Everything You Need to Know About Disney Cruise Ships

on a disney cruise

There are plenty of towel-return stations around the island, so I also never have to carry wet, sandy towels back on the ship. I hate taking tender ships, which can feel like a bit of a time sink, so this is a big bonus to me. Despite its wide variety of destinations, Disney operates only six ships.

All the characters come out to say goodbye on the last night

Your showtime for the evening entertainment is opposite your dinner; if you have an early dinner, you have the late show and vice versa. On top of the cocktails and drinks you may expect, Disney ships offer some very high-end liquors on board. I shared a photo of the below beverage cart on Instagram while on a recent cruise and got dozens of messages from people shocked Disney would have Pappy's bourbon. That specific 23-year-old bottle goes for several hundred dollars per drink, and it's on board Disney cruise ships. 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, but it is open to all adults adhering to its business casual dress code.

Weather App

You can use your discretion to adjust it up or down based on how much help they provided your family. 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. 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. 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).

Knowing What’s Going On & Planning Your Day

It’s usually open from early morning to fairly late – check the Navigator for specific hours. 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. 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.

Special Sailings

on a disney cruise

In other words, if all your kids want is french fries, that’s not a problem, assuming you’re OK with it. 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. Concierge-level rooms do not come cheap, but they're the way to go if you want cream-of-the-crop service on a Disney cruise.

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

It’s also possible to purchase a specialty beer mug at the pub onboard, which can then be refilled across the ship. Much like Disney’s popcorn buckets, your beer mugs entitle you to cheaper refills on all your beer. In addition, the Disney Wish has all the regular amenities you’d expect on a Disney cruise, including live entertainment, pools and spacious staterooms. The Disney Wish is the newest Disney Cruise Line ship and certainly its best.

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. 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.

Disney Cruise Line offers a limited number of themed sailings, including Pixar Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea itineraries. These cruises up the ante with specialty shows and character appearances from beloved franchises, including Captain America, Toy Story, and more. 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 plan ahead if you want to partake in the fun.

You can enjoy the spa without a treatment

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. 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. 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 minute window where you have to wait. Palo, Remy and Enchanté are very popular, so book them as early as you can.

Rapunzel’s Royal Table provides a themed night of lively music, revelry from some Snuggly Duckling denizens, and an appearance by Rapunzel and Flynn Rider within a lantern-lined ballroom. Animator’s Palate is surrounded by mementos from Disney and Pixar animated films that “come to life” throughout dinner, and Lumiere’s channels the elegance of "Beauty and the Beast." In addition to nightly live entertainment throughout the ship, families can take in Marvel, Pixar, Disney, and Star Wars films currently in movie theaters at the full-size Buena Vista Theatre. On the outdoor upper decks, the Wide World of Sports offers basketball and ping pong, a selection of pools and hot tubs, and the famed AquaDunk water slide. As Travel + Leisure's on-staff Disney expert, I visit Disney theme parks, resorts, and cruise ships several times every year. I most recently experienced the magic of Disney Cruise Line on the inaugural sailing for the Disney Wish in 2022.

All of Disney Cruise Line's ships have some kind of waterslide on board. You can work off some of those treats and drinks at the onboard fitness center on each ship. You'll see jackets and dresses in Palo, but you can also get by with nice jeans if you want. This adults-only restaurant serves Northern Italian fare and starts at about $45 per person for a multicourse brunch or dinner, though you can also order a la carte for dinner, which could cost more or less, depending on your order.

7 Reasons to Set Sail on the Disney Wish - DCL Fan

7 Reasons to Set Sail on the Disney Wish.

Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 20:23:50 GMT [source]

Concierge level guests can order a standard Continental breakfast from room service on disembarkation morning. You don’t really need one for sodas, since they’re included (except at bars). There are, however, two programs that could save you some money (albeit with a few caveats).

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