As you plan your next family vacation, consider this: there’s one vacation type that continues to soar in popularity – cruising!
The numbers don’t lie. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) over 37 million people embarked on a cruise in 2025, with families making up a significant percentage of that number.
Why Cruise
What has families hooked on cruising? Some of the top reasons according to the 2025 report on the State of the Cruise Industry include:
- The ability to visit multiple destinations, but unpack only once.
- All-inclusive experience that includes meals, accommodation, entertainment and more.
- Activities for all ages.
- Ideal for multi-generational travel. 28% of cruise travelers are with 3-5 generations of family members.
- Good value for the money.
For families wanting to try out a cruise, Disney Cruise Line hits the sweet spot. It has everything you need for the ideal family vacation appealing to both grown-ups and kids.
Booking that first Disney cruise can feel overwhelming, so we’ve laid out the basics to help make the process easy:
What First Timers Need To Know
What do first timers need to know about Disney Cruise Line? We asked Kimberly Anwar, founder of Magic Family Getaways. Anwar says, “For anyone new to cruising, Disney Cruise Line is truly the best place to start. The experience is incredibly well-organized, intuitive, and family-friendly, with thoughtful touches that help first-time cruisers feel confident and at ease. From clearly communicated daily schedules and rotational dining to attentive service and beautifully designed ships, Disney removes the guesswork that can sometimes feel overwhelming for new cruisers.”
She adds, “Disney Cruise Line genuinely offers something for every member of your family or travel group. Time and time again, families tell us it’s the best vacation they’ve ever taken.”
The Cost
Depending on the ship, the itinerary, and how far in advance you book, a cruise can be expensive, no matter who you sail with. But for those same reasons, it can also be quite affordable. Remember that your Disney cruise is all-inclusive. The price includes everything you’d want for a great vacation.
Is Disney more expensive?
People often claim that a Disney cruise is more expensive than other cruise lines. That’s not entirely accurate. When comparing cruises, it may seem that another cruise line is cheaper, but other cruise lines have a lot of add-ons that bring the price up to a comparable rate to Disney.
Are there deals?
Don’t despair, you can find deals and special offers on Disney cruises. Working with an EarMarked by Disney Authorized Travel Agency is one way to find them. These agents are plugged directly into Disney and know about special offers as soon as they’re released.
Disney Cruise Line offers select discounts such as military rates, Florida resident offers, and occasionally last-minute sailings. An experienced Disney travel advisor knows how to identify these opportunities and apply them.
When To Book
“As soon as guests know when they’d like to sail, I always recommend booking with a travel advisor,” says Anwar of Magic Family Getaways. “The very best pricing and stateroom availability typically happens when new sail dates are first released to the public. Disney Cruise Line pricing is dynamic, and we’ve seen rates change by the hour on popular sailings.”
If the price is right, Magic Family Getaways can hold the fare for three days while you figure things out.
The other advantage to booking early is securing preferred dining times. Passengers on a Disney cruise are assigned either a 5:45 or an 8:15 dinner. If you book early enough, you can select your preferred time. Otherwise, you’ll be assigned to whatever time is available.
Advantages of a Travel Advisor
We recommend using a travel advisor to book your cruise. The most important thing to know is that working with an advisor doesn’t cost you anything extra, and it will likely save you some money!
Anwar explains why booking with Magic Family Getaways has its perks. “We help identify the best pricing available at the time of booking, recommend the right ship and stateroom based on your family’s needs and travel style, and ensure you fully understand everything that’s included in your cruise fare. Disney cruises offer incredible value, and having an experienced advisor explain and help maximize those inclusions makes a meaningful difference.”
Deciding which deck and cabin is right for your family can be tricky. The advisors at Magic Family Getaways have personally sailed on every Disney ship, and can help you make the best choice.
Using an advisor is like having a free personal concierge dedicated to planning your vacation. An experienced travel advisor can also help families take advantage of Disney Cruise Line’s flexible payment options, including setting up payment plans.
[ Related: Sailing the Disney Destiny on Its Maiden Voyage]
Watch the Cancellation Windows
Sometimes plans change! When booking, be sure to pay attention to the details of your cruise contract, which outlines the cancellation policy. Your travel advisor will make you aware of important dates – including when your final payment is due.
Pay Gratuities in Advance
We recommend adding your gratuities when booking your cruise so you don’t have to worry about it later. Disney suggests a gratuity amount of $16 per night, per stateroom guest, including infants and children.
Gratuities are distributed to your stateroom host, as well as your dining room server, your assistant server, and the head server.
What’s Included
Disney cruises are all-inclusive with a few exceptions. Your Disney cruise will include food, non-alcoholic beverages (juices, sodas, and coffee), entertainment (Broadway style shows, new movie releases, etc) and access to the kids clubs. Room service is free, so order all the Mickey bars you want.
What’s Not Included
Sadly, the delicious frozen drinks at the pool do cost extra! You’ll pay for cocktails, beer, and wine. An 18% gratuity is automatically added to drinks.
Each Disney ship has at least one adults-only, reservations-only restaurant. The menus at Palo, Remy and Enchante are generally prix fixe, with some a la carte options, too.
Each ship also has a sweets shop and a coffee shop with specialty items for sale.
WiFi is not included. You can purchase a day pass, or a pass that covers the length of your cruise. You’ll pay per device.
Kids ages 3-17 can utilize the kids clubs for free, but there is an hourly charge for babysitting service for kids under the age of 3.
Download the Disney Cruise Line App
You’ll want to download the Disney Cruise Line app prior to your sailing. It’s fun to open it up as your cruise approaches. You’ll be greeted by a fun clock that counts down to your sailing. You can use the app to book excursions, make spa appointments, make dining reservations and more.
You’ll want to download the app in advance for each member of your party. Once on-board the app has a messaging feature. You don’t need to pay for WiFi to use this feature. It’s a handy way to stay in touch with your family and friends on the ship.
Plan 75 Days Ahead
For first time Disney cruisers, you’ll want to make a note on your calendar for 75 days prior to your sailing.
This is when your booking window opens for spa appointments, adults-only dining, excursions and more.
Spa appointments and dining availability can disappear quickly so be sure to book those as soon as you can. There are typically many choices for excursions so there’s a little less pressure to book immediately, but these can sell out, too.
The good news is that you can cancel and change reservations before your sailing. Unlike other cruise lines, Disney does not charge you in advance for these activities. You’ll pay on-board.
Check-In 30 Days in Advance
For first time Disney cruisers, you can check-in online 30 days prior to sailing. Online check-in opens at midnight EST. You’ll check-in on the Disney Cruise Line app.
You’ll need to have the passport information for each member of your party, and you’ll have to take (or upload) a photo of each person. The app walks you through each step.
You’ll want to complete the online check-in as soon as possible in order to have the best choice of your port arrival time.
The day of your sailing, you’ll be required to complete a short health questionnaire required for boarding.
Register for Kids Club
The Oceaneer’s Club is the place to be for kids ages 3-10. We recommend pre-registering for the Oceaneer’s Club from home because who wants to do paperwork on vacation? If you forget, don’t worry, you can take care of it on the ship. On their first visit, kids will receive a wristband that they’ll wear throughout the cruise. This is a safety feature that helps the crew keep track of the kids.
Tweens (ages 11-14) have a space called Edge. And teens (ages 14-17) have Vibe. Older kids can come and go on their own. They will have to sign-up on-board. It’s quick and easy to get them set-up.
There’s an open house on embarkation day when adults are allowed to visit the kids and teens spaces. We recommend touring the spaces with your kids. It will allay any worries you or your kids might have, and get them excited about returning.
[ Related: Disney Wish Clubs for Kids]
Arrive to Port a Day Early
We strongly recommend arriving in port at least one day in advance of your sailing. That provides a buffer should you experience any flight delays or cancellations.
Once you know your travel dates, you should reserve a hotel near the cruise port. Your travel advisor can recommend and book your hotel. Keep in mind that the ports are shared by multiple cruise lines and the hotels do book up. Hotels tend to become quite expensive the closer to your sailings. Many hotels near the cruise ports offer shuttle transportation to the port for a nominal fee.
Disembarkation Day
On your disembarkation day, you can depart the ship between 7-9 am. To save time, you can walk off with your luggage as soon as the ship is cleared by customs.
If you prefer to let someone else to the heavy lifting, you can leave your bags out the night before and they’ll be taken off the ship for you. Details will be left in your stateroom, along with special luggage tags.
It’s advisable to book your flight home after noon, but it really depends on the proximity of the port to the airport. For example, the Miami (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) airports are about 15 minutes from the cruise port. However, Port Canaveral to the Orlando (MCO) airport is 60 minutes away.
You can either pre-arrange Disney or private transportation though your travel advisor, or hail a taxi from the port.
Laundry Services
Keep this in mind when packing, you can do laundry on the ship. You may not want to do laundry on vacation, but sometimes you need to, especially when traveling with kids. Each ship has laundry facilities available. You can use your Key to the World Card, or your DisneyBand+ to activate the washers and dryers. Laundry detergent is available for purchase, too.
If you prefer to leave the laundry to someone else, there’s a laundry bag in your cabin that can be left for your stateroom attendant to deal with.
Future Cruise Credit
As your cruise concludes, you might already be dreaming of your next sailing. If you think you might sail with Disney Cruise Line again, you should consider booking a placeholder reservation.
For a $250 deposit, you will receive a 10% savings off a future sailing. This is an offer that’s only available on-board, however you don’t have to make any travel decisions until you get home. The $250 will be applied to the future sailing. You’ll receive an email with a reservation number that you can use when you’re ready to redeem. You’ll have 24-months to use it, and it is refundable if you change your mind.
Castaway Club Perks
After just your first sailing, you’ll become part of the Castaway Club. The tiers are:
- Silver Member: after 1 cruise
- Gold Member: after 5 cruises
- Platinum Member: after 10 cruises
- Pearl Member: after 25 cruises
Membership comes with perks. On your second sailing, you’ll receive a “Welcome Back” gift in your cabin upon arrival. You get more gifts with each tier. Other perks include on-board discounts, early booking windows for excursions, better choices of port arrival times, etc.
Biggest Disney Cruise Line Misconceptions
I’ve heard a couple common misconceptions from those who haven’t cruised with Disney:
It’s too much Mickey.
Will you see Mickey Mouse during your sailing? Probably, but is he gonna force you to take a photo with him? No!
Yes, you will see signs of Disney throughout the ship. However, the decor and design is classy versus cheesy.
If you’re not a die-hard Disney fan, that’s ok. Disney Cruise Line delivers a sophisticated and elevated vacation experience for everyone. You’ll enjoy exceptional service, entertainment, and world-class dining.
“Guests can choose exactly how much Disney they want from subtle, refined touches to full immersion, is what makes the experience so special. There are exceptional adult-only spaces, award-winning kids’ clubs (the best in the industry), and experiences designed for every age and travel style. This flexibility is what makes Disney Cruise Line such a perfect fit for families, couples, and multigenerational groups alike,” says Anwar of Magic Family Getaways.
Disney is just for kids.
Another common misconception is that Disney is just for kids or families. There are plenty of adult-only spaces on board. Each ship has a pool deck that’s just for the 18+ crowd. These spaces are tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the family pools.
Additionally, there are adults-only restaurants and bars. Some entertainment venues become adult exclusive later in the evening. Spaces like the spa and fitness center are generally kids-free areas.
The Disney private islands – Castaway Cay and Lighthouse Point at Lookout Cay – both have adults-only beaches, called Serenity Bay, where guests can spend the day in the sun away from kids.
[ Related: Disney’s Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point]
At KidTripster, we book all of our cruise travel through our partners at Magic Family Getaways. They are experts in all things Disney. The team at Magic Family Getaways saves you time and money when booking. There’s no cost for their services. Mention KidTripsterwhen booking! We receive a small commission, but at no extra cost to you. By booking through Magic Family Getaways and KidTripster, you’re supporting two women-owned small businesses. Magic Family Getaways owner and founder, Kimberly Anwar contributed her expertise to this article.
