70 Tips for a Magical Disney Cruise Line Vacation

We have taken six Disney Cruises over the last four years and through our personal experiences, and our personal research we have come up with tips that are sure to help you have a magical cruise. As promised, here are 70 Disney Cruise Time Tips!

Before You Board

1.       Don’t think it’s just for families with kids! If you love Disney, then a Disney Cruise is for you. A Disney Cruise is for everyone, whether you’re sailing with kids, leaving the kids at home, or don’t have kids!

2.       If you can, book early. New sailings are released three times a year, normally about 18 months prior to when the sailing will be. The price of sailings can go up hundreds to thousands of dollars between when sailings are first released and when they set sail.

3.       Want the ultimate Disney vacation? Book a Land and Sea! Combine the magic of a land vacation at either Disney World or Disneyland (depending on where you’re sailing from) and the relaxation of a Disney Cruise!

4.       The entire process can be a bit overwhelming. Need help navigating through it all? Book with someone who has been there and done that! Book with your favorite travel agent. (Me)

5.       After you’ve booked join the Facebook group for your sailing. These groups allow you to connect with other cruisers on your sailing, to ask questions and share information, and to join exchange groups.

6.       Complete Online Check In. During Online Check In you can select your Port Arrival Time. You can also book things like ticketed meet and greets, Palo and Remy, spa services, and more. If no spots are available, don’t worry, check at Guest Services when you first board the ship!

7.       Register your little ones for the Youth Clubs during Online Check In. This all saves time once you arrive at the port.

8.       If you plan to have your smallest cruisers that aren’t old enough for the Oceaneer Club and Lab spent time in the nursery be sure to book these times in advance. The nursery can fill up.  

9.       Download the Disney Cruise Line Personal Navigator app. You can access your reservation, and a countdown to your cruise before boarding. Once onbaord daily activities, menus, and chat become available.

10.    Make sure celebrations like birthdays, anniversaries, or honeymoons are noted on your reservation! Disney loves to help you celebrate!

11.    Be sure to tell your bank and Credit Card Company that you’re traveling. There’s nothing worse than your card being denied because it is flagged as fraud.

12.    Set up your FREE character call!

13.    Don’t pack towels. Towels are available at the pools, and to take on shore excursions. Be sure to return them!

14.    Don’t over pack! There is plenty of storage space in your room, but you’ll most likely end up with clothes you don’t wear. I have seen many posts about how someone thought that they were going to change outfits two to three times a day and ended up being in their swim suit for most of the day before changing for dinner. We normally wear shorts and t-shirts during the day, swim suits for when we’re at the pool and waterslides, and a t-shirt and jeans for dinner on non-formal nights. 

15.    Unless you live within a few hours of the port arrive in your port city, or one close by, the night before. You don’t want to risk a delayed or canceled flight leading to a missed cruise.

16.    Arrive at your Port Arrival Time, not before. Boarding the ship is done by boarding groups which are assigned and correlate with Port Arrival Times. If you arrive early you will end up waiting, and the terminal can get crowded.

17.    Don’t try to carry on more than you’ll need. Bring a day bag with important documents, swim suits, diapers/wipes, and any medications you’ll need, but don’t try to carry on too much. Staterooms are not ready until 1:30PM so you will need to keep everything you bring on with you until then. This includes any beverages you wish to carry on.

18.    Returning cruisers will receive lanyards when they check in at the port. First time cruisers – bring lanyards with a plastic pocket to carry your Key to the World Card.

After Boarding

19.    Although it won’t go too far, be sure to claim your Free 50MB of data. This is only available on the first day!

20.    I have heard from quite a few people that they don’t like the taste of the water on the ship. If you typically find that you don’t like tap water when you travel there are options. You can bring bottled water onto the ship with you, but you must carry it on. You can also purchase water packages onboard.

21.    Once you board the ship fuel up for your fun filled vacation with Embarkation Lunch. One sit down restaurant is always open for lunch on the first day, but it can be crowded. We suggest heading up to Cabanas for a buffet-style lunch, or out to the pool deck for quick service eats like pizza, burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads, and more.

22.    Decorate your door! The doors and walls of your stateroom are metal. So bring magnets to decorate your door.

23.    If you’re interested participate in a Fish Extender or other gift exchange group! Sign-ups for these exchange will be found in the Facebook group for your sailing.

24.    Don’t show up late for the Emergency Drill! The Guest Assembly Drill is mandatory. As guests arrive to their muster stations they are checked in and once everyone is checked in the ship wide drill can begin. Don’t be late!

25.    Go to the Sail-Away Party! Start your vacation off with a party!

26.    Go to Open House! On the first day you can check out all of the youth clubs and the spa! Open house is a great time to kids to see where they’ll be spending time over the course of the cruise, and for those that aren’t old enough yet to see what they have to look forward to! The Oceaneer Club and Lab, Edge, and Vibe have open house throughout the cruise as well, most of the time while a fun activity is taking place!

27.    For the Fantasy and the Dream a card must be in slot by the door for the lights in your stateroom to work.

28.    On the first evening take advantage of all of the storage space and unpack. Feel more at home! Store your luggage under the bed.

29.    Bring a pop up hamper. These fit nicely in the closest and make keeping laundry contained easier.

30.    Plan to do laundry on board and you can pack less!

31.    If you plan to do laundry onboard bring your own laundry detergent – we recommend laundry pods.

32.    Dress up on formal night! We’re not dressy people, but it is fun to dress up for formal night.

33.    Costumes are encouraged for Pirate Night, Star Wars and Marvel Days. Embrace your inner pirate, Jedi, Sith lord, superhero or villain!

34.    Enjoy a date day/night on the ship! Enjoy dinner, or brunch, at Palo or Remy followed by some relaxation at the Quite Cove or one of the bars or lounges while the kids are having fun at the youth clubs and/or nursery.

35.    Have no fear, if you would like, while you’re at Palo or Remy kids can dine with friends in the Club! If not you can certainly have them dine in the main dining room before your reservation time or if there older than can go alone! Room service and the quick service locations by the pool are other dining options

36.    Having a headache on vacation? No one wants that, but single doses of Ibuprofen and Tylenol are available from Guest Services free of charge.

Relax and Have Fun!

37.    Sit back and relax with a view of the sea or port on Deck 4. It’s also a great place to people watch.

38.    Want to experience the pool when it’s less crowded? Go during second seating when most people are either at dinner or at the second show! Another less crowded time is when the ship is still in port at Castaway Cay.

39.    Speaking of the pools. If the temperature outside drops the pools will be heated. If it gets to be too cold or too choppy, though, the pools will close.

40.    Don’t forget to bring sunscreen! If you do, though, or you run out it is available for purchase in the gift shop.

41.    Confession: We’ve never made it to a live show onboard. That will change on our next sailing, though! If you’re too tired or the kids don’t want to sit still you can watch a recorded version of shows in your stateroom.

42.    Take the stairs. With the exception of right after deck parties and when the ship is first cleared for guest to disembark in a port of call the stairs are normally less crowded than the elevators. Taking the stairs also helps to work off some of those cruise calories.

43.    Meet your favorite characters. Be sure to be on the lookout – you’ll find characters roaming the ship!

44.    Character Handlers can take photos on your camera during meet and greets so that everyone can be in the picture!

45.    Send a post card from Castaway Cay.

46.    Enjoy a movie and snacks by the pool.

47.    Be sure to take in the small details around the ship. We find something new every time!

48.    Watch fireworks at sea! Fireworks are not available on all itineraries, but when they are included it’s a great way to end the day.

49.    Relax, don’t try to do it all. There is so much to see and do on the ship, but there’s no way to do it all. You’re on vacation – relax and save some magic for next time.

50.    Don’t miss the ship. This one sounds like a no brainer, but it can and has happened. The all aboard time is announced throughout the ship and is posted at the gangway. If you are not back in time the ship can leave without you.

Beverages

51.    If you’re a beer drinker there are two ways to save and still enjoy a beverage or two. Purchase the Beer Mug which allows you to get more beer for less price!

52.    Each guest 21 and older can bring a six pack of beer or two bottles of wine on onto the ship in each port of call. These, and any other beverages to include packs of water or soft drinks must be carried onto the ship, they cannot be in your checked luggage.

53.    There’s no reason to ever go thirsty! There is a 24 hour beverage station on the pool deck that includes soft drinks, water, milk, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

54.    Want a tasty treat? Combine hot chocolate and ice cream. You’ll thank me later.

55.    Bring a refillable mug or bottle to use at the beverage station.

Food

56.    Order cookies and milk and/or mac and cheese from room service.

57.    You can enjoy Mickey ice cream bars on the ship as well. Order one from room service, or from the dessert menu in the main dining rooms!

58.    You can take food from Cabanas or the quick service restaurants to the movie theater!

59.    Don’t miss out on complimentary pastries at the Cove and Vista Cafes. The drinks come at an extra cost, but the treats are complimentary.

60.    Eat all the ice cream! As a family we love ice cream – and we love to stop by the self-serve soft-serve station at least once a day.

61.    Order more than one thing at dinner! That’s right – do two entrees sounds good? Maybe you want all of the desserts? Make it happen! Just don’t waste food.

62.    You take food from the Cabanas back to your stateroom to enjoy!

63.    Speaking of Cabanas, you don’t need to follow the line through Cabanas. It is a free flowing buffet which means that you can pop into any station and grab what looks good.

64.    You can take dinner back to your room for those that are sea sick. On one sailing an entire family ended up needing to leave dinner because the seas were rough and our server made sure that their dinners were delivered to their room!

65.    Get to know your dining team! This one is definitely easier on longer sailings. Your server and assistant server work hard to get to know your likes and dislikes, and to make conversation with you at dinner, when you see them in the halls, when you see them serving food at Flo’s at lunch time and Cabanas at breakfast. Yes, they work literally all day. So, ask them if they’re married, if they have kids, about where they live when they’re not on the ship. They’re people, too!

Tipping

66.    Gratuity – everyone on the ship works incredibly hard. The people that receive tips are the dining room staff and those that keep your rooms and the ship sparkling clean. The current gratuity rate is $13.50 per guest per night. You can pre-pay this or have it charge to your onbard account. We also recommend added extra either to your onboard account or the envelopes on the last evening. These cast members work so hard and they deserve your tips.

An 18% gratuity is automatically added to all alcohol purchases and to spa services.

67.    Bring small bills to tip room service and porters who handle your bags. Most room service items come at no additional cost, but you should tip to person that brings your treats.

Stay in Shape

68.    Do you like to run? Sign up for the fun and FREE Castaway Cay 5K. Guest 10 and older can run or walk the 5K and get a finisher’s medal.

69.    Want to enjoy food, but not gain too much? There are plenty of options to stay in shape while onboard. Deck 4 on all four ships offers a jogging path along the entire outside of the ship. Guest of all ages are welcome to run and walk here any time of day. Guests 18 and older can also visit the Fitness Center where you’ll find cardio and weight machine, free weights, and fitness classes.

Now it’s Time to Say Goodbye

70.    Be ready to book another cruise! If you’re like us you’ll fall in love with cruising and with Disney Cruise Line. If you’re ready for another cruise you can book onboard!

There you have it, those are our Disney Cruise Line Tips! We hope that you learned a lot and are ready for your next Disney Cruise!

Did we forget anything? Let us know!

Are you ready to start planning your next magical vacation? I’d be happy to help! Contact me at miriyawhitaker@worldofmagictravel.com for your FREE quote and to start planning your next trip on land or sea. For more Disney and travel information follow me on Facebook.