Remy and Palo's price to increase

[LarsMars]

Not sure if anyone else saw this

 

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/2015/04/palo-and-remy-prices-to-increase-fleetwide-in-late-april/

[Ex techie]

I think $30 for Palo brunch or dinner is still reasonable for what you get in terms of food quality and quantity, and service.

 

I guess over the next few months we will see if DCL have pushed their luck to much with the increases both at Palo and Remy with more availability.

 

ex techie

[ducklite]

Still a bargain. I'd gladly pay the slightly higher fee.

[meatloafsfan]

Well, everyone can have my spot then. I think Palo brunch was pushing it at $25 each (I paid $20 and was on the edge if it was worth it to us) so there's no way I'm paying $30 on top of my cruise fare where I've already paid for meals.

 

We don't drink the champagne or mimosas (alcohol in the morning isn't my thing), some of the seafood is very good but much of the rest of what's on the buffet is filler that's not expensive to prepare (some of it's good filler but still - much of it does not cost more than what is already prepared for consumption onboard). The Chicken Parm is very good, but not good enough to pay that much more for. Growing up in a bakery, I can take or leave Disney cruise desserts, including those found in Palo.

 

I think Disney is really starting to push up costs - on the cruises and the "extras". It wouldn't surprise me to see the DOD top $7-$8 by the end of the year as the price of regular drinks seems to be climbing along with Palo and Remy.

[Shmoo here]

Well, everyone can have my spot then. I think Palo brunch was pushing it at $25 each (I paid $20 and was on the edge if it was worth it to us) so there's no way I'm paying $30 on top of my cruise fare where I've already paid for meals.

 

.

Our last cruise we did Palo brunch, and I was on the fence at $25.00. I think $30.00 has put us over the edge on what we'll spend for extra food onboard.

 

Sad as I am to miss out on the Palo brunch, they're pricing me out.:(

[moki'smommy]

Wow, they do keep pushing the price. I believe that in 1998 it was $10. And in 2015, $30. That's quite an increase.

 

The high tea was initially free, then $5 and then escalated till it was crazy and people quit attending.

 

I wonder what would happen to Palo attendance if the stopped the Platinum free deal. I've had great Palo meals and some that were only "OK." Don't know that I'd pony up the $60 plus tip for 2 of us. Yes, I've paid $20 and $25 per person for an extra time. I just think $30 is pushing my limits.

Edited April 19, 2015 by moki'smommy

[Ex techie]

I know that due to the very weak USD that they are having to pay a subsidy to some workers in order to keep them, in the form of an additional top up payment for salaried positions and I would guess also tipped positions.

If $1 meant 1 euro or rupee or CAD or AUS, such a drop could screw you financially

 

That and fresh produce never seems to lower in price, especially good quality meat or fish.

 

Maybe that is why? Additional labor costs and produce costs?

 

ex techie

Edited April 19, 2015 by Ex techie

[CELTICGIRLCRUISER]

We have done Remy a couple of times, brunch and dinners, it's wonderful but shall leave that out next trip, not so much the price increase but the menu offerings.

 

May do a Palo dinner again even with the increase but probably not the brunch as my other half wasn't impressed with it. I love seafood so I enjoyed it more, although was not impressed that one table on the right had side was all breakfast cereals, yoghurts etc..

[ducklite]

Compare either to land based restaurants and they are still bargains. Re my would garner a Michelin star and possibly two if land based. Please tell me a Michelin starred restaurant where you could dine for that price.

 

Palo reminds me of an Italian influenced Seasons 52 in quality, and you would pay more there, so I think Palo remains fairly priced.

 

In all honesty it might make it easier to get reservations, which will make many happy.

 

PS--it's my understanding that they began charging for tea due to the number of no-shows. Considering What we just spent for tea at the Savoy in London, the small up charge from DCL is beyond reasonable.

Edited April 21, 2015 by ducklite

[moki'smommy]

 

PS--it's my understanding that they began charging for tea due to the number of no-shows. Considering What we just spent for tea at the Savoy in London, the small up charge from DCL is beyond reasonable.

 

Tea went from free to $5 to $10 to $20. Sorry, but it isn't worth $20 for what amounted to a very pleasant mid afternoon snack. At $10, reservations were filled. The last time we had tea (I agreed to it as a treat because we knew it was ending and would be the last time), it was virtually empty.

 

We were told that tea was eliminated in order to allow the always popular brunch to have longer hours and more reservation spaces. Since both were sea day only events, brunch had to end in order to get ready for tea. Now brunch is at least an hour longer.

 

But whatever....it is gone now, whatever the rationale. And I'm in London, but I won't pay for a tea at the Savoy.

[ducklite]

I wouldn't do it every week, but as a treat now and then I have no problem paying for it.

[axelskater]

I read all of these and I am wondering about the service charge which was mentioned. I am going to book Remy 1 night & Palo 2 nights on my upcoming 4 night voyage. Is the service charge just that - a charge for service i.e., tip? Or is it a charge for the food which you are getting? On the ship I sail regularly, the restaurant Todd English has charges next to each a la carte item and we leave a tip; Are Remy and Palo an "upcharge" or a "service" charge. I understand there is a difference, I just don't know which is the case for Remy & Palo. My "Disney CruiseLine 2015" book just refers to it as a service charge.

Thx!

[Ex techie]

I read all of these and I am wondering about the service charge which was mentioned. I am going to book Remy 1 night & Palo 2 nights on my upcoming 4 night voyage. Is the service charge just that - a charge for service i.e., tip? Or is it a charge for the food which you are getting? On the ship I sail regularly, the restaurant Todd English has charges next to each a la carte item and we leave a tip; Are Remy and Palo an "upcharge" or a "service" charge. I understand there is a difference, I just don't know which is the case for Remy & Palo. My "Disney CruiseLine 2015" book just refers to it as a service charge.

Thx!

 

The DCL website says:

 

Palo:

Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m. nightly; the final reservation time is 9:00 p.m. Dinner is $30 per person. The restaurant also features an extensive menu of Italian wines—as well as beer and spirits—which are available at an additional fee.

 

For Remy:

In addition to the cost of wine and alcoholic beverages, a charge of $85 per person is required to dine at Remy,

 

Q: What about gratuities?

A: It is customary to give gratuities in recognition of service, which you will be treated to in abundance aboard the ship. As a guideline, we suggest the following, but gratuities are always at your discretion:

 

Palo Your Discretion

Remy Your Discretion

 

 

 

ex techie

Edited April 22, 2015 by Ex techie

[Ex techie]

Remy and Palo's price to increase

Not sure if anyone else saw this

 

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/2015/04/palo-and-remy-prices-to-increase-fleetwide-in-late-april/

 

LarsMars,

 

I realise you may have typed it by mistake, but please do not call it Palo's.

It makes it sound like a corner store pizzeria! Or Pinocchio's Pizzeria or Goofy's Galley or Flo's Cafe lol!

It's a nice classy restaurant :)

 

ex techie

Edited April 22, 2015 by Ex techie

[moki'smommy]

What we have been told thru the years is that a small amount of the upcharge goes to the servers. I have no way to know if that amount has increased with the price increase.

 

I always leave a tip in addition to the upcharge. DCL provides no guidelines as to what is appropriate, and on various boards you'll find individuals suggesting all sorts of things--literally from $0 to $50 in Palo. In addition, there is the 15% automatic gratuity on any bar purchases.

[ducklite]

We tip as we would in a similar restaurant at home based on the cost of a similar meal. So for Palo dinner, a similar meal would run us $100-125 (without alcohol which there is an automatic 18% on) nod we leave $20-25 for two. Palo brunch would be a similar cost and respective tip. Remy is easy--it is comparable to dinner at Victoria & Albert's which is $250 not including alcohol, so a $50 tip for two. We haven't had Remy brunch yet, but that would be the equivalent to the Four Seasons brunch at $75 pp, so a $30 tip would be tendered.

[moki'smommy]

The above is one theory on "appropriate" tipping, and the amounts are essentially the same as we tip. However, it makes no allowance for the amount of the tip that is included as part of the upcharge. As I said, there are MANY theories as to the "correct" amount.

 

The automatic gratuity on bar items is 15% unless it has changed in the last 4 months.

[ducklite]

The above is one theory on "appropriate" tipping' date=' and the amounts are essentially the same as we tip. However, it makes no allowance for the amount of the tip that is included as part of the upcharge. As I said, there are MANY theories as to the "correct" amount.

 

 

 

The automatic gratuity on bar items is 15% unless it has changed in the last 4 months.[/quote']

 

 

Sorry, my mistake.

 

As far as the bit the servers get, we typically tip on the entire check including tax at home, and often add extra for exceptional service (had a dinner with friends a couple weeks ago and the server got a $440 tip on a $1000 check). Anyone worrying about a server getting an extra $5 or $10 should probably stick to the MDR's and auto-tipping.

[moki'smommy]

 

As far as the bit the servers get, we typically tip on the entire check including tax at home, and often add extra for exceptional service (had a dinner with friends a couple weeks ago and the server got a $440 tip on a $1000 check). Anyone worrying about a server getting an extra $5 or $10 should probably stick to the MDR's and auto-tipping.

 

Not disagreeing at all, and as I said, your calculations and mine agree totally. However, there are many opinions available on the boards and elsewhere on the web. There are people who tip nothing based on the facts that DCL says "your discretion" and there is a small tip included in the upcharge. I've personally seen a friend tip $40 per person in Palo, and have read of higher tips on the boards. It's not my place to criticize what others do, especially when they are being generous.

[axelskater]

Thank you. So - tip for the meal, but my glass of wine will be already 15% (which I know is customary on each bar purchase). My guidebook has just about everything in it but strange that they (the book) call it a service charge, because it may insinuate the waiter receives a large part of that, which I now know they most likely only a small amount, so that is good to know.

I would normally give an extra cash tip to the waiters in my assigned restaurant on the last night of the voyage, but as I won't be eating in the assigned restaurant this time, it pretty much will even out & that money will go to the servers in the alternative restaurant each night.

[Winston Wolf]

I know that due to the very weak USD that they are having to pay a subsidy to some workers in order to keep them, in the form of an additional top up payment for salaried positions and I would guess also tipped positions.

?? The dollar is quite strong right now.

[ducklite]

?? The dollar is quite strong right now.

 

Agreed--I wish it was as strong against the Euro when we were there in 2012 for three weeks. We could have stayed two more!

[Ex techie]

?? The dollar is quite strong right now.

 

Whilst it is right now, previously it hasn't been so strong, and policies such as price increases due to increased labor costs wouldn't happen immediately.

 

Look at these charts to show the variance over the past 5 or so years.

The Euro has fluctuated significantly to where it is right now, and you have to remember the CM's I was referring to are long time valued integral employees.

Say the CM earns $2000 a month, the fluctuation between mid 2010 - late 2011 - now would mean their earnings would have been E1680 / E1400 / E1900.

 

An Australian's earnings at $2000 have gone from AUD 2400 in 2010 to just AUD 1900 in late 2012/early 2013.

 

 

That was what I was trying to say and sorry if I was unclear.

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

Sorry, my mistake.

 

As far as the bit the servers get, we typically tip on the entire check including tax at home, and often add extra for exceptional service (had a dinner with friends a couple weeks ago and the server got a $440 tip on a $1000 check). Anyone worrying about a server getting an extra $5 or $10 should probably stick to the MDR's and auto-tipping.

 

Wow.

 

How many diners for a $1k check?!

 

ex techie

[ducklite]

Wow.

 

 

 

How many diners for a $1k check?!

 

 

 

ex techie

 

 

Eleven. And we brought our own wine--which is one of the reasons we upped the tip.