why do people pay to eat at Palo

[ptmmg]

may sound dumb just cant understand why people pay to eat at Palo when the other restaurants are free what am I missing

 

[bitlerzx4]

for the experience.

 

[Makayna]

"Adults only" dining experience, different menu, great views, better desserts. These are all of the things I've read here about Palo and Remy and I can't WAIT to get to try Palo in September!!!

 

[lilpooh108]

I was hyped up to go...and found the food pretty disappointing. I think it depends on what type of dining you're used to. We've been lucky enough to eat at many different places...and Palo to us (food wise) was average. The ambiance is nice. Pleasant evening out for the adults.

 

[Makayna]

I was hyped up to go...and found the food pretty disappointing. I think it depends on what type of dining you're used to. We've been lucky enough to eat at many different places...and Palo to us (food wise) was average. The ambiance is nice. Pleasant evening out for the adults.

If you eat dinner at Palo, and you have kids, how do your kids eat? Do the clubs take them there? What about your teens/tweens? Are they on their own?

 

[jac1976]

My mom and I ate at Palo on our recent cruise and it was wonderful. The food was much better than in the main dining rooms, it was nice to be able to have a nice slow dinner without the kids begging to leave, and overall the ambiance was just awesome. It was completely worth the extra charge.

We were going to have the kids eat in the main dining room anyway, but then a CM called and asked if they could use our table in the MDR for another family that wanted to eat during the early seating that night. We said okay and the kids ate room service. They loved eating in the room. After they ate we took them to the kids room until after we were finished.

 

[kcashner]

If you eat dinner at Palo, and you have kids, how do your kids eat? Do the clubs take them there? What about your teens/tweens? Are they on their own?

That is your decision; there are a lot of options. First, depending on your Palo reservation time, you can take your kids to the regular dinner--just have a beverage yourself, but have the kids fed and enjoy the show in the restaurant if applicable. If the kids are of an age that you consider appropriate, you can send them to the dining room on their own--the servers will take very good care of them. You can choose to place them in the kid programming during the time that dinner is served (note--this is not usually the same as your dinner time). Tell the CMs that they DO need to eat as the kids have a choice to sit down for dinner or keep playing. You can get them something from deck 9. You can order room service for them.

 

[mhsjax]

Because frankly, the food in the dining rooms just isn't that good.

We eat at many expensive restaurants, or did before kids. Another poster eluded to it not being good if you are used to these types of restaurants. True on some levels, but not all. Like I said, the food is much better there than in the dining rooms.

 

[latinqt]

I don't know how much Palo is now. It used to be $15.00. Never went myself. Would rather be with the grandchildren. I may send the parents though.

 

[OKW Lover]

may sound dumb just cant understand why people pay to eat at Palo when the other restaurants are free what am I missing

Well, the other restaurants really aren't free since they really are included in the cost of the cruise.

Overall, this comes down to a question of how much do you want to pay for a meal. Do you always eat at the cheapest restaurant? Or do you consider quality as well? For us, we don't mind paying the premium for Palo for one meal on our cruise because we appreciate the excellent food and service. Not that we don't enjoy dining in the regular dining rooms, but we like to do a special nice meal occasionally.

 

[branv]

Because frankly, the food in the dining rooms just isn't that good.

This is our reason as well. In fact, we no longer eat in the dining rooms at all for mostly this reason. Also in part b/c I don't enjoy making small talk with strangers while I'm also trying to eat, and the dining rooms are much louder and more chaotic. Palo is quiet, romantic, evenly paced with amazing service. Palo's food isn't four star by any means, but we feel it's definitely WAY more solid than the dining rooms. Now don't get me wrong...I've had some dishes that were just okay, and one that was down right bad (scallops that tasted freezer burned and gritty). But overall it's far more enjoyable for us than main dining.

 

[rmcildw2m]

It is just something more for you to enjoy while on the ship.

 

[kcashner]

Why do you choose to go to Olive Garden instead of McDonalds, or Ruth Chris instead of Outback?

Palo offers better food quality than the normal dining rooms, and WAY better atmosphere. Close your eyes for a minute in the normal dining room and listen to the noise level. It is unreal! Frankly, the regular dining rooms used to be better, but that's another story.

Palo is much more quiet, you'll have tons of personal attention, etc. Whether that is worth it in terms of money or in terms of what you will miss in the main dining room is a personal choice. There is no way to go to Palo, regardless of the length of your cruise, and not miss something in the main dining rooms.

 

[Magic3forme]

It is our "date" night on the cruise! 2 hours of peace n quiet!! and not to mention we really enjoy the food. did I mention how relaxing it is.

Our kids get room service that night, and they love that part. our server last year told us to send the kids to the dining room that night, she would take good care of them.

to each is own, but we love going to Palo for dinner.

 

[Silverfox97]

We eat at Palo for experience and different food. We like the personal & individual experience, and different food. Our DD 4 looks forward to Palo night - she gets to eat pizza while watching a movie on Ariel View out on Deck 9, then we drop her off at the kids club for our (usual) 6pm reservations. We have her picked up by 8pm and we go to a show together as a family. We *RARELY* put her in the kids club (5 hours total on our 5 night cruises), and she loves the kids club, so she looks forward to it.

Plus, once you have been there a few times, you have "old favorites"

 

[Anal Annie]

may sound dumb just cant understand why people pay to eat at Palo when the other restaurants are free what am I missing

No kids
Date night (ie table for TWO rather than 6 or 8)
No kids
Nicer atmosphere
No kids
Better service
No kids
Better food / different selections
No kids

If you eat dinner at Palo, and you have kids, how do your kids eat? Do the clubs take them there? What about your teens/tweens? Are they on their own?

Guess it depends on how old your kids are. Last time we went our DS was 10 or 11. The kids clubs eat really EARLY and we're late diners...I think our Palo ressie was for about 8:00 so he just chose to get an assortment from up by the pool (burger, pizza, fruit, cookies etc) and bring it to the room. He ate in front of the TV while we went to Palo then when he was done he went to the theater to see a movie. He could've gone to the club but he chose the movie instead. If he was a lot younger he'd probably have eaten with the club. Since he's an only child he's used to doing things alone so that kind of stuff doesn't seem to bother him.

 

[mesaboy2]

may sound dumb just cant understand why people pay to eat at Palo when the other restaurants are free what am I missing

By similar logic, why do people go anywhere other than McD's when they eat out?

Not equating the DCL included fare with McD's--just making a point.

 

[tvguy]

Because frankly, the food in the dining rooms just isn't that good.

We eat at many expensive restaurants, or did before kids. Another poster eluded to it not being good if you are used to these types of restaurants. True on some levels, but not all. Like I said, the food is much better there than in the dining rooms.

And for us, we so enjoyed the atmosphere and the food in the dining rooms, we were afraid we were going to miss something there if we went to Palo.

 

[tvguy]

No kids
Date night (ie table for TWO rather than 6 or 8)
No kids
Nicer atmosphere
No kids
Better service
No kids
Better food / different selections
No kids



Guess it depends on how old your kids are. Last time we went our DS was 10 or 11. The kids clubs eat really EARLY and we're late diners...I think our Palo ressie was for about 8:00 so he just chose to get an assortment from up by the pool (burger, pizza, fruit, cookies etc) and bring it to the room. He ate in front of the TV while we went to Palo then when he was done he went to the theater to see a movie. He could've gone to the club but he chose the movie instead. If he was a lot younger he'd probably have eaten with the club. Since he's an only child he's used to doing things alone so that kind of stuff doesn't seem to bother him.

And we are in the group of folks who go on a cruise to be WITH our kids. When they were in High School we might see them for 90 minutes or so a day between school, sports, homework. Then they went away to college and we might see them for one weekend every 6 or 7 weeks. Cruises are our time to be together 24/7.

 

[LAWalz23]

Because we want to! It is a nice change of pace as opposed to the regular dining rooms.