Palo is an adult’s only signature restaurant that is on all of Disney’s cruise ships. The cuisine is Italian, and the atmosphere is upscale and romantic. There is an additional charge to eat at Palo; it is currently $30 per person. Keep in mind that this experience is completely optional; you can eat in the main dining room at no additional charge every night, but continue reading to see why you might want to consider Palo for a special, adult evening.
Reservations for Palo can be made online in advance of your cruise or once you board. Space is limited, so I would suggest making reservations as soon as you board if you do not make then online in advance. My husband and I were lucky enough to celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary on the Disney Fantasy and decided that Palo would be a perfect treat for that occasion.
Those who have read other posts probably know that we generally travel with our son. Keep in mind you can still enjoy an adult night thanks to the fantastic youth clubs that are already included in your cruise fare. After dropping off our son, we were ready to head to a romantic dinner!
We were a bit early, so I enjoyed a drink at the Meridian Bar while we waited. This is the bar that is located between Palo and Remy on the Fantasy. I can’t recall the name of my drink, but I do remember that it was quite good.
We were seated before long and excited to see that we had the same server and same table as we’d enjoyed for brunch earlier on our cruise. I don’t think that was a coincidence; Palo is known for their exquisite attention to detail and customer service. Pamela remembered us from brunch and was just as awesome and attentive this time as our previous experience.
Our meal started with antipasti and bread. They were tasty and a great way to begin our meal. I’m not sure where they get their parmesan, but it is high quality and pretty much perfect.
Next up, I ordered the potato gnocchi. I like gnocchi but rarely eat it because Jason doesn’t care for it. These little pillows melted in my mouth. At this point, I realized that I was in trouble because there was a lot of food to come.
Jason ordered the fried shrimp and calamari. He was pretty much in heaven. While I’m not a fan of calamari, I did try a bite of the shrimp, and it was sweet and crispy. If there hadn’t been many courses on the way, I would have ordered a couple for myself. Palo is just like the main dining room in that you can eat and order as much as you would like.
I know it’s not good for you, but we’re salt people. Even the salt at Palo is noteworthy. There are 3 different kinds to choose from. Try the smoked salt; you’ll thank me. It adds a delicious, smoky flavor that compliments many of the dishes. We found some in the grocery store when we returned home, but it wasn’t as good.
Lobster pasta was up next. And oh my, it was hard to believe that this meal kept getting better.
Jason ordered a spicy shrimp pasta for his next course. It was simple and delicious with just the right amount of heat. We traded some bites, and while I’ve had a similar dish, I haven’t had one that good. We complimented the dish and asked for the recipe. It was delivered to us before we finished our meal. That is customer service for sure.
Next up was a palate cleanser. We liked that the meal felt relaxed, not rushed, and that was also important since we were stuffing ourselves.
For our main course, we both ordered the famous Palo filet.
It was very good, but it actually wasn’t my favorite part of the meal. I know. I’m weird, right? The reason is that Jason grills AMAZING steaks at home, so good steak is something I can have regularly. The rest of the dishes were foods that I don’t have a chance to eat often, so I think I appreciated them more. Don’t misunderstand me though; the steak was very good and cooked perfectly.
We didn’t need it, but we ordered dessert anyway. Pamela gave us some time to digest and insisted, so we had to. I swear. She made us. Plus in addition to her urging, I’d heard that the chocolate soufflé is amazing, and Jason is a huge chocolate person.
It did not disappoint! I think I told myself over 5 times that the bite I was eating was my last. I just couldn’t stop.
After a delicious meal, certainly the best I’ve had at sea and one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten, Pamela brought out a plate with our anniversary on it and presented me with a rose. It was a nice touch.
So that was our Palo dinner. Wow, what an experience! Palo will be a “must do” on all our future Disney cruises. It lives up to the hype for sure. Just don’t make us choose between Palo dinner and Palo brunch. We’re still trying to figure out which is better.
Contact me to help you plan your next Disney Cruise!
Kelly Lamb
Kelly@KingdomDestinations.com