Disney Cruise Line offers a variety of shore excursions in the Caribbean, including history tours, zip line activities, beach trips, and more. Grand Cayman is a popular Western Caribbean destination for Disney Cruise Line, available on 7-night itineraries from Port Canaveral on the Disney Magic or Disney Fantasy, and on 7-night itineraries from Galveston on the Disney Magic.
One of the top George Town ports of call tours is the 2-Tank Dive Tour (4 – 4.5 hours), which tests your mettle with two exciting dives ranging from 30 to 100 feet. Adult/Child Price: $139 (ages 12 and up).
Another option is the 4×4 Jeep Adventure with Boat House Lunch (4 – 4.5 hours), where you hop in a Jeep and explore Grand Cayman before stopping off at Morgan’s Harbor for a delicious lunch. Other shore excursions include history tours, zip line activities, beach trips, and bicycle tours of Grand Cayman, visiting George Town, Hell’s post office, the Cobalt Coast, and more.
Disney Cruise Line Port Adventures are also available at their ports of call, offering activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, shopping, water sports, parasailing, land tours, horseback riding, and relaxing on the beach. Snorkeling over ship wrecks is a nice experience, and a turtle center there was visited years ago, which led to a request for a visit by DCL.
In summary, Disney Cruise Line offers a wide range of shore excursions in the Caribbean, including history tours, zip line activities, beach trips, and more. Book your adventure today and enjoy an unforgettable experience in Grand Cayman.
📹 Top 4 Grand Cayman Island Shore Excursion Must Do’s
Grand Cayman island was once a popular pirate hideout because it is difficult to see from the ocean because it is so flat. Now it is …
Can you book excursions off the cruise ship?
When booking a cruise vacation, it’s important to know that you have options and there is no obligation to book a shore excursion through the cruise line. By booking through us, you can save money on tours at port that may have gone unnoticed. We stand by the tours we arrange and offer low prices, so you don’t need to buy tours with the cruise line. We have employed a Price Match Guarantee to ensure you save cash.
You will be part of a smaller tour group, allowing you to relax and absorb the culture of each port city in a more comfortable context. Our tour operators have long-standing relationships with local tour operators who provide the shore excursion you deserve. We don’t accept money from souvenir shops, but rather deal with knowledgeable guides who are tuned in to the attitudes and traditions of each locale. This ensures an authentic experience for you.
What is express walk off on Disney cruise?
To jump ship quickly, use Express Walk-Off, which involves taking your luggage off the ship instead of leaving it out for crew members to deliver it to the port terminal. Clear US Customs before leaving the terminal, ensuring you are within your allowance. If you booked Disney Ground Transportation, check the Navigator app for instructions before leaving the ship. If you need a quick breakfast, Cabanas serves it from 6:30 on debarkation day. This information is helpful for your vacation and can be accessed at any time with any questions.
Is it cheaper to buy excursions on the ship?
Ship-sponsored tours are often more expensive than directly offered tours through the operator, as the cruise line serves as the middleman and inflates fees to take a cut before paying the tour company. Independent tours take smaller groups, allowing for more personalized experiences. When booking a private tour, you may be one of fewer than 20 people, compared to the smaller group sizes of third-party tours. Therefore, it’s essential to choose the right tour option for your travel needs.
What are the disadvantages of shore excursions?
Cruise line excursions offer advantages such as traveling with a group of passengers and comparing notes with fellow shipmates. They are also reputable and licensed, unlike independent tours. However, downsides include potential long lines, crowded buses, and long stops at souvenir shops. Port tours can range from free on cruise lines like Viking, Crystal, and Uniworld to over $100 per person for higher-priced options like golf, helicopter rides, seaplane rides, and visits to ancient ruins.
Some lines even offer overnight excursions to swanky hotels or private limo tours. Traditional shore excursions are worth it for exploring sites far from the cruise dock, accessing historic monuments, forts, or castles, and learning more about a region.
Are port adventures included in Disney cruise fare?
Port Adventures and other onboard activities are billed to the guest’s onboard account. Cancellations may be made up to three days prior to the scheduled departure date.
Do you get breakfast on the last day of a Disney cruise?
On disembarkation day, guests are required to vacate their staterooms by 8:00 a. m. to prepare for the next cruise. They can enjoy a magical breakfast based on their Rotational Dining schedule, which can be found on the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App. Luggage can be placed outside the stateroom on the last night of the cruise between 8:00 p. m. and 10:00 p. m. for delivery to the ship’s terminal the following morning.
Guests can also choose Express Walk-Off, which allows luggage to be taken to breakfast on disembarkation morning. Disembark can be done as soon as the ship is cleared by port authorities. Guests can begin going ashore at 8:00 a. m.
What’s not included in a Disney Cruise fare?
It should be noted that the price of a Disney cruise does not include a number of additional services and amenities. These include Port Adventures, shopping, spa and salon services, photography taken on board the ship, childcare services for infants and young children, calls made to the ship from the shore, games in the arcade, alcoholic beverages, drink packages, and adults-only specialty dining at Enchante by Chef.
Which of the following is not included in Disney Cruise fares?
Disney cruise prices do not include Port Adventures, shopping, spa and salon services, onboard photography, nursery babysitting, ship-to-shore phone calls, arcade games, alcoholic beverages, drink packages, and adults-only specialty dining. However, you can eat three square meals for free, including meals in the main dining room, casual dining around the boat, and buffets. Disney offers Rotational Dining, allowing you to try out different menus in all dining rooms. Many drinks, including soda and basic coffee, are complimentary on a Disney Cruise, but alcohol is not included. Limited events, such as captain’s receptions or seminars, offer complimentary wine.
What Disney cruise can I take without a passport?
Disney Cruise Line encourages passengers to carry a passport during their voyage, but for Round Trip voyages, US citizens don’t need a passport. Instead, they need an original or copy of their state-issued birth certificate and a physical government-issued photo ID. Digital or mobile state-issued identification is not sufficient, and guests must have a real/physical photo ID card. Non-US citizens must carry their passports.
Children 15 years and younger don’t need a photo ID, but must present an original or copy of their state-issued birth certificate. If there are children 15 years and younger in the travel party, they don’t need a photo ID.
Do you need a passport to go to Grand Cayman on a Disney cruise?
It is a requirement that guests present a valid passport or other acceptable proof of citizenship at the time of check-in.
Is breakfast served the last day of a cruise?
Upon disembarking from the vessel, guests may avail themselves of breakfast on board, with the option of dining in the same dining room where they had their final evening meal during the course of their cruise.
📹 13 Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Going On My Disney Cruise
I learnt a lot going on my first Disney Cruise Line cruise. And that many of the cruising tips that apply to other cruise lines do not …
Yeah, it’s really that simple if you aren’t a Disney fan you will not like this cruise. You have to be a fan. It’s a themed cruise. Not that you said this, but for anyone who has gone on a Disney cruise and then complained they didn’t like it because it was too much Disney…what do they really expect. Disney is mainly kids entertainment. I am going with my girlfriend this year but we are adult kids. We love Disney. We most likely won’t even care about the kids because we will be too busy being kids ourselves. However, it is nice that the kids have their own floors for entertainment lol. But it really is that simple. It’s a Disney cruise targeted at Disney fans and families. If you can’t get down with that don’t go. This article is very honest and informative.
I’m not in any way a Disney fan… At all. Yet I only do Disney Cruises. the lack of drunken foolishness, gambling and meat market atmosphere is refreshing. I love the tastings and classes (one cruise we made a gingerbread house!), I don’t do the deck parties or shows so their content is irrelevant to me. I do Remy and Palo for the food which is excellent. The adult bars are great. As I’m solely doing Caribbean, its more about the diving and castaway cay for me. The tip system is weird absolutely. I generally give more anyway but still it’s odd.
He’s totally right. I went on my first Disney cruise a few months ago. It was AWESOME for me. I’m a full grown Disney KID. I took my 70 something Mom and we both had a great time. I started planning MONTHS ahead to have time to order the fun things I wanted to take. I brought door decorations to surprise her. I had a variety or ears for us to wear constantly, both princesses and villains and other characters. You’ll see so many exquisite ears on everyone all the time and will feel left out if you don’t have some. I also got us mouse eared mini backpacks. I got cheap knockoffs and they worked fine – I didn’t feel out of place. That said now that I have my first official loungefly (which I swore I wouldn’t pay that much for) I can say it’s much more comfortable on my back. It sits where it’s supposed to and it’s deceptively big like Merlin’s bag. We had a balcony room but we’re hardly ever there because there are constantly great things to do. It was aft and I found we did a lot of walking back and forth so although it’s a great cabin, mid-ship and forward are closer to the things I wanted to do. Check out all the deck plans BEFORE choosing your room!!!! I wish I had know I could change my dining rotation because I loved the animators palette best and only got one meal there. Great tip. Thank You. I even brought Pirate costumes for both of us and next time I have a Princess style gown for formal night. The food was worlds above any other cruise I had taken before. It’s all Disney all the time so if you’re a Disney Kid you probably won’t want to go o.
They got rid of the paper navigator after Covid broke out. My wait staff never pressured me for extra tips. If anything, mine were an absolute joy to have. I actually cried when I said my final farewell. They knew my preference for tea and always brought it out without asking, my preferences for anything chocolate, and they always gave me riddles to solve and were just a bunch of jokesters. I even got to talk to one of the, about his experiences working on diff cruise lines.
I work daily in the Tech industry and I really do not appreciate cruise lines going to all apps and no paper. It’s way to easy to miss things when you are only looking at a small screen and also harder to go back to find something you saw previously. not to mention you are totally at the mercy of the wireless, usually spotty, the cruise line supplies. many times the app also only works while on board…making it impossible to look at something in the app on an excursion. like I said I work in tech but tech is not the solution for everything.
Thank you, Gary for your great articles. I have taken A LOT of Disney cruises (and many on other lines as well.) I found your reviews to be fair, honest and quite accurate. Most of my Disney cruises were as a pair of adults without kids – or with other adults. I think Disney does a great job of keeping the kids in their respective areas and providing peaceful and fun areas for adults. It’s definitely not for everyone and I applaud people for perusal these articles and deciding this line isn’t for them. It makes my cruise experience better without cranky people complaining about the way things are. Cruising kids sometimes get a bad rep — I much prefer kids on a Disney ship over the drunk, rowdy “adults” on a Carnival cruise. The difference with kids on a Disney ship is the kids have PLENTY to do there. They are not bored and resorting to annoying/destructive behavior. If cruising the Caribbean, Disney’s island Castaway Cay is fabulous for adults with private dining and beach. At most other ports in the Carib, I’ll just stay on the ship and enjoy a quiet peaceful day. Agree – the dining room food is “good” with plenty of choices – but the specialty restaurants are incredible and a highlight of the cruise. The chocolate souffle at Palo is everything!
For the past few Disney Cruises, I haven’t actually given the tip envelope, because it gets distributed automatically. What the crew value most, however, is a positive written comment from guests as this can open up to promotions. I never been pressured to provide one, and those I did took the time to write about were above and beyond. Also, I randomly saw Peter Pan being chased by Captain Hook in the hallway. Nice touch of detail and immersion. Finally, sodas from fountains and dinner meals are included in the cruise ticket.
Hello Gary. Thank you for your website. Much appreciated. My wife and I have cruises exclusively Disney 8 times on the Disney Dream Caribbean voyages. We like Disney but are not fanatics. We are in our 60s with no children. My wife appreciates the cleanliness and constant painting and wood varnishing. No rust on the exterior as we often see on other ships when alongside them in port. We cruise for the great service, luxury and relaxing adult and concierge areas. Your review was spot on except no ship tours were ever offered. That being said, our next cruise is on the Disney Wish which others report is more different than the same as other Disney ships. Thanks again for your informative and enjoyable website.
I’m a frequent Disney cruiser (12+) and I still don’t know everything because they periodically update the shows on board and when they refurbush the restaurants may be Re themed. My kids are adults now and I havent seen a new animated feature in years. I have a secret weapon tho. My daughter is a cast member who works at the Polynesian in Orlando. Regarding the need to be electronically wired up to be able to do anything. You DO NOT need your phone to get your dinner. Menu. Yes, there is a QR code and you can use it. Many people are very comfortable with (and prefer) ordering their meal this way. But if you ask for a paper menu the first night, they will bring you a paper menu you every night. As far as knowing what is going on, having the electronic version is much much superior to the previous paper version. They used to go thru trees worth of paper. Everytime someone lost their schedule they would just get a new one. So disney switched over to an onboard Wi-fi system which is free.It does not connect you to the internet. That is a paid system. What it does give you is the schedule of program for the entire cruise. Before you got only the day’s schedule and you had to wait until 10pm for the next day so you could never plan ahead. Now you can go in and like every activity you want to do. This is how I do it. I like all the activity I want to do plus the ones my kids want to do. If we want to see Thor Love and Thunder then I like every instance where Thor is playing. The app automatically puts in your dinner and show times plus any other reservations you have.
The upside with the last point about gratuities is that you actually transparently see that the money is goong to the crew and who is getting how much of it. That’s more than pretty much any other cruise line will tell you. I’m actually surprised that a company like Disney, out of all the greed-ridden ones, would tell you what exactly happens to the mystical gratuities.
Another thing about the kids club (specifically for the Wish and Dream, since those are the only two boats I have been on)… You need to register your children for the kids club before they can be dropped off on their own. It is best to get this done during the open house while people are boarding the ship. For one thing, you don’t have to worry about it later when you are dropping your kids off to go do an adult thing on your own. Registering takes a little bit of extra time and you might not make it your adult event on time. Secondly, they have multiple people stationed around the kids club to help register the kids during the boarding time which they don’t have during any other time during the cruise. This allows you to get the registration done quickly. And lastly, if anyone else has permission to pick up your child from the kids club, be sure they know the secret phrase. The line was held up many a time by people who did not know the secret phrase and had to wait for someone who did to come get the kids out of the club.
Just did our first Disney Cruise on the Dream and we were never once pressured about tips. They did remind us of the importance of getting excellent ratings and I was more than y to rate them as Excellent because they did an excellent job. We were more than happy to give more than what they were given for the automatic gratuity. It was well deserved.
We have been on many Disney cruises and a lot of the things you mention were either specific to the Magic or maybe Europe. You went on a ship which was built in 98 I believe – the spaces are larger and different on the Dream or Fantasy. On the Wish, the rainforest area is out of this world. We also felt the drinks were a lot cheaper than other lines, most of the time I paid $5.60 for drink of the day! On the new Wish, they have the adult lounges (like 20 of them lol) more spread out all over instead of one adult district. We have never heard guests from the connecting cabins nor were we pressured for extra tips. We don’t just cruise Disney, we love Royal too but what I would say… try a newer ship. We don’t watch most of the deck parties or see characters anymore. You can easily avoid all that. I actually find more kids running around Royal’s decks as their kids programming hours are more limited. There is less for them to do. On Disney we could always retreat to the adult only pool or lounge and enjoy the peace and quiet if that’s what we want. Oh and on the Disney Alaska cruise they had some enrichment talk, but that is generally found on cruises catering to an older demographic. Like Holland. Princess. Disney is not the only one that doesn’t have them on the family cruise lines.
I have been on 20 Disney Cruises. I have never felt pressured to add extra gratuities. For sure there were times when I was asked continually to leave a positive review. Another tip viewers may want to know is that when you order a drink a tip is already added to your bill. You don’t have to add an extra tip.
For a time Princess Cruises was pushing the “Love Boat” theme. You heard the “Love Boat” theme when you boarded, during your safety orientation, in other venues, and even from the ship’s horns. It got to be a bit much. On the last two cruises my wife and I took on Princess (Jan. 2022 and Aug. 2022) it was toned down considerably; for example, they apparently no longer play it on the ship’s horns. In my view, it’s generally for the best. My guess is consumer research probably revealed that the theme just wasn’t being embraced by many passengers; many being grandparents who weren’t yet born or were very young children when the TV show first aired back in the 1970s. Disney, however, is another thing. Branding is what it is all about. It seems obvious that if a passenger is not prepared to go All Disney All The Time (even if there are some retreats an adult can utilize) you’ll probably have a less than joyful experience. Of course, some adults do embrace the Disney Experience, but for me Disney is a cruise line that I will pass on.
I worked as a National Forest Service ranger intern on the inaugural cruise season for Disney in Alaska 11 years ago. We had two of us interns who worked every other week on the ship doing kids programming in the kids club as well as sometimes providing narration through the fjord on glacier day (and we worked in Juneau on the off weeks, switching out with other interns). Along with us was one senior ranger who did auditorium enrichment talks and I believe we also had an additional person from the Fish and Wildlife department who did talks, but that may have been one or the other on the senior presenters. I believe they still do this, although I’m not positive. So at least in Alaska, enrichment talks are/were provided. I can’t imagine they would have done away with them though there.
I’ve been cruising since 1988, mostly with NCL. As someone who has worked in the movie business/Hollywood industry for the last 30 years, Disney Cruise Line is the LAST cruise line I would sail with. When I go on a cruise, I do NOT want to be bombarded every second with everything from A to Z reminding me of movie prequels, sequels, franchises, etc. etc. etc. I get that every day at work. For me a cruise ship is a movie-free and smartphone-free zone where I can disconnect from Hollywood and forced-use of digital technology.
Gary, I’m enjoying part 2 of your first-timer and solo perspective of Disney. We (2 adults, no kids, Disney Platinum with 12 cruises) love the ships. Alaska had seminars about wildlife and history on both of the cruises we’ve done, as did the Panama Canal cruise with a retired pilot that guided the ships through the locks and lake area. Too bad the Fjords didn’t have the same classes. Yes, the paper is pretty well gone but we asked for and were presented with the full menu for MDR meals (loved our servers). Guilty: I have an entire Disney-themed wardrobe ready for every cruise, including Mouse Ears.
Yes the extra tips make me uncomfortable too, not to mention very pressured. Coming from a non tipping culture it seems like a form of grifting, now I’m thinking some will agree and others will disagree. Tipping people really can add up, 5 dollars, 1 dollar bills here and there and before you know it your cash is gone! This is my opinion anyways.
We have done a number of Disney cruises with older kids or adults only. We spend most of our time in the adult-only areas and seldom come into contact with children other than at meals. (There’s also not much character theming in these areas.) We cruise to have a calm, quiet, relaxing time and find that DCL works for us (especially with a balcony.) We aren’t looking for nightlife or “adult” entertainment. It’s pricey though and certainly not to everyone’s tastes.
I’ve been on 10 Disney cruises and HAVE NEVER BEEN PRESSURED FOR TIPS! They are concerned about ratings on the survey at the end because that card counts heavily for them or against them. There are a lot of inaccuracies in this list. There are plenty of areas to retreat away from kids and lots of adult only activities and tastings throughout the day and not just at night. Many people cruise Disney without kids. It’s quite common. It’s an amazing cruise line that is very clean and peaceful. Maybe you should try several of the ships and revisit your list.
I’ve never been “lobbied” by crew for tips so I’m surprised to hear this but I understand that’s probably my unique experience. I do think the crew care very much about the quality of their service and passengers’ experiences, so they appreciate feedback. Disney and Princess are too pretty different lines but they are both my favorites, and one of the main reasons is the quality of service and the dining experiences. Also, my advice to solo travelers is to sit with other guests at dinner. I’ve never traveled solo on Disney but my child abandons me to the kids’ club for most of the day and I’ve always enjoyed meeting and connecting with other travelers at dinner. (You can always switch to a private table if you don’t like your table mates.) My experience has been that standard Disney cabins are larger than the ones on comparable lines. For example, my last Princess standard veranda cabin had no sofa. But I’ve never had that experience on Disney and I love being able to close the curtains to split the Disney cabin since I am usually up early before my cabinmates, and vice versa.
We’ve been on a few Disney cruises. One was terrible, the others were great. The gratuities don’t bother me, but I’ve never felt pressured about them. What I don’t like is the limited dining options after lunch. We often eat a big meal midday and just want to grab something small at night. We don’t need a dining room or several courses of food. But the options are slim many nights. I wish they’d keep a small buffet every night instead.
Really good and honest review. We have only been on the Magic and Wonder (the older, smaller ships) as two adults (DW and me) and we always had a blast. We really like the laid down, family friendly environment. We are not at all in gambling, so the lack of a casino does not bother us. We never saw any really drunk people around the ship, even though we participated in open bar events, organized through the cruise specific Facebook group. Fair point: if you do not like Disney there is no reason at all to do a Disney Cruise, it is expensive and all Disney in your face. So that is loose-loose… I have never been pushed for tips, ever! You do not need to add cash, you can go to guest services and have the amounts for each tip position adjusted (up or down). You will receive a new slip to put in the envelope, but if you don’t hand over the slip the CM will receive the allotted tip anyway. I have found this to be extremely comfortable as being a European I don’t understand American tipping anyway. We have been pushed to fill out the feedback form (as in actually do that) and several waiters asked to be noted immediately when something was off and not wait till the last day of the cruise and the feedback form about that. We had a few of those instances and all was taken care of instantly. Added: non-alcoholic beverages from the soda fountain and coffee/tea machines on the top deck and in all dining locations (Cabana’s and the Main Restaurants) are included, only at bars the soda will be charged.
I am glad you did this article. I just went on my first cruise in September, which was on the Disney Wish. It was a three day and I had so much fun. I am a big Star wars and marvel nerd, so I enjoyed those extras a lot. I will probably try some other cruise lines in the future however I feel Disney made it pretty easy, especially as a first time cruiser. I didn’t see as many kids as expected, however most kids are back in school during September. I think the newer ship fixed the hearing others from the cabin. I heard nothing from our stateroom and we were close to the elevators.
Thank you for this honest look at Disney. As a TA who specializes in Disney and traveling with a disability, I found your review very honest and fair. The only thing I would add is if you want a paper menu or daily guide you can ask for one. I am visually impaired so using my phone for menus and such can be hard so I always ask for a paper menu and am given one every time. My cabin host always makes sure I have a paper guide every day as well once I tell him of my need. Oh, and because of your great articles, I have booked my first Holand American cruise.
Thank you Gary. A friend wants to go on a Disney cruise Anne tries to convince me to come too. Your two articles really confirmed to me that a single adult without kids has better options to go on a cruise. Prices for singles are very high, too! I’ll stick with celebrity cruises for Alaska and Aida around Europe I want to add that I absolutely love your website. Fantastic information in a nutshell. Well done.
Thank you for this article, Gary. Even though I’m from California and grew up going to Disneyland – and later Disney World – I think a Disney cruise would drive me absolutely out of my mind. I can handle a day of Disney, but not three, and certainly not a week. While I have always been wary of the line, your articles have helped me solidify the reasons for my justifiable trepidation.
We’ve been on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney and would by far prefer Disney. As a family of 5, it’s the only real choice and it over-delivers on family memories. As @Michael J. said, I’m glad this review would steer anyone away who might otherwise lead to a cranky, unpleasant experience because it leaves more room for even the most casual of Disney fans to have a blast unlike any other on the open seas!
It’s been some years since I’ve to cruised Disney but something people don’t realize about the tips is that that’s the only income the waitstaff and cabin stewards receive. It doesn’t sound like a lot but when you speak to the individual people it’s more than they can make in their home country. It’s one of the reasons you don’t see Americans doing those jobs. At least that’s how it was when I cruised.
Hi Gary! Thank you for the very informative article- it is very appreciated! My husband and I are going on a Disney cruise in December of this year and we are very excited! As for the tipping situation, America does do things a lot differently. Most servers get around $3 a hour in America and they mostly never see a flat paycheck due to what gets taken out in taxes. They live off of the tips they are given from their guests. Additionally, Disney, as well as many other restaurants in the USA, have a tip out, which means that the server is forced to tip out the bussers and food runners that help to aid in your experience. For example, if your check is $100, and you leave 10%, which is $10 to your server, than they have to tip out 3-5% of the sales made at your table to each of the people that help them… so they are not making the entire $10… but if your server does a good job, it is customary for you to leave 18-20%. I don’t know about you, but the amount the servers are made off of ‘forced gratuity’ is certainly not enough to live off of- especially if they are working hard… needless to say, they do not have to pay for their travel expenses or food while working on the cruise ship, but they certainly are trying their hardest to make your cruise special. 😕
I want to thank you for this breakdown. I’ve never done Disney primarily because they cost so much more than the other lines but now that I’ve seen this I know I wouldn’t go even if they were the same price. I love a lot of the IP that Disney owns but I do not like the way the cruise experience is described AT ALL.
I went on 2 cruises (Celebrity and RC) before I went on a Disney cruise. I swore off cruises after the Celebrity cruise because I was absolutely bored to death on it because I don’t gamble or drink booze. I have been on 2 Disney cruises and have another booked. Disney cruises are the only way I will go back out to sea on a ship. You have some great tips and absolutely hit some of the hang ups of Disney cruises, but they can definitely waver from crew to crew as on the Wish I didn’t have a single solicitation from a cast member. Overall it’s great that there are different cruises for people and it’s great to get a take from someone who isn’t a Disney buff, but can articulate the good and the bad so well. Great overall article.
Well, Gary, if you braved Disney, you can certainly brave Carnival. Your compatriot Emma@Emma’s Cruises recently took one. It’s the biggest cruise line in the world by passenger numbers. You may as well do one for the sake of completion, and because, of course, your viewers will certainly appreciate your take on it. Plenty of your viewers know the line well, ask us for tips for your travel aboard. We can probably help you figure out a ship/itinerary that won’t drive you mad.
This was fantastic!!! I’m a Disneyphile and live near WDW. I have been on two Disney cruises and have 2 planned for 2024. Your reveiw of DCL is very well done and honest! I would share this with anyone! I personally see the issue with gratuities in other areas of travel and hospitality, too. I feel you on that! Thank you for your article.
This is incredibly helpful, Gary! We’re on Disney Wonder in two weeks and Disney Magic in March, both of which we’ve cruised on before, but the DCL app is new to us, and we are cruising out of new to us ports. Good for you for embracing the experience as well as you could and getting some photos with the characters! There are usually enrichment programs; I have attended quite a few in the past, which I enjoyed very much. My guess is that those were paused during the pandemic and just haven’t been brought back yet. I don’t like the beds don’t split. They did on my earliest Disney cruises, but they changed the beds later, and that was a disappointment to me. The tub in the bathroom is also tough for me now because of my bad ankle. I need to remember to request an accessible cabin in the future on DCL.
When my wife won a Disney cruise, I asked a co-worker who had cruises dozens of times what to expect. He said, “you’re screwed!” We had never cruises and now I expected sticky floors, running and screaming kids everywhere. We’re Disney moderate fans but not extreme so you can imagine what I was thinking. “No,” he said, “you misunderstand. You’ll never get as good service on any other cruise line!” Now we haven’t cruise all the others but it was true that Disney service was spectacular. Enough so that we booked a second one on Fantasy when it first sailed. A couple years later we wanted to cruise more but maybe with fewer kids and less ‘Donald.’ We researched and picked Celebrity. On one of their back stage ship tours, I saw employee posters that reminded me very much of Disney – importance of guest experience being paramount – importance of the personal relationship of each crew member to the guests. And after over a dozen Celebrity suite-level cruises, we’re satisfied. Although I did find the rotational dining with the same server crew and table mates to be conducive to friends and fun. Good, informative article. Keep up the good work!
The differing tours remind me of Carnival’s much-missed “Behind the Fun” tours. While there are certain places that are always seen (Engineering Control, the bridge, the storerooms, the theater backstage, etc.), you never know when something might get added. It was the Captain’s private dining room on one tour, a rare available crew cabin to see on another, and just once, a look inside the Captain’s stateroom. After eight tours, I’ve never not learned or seen something new.
The fact that everything was booked ahead of time makes so much sense–people obsessed with Disney have been trained to do so with the theme parks. If they don’t do that preparation before going to Disneyworld/Disneyland/etc, they most likely wouldn’t be able to do the rides they want to do most (or would have to wait an exorbitantly long time, thus going on less rides)
Thank you Gary for your incredibly detailed explanations of the entire experience on this type of a cruise. I’d heard that DCL does a great job of providing services & entertainment for Adult only cruisers. I thought about doing this as I really liked Disney when I lived in So. Cal for decades. It got difficult after a while, when all my family & friends from out of state always wanted to go to Disneyland. Enough is enough & too much will make a dog sick. After viewing both of your DCL articles, now I can make a more informed decision as to whether or not I’d want to do a DCL cruise. Cheers!
I enjoyed this prospective about traveling on Disney without children. I have kids and am a big disney fan. One thing that I agree with is the pressure for an exceeds expectations when it comes to rating food. Now the food was really well done in my opinion but it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had. That said, what isn’t fair is how the line blames your serving team if they don’t get the top score. I’m sorry but they aren’t cooking the food. Now that being said the team goes far above and beyond when it comes to getting you want you want even if they need to head to a different kitchen and as much as you want. For that, they definitely got an extra tip from us. I never felt pressure to give more tip, those folks earn it. I would like to see a drink package, however you are permitted to bring a 6 pack of beer or a bottle of wine to enjoy in your stateroom. Love the articles!!
So I’ve been on 4 disney cruises 1. They are not supposed to push for tips. I never experienced this in America but I’ve heard on the Mediterranean cruises (which I assume you went on) they do this. 2. Your soft drinks, coffee, juices, milk and whatnot is included in your cruise as well as the free soft serve which is my favorite. Alcohol is an upcharge and I have heard it’s quite expensive. 3. There are showers in the gym and spa which are huge if you don’t fit in stateroom showers. I’ve used them before because I don’t fit in the stateroom showers. I’m 6,2. You do have to be an adult to use the spa which is mostly an upcharge. The gym they don’t care as long as you aren’t a kid or there to mess around. 4. There is an 18-21 society which has events around the ship. They commandeer some of the clubs from my understanding earlier in the day. Kids are allowed in all of the bars except for the bar on the top deck and the adults only section. You will know when you go into the adults only section. Palo and Remy are adult only. Palo is a $40 upcharge for dinner per person and Remy is $75. Palo also has a brunch option which I think is $25. 5. Disney staterooms are huge compared to others though i suggest not getting internet and not staying in your room. There is tons of stuff to keep you busy and entertained.
On one Disney cruise, we were able to eat at the buffet area (Cabanas) for dinner one night. It was waiter-served and believe the menu was the same as one of the other restaurants (Tritons or Lumieres). It was very quiet as there were only a few tables with diners. We probably inquired about it at Guest Services. (That option may have been discontinued.)
DCL does a great job accommodating people with health problems, especially those with lots of dietary restrictions. In the main kitchen, they have one line that’s dedicated to preparing food for these guests. All their ordered food comes from this line. My travel agent said that someone from DCL will call and talk to both of us (I need a low saturated fat diet, my friend has food allergies and complex dietary needs. It makes it easier for DCL that our food come come off the special line). My bestie and I were saving up for an Alaska cruise on DCL. Unfortunately, my friend had a stroke and other health problems, so that’s not happening. One of my acquaintances is a travel agent who works with DCL. Book through a travel agent, not online. There’s a lot a good travel agent will do–and it’s especially important when it comes to special needs travel. She would have put us on an Alaskan cruise out of San Diego–combine California / Pacific Northwest with Alaska. She said that she could get us much a much cheaper flight, hotel room and limo out of SD than Seattle, that it would cost (at that time) about 500 per person more to do both cruises in one trip. She said that the Alaska cruise is much more adult oriented. She said that the enrichment lectures are at the introductory level even on sailings that are more adult oriented. The travel agent said, “If I was booking you on a solo Alaska cruise, no, I would not put you on Disney. You’re not a Disney fan. I don’t think you would be fine on DCL traveling with your friend, but not as a solo traveler.
You won’t find me on a Disney cruise. While I grew up LOVING Disneyland and all things Disney, their greediness and outrageous prices (and too many kids) soured me in supporting Disney. I cruise to relax and this does NOT look relaxing!! Thanks, Gary, for your informative article. It confirmed for me never to try a Disney cruise.
Love your articles. Cabanas wasn’t open until and thru dinner time? We have been on 9 of these and never felt pressure to tip more. On our last cruise, the dining staff did explain how important and excellent rating is for them and how much they would appreciate it if we thought they deserved it. It may have been a little forward, but nothing terrible and it was the only time during the entire cruise that it ever came up.
If loyal cruisers are able to book stuff before anyone else, then how to new cruisers even get a chance to book popular items? From what was mentioned it seems everything gets booked in seconds when it becomes available. Even for first time guests, from the sounds of it, if don’t have everything ready to be checked out at the stroke of midnight (lol) when things become available then all activities and excursions will be sold out. If you wait till day 69 it seems there won’t be anything left. Is there even any chance new people cruising on Disney have a chance at anything?
Great perspective. I would def give it another try! Try one of their bigger ships The Fantasy or The Dream or the new ont The Wish. The magic and The Wander are the smaller in the fleets so I could see how your room would seem small. I actually like the tips and didnt feel pressured to give more at all. If we enjoyed our service or they gave a little extra magic, it was pleasure to give them a little extra!
I stayed at Disney’s Vero Beach; wanted beach but no chance of sea sickness. The problem; the walls of the rooms were like paper thin. So i’d go to lay down and I can hear the tv against the wall of the room next to me so clearly. So how was I supposed to go to sleep? Then you’d hear the gardeners so loud every morning because they had these tall bushes to help keep the light from scaring nesting turtles. But those bushes needed constant trimming. Aaaaggh, I liked the place but when you can’t get a good night’s sleep, it makes you cranky by day 3. I was ready to go.
There are some incorrect statements in here. The ships cannot book and sail at “150-160% occupancy” – they have to work within lifeboat capacity, which also means they balance the number of people they book per each section of the ship according to the lifeboats that serve that ship area. Many cabins that could sleep 5 people are only booked at 2 (for example) to ensure safety per the lifeboat arrangements. That was just one of several comments that were not accurate. Another one – you don’t have to scan a code for dinner menus, that was during COVID only. You mention they don’t offer a drink package – but you do not specify that non-alcoholic drinks are included in the cruise price (unlike other lines where you buy a drink package even for sodas, juice, coffee, tea, for example). If you want advice on Disney cruises join a forum with experienced DCL cruise enthusiasts for the best (accurate) advice.
I cannot underscore the advice here enough. Firstly, you have to be in the right mindset to go. If you are looking for an elegant adult experience… don’t go. If you have kids or want to escape reality for a while then maybe it will work for you. Secondly, in the Disney space, there is the quick and the disappointed. Planning ahead and nailing those booking windows is key. If it sounds like work, it can be, so think about what you want in a vacation
Based on the information here, I think that the only people who should cruise on this line are Disney super fans. Another consideration is that Disney seems to be increasing their charges. I think that the company is trying to extract as much money as they think they can get away with, only it seems to be done in a much more aggressive way than other companies.
This seems very Darwinian, a constant competition for resources. The ability to avoid such competition is very high on my list of attributes for acceptable vacations. Wilderness adventures have been – so far – the only means of achieving this goal. This is why I have never – and probably never will – set foot on a cruise ship. It is also the reason I’ve visited Disneyland once and will NEVER return. So I very much appreciate the virtual cruises that I take on this website. Mr. Bembridge is a delightful guide and (virtual) traveling companion!!
Several prominent cruise youtubers took Disney cruises and they all seemed to say the same thing. That they enjoyed it, but it was not for them. If someone does not consider themselves a Disney Adult, then its probably not for them. There are so many other nice cruise lines for the gamblers and the partiers and the non-disney adults.
Again, thank you for a great review of the Disney cruise. You are a master of your craft, Gary! I can’t help the feeling that whatever Disney cruises are, they are NOT premium. From what I can see and hear from your blogs, its a Mariella cruise with Disney theme. Nothing wrong with that, but the only ‘Premium’ I can see on Disney cruises are the PRICES !!!
I tried to warn you about these things ahead of time, I’m shocked you didn’t realize their cruises wouldn’t be Disney themed and were surprised there were characters everywhere! 😂Since you always advise booking excursions as soon as they were available to book, I’m also surprised you didn’t know to do that at the time of availability. But yes, people who have never cruised Disney before get the last opportunity to book. If you were to go on another, you would have “Silver” status and have a lanyard for your key card and a nice one-shoulder “sling” backpack waiting in your cabin for you. Concierge level guests also gets a lithograph print in their cabin the last night. While no drink package, there is always an inexpensive drink of the day, and you can carry in 2 bottles of wine or a 6-pack of beer per adult 21+. Yes there are more adjoining rooms because there are a lot of multi-generational or large family travelers, and they have the only cabins on any line I know of capable of sleeping five. Concierge level also has a one-bedroom available with pocket doors around the bedroom, a dining table and chairs (so you can order full-menu breakfast room service from the entire menu, not just continental) and two bathrooms. The one inside the master is huge, with a large Jacuzzi tub. Glad you detailed the kids clubs and nursery, but didn’t show the Bibbidi Boppidy Boo Salon. I found the app incredibly helpful. It gives the daily detailed schedules & passengers can text each other free.
when my son is 4 i want his father/my fiance an his family to do this. my family went on a little family reunion Disney cruise didn’t invite my mom&me. it was my mom’s mom all her siblings, her daughter/my mom’s sister/my aunt with her husband and at the time 3 kids, and my great grandma. (my mom’s mom is the only one who had kids out of her siblings) who we were close to, an they thought we’d never find out even though they had pictures framed (my mom has since passed away or I’d plan to invite her, me and her always said when I was old enough we’d go on the Gothic Cruise together)
I don’t think I’m a good match for Disney. I’m single, prefer quieter type vacations, not a huge fan of crowds or children, and while I liked Disney as a kid, it’s not something my life really revolves around. Most of what you showed made me wince a bit. Happy for those for whom this is attractive, but I’m going to pass.
the tips part seems (to me, a brit) just so embarassing – having to hand over an envelope saying what had already happened (auto tips) and thus making you pay more. i am happy to tip whatever they suggest but don’t make me physically hunt people down to do it. just do it automatically. (and i didn’t realise disney had no buffet in evening – some days if its say rough seas and you feel a bit under weather, you don’t fancy a full 3-4 course fancy meal so i’d head to buffet for a simple hot meal then – but not an option here)
Just want to clarify: I noticed in this and another of your Disney Cruise Line article you mention that they sell at 150%-160% occupancy. That simply is not true. Please know that I’m not negating your experience of the ship feeling crowded-but rather correcting some information. Firstly, I’m fairly sure the room you showed in your article was a Deluxe Oceanview with Verandah. It for sure could accommodate a maximum of 4 Guests instead of the 5 you mentioned. The couch, when converted to a bed, accommodates only 1 Guest. Rooms that can accommodate 5 have an additional Murphy bed for a single Guest between the couch and verandah door. And – all of the deluxe family staterooms are not created equal. Some can handle a maximum of 4 while some do have the bedding for a 5th Guest. You can see a picture of the deluxe family stateroom here: google.com/search?client=safari&hl=en-us&sxsrf=AB5stBg6gg4ulZMuv9xalLckitcHHwaeWA%3A1688776743335&q=disney%20wonder%20deluxe%20family%20oceanview%20with%20verandah&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiYvpDP7_3_AhXpLFkFHR3ECzQQ0pQJegQIBxAB&biw=375&bih=642&dpr=3&shem=canimgc&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fcan%2F3#imgrc=x6z_xVte4cyD-M I know this seems nit picky, but I think that the occupancy can easily affect how one views the spaciousness of the room. Your particular stateroom notwithstanding, Disney bases their occupancy on three factors: stateroom space, lifeboat space, and child programming. I have had instances where a Guest would look for a stateroom for their family – 2 adults and 1 or 2 kids.
I would never go on or over pay for Disney Cruise.. The company has become so greedy $$$ Congestion pricing at the theme parks, $5k for Galaxy Edge so on, so on …. I just returned from a 7 day Alaskan cruise on NCL Encore, 2 people in a balcony stateroom $2,150…far less $$$ than a 3 day Disney Cruise full of kids..
Wow. I expected that the Disney cruise experience wouldn’t be a great fit for me and would probably annoy me. This review managed to exceed my expectations. Most of my issues with Disney’s thing boil down to personal preference, to be fair, but the tipping practice in particular is such blatant, shameless social engineering. Any company that does something like this would make me want to avoid them. God forbid the cruise industry ever relax on the toxic tipping pressure and instead reconsider its practice of hiring people from depressed economies for starvation wages.
Taking a Disney cruise is my idea of hell. I love cruising and I’ve been on four different cruise lines, but Disney will never be one of them. I could not imagine being stuck with Donald Daffy and goofy and annoying. Disney shows and products nonstop day after day. If you have children or grandchildren, I guess there’s a market for it.
So passengers pretty much are required to use a smart phone to access most information on the ship, but the wi-fi is expensive. That’s an ingenious formula for generating revenue. Edit: I see that kikky811 has corrected my post by pointing out that Disney includes wi-fi to use the Disney cruise app onboard. Thanks for the clarification.