ages. We saw children of all ages from infant to teenager in the dining rooms with us.