To say they have options on locations and vacations is an understatement! Disney offers ports and itineraries for everyone. Lets start with why they are a great option for any family.
1. So Many Things Are Included!
When you book a Disney cruise every breakfast, lunch and dinner on the boat is included in your price. Disney Cruises offer what is called rotational dining. Every night you will be assigned a different restaurant to eat dinner at with your group. You will find out your assignment when you check into the boat on arrival day. Each ship offers a meal at Animator's Palate. On the Disney Magic your other rotational options will be Rapunzel's Royal Table and Lumiere's. On the Disney Wonder your options will be, Tiana's and Tritons. On the Disney Fantasy your options will be, Royal Court and Enchanted Garden. On the Disney Dream your other two options will be, Royal Palace and Enchanted Garden.
There are a bunch of other options in between breakfast and dinner. Something the kids will love is Ice Scream Treats serving delicious ice cream on all the boats! Everyone will love Cabanas serving a buffet style meal for breakfast and lunch, with everything your heart could desire, with plenty of healthy options. Views of the ocean to boot. For dinner, Cabanas is open as an alternative to the main dining, turning into a table service restaurant for the evenings.
Most room service meals are also included. After an exhausting day of sitting by the pool or going on excursions you can chill in your room and order room service. The only items not included in room service would be alcoholic beverages (this is always an additional cost), bottled drinks and some prepackaged snacks are also not included in your cruise pice. Room service is offered for all three meals. I suggest pre ordering breakfast so you can enjoy sunrise on your balcony with your fresh cup of coffee.
The evening shows are included in your cruise price. The shows on the Disney Cruises are exceptional. They are Broadway quality and you will never have a bad seat in the house! The Disney difference here is they plan two shows a night. So you do not have to choose between dinner or a show, you can do both! The first show is for those who have the later dinner, the second show is for those who have the first dinner. It is magical the way they have planned it out!
Disney also has first run movies on board. Check the daily navigator delivered to your room to check out the movie times and other activities on board.
Family time is important, but sometimes you want to sit by the pool and read your book while your kids want to be entertained, well Disney has thought of that too. Kids 3 and older have their own space on the ships, sorry no adults allowed! All the ships offer a kids club for each age group: The Oceaneer Lab & Club is for children ages 3-12. The Edge is for the tweens ages 11-14, and the Vibe is for teens ages 14-17. On the Dream and Fantasy the teens have their own small pool and sundeck. The picture below is from the Dream Vibe teens club.
If you have children younger than three, no worries there, Disney has thought of that. There is a special nursery just for them. It is called "It's a Small World Nursery" and is available with reservations and an additional cost.
Now you grown ups should not feel to left out. Disney has thought of you too with some pretty amazing adult only spaces.
Each ship has an adult only pool area. On the Dream and Fantasy they have Currents (as shown above) an adult only bar as well as Satellite Falls (as shown below)
Each ship has a variety of adult only night time spaces as well. These will be included in your cost of the cruise, the things you pay extra for are alcoholic beverages as well as any spa treatments.
2. Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay is Disney's private island located in the Bahamas. This is a very popular stop on most Caribbean and Bahamian cruises. It is hard to put into words how amazing this island is. Lets start with the only people on the island are the people from your cruise ship plus the amazing cast members. It will never feel over crowded.
If you think you will be bored, think again! They have thought of everything! Water sports your thing? They have in water playground called Pelican Plunge where you can take a ride on one of the two water slides into the ocean. Disney also offers a variety of port adventures from boating and fishing to snorkeling there is something for every adventure level. Most port adventures are available for an extra cost. But if you are looking to not spend extra money pull up a beach chair and relax at the family friendly beach. On an adult vacation, yup they have an adult only beach on the island too. Want to check it out but have the kids with you? No worries, they have a kids and teen hang outs. Legit something for everyone!
Need a break from the water sports? You can rent a bike or play some games in the shade. With a day at Disney's Castaways Cay you will have had a day in paradise, and will not want to leave! For the day you won't have to. They have delicious places to eat on the island too, all included in your cruise price! This place is pure magic.
3. The Ships Are AMAZING!!
I have never seen a cast and crew work as hard as they do on the Disney boats, and their had work shows! When taking my daily walk or run on the deck in the morning I always see cast and crew cleaning and prepping for the day ahead. The boats are always so clean and look brand new. Disney has 4 boats; The Magic (the original) and Wonder are sister ships. They are about the same size and have a lot the same or similar offerings. The Dream and the Fantasy (currently the newest) are the largest ships. They will have a lot of the same offerings like the AquaDuck. The AquaDuck is an exciting water coaster that takes riders over the edge, up, down and all around the ship. It is so much fun.
Each boat offers so many fun activities for every age group. Starting with the moment you check into your cruise you will be handed your first navigator. This will tell you all the activities offered on board that day, and the shows for the week. Each day you will get a new navigator delivered to your room. A cruise traveling trick would be to bring a highlighter so you can highlight what you would like to do, so you don't miss anything! From bingo with the family to karaoke with the adults you will never be bored.
If you are a big smart phone user download the Disney Cruise Line app before boarding. The app will come in mighty handy while cruising. The app will work while you keep your phone airplane & wifi setting turned on while saving you roaming fees. You will not be able to go online as if you were on land but can access the Disney Cruise Line App. This app will not only share with you the daily navigator and deck plans but, you can text your family through the app, this is super handy while calling your kids to dinner!
4. The Movies & Rooms are Magical
In general cruise lines have fairly small rooms. Disney has larger than the industry average sized rooms. They also have thought of everything (once again) when it comes to using the space most efficiently. All the beds are raised to store your luggage, and most rooms have a split bathroom. So the kids wont be fighting who gets to brush their teeth first.
The cast members who take care of your room are absolutely exceptional people too. They are always there if you need anything or have any questions.
In the movie theaters at select times you can catch first run movies or some very popular classics, but in your room on demand you can find any Disney movie you desire! Have a long day in the sun and need a quiet night, this is a perfect time to call room service and watch your favorite Disney movie on demand in the privacy of your own room.
5. The Destinations are incredible!!
I had mentioned at the start of the blog some of the great ports Disney sails from but have not mentioned the amazing destinations they take you to! These pictures can speak for them selves they are so beautiful!!
Yes, the traditional Bahamian and Caribbean ports are the bread and butter for Disney Cruises, and the ones you will want to be on come mid February (I am talking to you New Englanders).
Alaska cruises are top notch and pretty amazing too. Not to be outdone by any of the European destinations. You can visit Norway, and see the locations that inspired Frozen.
Europe has more destinations than just Norway. You can visit the Mediterranean and see Italy, Spain, and France, or the British Isles and see Ireland, Scotland and Great Britain, or even northern Europe like Sweden Finland or the Netherlands.
The possibilities are endless. Destinations for every time of year and family group you can think of!
Ready to talk cruises? Have more questions? Want a quote? Contact me -
EMAIL- gbuck@mickeytravels.com
603-370-7503
800-498-1627
All of my Disney Vacation planning is always free, I never charge a fee. When you book a Disney Cruise through me I will send you a Disney gift card with your travel documents. Gift cards start at $50. and go up!
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