Let me be frank – I’ve never been one to consider a cruise. But if there’s one cruise that could sway even the most skeptical, it’s a Disney Cruise. Disney, in my view, has a monopoly on magic. So, when the stars aligned, work schedules miraculously shifted, and a cruise was available on the day of our check-out, we seized the opportunity. I set aside my reservations and began the inevitable over-packing.

Although confident that I had planned a great cruise experience for our family, I lacked a true sense of what to expect, but it was not what I expected. After going through the boarding process, we strolled up the ramp and were met by a crew dressed smartly in white uniforms, individually announcing every family’s entrance aboard and ushering guests into a jubilant atmosphere with characters roaming the deck. Being greeted with a grand royal entrance was neither the beginning nor the end of Disney’s graciousness; rather, we experienced impeccable service from the moment we pulled into the port arrival gate until we left in our car to head home.

Our experience onboard was on-point and has forever spoiled us! Fun and unique dining experiences with great food and exceptional service are standard. If you are unfamiliar with the process, guests are pre-assigned a time and location for dinner each evening, so you don’t have to think about making decisions while traveling – you can trust that it will be great! To foster exceptional service and experience, Disney pairs guests with a team of servers that rotate with the same families each evening at the scheduled dining. It is incredible how quickly this team will understand individual dining styles and preferences and anticipate every need. For instance, realizing that I have a hard time deciding what I want to eat because I want it all, they brought a bit of everything… every night – they really spoke my love language from the start. They even cut the kids’ food into bite-sized pieces tableside so that I could enjoy my overabundant food while it was still warm. We loved getting to know our team and looked forward to each evening.

We had an overabundance of entertainment and activities to fill our time with amazing shows and a movie theater playing favorites and newly released films – and popcorn! The kids enjoyed the fantastic kids club for breaks away from us to enjoy making friends with other young travelers while engaging in games, challenges, and activities. When we had time, we loved the water activities on deck, especially the AquaDuck water coaster. Add in the social events, pirate night, and fireworks – yes, fireworks on a cruise, and there is no shortage of fun for everyone.

Our stateroom had more than ample space to accommodate our family without feeling cramped. We enjoyed our verandah and view, especially when making port in the mornings with a cup of coffee in hand, and we will not sail without it ever. Our stateroom attendant was both engaging and welcoming, always staging something to delight the children each afternoon as we returned from adventuring to ready for dinner.  

One of the unsung onboard experiences is the opportunity to speak to so many different crew members from around the globe that it is a multicultural experience enjoyable in its own right. One crew member was delighted to learn that we had been to her small rural southern town in Jamaica – apparently, not many people go there, but this is a topic for down the road… 

We got to spend two full days at Disney’s private Bahamian paradise Castaway Cay – wow, Disney, just wow! Can I just stay there?! Imagine your perfect day relaxing on a beautiful Caribbean island with food, drinks, water, and sun – that’s Castaway Cay. Since staying there isn’t an option, I highly recommend looking at the unique itineraries with two stops like ours featured. If they had an itinerary that just pulled up and tied off for a week at Castaway Cay, I would pick it.

One of the biggest concerns I hear from those thinking about a cruise, which I had myself, is motion sickness. We went prepared in case this became an issue, but magically, though, the natural movement of the ship was not an issue. At times after having been focused inward on the pool, slides, or enjoying an indoor activity, we forgot that we were on a ship at sea. While I cannot promise everyone will be magically given sea legs, I recommend starting with a shorter cruise, sailing prepared with medication, bringing a positive attitude, and giving the cruise a try!   

In true Disney fashion, my expectations were not met… they were far exceeded.

My 5-night cruise was a journey I could write a book about, and perhaps I will.  As a former skeptic, I can now say without hesitation that I’m eager to embark on another cruise! 

If you have been thinking about a Disney Cruise, stop thinking and do it as soon as you can. If you haven’t thought about it, you need to start thinking about it!