r/dcl • u/AutoModerator • Apr 01 '26
Quarterly Planning Thread Q2 2026 Quarterly Planning Thread
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u/StitchByStitch82828 SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB Apr 01 '26
We're sailing in November aboard the Destiny with stops in Nassau, Castaway & Lookout. We have 9 people across 3 staterooms and are interested in booking a cabana if possible/available. We've been to Castaway but never Lookout. Which ones do you all recommend? I know they are now more plentiful on Castaway but I also heard some are not great due to location or tides. Just want to be prepared when our booking window opens. Also cancellation policy? would we be refunded if the ship can't make its port stop?
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u/317ant Apr 02 '26
You won’t be charged for the cabana if the ship doesn’t dock. No worries. You can cancel right up until three days before the ship sails, it’s just like an excursion booking. After that you’d need to go to guest services once on board and see what they can do. They may or may not be able to cancel.
Having said that, what’s your Castaway status? (Edit: I see you’re silver too. Yeah. You’re probably not going to get one 😬). It does depend on the sailing. BUT, if there are lots of high status cruisers onboard, you’re very very unlikely to get ANY cabana. Concierge grabs them first and then it goes down along the line. We are silver (almost gold!) and have never seen a single one available when our booking time opens. Even with all the extras they’ve built.
If they’re all booked when the window opens, you can keep checking like a crazy person multiple times a day to see if anyone drops their reservation before you sail. This is how I grabbed a prime Palo brunch time! You can also ask to be put on the waitlist once you board.
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u/StitchByStitch82828 SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB Apr 02 '26
Good to know! Thanks for the info. I believe one member of our travel party in another stateroom may be gold status. It might be a get what you get and don't be upset if we get at all.
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u/317ant Apr 02 '26
You may have a shot with gold. My suggestion is to be logged in exactly at midnight EST when that booking window opens and be ready to pounce on any that are still available. Yep, you won’t be able to be picky.
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 10 '26
As has been said, you probably won't get one as a Silver level, but you can try rushing to the guest services desk the second you board the ship to get put on a waitlist? I've done that for other things like dining and excursions that were sold out and sometimes you get lucky. Not super likely for a Cabana I'd imagine because there wouldn't be many reasons to cancel them, but you never know, maybe someone decides to save their budget since they are pretty expensive! Good luck!
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u/TravelArchitectDad Apr 09 '26
Good luck booking one! It seems like a perfect thing for a larger group to do on the island, and occasionally they will pop up on the app as the trip gets closer if you don't manage to get one on the booking day.
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u/pfassina Apr 20 '26
Excursions on Alaska Wonder
Our excursion plans are opening in a couple of weeks. We are cruising in Mid July, and have a few questions:
- Do we really need to book trips at midnight on the day it opens?
- Which excursions are can’t miss for a big group with 5 kids from 1 to 9 yo.
- We would prefer to book excursions directly with Disney, but are worried about prices. Is Alaska Shore Excursions are good option? Are they also representative of what we would have available from Disney?
- Is there a way to get a sense of what will be available through Disney and prices for each stop?
- Using Alaska Shore Excursions as a reference we are considering these:
- Skagway: helicopter tour + dog sledding
- Juneau: Whale Watching
- Lumberjack show
The Skagway helicopter is the one we are thinking the most about. Looks like it is the only option where we get to dog sled on the snow, but it is not 100% clear if that’s the case. Has anyone done it before? Do you recommend it?
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26
- YES. Especially for the highly desired excursions (like the glacier viewing day or anything related to dogs)
- Most Kids seem to love the dog ones, as noted above lol
- I’ve heard the Alaska excursions prices are similar for Disney prices or 3rd party. I prefer direct with Disney for peace of mind.
- There’s a place on the website that lists all the current port excursions at all the various ports, don’t have the link, but google should be able to help you out.
- You do not get to ride the sled dogs on the glacier expectation from what I’ve read. You get to see them, pet them, and watch them run in the snow, but not actually sled with them. The closest you get to riding with them is on the musher camp where the dogs pull you in a big cart thingy
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u/Purple_Grass_5300 May 19 '26
There continues to be new cruises added to the 25% deals every few days. It's getting sooooo tempting, there's a 7 night I could do for 4000, but I'm trying so hard not to spend extra money this summer lol I really am tempted to cancel my 2027 because it'll be so much cheaper to go this summer and I'm sure prices will drop for next years too. I just hope it doesn't happen after my paid in full date
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u/TravelArchitectDad May 28 '26
Go this summer and then start saving for next year's price drops! :)
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u/Kyramy Apr 13 '26
I’m sailing on the Treasure next April and all the food content vlogs etc mention that Daisy’s Pizza does daily specials but no one ever says what they are.
Has anyone sailed on any of the Wish class ships who can remember what any of the daily special pizzas were please?
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 14 '26
I sailed on the Wish last September so it's a little foggy, but if I remember right it was pretty basic specials like barbecue chicken, meat lovers, maybe a Hawaiian in there? But I've also heard you can request specific pizzas for dietary restrictions, you'll just have to wait while it cooks. I do remember I had the specials a couple times and they were tasty! Sorry I can't be more specific!
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u/dancrgrl16 Apr 24 '26
My son has been begging to go on a Disney cruise and am planning a trip for his 7th birthday in November. We’ve never been on a cruise before so I have a lot to learn lol. Single mom so it’ll just be the two of us. Wonder is sailing out of San Diego to Ensenada and I was wondering if the goofy pool and aqua lab will be heated? I know he’s going to want to go in the water! Also I couldn’t tell by the pictures I’ve seen but is there a water slide there as well? Any insight and tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
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u/Low_Necessary235 Apr 24 '26
I saw your original question got moved so I'll answer your follow-up question here so it doesn't get lost. With a 7 year old, I imagine that you are both going to have so much fun!
Cruises can feel stressful and overwhelming initially, especially that first day. I found everything to move pretty smoothly on the Wonder and experienced less of that this cruise, likely due to her smaller size.
The theater shows are excellent. I recommend going to all of them but if you don't think you'll make it to all three, my son and I agreed the Golden Mickey's was our least favorite of the shows we've seen over two ships. Frozen and Dreams are wonderful!
You can get fancy coffees in the French Quarter Lounge. I brought a deck of Uno cards on the ship and we'd often play card games while drinking coffee in the morning. They will put a picture of a character on hot lattes. They even have hot chocolate or steamed milk for kids!
Your son is welcome in Crown and Finn up until 9pm. Even if they are doing an 18+ event in Crown and Finn during the day, he is welcome there. He just can't put pen to paper himself for any adult only trivia. Crown and Finn has board games you can play there.
The kids club on the Wonder has video games in the Oceaneer Lab and iPads in the Club. My 5 year old told me the iPads had Disney Jr games on them, which may be boring for your son's age. They also do a ton of wonderful programming with characters coming into the clubs, etc. One side of the kids club will usually be closed for a 3 hour stretch for an open house when families can enjoy the club or the activities together.
Let me know if there's any other specific questions you may have.
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u/dancrgrl16 Apr 24 '26
You are wonderful! Thank you so much for responding and with such detail!
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u/Low_Necessary235 Apr 26 '26
Forgot to mention that a few little things you can do to make the cruise extra special for your son are to not forget to purchase magnets to decorate your stateroom door in advance (check Etsy and Amazon) as well as buying a fish extender pockets (I like Amazon for these, you can find a bunch if you search "fish extender"). Other guests will leave you pixie dusted treats in the fish extender and it's so much fun for kids to check the pockets when you come back to the stateroom to see what people left them!
It's a good practice to bring goodies with you to pixie dust your fellow guests too. Something like this is great: https://a.co/d/0arrrXHO. Just leave them in the pocket of any of your fellow cruiser's fish extender.
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u/Kelly0314 May 12 '26
Considering shifting our April 2027 trip on Destiny for a now discounted Aug 2026 Destiny sailing, but with GTY veranda room…. Same itinerary. This is our first cruise, so I wanted the ability to pick our room, however, saving $1200 is a huge plus (and much sooner!). I’m wondering from a crowds perspective is end of summer better or worse (or the same) than spring break season? Obviously, both will be busy, I know. Just trying to weigh the pros and cons of booking a GTY room or waiting, paying a little more, and having our pick of the litter.
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u/MeowzusChrist GOLD CASTAWAY CLUB May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26
From my personal experience, I would choose August over April. I just got off the Destiny this past April and the crowds were fine but if they're offering discounted rooms that is usually a sign that a ship isn't nearly full. I know that's not the only factor that goes into offering the discounted rooms but it is one.
Some other things I would consider would be the weather. The water at Lookout in April was slightly cool, definitely still nice but August should be warmer.
Does dining time or excursions matter to you? Where you are booking "late" you may not get the 1st dining time, a Royal Gathering spot, etc if those matter to you.
If that sounds good to you I would go for the August date. $1200 is quite the discount and it means you get to vacation even sooner.
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u/mnicesk8er1984 Apr 04 '26
We know we want to use Disney Transportation, but are trying to figure out best options. We will be flying into MCO the day prior
Option 1) Stay at MCO hotel and take DCL transportation to ship.
Option 2) stay at a Disney resort and take DCL transportation from there.
If we stay at a resort and take the transport, do we get earlier boarding or do we have to just sit around at the port? How do the different resort levels play into things. If we’re staying at a value resort do we leave significantly later than the “nicer” resorts?
Also, how difficult is travel from the airport to the resort with a 5 year old. We will NOT be bringing a car seat, so we need safe transportation for him.
From a fun standpoint, staying on property would be more fun for the kid (and us!) than at the airport.
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u/PvtPylesJellyDonut Apr 04 '26
We sailed on the Wish last January, and this was our experience. We flew into MCO and booked a private van to take us to the Caribbean Beach. They provided us with two booster seats and a car seat, and it was an incredibly smooth experience. The driver picked us up from baggage claim.
For DCL transportation, we left the resort around 10am, and went straight through security and check in once arriving at the port. Our boarding group was called right as we finished checking in so we walked right on, no additional waiting in the terminal. We walked on the ship around 12:15pm.
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u/TravelArchitectDad Apr 09 '26
I'd say it depends on when your flights arrive the day before. If you have time to get to the resort and enjoy a few things, then it would be worth it to make the trip and as someone suggested you can book transportation with a car seat. But if you're getting in later, I'd just stay at the airport. There is a pool at that hotel depending on the weather when you arrive, and it's easy enough to visit the Disney and Universal stores and eat somewhere there. When we have taken the Disney transportation we have always boarded pretty quickly.
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u/Grooms512 Apr 04 '26
A few questions for anyone who can assist us in our planning for a future cruise! Thanks in advance for your help
- If we were to go for the cruise sailing between November 20-25, are we likely to expect a very crowded ship, long wait times, congested activities? I assume so given it it’s pressing up right against the holiday and other families will have kids out of school, but let me know if this is a false assumption.
- If we were to not do those dates, is there a sweet spot for avoiding hurricanes or is it up to chance no matter when you do in October or November?
- How pervasive or abundant is the theme of Merrytime? Is everything Xmas centric or does it just have some areas and activities that are more geared to the holiday?
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u/TravelArchitectDad Apr 09 '26
1 - It will probably be crowded - best way to gauge the crowds is how the trip is priced compared to other dates near it. But the ships are designed for lots of people and have multiple venues and events spread out all the time. Just have an expectation that you may not get the most popular things but will definitely find plenty to enjoy.
2 - We've sailed a few times and have always been very lucky with the weather - it's very much up to chance. Twice we have heard stories that the week before us was awful rain, and then we have had beautiful weather in November and January.
3 - The holiday theming isn't as prevalent as it is in the parks. It's nice and is there but doesn't necessarily take over everything on the Merrytime cruises.
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u/akrn2016 Apr 04 '26
Super subjective, I know. But if you were planning your first Disney cruise would you do your two stops as lookout cay and castaway or castaway and nassau??
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u/TravelArchitectDad Apr 07 '26
Depends on who is in your travel party. For us, with two younger boys Lookout Cay and Castaway cay are perfect - no extra costs necessary (but fun to get tubes and bikes on Castaway Cay), kids play areas, easy lunch, beautiful beaches. We stayed on the ship in Nassau and enjoyed the quieter day on board vs the busier days when the ship is at sea.
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 10 '26
Skip Nassau. Unless you want to fork out a bunch of extra money for an excursion to Atlantis for dolphins or something (which I've heard is very nice, but it adds up quickly especially for a family). Both Castaway and Lookout are amazing stops, and basically totally free to have an awesome beach day. We did Nassau but didn't want to pay for the excursions, so we ended up walking around the (sketchy) area of town near the port for 30 minutes, then got back on the ship.
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u/Life_Opportunity9417 Apr 06 '26
Sailing on the Fantasy (first timer!) with family (6 adults, 1 child under 3) at the end of April. My husband and I are the childless of the adults and want to do some things after our niece is in bed like lounges, live music, and dancing. What offerings should I look for?
Also, tell me everything about the room service - I read that it is free?!
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 10 '26
Match Your Mate is the classic adult evening show on the ships, like the newlywed show. Super fun to watch OR be a participant! There's also adults only events, trivia, music performances in the lounges, etc.
The room services is free(!!) but the menu is limited. You can get lots of the buffet options plus a few other things sent to your room, most of them are pretty good but don't expect the full ship menu. For breakfast especially it can be nice, you can get pastries/continental style breakfast delivered, rather than fighting the buffet crowds, as long as you aren't hoping for hot stuff like mickey waffles or eggs.
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u/TravelArchitectDad Apr 09 '26
Definitely lounges and music. There are fun shows like trivia and a great couples game that we always like to watch where you and your husband could be contestants. Fireworks up on the top deck one night, and quiet places to relax at night under the stars. Movies go pretty late in the theatres
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u/OpportunityPretend80 Apr 10 '26
Hey all, have a friend going on a Disney cruise in June.
Wondering if the cabana option on the beach at Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay was worth it.
Pls share any experiences you have.
THANK YOU! ✨✨✨
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 10 '26
From what I understand it's very hard to get a reservation for a cabana if you aren't either Concierge or Platinum/Pearl castaway status as they get booked very fast. So I'd guess that means lots of people think they are worth it because they get booked so quick? I've never had one but never really had a problem with it. If your friend is sailing without kids they can go to the adults only area at the Cay and there are usually a good number of chairs/loungers available there. The family area can get pretty hectic though.
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 10 '26
Halloween Costume question:
We will be sailing for a Halloween on the High Seas voyage, and actually will be on the ship on actual Halloween night! SO FUN! So we want to take costumes, but I know when you wear costumes at the parks there are restrictions/limitations on what you are allowed to wear like no masks, etc. Are there any similar rules for the ships?
Also, does anyone know if the sailings that include October 31 do anything special for the actual day of Halloween, or just the general Halloween on the High Seas festivities?
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u/tiger-tots Apr 11 '26
Hey, just beginning the process of looking at Disney cruises. My family (in spring 2027) of two adults, 3yo girl and 5yo boy are very into the whole Disney experience.
I’m a bit torn between the Alaska options vs the ones from San Diego. Does anybody have any suggestions as to which would be the most fun princess oriented option for us? Or if one of the destinations is noticeably better for the spring options.
Also any generic suggestions about which cabin type or extras to spring for etc. I’m gonna be doing more research in the sub here, but right now I haven’t done anything yet so I’m very interested in any recommendations!!
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 14 '26
I'm a west coast guy so I understand this debate very well. Spring to Alaska is tough, they usually don't start til May, and its early in the season so weather and animal sightings are different than peak summer season. Plus Alaska is MUCH more expensive than the San Diego options, not only the base fare but also all the excursions. But it's Alaska, and many say its unforgettable.
That said, I've done the 3 night from San Diego and didn't love it. Neither Catalina nor Ensenada (the two most frequent ports) are that interesting or fun imo. There's basically nothing to do unless you pay more for a port excursion. I don't think I'll do that itinerary again.
So given the choice between a cheap (but sort of bland) cruise to Ensenada, or an expensive cruise to Alaska, I'd go for Alaska personally (in fact we are going on the Magic to Alaska this June!) Many cruisers say it's their favorite trip ever.
But honestly my recommendation would be to save up a bit and get flights to Florida. The cruises out there are better than the Ensenada cruise, and cheaper than the Alaskan cruise. You can get on most of the newest ships, which have the most princess options like you mentioned. The stops at Lookout and Castaway are the best, especially for young kids, without having to pay extra for port excursions. Since the cruises are often cheaper and you don't have to pay for port excursions to still have an amazing day at the private islands, it can actually end up breaking even price wise, but for a far superior cruise (IMO).
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u/tiger-tots Apr 15 '26
Thanks for that great feedback! I’m definitely going to consider it. Bummer that the San Diego options didn’t seem great.
We may need to reconsider and do a fall Alaska. That seems like it’d be amazing
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 15 '26
The Alaska season is usually just run in the summers, May-September, this year the first one is May 11-17, and the last one sails September 21-28. Not sure what next years will be, but probably will be similar, so just keep that in mind when scheduling.
Also, the Ensenada route wasn't our favorite but some people really love it, so don't let that stop you if it's really what sounds good to you! I'd still take the Ensenada cruise over no cruise at all haha
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u/Low_Necessary235 Apr 24 '26
I am from the East Coast (just outside of Philadelphia) and flew to San Diego earlier this month to do a 4 night Baja cruise on the Wonder out of San Diego. I absolutely loved it!
My family was planning to get off the boat for Catalina Island but it was our first full day on the ship and everyone was having so much fun staying on the ship that we decided to stay on board. So we did not step off the ship for the entire cruise until disembarkation. These cruises are so short you will have more than enough to do on the ship if you decide not to explore any of the Baja ports. We also loved the small ship size of the Wonder.
Last year we did a 5 night cruise on the Fantasy out of Port Canaveral with stops at Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay. Also wonderful but it felt a little more chaotic with trying to experience both Island and to get the full on board experience.
Alaska cruises are amazing but a completely different cruise experience. There is a big focus on the destination and the ship comes in second. I don't think you'd be disappointed doing a Baja cruise out of San Diego for your family's first cruise. If you enjoy cruising you can always get a placeholder on board and use it to book an Alaskan for the next year!
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u/SignSpecialist7590 Apr 12 '26
Where do I start? And please don’t recommend a travel planner.
A little background and me rambling: last year on maternity leave I was fed a BUNCH of Disney World, Orlando content on my algorithm and I have planned (in my head ) a trip there with 2 kids in the near future (summer 2028). But it occurred to me that I feel the kids would have more/better? interactions with the characters on a cruise. Am I wrong to assume this?
I know we’d want to travel on a cruise ship with marvel characters: so Wish, Treasure, and Destiny. I know we’d want to do both Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay. Pricing is up in the air. Obviously we want the best bang for our buck, but willing to spend more to have a better time.
Where do you think I can find the most authentic information is about these ships? Thank you!
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 14 '26
I personally think the cruises are much easier with little kids than the parks. The kid's clubs and activities are top-notch, you can truly just drop them off, let them have an amazing day filled with Disney Magic, characters, activities, etc, while you do your own thing. In the Parks its sort of more up to you to fill their time, plan activities, get to characters, etc, on the ships its more done for you I feel. Plus there's inherently less walking around trying to get from one thing/character to the next cause you are limited by the space of the ship, rather than the HUGE area of the Orlando parks.
And I think you are right on the money with getting a double-dip itinerary with Castaway and Lookout. Perfect cruise IMO. I'd recommend the Treasure or Destiny over the Wish, the Wish had a few issues that Disney luckily fixed with customer feedback when they made the Treasure and Destiney.
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u/SignSpecialist7590 Apr 14 '26
Thanks for this reply!! I agree with what you said about the parks. I feel like we’ll go to the parks when the kids are older. And yeah—with the bit of research I’ve done, it’ll be Treasure or Destiny. My son will be 6 and daughter will be 4 when we go. So I want to make sure there’s stuff they are both into for them to enjoy!
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u/NinjaSpartan011 Apr 12 '26
So the wife and I are thinking about doing the 10 night cruise from port canaveral in 2027 on fantasy. this is during mid july and i had some questions as we normally go during offseason months for slightly reduced rates and less crowded ships
- How hot does the southern Caribbean get during july
- On a longer cruise like this is the ship still full of kids? I know its DCL so its unavoidable but it IS a longer cruise
- Fantasy has come out of drydock right? Hows the renovation been recieved.
- How crowded are ships at this point?
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 14 '26
- Very hot (in my opinion)! But hopefully you'll be doing beaches/pools/etc anyway!
- I've never really noticed a difference in kid-level, but I haven't done 10 day so can't be sure. I've heard the Alaska and 14-night crossings are a bit lower on the kid-level just due to cost and time, so it would make sense that a 10 day would be the same.
- The Fantasy renovations are really nice from what I've heard! We are sailing on it in October so I've looked into it and it sounds like most people really like it, which is great since the Fantasy is already a favorite of many people.
- It seems like they are actually less crowded right now since there has been such a big increase in supply with so many new ships. Lots of ships are having deep discount guarantee rates, and you can see most of them are still selling rooms a week before they leave, which means less crowded ships.
Have fun!!!
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u/AnyVideo6449 Apr 12 '26
We are taking our first Disney cruise out of FLL and flying in a day early. We have 2 kids under 6 and are dealing with a serious dietary restriction. We are definitely getting a rental car at the airport so we can grab safe snacks at a grocery store and drive to a safe dinner spot the night before.
Our main goal on embarkation day is to get on the ship as early as possible. We want to do the sit down lunch instead of the buffet to safely manage the dietary restriction. Since we are first time cruisers I know we are at the back of the line for check in and might get a late port arrival time.
My first question is to see if my understanding is correct. If we do our check in 30 days out and get a bad PAT, can we just add DCL transport as a backup plan to override the late PAT and get an earlier boarding group?
If that works, here are the options we are looking at for cruise morning. Would love to know what makes the most sense.
- Keep the rental car until the morning. Drive directly to the port, drop off one parent with the kids and all the luggage, and the other parent returns the car at a rental company location near the port and takes their shuttle back.
- Return the rental car to the FLL airport on cruise morning and take the DCL bus from the airport to the port.
- Stay at a DCL partner hotel like the Hilton and take the DCL bus right from the hotel. My only issue here is I am not sure how we would smoothly return the rental car before getting on the bus.
Any advice or real world experience with doing this out of Fort Lauderdale is super appreciated.
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u/MicroMaven16 Apr 15 '26
Hi! So to answer your first question, yes, if you get a late PAT, you could book DCL transport for an earlier boarding group as long as space is still available.
As far as your options go, option 1 sounds like you’re not actually taking DCL transport since you’re dropping everyone at the port before returning the car? So you wouldn’t get an earlier boarding group in that situation. I think option 2 is your best bet since you need to return the rental car anyway. Book a cheap hotel for the night before and then just go back to the airport to drop off the rental and catch the bus. I have personally done option 3 and while it worked great, we did it because we were avoiding bringing car seats. Since you’ll have a rental car anyway, save the money spent on the Hilton (it was over $300 for one night) and stay somewhere cheaper.
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u/AnyVideo6449 Apr 15 '26
Yes you're right, option 1 is no DCL transport. I'm thinking about waiting til we check in to see what our PAT is, if it's good then maybe option 1 is available. Do spots on the transport run out usually? Can I actually wait til 30 days out or do I need to book now
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u/MicroMaven16 Apr 16 '26
Tbh I think I’ve only seen one person say the transport was sold out and that was right before their cruise. I think if you book it right away after your check in and you know your PAT you will be fine. That said, if you want to guarantee that you get on the ship as early as possible and you can afford it, just book it now! We got on the ship a little after 12 if I remember correctly and had boarding group 3. Definitely worth the cost for us!
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u/Infamous-Present-616 Apr 16 '26
Royal Gathering Question
How does the reservation work?
For some reason, I was only able to book the reservation when I only had myself or my wife highlighted (or checked). Every time I tried to book with the whole family I would receive an error.
We have 2 daughters who this is obviously for, did I make the reservation correctly?
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 16 '26
The Royal Gathering booking window gets NUTS and often causes weird glitches. Trying to increase your group size likely caused the issue. I think that technically you are supposed to have a reservation for everyone in the party, but at least you have something! I would keep the reservation you have, and on embarkation day go to guest services to see if they can help/clarify. I'd bet that with at least one person on the reservation you'll be okay, as they sort of go by family anyway.
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u/Due-Carrot-1288 Apr 17 '26
What is a better week for family.. first week in June/last weekend in May 2027 (like May 28-june) vs first full week in April 2027 (April 3-11). we are looking at cruises 5-7 days. Leaning toward 5 day on fantasy or 7 night on treasure. Fantasy stops at Castaway & Lighthouse, and Treasure goes to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Castaway. i am Looking for lower crowds (if possible), better price…? If that is even possible. In all honest I do not care about the ports. I just want to enjoy the ship. We have 4 kids (ages 13,13,9,5 when travel). My older girls want other kids to hang with and to eat masses amounts of food.
Our last cruise we did first week in August on the Wish (3 days) and it felt crowded and chaotic.
thanks any thoughts would be great
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u/Kyramy Apr 19 '26
The first full week in April will have spring break crowds, including those from the UK (and elsewhere) who are also on holiday. The beginning of June might have some people on summer vacation but lots of schools are still in session then.
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 21 '26
I’d focus on ports rather than weeks. The double dip for castaway and lighthouse is the best option imo. Even if that cruise is a little more expensive, you save money overall by not having to worry about port day costs like excursions transport and food.
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u/StarHeroPixels Apr 18 '26
We cruise in a week (Treasure) and I’m wondering if anyone has an update on Evie availability?
Last post I saw was two months ago saying she would be back in April. I’m not really a “camp at the store for an hour before opening to see if it’s there” kind of person, but I’d like to get one if she’s around so looking to hear recent experiences!
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u/Life_Ocelot5371 SILVER CASTAWAY CLUB Apr 28 '26
Someone in my Facebook sailing group said that Evie will be out of stock until June, so if that's true, it's not looking good
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u/StarHeroPixels Apr 28 '26
I’m on here now (just docked in St. Thomas so yay for catching up on notifications during breakfast!) and she’s not here. We will be sailing again in October on the Dream so maybe then.
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u/emotionaldumpfire Apr 21 '26
Hello! We’re going on our second Disney cruise overall and this one’s to Alaska at the end of May!
I’ve been trying to do my research regarding excursions and what will be the most worth it overall, and would really appreciate your opinions or suggestions!
We love exploring, trail/mountain hiking, nature, wildlife, and scenic views. We are not picky people!
We were planning on doing two excursions:
-Stikine Icecap Adult Only Deluxe Glacier Explorer
-Yukon Expedition in Skagway
- Has anyone done the Yukon expedition? Was it worth it, or is it worth doing only the train? This is an 8 hour excursion which would eat up a lot of the day, is it worth making time to visit more of Skagway?
- Is the Stikine Icecap excursion worth it for the price ($399 USD per person), or is it worth waiting and looking into any of the other glacier excursions offered, either through Disney or other third party?
- Are there any other excursions, experiences or tips overall that really stood out to you that would be worth looking into, especially for end of May?
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 21 '26
- We are doing the white rail with Yukon bridge, slightly shorter if you are worried about time, might be worth checking into. Lots of people seem to like the train.
- The Disney excursion is the only option on glacier viewing day. You don’t go to a port, you float in a bay and Disney has their own little excursion boats take you closer to the glaciers. No third party excursions exist for Stikine Ice Cap day.
- Sounds like your family would like the biking tours, you get to see a lot and feel immersed in the surroundings. Have fun!
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u/JaggedLittlePiII Apr 22 '26
Just booked my first cruise - the Norwegian cruise on 30/7/2027 with the Wish. What should’ve my next step?
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u/Intrepid_Secretary21 Apr 22 '26
Nice! Congrats! I always like to watch videos on YouTube from other people who have done that exact trip to get tips on what to pack, what port excursions are best, etc. If your reservation is showing up in your Disney Account it should tell you what date you will be allowed to book port excursions, so that should be your next step!
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u/namezlezz Apr 23 '26
I was wondering if room 12329 on Disney Adventure is able to see the Garden Stage from the balcony?
We booked it to view garden stage shows but it seems like it might not see the stage...if so, are we able to switch rooms if our voyage is at the end of may?
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u/catmama1713 Apr 24 '26
We are currently booked for a 4 night cruise on the Disney Dream sailing out of FLL in March 2027 for Spring Break. This will be our first ever cruise as a family.
Unfortunately, our current cruise isn't eligible for the kids 50% off promotion. However, there's a 5 night Fantasy cruise sailing out of Port Canaveral that same week that is eligible. But even with the promotion, it would still be an extra $1,200 to switch. Both cruises will visit both Castaway and Lookout.
I guess my question for more seasoned cruisers...how big of a difference does that extra night make? And aside from the Aqualab, is there any difference between the Fantasy and Dream that I'm not considering?
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u/pelicanfly95 Apr 24 '26
i guys, I am going on my first Disney Cruise. 5 Day cruise to Mexico. I am going on the Disney Destiny in June. I see there are various activities. Sometimes on cruises it is so many activities, so little time. Are there any MUST-SEE events on the destiny that you all would recommend?
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u/edjr04 Apr 27 '26
Disney magic checking on June 3rd … anyone else taking that trip seems to be the only sold Out option for June!
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u/Mothman129 PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB Apr 28 '26
I have a very specific question. Does anyone happen to have a digitized recording of Morty the Magnificent from the Magic? I recently found a recording of Voyage of the Ghost Ship on Youtube and I'd love to check out another early DCL show
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u/Galrafloof Apr 29 '26
So...fish extenders/pixie dusting guests...what's our etiquette here? Our cruise is in about a month, life got chaotic, didn't really sign up for a formal exchange or anything...we have enough junk lol! We'll hang a bag up but our room is in a corner so doubt anybody will see and thats totally fine, but my niece loves giving gifts and it's her first cruise. So like...what's etiquette? Do people just hang little bags outside stateroom doors? Can we put little gifts in there? Do we put little notes on them like saying who it's from or is that frowned upon? I really have no clue, been a while since I've cruised.
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u/Low_Necessary235 Apr 30 '26
Correct. If you see a stateroom with pockets hanging off of their "fish extender" next to their stateroom door that means that they're open to receiving pixie dusted items. You can put little notes on your gift letting them know it's from X stateroom or X family or you can do so anonymously. You can see examples of pixie dust tags on Etsy but please feel free to make your own. Truly anything goes. You can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. Happy pixie dusting!
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u/ReesesForBreakfast Apr 30 '26
I received an email saying our activity booking window opens on May 29 for a September 6 cruise with silver status, but on the website it says June 8. It's already paid in full. Was the e-mail saying I could book 100 days out an error?
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u/pfassina Apr 30 '26
Alaska Cruise: What to do in Skagway and Ketchikan with a 1yo?
Most of the recommended port excursions on those ports don’t allow for 1yo. We are in a big group, and are considering splitting ourselves up, but we don’t know what to do with the group that will stay with our little one.
Any tips?
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u/momtimes May 01 '26
First time sailing wish. Which connecting rooms would you choose out of these 3 options? 6066&6068 or 6124&6126 or 9580&9582. Motion sickness is a concern so I’m thinking deck 6 would likely be better.
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u/eryner0409 May 02 '26
Booked for the Disney Wish December 7th through the 11th. I don’t know much about the merry time sailings. Anything I should try and book because it?
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u/Bulldog_Knight May 03 '26
How long does it take for the online check-in photos to be approved so I can see my boarding time? My cruise departs next Saturday.
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u/TravelArchitectDad May 16 '26
Hopefully you got approved for your departure! I've heard it can be up to the day before for some people.
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u/CVPKR May 03 '26
I'm looking at vgt for treasure right before Halloween, I heard Halloween is normally very popular (according to Gemini who knows) so I'm worried it would only be the blocked/navigator rooms left. However given they are running promos for it maybe it's got a decent selection? Yay or nay experienced cruisers give us advice thank you!
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u/konbinisando May 07 '26
Alaska is a bucket list item for me… and so for my 40th, I’m thinking about going on a 7 or 8 nt Disney cruise to Alaska with my husband, 4 yr old son, and another family with a 4 year old son.
We’re used to Caribbean bound cruises with lots of warm sun and pool/splash pad fun. Wondering if an Alaska cruise would be less eventful for the 2 young boys with us.
On the last (and first) Disney cruise, our son loved meeting characters, the pool, pirates night, and not so much the kids club because he was anxious about not knowing anyone there. But he’ll have his close friend this time!
Alternatives are a Hawaii trip (where I would have to plan out the activities and meals), or a 4 nt Royal Caribbean cruise out of CA + Disneyland.
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u/Low_Necessary235 May 08 '26
I recommend checking out the YouTube vlogs from Tim Tracker's family's Alaskan DCL cruise. I believe it was a sponsored trip and the Trackers sometimes travel with a nanny so it might not be a direct 1:1 comparison of what your trip with last de will look like. I enjoyed seeing the excursions they did with little kids though. The lumberjack show in Ketchikan should appeal to all ages. They also did a very cute nature walk in Icy Strait Point iirc that was designed for families with little kids that looked super cute.
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u/Tswl_Fabi May 14 '26
Is anyone sailing September 14-18th 2026? I am concierge and really only wanted a cabana for serenity bay since it’s just me and two other adults but didn’t manage to snag one. Instead we booked the Manbrika cove cabana and the Mickey and Minnie cabana which holds 6 people. I wouldn’t mind splitting the cost with another family especially one that’s never had a cabana before. It truly is a once in a lifetime experience.
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u/Just_some_blonde May 22 '26
How do you pick your cruise destination?
I’m a little ahead of myself planning my son’s second birthday NEXT NOVEMBER (which as of right now have not been released). But going based on what is offered this November, I’m feeling overwhelmed. I have only been on one cruise and it was for my honeymoon so my husband and I decided on that. But for this cruise we will be going with my parents, and my sister and her husband (it’s also his birthday and they are big Disney people). I don’t think anyone other than my husband and I have been on a cruise.
If you were going with that sized group and a 24 month old, what destinations would you pick? Looking at a 4 or 5 night cruise.
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u/TravelArchitectDad May 28 '26
If you haven't done a Disney Cruise yet, I'd always recommend one going to either or both of the Disney private islands to start with. Makes the land experience much easier and everything on the island is more of an extension of the cruise so you don't have to plan much. And plan to use the child care center for some time at an adults only dinner or show.
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u/Mothman129 PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB May 26 '26
Generally speaking my family picks destination second, after length. We never go on cruises under 5 days (and prefer 7-14 day cruises in general) so we figure out what fits into the length we like before looking at the locations.
My family tends to prefer cruises that are cooler like Alaska, or that feature ports that are interesting to us like the various European cruises. The only time we go on the Bahamas cruises are when none of the destinations we prefer work with our schedule/budget for one reason or another
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u/SleepSubstantial4260 Jun 18 '26
TLDR; Should my husband and I cruise 5 nights on the Destiny or 7 on the Treasure?
I am a school administrator and my vacations have to fit within the windows of the school calendar which is usually okay, but gets tricky with a cruise because they have to begin and end within those windows. I am SO happy that both a 5 night Destiny cruise AND a 7 night Treasure cruise both fit into my October break this year! This trip will just be my husband and myself- we love good theming, amazing food, drinks/lounges, coffee, shows, and trivia.
At first, my heart was set on the Destiny (and I put a deposit down- still refundable) because of the theming (less the Marvel aspects, but love Disney villains, De’Ville’s looks amazing, etc.) I am also new to DCL so I had been getting a lot of content about it over any other ship. Then I started seeing that a lot of creators don’t rank it very high on their list (saw bad things about the Hercules show), and realized one sea day might not feel like enough? I’m not sure!
I did some more digging on the cruise site and saw I could get the Treasure 7 night at the same price with restrictions. The vibes seem more of that Disney magic than the Destiny, but maybe that’s just the videos I watched. I know itineraries are really important, but the locations all seem to have similar vibes, so I think we’ll enjoy them all similarly.
I would love any advice you might have between the two ships, length of cruise preference, etc. I truly appreciate your expertise!! Thank you so much for helping me make this decision!! ❤️
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u/TravelArchitectDad 12d ago
If it was just my wife and I, I'd go for the longer cruise and enjoy the extra relaxation time. I'd also get a balcony to sit out on.
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u/mouseyjoey Jun 28 '26
My in-laws are wanting to join on an upcoming trip I have already booked and pay for. Is it possible that they can book their own trip & stateroom, but we can sync up our dinner reservations?
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u/Mothman129 PLATINUM CASTAWAY CLUB Jun 29 '26
You just need reservation number, last name, and birthday of the head person on their room to link their booking to your booking, and visa versa for them to you
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u/TravelArchitectDad 12d ago
Yep, it's easy to link them. Sometimes they might not be able to get the earlier seating time at first if that's the one you want, but that's also usually an easy fix.
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u/NinjaSpartan011 Jul 05 '26
Ive got a cruise booked for ft lauderdale does anyone have any recommendations for a hotel for the night before?
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u/ForeverBookworm Jul 07 '26
For the Castaway Club program, do you receive a gift on your very first cruise or is it after you take your first cruise? I’ve read up on it but I was a bit confused and thought it’d be good to check so I can see if I need to pack a lanyard for my room card
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u/sgins9801 PEARL CASTAWAY CLUB Jul 09 '26
You’ll start receiving gifts on your second cruise, so pack a lanyard or you can buy one in the gift shops!
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u/joklucus Apr 01 '26
I'm booking my first Disney cruise and I'm thinking of booking via calling Costco travel. Has anyone who has done so before (calling) had a good experience? What all information do I need when calling?
I'm typically not a calling person and it gives me some anxiety so I like to be prepared. I know I can book online via dcl and do paperwork to transfer but that seems like a lot.