Disney Cruise Line
Kelly Rodriguez3.28.20At the beginning of November 2019 my family went on their first cruise aboard the Disney Dream, and it was the BEST vacation ever. I had been on several Disney cruises with my first time aboard in 8th grade. My husband has been with me, but it had been more than 10 years since our last Disney Cruise. Disney in my Opinion has to BEST service, entertainment, food, and amenities.
Is a Disney Cruise worth the extra cost in comparison to other cruise lines? YES, YES AND YES!When it comes to the full package, food, entertainment, and cleanliness, Disney has thought of it all. There is so much attention to detail everywhere- I swear they work around the clock to make sure everything has been cleaned, food prepared, your room turned over, and a cute towel animal has been created in every stateroom.DISNEY CRUISE CABINSWhat kind of cabin did you stay in? We were fortunate to stay in a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with a Verandah. There was a Queen size bed, plus a sitting area that transitioned into a day bed and a pull down bed for night. I highly recommend this stateroom when traveling with kids who nap or go to bed before you do! It gave Brandon and I a place to escape and relax so that we weren’t stuck in the room in darkness with our children!THE TOILET AND TUB ARE SEPARATED!One of the best features of the DCL cabins is the toilet and the tub are separate with a sink in each space. The tubs are deep and wide, perfect for two kids, and the shower head is adjustable. When bath time is over, you can use the pullout clothesline to hang any wet bathing suits/clothes. There is a category in the interior staterooms that only have 1 bathroom.IS THE DISNEY CRUISE SHIP CLEAN?What, the boat clean? Sanitary? I cannot emphasize enough that Disney Cruise Lines truly care about the health of their guests. Not only were there hand washing stations in the buffet dining rooms, but everyone was handed a sanitary wipe before entering breakfast/lunch/dinner. There are also sanitizing stations near the dining areas on the pool deck, as well as the beverage stations. There were these really cool hand washing station where the kids stuck each hand in like a “hole,” and it washed their hands for them in the kids club.Disney crew members tend to the ship’s cleanliness all day long. From vacuuming hallways to wiping down windows, from polishing stair rails to thoroughly cleaning the bathrooms, the boat was spotless at all times.
WHAT IS THE BEST AGE FOR KIDS TO GO ON A DISNEY CRUISE?My most asked question: What is the best age for kids to go on a Disney cruise? Kylie was 8, Parker was 6, Maddox 4, and Elijah 1.5. They all had so much fun and ask me every day when we will go back!I saw families with children of all ages – from young babies to college age kids!I loved going on this cruise as a teen. I was able to meet so many different people from all over the world. I spent a week hanging out with new friends and even had some visit me from New York when I returned home! I am still Facebook friends with some of the people I met over 15 years ago!IS THERE A KIDS CLUB ON THE DISNEY CRUISE LINES?The Oceaneer Club is an exclusive kids club for ages 3 and up and potty trained. You can drop the kids off ANYTIME and the counselors even pick them up from dinner at night if you want.How does the Oceaneer Youth Club work? Every child registered in the Oceaneer club has a smart wrist band containing information about not only them, but their family as well. These look like MagicBands, if you are familiar with them from Walt Disney world. When you drop off your child, not only they, but you, are scanned into the system. The kids go in to wash their hands and join the fun, while you confirm you have the Disney App activated (or the provided room phone) so you can be notified when they want to be picked up. The kids tell the counselors when they’re done having fun – so you can rest easy while they play. Another nice feature of the children’s club is even though you may be on the pickup list you also need to know the secret password you created when registering them so you do have a second set of security. There were so many fun things scheduled for them to do in the kids’ club through out the 4 days - like special characters that would come do activities with them.Note: There are Open House times in the Oceaneer Club throughout the week so the whole family can check out what is being offered.ARE THERE BABY SITTING SERVICES ON A DISNEY CRUISE for under 3?YES –It’s a Small World Nursery is a childcare center available for an hourly rate. Before your sailing date you can schedule childcare services or book when you get on board. They don’t require reservations, but recommend them. We Had sick kids on the trip so didn’t get to use the nursery!I talk with a lot of clients who have reservations about a cruise with small children due to safety concerns. Before going on one myself I felt the same anxiety they experience when talking about a cruise with littles. Once I got onboard my fears were almost nonexistent. Our balcony room had a lock at the top of the door which was 6 feet up. There was no way my toddler or baby was able to unlock the balcony door- they were also very heavy and hard for me to even open. I loved having the balcony with the kids and will continue to do chose a balcony in future cruises. Once it was lights out for the kids, we would have no choice but to go to bed - there is a curtain in between but the tv was on the kids side and with no internet there wasn’t much else to do. My husband and I would go hang out and talk on the balcony and just watch the world go by once the kids went to sleep. It was a great way for us to connect and reflect on the day. There aren’t any guard rails for your child to climb. The Disney Cruise Line ships have a protective plexiglass on the guardrails and verandah.If you would like a free quote or more details please contact me at KellyR@wishesfamilytravel.com
