The Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line 2023

by Erin Foster, Len Testa, Ritchey Halphen

Overview

Save time and money with in-depth reviews, ratings, and details from the trusted source for a successful Disney Cruise Line vacation.

Planning a Disney Cruise Line (DCL) trip is a big deal. It’s too important to be left to chance, so put the best-selling independent guidebook to the DCL in your hands and take control of your vacation. Make every minute and every dollar count with this no-nonsense, consumer-oriented guide to the best (and worst) of Disney’s ships and itineraries.

The Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line 2023 explains how the DCL works and how to use that knowledge to stay ahead of the crowd. Authors Erin Foster, Len Testa, and Ritchey Halphen know that you want your vacation to be anything but average, so they employ an expert team of researchers to find the secrets, the shortcuts, and the bargains that are sure to make your vacation exceptional! Find out what’s available in every category, ranked from best to worst, and get detailed plans to make the most of your time on and off your cruise ship. Choose the right stateroom, eat at the best restaurants, find top-notch children’s activities, and experience all the can’t-miss excursions—including those offered at Castaway Cay, one of the best vacation islands in the Caribbean. The guide also provides full coverage of the Disney-run European river cruises and includes itinerary and port guides.

Stay in the know on the latest updates and changes on the DCL. Here’s what’s NEW in the 2023 book:

• Take in advice for first-time cruisers: money-saving strategies, packing tips and other pre-trip preparation, preferred ships and itineraries, and how to hit the deck running your first day onboard
• Utilize suggestions for deciding whether a Disney cruise or a Walt Disney World vacation is the better choice for your family
• Find out the scoop on different stateroom types and how to choose the best room for your needs
• Get updates on COVID-era booking, boarding, and onboard procedures
• Read detailed descriptions of DCL’s ports of call around the world
• Learn about Castaway Cay, DCL’s private Bahamian island
• Get complete coverage and unbiased opinions about the newest ship, the Wish
• Uncover news about the development of DCL’s sixth and seventh ships and Disney's second private island
• Enjoy discussion of Adventures by Disney river cruises and how they compare with DCL cruises

Make the right choices to give your family a vacation they’ll never forget. The Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line 2023 is your key to planning a perfect stay. Whether you’re putting together your annual trip or preparing for your first visit, this book gives you the insider scoop on staterooms, dining, children’s activities, shopping, entertainment, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781628091410
Publisher:	Unofficial Guides
Publication date:	12/06/2022
Series:	Unofficial Guides Series
Pages:	392
Sales rank:	1,039,865
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

As a charter member of the official Walt Disney Parks Moms Panel, Erin Foster has researched and written answers to more than 10,000 guest questions about Disney travel. She lives in New York City.

Len Testa is the coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland. He lives in Orlando, Florida.

Ritchey Halphen is a project editor at AdventureKEEN. His two decades of publishing experience include editing stints at Cooking Light, Southern Living, and Health magazines. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama.

Read an Excerpt

Port Adventures on Castaway Cay

Parasailing

Guests looking for a bird’s-eye view of paradise should check out this excursion. Floating hundreds of feet in the air, you’re master of all you survey, or at least it seems that way for several minutes. You board a speedboat and travel several hundred yards away from land. Then, in singles or pairs, you stand at the back of the boat and are harnessed to a line-bound parachute that is slowly let out until you and the parachute are 600–1,000 feet above the water. Enjoy panoramic views of your ship, Castaway Cay, and beyond.

Each excursion takes about 10 people onto the boat. There are no ride-alongs; every guest on the boat must pay. Your actual parasail event will last about 5–7 minutes. Depending on the number of other guests, the entire experience lasts 45 minutes–1 hour. Open to guests age 8 and up, parasailing excursions cost $110 for both adults and kids. Guests must weigh between 90 and 375 pounds; those who weigh less than 90 pounds may be able to ride if they go in tandem with another guest, but their combined weight may not exceed 375 pounds. Determination of single or tandem rides is fully at the discretion of the staff.

Kids under age 13 must be accompanied by a paying adult age 18 or older. Guests ages 13–17 may go on the excursion unaccompanied but must be escorted to the Marge’s Barges excursion meeting site by an adult age 18 or older. All guests must sign a safety waiver.

You must leave your shoes on the dock and are strongly discouraged from wearing a hat or glasses during your sail; there is a storage area on the boat for your personal belongings. Wheelchairs and other wheeled mobility devices cannot be accommodated. No photography service is provided during the excursion—you’re welcome to bring cameras onto the boat, but you assume all liability for the loss of anything you bring up with you. (Understandably, anything dropped into the ocean can’t be retrieved.)

Snorkeling

This is one of the least expensive, most rewarding shore excursions offered on a Disney cruise. We recommend it for every family. Cost is $18 for kids ages 5–9 for one day, $23 for two days; $34 for age 10 and up for one day, $45 for two days.

First, find some chairs on the family beach, where you can store your stuff while you’re in the water. If possible, choose something near a vertical landmark such as a tree; it will be easier to find when you come back to shore.

Next, pick up your snorkeling gear at Gil’s Fins and Boats, a short walk from Scuttle’s Cove, the island’s first tram stop. You’ll be given a mask, snorkel, fins, and an inflatable buoyancy vest to make swimming easier. Also pick up a blue-mesh gear bag, which makes it easier to haul your stuff back to your beach chairs.

Put on your vest before you get in the water, but don’t inflate it just yet. Wait until you’re in hip-high water to put on your flippers because it’s impossible to walk in them on shore (and they’ll get sandy). Keep your mask off until you get into the water.

If you’re snorkeling with younger children, plan on spending 10–15 minutes adjusting the fit of masks and vests. Inflate their vests by blowing into the vertical tube on the left side of the vest, adding just enough air to keep the top of their heads above water. (If you over inflate the vests, they’ll have trouble getting their masks below the surface.) Also, practice using the flippers, which work best with slow, deliberate leg movements.

Once everyone’s gear is working, take one last look at the lagoon to get your bearings. Disney has placed orange-and-white buoys above the underwater sites, so head for those. There usually aren’t a lot of fish in the first 30–40 yards nearest the shore, though it’s possible to see almost anything once you’re in the water. Fish species in the lagoon include yellowtail snapper, sergeant major, banded buttery fish, blue tang, and barracuda. Obviously, you shouldn’t try to catch any of these fish with your hands.

If you’ve snorkeled before and you enjoy it, Castaway Cay offers another snorkeling excursion in the waters off the island. You board a 28-foot Zodiac rigid-hull inflatable boat and head 30 minutes offshore for a 90-minute open-water snorkeling session. Cost is $122 for adults, $109 for kids ages 6–9.

Walking and Kayak Nature Adventure

This port adventure begins at Marge’s Barges, where everyone boards a tram to the Serenity Bay adult beach. Next you walk behind the adult beach cabanas to a nature trail, which leads to the beach beyond. During the walk, your guide will point out interesting plants and animals and talk about the history of the Bahamas.

Upon reaching the beach, participants don their life jackets and head out in their kayaks. This is the part where you’re at Mother Nature’s whim. We took this tour after a friend raved about it. She headed out in the morning and was able to kayak to the interior of the island. Our own tour was later in the afternoon as the tide was going out. The interior of the island was inaccessible by kayak, and the tides made piloting our single kayak very difficult. We wouldn’t book this adventure in the afternoon again, even if it were the only time available.

Even if you’re able to book this in the morning, however, the tour is 3–3.5 hours long—time you could spend snorkeling, biking, or lazing on the beach. Ideally, you would book this on the morning of the second stop of a five-night Castaway Cay cruise.

Be sure to bring walking shoes, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, and an underwater or water-resistant camera; consider gloves for paddling to avoid blisters. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes for swimming. You must stow your belongings on the beach for the kayaking, so leave the doubloons in the cabin. Water is provided. Cost is $73 for guests age 10 and up.

Table of Contents

List of Diagrams and Maps vi

About the Authors vii

Acknowledgments viii

Introduction 1

Cruising in the Time of COVID 1

About This Guide 3

Disney Cruise Line: An Overview 4

How to Contact the Authors 15

Part 1 Dollars and Sense 17

What's Included in Your Disney Cruise Fare 17

Cruising With Kids 21

Cruising Without Kids 22

Where to Find More Information 23

Is It Worth It? 25

Part 2 Planning Your Cruise 29

Choosing an Itinerary 29

Saving Money 34

Surf and Turf, Disney-Style 40

Back-to-Back Cruising 41

The Booking Process 43

Other Prep Work 50

Disney World vs. Disney Cruise Line: How to Decide 81

Castaway Club 85

Part 3 Staterooms 88

How Stateroom Category Affects Your Cruise Price 89

Our Stateroom Recommendations 91

Booking a Cruise Without Selecting a Stateroom 104

Concierge Level: What You Need to Know, and If it's Worth It 105

Stateroom Selection for Larger Parties 106

Get to Know Your Verandah 108

Making Changes to Your Stateroom Reservation 110

Stuff to Think About When Choosing a Stateroom 111

Part 4 Arriving, Getting Your Sea Legs, and Departing 118

Transportation to Your Cruise 118

The Day Before Your Cruise 125

Get in the Boat, Folks! 129

Bare Necessities 135

Checkout and Departure 144

Part 5 Tips for Varied Circumstances 150

DCL for Solo Travelers 150

DCL for Larger Guests 152

DCL if You're Expecting 152

DCL for Younger Children 153

DCL for Older Teens 154

DCL for Seniors 155

DCL for Large Groups 155

Guests with Disabilities 156

Dietary Restrictions 161

Smoking On Board 162

Traveling With Medication 162

Friends of Bill W. 163

LGBTQ+ Travelers 163

Reluctant Cruisers 164

Part 6 The Ships at a Glance 166

Overview and Our Recommendations 166

The Disney Magic 181

The Disney Wonder 182

The Disney Dream 183

The Disney Fantasy 184

The Disney Wish 185

Part 7 Dining 186

Noshes, Noshes Everywhere 186

Disney Magic Dining 203

Disney Wonder Dining 208

Disney Dream Dining 209

Disney Fantasy Dining 215

Disney Wish Dining 218

Part 8 Entertainment and Nightlife 224

Live Theater on the Ships 224

Movies 230

Television and News 231

Live Sports 232

Themed Events and Holiday Entertainment 232

Nightclubs, Bars, Cafes, and Lounges 237

Part 9 Activities, Recreation, and Shopping 262

Family Activities 262

Children's Programs and Activities 265

Pools and Water-Play Areas 286

Onboard Seminars 293

Sports and Fitness 295

Spas 297

Shopping 302

Onboard Photography 308

Religious Services 309

What to Do During a Day at Sea 309

Part 10 Castaway Cay 310

What to Bring 310

What to Do 310

Where to Relax 314

Part 11 Itineraries at a Glance 316

Further Information 316

Overview 316

Alaska 317

Atlantic Canada 317

Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda 318

Hawaii 318

Southern Europe and Mediterranean 319

Mexico 320

Northern Europe, British Isles, and Norway 320

Pacific Coast 321

Panama Canal 321

Transatlantic 322

Part 12 Port Adventures 323

Overview 323

Finding Port Adventures 323

Port Adventures on Castaway Cay 328

Nassau 333

Beyond Castaway Cay and Nassau 338

Part 13 River and Expedition Cruising 340

Overview 340

River Cruising for Families 341

Excursions on an AbD River Cruise 343

More Differences Between AbD and DCL Cruises 346

Traveling with Adventures by Disney 349

Cost Considerations 349

Expedition Cruising 353

What's Next for Disney and Small-Ship Cruising? 354

DCL Glossary 355

Index 360

Editorial Reviews

If you’re looking for a reliable guidebook, the leader is the Unofficial series.”
—The Mail (London)

“A Tourist’s Best Friend!”
—Chicago Sun-Times

“Indispensable”
—The New York Times

“The Unofficial Guide is, without question, one of the best Disney travel guides available.”
—MouseChat.net

From the Publisher