UPDATE 4/10/20: Get-Away-Today now offers deals on Disney Cruises. Take a look HERE.

We just returned from our first-ever Disney Cruise! Um, well… in October we did, so naturally, I’m just getting around to writing about it now. If you’ve heard anything at all about these cruises, then you’ve heard how awesome they are. The special attention to detail, the food, the Disney magic in the air. We’ve been on several cruises over the years and not only was this our first Disney, but also our first with a kiddo. Here are a few highlights and things that we learned!

Embarking (that means getting on the boat!)

Yes, this is literally a 3 min video of us getting on the boat, haha. Also, if you haven’t seen the pockit lightweight stroller for traveling, you should take a look! It has adaptors for the Nuna PIPA carseat, so that made it even more perfect for us.

I’ve said this before (when discussing Disneyland): Disney understands crowds. They know how to keep them moving. From the moment we got out of our Uber at the cruise pier in San Diego, we never got held up. Someone took our luggage from us at the curb. We walked inside, where we presented our travel documents, went through security, got a quick group photo, then boarded the ship. All this, in the span of about 20 minutes or so. As you board, your family name is announced in true Cinderella fashion, to the applause of crew members in uniform. It’s quite fun. Because we boarded in the afternoon, our staterooms were ready and waiting for us. We did a quick tour of the ship, grabbed lunch from the buffet and and got in a quick nap for Kitt (in the pack’n play provided by the ship) all before the muster drill and sail away party.

Find Kitt’s captain outfit here and the cute name tag here. Because this was a Halloween cruise, we had a lot of opportunities to dress him up. He got SOOOO much attention and he just ate it up. One of our favorite moments was meeting the captain of the boat with Kitt in his captain outfit.

Sea Days

We had a few days at sea on this cruise. I love sea days. Imagine yourself at a ginormous oceanfront resort, full of free entertainment and unlimited soft-serve, soda and Krispy Kreme Donuts (at breakfast). There’s a large movie theater that played new releases non-stop. For us, that meant we got to see “Christopher Robin” and “Antman and the Wasp.” There is also a live-action theatre that had live shows, like “Frozen, the musical.” In addition, there’s a few pools, a giant slide and splash zone. Not to mention, fitness areas, a spa, adults-only areas (aww, the quiet), ping-pong and shuffleboard, Disney stores, and so many activities that there’s never enough time in a day. So many things are always happening that you have to pick and choose which you’ll make time for and which you will skip. Did I also mention there’s a kidzone, where you can just check your kid in (FOR FREE) and they can stay there as long as you/they want? They can even eat meals there. This is for kids 2+. There’s a nursery for younger kiddos, but there is an hourly charge for that.

Cabo

We have been to Cabo several times, so it wasn’t mandatory for us to plan an excursion. Basically, what you need to know is that Cabo is a beautiful city with lots to do (as long as you like the beach, watersports or bars/restaurants). It is a good idea to get a taxi or tour from the merchants onshore or through Disney. And be prepared, there will be about a million vendors selling “glass bottom boat tours” and other excursions when you step off the boat. Something worth noting, this stop doesn’t have a pier. The ship throws anchor and brings you ashore via small boats, called tenders. It is kind of a fun experience.

Here’s a little video of us tendering to shore, walking around Cabo and returning to the ship.

Ensenada

If you are not doing water sports, then there is less for you to do at this port of call. Since we had an 9 month old with us, we opted to stay on the boat and enjoy some of the shipboard activities, while a lot of the people were off ship (so less crowds). We relaxed, explored more of the ship and (of course) ate more food.

We got Kitt’s Peter Pan costume on Amazon, but it’s currently unavailable (sad!).

What Makes Disney Special

• Halloween on the High Seas: they do special Halloween cruises in October that include decking out the ship in Halloween decor and having halloween activities and entertainment, but also special dress-up nights and trick-or-treating.
• Fish Extender Gift Exchange: this is an activity that’s unique to Disney ships, but not sponsored by Disney. Basically, someone thought it would be fun to get to know their sailing group by having a little gift exchange (think secret santa). The idea has taken off and now you can participate on any Disney Cruise. Register by finding the facebook group associated with your cruise (Do a quick search on facebook for your ship and the dates of your cruise. Someone else sailing with you will have already made the group. It’s insanely awesome). In the facebook group, you will find instructions for participating in the gift exchange. It’s really fun for kids to return to the stateroom and find little gifts someone has left for them. One thing to note: you need to signup at least a few weeks in advance of your cruise or you will be too late to join a group. You will also need a little hanging pouch, so people can leave gifts at your door.
• Disney Character Meets: There are always characters around the ship. There is a schedule of where they will be at certain times. This includes princesses. You can meet them and take photos and get signatures. If you or your kids like that sort of thing, it will be like a dream for them.
• The shows: the live shows on the Disney ships are a notch above the rest. Not much else to say about that!
• Attention to detail: there are hidden mickeys EVERYWHERE. In the sheets, the carpet, the lampshades, the pens. Everywhere. And everything is done so well. Instead of a door with a metal gate painted on it, there’s an actual metal gate custom-made for the space and polished daily. You guys, it’s insane.
• Onboard communication: When you are out at sea, there’s no service. Disney makes communicating with your party a breeze, with two different methods for communicating: 1) a messaging feature within their app (Disney Cruise Line Navigator App) that works offline and 2) equipping each stateroom with wireless phones that can be carried anywhere onboard.
• Soft serve: trust me. Not all cruises have this. There’s chocolate, vanilla and a flavor of the day (so you’ll want to stop by each day).
• Service: we had an issue with our tub not draining properly. Not only did they come and fix it right away, but they also brought a little present to make it up to us. Also, they have BATHTUBS in all their staterooms. If you’ve got littles that take a bath as part of their nighttime routine, this is a major plus. They also offer other baby things, such as pack’n plays, bottle warmers, strollers and each room has a fridge that’s good for baby food and breastmilk/formula.

Summary

Basically, the TLDR version is as follows: if you are on the fence about a Disney cruise, go for it. You won’t regret it and you will be planning your next one before you get off!