dream cruise onboard app

Carnival HUB App

Awarded Best Ship App by Porthole Cruise Reader’s Choice Awards (2019 & 2020) No internet purchase required to use onboard

Before Your Cruise

Download before your cruise to start planning the fun!

• Share your cruise countdown
• Purchase gifts, wifi, spa services, shore excursions, and more
• Make dinner reservations
• Complete Online Check-In

During Your Cruise

Unlock more features once you get on the ship!

• What's Happening
• Food and Drinks
• Account Management
• Kids and Teens

• Reserve select shows, spa services, shore excursions, and specialty dining
• All your reservations are added to your planner to help you manage your day

• Reserve restaurants ahead of time or check-in if you’re ready to go
• View food and drink menus via QR scans
• Lounging by the pool? Order food for delivery

Learn about onboard safety and navigate to your assigned muster station to check-in with a team member upon boarding

Check into a virtual queue and skip the line! We'll simply notify you when it's your turn

Frequently Asked

The app is free to download and use on board. For a small additional fee the HUB App offers chat.

For safety reason, parents and guardians must give consent within the app for a guests 12 years and under to activate onboard chat.

iOS versions supported: 14.0 and up. Android/Google versions supported: 9.0 and up.

No internet purchase is required. The app works in Airplane Mode, which means guests do not incur roaming fees. The app works with the ship's Wi-Fi.

Although the app is not optimized for tablets, it will function on both Android and Apple tablets.

Download the HUB App

Awarded Best Ship App by Porthole Cruise Reader’s Choice Awards (2019 & 2020) No internet purchase required to use onboard.

We Just Returned from a Disney Dream Cruise, and Here’s What It Was Like

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Debuting in 2011, the Disney Dream is the first of two ships in the Dream Class, with the Disney Fantasy as its sister ship. This 4,000-passenger capacity cruise ship offers something for all ages, making it a vacation suitable for generational families or even adult-only getaways. After just returning from a 4-night sailing on the Disney Dream to the Bahamas, we are ready to give you our honest review of what we loved, hated, and everything in between from our vacation. Read on for our Disney Dream cruise ship review.

Our Honest Disney Dream Cruise Ship Review

Dining on disney dream.

Disney Dream offers a variety of dining options. From the main dining rooms, to other casual options like the buffet or pool deck eats, to adult-only dining, you certainly won’t go hungry during your cruise.

Rotational Dining

Disney Cruise Line approaches its main dining room experience differently than any other cruise line, which I happily embrace. Disney implements a rotational dining experience, with guests rotating between three themed dining rooms throughout the sailing.

Not only do the guests rotate between dining rooms each night, but so do the wait staff. The servers get to know you and your preferences, building relationships with cruisers by the end of the cruise and adding a heightened attention to detail.

There are three main dining rooms on the Disney Dream: Animator’s Palate, Enchanted Garden, and Royal Palace. Each restaurant offers different menus, with appetizers, soups and salads, main courses, and desserts. Options range from French specialties like escargot and duck breast to lighter fare options such as ahi tuna and avocado towers and pan-seared sea bass.

We enjoyed all our meals in the three main dining rooms. Everything was fresh, warm, and nicely presented while packing great flavors.

While I know that most cruise lines do not provide entertainment during dinner, Disney is, well, Disney. Having been on other DCL ships , I know this does occur, such as the Frozen show in the Arendelle dining room on the Disney Wish or the Rapunzel dinner show on the Disney Magic. So, we were bummed to find out that these dining rooms did not offer entertainment during dinner.

Dinners in these restaurants are long, and while some cruisers may enjoy the “normal” dining experience, the lack of entertainment left for an impatient toddler by the time we were ready for dessert.

Other Complimentary Dining Options

Besides the three rotational main dining rooms, Disney Dream does offer a few other options that are included in the cruise fare .

Unfortunately though, for cruisers who do not wish to attend the long main dining room dinner, Cabana’s, the buffet venue located on Deck 11, is not open for dinner. The only other dinner options available on the ship will be room service (complimentary) or Tow Mater’s Grill. This section of the pool deck food offerings within Flo’s Cafe offers chicken tenders, burgers, and hot dogs. 

Cabana’s is an excellent option for breakfast and lunch. Any seafood lover should not miss the daily all-you-can-eat crab claws and peel-and-eat shrimp on the lunch buffet. Fresh, made-to-order omelets are available during breakfast hours, and the cruise staff will even bring them to your table when they’re ready.

However, Cabanas’ layout can be frustrating, as it is one long buffet line on either side of the venue instead of specific stations. This led to long lines, sometimes out to the pool deck during peak hours. We didn’t have a problem finding a table during our cruise, but I could see this being a problem during popular dining hours.

For cruisers who want to stay in their bathing suits all day, Flo’s Cafe will be your lunch spot. Offering pizzas, chicken, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and fruit, everyone is bound to find something here. Nothing at Flo’s Cafe blew us away. While there was nothing wrong with the food here, we were left missing Mickey’s Festival of Foods , which debuted on the Disney Wish.

Soft drinks such as coke products, ginger ale, and vitamin water are included in your cruise fare on Disney Cruise Line. And you can find 24/7 stations, including tea, coffee, and water on either side of the pool deck, as well as in Cabanas during open hours.

Eye Scream offers poolside soft serve ice cream, with chocolate and vanilla served daily in addition to rotational flavors. We grabbed an ice cream cone every time we walked by because who doesn’t love ice cream?

Specialty Dining

Palo and Remy are the two specialty dining options onboard the Disney Dream, both adult-exclusive. Both are located on Deck 12, Aft, and the views from these venues are unbeatable, as is the service. If you think Disney Cruise Line service, in general, is a step above the rest, prepare to be blown away at Palo and Remy.

Palo offers brunch and dinner. I would argue that Palo Brunch will be the best $50 you spend during your vacation. Brunch offers an all-you-care-to-enjoy menu with options ranging from egg varieties, pancakes and waffles, soups, pizzas, and main entrees such as lasagna or sirloin steak.

Brunch is only offered on select days of your sailing, typically your sea day. I highly recommend snagging a reservation if possible; you will not regret it! Most importantly, be sure to come with an empty stomach. You’ll be stuffed by the end! The ahi tuna, eggs benedict, and the parmesan-crusted chicken breast were the highlights of our meal.

Palo Dinner offers a $50 prix-fixe 4-course meal or a la carte ordering. Palo specializes in Italian fare. We did not dine at Palo for dinner this sailing, but we have on previous sailings. If brunch isn’t your thing, I can assure you that dinner will be just as good! The most popular Palo dish is the chocolate souffle, which you must order early to give time for preparation.

Remy, the second specialty dining venue on Disney Dream, offers two set menus designed by two highly accredited chefs of Michelin Star caliber. Both menus cost $135 per person, with optional wine pairings available. For cruisers looking for that exquisite fine-dining experience, look no further than Remy.

Additionally, Cove Cafe on Deck 11 and Vista Cafe on Deck 4 offer specialty coffees for purchase and complimentary pastries. Coffee drinkers should plan to find themselves in these cafes, as the complimentary coffee falls flat. After one cup of the provided coffee, I went to Vista Cafe every morning for a latte. Be sure to get the coffee punch card and get it stamped; your 6th coffee will be free!

Finally, Pub 687, an adults-only venue within The District on Deck 4, also offers snacks and small bites for purchase at an affordable price. Typical bar food such as buffalo wings and pretzels are available. I recommend the buffalo wings, which are $4 for 5 wings and very tasty! 

Overall, we enjoyed the food on the Disney Dream, with standouts being Palo Brunch and Royal Palace. Next time, I’d skip the burgers from Flo’s Cafe, and you’ll never see me drinking the complimentary coffee again.

Disney’s focus on entertainment shines with theater shows and onboard activities, but the pool deck leaves something to be desired. You won’t find poolside entertainment such as belly flop contests, high-energy music, and dance parties onboard the Disney Dream.

Instead, you’ll find Funnel Vision, a giant screen on DCL’s iconic funnel playing an array of Disney movies from sunrise to well into the night. There’s also quiet areas with loungers to relax and read a book.

The Mickey and Donald’s Pools on Deck 11 midship are the two main pools onboard. These aren’t very big or deep and end up just being a splash zone full of children. This isn’t the spot for a relaxing day in the pool. There are loungers around both pools, but cruisers looking for a specific spot should plan to arrive at the pool deck early, especially on sea days . Deck 12 does have additional chairs and loungers as well.

Further, both pools have retractable covers, converting them into part of the pool deck for all deck party entertainment. This is a great way to create space during deck parties, but it also leaves the pools with weird operating hours. A hot tub is situated against the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the pool deck, but again, it will be full of children.

Nemo’s Reef Splash Pad is the perfect spot for families with little cruisers, even allowing children to wear swim diapers. While more and more cruise ships are incorporating an area for non-potty-trained babies and toddlers, this is a huge selling point for Disney Cruise Line.

The entire splash pad is also covered, keeping the kids out of the sun—a huge bonus! We spent 80% of our pool deck time in the splash pad with our two-year-old, and he is still talking about it daily.

The Quiet Cove Pool is located in the adults-only area of the pool deck, Deck 11 forward. This area features two hot tubs, a pool, and a sitting area with swim-up access to one half of the Cove Bar. We love this adults-only pool area, as we felt it was plenty big and never crowded. However, we did sail during a popular spring break week, with many passengers being families with young children.

Adults looking for a quiet space should choose to relax in this area, as the loungers are soft and cushioned when compared to the average patio chair on the main pool deck. Plus, there won’t be any children here.

Other Pool Deck Attractions

Mickey’s Slide is also located on Deck 11, adjacent to the main pools. This body slide is available to children ages 4-14 with a minimum height of 38” and a maximum height of 64”.

The AquaDuck, the main pool deck attraction, is on Deck 12 and has a height requirement of 42”, or 54” for single riders. Board the raft on this water coaster designed by Huey, Duey, and Louie for a thrill and a 360-degree view of the ocean.

The AquaDuck is fun, but the wait times on sea day sometimes were over an hour long. It took three attempts for us to ride the AquaDuck with a short wait time. This was when we got back onboard from Castaway Cay early to a nearly empty ship.

Similar to the pool, the AquaDuck had odd hours. There were days it didn’t open until noon. For those with late dining, I suggest trying to ride the AquaDuck around 5 PM, when early dinner guests are getting ready for dinner. For early dinner guests, be the first in line when the queue opens, or try to ride the water coaster during a port day. If this attraction is a priority for you, be sure to check the times on your daily navigator.

Goofy’s Sports Deck on Deck 13 Aft is an open-air sports court featuring basketball hoops and a space for organized pickleball games. A nine-hole mini golf course designed by Goofy and his son Max wraps around the aft of the ship and is fun for the whole family! Two sports simulators offer football, golf, hockey, and baseball simulations for 30 or 60-minute sessions. These is an additional cost for these simulators, and guests must reserve in advance.

Overall, the various pool areas on Disney Dream have something for everyone.

Onboard Activities

The Disney Cruise Line app holds your daily navigator, providing times and locations for all onboard activities. Standard cruise activities fill in these time slots, but of course with a little Disney flare to them. A stand-out for Disney Cruise Line is there are no casinos onboard any DCL ships.

Character meet-and-greets are located around the ship at practically any point throughout the day. Characters like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy are available daily, while other characters like Ariel, Belle, Princess Tiana, and Captain Hook are only available on select days.

Guests can either book the Royal Gathering (a free pass for line entry to meet all the princesses at once), pay for the Royal Tea Party to meet the princesses, or simply wait in line at the character’s scheduled time.

If you are used to Disney theme park lines like we are, these lines may not seem so bad. But lines can and will get long, especially for popular characters. Plan to spend 20 to 30 minutes waiting in line to meet each character, and be sure to arrive before the scheduled time. The cruise staff will cut off line entry at a certain point.

Shopping onboard combines luxury items with popular Disney souvenirs. Disney cruisers take their merchandise seriously, and there is no restocking while out at sea. If you see something you like, be sure to buy it as it may be gone when you go back. Mickey’s Mainsail was crowded on embarkation night, but crowd levels eased up as the days went on.

Several trivia sessions take place throughout the day as well. While most are Disney-themed, there are some general trivia options such as sports, decades, or music. Craft sessions are also available daily, creating souvenirs such as postcards, memory pages, ornaments, and drink koozies. Both crafts and trivia offer sessions for families and adults only. We decorated drink koozies during an adults-only craft and finally received a medallion for winning Star Wars trivia!

The Midship Detective Agency is a family-friendly adventure putting you in the middle of the action. Hubs are centrally located on Deck 5 and Deck 2, where guests will grab a pamphlet and a pencil and follow the instructions to solve clues around the ship. My son was finally old enough to help with this, and we had a great time!

On Deck 4, The Buena Vista Theater shows the most recent Disney movies that are in theaters at home. Movies like Ms. Marvel, The Little Mermaid, and Elemental were playing during our sailing.

Beverage tasting seminars and mixology classes are available throughout the cruise at various locations for an additional fee as well. Whiskey, beer, wine, and tequila tastings are just some of the offerings.

Senses Spa on Deck 12 offers a complimentary gym, as well as additional charged services such as manicures, pedicures, haircuts, facials, massages, and the highly sought after Rainforest Room experience. In our Rainforest Room review , we go into detail about everything there is to offer. Spoiler alert: we loved it!

Family and adult game shows, bingo, dance parties, cooking demonstrations, and towel-folding classes round out the daily activities. I’d bet to say that no one in your party will be bored on this ship!

Kids’ Clubs

The kids’ clubs onboard Disney Cruise Line are undoubtedly the best at sea. Best of all, they’re free for children 3 and up! These are excellent ways for the kids to have fun so the adults can have some fun of their own (I’m referring to you, Palo Brunch!). The kids’ clubs are typically open until midnight, later, with select planned activities.

Children ages 3-10 will go to the Oceaneers Club, where they can play in Andy’s Room from Toy Story, fly the Millennium Falcon, do crafts in Pixie Hollow, or play Disney’s Infinity. Three- and four-year-olds have set counselors with organized activities, while the older kids have access to whatever they want! All children must be potty trained to attend the Oceaneers Club.

Ages 11-14 will attend Edge, a space within the famous Disney Cruise Line funnel, allowing tweens to hang out, play board games and video games, or participate in group activities such as scavenger hunts.

Teens ages 14-17 hang out in Vibe, a half-club, half-pool deck area they will never want to leave. Two hot tubs and outdoor loungers are accessible on the exterior, while the interior offers video games, TV, a dance floor, and organized activities.

All venues do have open house hours, meaning that adults and kids can utilize the spaces. I highly recommend attending the open houses on embarkation day to familiarize your children with the clubs. This will make them less hesitant to attend the clubs when you plan adult-only activities! We attended open houses for all the venues, and the youth activities staff could not have been better!

Lastly, there is the It’s a Small World Nursery. Children aged 6 months to 3 years can attend the nursery, but there is a charge. For $9 an hour, this was our best money spent onboard. Nursery staff will play, feed, change diapers, and put even the littlest cruisers to sleep, so parents don’t have to worry.

Our nursery staff was fantastic, sending us messages through the app for all updates, such as when my son fell asleep, woke up, ate, or had a diaper change.

Nightly Entertainment

The nightly entertainment onboard the Disney Dream should not be missed. Broadway-style shows occur in the Walt Disney Theater on Deck 3, and there’s live music nightly in the atrium. Throughout our sailing there were vocalists, pianists, and violinists, all fantastic!

Disney Cruise Line’s original productions, The Golden Mickeys and Believe, pay tribute to classic Disney movie favorites while telling heartwarming stories along the way. Further, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast adaptation is the best show I have seen at sea. Do not miss this show!

Be sure to get there early for these shows. The Walt Disney Theater is a large theater, but fills up quickly. The doors opened approximately 30 minutes before showtime. We arrived 25 minutes before each show and always found good seats. There will be a queue waiting outside the theater for the doors to open; use this time to have someone stand in line while you grab popcorn from Preludes!

The pirate night deck party takes place outside on Deck 11. Mickey and the gang take on Captain Hook and Mr. Smee in this fun, quirky deck show. While visible from Deck 12 as well, a good viewing spot will be hard to come by if you don’t get there early. A large section in the front of the stage is roped off just for the kids to sit, which is guarded by youth activities staff.

If you’ve sailed other cruise lines, Disney Dream’s nightlife may seem lackluster, apart from the shows. You won’t find raunchy comedians or late-night club scenes on this ship.

Though, there are adults-only game shows, late-night happy hours at the bars and lounges, and activities like adults-only trivia and silent disco parties happening nightly. However, they aren’t always the most attended activities. Many of these events occur between 9 PM and midnight, also prime time for families to put their kids to bed.

I understand why Disney doesn’t put ample effort into late-night adults-only entertainment, but it may be a turn-off for kid-less cruisers.

Bars and Lounges on Disney Dream

The District on Deck 4, Aft, is home to most of the bars and lounges onboard the Disney Dream.

As avid sports fans and primarily beer drinkers, we found ourselves navigating to Pub 687 frequently. The 687 Pale Ale is brewed exclusively for the cruise line, and we enjoyed it! Pub 687 offers over 10 beers on tap, while all other bars around the ship will only have 2 or 3 taps to choose from.

For any beer drinkers, the souvenir beer mug is worth the investment. The mug is available to purchase for $16.50. Then throughout the cruise, you can purchase 21 oz. beers in it for the price of a 16 oz. beer. This also works during happy hours for double the savings!

Pink Wine and Champagne Bar offers elegant cocktails, most tasting classes, and live music. It’s a must-stop for any wine drinker! Evolution, the nightclub venue, offers a full bar and a few specialty cocktails. I ordered a strawberry margarita while in Evolution for bingo, and it was refreshing but nothing special. Skyline Bar and District Lounge are also located within the District.

Waves Bar and Currents are the pool deck bars, but you must walk away from the pool to find them. You won’t find any swim-up bars or poolside drinks here. But, there are crew members walking around constantly taking drink orders from anyone in a pool lounger.

D Lounge is the main activity lounge on Deck 4, midship. Trivia, crafts, game shows, and even a cooking demonstration were just some of the activities that occurred in the D Lounge.

For this Disney Dream cruise ship review, we stayed in stateroom 9079. This deluxe inside cabin was located just aft of the midship elevators.

Our stateroom was large when compared to many mega-ships’ inside rooms, but it did lack storage space. Two closets to hang clothes and three small drawers were the only options for putting items out of sight. For our four-night sailing, this was fine, but it could pose a problem for longer sailings.

Immediately entering the stateroom, the doors to the split bathroom are on the right. One bathroom consists of a shower and sink, while the second bathroom has a toilet and sink. This is my favorite part about Disney Cruise Line staterooms. They certainly focused on families when designing these bathrooms. This setup was extremely helpful to have when my toddler needed to use the bathroom while someone was in the shower.

Beyond the bathroom are the desk and sofa, which converts into a twin bed at night. One step further was the queen size bed up against the far wall. The desk was spacious enough to sit our belongings on top while also leaving space for me to get ready. It also has two 110V outlets and two 220V outlets.

Above the bed was the magical porthole. This porthole brought outside views to this interior stateroom via a webcam outside the ship. Disney characters even made surprise appearances throughout the day. The bed was comfortable; we slept great! The sofa bed was perfect for my toddler but certainly too small for my 6-foot husband.

Disney Cruise Line beds do not separate into two twin-sized beds like many other major cruise lines, so keep that in mind when booking. Either side of the bed had two very small shelves. This was large enough for an iPad to sit atop it, but not much else. Additionally, a 110V and 220V outlet was below each shelf.

We were comfortable in our room during our sailing. The room was immaculate and spacious enough for our family. Its nautical decor really immerses you in the being at sea feeling. Our stateroom attendant was fantastic as well. He even lined up my son’s stuffed animals on his bed every night, folded his clothes, and left him goodies.

Overall Disney Dream Cruise Ship Review

Between the onboard activities, nightly entertainment, shopping, and various restaurants, there is plenty to do at any time of day onboard the Disney Dream. We enjoyed the food, but the highlight of our trip was the nightly entertainment. These Broadway-caliber singers and dancers are extremely talented, being something you do not want to miss!

I thought there was a good variety of family activities versus adult-only activities, but specifically, the adult nightlife scene was lacking. Anthony, our cruise director, was present at many events, including all shows. Between him and the activities staff, the energy levels onboard the Dream screamed fun.

The Disney Dream is a great ship for families or adults looking for a relaxing vacation with white glove service and a touch of Disney. Though, this may not be the ship for adults looking to let loose on a weekend getaway . There are no casinos, drink packages , or late-night clubs.

For us, Disney Dream offers the vacation of a lifetime. It’s the perfect mix of Disney and relaxation without the hustle and bustle of the parks.

Currently, the Disney Dream sails out of Fort Lauderdale, FL, offering a mix of 3-, 4-, and 5-night sailings to the Bahamas and Disney’s Castaway Cay . In the summer, the Disney Dream heads across the Atlantic to sail European itineraries.

Do you agree with our Disney Dream cruise ship review? Do you have an upcoming Disney cruise? Drop us an anchor below to share your DCL experiences.

Cyndal Benullo, Contributor

Growing up an hour from Disney World, Cyndal has been visiting the parks for as long as she can remember. Her favorite parks are Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Currently, she is an HR/Marketing Manager by day, but visits the parks almost every weekend and enjoys making new Disney memories with her husband and son, Luke, named after Luke Skywalker of course.

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Welcome Aboard! We are Don and Heidi, the husband and wife travel team behind EatSleepCruise.com. We took our first cruise vacation together 17 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Follow along as we share our expert travel tips, cruise reviews, information on ports of call, and the latest cruise news to help you plan the ultimate cruise vacation. Are you ready to embark on your journey to “sea the world, one port at a time”?

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GENTING DREAM: Cruise Guide for First-Timers

The idea of going on a cruise may be intimidating for some because of the cost. Others dismiss it as a retiree’s holiday option. That may be true many years back, but this trend is gradually changing as years roll by.

The rise of more cruise lines, offering different options and encouraging healthy competition, resulted in relatively reasonable cruise rates. Some of these companies are going the extra mile to reach out to the growing number of travelers that are willing to spend on things or experiences that give good value for money by creating themed cruise ships and coming up with innovative itineraries. Genting Dream is one of those that cater to a wide range of guests — friends, families, couples, and even company incentive trips (or sales conference/meeting).

If you will be sailing with Genting Dream soon and it is your first time, this post is for you. We hope this will help you prepare and maximize your cruise experience. Here are the things you can expect.

WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS GUIDE?

Packing & Pre-Trip Preparations

• Travel Documents. You need to bring these documents: passport, a photocopy of your passport’s bio page, a copy of your cruise ticket, and a visa (if necessary). If you are a Philippine passport holder, no visa needed because the sail destinations are within Southeast Asia and the homeport is Singapore. If you want a hassle-free purchase transaction, you may present your credit card.
• Clothes/Outfits. Come on. We know you want to snap as many photos as you can while onboard and during shore excursions. We normally pack two sets of clothes per day: casual for the day activities and smart casual or dressy outfits for the night events, especially if you plan to watch the evening shows or try the fine-dining specialty restaurants. The same goes for footwear. The important thing is that you are comfortable.
• Toiletries. The stateroom comes with the toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, lotion, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, cotton buds, and tissues. It also has bath towels, hand towels, bathrobes, and hotel slippers.
• Check-in Luggage. Each passenger can check in more than one luggage without incurring additional fees.
• Onboard Currency. The default currency while on the ship is the Singapore Dollar (SGD).
• Onboard Time. Genting Dream follows Singapore time (same as the Philippines) throughout the entire cruise.
• Dream Cruise Mobile App. Download the App before getting onboard. You can use the App to view ship information, see the daily onboard schedule, check availability of onboard attractions and facilities. You can also use this to send IM to your shipmates, purchase your onboard WiFi package, and review your onboard account statement.

• Embarkation Process. Genting Dream is homeporting in Singapore at the Marina Bay Cruise Center. Upon arrival at the terminal, look for the baggage drop area for the pieces of luggage you want to check-in. Prepare your travel documents for check-in. After that, you will pass through immigration and then security checks before you can finally board the ship.
• Checking-in. You need to present your cruise ticket at the check-in counter to get your Access Card that will serve as your cabin keycard and your purchase card for onboard shopping and when dining at specialty restaurants. You can check-in online via the official website from 7 days up to 24 hours prior to the departure date. If you are going on a shore excursion, you also need to present the Access Card when getting off and returning to the ship. Do not lose this card. When you do, relax. Go to the Reception and they will print another one for you after answering SOP questions.
• Surrender Passport. Upon boarding, the staff will take your passport. Do not panic. You will get it back after the cruise (before you check out).

WELCOME ABOARD!

ATTENTION! Changi Lounge is offering the Fly-Cruise Transfer service, which includes: Seamless bag transfer. End-to-end luggage transfer from Changi Airport Baggage Claim area to the Marina Bay Cruise Terminal to your stateroom! Your luggage will be waiting for you in your cabin. Advance cruise check-in at the lounge. You will have your documents processed in advance and get your Access Card here. Enjoy the lounge amenities. Complimentary buffet, various drink selections, free internet connection, desktop computers, and electrical outlets. It also has meeting rooms, a nap room, and a shower room. You can also explore Jewel while waiting. The lounge is located near the famous Rain Vortex and the Changi Experience Studio. Ground transfer. The transportation to the cruise terminal from the airport is also covered. When you avail of this service, you will skip the check-in process at the Marina Bay Cruise Center and head straight to the immigration process.

Safety Drill

Before setting sail, there’s a safety drill that everyone is required to participate in. You need to pay attention and familiarize yourself with the ship’s map, especially your Assembly Station (which is indicated on your Access Card), and the emergency exits in case of an emergency. Check the Dream Daily/Dream Weekender directory that you will find in your cabin for the safety drill schedule. Ours was held at 9:00 PM.

3 Complimentary Restaurants

This is part of what you paid for when you booked your cruise ticket. You can dine here without incurring additional fees. It’s free-of-charge. Genting Dream has three inclusive restaurant options:

• Dream Dining Room Lower. It serves either a semi-buffet type or Chinese set menu, depending on the schedule. You may check the Dream Daily/Dream Weekender directory for the info. This is located on Deck 7, Aft section of the ship. Reservation is required.
• Dream Dining Room Upper. This only serves the Chinese set menu. This is located on Deck 8, Aft section of the ship. Reservation is required.
• The Lido. This serves Asian and international buffet, including Halal and Indian cuisines. The outdoor area of the restaurant is a 24-hour snack place that also serves morning tea and afternoon tea. This is located on Deck 16, Aft section.

Dream Dining Room Upper and Lower have a ballroom hall-themed setting and floor-to-ceiling windows that afford guests the magnificent views of the ocean.

Note: Alcoholic drinks are not free-of-charge.

You may also try the specialty restaurants! Genting Dream has nine. Charges apply when dining at any of these, but if you are craving any of their offerings, go for it. Here are your options:

• Umi Uma (Japanese Cuisine and Teppanyaki / Korean BBQ; Deck 8, Aft)
• Hot Pot (Choice of meat, seafood or vegetarian hot pot; outdoor setting; Deck 8, Aft)
• Prime Steakhouse by Mark Best (Western Dishes / Steak; Deck 8, Mid)
• Seafood Grill by Mark Best (Western Dishes / Seafood; Deck 8, Mid)
• Gelateria (Homemade Gelato; Deck 8, Aft)
• Blue Lagoon (Hawker Food / Asian and International; Deck 7, Mid, open 24 hours)
• Lobby Café (Coffee / Tea / Bread; Deck 6, Mid)
• Silk Road Chinese Restaurant (Chinese Fine Dining; Deck 6, Forward)
• Crystal Life Cuisine (Healthy Options; Deck 15, Forward)

Shore Excursions (Shorex)

To put it simply, these are pre-arranged tours at every stop. One of the best things I love about cruising is that you get to visit other countries while enjoying the cruise ship’s amenities and features at the same time.

This time with Genting Dream, we took the weekend getaway package with a stop at Bintan Island in Indonesia. For this stop, there are three Shorex options to choose from: Tanjung Urban Explorer, Scuba Tryout at Trikora Coast, and Bintan Black Coral Leisure Diving. We took the first option which includes Gurun Pasir Busung (sand desert), Telaga Biru (Blue Oasis), and Trily Resort Center Mangrove Forest in the itinerary.

You can also pull a D-I-Y. It’s up to you. Here are the scenarios:

• Booking a Shorex. This is the same as joining a guided group tour. You won’t have to worry about getting to one attraction to the next or how much it will cost you because everything, including the meal, will be taken care of for you by the local tour operator partners. You can be assured that you will return to the ship on time.
• Pulling a D-I-Y. You can travel at your own pace and control your itinerary. It is also a cheaper option. BUT, you need to be aware of the time. Make sure that you return to the port on time or earlier because the ship will not wait for you. It will leave, with or without you.

Whatever you choose, you will be given a small sheet of paper upon disembarkation. This usually contains instructions and the address of the port where the ship is docked. Don’t forget to bring your Access Card and a photocopy of your passport bio page.

Note: Some Shorex options may require a lot of walking or trekking or activities that might not be suitable for those with health issues. Carefully check the itinerary and assess if the tour is viable for you. Also, each tour needs a minimum number of participants. A tour may be canceled if it doesn’t meet the minimum requirement.

Room and Amenities

Genting Dream has four types of accommodations: Interior Stateroom, Oceanview Stateroom, Balcony Stateroom, and the exclusive suites, collectively referred to as The Palace. Since the ship caters to families and big groups, there are over 100 connecting rooms. About 70 percent of accommodations feature spacious balcony staterooms. Aside from the toiletries and towels, the rooms also have haird ryer, mini-refrigerator, safe, water kettle, complimentary bottled water, tea, coffee, and sugar packets. These are replenished daily as housekeeping do regular cleaning.

The cheapest is the Interior Stateroom. If you want to make the most of the ship’s features, you will probably be spending most of your time outside the room — swimming, sunbathing, eating, playing, shopping, watching shows or going on shore excursions.

Here are some amenities that you can enjoy for FREE:

• Waterslide Park. You have six slide types to choose from — from gentle slopes for the family to steep inclines for the adventurous. Wear proper swimming attire. Follow the rules and the staff on duty for your safety. Located on Deck 20, Aft.
• Main Pool and Kids Water Park. Located on Deck 16, Mid. You can see the Waterslide Park from here. You can also relax and sunbathe at the Sun Deck on Deck 17, Mid.
• Crystal Life Fitness. This is the gym. If you don’t want to miss your workout routine, you can do it here. Located on Deck 15. You can also go to the Jogging Track on Deck 17, Forward.
• Ropes Course. Perfect bonding activity for the family, couples, and groups. Complete the course and punctuate it with the 35-meter zipline, gliding along the side of the ship above the water from Deck 18.
• Sportsplex. A large outdoor court that can host basketball, tennis, archery, bubble soccer, and other physical games. Located on Deck 19, Aft.
• Rock Climbing Wall. Wear proper footwear. Located on Deck 18, Aft.
• Mini-Golf. Nine-hole putting course. Please wear proper sports shoes. Located on Deck 18, Aft.

If you like to shop or bring home some souvenirs, you can get duty-free items from The Dream Boutiques located on Decks 6 and 7. The Dream Store/Souvenir Mart, located on Deck 6, is where you can get Dream Cruises merchandise. If you fell in love with one of the artworks you see inside the ship, you can go to the Art Gallery, located on Deck 8, to purchase a copy of that artwork.

Evening Shows and Events

The night is as exciting as the day onboard Genting Dream. You can choose from brilliant live production shows brought to you by the award-winning international entertainment team. During our cruise, we have two choices: SONIO – A Tale of Two Dreams and Some Like It Hot. We were able to watch the latter at Zodiac Theatre. You need to reserve your seat for the show at the Box Office on Deck 6 (Mid). You can find the opening hours of the Box Office on the Dream Daily/Dream Weekender directory sheet provided in your cabin.

If you want to brush up on your moves and still got the energy to dance the night away, let Zouk and Zouk Beach Club orchestrate an unforgettable party for you as it brings the best beats by world-class DJs. Both are located on Deck 17. Zouk is Singapore’s most sought-after nightclub and consistently chosen one of the top ten clubs in the world.

If you booked a 5-night cruise, expect a grand night party on the last night called Dream Night. This usually happens at the pool deck. You can also check out the bars if you just want to have a sip and unwind. Here are some of them: Sun Deck Bar (Deck 17/Mid), Pool Deck Bar (Deck 16/Mid), Red Lion (Deck 7/Mid/24 hours), Bar 360 (Deck 6/Mid), Karaoke (five rooms/Deck 6/Mid), and Bar City, a collection of bars in one area: Johnnie Walker House, Penfolds Wine Vault, Mixt Cocktail Bar, Humidor Cigar Lounge, and Bubbles Champagne Bar (Deck 8/Mid).

Cinema at Sea

For movie enthusiasts, you can still watch while on board. Depending on the schedule, here are the places to catch flicks: Zodiac Theatre (Deck 7/Forward), Zouk Beach Club (Deck 17/Aft), and the Lobby (Deck 6/Mid). Check the Dream Daily/Dream Weekender directory sheet for the venue and the time.

Yes! You can connect to the internet while at sea. How? Subscribe to WiFi through the Dream Cruises Mobile App. Here are the rates. Note: Rates vary depending on how many days and the package type.

• Standard: SGD19 – SGD95. Good for e-mail, chat, and social media. You can connect up to two devices.
• Premium: SGD29 – SGD145. Good for e-mail, chat, social media, and light media streaming. You can connect up to two devices.

Checking Out and Disembarkation

The day before disembarkation, you will receive a Disembarkation Notice explaining the check out procedure, disembarkation procedure, travel document collection, and baggage collection.

• If you don’t want to carry your luggage throughout the disembarkation process, you may leave it outside your cabin on or before the specified time. Set aside a small carry on bag for all the important stuff such as your wallet, your travel documents, prescribed medicine, etc. Get your luggage at the Baggage Claim Area after going through the immigration process.
• Settle your account’s balance before checking out to avoid delays during disembarkation. Reminder: A mandatory gratuity of SGD21 per night is charged to EVERY guest. For guests staying in the suite, it’s SGD26 per night. This rule is not applicable to infants below two years old.

More About Genting Dream

Genting Dream is the eldest of the fleet, launched in 2016, by the cruise brand Dream Cruises, the sister brand of Star Cruises and Crystal Cruises, which are all managed by Genting Cruise Lines, a division of Genting Hong Kong. Genting Dream was followed by World Dream in 2017 and Explorer Dream in 2019.

Dream Cruises partnered with Singapore Airlines for the special Fly Cruise packages for Genting Dream. The promo runs until October 31, 2019 ( UPDATE: This has been extended to December 31, 2019) . The sailing period is until March 31, 2020. You can choose from any of these roundtrip Singapore cruise packages.

• 5-Night Southeast Asian Splendor Itinerary Options: Nha Trang – Ho Chi Minh / Surabaya – North Bali / Ko Samui – Bangkok / Penang – Phuket – Langkawi – Kuala Lumpur
• 3-Night Cruise Escapades Itinerary Options: Penang – Phuket / Penang – Langkawi / Melaka – Langkawi / Langkawi – Phuket
• 2-Night Weekend Getaways Itinerary Options: Melaka / Kuala Lumpur / Bintan Island

For inquiries, here are the contact details: (02) 8836 6080 (landline) and [email protected] (e-mail).

This post is brought to you by Dream Cruises.

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hello! would you know how much is the fly and cruise service at the changi lounge? did you avail it? thanks!

Hi wanted to book genting dream with my family in Feb 2023

Hi…what type of adaptor handphone we need to bbring together to charge our battery handphone in cruise

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Disney Cruise Line Navigator 4+

• 4.7 • 100.7K Ratings

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Add even more magic to your Disney cruise! Download the newly enhanced Disney Cruise Line Navigator app and discover all the ways you can now use it—at home as well as on board! When you’re at home and preparing to sail: Plan your ideal vacation, make payments, use My Online Check-In, explore and book activities, add our Protection Plan, ground transportation, change dining Seating and make special requests regarding dietary needs, accommodations for little ones, celebrations and more. When you’re on board and sailing: Explore your ship from bow to stern with Deck Plans, learn about the ports you’ll be visiting with My Itinerary, easily view both favorite and booked activities with My Plans, and make the most of each day with access to your entire cruise schedule, which includes daily activities, entertainment listings and even restaurant menus. Plus chat with your friends, family and shipmates with Onboard Chat—one-on-one or in a group! To use Disney Cruise Line Navigator, download the app and use it in many ways at home. Once you’re on board, simply connect to the ship’s Wi-Fi network—complimentary to app users only—and enjoy your cruise! AT HOME Get Ready to Cruise · Retrieve your reservation so you can review details including required documents, make payments and more. · Use My Online Check-In to fill out your cruise documents and register kids for youth clubs. · Explore activities and entertainment. · Book your favorite activities, including Port Adventures, Adult Dining, Onboard Fun, Spa & Fitness or Nursery. · Keep or change your dinner Seating assignment. · Add or edit Vacation Protection Plan and Ground Transportation. · View your Air Transportation. · Make Special Requests, including requests for special diets, accommodations for little ones, celebrations and more. ON BOARD THE SHIP Enhance Your Experience · View onboard activities across your entire voyage. · Plan your day, from shows to shopping. · Review your ports of call and at-sea days. · Read details about activities that interest you. · Check menus before dinner—kids’ menus too—and easily access your dining schedule. . Check out the latest offers and specials. · Save favorite activities in one convenient list. · View booked activities, including Port Adventures, Adult Dining, Onboard Fun, Spa & Fitness or Nursery. · Find Disney Characters throughout the ship. · For assistance, visit our new Help Center. Know Where to Go · Explore your ship deck by deck, from bow to stern. · Find locations of the activities you want to do. Stay in Touch · Use Onboard Chat to stay connected to your family, friends and shipmates. · While aboard your cruise, chat one-to-one, or with multiple friends and family members at once. · Use our wide array of Disney emoticons to express yourself as you chat. Download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator and get started! Note: Onboard Chat requires you to provide your full name, stateroom number and birthdate in order to use it. Children should always ask their parent or guardian before using Onboard Chat. Control access by children with the permissions feature. Privacy Policy: https://disneyprivacycenter.com/ Children’s Online Privacy Policy: https://privacy.thewaltdisneycompany.com/en/for-parents/childrens-online-privacy-policy/ Your US State Privacy Rights: https://privacy.thewaltdisneycompany.com/en/current-privacy-policy/your-us-state-privacy-rights/ Terms of Use: https://disneytermsofuse.com Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information: https://privacy.thewaltdisneycompany.com/en/dnsmi

Version 5.26.0

With this release, we’ve fixed bugs and improved overall app performance to ensure smooth sailing through and through.

Ratings and Reviews

100.7K Ratings

Cruise experience

I wanted to thank Disney and their staff for allowing me and my family to experience such a magical journey! I sail on many top rate and we’ll known cruise lines. I have now abandoned ship with these other cruise ships! And officially now onboard the Disney team! You have gone over and beyond to release my COVID19 fear to travel again! For the app pre-checkin count down app which was super cool and easy to navigate! To the stress free and we’ll organise check in process at the port! No lines and stress free check in process! It took us less than an hour from our Covid testing to embark to for our fun to begin! It was so awesome to know everyone on the ship was required to test and know the entire ship was COVID19 FREE! The personal touch and attention to detail does not go unnoticed as if we have been cruising with Disney for years! The staff and shows was amazing it brought my family to tears every time we would discuss out evening events the next day! Disney has raise the bar so high that the other cruise lines has no latter to reach! I have begun my planning process for a cruise this upcoming fall! I am beyond excited to visit my next destination and ship with Disney! I can write a book on my experience but I will just have to wait until my next Disney cruise experience review! Thank you Disney for not giving up on Walt Vision you made him proud!

This is our second sailing in our first sailing we did concierge’s. I am telling you there’s no need for concierge’s unless it is something that you just want to do to isolate yourself a little bit from the ship. You cannot book the cabanas unless you’re sailing concierge’s which we did do the first time, but not this time and Castaway Cay was just fine without the cabana. We did do the new dinner on the Wish and Enchante’ was better in our option then La pergola in Rome (although comparing at this level is silly as they are obviously both as good as anything you will ever have). The dinners, food and service were so terrific. The new Aqua mouse is worth the 30-40min wait as it will remind you of Mickey’s runaway railroad from Hollywood Studios a little. Shows were like being on broadway, and there is something for everyone. Our 11 year old did Edge and loves it, our 7 year old liked oceaneere’s club but since she did not have her big sister with her this time she asked to get picked up after only 20min which was just fine with us :-)! The obstacle course, by Incredibles, was also definitely worth trying (30min wait) but make sure your swimsuit is on TIGHT (no joke lol). So happy we went on another Disney cruise and can’t wait for our next one!

Easy to use and great communication tool onboard

Several years ago we used this app on our first Disney cruise but it is greatly improved. No need to use the onboard 'cell phones' provided to each stateroom. You can create your own groups and stay in touch with all the family on the ship. It also keeps activity schedules up to date but you need to get out of the app completely and then open it again. The last night of our cruise they got the okay to show the new Beauty and the Beast movie the night before it was to open in theaters. When I checked the app, there it was. Thanks for this useful tool. Two suggestions for possible improvements are 1) have the app actual give some kind of sound indication if you receive a text message. 2) have an additional financial part to be able to see what extras you have added to your trip and the financial responsibility for those additions. It would be far easier than having to go to Member Services to check what was on their final bill. Would be handy and could help Member Services cast members cut down on the volume of calls and visits to their area for information. The app worked great but there are always ways to improve. Thanks for helping make our cruise more magical.

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The developer, Disney , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

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Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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I saved every receipt — here’s how much it actually costs to go on a Disney Dream cruise

One of the best things about cruising is that you can pay for a cruise months in advance, forget how much it costs, and then board the ship on embarkation day blissfully ignorant of how much you paid to get there and ready for vacation spending.

While I'm not one to keep a tally of every dollar I spend on trips, it's sometimes nice to know exactly how much I've spent, down to booking a hotel the night before a cruise, drinks on board the ship and purchases in port. So on one of my recent Disney Cruise Line sailings on the Disney Dream cruise ship, I saved every receipt to figure out how much my family and I actually paid for the vacation.

Having that information is important, not just for me when I'm ready to plan my next cruise with Mickey and the gang, but so you can budget appropriately for your next Disney Dream cruise. Let's face it — Disney Cruise Line vacations are expensive, but the memories made on the ships are priceless.

Is it possible for families on a budget to afford a Disney cruise? The short answer is yes, but there is some strategy involved. Here's how much our Disney Dream cruise really cost for a family of three.

Disney Dream cruise costs

Before I dive into just how much my trip cost, let me give you some background.

The pricing for this cruise is based on my family of three adults. A cruise with kids will likely have a different balance of expenses.

Our transportation to the embarkation port of Miami is not included since the expense can vary greatly depending on how you choose to get to the port. We drove since we live in Florida, but not everyone is lucky enough to live within driving distance of their departure port. I did include all the other costs from our trip, including a pre-cruise hotel stay, the actual cruise fare and dining at specialty restaurants on board.

My family and I were not super strict with our budget, but we also didn't splurge on everything. We did treat ourselves to a few meals at the adults-only restaurants on Disney Dream and a few cocktails each day, but we never went overboard with extras in the ports of call. Checking our onboard account each morning through the Disney Cruise Line app made it possible for us to have a fun vacation without emptying our bank accounts.

Related: 26 Disney cruise tips, tricks, secrets and extra magic to unlock

Cruise booking

Our biggest cost on this trip was the cruise fare because sailings on Disney Dream are not cheap. Even if you avoid the specialty restaurants, skip excursions in each port and stay in one of the cheaper cabins, you'll still spend a few thousand dollars just to get on board.

For three adults sharing a cabin, Disney Dream vacations currently start at $2,317, including taxes and fees, and that's for a three-night sailing to the Bahamas in 2024. If you're planning a longer cruise or a European cruise, it will cost significantly more, especially during peak times when kids are out of school or during a themed sailing.

Because of how expensive Disney cruise sailings are, I always look for deals, either a Florida resident offer or a discount on a select sail date.

Related: 11 ways to save money on a Disney cruise

Our Disney Dream cruise was a five-night Halloween on the High Seas sailing, with a Florida resident discount for three people booked in a balcony cabin (which Disney calls a verandah stateroom). The total cost of the cruise, including taxes and fees, was $2,497.28.

Total for cruise booking: $2,497.28

Pre-cruise hotel accommodations

I always suggest that people arrive in their embarkation city or a city nearby at least the day before a cruise. This relieves the stress of having to get to the ship on time in case of flight delays or blocked roadways.

The night before my Disney Dream cruise, my family and I stayed at Disney's Vero Beach Resort, which is a little over halfway from our home in Jacksonville, Florida, to Miami.

We used Disney Vacation Club points to book an "Inn-Standard View" room, which was big enough for the three of us. The room cost us 16 points, so we technically didn't spend any money on booking a hotel the night before. Unless you have points to spend, don't forget to budget for lodging before or after your cruise, as needed.

Total for hotel: $0

Pre-cruise meals

The night before our cruise, we decided to eat out in Vero Beach at American Icon Brewery. Everyone in my family got a local beer to try, then we shared an appetizer, and everyone got their own entree. The meal set us back $106.55.

While Disney's Vero Beach does have an on-site restaurant, we enjoy getting out in the city and trying a local place. American Icon Brewery was fun, and the food and service were both great.

Related: 14 things you should do before every cruise

For breakfast the morning of our cruise, I brought muffins that I made at home for my family to enjoy. The room included a coffee maker and Keurig coffee pods, so we drank that with our light breakfast. Disney's Vero Beach Resort does serve breakfast at its onsite restaurant, but we needed to hit the road early to get to our 11 a.m. port arrival time, so the muffins and coffee were a perfect easy breakfast.

Total for dinner: $106.55

Parking at the port

Parking at any cruise port can add a large amount to a cruise vacation. For five nights, parking at PortMiami was $110. We paid for this as we were leaving the parking deck rather than upfront.

Total for parking: $110

Specialty dining on board

Disney Dream has two adults-only specialty dining restaurants onboard, Palo and Remy. To dine at either restaurant, cruisers should get a reservation in advance through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. If you can't secure a reservation before the sailing, ask about walk-up availability for either restaurant once on board. Just be sure to head straight to the hostess desk outside of Palo and Remy as soon as you board the ship (even before eating lunch) because any open reservations will be snapped up quickly.

My family always eats at Palo for brunch on a Disney cruise, and this time was no different. The meal is a high-end table service option that starts with your choice of a charcuterie board or chilled seafood platter, plus a delightful spread of bread. The menu is also filled with entrees like house-made pizzas, plate-size Mickey waffles, made-to-order pasta and elevated egg dishes like frittatas.

The meal for the three of us cost $170. My dad also ordered Palo's signature bloody Mary, which tacked on another $12.39 to our meal.

Related: The ultimate guide to Disney Cruise Line ships and itineraries

On this cruise, for the first time ever, my family and I dined at Remy, a French-inspired restaurant that was worth every penny. To start, we were served a welcome cocktail called The Collette, which is named after the female chef in the Pixar movie, "Ratatouille."

Then we were presented menus that were divided into two prix-fixe options, one that leaned more French and one that leaned more high-end American. I chose the French menu, while my parents chose the American menu. The meal overall was fantastic and was worth the $462.50 for the three of us.

Total for specialty dining: $644.89

Specialty drinks and alcohol

One thing that sets Disney Cruise Line apart from other family-friendly cruises is that it doesn't offer all-inclusive drink packages . Passengers must purchase all beverages on board at the per-drink price, though drink prices on Disney ships can sometimes be slightly cheaper than similar libations on other big-ship lines. Plus, soda is included in your cruise fare.

Disney Cruise Line also allows passengers to bring your own wine or beer on board at every port , while other cruise lines restrict guests to one bottle of wine at embarkation only. Not only does this policy allow you to potentially save money on beverage costs, but you can enjoy interesting brews and vintages from the places you visit.

Every night, my family went to happy hour at the adults-only bar Meridian, which is located between Palo and Remy. This spacious bar has large windows that overlook the sea and two outdoor patios with seating. Cocktails for five nights at Meridian cost my family of three $179.67.

Other places to have a specialty cocktail or coffee on Disney Dream include the Cove Cafe, Skyline, Pink and 687. At these other bars, my family spent $122.16.

While we enjoyed all of the bars and lounges on the ship, Meridian was easily our favorite and not just because of the view. The Cast Members who work in this bar are top-notch and learned our cocktail preferences quickly. By night two, they were shaking up off-menu cocktails that they knew we would enjoy.

Total for drinks: $301.83

Disney Cruise Line allows guests to prepay their onboard gratuities for their stateroom host and their service team in the dining room. This charge came to $72.50 per guest.

On top of the standard gratuities, we chose to give an extra $20 to our dining room server, assistant server and head server, plus our stateroom host , all of whom get a portion of the prepaid gratuities. At the end of our cruise, we also gave the two bartenders in Meridian an additional $20 in cash for all of their hard work throughout the week and for making our vacation special.

Total for gratuities: $337.50

While I'm not normally one to get a souvenir from a cruise ship, I couldn't resist making a few purchases on Disney Dream.

My favorite Disney character, Sorcerer Mickey, is the stern character on the ship, so a lot of the Dream-branded merchandise has this variation of Mickey on it. And since this was a Halloween cruise, I found some spooky souvenirs in the stores, too. I dropped $118.97 on merchandise.

Total for souvenirs: $118.97

Related: 11 things you should never buy on a cruise ship

On most cruises, my family and I opt to explore the port on our own versus buying excursions . It saves us money, and we can head back to the ship whenever we want. On this cruise, our ports of call were Grand Cayman and Disney's private island , Castaway Cay.

Because we've visited Grand Cayman previously and it's not our favorite cruise port, we stayed on the ship that day to enjoy the less crowded pool decks and a nice lunch inside one of the main dining rooms.

On our Castaway Cay port day, we did get off the ship but didn't opt for any of the island's excursions, instead heading to the adults-only beach, Serenity Bay. We also enjoyed lunch at the adults-only beach, which is included in the overall cruise cost.

If we were going on a cruise to destinations we had never been to before, like a Disney cruise to the Mediterranean or Alaska , we would likely opt to do Disney-sponsored excursions, which are often a few hundred dollars per person per excursion. And if your family has never been to Grand Cayman, you might want to book a tour to explore the island or one of its attractions.

Excursions: $0

Spa services

One of my favorite areas on any Disney cruise is the Senses Spa and its Rainforest Room. This area of the spa features multiple shower experiences, saunas, a row of heated lounge chairs and two private hot tubs. The best part is that the lounge chairs and the hot tubs are in a glass-enclosed space, so you can see the ocean or ports while using the facilities.

On this five-night sailing, my mom and I booked a "couples rate" to be able to come and go from the Rainforest Room as we wanted throughout the cruise. The total cost for that was $187.62. My mom also opted to get a massage on the cruise, which cost $209.42.

Total for spa services: $397.04

What it really costs to go on a Disney Dream cruise

For three adults sharing one cabin on a five-night Halloween-themed sailing on Disney Dream, the total cost came to $4,514.06. That equals out to each person paying $1,504.69 for the trip, or $300.94 per person, per day.

To put that in perspective, our five-night Disney cruise was a similar cost on a per-person, per-day basis to TPG's Summer Hull's three-day trip to Walt Disney World .

Based on our trip, here's the major breakdown of Disney Cruise Line trip expenses:

• 55.3% cruise fare
• 2.4% pre-cruise hotel and meal
• 2.4 % parking
• 14.3% onboard dining
• 6.7% drinks
• 7.5% gratuities
• 2.6% souvenirs
• 0% excursions
• 8.8% spa services

A Disney cruise can be an affordable way to take a Disney vacation, especially if you're willing to forgo upcharges such as concierge rooms and pricey excursions in ports of call. On my family's Disney Dream cruise, we kept our daily expenses to just over $900, though it's very easy to rack up a folio bill for thousands of dollars a day more. If you want to stay within a certain budget, be sure to try as many money-saving hacks as possible to keep the cost in check.

A Disney vacation will never be cheap, but with some planning and flexibility, it is possible to take a Disney cruise without draining your bank account.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

Sign up for the FREE MouseSavers Newsletter and get a monthly email with exclusive discounts!

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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!

Effective July 1st. Due to new regulations, prices now include all taxes and fees. Learn more

Disney Dream Activities

Entertainment & Activities

Disney dream shows and theater.

Walt Disney Theater (Deck 3 and 4):  Disney Dream shows always draw a full house with their intricate sets and costumes, beloved songs and captivating performances. You could easily forget you're at sea. The Walt Disney Theater on Dream offers up much-loved favorites such as "Beauty and the Beast,” as well as its signature show, "Disney's Believe," directed by Broadway veteran Gordon Greenberg.

A host of old-time favorites make an appearance, including Peter Pan, Genie from "Aladdin" and Cinderella, but the story of a workaholic single father who reconnects with his young daughter is refreshingly new.

Buena Vista Theater (Deck 4 and 5):  Dream has license to show first-run Walt Disney Studios movies in its theaters -- and not just the PG-rated animated shows. A lineup of four or five movies will play in rotation; check the daily newsletter or the screen outside the theater for show times.

On a short cruise, you might find it difficult to fit movie-watching time into the packed schedule of more appealing daily activities.

The counter outside sells popcorn in souvenir buckets and smoothies in souvenir cups -- for an added fee, of course. Extra-cost soda and beer are also available there. (Keep in mind that soda is free elsewhere on the ship. To save a few dollars, head up to Deck 11 to fill a cup or two with Coke before you hit the theater.)

Disney Dream Daily Things to Do

Character experiences are the backbone of Disney cruises, and like the other ships, there is no shortage of opportunities to greet Mickey, the princesses and the rest of the crew onboard. This vessel affords kids a much more intimate experience than the parks do. Instead of paying the high cost of character dining or waiting in insanely long lines just to snap a mediocre shot, Disney Dream characters are accessible, typically in the Atrium or the D Lounge.

If you miss the formal greetings (times are outlined in your daily newsletter), you can count on seeing them around the ship, and they'll always stop for a photo. Disney Dream photographers are available for a professional photoshoot with the characters at all scheduled meet-and-greets. The photos are available for purchase later in the sailing.

Offered on select five-night itineraries from Miami to Bahamas, Disney Dream’s Marvel Day at Sea is a fun event for the whole family. More than 30 superheroes from the Marvel Universe, such as Thor, Captain America, Black Panther, and Spiderman, lead a variety of activities throughout the day, including costume parties, movie screenings and interactive experiences.

The D Lounge on Deck 4 is also the main venue for all-ages Disney Dream activities and games, such as family karaoke, bingo, Disney trivia, animation classes, and more. Live music in the Atrium can lead to impromptu dance parties.

For a DIY scavenger hunt, stop off at the Deck 5 kiosks to access the Midship Detective Agency. You will search the ship for clues, hidden in the "enchanted art" onboard (digital pictures that come to life via motion detectors) to solve a Muppets-themed mystery.

Nightlife on Disney Dream

The popular "Pirates in the Caribbean" party has become two separate events, happy news for parents unable to keep little ones up late. There is a sing-along and Mickey-led deck party early in the evening for kids called "Mickey's Pirates in the Caribbean," followed by "Buccaneer Blast," in which Jack Sparrow rappels off the funnel; a short performance with special effects ensues and ends in Disney's famed fireworks display.

There is no casino on Disney Dream.

Disney Dream Bars and Lounges

There are a dozen different places to buy cocktails onboard, but the hub of the adult action is the adults-only "district" on Deck 4, with its multiple venues: Pink, Pub 687, District Lounge, Skyline Lounge and Evolution. During the day, the space is used for all-ages events; kids are kicked out after dinner.

Unlike most other cruise lines, Disney does not offer unlimited alcoholic drinks packages. Instead, there are a few deals for those looking to indulge in a few drinks, including wine and beer packages, and hard seltzer, soft drink and bottle water packages.

Bon Voyage Bar (Deck 3):  Just off the atrium, the Bon Voyage might be the first place you can access alcohol on your cruise, and it's the place to pick up a beverage on your way to someplace else.

District Lounge (Deck 4):  This is the spot to hear live music in an intimate setting. It's on the main thoroughfare through the District and hard to miss.

Pink (Deck 4):  Pink, the girly (but fabulous) Champagne bar is done up in pink bubble decor. (See if you can spot the tiny Dumbo who appears at times in the bubbles.) Toast your cruisemates with a bottle of the ship's exclusive Pink Champagne.

Pub 687 (Deck 4):  Sports pub 687 (Dream was the 687th ship built by Meyer-Werft shipyard) is the place to kick back with a beer and watch the game. If you're not interested in a televised game, grab a board game from the stack, and hold your own competition. Pub grub is also available there for a fee, including chips with a trio of dips, and tempura shrimp.

Skyline Lounge (Deck 4):  A giant screen behind the bar displays images of five big-name cities, as if you're in a high-rise bar at night looking out on the skyline. Every 15 minutes, you're in a new city. The art on the wall changes, too -- it's enchanted, after all -- but the martini bar stays the same, so you can order a Chicago-inspired drink while gazing out at Rio's rooftops.

Evolution (Deck 4):  This caterpillar-to-butterfly themed nightclub is the place to dance after you've dumped the kids at the Oceaneer Club. Evolution also hosts late-night adult events, such as Match Your Mate or '80s Music Challenge.

Cove Bar (Deck 11):  Not quite a swim-up bar, the Cove Bar does have stools set in the shallow wading area of the Cove Pool. There, you can enjoy your pina colada in peace and quiet, away from the kid-thronged midship pools.

Meridian Lounge (Deck 12):  Our favorite adults-only spot is the top-deck Meridian, a wine bar tucked between Palo and Remy. Inside, it's got a travel theme; outside, there's a gorgeous alfresco terrace.

Waves Bar (Deck 12):  This open-air bar is tucked away behind the big screen and under the sports court, but it's the closest thing to a pool bar Dream has. Otherwise, you can grab your poolside daiquiris and buckets of beer from roving waiters or conveniently placed drink carts.

Currents Bar (Deck 13):  Currents is an adults-only bar on the adults-only sun deck above the adults-only pool.

Outlook (Deck 14):  This top-deck venue is used for onboard weddings and as a quiet getaway for passengers (despite its location just above the tween club). It has limited hours; when we stopped by, the door was closed and locked.

Public Rooms

Disney dream pools and hot tubs.

The ship's pool deck (11) features a large family-oriented area, complete with hot tubs and a pair of pools (Donald's and Mickey's). The Mickey Pool prevails as the most trafficked area, its spiral slide hosting a constant parade of happy children. Donald's Pool is five feet deep, offering a front-row view of the 24-foot-tall LED screen that's mounted on the ship's funnel.

Behind Mickey's Pool is the toddler splash area with a Nemo theme, plenty of shade and huge glass panes so parents can easily monitor the kids (8 and younger) frolicking inside. This is the only water play area that allows tots in swim diapers, but just like in the main pools, it can get pretty crowded, so new walkers will likely need supervision.

Quiet Cove, Disney's adults-only pool area, features a subtly Mickey-shaped pool with a deeper section for soaking, a shallower section for wading, and a splash-up bar with stools in the water. A hot tub is set against the windows overlooking the sea.

Disney Dream AquaDuck Water Slide and Sports Deck

The highlight for many is the Disney Dream AquaDuck, the first-ever watercoaster at sea. Clearly visible atop the ship, the water slide features a transparent, acrylic tube that propels riders along on a raft, up and down four decks of the ship, at one point swinging out 13 feet off the side, 150 feet above the ocean.

While not a scary ride by any means (adults expecting an intense thrill will be disappointed), there is a 42-inch height requirement, so prepare younger siblings. The entrance is on Deck 12, and there are nearly always lines.

The Deck 13 Sports Deck pales in comparison to the extensive outdoor play areas found on other lines' newest ships. Expect a sports court that can be adapted from soccer to basketball, and a whimsical Goofy-style mini-golf course. Oddly, the Ping-Pong tables are out in the open air. (Good luck trying to hit a decent shot while at sea.) Foosball tables and golf simulators are there, as well.

The promenade on Deck 4 is a great place to walk or chill out old-school style on wooden loungers. For the most nostalgia, engage in a game of shuffleboard.

Sun Decks on Disney Dream

The pools on Deck 11 are flanked with basic metal loungers, as well as tables and chairs for alfresco dining. Deck 12 has additional sunbathing spots, overlooking both the main pool area and the Quiet Cove.

Deck 13 is home to the Satellite Falls, which boasts shade structures and a water feature. There, you'll also find loungers and some cushioned wicker seating areas. In the center of this area, blocked off by glass walls, is the exclusive sun deck for Concierge passengers, featuring even more plush seating, including clamshell sunbeds.

Services and WiFi on Disney Dream

The guest services desk is found on Deck 3, just off the main level of the atrium. Deck 4 is home to the Internet help desk, future cruise sales and the shopping consultant, as well as the photo gallery and art gallery.

The photo shop, Shutters, puts a new spin on the old "look through hundreds of photos to try and spot your own" approach. Passengers can either use their key cards to look up photos connected to their cabins at computer terminals or find their photos in books assigned to them and identified by color, character and number.

The shore excursions desk is on Deck 5, across the atrium are the conference facilities.

Disney Dream does not have a typical Internet cafe and only offers wireless for those who bring their own mobile devices or laptops. (The Cove Cafe is a particularly good place to check your email.) Its Connect@Sea program offers a range of Wi-Fi plans that can be used on as many devices as you want. The Disney Cruise Line Navigator app can be checked without a data plan.

The shops on Deck 3 are a combination of Disney Store and the usual cruise ship duty-free merchandise (jewelry, duty-free liquors and perfumes, and logowear). If you forgot your princess ball gown or pirate clothes, you can pick them up there. There are also smaller shops on the pool decks, where you can buy souvenirs, as well as glowing accessories for the various deck parties.

A medical center is located on Deck 1, and self-serve launderettes can be found on all passenger decks, though their locations aren't noted on deck plans. You can charge the fees to your cruise card.

Note that there are no ATMs onboard or on Castaway Cay (Disney's private island), so be sure to bring enough cash for tips and on-shore purchases that can't be made with your Key to the World card.

Spa & Fitness

Disney dream spa & thermal suite.

The Senses Spa on Deck 11 is beautiful and offers the usual range of treatments, from salon-oriented hairdos and manicures to more exotic fare like hot-stone massages and body wraps. There's a men's barber shop, and options for teeth whitening and acupuncture. Look for port-day specials. Sense has a minimum age of 18.

The spa also sells passes to the Rainforest room on Disney Dream, which offers a series of steam rooms and saunas, scented rain showers, heated loungers and hot tubs looking out over the sea. Day passes are available; access is not included with treatments. (Free saunas are located in the locker rooms.)

Two couples’ villas offer a romantic getaway with a lounge/treatment area, open-air shower and private veranda with a whirlpool and plush loungers. Treatments there will run you several hundred dollars.

Also, kudos to Disney for introducing Chill, a spa just for teens with treatments like the "Acne Attack Facial," "Mother/Daughter Paradise Massage" and "Truth or Hair" hair styling.

The Senses Juice Bar features individual window seating where anyone (even those not receiving spa treatments) can enjoy healthy drinks like smoothies and coconut water for an extra fee.

On Deck 5, you'll find the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. This magical salon transforms little girls and boys into their choice of princess, knight, pirate or captain. Prices may include hairstyling, costumes, makeup, nail polish, sash and tote, depending on the package. Although adults can't make appointments to be turned into princesses, the boutique does keep spots open to make grown-ups over for the Disney Dream Pirate Night.

Disney Dream Gym

The Disney Dream gym is small for a new-ish ship, with the group class area out in the open at one end of the fitness center. You'll find Life Fitness treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical trainers, free weights up to 50 pounds and resistance machines.

Fitness classes include yoga, Pilates, group cycling and boot camp; some require advanced signup, and boot camp incurs an extra fee. You can also sign up for personal training or a body composition analysis.

Is Disney Dream Kid Friendly?

Disney is one of the most kid-friendly cruise lines around. Its kids’ program goes well beyond great children’s clubs and fun daily activities: Princess meet-and-greets take place daily and are hugely popular, the shows feature character cameos and songs from the Disney movies, and the family pools are overrun with splashing, shrieking young-uns.

Beyond the character cameos, there’s a designated kids’ spa and a wide range of Disney-themed shows and amenities. For parents with babies and toddlers, the ship can provide Pack 'n Plays and diaper pails in your cabin, as well as high chairs and pureed food in the restaurants. You can buy diapers, wipes, formula and other baby supplies onboard.

Kids’ Club on Disney Dream: Oceaneer Club

The Disney Dream kids’ club is what keep many loyal families coming back. It's not just the innovative, engaging spaces for kids and familiar characters that make it such a success; the counselors are truly extraordinary. They offer far more than smiling faces to greet you at check-in. Indeed, these men and women are experienced, attentive and downright fun, with a keen eye for spotting children who need encouragement, a friend to play with or a major timeout.

The Disney Dream Oceaneer Club and Lab on Deck 5 (ages 3 to 12) are connected on Dream (hooray!) so kids can roam back and forth, effectively doubling the space available to them at any given time. Club activities are geared to younger kids and Lab for older, but Disney's innovative approach of allowing kids of all ages to access both clubs means that siblings can hang out together if they choose, and children can pursue their own interests.

Highlights include the adorable Andy's Room, which has oversized characters like the dinosaur and pig from "Toy Story" for little ones to climb on.

There is also an entire area dedicated to Disney Infinity, a series of video games that are activated by Disney-themed character game pieces. In the Infinity section of Oceaneer's, kids will find 10 gaming stations, each outfitted with two controllers, as well as a life-size Infinity gaming station, where people become the game pieces and control the outcome of each competition with their body movements. Kids work in teams of two to rack up points in an effort to beat the highest scores.

Finally, the piece de resistance is the Millennium Falcon-themed Star Wars play area, which simply bursts with excitement and geekery. In the center is a replica of the Millennium Falcon's cockpit, complete with two chairs where kids can sit to "fly" the aircraft via a series of simulations. To the left is a control room that has so many lights, levers and buttons, you'll never push the same one twice. (We're told that when a certain sequence of buttons is pushed, it will trigger additional special effects.)

To the right is a likeness of the Falcon's common room, which serves as a seating area for the kiddos. Throw in some movie props, boxes that move when you use "the force," and an R2-D2 replica that beeps, chirps and swivels his head, and it's enough to make adults wish they had an onboard space this awesome

The Disney Dream kids’ clubs also have an outpost on Castaway Cay, so parents can enjoy some private beach time while kids hang out with their friends in a supervised setting on the island.

Babies and Toddlers on Disney Dream

For the tiniest tots, the It's a Small World Nursery on Deck 5 midship is reserved for those from 6 months to 3 years. The nursery offers an age-appropriate playroom, as well as a quiet area with cribs, swings and rocking chairs.

If you want to play with your child in Dream's kids clubs, look for open house hours in the daily newsletters. These are times when the clubs are open for unsupervised (by Disney staff) play, and age restrictions don't apply. You can let your toddler explore Andy's Room or experience the Millennium Falcon.

There are also special toddler play hours in the Nemo's Reef splash zone and in the waiting area outside the Enchanted Garden restaurant for safe baby play.

Tweens and Teens on Disney Dream

Disney Dream has a kids club dedicated entirely to tweens, ages 11 to 13. (Yes, 11- and 12-year-olds have access to the Oceaneer Club and Lab, as well as the tween club.) True to its name, the Edge is located in the funnel on Deck 13, far removed from the other kids clubs. What seemed like a decent idea in theory doesn't work here; we didn't like seeing preteens hanging out in the staircase, unsupervised.

Inside, however, it delivers, with an 18-foot-tall video wall, video karaoke and computers with access to an intranet-based (limited to the ship) social media app.

The 9,000-square-foot teen club, the Disney Dream Vibe (ages 14 to 17), has modular furniture, a fountain bar and its own outdoor space (new for Disney) with a sun deck and wading pools. It's located forward on Deck 5.

Find a Disney Dream Cruise from $792

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Guide to the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App

T he Disney Cruise Line Navigator App will be a huge help when planning your trip and will be your go to when on the ship! Be sure to download the DCL Navigator App before your cruise so you can get acquainted with app and how it can help you. Here are a few things it can help you with before and during your trip.

You should download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app before your cruise even begins ! You’ll just need your confirmation number, last name and birthdate to link your cruise and then you can start using it. This app will be an important part of the planning process. And will be one of the most helpful tools on your cruise.

How the Disney Cruise App can help you before your cruise  

There are several things the Disney Cruise app can help with before your cruise. Here’s a look at what the app can do before your Disney Cruise vacation even starts. 

Online Check In

When it’s time to check in, you can do this in the app! You can see the full online Check In Process for Disney Cruise line here . You can upload your passport and traveling documents here, along with photos of everyone in your party. And you can choose your Port Arrival time and access the QR code for your port arrival form when you board.

Explore Deck Plans

Want to get familiar with the ship before you board? Take a look at the deck plans in the app to help you get acquainted with the layout. The app will show you where things are and help you get around the ship with ease. 

Book Excursions and Onboard Fun

Browse Port Excursions and onboard fun like the Royal Gathering , Drink Tastings, and specialty dining options like Palo and Remy. When it’s time to book, you can do this on the app or on the website. 

Check out the Fun Disney Cruise Countdown

Once your cruise is linked, you can see a fun countdown in the app! It’s a simple thing, but definitely a fun one. 

Take the Health Questionnaire 24 hours before you board your Disney Cruise

Every passenger that boards a Disney Cruise must fill out a health questionnaire. This is a pretty standard practice for most cruise lines. And has been a practice for a long time. It only takes a few minutes to fill out and only needs to be filled out by one guest for each stateroom. 

This will show up in your app 24 hours before sailing. If you fail to fill it out before arriving, you’ll have to fill it out when you get to the port, which can delay the boarding process. It’s easy and quick to get done beforehand, so save yourself some time and fill it out before you arrive.

How to use the Disney Cruise app once onboard your Disney Cruise

The real fun begins once you get onboard! You’ll need to turn your phone on airplane mode and then connect to the DCL Wi-Fi, so you can access everything the app has to offer. This app has so many fun features, so take a few minutes once connected to the cruise internet to get to know the app. 

Onboard Chat

Once onboard, switch your phone into airplane mode, connect to Disney Wi-Fi, and you can use all the features inside the app. Onboard chat can help you stay connected to the other guests in your party while at sea.

Plan your Disney Cruise Days

Everything you need to know from showtimes, dinner location, menus, activities and character meet and greets will be listed in the app. This makes it easy to plan your sea days onboard a Disney Cruise without missing a thing! Schedules are generally planned well ahead of time. But we recommend checking the app periodically the day before and morning of your day to see if new activities have been added. 

Find Disney Cruise Character Greetings

Love meeting characters? Then a Disney Cruise is for you! In the app, you’ll be able to find character greetings times along with locations. Heart your favorites so you can be reminded of when they will be starting. You can learn all about meeting characters on a Disney Cruise here .

Connect to Onboard Wi-Fi

If you purchase Wi-Fi during your cruise, the app is how you’ll access that! You’ll just go to the Connect At Sea page, login and the rest is easy! If you have issues with Wi-Fi during your cruise, there are cast members who can help you.

See the Drink of the Day

Disney offers a drink of the day each day for $5. There are alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available and it’s a great way to save a little money if you plan on drinking during your cruise. These can be seen each day by scrolling all the way to the bottom of the app and you’ll be able to see which drinks are featured.

Check out Port Information

On Port Days, you can find information needed about your port of call. Info like all ashore and all aboard times will be available, as well as any meeting places for excursions planned through Disney.

Get Notified on Deals and Specials

Sometimes Disney Cruise Line offers specials at the spa, lounges and shopping locations. The Disney Cruise Line App is where you can find this information to help you save some money while onboard.

Book Your Next Disney Cruise

If you loved your Disney Cruise and know you want to book another, the best way to do this is with the Onboard Booking Offer in the app! The offer allows you to book a placeholder for $200, and when you’re ready to book the actual cruise, you’ll receive 10% off your cruise fare.   You have 18 months to use the offer, so there’s plenty of time to decide which cruise is right for you.

Ready to plan your next cruise? We can help with that! Get started with a free, no obligation quote here . Hopefully this post has been helpful in understanding all the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App can do for you! Happy Cruising!

Disney Cruise WiFi: Packages and Prices

Internet access and cruising don’t always mix, but if you set sail on a Disney cruise , you have several options to post the occasional picture on Instagram or check your email. Disney Cruise Line offers several internet packages aboard its fleet. All Disney cruise ships have WiFi .

Until recently, all internet packages aboard Disney cruises were priced with a “pay for what you use” model, with data plans based on megabyte usage. With the arrival of the Disney Wish in 2022, Disney announced changes to the Disney Cruise Line internet packages, which are now priced based on the type of internet access you want in a 24-hour period. These changes have now been rolled out on all ships, with the Disney Wonder being the final ship to upgrade to the new system during a September 2023 Dry Dock.

Below, we discuss everything you need to know about how Disney Cruise WiFi works in 2023.

Prices shown below are accurate as of August 2023.

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Disney Cruise Line Internet Packages

WiFi is available in three packages, each with a different level of internet access:  Stay Connected , Basic Surf , and Premium Surf :

These packages are based on usage for a 24-hour period, not a calendar day. If the time of day you use the internet matters to you, you’ll want to purchase a plan at a time that will renew when it’s convenient — and not in the middle of a work meeting.

You can share the plan on multiple devices (as long as you log out of one device before using the other) or pay to connect multiple devices simultaneously. And you can save a little money by purchasing for the entire length of your cruise.

Packages previously varied by ship, but these are now the standard packages across the entire fleet: the Disney Dream , Disney Fantasy , Disney Magic , Disney Wish , and Disney Wonder .

Here’s more information about each package, including their prices:

Stay Connected

The most basic internet package on a Disney cruise allows you to access, post, and engage on social media platforms, specifically Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Twitter/X, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Tumblr.

• $18 for 24 hours of access
• $16 per day if purchased for the entire cruise

This mid-tier internet package allows access to the social media platforms listed above, plus basic browser surfing and email capabilities. Audio WiFi calls are also available with this package.

• $28 for 24 hours of access
• $24 per day if purchased for the entire cruise

Premium Surf

The highest internet Disney cruise WiFi plan gives you all the access included in the Stay Connected and Basic Surf plans (with faster connection speeds). Plus, you can stream music and short-form video on apps like Pandora, Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube. Video calling through FaceTime and Zoom is also available with this package.

• $42 for 24 hours of access
• $34 per day if purchased for the entire cruise

It’s important to know that none of the packages (not even Premium Surf) supports long-form video streaming such as using Disney+, Hulu, or Netflix.

Free Help Planning Your Disney Cruise

From the small questions such as details on WiFi onboard to the bigger questions about the best time to go on a Disney Cruise or how much it costs , you can get free help planning your cruise by contacting the Disney Cruise Experts at The Vacationeer .

Here are just a few reasons to use this Earmarked Diamond level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner to book your cruise.

• Free Onboard Credit: Get up to $1,000 to spend while onboard the ship
• No Planning Fees: There’s no cost to use their services
• One Dedicated Agent: No giant call centers or waiting on hold
• The Best Prices: Your cruise won’t cost any more than if you’d booked it yourself
• The Best Discounts: They know all the ways to save and will even watch for new discounts after you’ve booked
• No Pressure: Vacationeers provide free, no-obligation quotes so there’s no risk in contacting them

Does Disney Cruise Line Offer Free WiFi?

There are several ways you can get free WiFi on a Disney cruise:

Use the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App

Disney Cruise Line allows guests to access the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App for free.

The app is powered by a free WiFi network (DCL-GUEST) that’s only available onboard the ship.

The app is similar to the My Disney Experience app and includes a host of information about your cruise. You can view your planned activities, excursions, rotational dining assignments, deck plans, entertainment schedules, dinner menus, and much more.

One of the app’s most handy features is the ability to message friends and family who are also on board.

If you want to truly unplug during your cruise vacation, the WiFi access you get through the Navigator app may be all the internet you need during your Disney cruise.

Stay in a Concierge-Level Stateroom

One benefit of staying in a concierge-level stateroom is free WiFi. How much internet you’ll get depends on the type of stateroom you booked. Those staying in Royal Suites get Premium Surf internet for the entire cruise. Concierge Suites get Basic Surf for the whole cruise, too. Other Concierge-Level staterooms get one day of Basic Surf for free.

Use Your Onboard Credit

Many Disney travel agencies offer a free onboard credit that can be used toward purchases you make while you’re onboard the ship. You can spend this on specialty dining, gratuities/tips , spa treatments, souvenirs… and virtually anything else that’s charged back to your shipboard account.

Luckily for you, onboard internet packages are charged to the folio, so onboard credit can be used to pay towards your onboard WiFi package.

The size of your onboard credit depends on the travel agency you pick and the cost of your cruise, but it could easily be enough to cover the cost of your shipboard internet.

Book With The Vacationeer To Earn Credit Toward Onboard Internet and Other Purchases

How to Use the Internet on Disney Cruise Line

Internet packages can be purchased through the Disney Cruise Navigator app once onboard and connected to the ship’s WiFi. To buy a plan, click the “more” tab in the app and scroll down to “connect to the Internet.” From there, you can select a package, the number of devices you want to use, and the number of days you wish to purchase. You’ll then be prompted to review the plan and check out. The package will be charged to your stateroom folio. If you have trouble connecting to the internet, the onboard internet help desk can troubleshoot internet and cell phone access onboard.

Can You Share Internet on a Disney Cruise?

You can share one internet plan on multiple devices if you only use one at a time and log out of each device when you’re done using it.

Multiple-device plans are also offered; choosing one of these will save you a bit of money versus the cost of purchasing two separate plans.

How Much is WiFi on a Disney Cruise?

WiFi plans have starting rates between $16 to $42 a day. The price can vary drastically based on the number of days you purchase and the amount of connected devices. You’ll get a slight discount if you purchase a plan for your entire cruise. You also save for each device you add.

Does Disney Cruise Line Have Cell Service?

Whether your cell phone will work on a Disney cruise depends on your carrier and plan. Cell carriers like AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile provide Cellular at Sea aboard Disney cruises, which allows you to use your plan like you normally would in your stateroom. However, you may need to pay roaming charges (which can get very expensive, very quickly) or purchase a special cruise add-on from your carrier. Your data allotment (cellular internet) also may be much more limited than on land. It’s best to check with your individual cell phone carrier before your cruise to determine how cell phone data usage will work while onboard.

How Good is the WiFi on Disney Cruise Ships?

While the internet speed on cruise ships has improved drastically over the years, it’s slower than the web surfing you’re used to at home.

Disney warns cruise guests that onboard internet may sometimes be slow, interrupted, or completely unavailable. This is especially true on at-sea days; the final sea day of a Disney Alaska cruise is notoriously bad for internet due to the ship’s position and direction of travel.

However, most cruisers will typically find onboard internet sufficient to occasionally check email, post on social media , or make a video call.

Get Free Help Planning Your Disney Cruise

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Best App for Booking Cruises: Your Complete Guide to Simplified Vacations

Are you tired of endless searching for the perfect cruise vacation? Imagine effortlessly browsing through a variety of cruise options tailored to your preferences with just a few taps on your phone. Picture having all the information you need at your fingertips, from cabin choices to onboard activities. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?

Key Takeaways

• Prioritize apps with user-friendly interfaces and intuitive navigation for easy booking process.
• Look for apps offering a wide variety of cruise options, destinations, and onboard activities to suit different preferences and budgets.
• Opt for apps with price comparison tools to help you find the best deals and save money.
• Choose apps with in-app payment and check-in functionalities for a convenient booking experience.
• Select apps with robust customer support and chat functions to address any queries or issues promptly.
• Utilize price comparison tools, flexible dates, early booking, and promotions to ensure getting the best price for your cruise.
• Take advantage of special promotions exclusive to apps like app-only offers, flash sales, and bonus incentives.
• Plan your cruise anytime and anywhere with mobile cruise booking apps for flexibility and convenience.
• Access your itinerary offline and manage bookings and excursions easily through the app while on-the-go.
• Analyze user reviews and feedback to evaluate app performance, address common criticisms, and prioritize continuous app updates for user satisfaction.

Key Features to Look for in Cruise Booking Apps

Ease of use and interface.

When choosing a cruise booking app, you’ll want to prioritize the ease of use and interface. Look for apps that have intuitive navigation, clear menus, and a user-friendly design. A streamlined interface will make browsing through cruise options, selecting cabins, and booking activities a breeze.

For example, a good app will have simple search functions, easy-to-understand categories, and visual representations of available cruises, helping you find the perfect vacation without any hassle.

Variety of Cruise Options

Another essential feature to consider is the variety of cruise options offered by the app. A top-notch cruise booking app should provide a wide range of cruise lines, destinations, itineraries, and onboard activities to cater to different preferences and budgets.

For instance, look for apps that feature popular cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, or Norwegian Cruise Line, as well as diverse destinations such as the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Alaska, and more. This variety ensures that you can find the ideal cruise that aligns with your vacation desires.

Price Comparison Tools

When browsing for cruise deals, having price comparison tools at your fingertips can save you time and money. Opt for apps that offer price comparison features, allowing you to easily compare fares, promotions, and inclusions across different cruise providers.

For instance, a helpful app might display price comparisons for the same itinerary on various cruise lines, showing you the best value for your preferred travel dates. This feature empowers you to make informed decisions and snag the best cruise deal available.

In-App Payment and Check-In

Convenience is key when booking a cruise, so look for apps that offer in-app payment and check-in functionalities. The ability to securely pay for your cruise and complete the check-in process directly within the app can streamline your vacation planning.

For example, a user-friendly app should allow you to enter payment information, select preferred payment methods, and facilitate a seamless check-in process, eliminating the need for extensive paperwork or additional steps. This convenience enhances the overall booking experience.

Customer Support and Chat Functions

Lastly, ensure that the cruise booking app you choose provides robust customer support and chat functions. In case you have questions, encounter issues, or need assistance during the booking process, reliable customer support can make a significant difference.

For instance, look for apps that offer 24/7 customer service, live chat support, or helpful FAQs to address common queries. Access to responsive customer support ensures that you can get prompt assistance and resolve any concerns swiftly, enhancing your overall satisfaction with the booking experience.

Top Rated Apps for Booking Cruises

App a: seamless booking experience.

When it comes to a seamless booking experience for your cruise vacation, you want an app that offers effortless navigation, quick booking process, and hassle-free payment options. Imagine having all the information you need at your fingertips, from cabin choices to onboard activities, without any unnecessary steps.

Look for an app that prioritizes a user-friendly interface, allowing you to browse through various cruise options with ease. It should guide you through the booking process smoothly, helping you select your preferred dates, destinations, and cabin types without any confusion. By simplifying the booking steps, you can secure your dream cruise in just a few taps.

App B: Comprehensive Deals and Discounts

When searching for the best app for booking cruises, make sure it offers comprehensive deals and discounts to help you save money on your vacation. A good app will not only provide you with a wide range of cruise options but also offer competitive prices and exclusive discounts that you might not find elsewhere.

For example, some apps may have special promotions for early bookings, last-minute deals, or packages that include extra amenities or onboard credits. By exploring these deals, you can get the most value out of your cruise booking and potentially upgrade your experience without breaking the bank.

App C: User-Friendly Design and Customization

Opt for an app that boasts a user-friendly design and allows for customization to tailor your booking experience to your preferences. Personalization is key when booking a cruise, as it enables you to choose the cabin location, dining options, onboard activities, and more based on your specific needs and desires.

Consider an app that lets you save your favorite cruise itineraries, set up price alerts for specific sailings, and receive recommendations based on your past bookings or interests. With a customizable app, you can create a truly unique cruise experience that aligns with your preferences and ensures a memorable vacation.

By selecting an app that offers a seamless booking experience, comprehensive deals and discounts, and user-friendly design with customization options, you can enhance your cruise booking process and embark on a unforgettable journey with ease.

Comparing Prices and Deals

When booking a cruise, getting the best price is crucial. Here’s how you can ensure you’re getting the most value for your money.

How to Ensure the Best Price

• Comparison Tools: Utilize price comparison tools available in cruise booking apps. These tools allow you to compare prices across different cruise lines, ships, and itineraries.
• Flexible Dates: Be flexible with your travel dates. Prices can vary significantly depending on the time of year, so adjusting your travel dates slightly could result in substantial savings.
• Early Booking: Plan ahead and book your cruise early. Cruise lines often offer lower prices for early bookings, giving you access to better cabin selections and potential discounts.
• Keep an Eye on Promotions: Monitor promotions and special deals offered by cruise lines. These can include discounted fares, onboard credits, or free upgrades, helping you secure the best price for your cruise.

Alert Settings for Price Drops

Stay informed about price drops with alert settings available in many cruise booking apps. These settings notify you when prices decrease, allowing you to take advantage of cost savings.

• Set Price Alerts: Enable price drop alerts for specific cruise itineraries or cabins you’re interested in. This feature ensures you’re promptly notified when prices go down.
• Adjust Preferences: Tailor your alert settings based on your budget and preferences. Customizing alerts allows you to receive notifications that align with your ideal price range and desired accommodations.
• Act Quickly: When you receive a price drop alert, act promptly to secure the discounted rate. Prices may fluctuate frequently, so being ready to book when prices are low is essential.

Special Promotions Exclusive to Apps

Take advantage of special promotions that are exclusive to cruise booking apps to unlock additional savings and benefits.

• App-Only Offers: Many cruise apps offer exclusive promotions, such as additional onboard credit or discounted excursions, to users who book through the app.
• Flash Sales: Keep an eye out for app-exclusive flash sales that provide limited-time offers on select cruise itineraries. These promotions can offer significant savings for quick decision-makers.
• Bonus Incentives: Some apps provide bonus incentives for app bookings, such as loyalty points or future discounts, rewarding users for choosing their platform for cruise reservations.

By utilizing these strategies and taking advantage of the features offered by cruise booking apps, you can secure the best prices and exclusive deals for your next cruise adventure.

The Convenience of Mobile Cruise Planning

Planning on-the-go.

When you’re using a cruise booking app, you have the advantage of planning your dream vacation anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re on your lunch break or waiting for a friend, you can browse through various cruise options, select cabin preferences, explore onboard activities, and even book shore excursions—all at your fingertips. This flexibility allows you to make informed decisions and tailor your cruise experience to your liking without being tied to a computer.

Accessing Your Itinerary Offline

One of the perks of utilizing a cruise booking app is the ability to access your itinerary offline. Even when you’re sailing at sea or exploring a foreign port where internet connection may be limited, you can still view your schedule, dining reservations, entertainment options, and other essential details directly on your mobile device. This feature ensures that you stay organized and informed throughout your cruise journey without worrying about connectivity issues.

Managing Bookings and Excursions Through the App

With a cruise booking app, managing your bookings and excursions becomes hassle-free. You can easily view your reservation details, make changes to your cabin selection or dining preferences, and even book onboard activities or excursions in advance. By having everything consolidated in one place, you avoid the need to juggle multiple confirmations or printed documents. This streamlined process simplifies your cruise planning and contributes to a more enjoyable and stress-free vacation experience.

User Reviews and Feedback

Analyzing customer satisfaction.

When it comes to evaluating the user experience of cruise booking apps, customer satisfaction plays a crucial role. Users often express their sentiments through reviews and feedback, providing valuable insights into the app’s performance. Positive reviews typically highlight user-friendly interfaces, seamless booking processes, and efficient customer service. On the contrary, negative reviews often point out issues like technical glitches, slow loading times, or difficulties in modifying bookings.

To gauge customer satisfaction accurately, you can focus on the overall rating of the app, specific feedback regarding ease of use, booking efficiency, and the responsiveness of the app’s support team. By analyzing these aspects, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the app’s strengths and areas needing improvement.

Addressing Common Criticisms

Understanding and addressing common criticisms from users is vital for enhancing the app’s functionality and user experience. By paying attention to frequent complaints, such as payment errors, inaccurate availability information, or limited payment options, app developers can make targeted improvements. Responding promptly to user feedback, addressing concerns, and implementing necessary changes demonstrate a commitment to user satisfaction and continuous enhancement.

To address common criticisms effectively, you can establish a feedback loop that actively collects and analyzes user reviews. By prioritizing user-generated suggestions and swiftly rectifying prevalent issues, the app can evolve to meet user expectations and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.

The Importance of Continuous App Updates

Continuous app updates are essential for staying competitive in the dynamic landscape of cruise booking apps. Regular updates not only introduce new features and functionalities but also address bugs, enhance security, and improve overall performance. By adapting to changing user needs and technological advancements, app developers can ensure that the app remains relevant and user-friendly.

To emphasize the importance of continuous app updates, app developers should communicate the benefits of each update to users. Whether it’s enhancing the booking process, introducing loyalty programs, or optimizing the user interface, transparent communication about updates fosters user engagement and loyalty. By demonstrating a commitment to innovation and improvement, the app can garner positive reviews, attract new users, and retain existing customers.

You’ve explored the world of cruise booking apps and discovered the key factors that make an app stand out. User reviews play a vital role in guiding your decision, ensuring a smooth booking experience. Remember, staying updated with the latest app features is essential for a seamless booking process. By prioritizing user satisfaction and continuous improvements, you’ll find the best app to book your dream cruise effortlessly. Happy sailing!

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the article focus on.

The article discusses the benefits of using cruise booking apps on mobile phones and the importance of user reviews in evaluating them.

Why are user reviews important in evaluating cruise booking apps?

User reviews help in assessing the app’s user-friendliness, booking efficiency, and overall customer satisfaction.

What are common positive aspects mentioned in user reviews?

Positive reviews highlight easy-to-use interfaces, smooth booking processes, and quick access to necessary information.

What are common issues raised in negative feedback about cruise booking apps?

Negative feedback often mentions technical glitches, payment errors, and limited booking options as areas needing improvement.

What is emphasized for enhancing cruise booking app functionality?

Continuous app updates that introduce new features, enhance security, and improve performance are crucial for app functionality.

How can cruise booking apps increase user engagement and loyalty?

Transparent communication about updates, addressing issues promptly, and encouraging feedback can foster user engagement and loyalty.

Hi, I'm Richard, a passionate traveler and cruise enthusiast. With over a decade of experience exploring the world's oceans, I've developed a deep love for all things related to cruising. Whether it's luxury liners or intimate river cruises, I enjoy sharing my insights and tips to help others plan their perfect getaway. When I'm not sailing the seas, you can find me writing about my adventures or planning my next voyage

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Navigator App – Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a charge to download or use the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app?

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Norwegian Cruise Line worker accused of stabbing 3 people onboard Alaska-bound vessel

The alleged incident happened west of vancouver island, british columbia, as the ship was sailing to alaska, by associated press • published may 7, 2024 • updated on may 7, 2024 at 10:04 pm.

A cruise ship worker from South Africa was arrested Tuesday in Alaska's capital city, accused of attacking a woman and two security guards with scissors on board the vessel, according to authorities.

The U.S. attorney's office says the man is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon within maritime and territorial jurisdiction. Online court records do not show an attorney for the 35-year-old man.

According to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Matthew Judy, the man was recently hired by a cruise line and joined the ship, the Norwegian Encore, in Seattle on Sunday. The ship set off that day for a weeklong trip with scheduled stops in Alaska ports, including the capital of Juneau, and British Columbia.

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The alleged incident happened west of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, as the ship was sailing to Alaska. According to the affidavit, during the 'late evening" Sunday, ship personnel saw the man trying to deploy a lifeboat, and he was taken by security to a medical center for an evaluation.

While there, he “became irrational and attempted to leave,” and “physically attacked” a guard and a nurse, the affidavit states. He ran into another room, where he grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed a woman who was being examined, as well as two guards who tried to intervene before being subdued and held in a “shipboard jail,” the affidavit says. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening.

The ship arrived in Juneau on Tuesday, when he was arrested by the FBI, the U.S. attorney's office says.

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