If you’re dreaming of a vacation that blends adventure, luxury, and a touch of Disney magic, a Disney Cruise should be at the top of your list. As a travel advisor (and a Disney fan at heart) I had the chance to experience it firsthand on two separate occasions. I’m so excited to share the highlights, tips, and must-do moments from this unforgettable journey at sea. The first Disney Cruise I took was in March 2023 – my son (5 at the time), my mom and I enjoyed it so much that we went back on the same ship and itinerary in March 2025! Here are my top tips and a summary of my experience traveling on a Disney Cruise.
1. Choosing Your Perfect Itinerary
Disney Cruise Line (DCL) travels to destinations all over the world including Alaska, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand and Australia, Singapore and more! It can be overwhelming to choose the right itinerary for you.
In our case, we knew we wanted to go somewhere warm – that led us to the Bahamas. During our first cruise in 2023, DCL only operated one island as a port in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay. Our four-night itinerary was Miami -> Nassau -> Castaway Cay -> Day at Sea -> Miami. When we cruised again in 2025, the itinerary was a little different. DCL has been moving many of their Miami embarkations to Fort Lauderdale. They also opened a new island experience at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. So for our second cruise, our itinerary was Fort Lauderdale -> Nassau -> Lookout Cay -> Day at Sea -> Fort Lauderdale. (Image source)
While selecting an itinerary, it’s also important to look at which ship you will travel on. By the end of 2025, DCL will operate 8 ships: Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy, Wish, Treasure, Destiny and Adventure. You can tell there is a Disney theme with these names!
Both of my cruises were on the Disney Dream. We were very happy with this ship, though look forward to trying one of the newer ships next time.
2. My First Impressions: Check-in and Boarding
Let’s start with checking in online for your cruise. After you book a Disney Cruise you will be sent reminder emails leading up to your departure. One important piece of information that you need to pay attention to is the date you are able to check in. For first-time DCL cruisers, this date will be 30 days prior to your sail date. You can check in starting at 12:00am Eastern time that morning. In my case as someone who lives in a mountain time zone, that meant I could check in 10pm local time the day prior. Yes, it was hard to stay awake for this but I did it and I’m glad I did!
When you check in, you will be required to provide various pieces of information such as photos of passports (if your cruise is international), a photo of each traveler’s face, flight information and other personal details. Before you are able to check in, make sure you have all of this ready. I emphasize this because when you check in you will select a time to arrive at the port on sail away day. DCL offers 30-minute windows starting in the morning (10am is generally the earliest available) and you want to get the earliest option you can! I’ll explain more…
When you arrive to the port, you will drop off your luggage just outside the building with one of the porters. They will arrange for it to arrive outside your stateroom later that evening. Prior to sailing, you will receive color-coded luggage tags by mail. If you forget them, don’t worry! The porters have extras and they can help you.
Then you will wait in a short line to show your passports/identification and verify your cruise details. It is important that you arrive during your allotted time window; if you arrive too early, they will send you away and ask you to come back. Once you are checked in, you will enter a big entry hall and wait for your boarding group number to be called. We’ve only waited 30-45 minutes each time. Then you will be able to board the ship which is so exciting! The cast members really make you feel welcome as you board.
Our favorite thing to do when boarding is to go immediately upstairs to the buffet for lunch and then hit the pool! We’ve been lucky to get early boarding groups both times so it has not felt crowded. I recommend packing a small pool bag with your bathing suits (or wear them onto the ship), sandals, hat, sunscreen, etc. so you have flexibility and can hit the pool before your luggage arrives to your stateroom. Pictured above is the empty adults-only pool on the Disney Dream soon after we boarded.
There is a mandatory drill that every single person on the ship must attend – usually around 4pm. Check the Disney Navigator App and listen for announcements so you know when and where to report. It lasts about 30-45 minutes. They do ring the emergency alarm, which is quite loud, so bring headphones for anyone who is sensitive to sounds. We let a crew member know that one of my family members was very sensitive to loud sounds, and they were so wonderful. They gave us notice before the sound and let us know when it was over.
3. Staterooms and Ship Amenities
On both of my Disney Cruises, I stayed in a deluxe family suite with a verandah. This room is quite spacious and offers sleeping for five – a queen-size bed, a twin pull out couch bed, a twin bunk bed and a twin murphy bed. There are also two separate bathrooms – one has a sink and toilet and the other has a shower/bathtub and sink. This is a fantastic room for a family and it’s great that a family of five can fit pretty comfortably. That is not always the case in hotel rooms/other cruise rooms.
A stateroom with a verandah is more expensive that other cabin types, such as an interior room (no windows) or an ocean view room (window but no balcony). Frankly, we didn’t spend that much time in our room and if the extra cost prevents you from being able to go on the vacation, I recommend selecting one of the other room types. They all offer the same Disney magic and will open the door for you to have an amazing vacation! Read my tips below for saving money on a Disney Cruise.
The ship itself has so much to explore. I can only speak to the Disney Dream – it has 13 floors of magic. The sit-down restaurants are located on the middle decks. The kids club is absolutely amazing and located on deck 5. There are three pools on deck 11 – two are for all ages and one is only for adults. The family-friendly pools are different depths; one is more of a shallow splash pool and the other reaches 5 feet deep. Adjacent to these pools is a splash pad for younger children. The large buffet, Cabanas, is located nearby along with the grill and two bars. The gym and spa are also located on this deck behind the adults-only pool. If you climb or take the elevator up, you will find the water slide and a sports deck on top, along with more adults-only areas. Deck 11 quickly became our favorite spot!
4. Dining on a Disney Cruise
Something fun and unique that DCL offers is rotational dining. This means that over the course of your cruise you will be able to enjoy dinner in each of the restaurants with the same serving team! On the Disney Dream, there are three main dinner restaurants – not including specialty dining. Because our cruise was 4 nights long, we ate at one of the restaurants twice. Our group only had three people, so on each cruise we were seated with another family of three. We sat with them each night and it was a great way to get to know the other family. When you check in for the cruise, you can choose an early dinner time slot (~5:15pm) or a later time slot (8:30pm). We have always gone early and usually head back to our stateroom to go right to bed after a long day in the sun! If you don’t get the seating time you would like when you check in, visit the customer service desk when you board the ship to ask for a different time. They can usually accommodate your requests!
The ship also offers a large buffet for breakfast and lunch, 24/7 room service (limited breakfast items – similar to a continental breakfast) and a quick service grill near the pool. We have enjoyed all of these amenities and I recommend giving them each a shot! And of course, don’t forget the self-service soft serve that is available near the pool at most times of the day! All of these are included in the price of your cruise, though don’t forget the tipping costs associated with room service. There is a candy/ice cream shop that offers items for an additional fee. You can also choose to eat at one of the specialty restaurants, such as Remy and Palo on the Disney Dream, also for an additional fee. These restaurants are for adults only and offer an upscale dining experience.
Below is a sample of a portion of the menu at one of the main dinner restaurants, Enchanted Garden. They are extremely good with allergies and the amazing serving team will make sure you have everything you need. When dinner started feeling a bit long and the kids were getting restless, our team jumped in and started doing magic tricks! It quickly became a highlight of our trip and we’re so appreciate of their Disney magic.
5. Excursions and Adventures
There are so many things to do on the ship that you may never want to leave! Most of these activities are free; however, some items have an associated fee – such as the Bippity Boppity Boutique, spa treatments, personal training sessions, liquor tastings, port excursions, etc. In general, you can customize your trip however you’d like and spend as little or as much extra money as you want to based on what you want to do.
On both of my Disney Cruises, I have chosen not to do any excursions on port days. We actually stayed on the ship during the stop at Nassau – which I highly recommend – so we could enjoy the pool and water slide with fewer crowds. At both Castaway Cay in 2023 and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point in 2025, we did not feel the need to participate in any extra activities. Sitting on the beach was just right for us! Both islands offer a BBQ lunch (plus desserts and sodas/gatorade) that is included with the cruise price, so we had plenty to eat and enjoyed the soft sand and beautiful blue waters.
If you would like to do an excursion, buying tickets to visit the Atlantis is popular at Nassau. DCL offers other port adventures in the Bahamas such as Jeep tours, boat tours, water sports, etc. You can book these excursions in advance once you’ve checked in for your cruise or onboard depending on availability. Many sell out, so when in doubt I recommend that you book it!
6. Why I Love the Kids Club
The kids club, also called Oceaneer Club/Oceaneer Lab, is absolutely amazing. The space is decked out in full Disney fashion – I personally love Andy’s room from Toy Story and the Star Wars area. They offer activities throughout the day and it is included in the price of your cruise!! They cater to children from ages 3-10 who are fully potty trained.
When you enter, there is a hand washing station. Kids stick their arms in a machine that automatically washes them – this made me feel better about the possible spread of germs. They have boys and girls bathrooms near the back of the space and employees scattered throughout. My son enjoyed his time here and I was able to get a “break” to check out the adults-only areas of the ship.
On the first night of your cruise, I recommend attending the open house in the Oceaneer Club. You can register your child(ren), walk through the space and help them get comfortable in the room while you’re there with them. They will also get a bracelet (unless you bring a MagicBand from home) that will allow them to check in and out of the club. Make sure to return this bracelet before you disembark so you don’t have a $25 charge! You will also set up a secret password that you will be required to use when you check your child out.
If your child has any special needs, make sure to review their guidelines and let the team know when you register. From the DCL website: Children with special needs are welcome at Disney’s Oceaneer Club. Our Youth Activity programs are available to children who are fully toilet trained, able to individually participate within our counselor-to-child ratio groups and interact socially and comfortably with peers of their own age and physical size. We are unable to provide one-on-one counselor care, a counselor with specialty training, or counselor-assisted medical attention. Additional participation guidelines and restrictions may apply and are established to provide a safe and secure youth entertainment environment. Open House hours are also available so the entire family can join the fun and participate together.
For younger children, the “It’s a Small World” nursery is available. There is an additional cost to use their services and you need to make a reservation in advance. You can make reservations during the open house on day 1 of your cruise.
7. Which is Better – Castaway Cay or Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point?
You may not like my answer to this – they’re both amazing! Each offers a unique experience with pros and cons. My favorite is Castaway Cay but you really can’t go wrong with either.
I’ll start with Castaway Cay: We visited this island port in 2023 and it offered an amazing day. The white sand and blue water were beautiful. It feels more developed to me than Lookout Cay – there is a nature trail and old runway where you can rent a (free) bike and ride around. I spent about 30 minutes riding around the island and found it really beautiful. Once you walk off the pier, there are multiple beachy areas. The first one has water sports you can reserve in advance or onsite for a small fee – stand up paddle board, water bike, etc. If you keep walking, you will reach the main beach area where you can set up your stuff for the day by a chaise lounge.
At lunchtime, it’s a quick walk to the BBQ area where you will be treated to a nice lunch that is included in your cruise price. There is a bar as well as servers walking around taking drink orders on the beach (additional cost). Bathrooms are close by and the water is calm – perfect for small children! There is also a water playground that provides extra fun for children.
The island offers childcare, similar to what you will find on the cruise, in case you want to take a break at the adults-only beach or partake in other activities that are easier without your kid(s).
Each island hosts a 5k run in the morning, so look for the details in the Disney Navigator App if you want to participate!
Next I’ll describe my visit to Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point: This is a newer port for DCL which only opened in 2024, and that showed during our March 2025 visit. The vegetation hasn’t grown in as much yet and there were long, disorganized lines for lunch. It also takes longer to get to the beach – after walking 10 minutes down the pier (golf cart ride is also available), we took an 8-minute tram ride. When we arrived at 9:25am, we were able to visit the small shops with reasonable prices. They have some sand toys available in case you forgot yours and would like to pick something up. Lunch was served from 11:30am-2pm, with long lines by 11:40am. Tip – if you’re just looking for a burger, the fish stand on the far right also has burgers and has a shorter line!
The beach is absolutely gorgeous and possibly better than Castaway Cay. I walked about 25 minutes to the far end near the rock outcropping. It feels remote even with thousands of other people!
They offer beach-friendly wheelchairs at no cost, which are available to pick up next to the tram stop by the beach.
We ordered a drink on the beach in the afternoon which took 45 minutes to arrive – so I don’t recommend doing that. We were ready to pack up at 3:15 and had no line for the tram. We were back in our stateroom 30 minutes later. Here is a picture of the pier from our stateroom.
In both cases, we had to wait in line for 30-45 minutes on the ship in the morning before being able to disembark to go to the island. I recommend getting downstairs early to get a good seat on the beach under a shady umbrella. It is easy to get sunburned overheated on these days, so make sure to reapply sunscreen and stay hydrated!
8. My Top Tips for Saving Money on a Disney Cruise
It is no secret that Disney Cruises are expensive. They often cost more than other cruise lines – which is in line with the Disney brand in general. Here are my top tips to save money on a Disney Cruise:
- Be flexible on dates and even port stops. Sometimes the same itinerary on the same ship has wildly different prices based on the demand. We were able to travel in early March before busy spring break times, which saved us money.
- If available, book a “guaranteed” stateroom category. On our last cruise, we booked a “Verandah – Guaranteed” which meant that we didn’t get to choose our exact state room or deck. However, we saved almost $800 and ended up with an amazing room. I will always recommend this when available if you aren’t particular about where your stateroom is located.
- If you plan to have a lot of professional photos taken, purchase the photo package in advance. It is cheaper to buy beforehand than during your trip.
- Pack personal items so you don’t have to purchase them on the ship – OTC medication, sunscreen, signature book for characters, diapers, sunglasses, hats, etc.
- If you plan to drink alcohol, carry on wine or beer. Check the DCL website for the latest on what you are allowed to bring onboard.
- Look for deals. DCL often has reduced deposits or other deals on select sailings.
- If you are onbaord and want to cruise again, put down a $250 placeholder deposit. It is refundable to a certain point and offers you 10% off a future cruise.
- Minimize your spend on the ship. You can have an amazing time without spending a penny beyond the original cost of your cruise.
- Consider a lower category room. As I mentioned above, you will get to experience the same Disney magic in a smaller room!
- Look for Disney gift card deals, such as 5% off at Target with a Red Card.
- Work with a travel advisor – yes, like me! – to help you plan and look for the best fit for your family.