You're ready to book your Disney Cruise but you're probably wondering when's the best time to sail...
Leave your worries at home and set sail for an adventure on the high seas with Disney Cruise Line. Disney Cruises are easy!
The best part about a Disney Cruise is you only have to unpack once, even as you travel from place to place. You also don't have to go hunting for a restaurant every night, as you and your party are assigned rotational dining each night so you never miss out on the fine cuisine only Disney has to offer. What's even better than rotational dining you may ask? BROADWAY CALIBER ENTERTAINMENT!
But even in its simplicity, Disney cruising can still be a bit much for even the most seasoned cruisers. What should you bring? What should you plan on doing in ports? What is the best way to book? I've got my top tips for sailing on a Disney Cruise as well as your answers to many of your questions below!
1. Arrive a Day Before
If you only take away with you one thing from this blog post is this. ARRIVE TO YOUR PORT/NEAR YOUR PORT CITY A DAY EARLY! Things happen to cruisers more often than you would think. Arrive a day early, explore the nearby sights.
Many cruises depart in the afternoon, so it might seem just fine to fly or drive to a port on the morning of departure. But all it takes is a moderate flight delay or a pile-up on the highway to upset those plans. If you're delayed in your arrival at the port, the ship will not wait for you.
If you're traveling overseas for a cruise, I recommend traveling to the port at least up to 3-4 days in advance. This isn't just so you don't miss the ship. It's also so you have some time to recover from jet lag. Additionally, you can enjoy the nearby tourist attractions/shops. European cruises, in particular, can be port-intensive, with lots of touring, so you want to be refreshed and ready to hit the ground running right after the cruise begins.
For Disney Cruises sailing out of Port Canaveral, we can bundle your vacation by doing a land and sea vacation for more on my tips about land and sea vacations, check out my guest blog post here
2. Carry-On
Upon arrival at the port, a porter will arrive to help you with your bags. They'll take your bags onboard the ship and you'll see them much later just outside your room. I often like to remind my clients that a carry-on will be their best friend while on board a Disney Cruise. You'll want to pack all your immediate essentials like medication, your bathing suit, toiletries, and alcohol like wine or beer must be packed in your carry-on and cannot be packed in your checked bag.
This will give you the freedom to explore the ship when you first arrive without lugging around a rolled luggage or a giant duffle. I always recommend you use a backpack or tote as your carry-on.
3. DON'T OVERPACK!
I am insanely guilty of doing this for most of my trips, and while I give out the advice, I don't always tend to follow it lol. I recommend you set up everything you want to pack and reduce it by half. You'll notice you may not use half of what you decide to bring. I'm guilty of this 1000% I always end up lugging back what wasn't ever used on my trips. Plus keep in mind many of Disney's ships have launderettes on cabin decks where you can run a load or two of laundry every few days.
The extra cost of doing a few loads of laundry on a ship is a small price to pay for the freedom of not having to lug a giant suitcase around as you travel to and from your ship. Especially on embarkation and disembarkation days! Plus, you'll want to save room in your suitcase for all the fun Disney goodies you bring back.
4. Navigator App
You'll want to make sure you have the Disney Cruise Navigator App downloaded so you can stay up to date with all the fabulous entertainment available on board. Additionally, it's a nice option to stay connected to your family/friends staying in your cabin. There's a built-in chat system that's available once registered. I love the app as it connects me to everything I need to know while sailing on a Disney cruise!
When on board, you'll be instructed to set your phone to airplane mode in order to access this app to it's full capacity. However, you can play around on it while you're still in the comfort of your couch at home.
5. Champagne Campaign
BRING YOUR OWN PARTY!
Many first-time cruisers assume they can't bring their own drinks on board a ship. But Disney Cruise allows its Disney Adults to enjoy the option of being their own bartender. Adults can bring up to two bottles of unopened wine or Champagne or six beers onto Disney ships at the start of a cruise and at every port of call. Note that these beverages must be packed in carry-on bags.
One slight problem: You'll need to pay an uncorking fee if you decide to take your wine to dinner. You can always ask the front desk for a corkscrew prior to your dining experience for the evening. Always be sure to read the rules before you bring any drinks on board. While everyone loves a good glass of wine, I recommend settling for a twist-top with a middle-of-the-road wine for your on-board enjoyment. Save your money for the good quality spirits on board a Disney Cruise!
6. Don't Forget the EXTRA sunscreen!
Pack extra toiletries!
Of course, all of the necessities like tampons, band-aids, cold medicine, sunscreen, etc. will all be available but I always make sure to pack at least extra toiletries!
This helps me avoid paying a massive fee for items that would normally be much cheaper while off the ship, you can of course always visit first aid when you're not feeling well but it never hurts to just bring a small toiletry bag. Some other awesome items you can think about bringing on board, are magnets for your door and hooks. Walls on ships often are made with metal (even if they look like wood, thanks to faux wood veneers) and will hold a magnet. One of my fellow agents brought these metal hooks on board and they were a game changer especially when sharing a cabin with more than 2 people.
In addition to extra toiletries, cruising regulars often bring Clorox wipes or something similar to wipe down surfaces in their cabin upon arrival (and to bring along on shore excursions). I admit, I've always done this. While Disney's hospitality team is always on point. It never hurts to be a little extra clean.
Poo-Pourri, because while we all believe our 💩 smells like 🌹, in the wise words of OutKast....roses really smell like boo boo boo.
7. Eat Before Your Port Arrival
While you'll definitely want to enjoy all the culinary adventures that are on board, there's SO much to do, see and enjoy when you first get on board. The last thing you'll want to do is fight against a crowd to get food at the main buffet. You'll notice there are other culinary offerings available and with 24/7 complimentary room service. You'll want to enjoy a light lunch prior to getting on board and if you're still feeling hungry, head over to the buffet just before they close it down for a quick bite to squeeze in just as the crowd masses have settled down.
8. Discuss your most desired activities/port excursions with your travel agent!
For many first-time cruisers, you'll want to do a little bit of everything on a Disney Cruise. Which is nearly close to impossible. Especially with a 3-4 day itinerary. I recommend discussing with your travel agent what you'll want to do/plan to do well in advance so they can book it on your behalf.
Additionally, you'll want to note that many Castaway Club members have access to many of the activities prior to your booking window. So be patient and make sure you're flexible with your most requested activities, especially for port excursions.
9. Think About Travel Insurance
While I always want to ensure that you'll have the world's best Disney trip. It's not always smooth seas when it comes to cruising — or any sort of travel.
It really puts a damper on planning to even bring it up, but you might need to cancel your cruise in advance due to the sudden onset of an illness. Or, maybe you'll fall ill during the cruise and need emergency medical attention.
Maybe your flight to your ship gets canceled and you miss the vessel's departure. These sorts of things can happen to cruisers, and they're all the sort of situations where you might benefit from having travel insurance.
Life happens, so you'll want to have the best backup plan available. As your travel agent, I give you all the info about what's included in your travel insurance plan with Disney Cruise Line. If you choose to purchase your own travel insurance that's amazing! Always better to be safe than sorry!
10. BOOK WITH A TRAVEL AGENT
You get access to the same information and pricing that I do, the best part about booking with me is you get a bespoke itinerary that's completely tailored to you and your family's travel needs. I do all the work and you focus on all the fun you'll have. So get ready to sip on your favorite poolside cocktail and let me do all the work and research!
If all of this sounds like you're ready to hop on board your next Disney adventure by sailing a Disney Cruise let me know how I can help book your travel needs today.
