Live the Disney Cruise Dream

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Are you thinking about taking your first Disney cruise? Well, stop thinking and just do it. I know that’s easier said than done. There are a number of things to consider before taking that big step and booking a Disney cruise. There’s the price to consider. It’s no secret that these luxury cruises come with a major price tag. Then, what is there to do for singles or small children or teenagers? When to go? Where to go? Here are some of the things you might think of when deciding to go Disney cruising.

Ships

Disney has four cruise ships. This amount is far less than most cruise lines, therefore Disney doesn’t sail as often as others. So, you have to plan ahead. Disney offers short trips and long trips. If you favor shorter cruises like myself, you may want to look at the 2 to 3-night cruises. I recently went on the Disney Dream on a 3-night cruise to the Bahamas. This ship sails mostly to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, Florida or Miami, Florida. Disney Magic, Disney Fantasy, and the Disney Wonder are the other ships. They sail to many beautiful places in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, and Europe.

Price and Costs

Is it worth it? Yes. Disney Cruise Line cruises usually range from $900 up to $1500 a person. That’s well above the price of other popular cruise lines. The good thing is you can pay a down payment and then make payments or pay it all off before the due date. You can also cancel up to a few months before the cruise. Most people you ask will tell you the Disney cruise was well worth the cost. It is an amazing and often a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Another option is to get a Disney credit card through Chase Bank. The Disney credit card allows you to finance your Disney cruise up to six months. It also allows you to earn points as you spend, which turn into rewards dollars that you can use at the parks or on the cruise.

If you plan to park at the port, costs average about $70 depending on the length of your cruise and the port. Bring cash to tip the baggage handlers. After that, you won’t need any cash as everywhere else takes credit card. Unfortunately, alcoholic drinks are not included so you’ll be paying for these separately on the ship. Soft drinks, water, coffee, and tea are included. There are also a few stores on the ship for your shopping needs. Most food is included except a couple of special restaurants and specialty coffees. The restaurants you are assigned to each night as well as the buffets are included.

The Experience

As each family boards the ship, the crew announces your name and welcomes you aboard like true royalty. “Disney Dream, welcome aboard the Smith family!” a crew member will proudly exclaim. This red-carpet treatment is just beginning and followed by applause. This is the time you will first see the grandeur of the beautiful vessel you will reside on for the next few days.

The Disney ships offer special screenings of Disney movies. You can watch these by the pool or in a real movie theater. On the Disney Dream, the Buena Vista theater shows Disney movies that are currently in theaters. The Broadway-style shows each night are amazingly orchestrated. The food at each restaurant is delicious. You will dine at a different restaurant each night. One night during your cruise, is pirate night. For longer Disney cruises, there may be a formal night instead or in addition to pirate night. Guests dress up in pirate gear and take photos with the characters who are also in their pirate garb.  If it’s a formal night, guests dress in formal or semi-formal attire and may still take pictures with characters who may be in their Sunday’s best as well. Speaking of the characters, there are multiple opportunities each day to take photos with the Disney characters. You can check out the character meet and greet schedule on the events schedule provided in your room each night or on the Disney Cruise Line app that guests may use on the cruise.

Then there’s the fireworks at sea on Pirate night. It’s that amazing Disney magic you expect. The fireworks happen around 10 p.m. on the top deck and they are spectacular.

For children, there are kids’ clubs for every age group. My 6-year-old son went to the Oceaneer’s Club for ages 3 – 12. The area included a magic play floor, a video game room, a cooking area, a Star Wars-themed room, and a Toy Story room. Disney characters will also visit the children there. The clubs are open until midnight. There are also open house times where you can attend the kids’ club activities with your child. All other times, the kids’ club will be secure.

On most of the Disney cruise line ships, there are several pools and spas. The Disney Dream features the Aqua Duck, a massive waterslide at the top of the ship.

Don’t forget to make the most of your trip by booking an excursion on shore or a princess or sports experience onboard. These activities fill up fast so book as early as you can. My son and I went snorkeling on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, and then spent a day laying on the beautiful beaches of the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas. There are many options to choose from, such as parasailing and jet skiing.

The cruise line will also have Mickey Mouse call your little ones before the cruise to say hello and remind them of their upcoming Disney cruise. How awesome!

Cruising Solo or Kid Free

The Disney Dream features several activities for adults only. There is an adult only pool area with two or three pools and hot tubs near the top deck. Then when docking at Disney’s Castaway Cay, there is an adult-only beach. The Disney Dream has a gathering for solo cruisers to meet and several bars and nightclub-type venues throughout the ship. Don’t forget to enjoy the adult-only trivia too. Disney Cruise Line proves itself to be nothing but fun and luxury for both children and adults.

Food

As I may have mentioned, you will eat at a different restaurant every night. These restaurants are included with the price. There are others that are not included if you so choose to dine at those. There are so many delicious options. On the Disney Dream, there is a specialty coffee shop for an extra fee as well. Guests may also choose to eat at the buffet on Deck 11.

Legally Speaking

Before embarking on a Disney cruise, you will be asked to sign a contract. This contract basically says that in case of a dispute, you can only sue them in Brevard, County Florida, the laws of that jurisdiction prevail, and you can only sue individually and not as a member of a class action suit. If the cause of action arises under federal law, litigation will take place in the middle district of Florida in Orlando’s federal courthouse. Also, any suit must be filed within one year of the end of the cruise. It goes over your rights and their liability. Read carefully.

Photos

Should you take your own pictures on your smart phone or camera? Sure. The cruise line photographers will even grab your phone or camera and take a pic for you. However, the photo packages are tempting. You can save money by pre-purchasing the photo package before the cruise on their website. It does come out to just about the same price of $15 per photo. I did buy the digital photo package. The pictures come with borders and they do not print well. When I went to the local Walgreens to print my photos they came out somewhat blurry. So, it may be best to just take photos yourself. The advantage of having Shutters, Disney’s contracted photographers, take your photos is that they do come out better in digital form and they often catch you or your child in candid shots making for a great photo you would not have otherwise gotten. The unlimited digital photo package usually costs about $195. Ten digital photos are about $150.

Saying Goodbye

It’s so hard to say goodbye to these gorgeous ships. The night before or the morning of your disembarkation, the stateroom attendant will leave you a billing statement. This will list all the excursions, drinks, and other items you’ve charged during your cruise. It may also include the daily gratuities if you haven’t prepaid the gratuities. I choose to prepay just to get it over with. If you have a question or dispute any of the charges, you can see Guest Services on the way out. The fastest way off the ship is to carry your own luggage. Still, you will be waiting in a long line to get off so pack your patience. Be sure to have your passport and ship cards handy where you can reach them because you will be showing these a lot. All in all, it’s a great time that makes for magical memories no matter your age. Hope to see you on a Disney ship soon. Bon voyage!

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