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Disney Cruise Advice: Tips & Tricks Onboard the Ship

LAST UPDATE: 2/14/24

On this page we have collected some useful Disney Cruise advice, tips, and tricks that can help you save time and have more fun while you are on a Disney Cruise. Read the advice below and you’ll have a much better idea what to expect, even if you’ve never been on a cruise before!

Thanks to Marjorie Treger and to MouseSavers.com readers Jeff Evernham and Aileen B, who contributed some great tips.

Disney Cruise Advice & Important Things to Know

Embarkation, first-day bag packing list, staterooms and what’s in them, knowing what’s going on & planning your day, oceaneer club and oceaneer lab, edge and vibe, port days/shore excursions, useful things to pack, things you don’t need to (or should not) pack, disney cruise wear, phone and internet.

• Spa: Treatments, Products & Fitness Center

Disembarkation

Additional tips & tricks, trip reports.

Other useful Disney Cruise information pages:

• For discounts and tips on saving money on the cruise itself , visit our Disney Cruise Discount page.
• For tips and tricks that will help you plan your cruise , visit the Planning Tips & Tricks for Disney Cruises page.
• For advice that will help you with excursions, tours and activities  while in port, visit the Tips & Discounts for Port Excursions page.

“Embarkation” means getting on the ship for the first time during your cruise; “disembarkation” or “debarkation” means getting off the ship at the end of your cruise.

“Port” is the left side of the ship as you face forward; “starboard” is the right side as you face forward. “Forward” is obvious; “aft” is the rear of the ship.

Cruise lines are required to ensure that every passenger knows the safety procedures and has been physically shown where they need to muster in case of emergency. A mandatory muster drill is held in the afternoon of embarkation day, usually around 4:00 pm. Everyone must attend in order to learn the location of your lifeboat station and other safety information. The drill takes 20 minutes or less and you do not have to bring your life jacket with you.

Make sure you turn off the cellular service on your phone while you’re at sea, so you don’t end up paying through the nose for “cellular at sea” service . There is a Disney Cruise Navigator app that you can use on most iPhones and Android phones without needing to pay for internet access. The Navigator app includes activity schedules and menus, and has a kind of text message feature that seems to work much better these days. We found that notifications were showing up quickly when people messaged using the app (our experience was with iPhone, we don’t know how well Android works).

“Cay” is pronounced “key” by locals – so unless you want to sound like a novice, remember this for Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island).

Disney asks you to select a P ort Arrival Time (PAT) when you do online check-in prior to your cruise. This arrival time was not rigidly enforced in the past, but lately, Disney has been enforcing people’s PATs pretty closely, especially during the early part of the boarding process. If you get to the terminal before 12:30, you will probably not be let in to the terminal until your time arrives. After 12:30 or so, Disney seems to just let people into the terminal as long as the check-in line isn’t completely full.

Bottom line: if you want to get on the ship as early as possible, definitely be ready to check in online on the morning your check-in opens! See below for when you can check in online:

• If you are staying at an official Walt Disney World resort or at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport the night before your cruise, AND you booked that hotel as a package with the cruise, AND you are using Disney’s bus service to the port, your port arrival time is less important, and you may not even see an option to select one when you check in. From a Disney hotel, they’re going to assign you a bus, and generally you’ll just get there when you get there and the terminal staff will be ready to process and embark that whole busload of passengers. If you’re staying at the Hyatt, there will be multiple buses and you can take the first bus they’ll let you on. In either case, it’s rare to experience much wait no matter what your port arrival time is. But if you are offered the option to pick a port arrival time at checkin, pick the earliest reasonable time, just to be on the safe side. It can’t hurt, and it might save you some waiting.
• If you are staying in a concierge level stateroom or suite , you can check in and receive your port arrival time 40 days before embarkation day. That said, your shore-side concierge will likely offer to check you in on the first day you’re eligible, so effectively you can just let them handle it and they should get you the earliest arrival time (unless they know you won’t be arriving that early).
• If you are a Pearl member of the Castaway Club (25+ previous Disney cruises), you can check in and receive your port arrival time 40 days before embarkation day. 
• If you are a Platinum member of the Castaway Club (10-24 previous Disney cruises), you can check in and receive your port arrival time 38 days before embarkation day.
• If you are a Gold member of the Castaway Club (5-9 previous Disney cruises), you can check in and receive your port arrival time 35 days before embarkation day.
• If you are a Silver member of the Castaway Club (1-4 previous Disney cruises), you can check in and receive your port arrival time 33 days before embarkation day.
• If you have never before taken a Disney cruise, you can check in and receive your port arrival time 30 days before embarkation day.

When you arrive at Port Canaveral, you’ll hand off your bags to the dock workers. Tipping is theoretically optional, but it’s customary to tip them at least $1-$2 per bag, and we tend to tip on the high side for very helpful or friendly porters. Keep your carry-on/day bag with you. Get in line to go through check-in (during which time you’ll show your port arrival document several times), then get in line to go through security (you go through a metal detector and your carry-ons go through an x-ray).

The first people who will get on the ship are Group 1, which will usually be concierge level guests. Shortly after noon, announcements will be made for general boarding by group number. You’ll present your port arrival document as you board, have a family photo taken (or bypass the photo and get on the ship that much faster), and then your family will be announced as you arrive in the atrium of the ship. After that, the ship is yours!

Most people will head straight to lunch, and if you’re hungry, that’s a great idea. If you’ve brought your swimsuits in your day bag, this is a perfect time to enjoy the pool (or AquaDuck on the Dream or Fantasy and AquaMouse on the Wish), because the ship is still relatively empty and a lot of people will not have thought ahead. If you still need to make spa appointments, change your dinner rotation, sign up for shore excursions, book Palo, Remy or Enchanté, or book any specialty character meals or tea parties, now is the time to do that. You can also get your kids’ wristbands for the kids club. If it’s your first time on the ship, this is a good time to get a map and wander around familiarizing yourself with everything.

If you are a concierge level guest, there is a special concierge embarkation lunch, or you can go to the concierge lounge, where you can relax and enjoy a snack. You’ll be personally assisted with any bookings or changes you’d like to make (dining rotations, spa appointments, etc.)

At about 1:30-2:00, your room should be ready. Your bags will be delivered at some point in the afternoon (up until about 6:00 pm).

On the embarkation day, you won’t get access to your room until 1:30-2:00 pm, and you may not get all of your luggage until 6:00 pm (or occasionally even later), so its recommended you carry a bag that contains everything you’ll need between boarding the ship and dinner. If you want to swim or ride the AquaDuck or AquaMouse, for example, you will need all your swim stuff.

Here’s our checklist for packing our day bag. Some people like to use a rolling carry-on, but we prefer a small duffel. It’s your call; whatever you feel comfortable lugging around for an hour or two. You can also pack a small backpack for everyone to spread out the load.

• Flip-flops or water shoes (the deck can get hot )
• Reading material, iPad, videogames or other entertainment
• Camera, if you aren’t using your phone
• Medications you might need between noon and dinnertime
• Change of clothes for dinner, if what you wear to board the ship isn’t reasonable (though it almost certainly is fine, as long as it’s not a swimsuit).

The TV in your stateroom offers limited live TV programming, but a pretty extensive selection of Disney-owned movie and TV content. There is the Disney Channel, ABC and ESPN, all owned by Disney, plus some 24-hour news channels (MSNBC & Fox) and a small selection of basic cable channels. You can watch a huge variety of Disney movies and a few other family-friendly titles “on demand” (no extra charge).

Disney no longer provides the cordless Wave Phones; if you need to contact other members of your party, you are expected to use the Disney Navigator app on your phone. If you don’t have a compatible phone or don’t want to carry your phone, you have to fall back on the tried and true “let’s meet in XXX at YYY” or put a magnetic white board on your room door to exchange messages. Note that the kids club staff will only be able to contact you via the Navigator app, so if you don’t carry it around, you can’t be informed of issues with your kids.

Fire codes prevent cruise ships from having irons in staterooms, but irons are available for your use in the laundry rooms. Speaking of laundry, you can charge the cost of self-service laundry to your room key by swiping it through the readers on the washers and dryers.

Inside staterooms have no window (except the “ secret porthole ” rooms on the Wonder and Magic that are classified as inside but have an obstructed porthole). Inside staterooms on the Dream and Fantasy ships do have the “virtual porthole” that provides some light. It can be turned off with a switch by the bed. Bear in mind that on the Wonder, Magic and Wish (or on the Dream and Fantasy with the virtual porthole turned off), inside staterooms have no external light coming in to wake you up in the morning or give you a sense of what time it is. So if you’re anxious to get up and go in the morning, make sure you set an alarm or request a wake-up call.

A portable hair dryer can be found in a bag in the bathroom or in a desk drawer (call Guest Services if you can’t find it). It must be plugged into a European (220V) outlet at the desk. If you happen to be in a stateroom that also has a built-in hair dryer in the bathroom attached to the wall, we recommend leaving it alone; they don’t work well. Use the one in the drawer.

There is no longer a paper Navigator schedule given out in your stateroom, or even available from the front desk. You can only get the activity schedule via your phone or via the TV.

You can download the Navigator app for Apple or Android devices before you arrive at the embarkation port and then, once onboard, connect to the ship’s Wi-Fi network—complimentary for app use only. Downloading the app does not enable general-purpose internet access – you have to pay extra for that. In addition to giving you the ship’s daily schedule, the app has some information that isn’t in the paper Navigator, including menus for the various restaurants and some other useful tidbits. 

The Navigator app also has the all-aboard time and the local number of the ship’s agent, who is your contact if you have an emergency or are running late and might miss the ship (or have missed the ship). It’s not a bad idea to write those things down on a separate piece of paper to carry with you when you’re in port, just in case you lose your phone or the Navigator app gets flaky. If you have an emergency and don’t have your phone or the info on paper, you can call the port and ask them who the port agent is for your ship, and then call Disney’s port agent to let them know what’s happening.

The Navigator app now has a FREE text messaging feature. The messaging feature is available on all five ships. You do not need to buy a data plan to send messages to other people in your party, assuming they also have a device that can run the app. We didn’t really use it much in previous years because there could be 20-30 minutes between sending and message and the recipient getting a notification on their phone, but on our most recent cruise everything worked fine. Also, if you get the newer internet service that you can leave on all the time (currently available on the Wish, Magic, Dream and Fantasy) it will work with iMessage, WhatsApp and other messengers, and it will work with SMS text messaging if everyone’s phone has Wi-Fi cellular enabled.

Onboard Entertainment & Activities Tips

If you’re curious to know what movies will be shown on your sailing before you get on the ship, call  Disney Cruise customer service (800) 951-3532 about two weeks before your cruise and ask.

Want to ride the AquaDuck water coaster on the Dream or Fantasy or the AquaMouse on the Wish? MouseSavers.com reader Bill V has this tip: “If you enjoy the AquaDuck during the day, find an EVENING to ride it as well! Riding it at night, with the red-and-white lights strobing around the tube at each of the supports, is a completely different experience than the daytime, not to be missed! Also, the lines are truly non-existent if you go during dinner or show times, far shorter than even the times when most passengers are ashore when the ship is docked–my daughter rode it one evening over a dozen times in less than 90 minutes, usually walking on with no line whatsoever.” (This advice would apply to the AquaMouse on the Wish as well.)

Some special activities require advance sign-up at Guest Services. For instance, “Tea with Wendy,” (or “Tea with Alice” or some other character) is sometimes offered on some 7-night cruises, but has limited seating, and on cruises near Christmas, there is a build-your-own-gingerbread house activity, but they have a limited number of kits available. Check for those activities (they’ll generally be listed in the Navigator app) and sign up as soon as you can. Certain popular character meetings are also now requiring advance sign-up, usually on the first day.

Theater snacks : the theaters where the movies and shows are presented have concession stands selling expensive goodies such as canned sodas, bagged popcorn and candy, which can be charged to your room key. If you want to keep costs down, go up on the pool deck to the self-serve beverage station and get FREE sodas (or lemonade, tea, etc.) to bring into the show with you. You can also usually get FREE cookies from one of the counter-service locations on the pool deck and bring those along (or order cookies from room service, for only the cost of a tip). Concierge level guests on the Dream and Fantasy can get snacks, including cans of soda and sometimes popcorn, from the lounge. The snack bar at the theater has a refillable popcorn bucket that can be refilled for the rest of your cruise at a much cheaper price, so if you like popcorn, it’s a good idea to get one at the beginning of the cruise. Some people have brought popcorn buckets from previous cruises or from Walt Disney World and had them refilled, though that may or may not be official policy.

Embarkation Day

Once you’re onboard on embarkation day, you can eat lunch in one of three locations (or the concierge lunch if you’re in a concierge stateroom): the buffet, the pool deck food outlets (burgers, pizza, etc.) or a dining room (on the Magic, the primary lunch dining room is Lumiere’s; on the Wonder, it’s Triton’s; on the Dream and Fantasy, it’s Enchanted Garden; on the Wish, it’s been 1923 or Arendelle). The primary dining room lunch is a la carte with a normal lunch menu similar to the menu served on sea days. It has a tendency to fill up pretty quickly, so if you want to eat there, get on the ship as early as possible. There is also a lunch just for concierge guests in a different dining room.

Note that if you head for the inside dining room, you will encounter multiple crew members who will try to herd you to the buffet, which can handle more people. Just tell them you’d prefer the interior dining room. 

Breakfast and Lunch

During the cruise, there are usually two or three breakfast and lunch locations with different hours (check the Navigator app for hours). You can choose from one or more full-service restaurants with open seating (just show up when you want during opening hours, and they’ll seat you), or eat at the buffet.

Dinner Rotations

Your dinner arrangements — meaning your restaurant rotation schedule, and whether you have the early or late seating for dinner — are assigned before you embark on the cruise. You can find your restaurant rotation by checking the “My Plans” section of the Navigator app. It will also show your table number and seating time, as well as the recommended dress code and menu. If you have trouble using the app, Guest Services or any of the dining locations can help you get that information. 

If you want to change your seating or your restaurant rotation, do that as soon as you embark. The location on the ship where changes can be made will be listed in the Navigator app, or just go to Guest Services and they can point you in the right direction.

If you go to your assigned restaurant for dinner each night, your servers will be the same for every night of your cruise. On longer cruises they’ll get to know you, and may even have your “usual” beverage waiting for you at your table. If you are served something you don’t like, tell the servers and they’ll bring you something else. And if you want to indulge, they’ll be happy to bring you two desserts (or two appetizers, or even two entrees)! In true Disney style, if you have a special event you are celebrating, make sure your servers know. You will get appropriate special treatment (usually a special dessert, and perhaps some singing).

We recommend not rushing to dinner. If you show up five minutes or so after they begin seating you’ll walk right in. If you show up early you’ll just have to wait in line! Don’t wait too long, though: in order to get everyone served in a timely manner, each server really needs to get all the orders from all their tables at once. If you come too late, it throws off their timing, necessitating multiple extra trips to the kitchen and long delays for everyone. Also, if you won’t be at the regular rotation dinner one night, it’s helpful to tell your server or head server in advance, so they won’t wait for you to arrive to start service for the other tables.

We also recommend having the Navigator app open to your dinner reservation and table number the first time you arrive at each restaurant, so you can be seated more easily. But if you remember your table number, you can just tell the servers.  

Each restaurant has a “special” menu that is only offered at that restaurant, which will be used on one of the nights you visit each restaurant (the same night as the show, if there is one for that restaurant). On the other nights, you’ll get “standard” menus that are the same at all three restaurants (they change every night, but each of the three restaurants gets the same menu). 

Dinner Shows

The following restaurants have special shows and menus on one night of your cruise . These shows are one of the unique entertainment experiences on a Disney cruise, so try to see them if you can! Ask at Guest Services or ask your server which night it will be for your rotation. Move your Palo, Remy or Enchante reservations or change your dinner rotation if you have to. 

• Animator’s Palate (Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy) — On the Magic & Wonder, this show allows everyone in the family to design a character and see it animated. It’s pretty neat! On the Dream & Fantasy, the show involves interacting with an animated character (Crush the sea turtle from Finding Nemo). On longer (7+ night) cruises on the Dream & Fantasy, they may also do a version of the “draw your own animated character” show on the second night you visit Animator’s Palate.
• Tiana’s Place (Wonder) — A rollicking dinner show with the characters and songs from The Princess & The Frog.
• Rapunzel’s Royal Table (Magic) — A fun musical show with characters and songs from Tangled.
• Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure (Wish) — An elaborate show where you’re a guest at an engagement party for Anna and Kristoff, hosted by Wandering Oaken. Enjoy songs and characters from the two Frozen movies.
• Worlds of Marvel (Wish) — A loud action spectacle involving Ant-Man and the Wasp (and some guest Marvel characters) takes place during dinner. Most of the action is ostensibly taking place elsewhere on the ship (you watch it on screens on the walls of the restaurant), but live-action Ant-Man and the Wasp appear near the end to wave at diners.

Premium Restaurants

If you enjoy fine dining, we definitely recommend making a reservation for Palo, Remy or Enchanté, particularly on a 4-night or longer cruise. There is a small extra cost (larger for Remy and Enchanté) but it is well worth it for the cuisine, the atmosphere, and the opportunity to enjoy a nice dinner without the kids. The Remy and Enchanté dinners are especially elaborate, and are similar to meals that cost much more at Michelin starred restaurants or Victoria & Albert’s at Walt Disney World. Palo can be found on all five Disney ships, though the menu is slightly different (and more steakhouse-oriented) on the Wish. Remy is only on the Dream and Fantasy, and Enchanté is only on the Wish.

Alternatively, consider booking the Palo, Enchanté or Remy brunch (offered usually only once or twice on most cruises). We find the premium brunches particularly fabulous and might even prefer them to dinner in Palo.

Palo, Remy and Enchanté are very popular, so book them as early as you can . If you’re not able to get a reservation in advance, check the Navigator app or ask a crew member to find the location where you can go and request a reservation onboard.

If you want to skip one of the regular rotation restaurants in order to dine in Palo, Remy or Enchanté, our suggestion is to call Disney to find out the dining rotations for your cruise and pick a night that is the second visit to a restaurant, since the first night is very likely to be that restaurant’s special menu (and will have a show, if there is a show at that restaurant). For example, if your rotation is “Enchanted Garden, Rapunzel’s Table, Rapunzel’s Table, Animator’s Palate”, pick the third night, since it is the most likely to be a “standard” menu.

Keep in mind that the dinner rotations and timing of Animator’s Palate, Tiana’s, Rapunzel’s, Marvel or Arendelle shows are subject to change, and in our experience the folks at the Disney call center don’t always have accurate information about when the show will happen. The people actually on the ship know, so if you want to be sure your premium dining doesn’t happen on a dinner show night, go to Guest Services or the dining reservation location listed in the Navigator app on the first day of your cruise and ask. If there’s a conflict, they can either reschedule your premium dinner or put you on a different main dining rotation.

Alternate Dining Options

There are always plenty of options for food: check the Navigator app to know which restaurants are open at what times.

In the past, Disney has opened up the buffet area (Cabanas or Marceline Market) for dinner on most nights of the cruise (usually all but the first night), but as a table-service venue, not a buffet. There’s no specific time, you just show up and choose from a limited menu that includes some of the same foods served in the main dining rooms (but without all the hoopla). Of late they haven’t been doing it, but all indications are that this is a temporary post-pandemic measure because of logistics issues, so it could restart any time. If you’d prefer a quieter dinner at your own dining time, ask if it’s an option on your cruise.

There are fast-food locations up on the pool deck, serving kid-friendly fast food. We think the burgers and other sandwiches on a bun are edible, and the mini-wraps are quite good. The pizza is not a highlight – the toppings are fine, but the crust is sub-par, except on the Wish, where it is pretty good. The Wish also has a barbeque window, and a Mexican food window with choose-your-own ingredient bowls, tacos and burritos (think Chipotle), and both of those options are quite good. The fruit is fruit; nothing wrong with it. The soft-serve ice cream is not very creamy, but it makes a nice snack on a hot day, and they usually rotate in some unusual flavors like mango or strawberry over the course of the cruise.

On most ships, there are some small snacks available most of the day. In the adult coffee bar, there have generally been free mini-desserts available during the day, and little antipasto nibbles during the evening, but we didn’t see them on the Wish. In the adult lounge area on the lower decks, there is usually a (small) hot snack buffet available for part of the evening, either in the pub or the hallway between the various lounges. Usually there’s something like a build-your-own nacho bar, plus some sort of hot savory like pigs in a blanket or egg rolls. Again, this little mini-buffet has not been present on the Wish. In the pub on each ship, there are about 4-6 extra-cost hot snacks & entrees you can order. Typically at least one of the pool deck food stations will be open until midnight, usually pizza. From midnight until breakfast time (6:30 or so) room service is the only food option.

On Alaska cruises, there have usually been some snacks on the front of the ship on the pool deck on the glacier-viewing day , including hot soup in small bread bowls, cookies and hot cocoa. They also usually do a special barbecue lunch that day on the deck behind the buffet, typically sausage, fish, and steak. Sometimes they have been known to serve elk or another Alaska specialty. Make sure you go out to the deck to check it out; we met many people who had no idea the cookout was happening and just ate regular buffet food instead of the fresh-grilled options just a few steps away.

Concierge guests have access to snacks and beverages (bottled water, soft drinks, coffee drinks) in the concierge lounge.

Kids’ Meals

There are kid’s menu options at all the table-service meals , but children are not limited to eating from those menus. Your servers will bring your kids whatever they want, including full adult appetizers, meals and desserts, and in fact if there’s something on the ship they can get or make, they’ll usually try to accommodate you even if it’s not on the menu. In other words, if all your kids want is french fries, that’s not a problem, assuming you’re OK with it.

It’s worth noting that asking your server to bring you something from another restaurant is not a trivial undertaking . They will almost certainly do it, because they really want guests to be happy, but don’t spring a request on them unless you really can’t find anything else for your kids to eat. And if possible, let the service staff know early if your child has specific food issues. If they know in advance that your child will only eat french fries and chicken fingers, they can have those ready each night.

If you have kids in the Oceaneer Club, they will be offered lunch and dinner if they are in the Club at the appropriate time. There are not usually a lot of choices, but what they’ll offer is going to be pretty simple and kid-friendly, like chicken nuggets and apple slices.

Two key things to be aware of: one, they usually don’t serve the kids dinner on the first night of the cruise (the day of embarkation). So if you have Palo or Remy reservations for that night, you’ll need to feed your kids yourself. Fortunately that’s easy: all you have to do is get food for the kids before or after your reservation from one of the fast-food restaurants on the pool deck. Two: be aware of when the kids are served. Meal times may be too early for your liking if you leave your kids in the Club.

Also, keep in mind that the Disney crew members will not make your kids sit down to eat. They will make sure every child is informed that food is being served, but they can’t and won’t make your children stop playing to eat, and there is one opportunity to eat for each mealtime. There are no snacks served in the club between meal times. It’s a good idea when you pick up your kids to check if they ate and if they are hungry.

Dine and Play Program

Please note : The Dine and Play program is temporarily suspended, but may return at any time. Ask about it onboard if you’re interested.

The Dine and Play program allows children to get their meals quicker and adults to check in a child for Youth Activities without leaving the dining room. The Dine and Play program is offered for families assigned to second dining, and is open to children ages 3-12. 

Here’s how it works: You arrive in the dining room and inform the server that your child would like to participate in Dine and Play. The dining room team brings the child’s meal first while serving the adults at a more leisurely pace.

About 45 minutes after seating begins, Youth Activities Counselors arrive in the dining room and sign in the child to Disney’s Oceaneer Club, eliminating the need for you to escort the child to Deck 5.

Adults are then able to enjoy the full dining experience with the knowledge that their children are having a great time in a safe, fun and comfortable environment.

Alternative approach: You can ask your server to feed the kids as fast as possible, and then have an adult walk them over to the kids club and check them in. It only takes a few minutes to get to the club and back. Some parents have told us their kids prefer this method over using Dine & Play, as you can get the kids to the club whenever they’re ready and there’s less waiting around.

Room Service

Room service is not a strong suit on Disney Cruise Line. The food, in our experience, is merely adequate. It is free (though a tip is welcomed) and convenient, though. Selection is mostly very basic and very middle-American: sandwiches, basic soups, chicken wings, a few salads, a cheese plate, burger, pizza or topped flatbreads. 

If the buffet or top deck restaurants are open, we suggest sending someone to the buffet or top deck instead of ordering room service . The selection in the buffet is much better and the food better prepared. The top deck restaurants have a more limited selection, but sending someone to the top deck for food has always resulted in hotter, fresher food when we’ve done it. That said, if you’re worn out, or come back really late from a port excursion, it’s nice to know they will bring you food any time.

Mickey bars (Mickey head shaped ice cream bars) and Smuckers Uncrustables (packaged peanut butter & jelly sandwiches) are not on the menu, but have usually been available on request.

Special orders are limited , but if you want something simple that is not on the menu, but is made with components used in items that are on the menu, such as a grilled cheese sandwich, plain salad without dressing, plain hamburger patty with no bun or just an order of french fries, they will usually make that for you on request.

Room service breakfast in the regular staterooms is a very basic Continental offering of various baked goods, cereal, milk, hot drinks and juice. There is nothing hot and no real protein, so if you like eggs and bacon in the morning, head for the buffet or whichever dining room is serving breakfast (it’s listed in the Disney Cruise Navigator app). We do sometimes use room service to get coffee delivered in the morning. Though lately we just have them deliver hot water, because we prefer the Starbucks Via packets to the ship’s reconstituted coffee product.

Guests in concierge staterooms and suites can order dinner from the rotation restaurants during regular dinner hours . Ask your concierge staff for a menu. All courses of your meal are brought at once, which doesn’t do good things for the quality of the meal, but it’s still better than the regular room service offerings. Concierge level guests can order hot breakfasts in their suites and staterooms during the cruise.

Many common beverages (including sodas) are available FREE most of the time , but there are situations where you could be charged for them. Here are the basic rules:

• The self-service drink station on the pool deck offers milk , juice , tea (hot or iced) , coffee, hot cocoa , lemonade, plain water and fountain sodas  at no extra charge 24 hours a day.
• The dining rooms (including Palo, Remy and Enchanté) offer milk , juice , tea (hot or iced) , coffee , hot cocoa ,  lemonade, plain water and fountain sodas  at no extra charge with meals. All other drinks can be ordered, but cost money.
• Castaway Cay offers milk , juice , tea (iced only) , lemonade, plain water and fountain sodas  for free. All other cold drinks (except iced espresso drinks) can be ordered at a bar, but cost money. No hot drinks are available. 
• Room service offers milk , juice , tea (hot or iced), plain water and  coffee free. All other drinks cost money. 
• All bars (including espresso bars) charge for all beverages , except plain tap water.
• Bottled water, canned and bottled soda and soft drinks , alcoholic beverages , mocktails , smoothies, shakes  and espresso drinks (and related drinks like chai lattes) always cost money no matter where you order them.
• The fountain sodas are all Coca-Cola products (which could change any time, but Coca-Cola has had a strong partnership with Disney for many years). The bars have a wider selection of canned and bottled beverages available, at a charge.

Consider bringing your own bottled water if you think you’ll drink a lot of it on shore excursions, Castaway Cay, etc. Bottled water on the ship or Castaway Cay is expensive. Consider packing a small carry-on suitcase with just bottled water. Then on the way home you’ll have room for all those things you didn’t plan to buy. (If you are staying on concierge level on the Dream or Fantasy, bottled water is provided in the lounge without cost.)

Disney allows each adult to bring up to two 750 ml bottles of wine or six 12 oz beers onboard at embarkation and at each port visited. Bottles must be sealed and they must be in your carry-on luggage.  Spirits (rum, vodka, whiskey, etc.) are not allowed (they will be confiscated and given back to you at disembarkation).

Sealed bottles or cans of non-alcoholic beverages can be carried on in any amount that will fit through the x-ray machines (carry-on bag sized, in other words). As for coolers, Disney officially says that you can only take aboard small (12″ x 12″ x 12″ max) soft-sided coolers for keeping things like insulin and breast milk cold. In practice, soft coolers can be any size that’s small enough to fit through the x-ray machine (again, basically the size of a carry-on bag), but no hard-sided or wheeled coolers.

Disney, like all other cruise lines, does not allow any beverages in checked bags , because checked baggage is stacked up and handled roughly during the loading process, which could cause containers of liquids to break and/or leak onto other people’s luggage. They do screen for those items. If they find disallowed items, the items will be confiscated and given back at the end of the cruise.

Coffee and Tea

Regular American-style coffee on Disney ships is unfortunately not good. The “drip” coffee they serve throughout the ship is made in a machine that looks vaguely like a coffee urn, but actually produces instant coffee on demand by mixing liquid concentrate and hot water. When it’s made in a properly-calibrated machine it tastes like OK instant coffee (not as good as Starbucks Via, but better than Folger’s Crystals). If the machine is out of calibration, it can be really weak or very strong.

If you like your coffee with cream and sugar or just aren’t picky about coffee, you may be fine with the reconstituted coffee . If you like quality coffee, you may want to order espresso drinks (at extra cost), which are available at most bars and sit-down restaurants and at the bar in the Wish, Dream & Fantasy’s buffets. You might also consider bringing Starbucks Via packets if you like them. In our experience the Via is much better than the reconstituted stuff.

If you’re a tea drinker, the news is better: there are a wide variety of Twinings tea bags (regular and herbal) at the main deck drink stations and in the dining rooms. And in the dining rooms, they almost always serve tea properly, with acceptably hot water and a small pitcher of milk upon request.

The iced tea served everywhere is unsweetened reconstituted iced tea from a soda machine (Fuze brand from Coca-Cola), but you can make your own iced tea by brewing fresh hot tea and adding ice and water, and that is much better. Our recipe: put two regular black tea bags in a cup of hot water, steep three minutes, stir in sugar if desired, then pour over a full cup of ice. Add water to taste.

Most bars on the ship have espresso machines , including the adults-only Cove Cafe on the pool deck and the all-ages Promenade Lounge on deck 3 (Wonder & Magic), Vista Café on deck 4 (Dream & Fantasy), and all bars and lounges on the Wish. Espresso is also available in the main dining rooms, the premium restaurants, and the Dream, Fantasy and Wish buffets. All espresso drinks cost extra, generally about the same price as on land. If you are a regular consumer of espresso drinks, be sure to get a coffee card. Each time you buy a latte, cappucino, etc. they will mark the card. Your sixth beverage is FREE! If you don’t fill your card during the cruise, hold onto it — it can be used on a future cruise, even on a different Disney ship!

Wine Packages and Refillable Beer Mug

Disney doesn’t have any “all you can drink” packages available. You don’t really need one for sodas, since they’re included (except at bars). Alcohol and other specialty beverages are always a la carte. There are, however, two programs that could save you some money (albeit with a few caveats).

Wine Packages

This is an opportunity to pre-pay for a certain number of bottles of wine, which you can enjoy at any of the sit-down restaurants. If you don’t finish one, you can get it recorked for the next night (and they’ll take it to the next restaurant in the rotation, or you can get it brought to you at Palo, Remy or Enchanté), or you can take it with you to your room. If you don’t end up drinking them all, you can take the remainder home. Your server will usually suggest buying one bottle per cruise night, but you can buy more or less if you like. The wines are all from a set list, which changes from time to time, and usually includes about 10-12 white wines and 8-10 red wines. There are two tiers, with the more expensive one including fancier bottles of wine. The wines on the list change regularly, but we think the choices are all pretty good, with a few real winners on each list. Disney pushes these packages aggressively: a brochure will be on the table your first night, and one of your servers will offer a sales pitch the first night.

We went to the trouble a few years ago to price out all the wines on the list and compare to the average cost per bottle from the packages . The price per bottle in the packages was about $2-3 cheaper than the average price of the bottles included in the package. However, the packages typically have only 5-7 selections that sell for more than the average price, and 12-15 selections that sell for less than the average price. So if you pick random bottles from the list, you’re very likely to end up spending more (or at least not much less) by buying the package. To come out ahead, you have to consistently order from the few bottles that are higher priced.

Frankly, our opinion is that it’s not worth the trouble, at least as a money-saving strategy . If buying your dinner wine in advance will help you relax, then go ahead; you certainly won’t lose much money unless you happen to always pick the cheapest wine on the list. And if you really love a particular wine or wines that you know are higher-priced, and you plan to only drink those, the plan will save you a few bucks per bottle.

Refillable Beer Mug

This is a large 21 oz glass souvenir beer mug that you can buy at any bar for $17 (last we checked). When you get it filled (at any bar or restaurant), you get 21 ounces for the price of a 16 ounce draft beer. One nice thing is that you don’t have to cart the mug around; they’ll give you a little token you can trade for a mug at any time. So you give the token to your server and get a mug of beer, and when you’re done you can give them the mug and ask for the token back. At the end of the cruise, just stop by any bar to get a nice clean mug to take home. The selection of draft beers is pretty good, and in addition to the standard American beers, there are always a few craft beers like Widmer or Full Sail and even sometimes a cider like Strongbow. (Disney Cruise Line advertises this as a 21 oz glass, but we heard from a reader who measured it and found it actually held 20 oz when filled to the rim.)

Purely as a money-saving strategy, it’s hard to get your money’s worth out of the mug unless you really like beer. However, if you like the idea of having a Disney Cruise Line souvenir beer mug, and the price seems reasonable, then the extra beer is basically FREE. Make sure to tell your spouse that when you buy it.

Disembarkation Day

Breakfast is served on the day of disembarkation. In fact, you’ll have an assigned restaurant and time for breakfast for disembarkation, or you can choose to eat at the buffet instead. It will be a much smaller selection than during the cruise: welcome back to the real world!

Regular guests do not have access to room service on disembarkation morning. Concierge level guests can order a standard Continental breakfast from room service on disembarkation morning.

Most kids find the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, for ages 3-10, to be the best part of a Disney cruise. There is a lot to do, with great hands-on organized activities going on all the time.

Signing in and out is a relatively easy process considering what needs to be done to protect the children. However, you may have to wait in line either to drop them off or pick them up. Plan at least 5 minutes for the pick up or drop off process. If your children are 8 years old or older, they can be given the ability to sign themselves in and out on their own.

The Navigator app will tell you what’s happening and where your kids are at any given time. Check the app to see if your children will be out of the Club at the time you want to sign them out – for instance, they could be up on the deck playing basketball. Using the app to plan will save you a wasted trip. Also, when the kids are moving from one location to another, they will not allow you to sign them in or out, so there can be a 10-15 minute window where you have to wait.

You can keep your child signed in to the Oceaneer Club while at Castaway Cay. They will take the kids off the ship to special play areas for supervised games and activities throughout the day. If you do this, be sure to bring your phone with you. The Wi-Fi covers much of Castaway Cay and the app tends to work OK. But if you want your kids to join you for some time on the island, make sure you know their schedule of activities. They eat lunch fairly early, and are taken back to the ship before the beach closes.

Edge is the “tween” club for ages 11-14. Vibe is the teen club for ages 14-17. A 14-year-old can access both Edge and Vibe, but they will have to register for both. Disney will sometimes be slightly flexible about the age groups for these clubs, and will sometimes allow a child that is a little younger than the target age into the older teen club if they have space in the club your child wants to attend, especially if they have a friend or sibling in the older club. This is not guaranteed, but it’s worth asking.

The Disney Cruise offers many opportunities to meet characters . You will see most of the popular characters at some point or another on the Disney Cruise. Greeting times are available in the Navigator app. The lines for character greetings usually start forming about 15 minutes before the scheduled greeting time, so if you can get there 10 minutes beforehand, you won’t have a long wait once the characters arrive.

Some popular character meetings and meals may require advance booking . There’s no charge for the character meetings, but certain breakfasts or teas with characters may have an additional fee. You should book these as early as you can online; the bookings open on the same schedule as  booking excursions and Palo/Remy/Enchanté . You can also call or stop by guest services on the first day and ask about tickets; they may hold back some slots for onboard booking. Thanks to Sarah B and Rachel P for info.

Bring your kids’ Disney costumes, if they have any. The cruise is a great opportunity to get pictures of your daughter dressed as Belle with the “real” Belle herself, without her having to wear the costume all day.

If you’re on a 7-night cruise, you may have an assigned Character Breakfast on one of the days of the cruise. You’ll get a chance for photos with all the main Disney characters, including Mickey and Minnie!

Most of the character greetings will include a Disney professional photographer , so if your own photo doesn’t turn out you can still buy a memento from Shutters, the onboard photo location.

Read our tips, tricks and discounts on Port Excursions !

The list below is mostly based on reader suggestions. We have to admit, we have taken Disney cruises at various times without these, and everything went just fine. So don’t go too crazy with overpacking! But some of these are good ideas for specific needs.

• Water shoes – Always a good idea if you’ll be snorkeling or wading where there are coral reefs and sharp rocks. Also handy to protect your feet on hot sand, concrete or the pool deck; the sun can make the deck very hot and you’ll want some of these or some simple flip-flops while hanging around the pool. You can wear water shoes that are secure and not likely to come off on the AquaDuck, AquaMouse and AquaDunk, but flip-flops or water shoes that slip off easily will need to be stowed before riding.
• Safe Sea lotion – This is a lotion that protects against jellyfish, sea nettle, and seabather’s eruption , caused by jellyfish larvae that are sometimes called “sea lice.” There is actual independent research that backs this up – we’ve read it and are satisfied that it works. We want to reassure people that large jellyfish are kept out of the lagoon at Castaway Cay by netting under the water, so we’ve never heard of anyone getting a serious sting there, but people do occasionally get seabather’s eruption. At other beaches in the Bahamas and Caribbean jellyfish stings are not common, but they do happen. The peak season for jellyfish is summer (June-August) and they’re rare in winter. We actually had a very minor issue with seabather’s eruption on one trip to Castaway Cay (on some skin that didn’t have lotion; we failed to note that you need to apply some underneath the swimsuit for full protection), and we can attest that while it’s not the end of the world, it’s quite unpleasant and worth avoiding. Certainly the lotion is a cheap form of insurance, and there are formulations that include sunscreen, which you’ll need anyway. Another option is to bring some jellyfish after-sting gel  just in case, or some sources recommend hydrocortisone cream or antihistamine cream .
• Body Powder – If you’ve ever tried to wipe beach sand off your body, you know it tends to stick in an annoying manner. It turns out it sticks to your skin because of residual moisture, and if you just rub your skin with water-absorbent powder (i.e. scented cornstarch), the sand drops right off. We used to recommend a very useful little mitt that contained cornstarch-based body powder for wiping off sand. Apparently that mitt isn’t made any more, but you can get the same effect by just sprinkling the powder on a towel and wiping with that. Do make sure you’re getting plain cornstarch powder, or at least talc-free powder. Talc is not good to breathe.
• Robe – if you like to wear one in your room, you’ll need to bring your own unless you’re in a concierge room. Some people have had luck asking their stateroom attendant, but it’s not guaranteed they can get you one.
• Pop-up Hamper – We like the rectangular kind with a circular opening on the top, as opposed to the ones that look like a big round cloth-covered spring. The squarer ones seem to hold their shape better. They only weigh 8 ounces, fold down to a small circle, and fit nicely into hotel and stateroom closets.
• Dry box/case – Basically, a small waterproof box or pouch on a lanyard. Used by scuba divers and snorkelers, these are handy for any beach visit, because you can keep your ID and some money around your neck, instead of sticking valuables in your shoe and leaving them on the beach (yeah, everyone knows about THAT hiding place!)
• Clothespins – These have a variety of uses, from weighing down a shower curtain that wants to stick to you, to anchoring your beach towel to a lounge chair. You can clip your curtains together if you want to minimize light leakage in the morning. Oh, and you can use them to hang laundry up to dry, too (there’s a retractable clothesline in the bathtub).
• Night light – Particularly if you are staying in one of the Inside cabins on the Magic, Wonder or Wish, this is nice to have. It’s pitch black in those rooms when the lights are off. If you don’t want to use up a wall plug, you can get a USB light that plugs into an empty USB charger port. (It’ll also work in a laptop USB port, but not all laptops keep power to the USB ports when they go to sleep, so you’d want to check that first.) An LED flashlight or headlamp can also be handy if you need to get up in the middle of the night and don’t want to turn on lights.
• Magnets – The stateroom doors are metal (except for the doors in the concierge section of the Dream and Fantasy). You can stick magnets on them to decorate your door, and it makes it easier for your children (and you) to identify your room. Don’t bring anything you can’t bear to lose: these do get taken sometimes. Please note that you are not allowed to use any type of adhesive on your door, including removable gel adhesives that supposedly come off clean. You will be charged for any damage to the door.
• Multi-USB charger – When we have a lot of things to charge while travelling, normally we bring a  travel power strip , but as mentioned below, power strips are generally not allowed on Disney ships. Now we bring a multi-charger, which can charge 4 or more devices from one outlet. We’ve used Anker brand as well as Amazon Basics, and they’ve both been perfectly fine. You’ll need to also bring the USB cable for each device. We’d recommend getting at least a 40W model if you have anything more than just a phone or two. A 60W model typically has six outlets and might be just the thing if you have a lot of tablets and phones to charge, or you want a spare port to plug a USB night light into. Note that on the Magic and Wonder, they’ve installed a few more USA-type power outlets near the desk, and there are a couple of USB charging ports at the desk and on the alarm clock next to the bed. The Wish staterooms have tons of USB charging outlets at the desk and next to the bed, including two USB-C ports, so you can probably get by without a USB charger on that ship.
• Irons are NOT ALLOWED as they are a fire hazard. Fire is a huge danger on cruise ships. If you take an iron it will be confiscated from your luggage. Irons are available for your use in the laundry rooms.
• Rolls of quarters – In the past, these were needed for the self-service laundry onboard, but now you just swipe your room key for use of the washer, dryer, soap and dryer sheets. The cost is charged to your account.
• Over-the-door shoe organizer – Some people have used these to store toiletries or other small items. Disney now asks that you do NOT use them as they “scratch and/or disfigure stateroom doors and trim.” You will be charged for any damage.
• Seasickness medication – Unless you KNOW you get seasick on cruise ships, don’t bother bringing this. If you do get queasy, the ship’s health center or the guest services desk will give you FREE over the counter medication (generic meclizine, the ingredient in Bonine or non-drowsy Dramamine). If you get super-queasy the health center can get you prescription medication (for a fee).
• Beach towels – They are provided when you get off the ship on beach days.
• Power/outlet strip – These are not allowed on the ship. MouseSavers.com reader Christina N reports: “… they confiscated these from my bag and from others. They do not allow them as it blows circuits in the room.” Technically, they only ban extension cords, and power strips with surge protectors, but in practice people have reported having just about any kind of multi-outlet strip or adapter confiscated, because the people doing the screening don’t want to figure out whether your power strip is one of the “bad” ones. One thing not many people know is that there’s an open outlet behind the TV in most cabins on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy. The TVs are on a pivoting arm, so it’s easy to pull them out and expose the spare plug. Many smartphones and smaller tablets can be charged through a USB cable connected to a laptop, so if you take a USB cable you’ll only need one outlet, to plug in the laptop. Or you might want to pack a multi-USB charger like the ones mentioned above. And over time Disney has been adding USB charging ports to the outlets near the desk, so you might not need a power strip depending on how many devices you have.
• Extension cords – the only extension cords allowed on the ship are ones you can borrow from Guest Services ($50 deposit required; refunded when you return the cord). There are a limited number and availability is first-come, first-served. If you need one for a CPAP or other medical device, one will be made available, but all of the ships now have a plug next to the bed, so you shouldn’t need an extension for a CPAP. On the Wish, there are US-style plugs next to one side of the bed, and a European plug on the other side. So if you have a CPAP or other device that goes next to the bed, and you really prefer to sleep on a specific side, make sure you have the correct plug adapter and your CPAP power supply handles both 110 and 220 volt current (almost all of them do, but you should check).
• Hairdryer (maybe) – Hairdryers are provided, but the ones provided might not be up to your standards. If you’re not picky, don’t bother packing one.
• High chair / booster seat – Both are provided on request in the dining room.
• Pack and play crib – These are provided onboard (request when booking your cruise).
• Stroller (maybe) – There are some strollers available to borrow onboard (deposit required) and on Castaway Cay. However, there are a limited number and it’s first-come, first-served. If you have a little one, it’s not a bad idea to bring a small umbrella stroller along.

During the day and most evenings on the Disney Cruise Line, you can wear casual clothing. At dinner, you are asked to stick to “cruise casual.” Most men wear a collared shirt (aloha shirts and golf/polo shirts are fine) and long pants (chinos or dress slacks) or nice shorts. Most women wear a skirt, dress, nice pants or dressy capris. Disney requests no swimwear or tank tops at dinner, but in practice, dressier tank-style tops will usually be acceptable. People who show up to the main dining rooms in swimsuits are almost always asked to change.

There are times when dressing up to some extent is either required or encouraged:

• When having dinner at Palo, Remy or Enchanté, the dress code is basically “business casual plus.” Men are required to wear long pants suitable for professional work (which could include “nice” jeans), collared shirts and dressier shoes. Some men wear suits or even tuxedos. Women can wear pretty much anything “nice” that isn’t swimwear, casual t-shirts, shorts or sportswear. Semi-formal or even formal wear would not be out of place. At Brunch or Tea at either restaurant, the dress code is “cruise casual,” which basically means no shorts, swimsuits, tank tops or flip-flops.
• On 4-night or longer cruises, there will be one or two “optional dress up” nights that you can interpret how you will. Dressing up is not required, but some folks will make an effort to change for dinner. On our most recent Disney cruises we’ve seen a handful of tuxedos on dress-up nights and a few dozen men wearing jackets. A fair number of women were dressed in nicer outfits. Lots and lots of people were just in normal “cruise casual” outfits, so if you don’t like to dress up don’t feel like you’re under any obligation to do so. On the other hand, if you like to dress up, it’s a great opportunity. The crew and the Disney characters will be in nicer clothes, there will be photo stations where you can get a picture of the whole family in nice outfits, and you won’t feel overdressed in a gown or tux.
• Some people like to wear dressy or semi-formal clothing on the nights when they dine in Lumiere’s (Magic), Triton’s (Wonder) or Royal Palace/Royal Court (Dream or Fantasy), since those are the restaurants with the fanciest theming but this is not by any means required.
• Similarly, a few people like to dress in 1920’s inspired clothes when dining in 1923 on the Disney Wish. This is just a fun thing to do and not in any way required.

Where to Buy Disney Cruise Wear

If you’re looking for Disney-themed casual cruise wear (aloha shirts, etc.), a good place to look is DisneyStore.com . Unfortunately they only offer resort wear on a seasonal basis (usually spring and summer), but even in the winter it’s always worth looking to see if they have anything in the sale section.

DisneyStore.com  carries a significant amount of Disney Cruise Line clothing and other logo merchandise as well.

• See current discounts and offers for DisneyStore.com.

Your phone should still be able to reach a tower on land as long as the ship is in port, but once you are at sea, we strongly advise you to turn off international roaming and data roaming, to avoid having your phone accidentally use the “Cellular@Sea” service, which is very expensive. You can (and should) leave wi-fi turned on, so you can use Disney’s Navigator App to see the current schedules and menus and so forth.

You can also use the Disney Navigator App on your own phone to send messages to other people in your party. To get message notifications as quickly as possible, make sure that notifications are enabled for the Disney Navigator app, as well as background updates. Basically in our experience, the Navigator app needs to have all permissions set to “on,” including Location, Bluetooth, Notifications, and Background Update. You can (and perhaps should) turn those off again once your cruise has ended.

If you absolutely must use your phone to call or text while at sea, service may be available on Disney ships through the “Cellular@Sea” service. It is a very expensive form of international roaming and the ship must be 8 to 10 miles out to sea before you can access it. Most phones will just connect to Cellular@Sea without needing any special setup, but be aware that the service includes phone, text messaging, and data . If your phone is set to auto-update, you could end up on the hook for a large data charge because it decided to download a 100MB game update or something. Definitely turn off your cellular data, or set it to not use cellular data when roaming.

US phones will work in most international ports if you have turned on international roaming. You might need to arrange with your provider for that feature to be turned on in advance, but most providers have it set up by default. Depending on your provider, roaming may be very expensive (potentially over $2 per minute, and $10 or more per megabyte of data). Check with your provider for special international roaming packages, which may save you money if you plan to use your phone a lot.

Wireless internet service is available on all Disney ships . All internet is over satellite, and you shouldn’t expect speeds or responsiveness similar to what you get on land, though it’s usually good enough to send messages and emails and use Facebook and other social media.

Internet service on Disney ships is paid for by the day, and is theoretically “unlimited .” It’s pretty fast for cruise ship internet, but still slower than most land-based systems. You’re sharing bandwidth with all the other passengers and crew, so right after you leave a port, expect the internet to crawl as everyone starts posting pictures of their excursions to social media. If you have cellular internet service that works in that country (and is reasonably priced), you may want to post your pictures before you leave port via cellular rather than via wi-fi. If your cellular is flaky, get to the top deck and walk over to the side of the ship closest to land. Alternatively, wait until dinner time, when the wi-fi speeds will pick up considerably.

Prices are (so far) pretty reasonable for cruise ship internet, with a basic single-device plan that lets you use Facebook and similar apps (but not email or web) for $16/day (when purchased for the whole cruise), a fancier plan that includes email and web (but no streaming) for $24/day, and a premium plan that includes music streaming for $34/day. Video streaming is not supported on any plan , so no Netflix or Hulu. Plans cost a little more if you only buy a plan for individual days rather than the whole cruise, and there is a small discount for adding additional devices.

Spa: Treatments, Products and Fitness Center

Spa treatments are very popular and fill up early , so book them as early as you can . If you’re not able to get an appointment before you embark, go to the Spa when you get onboard and you’ll probably be able to arrange one in person.

We don’t recommend having any spa treatments done on the first (embarkation) day , because people are touring the Spa all afternoon and evening, making it busy and not very relaxing. It’s a good day to set up your future appointments, but not as good for actually having treatments done.

The changing rooms in the spa have fluffy robes for your use. Sadly, the robes are all “one size fits most” and aren’t big enough for many people. You then can choose a locker that contains a clean pair of spa sandals. The lockers allow you to set your own combination for secure storage of your personal items. We don’t find the sandals they provide very comfortable (again, they’re “one size fits most”), so we just wear a clean pair of sandals or flip-flops to our spa appointment.

You can change into your robe in the open locker room or in one of the toilet cubicles. Once you’re in your robe and sandals, an attendant will escort you to a quiet waiting room, where you can enjoy some water while you wait for your treatment. After your treatment you’ll be escorted back to the locker room, where you can use one of the spacious showers if you wish. Basic toiletries, disposable combs, etc. are provided. On the Dream and Fantasy, there is a dry sauna in the locker room that you can enjoy after your treatment for no additional charge.

If you are considering a Cabana Massage on Castaway Cay, here are a few things to consider first:

• The cabanas are rustic. There is no running water in them, so your massage therapist cannot wash her hands during your treatment. There is no air conditioning (there is a ceiling fan) or heat so it can be unpleasantly hot in the summer and uncomfortably cool in the winter.
• Your feet and lower legs will almost certainly be covered with sand by the time you get to the cabana, and there’s really no facility for removing it. (There is an outdoor shower near the waiting area, but you’ll then proceed across the sand to the cabana… you’ll get sandy again, trust us.) So the sand inevitably becomes part of the treatment. How you feel about having sandy oil rubbed into your skin is a matter of preference. And remember, the massage oil dissolves any sunscreen you’re wearing, so you’ll need to reapply it afterward, which enters the mix with the sand.
• When you envision this experience, you might think you would be relaxing to the sound of the ocean waves. Nope. The cabanas are located right above the lounge chairs along the beach (though visually separated by some plants), so you will hear the chatter of people sitting right below you.
• The Cabana Massage is billed as featuring “breathtaking views of Serenity Bay.” Well, that’s true for the massage therapist, but you’ll be lying on a table, and you won’t see the scenery from there.
• The Cabana Massage is more expensive than a regular massage in the ship’s spa, yet in many ways you are getting less for your money. If you have a massage on the ship, you’ll have access to showers, a locker room, robes and sandals, etc. With the Cabana Massages, you get none of that.

The Rainforest

The Rainforest is a lovely, relaxing co-ed spa area on each ship.

• On the Magic and Wonder , the Rainforest includes three tiled steam rooms (each a different temperature), some open showers with different scented “rain” programs and a few heated loungers.
• On the Dream and Fantasy , the Rainforest has a dry sauna, a hot steam room and a hammam (a large, tiled steam room that is less hot than the regular steam room), four scented showers with multiple “rain” programs, numerous heated loungers with views of the sea and two hot tubs on a private deck overlooking the water.
• On the Wish , the Rainforest has a dry sauna, hammam, a cryotherapy (cold) room, showers with rain programs, heated loungers, and a nice sun deck ( much larger than the one on the Dream & Fantasy) with two hot tubs and plenty of sun beds. The sun deck is tucked into the nose of the ship, one deck below the promenade, so there’s no ocean view, but you can see the sky and relax in the sun or the shade according to your preference.

You can purchase a day pass or a longer pass for the length of your cruise. A limited number of passes are sold on each sailing. Tip: the Rainforest Room is closed until around 5 on embarkation day, so you won’t typically get a lot of usage on the first day of the cruise. You may find it’s a better deal just to pay day-by-day, or ask if you can buy a shorter pass. The single-day passes for the sea day(s) will go first, followed by the full-cruise passes. A pass for the Castaway Cay day or other port day might be available same day, and could be a good alternative if you’re not interested in that port.

When you want to use the Rainforest, just tell the front desk staff at the spa and they’ll give you a wristband that opens the door to the Rainforest area. They will hold your room key while you are in the Rainforest. You then proceed to the locker room, where you can choose a locker and get a robe and sandals, if desired. A swimsuit must be worn since the Rainforest is mixed-gender.

Towels and drinking water are provided.

The spas on the Disney ships are operated by Steiner, a huge British spa company that runs spas for cruise lines and resorts. The staff do a great job performing the spa treatments, but Steiner trains them to offer product upsells at every reasonable opportunity. The result is that they almost always give cruise passengers a sales pitch on spa products. The products themselves are fine, but they are expensive and getting a sales pitch after your relaxing treatment can be annoying.

You’ll be given a “health form” before your treatment, asking about various health issues. Any issues you write on that form are used to help them sell you stuff (“Oh, I see you have very dry skin. You should try this cream.”). For that reason, unless you have an allergy or injury that directly affects your treatment , we recommend leaving the form as blank as possible .

Some people have tried writing “no sales pitch” on the form, but that is frequently ignored. Here are some other approaches we’ve used with success:

• A polite and friendly “no thank you” when they start showing the products or going through their list of recommendations is our first line of defense. That’s often the end of it! But if they start offering a second sales pitch, we make a concerned/confused face, pause for a moment, and say, again politely, “I’m really not interested, thanks.” The subtext you want to get across is that by not paying attention to your clear and polite “no,” they’re running the risk of affecting your overall satisfaction, with all that implies about things like tips and guest comment cards. You don’t need to make this explicit; the concerned face and second “no” usually does the trick.
• If they start the sales pitch while we are getting a relaxation treatment such as a massage or wrap, we usually just stay silent. We keep our  eyes closed and don’t respond to questions. Usually they quit talking, because it becomes quite awkward for them. But if they persist, we say politely, “Sorry, I’m trying to relax, and silence really helps me with that. Thanks!”
• If we are getting a haircut or pedicure, it’s harder to ignore the sales pitch. So instead we act very enthusiastic about every product they are pushing. Usually they’ll use one or more of the products on us during the service. If they offer samples we take them, with sincere thanks. When we go to check out, there is always a big stack of “suggested” products at the front desk. When they ask us what we’ll be buying, we say “oh, I want to see how the stuff I tried today works out, so I’m not buying anything right now.”
• Remember that no matter what happens, you can always change your mind about the add-on products when you check out. Until you sign the purchase slip, you haven’t purchased anything. Just say, “after thinking it over, I don’t need any products right now. Could you take these off the bill? Thanks.”

Fitness Center

A well-equipped Fitness Center can be accessed through the Spa on all of the ships. It’s usually open from early morning to fairly late – check the Navigator for specific hours. There is no charge to use the Fitness Center. The locker rooms, sauna and showers for the Fitness Center are shared with the Spa. Towels, robes and water are provided, and you can borrow an iPod shuffle if you don’t have your own iPod with you.

You never are expected to add any extra tip over and above the automatic gratuity amounts, which are listed below . You may , if you wish, add more, and you can even adjust certain tips down if you feel it’s warranted. Many people add extra gratuities purely because the service staff on a Disney cruise are extremely helpful and work very hard, but again, no one should ever make you feel like you are required to tip more.

Disney provides suggested tip amounts for the crew members who will assist you throughout the week: your server (takes your food orders for each dinner), assistant server (takes your drink orders at each dinner and delivers the food), head server (in charge of the overall dinner experience, special dietary requests and special occasions), and stateroom host/hostess (takes care of your room). As on all cruise lines, tips are the primary source of income for people working in these positions.

The suggested gratuities for your servers and stateroom host are automatically added to your stateroom bill. If you want to adjust the amount, you can go to Guest Services. Toward the end of the cruise you will be provided with slips indicating the tip amounts, which you can present to your servers during your last dinner on the cruise and leave in your room for your stateroom host. (They will get the money in their accounts whether you give them the slips or not, it’s purely a symbolic way of thanking them for their service. Don’t feel you need to do it if you don’t enjoy that kind of interaction.)

If you are staying in a concierge room, a separate form is provided to add tip for the concierge staff, with a suggested “average” tip amount. You can use your discretion to adjust it up or down based on how much help they provided your family. 

If you dine at Palo, Remy or Enchanté, many people add an additional tip to the per-person charge, though the basic charge is considered by Disney to cover the gratuity.

An automatic gratuity is added to all beverages ordered in bars and lounges; soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and bottled water from room service; and alcoholic beverages/smoothies/bottled water ordered in the dining room. There will also be a line where you can add an additional tip at your discretion.

You can add room service tips to your room bill. Even if your order costs nothing, you’ll be asked to sign a slip, and there is a space for tips on that slip. A dollar or two per item ordered is pretty common, but entirely optional.

You are allowed to give tips to crew members in cash, if you like, and they’re happy to take it in any major currency. If you have a meaningful amount of foreign currency (more than a few dollars worth) after your cruise that you’re unlikely to use anytime in the near future, feel free to leave it for your room host in addition to the automatic gratuity; they’ll be happy to get it.

As the skippers say on the world-famous Jungle Cruise, “You all have been outstanding on this cruise, but now I need you out standing on the dock!” Sadly, your cruise will eventually have to end, and Disney needs to get a few thousand people and their bags off the ship in the space of about 3 hours, so “efficiency” is the word of the day.

A few days before the end of your cruise you should be reminded to check the disembarkation instructions in the Navigator app , and you might get a paper form listing your specific disembarkation instructions. Disembarkation can feel very complicated and rushed, but it’s not that bad once you know how it works.

The first important decision is whether you want Disney to take your big luggage off the ship for you. If you have a lot of bags, or they’re unwieldy, you probably are going to want to have the bags moved for you, but if you can handle your own bags in one trip, that makes things immensely less complicated. These days we always choose to handle our own bags, but there are times we wonder whether it’d be easier to have Disney do it, usually when we’re wrestling our big roller bags down the gangplank. It’s worth trying it both ways if you go on multiple cruises, because you never can tell which one will feel easiest for you.

Whether or not you handle your own bags, you’re supposed to be completely out of your room on the final morning by 8:00 am so they can start cleaning and resetting it for the next guests (sometimes this time can change depending on the disembarkation port – check the sheet they give you or the app to make sure). This can make things logistically complicated, since if you want to do a table-service breakfast, it will be on a fixed schedule based on whether you are on the early or late dinner seating. The first breakfast seating starts early enough to get done before 8:00 am, but the later one does not. So if you plan to do table-service breakfast and you’re on late seating, you will have to take your luggage with you. Most people on late seating line up their bags in the hallway leading to the dining room. Don’t worry, no one will take your bags; your fellow guests are all far too tired. You can take smaller bags into the dining room and park them next to the table as long as they aren’t in the servers’ way. If you are planning an early breakfast in the buffet or you’re having sit-down breakfast on the earlier seating, you can just leave your bags in your room and then come back and retrieve them by 8:00 am.

Option 1: Disney Handles Your Bags

If you decide to have Disney haul your big bags to the terminal, then you’ll need to put most of your bags out the night before (typically by 10:30 pm – check the app to make sure). You need to hang on to at least one or two small bags to hold the stuff you can’t pack early, like toiletries and your pajamas. Make sure not to pack the clothes you’ll need to wear the next morning! You’ll get a set of luggage tags to put on the bags you’re putting out, and there will be a guide showing roughly when each group of bags will be ready to pick up in the terminal. For example, if you have bag tag “Donald Duck”, the sheet might say that your bags will be ready between 8:30-8:45 am. If you need to leave early to catch an flight or something, make sure you’ve got the earliest time they can give you. You can go to Guest Services to change your bag group if needed. On disembarkation morning, they will make periodic announcements about every 15 minutes, as each set of bags gets delivered to the terminal. They ask that you not leave the ship until your bag group gets called.

If you’re out of the room, but they still haven’t called your bag group, you’ll need to find somewhere to wait . In our experience, the lounges in the adult area of the ship are the most likely to have empty seats available, especially the main adult show lounge on the Magic, Wonder, Dream & Fantasy (Fathoms/Azure/Evolution/The Tube). Those are on deck 3, so you can just walk to the atrium when your group is called. On the Wish, there are fewer options on deck 3, so you may end up needing to go to another deck or sit on the floor. On the other hand, if you’re still in the dining room when they call your bag group, there’s not really any harm in waiting until you finish breakfast to disembark, assuming you don’t have transportation waiting for you. Typically they want everyone off by 9:30 am or so, so that’s your hard deadline.

When you get into the terminal, if you’re in a hurry, it’s not a bad idea to ask for a porter’s help. They’re usually lined up in the luggage area with carts, and they know the terminal well and will know if there’s any shortcuts or faster ways to get you into a cab or shuttle. They work for tips, and a typical tip is $1-2 per bag; more if they go above and beyond.

If you booked Disney’s transfers to Walt Disney World or the airport, then the timing is much more fixed. They will assign you a time to get off, and you really need to get off at that time so they can get you on the right bus. Arrange your breakfast plans accordingly.

Option 2: You Handle Your Own Bags

If you’re handling your own bags, there’s not really much you have to do the night before to prepare . Get mostly packed up the night before. Finish packing on the morning of disembarkation, get breakfast if you like, and then just leave the ship. You can leave any time after the ship is cleared, which will be 15-30 minutes after the ship is docked. They won’t necessarily announce to the whole ship that disembarkation has begun, because it’ll happen as early as 6-6:30 in the morning and they don’t want to wake everyone up with an announcement. If you can see that the ship is docked, just head down to deck 3 and wait for them to start letting folks off.

Skip the talks, except for the nature talks on the Alaska cruises, which can be excellent. The shopping talk is just a “rah-rah” for certain shops that are paying a marketing fee, and you might get a few coupons for free (junky) souvenirs. Both the shopping and disembarkation talks are replayed on the television repeatedly. Don’t waste your vacation time attending these lectures in person.

Read additional tips specific to the Disney Dream (which will also apply to the Fantasy) .

So what’s it really like to take a Disney cruise? Here are a few different perspectives on the experience:

• A look at what’s new and different on the Disney Wish , from a preview sailing in July 2022.
• A comparison of taking three cruises on three different ships in a six-month span between March and August 2014. It was rough, but somebody had to do it.
• Taking a cruise on the Disney Fantasy with a baby and a 3 ½-year-old , May 2012.
• First-hand report on the  Disney Fantasy  from March 2012: what’s new and different? See photos and learn more!
•   First impressions of the Disney Dream , from a preview sailing in January 2011.
• In summer 2007, friends of MouseSavers.com Ann and Danilo V wrote a travel blog about taking their 5 children to Europe for the summer. At the end of their trip they took a Disney Mediterranean cruise (10 nights roundtrip from Barcelona) in a Category 3 and a Category 4 stateroom. Then they did the 14-night Transatlantic cruise on the Disney Magic in the Walt Disney Suite!

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40 Disney Cruise Tips and Secrets You Should Know Before You Go

These expert tips will make your Disney cruise vacation even more magical.

Disney cruises take the traditional cruising experience and add a little bit of magic. Even if you think you know all about the ships and activities on board, you can still return to port without having discovered the secret sundecks, unannounced character greetings, and unexpected Mickey-shaped foods. It's easy to miss out on the most interesting facts and features, so we sought out two trusted experts and now these Disney cruise tips and secrets are no longer under wraps.

Meet the Expert

Adrianna Hwang is a planDisney panelist specializing in Disney Cruise Line.

Heather Peggs is a Disney travel expert with Castle Bound Travel Company.

Read on to discover essential tips for planning your Disney Cruise vacation.

Book your cruise early to get the best deal.

Disney uses a dynamic pricing system, meaning the earlier you book, the more you’ll save. Early bookings also ensure that you get your desired cabin. You can even book your next cruise while on board to save even more. The best part? This placeholder is fully refundable if plans change.

Consider booking a themed sailing. 

Disney Cruise Line offers a limited number of themed sailings, including Marvel Day at Sea itineraries. You’ll also want to check out the special holiday cruises surrounding Halloween and Christmas. During these sailings, you’ll spot characters in special outfits and can enjoy themed food and beverage options, specialty entertainment, and much more. Disney Cruise Line guests love to bring themed attire to celebrate the occasion, so pack creatively if you want to partake in the fun.

Save big and let the mouse pick your room.

If you’re not picky about where your cabin is located on the ship, you can save a substantial amount of money by letting Disney pick your cabin. Just select your room type, like an inside cabin, and your specific cabin number will be assigned closer to your sail date.

See if cabin upgrades are available when you arrive at the port.

When available, cruisers may be able to snag an affordable last-minute room upgrade at the port, saving hundreds on a higher-tier room. 

Download the app before you go. 

Disney Cruise Line’s exclusive Navigator app is an absolute must-have to make the most of your time at sea. It adds convenience while taking care of practical vacation elements, like payment, online check-in, and trip modifications. This is also your go-to for pre-registering for Disney Cruise Line’s wide range of activities and keeping tabs on the daily schedule, which includes showtimes and deck parties. You can also communicate with your family and other cruise-goers for free using the app.

And don’t miss out on this convenient notification feature: “Scroll through the daily activity schedule to look for entertainment options that interest you, and be sure to click the heart icon next to any listings you don't want to miss,” planDisney panelist Adrianna Hwang tells Travel + Leisure . “If you've enabled notifications for the app, you'll receive a reminder about 15 minutes before the activity will begin. It's a really helpful feature when you lose track of time relaxing by the pool!” 

This is especially important if character meet-and-greets are a priority for you. “The Disney Cruise Line Navigator app will list character appearance times and locations so that you can be sure to catch your favorite Disney characters on board,” Hwang adds. “If you select the specific character listed in the Daily Activity Schedule within the app, you'll even see the full schedule of times to meet them throughout the cruise so that you can plan accordingly,” Hwang suggests arriving at the greet locations at least five to 10 minutes early.

Use your Castaway Club perks to book extras early. 

If you’re looking to book extras, like shore excursions and elevated dining experiences, your booking window depends on your loyalty to Disney Cruise Line. The Castaway Club is Disney’s version of a frequent cruiser program, and sailors earn status based on the number of sailings they’ve been on. Higher status translates to earlier booking windows, so Disney Cruise Line loyalists can score their desired bookings first. 

Plan to exchange your currency onboard.

Not only does Disney Cruise Line take no commission for exchanging bills , but they'll actually honor the transaction's rate of exchange for any leftover money. Simply present your receipt prior to the end of the cruise, and they'll convert your foreign currency back to your preferred denomination at the same rate, even if the exchange rate has since changed. (Note: This only applies to bills, not coins, and there is no ATM on board.)

Bring a reusable water bottle. 

While there are water fountains and bottle refill stations on board, they can be far away from your room — and disposable bottles (not included in the fare) can add up. The tap water in each room is drinkable, but sinks are often too small to accommodate big bottles. You can bring packs of bottled water, but you'll have to carry it through embarkation — it cannot be packed with luggage — so consider bringing refillable bottles or tumblers.

See characters in their special cruise wardrobe.

Thought you knew everything there was to know about the Fab Five? Wait until you see them in their exclusive Disney Cruise Line wardrobe. Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Mickey, and Minnie wear special outfits for Pirate Night, and they also tailor their outfits to where the ship is headed that day. On Alaska sailings, expect to meet Mickey in fisherman's overalls and Minnie in a fur-lined coat; on trips through the Mediterranean Sea, Goofy dons an Italy-inspired suit. Specialty characters are also known to show up from time to time, like Minnie, Daisy, and Clarabelle appearing as the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus during the spooky season.

Aspiring princesses won’t want to miss the Royal Gathering.

The Royal Gathering is your chance to meet and greet with Disney royalty, like Tiana and Cinderella, all at one time and place. It’s offered on most cruise itineraries but there is a catch: while tickets are free, they are required to attend. “Complimentary tickets to the Royal Gathering are available to be booked online or through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app or Disneycruise.com 30 days before your sail date,” Hwang adds. “Take this experience to the next level for your little one by reserving a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique makeover an hour or two before the Royal Gathering begins.” 

The most memorable character experiences won’t be at meet-and-greets.

The lines to meet Mickey and Minnie are (amazingly!) short on Disney Cruise Line, but other favorites like Daisy Duck are known to freely wander the pool and jogging track decks, playfully surprising guests and often sharing elevator rides for a once-in-a-lifetime interaction. Don't miss the character dance parties either, which allow kids and adults to line dance with Goofy and shake it off with Donald Duck for an experience that goes beyond a hug and photograph.

You're allowed to order more than one dish.

Disney Cruise Line’s dinnertime meal service operates on a rotating restaurant schedule, so you'll get to enjoy each non-premium restaurant the ship offers — and some more than once on longer sailings. These highly themed restaurants, like Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure on the Disney Wish , offer pre-fixe dinner menus. Torn between two entrees? Order them both. Each of your ship’s included rotational dining restaurants comes with a fixed three-course menu, but there's nothing stopping you from ordering two different appetizers or entrees to try.

Splurge on specialty dining. 

Standard dining is fantastic, but Disney ships also have adults-only restaurants available at an extra charge. Depending on your ship, this could include the French-focused Remy or fan-favorite Palo. While Remy and Enchante can be pricey, you can enjoy Palo for around $50. 

And on the Disney Wish , you won’t want to miss its newest iteration, Palo Steakhouse. “If you've sailed with Disney before, you may be familiar with Palo, but on the Wish , Palo Steakhouse is even better,” Heather Peggs, a Disney travel expert with Castle Bound Travel Company, shares with T+L. “I highly recommend trying the A5 wagyu steak, which is about a fifth of the price it would be off the ship, and it's absolutely phenomenal!”

These upgraded dining experiences are known to book up well in advance, but there is occasionally a waitlist available for canceled and missed reservations. “If you can't snag a reservation before the cruise, inquire in person on the day you embark,” Hwang adds. “Look for the activity listed as ‘Dining Reservation Changes’ to speak with a crew member about reservation availability.” 

Request the best seat in the house at dinner. 

Always dreamed of sitting by the stage at Tiana's Place on the Disney Wonder or enjoying dinner in those gorgeous Enchanted Garden booths on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy ? Well, it's not entirely luck of the draw. Nothing is guaranteed, but requests for a certain table can always be added to your Disney Cruise Line reservation, and they are worth the extra phone call. Concierge guests can make seating requests to their Concierge Service Specialist before boarding as well. You never know when Disney will sprinkle a little extra magic onto your vacation.

And don’t miss the best dinner entertainment.

The dinner show at Animator's Palate is a highlight if you’re sailing on the Magic, Wonder, Dream, or Fantasy, but it's the second visit to that dining room that can't be skipped. It's called Animation Magic, and guests get to draw their own characters and see them come to life on the screens mid-meal. The incredible display is only offered on longer sailings on the Disney Magic and Disney Fantasy, so make sure you don’t skip it. Even better? Request that your rotation allows two visits to Animator's Palate that don't overlap with Pirate Night to ensure you enjoy the show.

Grab a free soda at beverage stations.

Soda is included during sit-down meals, but if you’re craving a thirst quencher outside of those times, go to the free-flowing beverage stations near the pools on each Disney ship. Stations also have coffee with milk and sweeteners available.

Sip cocktails at this favorite bar. 

There are plenty of themed watering holes in the adults-only areas of the ships, but on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy , Meridian is the place to be. The upscale bar and lounge is located next door to Palo and Remy on both ships, but it is open to all adults adhering to its business casual dress code. Though known for its martinis, Meridian also offers a cigar bar, custom craft cocktails, and a gin and tonic cart, as well as a private deck hosting a picture-perfect view of nightly sunsets.

Check out the Star Wars -themed bar on the Disney Wish .

The Star Wars : Hyperspace Lounge is a bar exclusively found on the Disney Wish . “Whether you’re an avid Star Wars fan or just want to explore the galaxy, you will be able to enjoy delicious alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages that are simply out of this world,” adds Peggs. Reservations are no longer required, but there might be a wait, especially during peak hours; visit when the ship is in port to avoid the crowds. During the day, guests of all ages are allowed in.

It’s a multi-sensory experience in this immersive, interactive venue, and you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled in case anyone orders the $5,000 Kaiburr Crystal cocktail.  

Save on drinks during happy hour at sea. 

Be sure to check the Navigator app for daily happy hours at different bars and lounges. The exact offers vary, but they can include deals like half-off draft beer and discounts on specialty cocktails. And if you’re looking to take your cocktail knowledge to the next level, cruises also offer add-on mixology classes and tasting experiences.

Ask about the Sommelier Bin for discounted wine. 

Once a bottle of wine is opened, Disney must serve it (in its entirety) that day. Because of this, Disney ships have a sommelier bin, with opened bottles of wine served by the glass at highly discounted rates. This is your chance to sip on otherwise pricey pours at a bargain price. Now that’s Disney magic.

Or B.Y.O.B. to save money.

Looking to save a few bucks? While Disney ships offer a bevy of specialty cocktails, you can bring your own drinks — with some limitations. Hard liquor is a no-go, but each cruiser 21 years of age and up can bring two bottles of wine (or one six-pack of beer) on board with them in their carry-on. If you’re thinking of bringing that bottle of wine with you to dinner, be aware that Disney does charge a corkage fee. You can also bring sealed bottles of water on board with you.

Take a second look at that barbershop on the Disney Wish .

Hook’s Barbery may look like any old upscale barbershop when walking by — but it’s hiding one of the best-kept secrets aboard any Disney ship. Tucked away within the salon is a hidden speakeasy-style bar serving expertly crafted cocktails, including a smoked old fashioned. Its liquor selection is extensive and surprising with rare and vintage pours.

Snack on soft serve on and off the ship.

If you’re a frequent Disney cruiser, you’re probably familiar with the line’s free-flowing soft-serve ice cream. And if the craving strikes when visiting Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, you’ll be glad to know it’s also available on the island for the ultimate sugar rush in the sun.

Get an extra-magical coffee. 

Few can resist a Mickey-shaped treat while visiting any Disney property, but the best mouse-themed treat on the ships can be found at Cove Cafe . Order a cappuccino, ask for Mickey's face on it, and prepare to enjoy your jolt of caffeine with some extra magic. It'll cost a few bucks, but the joy of sipping a “Mickeyccino” will always outshine the complimentary coffee served on board. 

Order a Mickey bar — and more — with free room service. 

You’ll be glad to know that, unlike other cruise lines, Disney Cruise Line’s room service is completely free and offered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The best part? You can have an iconic Disney treat, the Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar, delivered directly to your room.

Book early if you plan to use the ship’s nursery.

Bookings open early for guests looking to take advantage of the onboard nursery. Available for an extra charge, the It’s a Small World Nursery is available to supervise your child ages six months to three years old, ideal if you’d like a quiet dinner or time to explore one of the ship’s many themed lounges without the little one in tow. And don’t forget — the other youth clubs for kids, tweens, and teens are absolutely free.

Teens can hang out in the coolest part of the ship.

Every Disney ship has a Vibe , an onboard youth club that is exclusively available for teens ages 14 to 17. There is supervision, of course, and Disney Cruise Line's famously fun activities, but it's practically a private resort for high schoolers to chill in all day and night — no parents allowed.

Explore the kids clubs during the open house. 

Activities at the Marvel Super Hero Academy and Star Wars : Millennium Falcon play areas are reserved for young ones, but all kids club spaces empty out for the open house hours, when anyone can wander in and check out Vibe's arcade games or Oceaneer Lab's high-tech designs. Don't skip out on Andy's Room, which brings Toy Story to life while making for incredible Instagram snaps. And you won’t want to miss a multi-level slide on the Disney Wish which takes you from floor to floor in the ship’s soaring lobby. “Little ones can get comfortable with and excited about areas where they will play without their grownups,” shares Hwang.

Join a secret community of friends — hiding in plain sight.

Ever seen those homemade decorations hanging beside neighbors' doors? They're called fish extenders, and they're used by a network of families who have packed small gifts, treats, and trinkets to exchange with each other throughout their trip. To get in on the fun for your next sailing, visit the DisBoards Cruise Meets forum or CruiseCritic's Roll Calls . Many times, there are Facebook groups for your exact sailing as well. This can be particularly helpful with shy kids as they can get acquainted with other cruise-goers their age ahead of their journey.

Add an Adventures by Disney trip to your vacation.

You can enhance your Disney Cruise Line experience with Adventures by Disney Escapes before or after your sailing. Experience global cities through expertly curated itineraries in Barcelona, Paris, Rome, and beyond. 

Spring for a concierge-level room and relax on a private sun deck.

There are plenty of perks that come with booking a concierge-level room — namely early access to onboard bookings, personalized service, and in-room amenities. And perhaps the best part is that concierge guests have access to their own private sun and lounge deck outfitted with upscale lounge chairs, complimentary sunscreen, and chilled face towels, as well as a pool deck host who can fulfill any requests for full relaxation.

See the latest Disney movies. 

Enjoy the latest Disney releases at the on-board theater without having to buy tickets in advance. Even better? Many new Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars films have 3-D showings, allowing guests to experience eye-popping effects on the high seas. Movie times are available on the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. And during the holidays, classics are featured, like “Hocus Pocus” during Halloween sailings.

Skip the ports to enjoy fewer crowds at the pool.

It may be tempting to disembark and explore Jamaica or relax on Castaway Cay, but if you stay behind, you can enjoy fewer crowds at the pools. This could be your prime chance to experience the AquaMouse water coaster, the cruise line’s first attraction at sea on the Disney Wish , with little to no line.

There are also lots of activities to take advantage of on board. “I must say I'm a huge fan of staying on board even on port days to explore the array of classes, Broadway-caliber shows, and, of course, the games,” adds Peggs. “If you're looking for family-friendly options, a couple of my favorites are Bingo, which they have every day during your sailing, napkin and towel folding, bar trivia, and so much more!”

Don’t miss the musicals.

While it may be tempting to take advantage of quieter swim times in the evening, you won’t want to miss your ship’s musical offerings. Broadway-quality productions including “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin” (exact offerings depend on the ship) are a must-see. “These are beautifully done and are wonderful for the entire family,” Peggs adds. “Plus, if you purchase a popcorn bucket at the beginning of the cruise, you will be able to enjoy $1.50 refills for the remainder of your cruise!”

There’s an under-the-radar design tour.

Adults 18 and up can enjoy one of the cruise line’s best walking tours. “The Art of The Theme Show Tour gives adults an insightful look into the detailed and thoughtful design of several spaces throughout the ship,” adds Hwang. “It's usually offered in the mornings and provides some fun trivia to share with anyone in your party.” 

Unwind at the spa.

You’re on vacation — it’s time to pamper yourself in the state-of-the-art spa. “If you are interested in booking a spa treatment, attend the open house before the ship sets sail,” Peggs shares. “You might get lucky and win a voucher for 10% off or possibly a facial or massage during the raffle. Speaking of savings, the more spa services you get while on board, the better the price will be. If you want to secure a spa day/week pass, be sure to book them sooner rather than later as they sell out pretty quickly!”

There’s a totally free fan-favorite activity.

If your itinerary takes you to Disney’s Castaway Cay, then you can partake in one of Disney Cruise Line’s most beloved activities, the Castaway Cay 5k — and it’s completely free to all guests. Suitable for runners and walkers alike, this on-your-own race invites you to discover Disney’s private island from a different vantage point as you travel through its stunning tropical paths. All participants receive an exclusive medal when they finish.

Not feeling well during your sailing? Disney can help.

There’s nothing worse than feeling sick on vacation. But have no fear, the mouse is here to help. Each ship is equipped with on-site medical help, and if you experience seasickness, complimentary medicine is available.

Grab every photo before the clock runs out.

Even if you skipped every character meet-and-greet, you'll still be able to cram in a week's worth of photos at "Til' We Meet Again," the goodbye show on the final night of each sailing. After a short heartwarming performance, loads of Disney characters, princesses, and theater performers will disperse throughout the crowd, posing for photos on a first-come, first-served basis. The onboard photographers will have already shut down, so you can snap as many smartphone pictures as you'd like, making for a full album in one fell swoop. This experience only lasts for around 20 minutes; you can find the exact time in the Navigator app.

Want to disembark first? Carry your own bag.

You don’t want to sour a wonderful vacation with a never-ending line simply to exit the ship. Instead of leaving your luggage out the night before, carry it off the ship yourself and arrive at your final destination without having to wait in lengthy port queues.

Related Articles

Booking Onboard Activities and Port Adventures for a Disney Cruise

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So you have booked a Disney Cruise! One of the most exciting things is planning all the fun things you are going to do onboard and at the ports. New Disney Cruise Line Cruisers are able to start booking port adventures and onboard activities for their Disney Cruise at midnight Eastern time 75 days out from their sail date. Before booking these extras, you must complete online check-in. The walk through of this process can be found here .

Once you have completed your online check-in you will be able to start the fun process of adding onboard activities, adult dining, spa activities and port adventures. Hopefully, before this day you have done some research and have an idea of what you want to book. If not, read up on some of the information here .

I find the process of checking in and adding activities easier on the computer since the screen is bigger and I can see more. Disney recently updated the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App to allow you to do this whole process from the app. Read more about that here . The process will be the same whether you are on the app or the website, the screens will just look slightly different.

Booking onboard Activities and Adventures:

You should already be logged in to the Disney Cruise Line page from check-in. You will then want to select “My Plans” or “Book Now” to begin selecting activities:

If it is too early to book activities you will see this error page:

Otherwise you will see your itinerary:

Then click on “Add Activities” the right. I recommend starting with “Onboard Fun” or “Dining”:

You will then be able to see the availability for that day:

And what is not available:

When you find something you would like to book you will have to click “Select”. On the next screen you will choose the guests that will participate in the activity and then click “Check Availability”:

Popular activities can often sell out while you are in the process of booking. (Don’t fret, I’ll talk more about sold out activities later.)

The website won’t let you book activities that overlap, and you can only book Remy, Palo, and special meet and greets once each.

Your plan page will show you what you have booked and on what days:

Other extras:

Once you have all your activities, dining and port adventures booked you can also schedule a character call, add special requests, and add photography packages.

These options are found at the bottom of the main reservation screen:

Choose from Mickey, Goofy or Mickey AND Minnie. The Character calls are fun and can be scheduled in advance or fairly immediately:

Inform DCL of any dining needs, extras for your child or onboard celebrations:

Select photo packages at a   lower cost if purchased at least 2 days before the cruise than the onboard price:

These photo packages can also be refunded before the end of your cruise if you decide you don’t like the pictures or want to change packages.

Activities sold out?

You were up at midnight Eastern time, you checked in fast, but there wasn’t any availability for the Frozen meet and greet !?! Don’t panic! As a first time cruiser I was worried when I didn’t get the Princess Meet and Greet, Palo brunch or a Mixology class. When I got on board the cruise ship I was able to go the dining location that was assigned for changes. They accommodated my changes from late dining to main dining and got me a perfect Palo brunch time.

Later I went to Guest Services and they found a Princess Meet and Greet. I waited on the Mixology class because I didn’t know what my husband would want to do. We decided on Day 3 that we wanted to do a Mixology later that afternoon. Guest Services was able to add us into a class. So don’t fret, just ask for availability once you get on the ship. You will have an magical cruise no matter what you pre-book 75 days out!

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27 Do’s and Don’ts for Your First Day Onboard a Disney Cruise Ship

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You may have waited months or even years for your Disney cruise. Finally, the day is here. You are about to board your Disney cruise.

What are you going to do on that first day of your Disney cruise? How will you get the most out of embarkation day on one of the Disney ships ?

Disney Cruise Tips

Disney cruise veterans may know exactly what they are going to do as soon as they board the ship. Disney Cruise first-timers may have no idea what they want to do.

They can be totally overwhelmed about what to see and do.

Join this Disney Cruise Group for Tips. Secrets and Exclusive Giveaways!

We have spent many months on Disney cruises and can give you some ideas of do’s and don’ts for your first day upon the Disney ship.

DON’T automatically head straight to the Disney ship buffet. Unless you want to follow the crowd.

The Disney Cruise Ship buffet Cabanas or Marceline Market if you are on the Disney Wish, is pretty much where everyone else will go when they board the ship.

Ask a Cast Member where to eat to avoid Cabanas or Marceline Market .

We always much prefer to go to Enchanted Garden on the Fantasy or Dream or Triton’s on the Wonder. It is so much more relaxing.

DO head straight for the Disney Aquaduck if you are sailing on the Disney Fantasy or the Dream.

Or if you are on the Disney Wish, go to the AquaMouse!

Make sure that you pack your swimming gear in your carry-on luggage so that you can avoid the long lines that will soon form.

Be among the first to ride Disney Aquaduck while everyone else is in the buffet!

DO Download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App before you leave port. This will mean that you can use it to see daily onboard activities, menus, and schedules.

The Disney Cruise Line Navigator App is free to download and use onboard the ship. You can even use the onboard chat facility to text fellow passengers for free.

DON”T be hit with a cell phone call and data charges. Always investigate what you will be charged for if you use your cell phone at sea.

Charges can be excessive. You really don’t want the shock of a huge cell phone bill when you get home.

We always switch to airplane mode to be safe, the minute that we leave port.

DO change your rotational dining seating if you are not happy with your allocation. Disney cruise lines always do what they can to accommodate your requests.

If you have early dining and really wanted the later seating your request will usually be accommodated.

Early seating is the most sought-after , but Disney cruise lines want you to be happy.

They will always try to accommodate your request for early dining if they can.

DO make reservations for Palo on all the ships and Remy on the Disney Dream and Fantasy. The new Disney Wish has the exclusive adult dining restaurant Enchante.

Although many of the reservations will have been made prior to sailing they usually have some available.

Check out your Navigators App or schedule to see the number to call or the lounge to visit to talk with the dining reservation Cast Members.

DO visit Guest Services to see if there are any tickets left for the ticketed-only events.

DO go to the Senses Spa and make your reservations if you haven’t already done this online. The popular treatments such as the Couples Spa do book early onboard a Disney Cruise.

If you want a length of cruise pass for the Disney Rainforest Room you really need to book this on your first day as they only sell a limited amount.

DON”T forget to take lots of photos. You will have many amazing memories from this Disney cruise.

It is so easy to take hundreds of photos that will remind you of happy times for many years ahead.

You may also want to consider buying the Disney Cruise Photo Package. Click Here to find out how to save money on this option.

DON”T skip the mandatory Muster Drill. The information about where your Muster Station is will be on your Key to the World Card and your Navigators App.

The Muster Drill is usually held around 4 pm, before Sail Away. You will either have your Muster Drill in one of the restaurants or out on Deck. If you are unsure of the location on any of the saftery procedures, always ask a Cast Member.

Please always be on time to the Muster Drill. It can’t start until everyone is there. So if you are late you are going to be delaying a lot of people onboard as they all have to wait for you.

DO visit the Port Adventures Desk if you still need to book your excursions and activities for all ports of call.

If you are still undecided about what to do on Castaway Cay you can visit our Disney Cruise Castaway Cay Activities Guide

DO sign up for any classes that you think you will enjoy.

The Wine Tasting and Mixology events are very popular and do get booked up. Go to Guest Services to reserve your space.

DO take some time to walk around the ship to get orientated.

It can take some time to get familiar with where various features are on the Disney ships .

Remember that you can always ask a Cast Member for help!

DON’T skip the Disney Cruise Sailing Away Party. They are always a lot of fun and get you into vacation mode!

DO try out the Drink of the Day.

These are a bargain at $5.25 plus gratuity. We usually find that the cocktails on the first day are rather more generous with the alcohol!

Always remember that you can take 2 bottles of wine per adult with you onto the Disney Cruise.

You must pack the bottles in your carry-on.

This is a great 2-Bottle Wine/Water Bottle Tote to protect the bottles in your carry-on bag.

DO check out the adults-only areas on each of the Disney ships if you can.

We always go to Satellite Falls on the Disney Fantasy and the Quiet Cove Pool on any of the Disney ships. It tends to be quieter on the first day.

DON”T miss the first night of entertainment. Disney cruise lines have the best entertainment at sea. The first night sets the standard and you will see some of your Disney favorite characters.

DO take the time to meet your Stateroom Host They work incredibly hard to make your stateroom experience memorable.

If you need anything extra such as blankets or pillows make sure that you ask them. They will be happy to help.

DO browse around the shops as soon as you can. They won’t be open until you sail away.

However, the first night is the perfect time to check out what is available. If you see something that you want then buy it as supplies run out quickly.

DO go to your first rotational dining restaurant. This is the first time that you will meet your Disney wait staff. They will soon get to know you and your preferences for dinner.

The food on a Disney Cruise is amazing!

Still don’t know how Disney dining works on a cruise? Check out our guide at How Does Disney Cruise Rotational Dining Work?

DO take advantage of your balcony if you have a verandah stateroom. There is nothing like watching the sunset over the ocean, or simply putting your feet up and relaxing in your own space.

DON’T forget to take the Walking Ship Tour.

This is a really good way to get to know where everything is on the ship. It is usually scheduled for around 1.45 and 2.15 on the first day and repeats on select days on the cruise.

DON”T leave it too long to unpack. There is a lot of storage space in all Disney cruise staterooms .

They are well thought out. It doesn’t need to take a long time to unpack.

You can personalize your stateroom and make your stateroom a home away from home, particularly if you have followed our Useful Things to Pack For A Disney Cruise guide.

DO take the kids to the Open House at the Youth Activities Center. Most children love the kid’s clubs on a Disney cruise and this will give them a chance to make friends early on.

It will also give you the chance to go and enjoy some time in one of the adults-only areas on the ship!

DO check out your Navigator’s schedule to see when your favorite Disney characters are available for meet and greet.

DON”T miss all the Disney movies which are shown on a Disney cruise. The Buena Vista Theater is a great place to watch classic and new-release Disney movies .

A special treat is to watch a Disney movie on Funnel Vision at the pool.

Plan to do this at least once at night after dinner and a show. There is nothing like sitting out under the stars and watching a great Disney movie.

DO savor the moment. Time onboard your Disney ship seems to go so quickly.

The first day of your Disney Cruise is the day that you have been looking forward to. Make the most of these moments with your loved ones.

Join my Disney Cruise Group for exclusive Tips and Free Giveaways!

Follow me on Pinterest and Facebook

Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando.  In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 45 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 200,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.

Saturday 27th of April 2024

You mention signing up for “classes” as in wine tasting & mixology, are these free? If not, how much are they?

Thursday 2nd of May 2024

Unfortunately they are not free. Here is a guide to all of the tastings available and the current pricing https://www.everythingmouse.com/disney-cruise-tastings

Disney Cruise Tips107 Disney Cruise Tips and Hacks You Have to Know Before You Sail 2018 - EverythingMouse Guide To Disney

Saturday 21st of July 2018

[…] 27 Do’s and Don’ts For Your First Day On A Disney Cruise Ship […]

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I Was On The First Sailing Of The Disney Wish, Here Are My 10 Favorite Experiences On Board

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Note: The Travel Awaits team regularly updates content to provide the latest, and most accurate information to our readers. The updated content in this article may not reflect the views or opinions of the original author.

For the first time in forever, the Disney Cruise Line has added a brand-new ship to its fleet. The 4,000-passenger Disney Wish is the cruise line’s first new ship in 10 years, and it was worth the wait. Disney Wish is filled with magical experiences, innovative technology, cinematic dining adventures, and immersive storytelling that brings much-loved Disney characters to life.

Joining the rest of Disney’s fleet, Disney Magic , Disney Wonder , Disney Dream , and  Disney Fantasy , is Disney Cruise’s newest ship, the Disney Wish . This vacation experience is designed to please families and multigenerational groups as well as adults traveling without kids. This floating luxury resort is packed with boatloads of fun, superb family-friendly staterooms , and some royal suites. Disney Wish sails 3- and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida to Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney’s island in the Bahamas. Guests often combine these sailings with a few days at Walt Disney World to get the best Disney vacation on both land and sea.

I was invited by Disney Cruise Line to be their guest on the Disney Wish christening cruise. Several attractions and experiences still needed a little pixie dust to be fully ready, but we were able to sample nearly all of them during our 3-night sailing.

Here are my 10 favorite experiences on the new Disney Wish :

1. Making A Grand Entrance

There’s something special about stepping aboard the Disney Wish . The ship’s theme is “enchantment.” The magic comes alive when entering the dazzling fairytale-inspired Grand Hall. While boarding, a crew member announces your name to all those in the Grand Hall, and clapping ensues. While this occurs on every Disney Cruise Line ship, the Grand Hall’s opulent setting made me feel like I was being formally welcomed to Cinderella’s castle at sea.

The Grand Hall’s magnificent chandelier features a spectacular wishing star that comes alive at certain times through the wonders of technology. Children receive their own wishing wand upon boarding so they can make their first vacation wish when entering the Grand Hall. Make sure to return to the Grand Hall in the evening to experience the mesmerizing “Kiss Goodnight” during your  Disney Wish  cruise.

Pro Tip: Look for Disney princesses appearing on the balcony of the Grand Hall as you enter. Disney characters can often be seen in and around the Grand Hall during sailings. Check the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app for scheduled appearances. 

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2. Feeling Like A Kid Again

The Disney Wish is an exceptional vacation destination for kids, teens, and adults who love staying connected with their inner child. Guests become immersed in a wonderland of familiar stories and beloved Disney characters. I always look forward to seeing the magic through kids’ eyes on a Disney cruise , and the Disney Wish kid’s and teen’s clubs are out of this world. Adults will be jealous, and kids won’t want to leave.

Disney’s Oceaneer Club

Disney’s Oceaneer Club is the best cruise ship area I’ve seen for children ages three to 12. The kids club features more extraordinarily well-themed areas than ever, including Fairytale Hall, Star Wars : Cargo Bay, Marvel Super Hero Academy, Walt Disney Imagineering Lab, and Mickey and Minnie Captain’s Deck. The attention to detail in these spaces is mind-blowing, particularly in Star Wars: Cargo Bay. Children can check in to Disney’s Oceaneer Club in the Grand Hall, then slide “down the rabbit hole” directly to their club on Deck 2.

Pro Tip: Adults can access Disney’s Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Club slide at the open house on embarkation day and during select Oceaneer Club open house events throughout the voyage. Ride the slide — your inner child will love it!

“It’s A Small World” Nursery

Plus other kids’ and young adult areas.

Kids of all ages have their special place on the Disney Wish . “It’s a small world” nursery caters to young cruisers ages six months to three years, while tweens and teens have their own hangouts. Edge is for tweens aged 11 to 14 and teens aged 14 to 17 have stylish Vibe. There’s also The Hideaway, a multi-purpose area that hosts events for young adults aged 18 to 20.

3. Riding AquaMouse

Disney calls AquaMouse its “first Disney attraction at sea,” and this first-of-its-kind water coaster delivers tons of family fun. As an avid lover of waterslides and coasters, AquaMouse was a must-do on my Disney Wish voyage. Based on The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse series, the ride includes 760 feet of tubes winding around the ship’s top deck, over 60 water features, special lighting effects, an entertaining cinematic show, and spectacular ocean views.

Guests board their two-seat ride raft and are conveyed through the lift hill tunnel while watching one of two new Disney animated short cartoons. Then, you’re off on a wild ride up around the ship’s upper decks, jetting up and down via speed blasters. It’s a cute ride — and you will certainly get wet. 

AquaMouse age and height requirements make the attraction accessible to many families with kids. The water ride is fun and adventurous without being too scary or overwhelming for younger kids. The Disney Wish family area also features six pools, plus a Toy Story Splash Zone for little ones.

Pro Tip: AquaMouse lines can be lengthy, so go first thing in the morning or during dinner seatings. If there are long lines, check out Chip ’n Dale’s Pool on Deck 14. It offers covered loungers and incredible views.

4. Adults-Only Restaurants

Palo Steakhouse

Palo Steakhouse is one of two exquisite adults-only specialty dining venues on Disney Wish . It’s an elegant Beauty and the Beast -inspired setting with wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows, cozy booths, and spectacular views. The service and cuisine are exceptional. Our meal at Palo Steakhouse was one of the best we’ve had on a cruise and included antipasti, Japanese A5 Wagyu beef, pan-seared salmon, and butternut squash agnolotti. The tiramisu and six-layer carrot cake are decadent and delicious.

Enchanté By Chef Arnaud Lallement

The ship’s second adults-only dining experience is Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement , a celebrated gourmet restaurant created by three-star Michelin French Chef Arnaud Lallement. 

Pro Tip: There’s an additional charge to dine at both restaurants . Guests must be 18 or older, and reservations should be made as far in advance as possible.\

5. The Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party

Disney’s parks are famed for their spectacular nighttime events, so it’s no surprise this floating theme park at sea has an amazing celebration as well. The “ Pirate’s Rockin’ Parlay Party ” is a brand-new version of Disney Cruise Line’s pirate-themed nighttime deck party featuring live rock ‘n’ roll music, stunts, amazing special effects, and even a fireworks show at sea.

Inspired by Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, the pirate night extravaganza features Captain Redd and her pirate band along with an appearance by Captain Jack Sparrow. Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line that includes fireworks shows regularly on its voyages, and I always look forward to their dazzling displays.

Pro Tip: The fireworks launch over the Disney ship’s starboard side. We watched from Deck 12, and the views were incredible.

6. Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge   

I couldn’t wait to experience Disney Wish’s Star Wars -themed bar at sea, and the immersive experience lived up to the hype for me. Yes, there’s a $5,000 drink on the menu, but this venue is so much more. The lounge is designed to feel like a lavish starcruiser where guests can sip creative intergalactic concoctions while enjoying the panoramic vistas of galaxies far, far away. I was completely mesmerized watching the action-packed encounters and stunning views of places like Endor and Tatooine. The viewport’s scenes blur as the ship periodically “jumps” to a new location via hyperspace, and it’s hard to get bored.

The highly themed cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks here are great. Some of our favorites included the zero-proof Temple Twist, The Golden One from the Moons of Endor, Berken’s Flow, and The Chancellor — complete with an added bubble of cinnamon smoke.

Pro Tip: This sought-after experience is currently limited to 45 minutes. Guests can make reservations using the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app on embarkation day once they are on board. Families can access the lounge during the day, but the space converts to adults-only at 9 p.m.

7. Disney Wish ’s Rotational Dining

Disney Wish offers three rotational specialty quality dining venues for guests, including the first and only Frozen and Marvel-inspired restaurants at sea. No surcharges are involved, and your wait staff moves dining rooms with you each night.

Worlds Of Marvel

Worlds of Marvel is an interactive cinematic delight featuring Avengers: Quantum Encounter starring Ant-Man and the Wasp. The dining experience is filled with mission-intensive storytelling, Marvel-inspired menu items, and character appearances that will keep both adults and kids engaged. Each table has a quantum core, and we had fun interacting with it to help save the day.

Pro Tip: It’s great to attend the Marvel Super Hero Academy open house to get the backstory for the Worlds of Marvel cinematic entertainment show. 

Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure

Celebrate the engagement of Queen Anna and Kristoff at Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure . This entertaining dinner theater-type experience stars favorite characters from Disney’s blockbuster hit Frozen . Guests will enjoy the character interactions, live band, great food, and fantastic entertainers who bring the world of Frozen to life. The Nordic-style cuisine is excellent here, particularly the seafood.

Disney Wish ‘s third restaurant, 1923 , offers a classy entertainment-free dining experience where the food is the star of the show. One half of the restaurant is dedicated to Walt Disney and the other to Roy Disney.

8. Adults-Only Areas

The Disney Wish was designed to cater to adults sailing without children as well as parents and grandparents traveling with kids. As a result, there are plenty of adult-only spaces spread across multiple decks, and the cocktail lounges are superb. My favorites were The Rose, Nightingale’s, and The Bayou , a stunning magnolia-canopied lounge inspired by Disney Animation Studios’ film The Princess and the Frog .

Additional memorable adults-only spots on the Disney Wish include the Quiet Cove’s aft-facing infinity pool, the Moana- inspired Cove Café, and the Senses Spa’s Rainforest experience featuring a brand-new outdoor oasis. Purchase rainforest passes as far in advance as possible.

Pro Tip: There’s live jazz music in the evenings at The Bayou and live piano music at Nightingale’s. If you want to have more time for evening entertainment, it might be best to choose the early dinner seating.

9. Enchanting New Shows

Disney Cruise Line ’s entertainment is Broadway-caliber, and the Walt Disney Theatre’s immersive performances bring the magic to life. We saw previews of Disney The Little Mermaid and Disney Seas the Adventure , two brand-new shows making their debut on the Disney Wish . Both were outstanding. Guests will also be able to enjoy a reimagined adaptation of Disney’s Aladdin — A Musical Spectacular on future Disney Wish sailings.

Entertainment choices abound on the Disney Wish , including free first-run movie showings in the Never Land and Wonderland cinemas, shows and interactive features on the Grand Hall’s atrium stage, and programming in the new Luna entertainment hub. This wealth of indoor entertainment options will help keep families happy, even in inclement weather.

Pro Tip: Wheelchair-accessible seating is available in Disney Wish cinemas and the Walt Disney Theatre. Starting 30 minutes before show times, crew members are available at the Deck 3 entrance to the Walt Disney Theatre to assist guests to wheelchair-accessible seating.

10. Incredible, Interactive Games

Disney Uncharted Adventure

Disney Uncharted Adventure is a first-of-its-kind interactive game played through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. We previewed this free immersive experience on our sailing, and it takes storytelling to a new level. Guests can create their own avatars then head out on themed quests throughout the ship. The multidimensional journey features augmented reality and special effects, unlocking hidden layers of magic around the ship. I loved being immersed in this adventure, and the technology is amazing.

Pro Tip: Disney Uncharted Adventure is a fantastic experience to play with family and friends. Families can play together by linking up to six mobile devices at once or team up by using just one or two devices at a time.

More action-packed games are available in Disney Wish’s Hero Zone sports arena. Don’t miss running through The Incredibles -themed inflatable obstacle course, which is featured in the ship’s Incredi-Games experience. It’s lots of fun, and it’s not just for kids. Time slots are pre-announced, so check the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to see when the obstacle course will be available.

Nancy is founder of the Family Travel Network, launched in partnership with America Online. She serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association and is a consultant and frequent presenter at top travel industry conferences and events. Nancy is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association. She was honored with the Family Travel Association's Mike Janes Media Member Award in 2022.

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• 14 min read

Things to Do on the Disney Wish: Onboard Activities

Updated: Aug 13

Disney Wish is the newest Disney cruise ship available for sailing right now. It launched in June 2022 and is approaching its second year of service! The Disney Wish is a Triton-class ship and, currently, is the largest Disney cruise ship in the fleet, measuring 1,119 feet long and 128 feet wide. The Disney Wish can accommodate up to 4,000 passengers, and there are plenty of daily activities on the ship to entertain every one of those guests!

Unfortunately, the disney wish only offers 3-night and 4-night sailings, making it challenging to fully enjoy every activity, bar, lounge, or experience. however, it keeps you wanting to come back to explore it all this blog post will delve into all the onboard activities you can enjoy during your voyage.

Disney Cruise Fun Facts:

- The first-ever Disney cruise ship was the Disney Magic, launched in 1998.

- the disney treasure is being built and will launch in december 2024. it will be the disney wish's sister ship., - there are two more disney cruise ships in the line-up set to sail in 2025..

Character Meet and Greets

The main difference between other cruise lines and Disney Cruise Line (DCL) is that you will be sailing with your favorite Disney characters! While onboard, you can meet Captain Minnie, Captain Mickey, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, and some of your other favorite characters!

The lines for the meet and greets tend to start before the time listed on the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App, and if you want to be guaranteed to see that character, you should be in line before the start time or shortly after. Depending on the popularity of that character and their outfit dictates when they close the line.

Royal Gathering 

The Royal Gathering is an opportunity for DCL guests to meet all of the princesses onboard at the same time in the same place. It is a separately ticketed event, but it is one of the few that is free of charge! You can get tickets for this event in the "Onboard Fun" section of the app 30 days before your sailing! You will want to be on the app at midnight since tickets sell out fast!

Some of the princesses you can meet include Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, Rapunzel, Tiana, and Moana. The princesses at the Royal Gathering are different on each sailing, so it is always a fun surprise to see who could join on your adventure! If you cannot get a reservation before sailing, visit the Guest Services Desk onboard to be placed on the wait list or inquire about any cancellations.

The Disney Cruise Line ships all offer kids clubs for your children aged 3 - 17 to enjoy free of charge! These include the Oceaneer Club for elementary-aged kids (3 - 10), Edge for middle schoolers (11 - 14), and Vibe for high schoolers (14 - 17). Please note that age groups may vary. These kids' clubs will keep your kiddos entertained all day with interactive elements, games, and lots of new friends! 

The great part about the kids' clubs is that there are a few open house hours throughout the sailing, where anyone can come in to enjoy the experience this is perfect for parents who want to join their kids on their fun adventure, adults who want to play video games at edge or vibe, and those on the cusp of the other age group who want to see what the other location is doing. .

If you have infants or children who are not potty trained, there is an onboard nursery ($) called "it's a small world" nursery! At the nursery, skilled Disney counselors offer top-notch care and entertainment for children aged six months to 3 years (1 to 3 years on select itineraries). Parents can relax knowing that activities such as movie time, storytime, and arts and crafts will keep their little ones engaged.

With the convenience of discreetly checking on your child through a window into the main play area, you can explore the ship worry-free. due to limited space, it is advisable to book early, either during the open house on embarkation day or throughout the cruise. the nursery charges around $9 per hour per child. .

Pirate Night

Pirate Night is Disney Cruise Line's themed night with various Pirate activities throughout the evening. Dress up in your best pirate gear to be ready for a buccaneer bash! You will get to enjoy pirate-themed trivia and games and meet your favorite Disney characters in their Pirate outfits! There is also a Pirate Deck Party before dinner where Captain Minnie, Captain Mickey, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, and other Pirate Friends try to save the ship from being taken over by Captain Hook. 

On 4-night sailings, pirate night dawns a different menu at each of the main dining rooms. you will experience a pirate-themed dining adventure, where servers greet you with "ahoy matey" and "arrr" the menu on pirate night resembles a treasure map, featuring dishes like jolly rogers barbecue rib salad and pirates gold-en pot stickers. on 3-night cruises, you will not experience this change in menu or theme - your main dining room will continue as normal. you are still welcome to come to dinner in your pirate gear.

Specifically on the Disney Wish, guests of all ages can enjoy live music, thrilling stunts, and surprises on the upper decks. Led by Captain Redd and her crew, including a surprise appearance from Captain Jack Sparrow, the show features hit songs and a fireworks display set to the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack.

Broadway-Style Shows

Experience the magic of Broadway-style entertainment aboard Disney ships, where you will find three captivating shows in the evening. On the Disney Wish, immerse yourself in "Disney Seas the Adventure," where Captain Minnie Mouse passes the helm to Goofy. Delight in "Disney The Little Mermaid," a unique adaptation of the beloved film, reimagined for the stage. Then, journey to Agrabah with "Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular," where the Genie and iconic characters come to life in a laughter-filled production.

First-Run Movies

Onboard the Disney Wish are two movie theaters, Wonderland and Neverland Cinema. At both locations, you will find first-run movies playing every day of your sailing. During our sailing, they were playing The Marvels and Wish, which were released in theaters two months prior! These theaters also play older Disney movies for your viewing pleasure.

Disney cruise tip: you can purchase popcorn ($) to enjoy before your movie and grab soft drinks from the pool deck to enjoy as well if you were to ask for a drink at the movie concession stand, you would be charged as they are the canned version. .

Other Disney Movies

At the pool deck on the Disney Wish, you will encounter Funnel Vision, which plays older Disney movies for you to enjoy while you are laying out catching some rays or taking a dip in the pools. Funnel Vision consists of one big screen in the middle with three smaller wide screens lined up on the bottom. We saw them playing Moana, Finding Nemo, The Muppets, and Brave!

Pools, Water Slides, Splash Pad, and the Adults-Only Section

The Disney Wish offers a plethora of aquatic delights, featuring small pools like Mickey's, Minnie's, Daisy's, and Pluto's on its upper decks. For adults seeking tranquility, the Quiet Cove Pool area on Deck 13 boasts an infinity pool, hot tub, bar, and lounge. 

Thrill-seekers can experience the AquaMouse, a captivating interactive water coaster spanning the ship - featuring show scenes, lighting, and special effects. Additionally, the Slide-a-saurus Rex provides exhilarating twists and turns within the Toy Story Splash Zone, a whimsical water playground complete with water jets, bubblers, and geysers. 

Bars and Lounges 

The Wish offers a diverse array of bars and lounges, each with its own unique theme, layout, drinks ($), and ambiance. Whether you are seeking a breezy retreat or an immersive experience, there is something to suit every taste aboard.

- currents: perched on deck 13, this open-air bar offers stunning sea views and a relaxed atmosphere, perfect for enjoying a cocktail while soaking in the scenery., - cove cafe: escape to laid-back sophistication at this adults-only retreat, offering specialty coffee and drinks throughout the day, as well as evening cocktails and socializing opportunities..

- Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge: Embark on an intergalactic journey in this immersive lounge, where signature cocktails and interactive experiences transport you to the iconic destinations of the Star Wars universe.

- keg & compass: step into the swashbuckling ambiance of this old world pub, where adventurous spirits and curated drinks await amidst intricate nautical decor. guests can also catch live sports, news, and major broadcast events while indulging in their favorite beverages., - nightingale's: transport yourself to a fairytale world in this dreamy piano bar, where smooth drinks and enchanting melodies create a romantic atmosphere inspired by cinderella's classic song., - the rose: indulge in luxury at this elegant lounge, where plush seating, panoramic views, and high-end drinks create the perfect setting for a pre-dinner aperitif or post-dinner nightcap., - luna: from family-friendly fun during the day to dazzling adult-exclusive entertainment at night, luna offers a versatile experience with its twinkling lounge and in-house bar..

- The Bayou: Experience the warmth of Southern hospitality in this inviting bar, where spirited cocktails and live music set the stage for a magical evening inspired by the enchanting world of The Princess and the Frog.

Beverage Tastings ($)

Indulge your taste buds in a delightful journey of discovery with Beverage Tastings aboard Disney Cruise Line. From wine to beer, spirits, and more, these informative seminars offer an array of sampling experiences tailored to diverse preferences. Using the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App, guests can book tastings to explore the intricacies of Italian Amari drinks, bourbon complexities, tropical delights like Mojito & Caipirinha, and even attend a mixology class to master the art of crafting cocktails.

Arts and Crafts

During our sailing, there was at least one arts and crafts session each day! We were provided with the supplies and had about 30 to 45 minutes for each craft, although we were welcome to continue on our crafts once the cast member left. Some sessions included coloring pages, but most of the arts and crafts sessions were creating 3-D art. 

We cut out and folded a model Disney Wish ship, Captain Minnie, Captain Mickey, Flounder, and my favorite, Pascal! The cast member who helped us create Pascal also gave us magnets to make him into a shoulder pal, which went perfectly with my Rapunzel bounding dress! 

Experience a daily lineup of entertaining game shows aboard the disney wish, featuring a variety of activities such as trivia, karaoke, and the hilarious match your mate (18+). test your knowledge with trivia sessions covering topics from disney villains to theme songs and 70's music, or showcase your vocal talents with karaoke for all ages., for adults seeking laughs, match your mate offers a comical twist on the classic newlywed game format, providing entertainment and laughter for both contestants and audience members alike..

The Disney Wish offers a Nightclub experience in the Luna Lounge, catering to adults aged 18 and older. While a regular club night is available most nights, our favorite night was during the adults-only silent disco. Guests aged 18 and older can enjoy dancing and singing along to music played through wireless headphones, with various channels available to choose from.

This innovative concept creates an immersive and enjoyable atmosphere where attendees can select their preferred tunes and dance the night away, all while the room remains silent to those without headphones..

The Hero Zone aboard the Disney Wish offers a climate-controlled indoor sports area on deck 12 aft, perfect for the whole family. This popular spot features basketball courts, corn hole, air hockey, ping pong, and foosball, providing endless entertainment for guests of all ages. 

When not transformed into a training ground for supers, the hero zone hosts friendly competitions in basketball, soccer, and various tabletop games. guests can also enjoy game-show-style competitions and the adorable jack-jack’s incredible diaper dash, where tots compete for the title of diaper dash champion amidst cheers and laughter from family and friends..

Incredi-Course

At the Hero Zone on the Disney Wish, guests can tackle the thrilling Incredi-Course, an inflatable obstacle course inspired by the dynamic powers of the Parr family and Frozone. Participants, who must be at least 40 inches tall and wear socks, can test their strength, speed, and stamina alongside their families. 

Each obstacle on the course, including Mr. Incredible’s Power Punch and Violet’s Force Field Swing, offers a unique challenge amidst high-energy music. Incredi-Course is an exclusive opportunity to challenge your friend or loved one on this inflatable obstacle course available only during Nassau port days. 

Senses Fitness Center

Guests aboard the Disney Wish can stay active and energized at the Senses Fitness Center, a fully equipped workout facility offering top-of-the-line weight machines and leading-edge cardiovascular equipment such as treadmills and ellipticals. Whether it is joining classes for aerobics, yoga, or Pilates instruction (based on availability) or opting for personal training sessions (extra charge applies), there are plenty of options to cater to individual fitness needs and preferences.

Senses Spa ($), Untangled Salon ($), and Hook's Barbery ($)

At Senses Spa aboard the Disney Wish, guests can indulge in tranquility with various spa treatments. Relax in the Rainforest - an indoor sanctuary featuring heated lounges, fountains, and aromatherapy steam rooms - or bask in the refreshing outdoor pools under specially designed canopies. 

Untangled Salon offers high-end treatments inspired by Rapunzel, including hairstyling, in a light and airy space adorned with Tangled-themed decorations. 

Meanwhile, hook’s barbery provides upscale grooming services in a salon reminiscent of captain hook’s private quarters on the jolly roger. guests can enjoy hairstyling, nail, and skin care treatments, as well as exclusive whiskey, bourbon, and rum tastings for adults aged 21 and older..

Shopping ($)

On board the Disney Wish, guests can enjoy a diverse shopping experience with duty-free options once sailing in international waters. From swimwear and graphic tees at Dory's Forget Me Knots to luxury bags and OMEGA watches at Royal Regalia, there is something for everyone. Indulge in hand-scooped gelato and other sweets at Inside Out: Joyful Sweets or explore high-end collections from brands like Cartier and Panerai at Once Upon a Time. 

For those seeking timepieces, 3 Wishes offers selections from Breitling, Hublot, and TAG Heuer. Additionally, Treasures Untold presents designer fragrances, handbags, watches, and exclusive Disney Wish collectibles. Do not forget to visit Mickey’s Mainsail for specially-designed Disney Cruise Line merchandise, costumes, and accessories, ensuring a memorable shopping experience for all guests.

Kiss Goodnight at Midnight in the Atrium

Each night, exclusively on the Disney Wish, guests can experience the enchanting "Kiss Goodnight" event in the lobby atrium at midnight. As Cinderella's song "So This Is Love" fills the air, sung by Ilene Woods, the atrium lights up in a magical display. When the clock strikes midnight, chimes signal the end of the night, accompanied by Cinderella's voice announcing, "It's midnight!" The lights gently fade out, marking the conclusion of this memorable nightly celebration.

Disney Wish Walking Ship Tour

Guests aboard the Disney Wish can embark on the "Walking the Wish" guided tour, an exploration of the ship's storytelling and innovative technology. To participate, guests can check the availability on the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App upon boarding. This complimentary one-hour tour, led by a knowledgeable cast member, offers insights into various ship features not typically highlighted, making it a unique and educational experience during the cruise.

Disney Uncharted Adventure

Embark on an extraordinary adventure with Disney Uncharted Adventure, an interactive experience utilizing augmented reality and physical effects on the Disney Cruise Line. Led by Captain Minnie, guests journey across the sky to restore the Wishing Star's magic, exploring iconic Disney and Pixar locales such as Never Land and Moana’s Motunui. 

With the Navigator app, transform your mobile device into a magical spyglass, unveiling hidden constellations and immersing yourself in the action. Join Tiana to cook gumbo, summon Tinker Bell, and interact virtually with beloved characters. Conclude your adventure with the live finale, the Battle for the Wishing Star, creating unforgettable memories with family and friends.

Olaf’s Royal Picnic ($)

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Olaf's Royal Picnic aboard the Disney Wish, a magical summer celebration for children aged 3 to 12. Hosted in the beautiful Arendelle Castle, this unique picnic experience features beloved Frozen characters like Olaf, Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff, as part of the Nordic Midsummer Festivals. Guests are greeted with a sunflower-filled indoor meadow and treated to summertime melodies, treats, and merriment. 

Indulge in fresh finger sandwiches, refreshing beverages, and a delightful assortment of desserts while creating unforgettable memories. This specially priced experience includes keepsake gifts for every child, ensuring a memorable and joyous summer celebration in the heart of Arendelle Castle. On the other Disney cruise ships, you will find a variation of this picnic called the Royal Tea Party.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique ($)

Embark on an enchanting journey at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, where children are transformed into princesses, knights, or sea captains with themed costumes, styling, and accessories. With the wave of a magic wand and the expertise of Fairy Godmother’s Apprentices, kids undergo a stunning makeover fit for a royal ball or a daring adventure. 

From elegant princess gowns to valiant knight armor, the boutique offers packages tailored to every child's storybook fantasy, ensuring magical memories that will last happily ever after. plus, for those seeking swashbuckling fun, the pirates league at bibbidi bobbidi boutique adds an extra layer of adventure, perfect for pirate night festivities..

Unlimited Eating

Indulge in a culinary adventure aboard the Disney Wish with unlimited dining options to satisfy every craving. Start your day with breakfast and lunch at Marceline Market, or enjoy a sit-down breakfast in one of the main dining rooms. Throughout the day, savor the diverse culinary offerings at the Festival of Foods! For dinner, experience exquisite meals in the main dining rooms. 

Additionally, adults can elevate their dining experience with specialty restaurants ($) like Palo and Enchanté, offering delectable cuisine at an extra cost. You could also explore specialty items available at various bars and lounges ($), such as beignets in The Bayou and sweet treats at Joyful Sweets ($). With 24/7 room service, you will never have to worry about going hungry during your cruise adventure.

Not sure what to pack for a Disney cruise?

Check out my blog post, Disney Cruise Line Packing List with Printable . The article breaks down what you need for a Disney Cruise and why. You will also find Amazon links to purchase most of the items and a downloadable checklist.

Do you just want the checklist emailed to you?

Fill out this form with your first name and email address below to receive the link for a downloadable PDF version of this listing that you can print out and treat as a checklist.

Wishing you a Magical Time!

Embarking on a journey aboard the Disney Wish promises an unforgettable experience filled with magic, adventure, and endless entertainment. From character meet and greets to Broadway-style shows, beverage tastings, and thrilling activities like the AquaMouse and Hero Zone, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Indulge in delectable dining options, pamper yourself at the spa, or embark on interactive adventures like disney uncharted adventure. with impeccable service, enchanting experiences, and so many onboard activities, the disney wish sets sail as the epitome of family-friendly luxury and entertainment, ensuring memories that will last a lifetime for guests of all ages .

Check out my other Disney Cruise Line blog posts below:

Disney Cruise Line Port Canaveral: Terminal Info and More  - Everything you need to know for getting to and parking at Disney Cruise Line's Terminal at Port Canaveral, Florida! Check it out!

What's Included and Not Included in your Disney Cruise Fare  - Going on or thinking about going on a Disney Cruise & wanting to know more about what is and is not included? Check out this ultimate guide!

Menus for Disney Wish Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure  - Dining at Arendelle on the Disney Wish is an experience like no other! Check out this post for more details on what you can expect to enjoy!

Disney Castaway Cay 5K: Details on How to Participate  - Disney Castaway Cay 5K is a fun run for all ages on Disney's private island, Castaway Cay! The best part? It is free and at your own pace!

Your Guide to Disney Cruise Line's Drink Packages  - Discover Disney Cruise Line's unique drink options – from beer and wine packages to onboard beverage tastings. Cheers to a magical voyage!

How much does a Disney Cruise cost? Pricing and More - Have you wanted to go on a Disney cruise, but have always heard they are expensive? Check out this post for information on the cost & more!

Have you ever been on a disney cruise what was your favorite onboard activity let me know in the comments below share this article with the person or people you want to go on your next adventure with also, be sure to subscribe below to learn about other places you should add to your "to visit" list ready okay, vamos. time to have fun.

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*This article is not sponsored by Disney Cruise Line, any of the above mentioned locations, or their affiliates.*

** all the prices above are subject to change without notice by the respective owner(s). for up-to-date pricing, check the disney cruise line website. **, recent posts.

Disney Cruise Line Port Canaveral: Terminal Info and More

What's Included and Not Included in your Disney Cruise Fare

How much does a Disney Cruise cost? Pricing and More

Accommodations

Theme parks, disney cruise line – what you need to know, cruise line ships, disney private islands, recent walt disney world, recent disneyland, disney world reviews, other park reviews, recent reviews, allears style, newsletter home, things to do onboard the disney wish.

Wondering what there is to do aboard the Disney Wish? There are quite a few activities for the whole family!

Pools on the Disney Wish are different than other Disney Cruise Line ships. There is no single main pool, but actually several smaller pools divided across multiple decks. There is also a quiet family pool area and an adults-only Quiet Cove.

Waterslides

The Disney Wish features the first Disney attraction at sea with the AquaMouse, a 760-foot water coaster complete with show scenes, music, lighting,  and 60 water effects.

Theater Shows

There are three Broadway-caliber shows available to see on the Disney Wish, with one returning show and two brand-new shows at the Walt Disney Theatre. The theater’s design is inspired by Fantasia .

Aladdin — A Musical Spectacular   is a returning stage adaptation of the 1992 animated film,  Aladdin .

Seas the Adventure stars Captain Minnie and Goofy, who goes on a journey of self-discovery.

The Little Mermaid is an all-new stage adaptation of the animated film, and it includes some brand new story elements.

Other Live Entertainment

The Grand Hall has an atrium stage that will serve as a spot for a variety of live entertainment and characters. On the last night of the cruise, guests will participate in a ceremony with the Fairy Godmother.

Olaf’s Royal Picnic is available for an additional fee, and it will allow guests to interact with Olaf, Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff and sit back to watch live Frozen performances.

Other Entertainment

The Hero Zone is a sports arena with a futuristic design, and guests can participate in games such as Jack-Jack’s Incredible Diaper Dash and the Incredi-Games.

Luna is an entertainment hub featuring a two-story LED screen, stage, and bar. In this space will be live shows, games, singalongs, and more.

The Luna space will also be used for the Disney Uncharted Adventure, an immersive storytelling experience. Guests can join Captain Mickey and Captain Minnie on a search for pieces of a Wishing Star, using your phone as an “enchanted spyglass.”

Kids’ Clubs

Disney’s Oceaneer Club includes some new and immersive spaces for kids ages 3 to 12, like the Marvel Super Hero Academy that trains kids to become heroes.

At the Star Wars : Cargo Bay, kids can interact with Rey and Chewbacca as they become creature handlers who must take care of various  Star Wars creatures.

The Walt Disney Imagineering Lab involves hands-on experiments and activities, including the Ride Studio that allows kids to create their very own roller coaster.

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Planning a Cruise in 2024 or 2025? Don’t Miss These Seven Essential Tips!

Planning a cruise is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences, whether you're setting sail for the first time or you're a seasoned cruiser ready to embark on another adventure. With new itineraries, advanced ship features, and evolving trends in the cruising world, there’s never been a better time to explore the high seas. But to ensure your dream vacation goes off without a hitch, there are a few key things you should keep in mind.

This guide covers the top seven must-do tips for planning your 2024 or 2025 cruise. These practical insights will help you choose the right ship, stick to your budget, and make the most of your onboard experience. Whether you're after family fun, luxurious relaxation, or an adventure-filled getaway, we've got you covered. Keep reading until the end because tip number seven is a real game-changer—booking activities in advance can be the key to transforming your entire vacation!

1. Choose the Right Cruise Line for You

Choosing the best cruise line for your 2024 or 2025 vacation is one of the most critical decisions you'll make. Different cruise lines offer different experiences, so finding the one that suits your style can make or break your trip.

Family-Friendly Cruise Lines

For families traveling in 2024, cruise lines like Royal Caribbean , Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), and Disney Cruise Line should be at the top of your list. These lines offer plenty of kid-friendly activities, from water slides and kids’ clubs to family-friendly entertainment like Broadway-style shows.

Disney Cruise Line is perfect for die-hard Disney fans, but it comes with a hefty price tag. If you're on a tighter budget but still want lots of family fun, Royal Caribbean and NCL provide excellent alternatives.

Disney Cruise Line is packed with magic, fun activities, and unforgettable experiences for all ages!

Budget-Friendly Cruise Lines

For those looking to save money, MSC Cruises provides a budget-friendly option for 2024. Known for their European flair and competitive pricing, MSC offers an affordable way to cruise, though you might find some compromises in terms of food quality or entertainment options. Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line , especially on their older ships, also offer cost-effective cruises. However, be mindful of what's included. While budget cruises may have lower upfront costs, they often come with additional onboard fees for things like dining, drinks, and activities, so it’s important to factor those into your overall budget.

Premium Cruise Options

If you're looking for a more sophisticated, adults-only experience, consider premium cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises or Princess Cruises . These lines are known for offering an elevated cruising experience with a focus on gourmet dining, elegant onboard amenities, and adult-centric activities. You’ll find fewer children compared to family-oriented cruise lines, making them perfect for a romantic getaway, a special celebration, or simply a quieter, more tranquil vacation.

A newer player in the premium cruise market, Virgin Voyages has quickly made a name for itself with its bold, modern approach to cruising. Designed exclusively for adults (18+), Virgin focuses on a lively and modern atmosphere . Virgin Voyages is perfect for younger couples, groups of friends, or solo travelers seeking a social, vibrant, and adults-only experience at sea, with an emphasis on freedom and fun.

With its vibrant, cutting-edge design and adults-only experience, Virgin Voyages is setting a new standard for modern cruising.

Luxury Cruise Options

For travelers seeking a more sophisticated, adults-only experience, several premium cruise lines offer a blend of luxury, service, and immersive itineraries. Viking Ocean Cruises , MSC Explora Journeys , Oceania Cruises , and Azamara are excellent choices for those looking to elevate their cruise experience. These lines focus on refined dining, intimate ship settings, and culturally immersive excursions, providing a perfect balance of comfort and adventure. Whether you're drawn to the culinary excellence of Oceania, the destination immersion of Azamara, or the elegant and relaxed atmosphere aboard Viking and MSC Explora, these premium options cater to discerning cruisers seeking a more enriching and upscale journey.

Ultra Luxury Options

If you're willing to splurge, ultra-luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas or Seabourn deliver unparalleled service, gourmet dining, and all-inclusive pricing. Although prices can start from $7,000 per person, the all-inclusive nature means fewer additional costs once you're onboard.

2. Ship Size Matters More Than You Think

When planning your cruise, one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is what size ship to sail on. The size of the ship can greatly affect your onboard experience and the destinations you'll visit.

Small Ships (Less than 1,000 Passengers)

Smaller ships offer a more intimate cruising experience and often visit ports that larger ships cannot access. These ships are ideal for travelers looking for a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere. Lines like Oceania Cruises or Azamara specialize in smaller ships with fewer passengers, offering luxury, personalized service, and access to less crowded ports.

The Star Legend is the perfect example of how small ships can offer a more intimate and personalized cruise experience.

Mid-Sized Ships (1,000-3,000 Passengers)

If you want the best of both worlds, consider a mid-sized ship. These ships are large enough to offer a variety of activities, dining options, and entertainment, but without the chaos of mega-ships. Celebrity Cruises and Holland America both offer ships in this size category, giving you a good balance between onboard fun and relaxation.

Mega-Ships (Over 3,000 Passengers)

Mega-ships like those operated by Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) are floating cities. These ships have everything from surf simulators and water slides to shopping malls and zip lines. While they offer endless entertainment, they can also feel crowded, especially during sea days. For families or solo travelers looking for non-stop action, mega-ships are perfect, but be prepared for busy public spaces.

When deciding on ship size, think about your preferences: do you want a quiet retreat or a bustling atmosphere with endless activities? This will help narrow down your options and ensure you have the best experience.

3. Plan Your Budget Carefully

Cruising can vary in cost depending on the cruise line, the time of year, and what’s included in the price. To ensure you stay within your budget, consider all aspects of the cruise, from the fare itself to additional onboard expenses.

Cruise Fare

When comparing cruise fares, always take into account what’s included. Some luxury lines like Regent Seven Seas and Viking offer all-inclusive packages that include drinks, shore excursions, and Wi-Fi, which may make the upfront cost higher but save you money in the long run. Other mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean or Carnival offer lower base fares but charge extra for many onboard activities, drinks, and specialty dining.

When to Book

For those planning a cruise in 2024, booking early is often the best strategy for securing a good deal, especially for newer ships or popular itineraries. However, last-minute deals can still be found on older ships if you have flexibility with your travel dates.

Keep an eye out for promotions during wave season (January-March), as this is when cruise lines often offer their best discounts. If you're cruising on a budget, also consider sailing during off-peak times when kids are in school, such as late spring or early fall.

4. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is essential for any cruise, especially in 2024 or 2025 when travel plans can still be affected by unexpected events like flight cancellations or medical emergencies.

What to Look for in a Policy

When purchasing travel insurance, make sure it covers the following:

Trip Cancellations : In case you need to cancel your cruise for any reason, especially in light of COVID-19 uncertainties.

Medical Emergencies : Healthcare costs can be high onboard or in foreign countries, so ensure your policy covers medical evacuation and treatment.

Lost Luggage : Cruises often involve flights, which increases the chances of lost luggage. Make sure your policy covers this, too.

Always double-check that your policy includes coverage for cruises, as not all standard travel insurance policies do.

5. Plan Your Shore Excursions

Shore excursions are one of the highlights of any cruise, offering a chance to explore new destinations. You can either book your excursions through the cruise line or go the DIY route.

Cruise Line Excursions

Booking excursions through the cruise line offers peace of mind, as they guarantee you'll make it back to the ship on time. However, these excursions are often more expensive, and you might find yourself in large groups, which can feel rushed.

Exploring like a local! Here’s We enjoyed one of our DIY excursions in Iceland—proof that planning your own adventures can lead to unforgettable moments without breaking the bank!

DIY Shore Excursions

If you're more adventurous and comfortable navigating foreign ports on your own, you can often save money by planning your own excursions. Just make sure you leave plenty of time to return to the ship, as it won’t wait for late passengers.

A middle ground is using reputable local tour companies, which can offer a more personalized experience while still being affordable. Services like Viator and Klook are great options for booking local tours and activities, allowing you to read reviews and choose excursions that fit your interests and budget. These platforms offer a wide range of excursions, from guided city tours to adrenaline-packed adventures, giving you flexibility and often better prices than the cruise line’s offerings.

6. Pack Smart

Packing for a cruise is different from packing for other types of vacations, largely due to the limited space in cruise cabins. Overpacking can quickly lead to a cluttered cabin, so it’s important to bring only the essentials.

Essential Items

When packing, think about your destination. If you're cruising to tropical locations, bring plenty of lightweight clothing and sun protection. If you're heading to colder destinations, like Alaska or Northern Europe, pack layers.

We also recommend bringing a small portable fan to keep your cabin cool, magnets for organizing paperwork on the cabin walls, and a multi-USB charger, as outlets can be scarce in cruise cabins.

For a full guide on what to bring, check out our Ultimate Cruise Packing List to make sure you're fully prepared!

7. Book Onboard Activities and Dining in Advance

This is the tip that can truly make or break your cruise experience. Most cruise lines allow passengers to pre-book dining, shore excursions, drink packages, and entertainment before boarding. Doing so not only helps you avoid disappointment (popular restaurants and shows often sell out), but it can also save you money.

Use the Cruise Line’s App

Most major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean , Carnival , and Celebrity , have apps that allow you to manage your trip from your phone. With these apps, you can book dining and entertainment, check daily schedules, join virtual queues, and view your onboard spending. This makes it much easier to stay organized and make the most of your cruise.

For even more advice, check out our video where we dive into the seven things you must do before your next cruise . Watch it below:

By following these seven tips, you’ll be ready for smooth sailing in 2024 or 2025. Whether you're a first-time cruiser or a seasoned traveler, these strategies will help you get the most out of your adventure at sea. Be sure to check out our other first time cruise travel tips and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more helpful content.

I am a keen video producer and photographer. Before starting Cruise with Ben and David I worked for the BBC and Discovery Channel.

Virgin Voyages Restaurants with Menus and Photos

Disney Cruise Line perks

Enjoy special savings onboard Disney Cruise Line  when you use your Disney® Visa® Card. Save on digital photo packages, merchandise, island experience packages and onboard spa treatments and set sail on the vacation of a lifetime. 0

Disney Visa Cardmember Savings

Receive 10% off the non-discounted price of 10-photo, 15-photo, 20-photo and all-inclusive Disney Cruise Line digital photo packages when you use your Disney Visa Card. 0

10% off select digital photo packages 0

Professional photographers are available on  Disney Cruise Line ships to capture your Disney vacation memories starting the moment you step aboard. From candid shots and custom studio portraits to photos in iconic locations on the ship, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to strike a pose.

View Disney Cruise Line photo packages and information at DisneyCruise.com

Receive 10% off select merchandise purchases aboard Disney Cruise Line ships when you use your Disney Visa Card. 0

10% off select merchandise purchases 0

Disney Cruise Line  offers a variety of merchandise that you can enjoy at sea or at home.

View more shopping information at DisneyCruise.com

Receive 10% off a Castaway Cay Getaway Package, and enjoy snorkeling, bicycle rental, float or inner-tube rental at Disney’s private island in The Bahamas, Castaway Cay when you use your Disney Visa Card. 0

10% off Castaway Cay Getaway Packages 0

Have a blast three different ways with this fun and exciting adventure package, when visiting Disney  Castaway Cay , a private island paradise.

On this adventure you can:

• Snorkel – Immerse yourself in an exciting snorkel adventure for the entire family—perfect for beginners and experts alike.
• One-Hour bicycle rental – Take off on a delightful 2-wheeled adventure across our private island oasis. Traverse tropical terrain and winding offshore paths at your own leisure.
• Float or inner-tube rental – Move with the motion of the ocean as you bounce, bob and sway atop the gentle waves of the crystal-clear waters in a cozy float or inner tube.

View more  Castaway Cay  Getaway Package information at  DisneyCruise.com

Receive 10% off Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point snorkel and bicycle rentals when you use your Disney Visa Card. 0

10% Off Select Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Experiences 0

• Pick up your bike at the Bike Rentals stand.
• Set off on a 2-wheeled adventure at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, exploring to your heart’s content.
• Immerse yourself in the beauty of tropical terrain, pedaling at your own pace as you discover hidden gems around Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
• Traverse winding paths that lead you to a nature trail, where you can appreciate the gentle ocean breezes. Prepare to be captivated as you explore this tropical paradise.

Learn more about bicycle rental at DisneyCruise.com

• Head to Flippers and Fins to receive your snorkel gear and instruction.
• Dive into an enchanting underwater paradise at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, surrounded by schools of tropical fish and other mesmerizing marine life. Prepare to be captivated by the natural beauty and wonder that await you beneath the surface.
• Feel free to come and go from the beach as much as you please, taking advantage of the opportunity to explore and make lasting memories. When your day draws to a close, simply return your equipment to Flippers and Fins.

Learn more about snorkel rental at DisneyCruise.com

Receive 20% off a non-discounted massage or facial service aboard Disney Cruise Line ships. Available on port days only when you use your Disney Visa Card. 0

20% off select onboard spa treatments 0

Rejuvenation and beautifying services for adults, couples and teens while in port. Receive 20% off a non-discounted massage or facial service aboard Disney Cruise Line ships. Available on port days only when you use your Disney Visa Card.

• The Senses Spa & Salon provides tranquility, pampering and relaxation with a multitude of spa and beauty treatments. Experience pure bliss, indulgent luxuries and inner contentment in an environment designed to soothe the senses.

Spa services are for adults ages 18 and up; however, Guests aged 13 to 17 years old can have services and treatments under 2 conditions: a parent or guardian must book the services and treatments, and a parent or guardian must accompany them for the duration of the treatment.

More spa treatment information at  DisneyCruise.com

Here's how to enjoy Disney Cruise Line perks

1. When you check in online or at the embarkation terminal, enter your Disney Visa Credit Card as your form of payment for all onboard purchases.

2. On the ship, your “Key to the World” card will indicate that you’re a Disney Visa Cardmember and eligible for the perks listed below. Perks cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts, including Cast Member, Annual Passholder, Disney Vacation Club® or Florida resident.

3. Please mention these offers to ensure you receive the savings.

New Disney Premier Visa Cardmembers can

Earn a $400 $300 statement credit.

after spending $1000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 0

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Fantasy list of onboard activities?

• Thread starter Sfrenchies
• Start date Nov 8, 2023

Earning My Ears

• Nov 8, 2023

Hi all! Was just wondering if anyone knew where to find a schedule of on board activities to get an idea of what we want to book? I know the app lists some of them but it would be so nice to have a guide that gives the date and or time options that will be available. Thanks so much  

DIS Veteran

Sfrenchies said: Hi all! Was just wondering if anyone knew where to find a schedule of on board activities to get an idea of what we want to book? I know the app lists some of them but it would be so nice to have a guide that gives the date and or time options that will be available. Thanks so much Click to expand...

Unfortunately, you can't see an official list of dates and times for activities until your booking window opens. If you are in a group with people on your cruise with earlier booking windows, you can ask them about what's available. The list above tells you what should be bookable on your cruise. The only additional bookable events I can think of are private photo sessions and nursery times.  

I’m going to tack onto this thread - are the Anyone Can Cook classes shown on the app or website before the cruise, or just listed on the Navigator once on board?  

CarolynFH said: I’m going to tack onto this thread - are the Anyone Can Cook classes shown on the app or website before the cruise, or just listed on the Navigator once on board? Click to expand...

Anyone Can Cook does not require (or allow) reservations, so it won’t be listed until the DCL app switches to the onboard/Navigator version once you are in the cruise terminal.  

• Nov 9, 2023

Anytime we sailed on the Fantasy, the Anyone Can Cook has been on seadays.  

I am on the Fantasy in 16 days, looking at the onboard fun section of activities: Beer Tasting, Mojito & Caipirinha Tasting, Champagne Tasting, Chocolate & Liquor Tasting, Cognac Tasting, Martini Tasting, Stem to Stern Wine Tasting, Whiskey Tasting, Tequila & Margarita Tasting, Bourbon Tasting, Rum Tasting Mixology Class, BBB makeover, portrait studio, Golf simulator, Sports simulator, Royal court tea, Royal Gathering- you book on online check in day.  

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