Palo brunch first full day on ship, cancellation policy

[MamaJJ2018]

I was able to book a palo brunch on our Nassau day (first full day on ship). We plan to stay onboard. However, I’m not sure how my youngest will react to the kids club that first day! If he flips out and won’t be left, think we will be charged the cancellation fee?

I’d love to book it for our sea day later in the cruise, so he has a chance to warm up to the club and I have a chance to cancel if he seems averse to being left, but it wasn’t available!

 

[Lillebelle]

I'm not sure about the cancellation fee part of it, but having sailed recently with a club-averse child, I can offer the following thoughts:

1) The club counselors will really work hard to keep your kid happy if they know you are at Palo. Our daughter had to be uber-bribed to go to the club and yet somehow they managed to keep her happy through a three hour (!) Remy dinner. I was shocked.

2) Speaking of bribes, there are toys in the gift shop. Use that information how you will.

3) We booked our Remy dinner later in the cruise for exactly that reason -- "by later in the cruise she'll have adjusted to the club!" No. She hated it the first time she went and that meant that the mere suggestion of the club at any later point in the cruise got her immediately worked up. That's just her personality, so I don't know how your kiddo compares, but sometimes I think you're better off with your booking being their first club experience when they don't know any better.

Good luck and I hope you are able to have a wonderful brunch!

 

[Calantha]

However, I’m not sure how my youngest will react to the kids club that first day

Is youngest pre-school, elementary school? When DS was in pre-school, He would not stay in the clubs (unless he had his older cousins with him). At this point though (he's 9), he's fine for the 90 minutes or so and understands why he has to stay.

 

[meremac]

From DCL's website: Reservation Cancellation Policy: When Guests have not cancelled an adult-exclusive dining reservation at least 24 hours prior to the reservation or do not arrive at the restaurant to honor their reservation, the reservation is considered confirmed and 100% of the per-person prix-fixe cost is applied to the Guests' folio.

 

[Clarkson U]

Whereas my kids both boys went first time on a DCL ship at ages of 7 and 9 and we
Never saw them again. The 9 year old was ready to leave before than the 7 year old. Each kid is different. Bring their favorite electronic and let them use it in the kids club if that is what it takes.

 

[Clarkson U]

You can also go to the dining reservations on the first day - usually 12:30 or 1 until like 2 or 2:30 and see if you can move your reservation time or ask them cancellation policy questions. They are usually pretty good about it if they understand the reason why.

 

[sponica]

A word of warning, if he's prone to sensory overload, avoid open house. I couldn't handle being in the kids club on the Wish during open house.

My kid who doesn't like new experiences and worries about the wind blowing, lived in the kids club. Because the kids you take on vacation are not the kids you live with at home.

 

[MamaJJ2018]

Is youngest pre-school, elementary school? When DS was in pre-school, He would not stay in the clubs (unless he had his older cousins with him). At this point though (he's 9), he's fine for the 90 minutes or so and understands why he has to stay.

He will be almost 4. If he could stick with his older sister I bet he’d go and have fun but with the younger kids be separated I’m unsure. Not complaining about the new policy, it makes sense, just trying to figure out brunch

 

[sponica]

He will be almost 4. If he could stick with his older sister I bet he’d go and have fun but with the younger kids be separated I’m unsure. Not complaining about the new policy, it makes sense, just trying to figure out brunch

They can walk in together and if it gets really bad they'll send you a message on the app, and our waiter at brunch said to let her know if we needed to call down to the kids club or nursery, which I had to because my 3 year old was not happy in the nursery (she wasn't fully potty trained so she couldn't go to the kids club) but I called down and they said she was up and down but they were able to distract her with a movie. EVERY morning at daycare dropoff, she looks like a puppy who has been abandoned by the side of the road...once I leave she's fine.