Should we try it?

[WeaverRN10]

My family are huge Disney Parks fans. We go to WDW annually, we love having things to do. We did take our first ever cruise last summer on Royal Carribean Quantum of the Seas to Alaska. While we loved Alaska my family was in agreement we didn't like the cruise itself. We did do 7 nights. Things we specifially didn't like was the lack of entertainment for our kids (10 and 8). We can only play trivia so many times. They did have the ping pong and basketball area but that gets crowded and bumper cars but that is limited time as well. We found ourselves bored on sea days. We also very much disliked the food. We felt the food was not good, especially the main dining food. We even skipped it when we could because it just wasn't good. We cruised with a family that has done Disney in the past and a family that has done Carnival, all first time to RCCL. I have been told to give cruising another shot due to the huge popularity of it. Many suggest we try DCL, however with the higher price for DCL we are hesitant to try given we did not enjoy the last one. Is it worth trying?
Thank you.

 

[MamaMermaid]

Absolutely yes! Start with a 3 night, maybe 4. Dream or Fantasy.

 

[LandonM170]

I personally would go with a 4 night or 5 night to the Bahamas. It gives you one sea day, which would let you see if you enjoy sea days on DCL, and depending on the itinerary, gives you the chance to visit both private destinations (Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point).

 

[o&smom]

I would watch some cruise vlogs on YouTube to see if DCL looks more in line with what your family would enjoy. We have loved all of our cruises with Disney. We have been cruising with our kids since they were 3 months and 7 years. We just cruised three times last year with them being 13 and 20. I would recommend another 7 day. There is so much to do on Disney that even then you will not be able to do and see everything. We have also found that the energy is crazy on shorter cruises because people are trying to cram everything into a shorter cruise. I hope you try it, but be careful, you may love it like us. One time experience has turned into 13 with another on the books.

 

[sponica]

I have a 7.5 year old, she lived in the kids clubs most of the time. She loved it there so much.

I'd also scope out disneycruiselineblog.com for copies of navigators, they'll give you a rough idea of the activities available.

Cruise food is always going to be mass produced food, but I enjoyed almost everything on the Wish (i wasn't in the mood for whatever the server recommended in worlds of marvel and really didn't like what I ended up getting)

ETA: I think that you knowing what you didn't like will help you decide if Disney Cruise Line is worth it for you. Personally the things I like about it are why I'm hesitant to try other lines (POG juice, characters, the fact that they only book as many kids as the kids clubs can fit)

 

[MonaMN]

ETA: I think that you knowing what you didn't like will help you decide if Disney Cruise Line is worth it for you. Personally the things I like about it are why I'm hesitant to try other lines (POG juice, characters, the fact that they only book as many kids as the kids clubs can fit)

We are in this boat as well. We are planning to do an Alaskan cruise next summer and I keep waffling between doing DCL because we know we like it, even though we'd do an inside stateroom due to cost... or trying Princess because they go to Glacier Bay and we get a veranda for the same price as inside on DCL.

I think the reality is that if we go on another cruise line, we need to be prepared that we'll need to create our own entertainment onboard... the offerings look sparse (and my teenager would not be into the kinds of stuff on RCCL ships).

I am definitely struggling with the pros and cons on each option (and have both booked right now) - so hard to decide.

 

[brentm77]

My family are huge Disney Parks fans. We go to WDW annually, we love having things to do. We did take our first ever cruise last summer on Royal Carribean Quantum of the Seas to Alaska. While we loved Alaska my family was in agreement we didn't like the cruise itself. We did do 7 nights. Things we specifially didn't like was the lack of entertainment for our kids (10 and 8). We can only play trivia so many times. They did have the ping pong and basketball area but that gets crowded and bumper cars but that is limited time as well. We found ourselves bored on sea days. We also very much disliked the food. We felt the food was not good, especially the main dining food. We even skipped it when we could because it just wasn't good. We cruised with a family that has done Disney in the past and a family that has done Carnival, all first time to RCCL. I have been told to give cruising another shot due to the huge popularity of it. Many suggest we try DCL, however with the higher price for DCL we are hesitant to try given we did not enjoy the last one. Is it worth trying?
Thank you.

What is your style when you travel? Do you like to always be doing something, or do you also enjoy sitting on a beach, watching the ocean, swimming, reading, etc.? Are you mostly happy with the restaurants at WDW, or do you simply force yourself to eat, while you dream of the Michelin Star place you visited in the South of France? Do you like the entertainment at the parks?

There are so many factors. It seems that the people I know who have tried Disney Cruise Line (DCL) and didn't like it, were usually the high-energy, high-adventure folks. Then, I think there are the love-everything-Disney folks, who's idea of a fantastic time is meeting every character they can, seeing Disney entertainment, and being as immersed in Disney as one could be, and they love DCL. Then, there are the "I want a relaxing vacation by the sea, where I don't have to do anything, the food is pretty good to even great sometimes, the environment is clean and enjoyable, the service is exceptional, and the product is consistent" folks, who tend to like DCL too. Sometimes, people fall into both of the later two groups.

I am on the "I want to relax without a care in the world on a clean ship while I enjoy being at sea" type and love DCL. I also love the style of their ships, lack of casino, fun adult areas in the evening, clean bathrooms, staterooms, etc. It just works for me. But my wife and I spend a lot of time sitting up top or on the verandah, just enjoying being at sea. The dining room food gets a bit boring to me, but is always edible and even enjoyable much of the time. It's almost never bad. But DCL is a happy place for me, where I know exactly what I am going to get, where I come back relaxed, and where I always have a good time.

I also enjoy the parks, but take them at a leisurely pace these days and enjoy the ambiance and food options as much as the rides. You really have to decide if cruising fits your style. If it does, there is a good chance DCL will be a hit. It is also a different experience in many ways than other lines.

However, instead of doing 3 or 4 days as others recommend, I think it takes a minimum of 7 to really unwind, get to know the ship, and not feel pushed to do everything each day. With 3 to 4, you are packing up as soon as you unpack, it seems. I feel like we wouldn't have fallen in love with it nearly as much if our first cruise hadn't been 7 days. It took my wife a couple just to feel at ease. Now she is hooked too.

 

[Flossbolna]

We are in this boat as well. We are planning to do an Alaskan cruise next summer and I keep waffling between doing DCL because we know we like it, even though we'd do an inside stateroom due to cost... or trying Princess because they go to Glacier Bay and we get a veranda for the same price as inside on DCL.

I think the reality is that if we go on another cruise line, we need to be prepared that we'll need to create our own entertainment onboard... the offerings look sparse (and my teenager would not be into the kinds of stuff on RCCL ships).

I am definitely struggling with the pros and cons on each option (and have both booked right now) - so hard to decide.

We did Alaska last year on DCL in an inside cabin and loved. It. We did not feel that we missed out on not having the balcony. There are plenty of public spaces to enjoy the scenery. I loved hanging out on deck 4 wrapped in blankets from the pool deck or at the Cove Cafe area.

We loved the glacier that we saw (might a different one be more spectacular? That’s possible, but since we only sailed to the one it was beautiful for us!) and DCL does make that day really special. We saw so many characters out on deck that day. It was really cool!

 

[sponica]

I pulled a recent 4 night navigator from the Wish to give an example of some of the sea day activities. I will say the anchor craft looked pretty fun.

But I won't lie, I don't think I saw my oldest on our sea day, she had breakfast with us, then we dropped her off at the kids club, pulling her out for lunch in the afternoon, then she went back in before and after dinner.

 

[MonaMN]

We did Alaska last year on DCL in an inside cabin and loved. It. We did not feel that we missed out on not having the balcony. There are plenty of public spaces to enjoy the scenery. I loved hanging out on deck 4 wrapped in blankets from the pool deck or at the Cove Cafe area.

We loved the glacier that we saw (might a different one be more spectacular? That’s possible, but since we only sailed to the one it was beautiful for us!) and DCL does make that day really special. We saw so many characters out on deck that day. It was really cool!

Thanks for your experience! I have watched many, MANY videos of Alaska DCL cruises and it's definitely where my heart is! My mind is trying to convince me otherwise, but it's a battle for sure!

 

[Geomom]

I would suggest the Dream or Fantasy for your family. There are tons of activities on Disney ships for all ages. Character meets (and random character encounters), recent Disney movies in the theater, older Disney movies by the pool, 3 Broadway style shows and entertainers as evening entertainment (no reservations, just show up at the time opposite your dinner), character drawing classes, various paper crafts, trivia, napkin folding, sports deck, kids clubs, etc. If you're in the Bahamas/Caribbean there is a pirate night at sea with fireworks. Dream and Fantasy also have midship detective agency with 3 games to play around the ship, Aqua duck raft water slide, and 9 hole mini golf.

There are 3 main dining rooms that you rotate through with your serving team. Different menu every night no matter how long the cruise is. We love the food!

 

[Geomom]

We are in this boat as well. We are planning to do an Alaskan cruise next summer and I keep waffling between doing DCL because we know we like it, even though we'd do an inside stateroom due to cost... or trying Princess because they go to Glacier Bay and we get a veranda for the same price as inside on DCL.

I think the reality is that if we go on another cruise line, we need to be prepared that we'll need to create our own entertainment onboard... the offerings look sparse (and my teenager would not be into the kinds of stuff on RCCL ships).

I am definitely struggling with the pros and cons on each option (and have both booked right now) - so hard to decide.

Check out the cost of an Oceanview on deck 2 for Disney Alaska. It's a little more than an inside but thousands less than a verandah. We did Disney Alaska in 2016 and are doing it again in 2025. Loved our deck 2 Oceanview with the large porthole!

 

[NephieRN]

Honestly I would try a different royal ship to see if you just don’t like cruising in general before you make the financial commitment to Disney. Either oasis class or icon. Main dining room food is better on Disney but it’s still banquet quality unless you do the adult only upcharge restaurant. Unless your kids go to the kids club during the day, there isn’t much more to do on Disney during the day other than trivia, bingo, character meets and a few craft activities. On royals big ships there are tons of things to do. My 7 and 2 year olds were never bored.

 

[sadiecatie]

We did Alaska last year on DCL in an inside cabin and loved. It. We did not feel that we missed out on not having the balcony. There are plenty of public spaces to enjoy the scenery. I loved hanging out on deck 4 wrapped in blankets from the pool deck or at the Cove Cafe area.

We loved the glacier that we saw (might a different one be more spectacular? That’s possible, but since we only sailed to the one it was beautiful for us!) and DCL does make that day really special. We saw so many characters out on deck that day. It was really cool!

I second all of this - we did an inside for Alaska, and the only time I wished we had a balcony was one morning when my daughter wasn't feeling well, so I ended up hanging in the room with her while she napped. Otherwise, I wasn't in the room enough to care! There's tons going on and lots of public spaces to enjoy the scenery.

My family are huge Disney Parks fans. We go to WDW annually, we love having things to do. We did take our first ever cruise last summer on Royal Carribean Quantum of the Seas to Alaska. While we loved Alaska my family was in agreement we didn't like the cruise itself. We did do 7 nights. Things we specifially didn't like was the lack of entertainment for our kids (10 and 8). We can only play trivia so many times. They did have the ping pong and basketball area but that gets crowded and bumper cars but that is limited time as well. We found ourselves bored on sea days. We also very much disliked the food. We felt the food was not good, especially the main dining food. We even skipped it when we could because it just wasn't good. We cruised with a family that has done Disney in the past and a family that has done Carnival, all first time to RCCL. I have been told to give cruising another shot due to the huge popularity of it. Many suggest we try DCL, however with the higher price for DCL we are hesitant to try given we did not enjoy the last one. Is it worth trying?
Thank you.

I second others saying to watch some vlogs and look at navigators to see if a Disney cruise would better suit your family, but from your complaints about RCCL, I think you would enjoy it. The things you weren't satisfied with on your other cruise are (at least in my experience) quite good on DCL. I cannot imagine getting bored on a Disney cruise!

 

[auntlynne]

My initial reaction to your post was “they don’t sound like cruise people.” Not just Royal, but even more so Disney.

What kind of entertainment do your kids need? And you?

Definitely look at the Personal Navigators from previous Disney cruises.

This should take you to the page. Click a ship name; the latest cruise will give you an idea of what happens on a typical cruise.

https://disneycruiselineblog.com/personal-navigators/#google_vignette

We don’t travel with children. From what I have read here and seen in person, a lot of kids go to the kids clubs for whatever happens there. Meals and pool time are with family. There’s a water feature, like the Aquaduck giant hamster tube. Parents and kids line up to do photos with Disney characters. Families do little arts and crafts, play trivia, sing karaoke, have a silent disco. Nothing lasts for more than an hour. Everyone goes to the production shows (all Disney) 3 nights of a cruise. One night, you have a Pirates party capped off with a short fireworks show.

Those adults whose kids are happy being dropped off in the club seem to do alcohol tastings, stand in the adult pool, go to the spa, sun bathe, play trivia, drink, and relax. Maybe workout in the gym.

Dinners are noisier than I remember on Royal. The servers are very focused on the children. They cut their food and do a magic trick or such after the main course. Don’t expect a significant upgrade in food; taste is subjective, but what I have had on six different cruise lines is not a big range of acceptability. Pretty much decent, with some standouts and some misses.

Think about your better family vacations and see if there could be an overlap to what DCL offers (and maybe Royal didn’t).

It’s a lot of money to cruise with Disney; keep in this direction of research to make sure it is a good possibility of fit for your family.

 

[auntlynne]

An ongoing mantra around here is to do the parks before the cruise (when doing both) because the parks wear you out and the ship will let you relax.

Maybe you are park people.

 

[LAS2AMS]

I tend to agree with @auntlynne - it sounds like you're not cruise people. The core product of all cruises is much the same, Disney is obviously a Disneyfied version of it. Would the trivia had been better if it was about Disney movies and not pop culture? Would the food have been better had it been served in a Disney-style restaurant, perhaps with entertainment? (I'm ashamed to admit the # of cruises I've been on, and it's foolhardy to suggest the food on Disney is lightyears better than RCL -- it's more of the same.)

Honestly, if your kids got bored on the Quantum, then they'll be even more bored on the Wonder or Magic.

 

[Clarkson U]

My family are huge Disney Parks fans. We go to WDW annually, we love having things to do. We did take our first ever cruise last summer on Royal Carribean Quantum of the Seas to Alaska. While we loved Alaska my family was in agreement we didn't like the cruise itself. We did do 7 nights. Things we specifially didn't like was the lack of entertainment for our kids (10 and 8). We can only play trivia so many times. They did have the ping pong and basketball area but that gets crowded and bumper cars but that is limited time as well. We found ourselves bored on sea days. We also very much disliked the food. We felt the food was not good, especially the main dining food. We even skipped it when we could because it just wasn't good. We cruised with a family that has done Disney in the past and a family that has done Carnival, all first time to RCCL. I have been told to give cruising another shot due to the huge popularity of it. Many suggest we try DCL, however with the higher price for DCL we are hesitant to try given we did not enjoy the last one. Is it worth trying?
Thank you.

We did our first Disney cruise as a 4 nighter when my kids were 9 and 7 and they loved it and we have been going back ever since.

We learned over the years to pack a card game or two or a puzzle book when we want some family relax time but want to have fun.

What we love about DCL cruising is the service,the food, kids entertainment when our kids were younger, and the fact that everything is cooked for us and we just show up and enjoy it.

I might try a 4 night in the Wish or.a 5 night on the Dream or Magic if available.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

Hi there I'm in your same situation I kept going backwards and forwards (I still do!) we love the parks and we are a high energy family, who don't enjoy trivia and arts/crafts and having grown up with chef parents my standards of food are very different. BUT in the end we decided to book our first cruise. I felt that until I try for myself I will always have this bug of trying it out. We have opted for a Disney cruise with stops every day so I figure there won't be that much time spent on the ship alone we will see how it goes it might be a one and done or we may fall in love, but at least I can say I have tried.

 

[auntlynne]

Hi there I'm in your same situation I kept going backwards and forwards (I still do!) we love the parks and we are a high energy family, who don't enjoy trivia and arts/crafts and having grown up with chef parents my standards of food are very different. BUT in the end we decided to book our first cruise. I felt that until I try for myself I will always have this bug of trying it out. We have opted for a cruise with stops every day so I figure there won't be that much time spent on the ship alone we will see how it goes it might be a one and done or we may fall in love, but at least I can say I have tried.

Those port intensive cruises can really change your experience. The ship becomes more of a hotel.