Preparing For Your Disney Cruise - How To Have The Most Magical Sailing!
Written by Haleigh Beckman
Setting sail on a Disney Cruise Line (DCL) adventure is a magical experience filled with unforgettable moments, world-class entertainment, and exceptional service. However, to ensure your cruise goes off without a hitch, there are some key things to keep in mind before you embark. From downloading the Disney Cruise Line app to making special requests for your stateroom or dining experience, preparing for your cruise can be just as exciting as the journey itself. In this blog post I am going to share my top tips and reminders to help you plan and make the most of your upcoming DCL vacation.
Download the Disney Cruise Line app, create an account, and link your cruise reservation!
You’ll be able to manage your vacation details while still at home ahead of your sailing, including booking onboard activities, Port Adventures, adult exclusive dining, and more. Plus, you’ll be able to count down to embarkation day with a fun timer featuring Disney characters!
Make note of your final payment due date!
After your deposit is received and your cruise is officially booked, final payment will be due well ahead of your vacation based on the length of your sailing. This is different than standard Walt Disney World and Disneyland vacation packages, so be sure to confirm that due date with your Travel Agent – It will also be visible within your reservation details once linked to your Disney Cruise Line account.
Make note of when you can begin booking activities!
Once your cruise has been paid in full, you’ll be able to pre-book activities ahead of your sailing based on your DCL Castaway Club status (or how many times you’ve cruised already). You can confirm this date with your Travel Agent and see it within your reservation details linked to your Disney Cruise Line account. When your date arrives, you can begin making selections at 12 AM EST (or you can solicit help from your Travel Agent!) – This is the time to grab any favorite Port Adventures you might be interested in, adult exclusive dining reservations, select onboard activities not otherwise included in your cruise fare, and Senses Spa treatments. DCL regulars certainly have their favorite activities, so you don’t want to wait to make your selections! Note that you will NOT be charged for anything requiring additional cost until you experience the activity while on vacation. This also does NOT include activities offered within the Kids Clubs – Your little cruisers can enjoy those as they want to once onboard!
Disney Cruise Line's very own terminal!
Book a pre-cruise hotel stay near your embarkation port and corresponding ground transfers!
We always, always, always recommend traveling to your embarkation port at least one day ahead of your sail date. This ensures you won’t “miss the boat” in the event of travel issues or other unexpected delays. Disney partners with 1-3 select hotels at each port they sail out of to offer pre- and post-cruise stays that can be added to your cruise reservation and managed within. If you stay at any of those, you can additionally add Disney’s ground transfer service to/from the port to start the vacation fun early and efficiently get to the ship. But even if you book a hotel stay elsewhere, your Travel Agent can help you choose the best ground transportation option for your vacation.
Purchase, or link an existing, Disney Band+!
A fun way to plus-up your Disney Cruise is by using a Disney Band+ while sailing. This can be used as a hand’s free way of getting into your stateroom, boarding + debarking the ship, paying for merchandise, checking into activities, and interacting with entertainment like Disney’s signature fireworks at sea! You can purchase DCL exclusive designs ahead of sailing or you can link an existing band you might already have. Just don’t forget to charge it ahead of your arrival and bring the cord with you, just in case.
Pre-pay your gratuities for peace of mind!
Once onboard, you’ll be greeted and served by some of the best cast and crew in the cruise industry. As part of that, Disney recommends tipping your stateroom host and dining team at the end of your sailing for their superior service. You have the option to pre-pay these gratuities ahead of time to take the worry out of bringing cash onboard or settling your account later. Just ask your Travel Agent to add them to your reservation and confirm the amount based on the length of your sailing and total number of guests.
Dining at Animator's Palate!
Make any special requests you want Disney Cruise Line to know!
Within your Disney Cruise Line account and linked reservation, you and your Travel Agent can also make special requests you might have in mind for your dining experience and stateroom. This includes asking for bed rails or a pack ‘n play for the youngest sailors in your party, noting a birthday celebration, requesting a rotational dining table near a window, and more. This is also the place to make note of any dietary restrictions or allergies you might want Disney Cruise Line to know about. While Disney can never guarantee accommodating requests, they will do their best to make your cruise as memorable and seamless as possible.
Pack your luggage tags!
As your sail date approaches, Disney Cruise Line will send you a piece of fun mail that’s critical to hold onto ahead of vacation: Within will be your luggage tags, which must be placed onto your bags before you board the ship at your embarkation port. Whether you’re traveling in by personal car or using some form of ground transfer, the porters will collect your luggage before you enter the terminal to check-in. The luggage tags will tell them where to send your bags so that they “magically” arrive at your stateroom without the need to bring them aboard yourself. This also allows DCL to scan your bags for security purposes and make sure everything is ship-shape.
Complete your online check-in as soon as it opens!
Once your cruise has been paid in full, you’ll be able to check-in online before your arrival to make embarkation day a breeze. When this opens is based on your Castaway Club status again, at a minimum one month before sailing. When your date arrives, you’ll be able to start the process from your Disney Cruise Line account at 12 AM EST. You’ll be required to submit headshot-style photos of each guest as well as picture copies of documents required to sail (typically Passport or birth certificate, based on your ports of call). Additionally, Disney Cruise Line will ask for your pre- and post-cruise travel information like any hotel stays or flight numbers, as well as who should have charging privileges with your onboard account and how you plan to pay for any souvenirs, activities, etc. Once you’ve completed the online check-in process, you’ll be assigned a Port Arrival time and given a Boarding Group number – Checking in as soon as you can helps get an earlier Port Arrival time and lower Boarding Group number, meaning you can get on the ship sooner and get to the fun quicker! While your Travel Agent cannot complete this process on your behalf since it requires personal information and digital acknowledgements, they can help answer any questions you might have.
Pre-book a photo package for the length of your cruise!
Disney Cruise Line offers a ton of great photo ops around their ships and private destinations. If you plan on taking advantage of their photographers and getting a lot of pictures taken, we highly recommend pre-booking a photo package that covers the length of your cruise. This saves you money on digital downloads of all the photos taken on your trip, including those with characters, formal portraits, and magic shots when available. You can choose this as a bookable activity under the ‘Onboard Fun’ choice in the dropdown when making other selections.
Get ready to sail!
As your cruise approaches, you can prepare with some extra fun like joining a Facebook group for your corresponding itinerary, ordering magnets to decorate your stateroom door, and of course packing your bags. Disney Cruise Line offers some of the largest staterooms in the industry with plenty of room for large luggage, but you’ll want to carry on the following items in a day bag when you board the ship to have on your person until your luggage is delivered to you:
All required documentation for check-in, like Passports, birth certificates, government-issued photo ID, etc.
A copy of your Port Arrival form provided during online check-in
Any linked Disney Band+ accessories
Sunscreen
Medication
Bathing suits/spare clothes for the day
You do NOT need to pack your own towels, and should avoid packing/bringing these prohibited items.
Go with the flow on embarkation day!
Once you’re finally onboard and ready to sail, it can be a little overwhelming deciding what to do first, learning your way around the ship, and taking everything in. But just like a day at a Disney theme park, you want to prioritize a handful of things to do on day one to not overload your schedule:
Head to lunch at the buffet or designated dining room to enjoy your first meal onboard
Be sure to locate your muster station and head to the drill on time (there will be plenty of announcements on embarkation day)
Get your kids registered for the Kids Club and check out their spaces as part of Open House
Speak with Guest Services for any final special requests or questions you might have
Purchase any WiFi package you might want or need for your cruise
Enjoy the kickoff to vacation up on deck at the sail away party
Meet your dining team at your first rotational dining location for dinner, and enjoy the corresponding showtime in the Walt Disney Theater based on your seating.
Embarking on a Disney Cruise Line vacation is all about creating memories that last a lifetime, and being prepared is the first step to a magical experience. By following these tips and reminders, from booking your activities ahead of time to ensuring you have everything you need for embarkation day, you’ll set sail with confidence and excitement. Remember, your Travel Agent is here to help you every step of the way, so don’t hesitate to reach out for guidance and assistance. Now, get ready to relax, explore, and enjoy all the magic that Disney Cruise Line has to offer!
Haleigh has enjoyed traveling since she was a young child and now loves doing so with her growing family! She's visited many islands in the Caribbean, parts of Europe, and Australia by land, air, and sea. She also has an affinity for Disney destinations as an alumnus of the Disney College Program in Walt Disney World, Disneyland Magic Keyholder, runDisney athlete, and Platinum Castaway Club member with Disney Cruise Line.
Living in Southern California with her husband and son, she enjoys camping, visiting all of the local beautiful beaches, and spoiling her adventurous Australian Cattle Dog named Brody. She looks forward to helping her clients plan the Disney Cruise Line and Disney Parks vacations of their dreams and sharing helpful tips and recommendations along the way! Bon voyage!
If you want to work with Haleigh to plan your next great adventure to a Disney Park, on a cruise or beyond you can fill out a quote form here!