13 Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE Going On My Disney Cruise

[@laurawilson9608]

He’s totally right. I went on my first Disney cruise a few months ago. It was AWESOME for me. I’m a full grown Disney KID. I took my 70 something Mom and we both had a great time. I started planning MONTHS ahead to have time to order the fun things I wanted to take. I brought door decorations to surprise her. I had a variety or ears for us to wear constantly, both princesses and villains and other characters. You’ll see so many exquisite ears on everyone all the time and will feel left out if you don’t have some. I also got us mouse eared mini backpacks. I got cheap knockoffs and they worked fine - I didn’t feel out of place. That said now that I have my first official loungefly (which I swore I wouldn’t pay that much for) I can say it’s much more comfortable on my back. It sits where it’s supposed to and it’s deceptively big like Merlin’s bag. We had a balcony room but we’re hardly ever there because there are constantly great things to do. It was aft and I found we did a lot of walking back and forth so although it’s a great cabin, mid-ship and forward are closer to the things I wanted to do. Check out all the deck plans BEFORE choosing your room!!!! I wish I had know I could change my dining rotation because I loved the animators palette best and only got one meal there. Great tip. Thank You. I even brought Pirate costumes for both of us and next time I have a Princess style gown for formal night. The food was worlds above any other cruise I had taken before. It’s all Disney all the time so if you’re a Disney Kid you probably won’t want to go o. Any other cruise line ever again. 😊

[@blktauna]

I'm not in any way a Disney fan... At all. Yet I only do Disney Cruises. the lack of drunken foolishness, gambling and meat market atmosphere is refreshing. I love the tastings and classes (one cruise we made a gingerbread house!), I don't do the deck parties or shows so their content is irrelevant to me. I do Remy and Palo for the food which is excellent. The adult bars are great. As I'm solely doing Caribbean, its more about the diving and castaway cay for me. The tip system is weird absolutely. I generally give more anyway but still it's odd.

[@felderoma]

Yeah, it's really that simple if you aren't a Disney fan you will not like this cruise. You have to be a fan. It's a themed cruise. Not that you said this, but for anyone who has gone on a Disney cruise and then complained they didn't like it because it was too much Disney...what do they really expect. Disney is mainly kids entertainment. I am going with my girlfriend this year but we are adult kids. We love Disney. We most likely won't even care about the kids because we will be too busy being kids ourselves. However, it is nice that the kids have their own floors for entertainment lol. But it really is that simple. It's a Disney cruise targeted at Disney fans and families. If you can't get down with that don't go. This video is very honest and informative.

[@mikejeweler]

Thank you, Gary for your great videos. I have taken A LOT of Disney cruises (and many on other lines as well.) I found your reviews to be fair, honest and quite accurate. Most of my Disney cruises were as a pair of adults without kids - or with other adults. I think Disney does a great job of keeping the kids in their respective areas and providing peaceful and fun areas for adults. It's definitely not for everyone and I applaud people for watching these videos and deciding this line isn't for them. It makes my cruise experience better without cranky people complaining about the way things are. Cruising kids sometimes get a bad rep -- I much prefer kids on a Disney ship over the drunk, rowdy "adults" on a Carnival cruise. The difference with kids on a Disney ship is the kids have PLENTY to do there. They are not bored and resorting to annoying/destructive behavior. If cruising the Caribbean, Disney's island Castaway Cay is fabulous for adults with private dining and beach. At most other ports in the Carib, I'll just stay on the ship and enjoy a quiet peaceful day. Agree - the dining room food is "good" with plenty of choices - but the specialty restaurants are incredible and a highlight of the cruise. The chocolate souffle at Palo is everything!

[@ashleythomas1425]

I’ve been on several Disney cruises and never felt pressured to tip more and have always had such amazing service that I genuinely wanted to tip some people more.

[@tomsreviews238]

I sailed Disney when my son was young. The cruse line was simply the best of all of them. Everything was completely clean and well maintained and the food was great.

[@adamsaldana5462]

You probably went into this reluctantly, so your viewers do thank you for experiencing it.

[@mindyschocolate]

They got rid of the paper navigator after Covid broke out. My wait staff never pressured me for extra tips. If anything, mine were an absolute joy to have. I actually cried when I said my final farewell. They knew my preference for tea and always brought it out without asking, my preferences for anything chocolate, and they always gave me riddles to solve and were just a bunch of jokesters. I even got to talk to one of the, about his experiences working on diff cruise lines.

[@dennisrm6912]

Hello Gary. Thank you for your channel. Much appreciated. My wife and I have cruises exclusively Disney 8 times on the Disney Dream Caribbean voyages. We like Disney but are not fanatics. We are in our 60s with no children. My wife appreciates the cleanliness and constant painting and wood varnishing. No rust on the exterior as we often see on other ships when alongside them in port. We cruise for the great service, luxury and relaxing adult and concierge areas. Your review was spot on except no ship tours were ever offered. That being said, our next cruise is on the Disney Wish which others report is more different than the same as other Disney ships. Thanks again for your informative and enjoyable channel.

[@kikky811]

The tours have always been offered on DCL ( maybe except the height of Covid) but they are easy to miss as not actually called “ship tour”. I think it’s called “Art of the theme show tour”. It’s adults only.

[@jpbpds]

We’ve been on six Disney cruises, as well as Princess and Celebrity. I am not a super huge Disney fan, but it’s fun to be immersed in the Disney world instead of the “real world” for a week. It’s not for everyone, of course, but I think the ships are beautiful.

[@wintdkyo]

For the past few Disney Cruises, I haven't actually given the tip envelope, because it gets distributed automatically. What the crew value most, however, is a positive written comment from guests as this can open up to promotions. I never been pressured to provide one, and those I did took the time to write about were above and beyond. Also, I randomly saw Peter Pan being chased by Captain Hook in the hallway. Nice touch of detail and immersion. Finally, sodas from fountains and dinner meals are included in the cruise ticket.

[@uspsdaveable]

The smart phone thing is new, they use to be all paper,pirate night is a lot of fun, we’ve done 10 Disney cruises, without kids…we have a blast

[@richardburton6182]

The Disney Cruise Line was our introduction to cruising. I probably would not have thought of myself as a cruise person, and we tried it because it's Disney. Now we are hooked and are curious about other lines.

[@CLewis9800]

You probably should have tried other cruise lines first! 😂

[@bmrman95]

Try Virgin🎉❤

[@lasalaleo]

Just did our first Disney Cruise on the Dream and we were never once pressured about tips. They did remind us of the importance of getting excellent ratings and I was more than y to rate them as Excellent because they did an excellent job. We were more than happy to give more than what they were given for the automatic gratuity. It was well deserved.

[@chadweirick67]

Only ever been on a Disney cruise ( 3 times) and the level of service is so high that I can't imagine going on another cruise..we love the Disney cruise!

[@denverd2007]

I work daily in the Tech industry and I really do not appreciate cruise lines going to all apps and no paper. It’s way to easy to miss things when you are only looking at a small screen and also harder to go back to find something you saw previously. not to mention you are totally at the mercy of the wireless, usually spotty, the cruise line supplies. many times the app also only works while on board…making it impossible to look at something in the app on an excursion. like I said I work in tech but tech is not the solution for everything.

[@lizcademy4809]

Web developer here ... I would want paper too. How can you highlight an app, and post the schedule on your wall?

[@OzarksAmy]

I’m guessing Disney Adults find it hard to imagine anyone else wouldn’t see the same wonder they do, but this would be true about any themed cruise. You would have to at least be a casual fan to appreciate much of what is going on around you. Another great review!

[@mindyschocolate]

That’s true. I don’t think I’d enjoy a Cunard cruise because I don’t enjoy dressing up when I’m suppose to be on a relaxing cruise. That doesn’t sound fun.

[@OzarksAmy]

@@mindyschocolate This is why I am so glad there is such a variety of cruising lines. No one is wrong, just wrong for some people!

[@cijmo]

I would say as far as being a 'Disney fan' goes, I'm probably a 4 or 5 and traveled solo. I was worried about saturation but I didn't feel bombarded at all. A lot of the time, I had NO idea what the hell was going on LOL. I'm vintage, so my era is anything from Peter Pan up to the crappy live action Dean Jones ones in the 70s. I really enjoyed my time. I was on the Dream, the adult area was beautiful, I was there most of the time. So you don't get slammed in the face by sail away parties (I was only on the deck for my 1AM stroll). I just found I wasn't really slapped with anything and the crew ("castmembers) were all great. I would advise it even as a solo adult unless you expect the things, like Gary said that are missing - casino, drinks package...I think I only saw one person who seemed to be 3 sheets to the wind the whole time. Children are in their own areas. Our pre-excursion gatherings were in those things early in the morning and if I were a kid, I wouldn't want to leave them either!!! There were people I saw around who I didn't even know they HAD kids 'til I saw them at meal times.

[@rob379lqz]

Yes, extremely cringe and pseudo-creepy boat.

[@SundownCamry]

​@@rob379lqzis that why your here watching?

[@kikky811]

We have been on many Disney cruises and a lot of the things you mention were either specific to the Magic or maybe Europe. You went on a ship which was built in 98 I believe - the spaces are larger and different on the Dream or Fantasy. On the Wish, the rainforest area is out of this world. We also felt the drinks were a lot cheaper than other lines, most of the time I paid $5.60 for drink of the day! On the new Wish, they have the adult lounges (like 20 of them lol) more spread out all over instead of one adult district. We have never heard guests from the connecting cabins nor were we pressured for extra tips. We don’t just cruise Disney, we love Royal too but what I would say… try a newer ship. We don’t watch most of the deck parties or see characters anymore. You can easily avoid all that. I actually find more kids running around Royal’s decks as their kids programming hours are more limited. There is less for them to do. On Disney we could always retreat to the adult only pool or lounge and enjoy the peace and quiet if that’s what we want. Oh and on the Disney Alaska cruise they had some enrichment talk, but that is generally found on cruises catering to an older demographic. Like Holland. Princess. Disney is not the only one that doesn’t have them on the family cruise lines.

[@ceceb6264]

I just went on a Disney cruise, LOVED LOVED IT. The kids didn’t bother me. I would go again. They so many activities for kids and adults

[@beckyhalvorsen2126]

Good information. I've been on two Disney cruises with 3 other adults and can agree with most of these tips. The only one I don't agree with is the tipping. I did not feel any pressure to provide more gratuity than we already did.

[@maeg3582]

I have been on 20 Disney Cruises. I have never felt pressured to add extra gratuities. For sure there were times when I was asked continually to leave a positive review. Another tip viewers may want to know is that when you order a drink a tip is already added to your bill. You don't have to add an extra tip.

[@VacationWithrebecca]

Thank you for this honest look at Disney. As a TA who specializes in Disney and traveling with a disability, I found your review very honest and fair. The only thing I would add is if you want a paper menu or daily guide you can ask for one. I am visually impaired so using my phone for menus and such can be hard so I always ask for a paper menu and am given one every time. My cabin host always makes sure I have a paper guide every day as well once I tell him of my need. Oh, and because of your great videos, I have booked my first Holand American cruise.

[@traceyhill7784]

We found the service excellent, we love disney and are full on disney adults...and proud NOT WEIRD!

[@Pinkhobo2013]

Im crying already 🥹🥹 I’m a huge Disney fan! and a child at heart! I just booked our first disney cruise for both my daughter’s 10th and 9th birthdays this December 🥹

[@ElisiasEvolution]

Let me know how you get on sure you will have a great time!

[@drfreakxc]

Another thing about the kids club (specifically for the Wish and Dream, since those are the only two boats I have been on)... You need to register your children for the kids club before they can be dropped off on their own. It is best to get this done during the open house while people are boarding the ship. For one thing, you don't have to worry about it later when you are dropping your kids off to go do an adult thing on your own. Registering takes a little bit of extra time and you might not make it your adult event on time. Secondly, they have multiple people stationed around the kids club to help register the kids during the boarding time which they don't have during any other time during the cruise. This allows you to get the registration done quickly. And lastly, if anyone else has permission to pick up your child from the kids club, be sure they know the secret phrase. The line was held up many a time by people who did not know the secret phrase and had to wait for someone who did to come get the kids out of the club.

[@magicinthewildtravel]

I worked as a National Forest Service ranger intern on the inaugural cruise season for Disney in Alaska 11 years ago. We had two of us interns who worked every other week on the ship doing kids programming in the kids club as well as sometimes providing narration through the fjord on glacier day (and we worked in Juneau on the off weeks, switching out with other interns). Along with us was one senior ranger who did auditorium enrichment talks and I believe we also had an additional person from the Fish and Wildlife department who did talks, but that may have been one or the other on the senior presenters. I believe they still do this, although I'm not positive. So at least in Alaska, enrichment talks are/were provided. I can't imagine they would have done away with them though there.

[@mikepowell7385]

We had a great guide on board when we did the east/west Panama Canal as well.

[@susantownsend8397]

We have done a number of Disney cruises with older kids or adults only. We spend most of our time in the adult-only areas and seldom come into contact with children other than at meals. (There’s also not much character theming in these areas.) We cruise to have a calm, quiet, relaxing time and find that DCL works for us (especially with a balcony.) We aren’t looking for nightlife or “adult” entertainment. It’s pricey though and certainly not to everyone’s tastes.

[@DizMinniePhoto]

You definitely have to be somewhat of a Disney fan to love DCL. I went on my first ever cruise ( Disney Wish) in August of 2022. I’m hooked, I booked 5 DCL cruises for 2023 😅

[@meganlouise9007]

Damn, what's your job that you can afford five cruises 😭

[@slor08]

@@meganlouise9007 I wanna know too 😅

[@TheNixie1972]

Really good and honest review. We have only been on the Magic and Wonder (the older, smaller ships) as two adults (DW and me) and we always had a blast. We really like the laid down, family friendly environment. We are not at all in gambling, so the lack of a casino does not bother us. We never saw any really drunk people around the ship, even though we participated in open bar events, organized through the cruise specific Facebook group. Fair point: if you do not like Disney there is no reason at all to do a Disney Cruise, it is expensive and all Disney in your face. So that is loose-loose... I have never been pushed for tips, ever! You do not need to add cash, you can go to guest services and have the amounts for each tip position adjusted (up or down). You will receive a new slip to put in the envelope, but if you don't hand over the slip the CM will receive the allotted tip anyway. I have found this to be extremely comfortable as being a European I don't understand American tipping anyway. We have been pushed to fill out the feedback form (as in actually do that) and several waiters asked to be noted immediately when something was off and not wait till the last day of the cruise and the feedback form about that. We had a few of those instances and all was taken care of instantly. Added: non-alcoholic beverages from the soda fountain and coffee/tea machines on the top deck and in all dining locations (Cabana's and the Main Restaurants) are included, only at bars the soda will be charged. Fully agree on the point that no paper navigators are printed anymore. I would very much like to just shut down the phone and enjoy the ride. But that is the same in Disney Parks: all is on your phone now....

[@mathewrouse6713]

Lose lose

[@alabamaal225]

For a time Princess Cruises was pushing the "Love Boat" theme. You heard the "Love Boat" theme when you boarded, during your safety orientation, in other venues, and even from the ship's horns. It got to be a bit much. On the last two cruises my wife and I took on Princess (Jan. 2022 and Aug. 2022) it was toned down considerably; for example, they apparently no longer play it on the ship's horns. In my view, it's generally for the best. My guess is consumer research probably revealed that the theme just wasn't being embraced by many passengers; many being grandparents who weren't yet born or were very young children when the TV show first aired back in the 1970s. Disney, however, is another thing. Branding is what it is all about. It seems obvious that if a passenger is not prepared to go All Disney All The Time (even if there are some retreats an adult can utilize) you'll probably have a less than joyful experience. Of course, some adults do embrace the Disney Experience, but for me Disney is a cruise line that I will pass on.

[@g.belanger8302]

Our first cruise ever was on the Disney Magic in 1998! It was her inaugural year. Oooo, I’m getting old…

[@coles5243]

We just got back from a 4 night on the Disney wish! We have a 3 year old & 8 month old & had a great time. We did the placeholder and will go again in the next 6-9 months (depending on work)

[@rmpa5727]

Even though trying different cruise lines can help you determine what you may like or don't like, I believe once you have settled on a cruise line it does reap benefits. This is my opinion.

[@kp8740]

Great information Gary, thanks. I have, on and off, wondered about a Disney cruise. You have clarified it completely - not a chance! Lol. Thanks

[@knownothing5518]

The upside with the last point about gratuities is that you actually transparently see that the money is goong to the crew and who is getting how much of it. That's more than pretty much any other cruise line will tell you. I'm actually surprised that a company like Disney, out of all the greed-ridden ones, would tell you what exactly happens to the mystical gratuities.

[@juniperdog5523]

Good point.

[@maurinet2291]

But isn't the point to auto gratuities that they also go the staff you don't see, like the person who washes your linens or the staff in the kitchen who help prepare your food? This wouldn't account for that, only the main staff would get tipped.

[@ashleyjones5396]

@@maurinet2291 I assume those people get a normal wage.

[@JanetHunter-xv5bi]

@@maurinet2291 I was told by a person that used to work on a cruise line that the cooks do not get tips like others do.

[@robertanderson2424]

what I don't fully understand about the gratuities is, why can't it just be built in to the price? Why do we need little envelopes and have to divvy out the cash. Considering everything else on the boat is electronic

[@CruisingEngineer]

Gary, I'm enjoying part 2 of your first-timer and solo perspective of Disney. We (2 adults, no kids, Disney Platinum with 12 cruises) love the ships. Alaska had seminars about wildlife and history on both of the cruises we've done, as did the Panama Canal cruise with a retired pilot that guided the ships through the locks and lake area. Too bad the Fjords didn't have the same classes. Yes, the paper is pretty well gone but we asked for and were presented with the full menu for MDR meals (loved our servers). Guilty: I have an entire Disney-themed wardrobe ready for every cruise, including Mouse Ears.

[@tipsfortravellers]

Thanks for watching and great to hear your perspectives. It was clear that core travellers are very well prepared with dedicated gear. I also found out after the cruise that there were many unhappy as the ship merchandise stores dod not have lots of new and region related merchandise. So, that sounds like an even bigger topic and thing that I had realised too

[@xavierm3415]

We had great lectures for a DCL Northen Europe cruise in 2017 but none on this year British Isles... A bit disappointed. Actualy we spent more time in cabin to watch on BBC all the event regarding the passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

[@atlsongbyrd6084]

@@tipsfortravellers I have a daughter so do I need to ask for a room that’s not connected?

[@GunnerHillTX]

@@atlsongbyrd6084 Only you can decide that.... If you do want to have connected cabins - which I would - ask for them. IF you do not want connected cabins, ask for that instead.

[@canitbechristine]

Great video. I think the larger room thing only really applies for the basic level cabins. All of those have a Queen bed and a sofa/sofa bed whereas for other cruiselines, the starting level basic cabins can be pretty tiny.

[@krab1791]

I’m a frequent Disney cruiser (12+) and I still don’t know everything because they periodically update the shows on board and when they refurbush the restaurants may be Re themed. My kids are adults now and I havent seen a new animated feature in years. I have a secret weapon tho. My daughter is a cast member who works at the Polynesian in Orlando. Regarding the need to be electronically wired up to be able to do anything. You DO NOT need your phone to get your dinner. Menu. Yes, there is a QR code and you can use it. Many people are very comfortable with (and prefer) ordering their meal this way. But if you ask for a paper menu the first night, they will bring you a paper menu you every night. As far as knowing what is going on, having the electronic version is much much superior to the previous paper version. They used to go thru trees worth of paper. Everytime someone lost their schedule they would just get a new one. So disney switched over to an onboard Wi-fi system which is free.It does not connect you to the internet. That is a paid system. What it does give you is the schedule of program for the entire cruise. Before you got only the day’s schedule and you had to wait until 10pm for the next day so you could never plan ahead. Now you can go in and like every activity you want to do. This is how I do it. I like all the activity I want to do plus the ones my kids want to do. If we want to see Thor Love and Thunder then I like every instance where Thor is playing. The app automatically puts in your dinner and show times plus any other reservations you have. For example, dining reservations at Remy and Palo, Spa Reservations, or Booked Shore Excursions. From there you can remove the conflicts or if you want leave multiple options for certain times. This is something my party does as we may not decide until the last minute or the group may split up into thre different activities. This is a much better system than the paper version but if you went to the Customer service desk I bet they would print out the days schedule for you. They probably have some already printed. As far as the recommendation to avoid cabins on the decks with the kids spaces, I would tweak that a bit. I just got off a cruise where we stayed on the kids deck and didnt realize it until 3 days in. I only realized it when I happened to decide to walk from the front of the ship to the back, inside. It was Alaska. In my case it was the Wonder and Deck 5. I believe the Magic is the same. But it is probably different on the Dream and Fantasy and likely on the Wish. Yes there can be a lot of going to and fro fro but it is generally in the center of the ship. That’s where the kids activity centers are. Altho it may be different on different ships. Yup can see maps of the ships before selecting your cabin. We were at the back of the boat near the elevators and never heard a peep. I also think it depends on the itinerary. There were kids on the Alaska sailing but not as many as other itineraries. Having said that, most kid activities still occur around the center of the ship, the kids clubs and the pools on the upper decks (except for the adult pool). So we found the rear of the ship on deck 5 to be fine. So let me address something Gary didnt, the kids/tweens/teens clubs. Disney caters to families and it does this in a special way. It recognizes that not everyone wants to do the same thing. They have a nursery but I think anyone who brings an infant is nuts. But its there however it is closed while in ports. They have 2 kids clubs. I forget the ages but they are the ones too old for the nursery and too young for the tweens. They have a tweens club and a Teens club. All with age appropriate activities. Special guest appearances by characters and now Marvel Superheros. There are appropriate safety measures so that you are the only one who can puck up your kid. Certain age groups wear a wristband from the time they first checkin at the club until departure day. Parents wear a matching band. Without the band, you can’t pickup a kid. the teen club is special. They have their own adult type activities and their own counsels that do only the teen club for the entire cruise. They really get to know their kids. They have their own “nightclub” type activities and dances. Sometimes late. We had to extend curfew time a couple of times. So you’re thinking “were you asleep when your teen came in?” Yes, if she had a dance party til 1am, I knew she was safe and that was way past my bedtime. The crew knew the teens dance got out that late and they had an inclination to roam to ship but they rounded them up and made sure they made it to their cabins. There is also one other special thing. There is a group that feels left out. the 18-25 year olds. They are too old for the teen stuff and too young to feel uncomfortable hanging with their parents so Disney has an 1825 Club activities on the schedule. Generally evening activites for just 18-25 year olds. Bingo, yes love it. We play as a family. All adults. Kids can play, but they can’t win. Of course, they get to jump up and down and yell Bingo but an adult has to actually be the one who is officially determined the winner because it is gambling and they put the winnings back on your ship account. Gary, 5 stars for paying attention on the Art of the Theme tour because that is the only place they mention the carpet and door hangers. Altho I once had a crew member show me when I stepped off the elevator and looked around confused. Yes it is great fun to decorate your door. It is also one way to make it easier to find your stateroom because they all look the same. Lastly, gratuities. I get why it is annoying to be constantly reminded about giving them a good or great on the review card thingie. I will admit to being annoyed on my last cruise. But a little background. Their pay and promotions are based solely on these reviews by guests. Not all guest fill out the cards. A single review below good can tank them. These also determine whether or not their contract is renewed. Also, since COVID the ships are taking on fewer passengers. The cabins are still sleeping the same number but they are filling less cabins so that there are less people on the ship. So on our last cruise, our party of 4 sat at a table that would normally seat 8. This means fewer jobs are available. Some history on the gratuities themselves. Historically, Disney has never charged any gratuity to the stateroom account until it was approved by the guest. The day before you would get a “suggested” amount for each crew member (cabin steward and 3 wait staff). You had to approve it by signing the paper and returning it. You could change the amount up or down as well before you signed it. They would then give you individual tickets that you could hand out to the specific crew members but if you missed them it still got to their account. But what was happening was that people werent signing the paper so the crew members were getting stiffed on tips. Disney Cruise ships are registered in the Bahamas. This means they dont have to follow US labor laws for their non-US employees. This means that Disney can get away with paying minimal wages to their waitstaff and cabin stewards. If you notice most of the entertainment staff is Americans, Brits and Aussies and the wait staff and Cabin stewards are not. The waitstaff/stewards get minimal wages with the majority coming from tips. So recently Disney announced they would be charging an automatic gratuity for each person in a stateroom for the cabin steward and waitstaff. I an many others decried this. I am generous with tipping but in the past have had at least one senior wait staff member who only showed up to collect a tip. We never saw her otherwise. I hate auto gratuities at restaurants for the same reason but as the mother of a person whose job is being waitstaff I do understand that people often dont leave a tip. Many people dont understand that the average hourly rate for a server in the US is about $3.00. Their sole income is tips. Si imagine my shock when, on our last cruise, I got the sheet with the gratuities which were charged to the account and the amount was about half the suggested amount of our previous Cruise. My daughter said to her boyfriend “how are they supposes to live on this” (they are both servers). Needless to say I more than doubled all the gratuities as we had received excellent service. Basically, Disney’s reason for automatically chargining a minimum gratuity was to guarantee them a minimum pay so Disney didnt have to increase their pay scale. So I guess I would say to always remember that the gratuities you pay are most of the salary for cabin stewards/wait staff. Enjoy your cruise.🎉

[@best-sound]

Great summary. Thanks for the effort. What I do not understand is that the suggested tipps were cut in half. They never did, in cotrary the raised these a few months ago. As tiiping is per person and not per room, is it possible that were less people in the room?

[@krab1791]

@@best-sound You may br right about that. Before this time we had 4 people per cabin but this trip there were 2 people per cabin. The reason it os too low (for the cabin stewards) to me is that they still have the same amount of work, at least in my case or for my cabin. Still 2 beds to make up and turn down every day and the same number of bathrooms to clean. Plus my son is a slob. I guess in my mind the amount for 2 passengers will always be too small (and it is). AS far as the wait staff, next year I will have to take the suggested amount of the tips divide it by the number of meals and decide if its too much or too little based on what I would pay at a restaurant but I would say from memory the suggested tip was still too low. The staff was wonderful and the thing I love about Disney staff and the fact the they move with you is that they got to know is very well. I tip accordingly.

[@dchenkin02]

Both of my cruises, Norwegian Gem to Bermuda, and Carnival Radiance to Ensenada, did not have enrichment talks on the ship. Disney is not alone in excluding enrichment events from ships which cater to families and you adults looking for a party.

[@Molluskcentral]

I went on 2 cruises (Celebrity and RC) before I went on a Disney cruise. I swore off cruises after the Celebrity cruise because I was absolutely bored to death on it because I don't gamble or drink booze. I have been on 2 Disney cruises and have another booked. Disney cruises are the only way I will go back out to sea on a ship. You have some great tips and absolutely hit some of the hang ups of Disney cruises, but they can definitely waver from crew to crew as on the Wish I didn't have a single solicitation from a cast member. Overall it's great that there are different cruises for people and it's great to get a take from someone who isn't a Disney buff, but can articulate the good and the bad so well. Great overall video.

[@MoMo21819]

I am glad you did this video. I just went on my first cruise in September, which was on the Disney Wish. It was a three day and I had so much fun. I am a big Star wars and marvel nerd, so I enjoyed those extras a lot. I will probably try some other cruise lines in the future however I feel Disney made it pretty easy, especially as a first time cruiser. I didn't see as many kids as expected, however most kids are back in school during September. I think the newer ship fixed the hearing others from the cabin. I heard nothing from our stateroom and we were close to the elevators.

[@jamieoliver9609]

We've been on a few Disney cruises. One was terrible, the others were great. The gratuities don't bother me, but I've never felt pressured about them. What I don't like is the limited dining options after lunch. We often eat a big meal midday and just want to grab something small at night. We don't need a dining room or several courses of food. But the options are slim many nights. I wish they'd keep a small buffet every night instead.

[@StevenSeven]

Enjoyed watching this video. I appreciate all the inside information. I learned that a Disney cruise is not for me and mine. Thanks!

[@kevinjohnsoncoaching]

They absolutely have drink packages. I’ve been on 37-cruises with DCL and always get one.

[@daniellevadgama643]

I have been on 8 and never heard of them other than the dinner wine package. Is that what you mean?

[@efusco]

Some DCL cruises do have “enrichment talks”, we did on our Norwegian Cruise several years ago, as well as on our Panama Canal Cruise last year.

[@colleenla40]

We’ve regularly given extra tips to the dining room servers and room steward on Disney. Rarely do I ever tip the maître d’ unless they’ve gone above and beyond our expectations.

[@lklewis6868]

I did an Alaskan Disney cruise and there were several enrichment lectures. Really enjoyed them. Maybe something happened on your trip?

[@jaytok7]

to sum it up..this cruise is probably best for families...if your not a disney fan or dont have kids, maybe try another cruise...thanks for the vid!

[@catyoungworldwide]

I didn't even think about just how different the Disney cruise experience would be! I usually take Royal Caribbean and I'm doing this with my little cousins because it's a treat for them. Thanks so much. I'll definitely watch your other video so I can better prepare for this.😉

[@Lisa-qe6zo]

Thank you Gary. A friend wants to go on a Disney cruise Anne tries to convince me to come too. Your two videos really confirmed to me that a single adult without kids has better options to go on a cruise. Prices for singles are very high, too! I’ll stick with celebrity cruises for Alaska and Aida around Europe I want to add that I absolutely love your channel. Fantastic information in a nutshell. Well done.

[@Alphasnowbordergirl]

As a single adult, I'll only go on Disney. But I grew up in Disney's renaissance. I don't gamble, and I don't really drink. I like Disney cruise for how clean it is, the unique dining experiences, and how good the service and food is. Can't say I had as much fun on other cruises.

[@JoyHargraves]

This was fantastic!!! I'm a Disneyphile and live near WDW. I have been on two Disney cruises and have 2 planned for 2024. Your reveiw of DCL is very well done and honest! I would share this with anyone! I personally see the issue with gratuities in other areas of travel and hospitality, too. I feel you on that! Thank you for your video.

[@PiaAdora]

I’ve never been “lobbied” by crew for tips so I’m surprised to hear this but I understand that’s probably my unique experience. I do think the crew care very much about the quality of their service and passengers’ experiences, so they appreciate feedback. Disney and Princess are too pretty different lines but they are both my favorites, and one of the main reasons is the quality of service and the dining experiences. Also, my advice to solo travelers is to sit with other guests at dinner. I’ve never traveled solo on Disney but my child abandons me to the kids’ club for most of the day and I’ve always enjoyed meeting and connecting with other travelers at dinner. (You can always switch to a private table if you don’t like your table mates.) My experience has been that *standard* Disney cabins are larger than the ones on comparable lines. For example, my last Princess standard veranda cabin had no sofa. But I’ve never had that experience on Disney and I love being able to close the curtains to split the Disney cabin since I am usually up early before my cabinmates, and vice versa.

[@krab1791]

Agreed. They dont lobby for tips but they do lobby for ratings. As I stated in my own lengthy comment, this is because anything less than good can very seriously effect their ability to renew their contract.

[@cajayson8301]

agree. I went on the Disney Magic last year in May and was not pressured for tips like was displayed in this video. I'd add tips if ordering a drink but that was via a receipt brought out upon service as opposed to sending them through envelopes.

[@jcbottles]

It's been some years since I've to cruised Disney but something people don't realize about the tips is that that's the only income the waitstaff and cabin stewards receive. It doesn't sound like a lot but when you speak to the individual people it's more than they can make in their home country. It's one of the reasons you don't see Americans doing those jobs. At least that's how it was when I cruised.

[@momof1576]

We went on the Disney Dream just before covid lockdowns. We loved it and can’t wait to book with Disney again.

[@justinsimmonds5674]

Thanks for sharing about this Gary. Considering the information presented here, I think a Disney cruise might not be right for me.

[@covercalls88]

Thanks for all the info, as I was planning a cruise on Disney with my sons and grandkids.

[@smudgepuss]

This was last year, so may not be the case now, but we wanted paper menus at the restaurants and they did have them when we asked (and obviously our lovely rotating waiter then remembered and they were on our table ready for us at every dinner from then on).

[@sargentrowell81]

I will say, I've been on the Fantasy 3 times now and it would seem they don't have that tour on board. Maybe it's something exclusive to the Magic and Wonder.

[@allisongrusha8215]

Hi Gary! Thank you for the very informative video- it is very appreciated! My husband and I are going on a Disney cruise in December of this year and we are very excited! As for the tipping situation, America does do things a lot differently. Most servers get around $3 a hour in America and they mostly never see a flat paycheck due to what gets taken out in taxes. They live off of the tips they are given from their guests. Additionally, Disney, as well as many other restaurants in the USA, have a tip out, which means that the server is forced to tip out the bussers and food runners that help to aid in your experience. For example, if your check is $100, and you leave 10%, which is $10 to your server, than they have to tip out 3-5% of the sales made at your table to each of the people that help them… so they are not making the entire $10… but if your server does a good job, it is customary for you to leave 18-20%. I don’t know about you, but the amount the servers are made off of ‘forced gratuity’ is certainly not enough to live off of- especially if they are working hard… needless to say, they do not have to pay for their travel expenses or food while working on the cruise ship, but they certainly are trying their hardest to make your cruise special. 😕

[@allisongrusha8215]

Additionally, as a server in the United States in a tourist town, we do have a vast amount of Europeans and Brazilians that come to our restaurant and have not educated themselves on tipping culture. If you do not tip your server, then they are actually paying for you to sit in their section due to them having to pay out the 3-5% of the sales made at your table to the other people that are working at their restaurant. Needless to say, please educate yourself when you travel to other countries because it is different, but there’s a ~reason~ to why it is different….

[@best-sound]

@@allisongrusha8215 Agree with everything you said. The point here - as I understood it in the video - was more that they do get a tip already and he felt pressured to add more. That would not be ok. Said that, I did a lot of Disney Cruises and never felt any pressure at all. If someone was outstanding we tipped more, if not, we left at the suggested amount.

[@Sydney2217]

Probably never go on this cruise but i watch all your videos .Great production value & authenticity .

[@Mombierella]

We cruise on the Magic in spring 😊 this is our 4th with DCL but 1st on the Magic. So excited!

[@ronb.5519]

I’ve been cruising since 1988, mostly with NCL. As someone who has worked in the movie business/Hollywood industry for the last 30 years, Disney Cruise Line is the LAST cruise line I would sail with. When I go on a cruise, I do NOT want to be bombarded every second with everything from A to Z reminding me of movie prequels, sequels, franchises, etc. etc. etc. I get that every day at work. For me a cruise ship is a movie-free and smartphone-free zone where I can disconnect from Hollywood and forced-use of digital technology.

[@SundownCamry]

But you watched this video... on your smartphone 🤔

[@craigswagerty1155]

Very interesting. Thanks for the updates Gary, I’ve always wondered if I’d like Disney Cruises. It seems like it might be ok if my girlfriend wanted me to take her or something, but not as a solo traveler. Appreciate the info.

[@disneeds]

Excellent points and I love hearing about it from your perspective! Thank you!

[@johnp.1460]

Thank you for this video, Gary. Even though I’m from California and grew up going to Disneyland - and later Disney World - I think a Disney cruise would drive me absolutely out of my mind. I can handle a day of Disney, but not three, and certainly not a week. While I have always been wary of the line, your videos have helped me solidify the reasons for my justifiable trepidation.

[@kikky811]

Disney cruise and Disneyland are not at all the same. The cruise is actually very relaxing and you can easily avoid a lot the characters etc. it’s not Disney in your face at all. But I would try the bigger, newer ships. They feel very relaxing and IMO you don’t have to be a mega Disney fan. Though it helps. Lol. However, after several Disney cruises, things got too repetitive for us and we mostly cruise other lines. Will go on DCL if we find a deal (usually restricted rates within 90 days of sailing).

[@johnp.1460]

@@kikky811 Of course they’re not the same; hopefully, one floats. 😏 Seriously, I understand your point but the pervasive Disneyness evident in the ship design, the art, the shows, the music, the activities, etc. would quickly become tedious and tiresome. Give me a HAL or Oceania cruise any day.

[@DJ_afroASH]

Always appreciate your opinions on cruise lines. I’m loyal to Royal and eventually want to branch off to another line it will most likely be disney next thanks for going and getting the scoop For us! 🙃

[@HeatherTravels]

This is incredibly helpful, Gary! We're on Disney Wonder in two weeks and Disney Magic in March, both of which we've cruised on before, but the DCL app is new to us, and we are cruising out of new to us ports. Good for you for embracing the experience as well as you could and getting some photos with the characters! There are usually enrichment programs; I have attended quite a few in the past, which I enjoyed very much. My guess is that those were paused during the pandemic and just haven't been brought back yet. I don't like the beds don't split. They did on my earliest Disney cruises, but they changed the beds later, and that was a disappointment to me. The tub in the bathroom is also tough for me now because of my bad ankle. I need to remember to request an accessible cabin in the future on DCL.

[@sharon2USA]

Our last 2 Disney cruise were paper less It’s actually easier having the app

[@qwer01230]

Save half your money and have soooo much better time on carnival cruise. That’s right I said carnival, been on many RCL cruises but still found carnival for best overall experience!

[@kikky811]

Not saying you should choose Disney but carnival? No thank you. However. Luckily there is a cruise line for everyone. Carnival feels cheap. Pretty much on very level. Maybe we tried the wrong ship. It wasn’t horrible but definitely you get what you pay for. IMO

[@qwer01230]

@@kikky811 you probably are the person who doesn’t know how to have fun, you walk in a room and sober everyone up. Sometimes the truth hurts

[@kikky811]

@@qwer01230 Did I insult you in any way? You just proved my point - very low class comment.

[@qwer01230]

@@kikky811 lol but you still sober ppl up when you talk

[@kikky811]

@@qwer01230 And you still have no class. Lol Byeeee!

[@johnnybravo778]

We've been on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney and would by far prefer Disney. As a family of 5, it's the only real choice and it over-delivers on family memories. As @Michael J. said, I'm glad this review would steer anyone away who might otherwise lead to a cranky, unpleasant experience because it leaves more room for even the most casual of Disney fans to have a blast unlike any other on the open seas!

[@sprichie5469]

I used to work at a port from which Disney sailed. Cabin upgrades were available to purchase on the sail date in the embarkation area at that time for a considerable discount

[@danakruse7325]

An excellent review . I doubt I’ll ever go on a Disney cruise but if I did I would eat at the later time.

[@jillthomas1842]

Another great review of Disney. I would say that the adult entertainment was not the level it usually is. We have done 30 Disney Cruises.We followed this cruise with the Transatlantic and the entertainment was much better and they did have a speaker.

[@karendeangelis1358]

Wow. That is really eye opening. Not sure how I feel about the tipping thing. Seems very awkward.

[@tipsfortravellers]

It was so unsettling and uncomfortable!

[@oplocki1]

Honestly great tip at #1. Be familiar with the theme of a themed cruise, lol. Strange.

[@deborahparker6518]

On one Disney cruise, we were able to eat at the buffet area (Cabanas) for dinner one night. It was waiter-served and believe the menu was the same as one of the other restaurants (Tritons or Lumieres). It was very quiet as there were only a few tables with diners. We probably inquired about it at Guest Services. (That option may have been discontinued.)

[@krc5210]

I thought Disney would not be for us and you have confirmed that. But no prob because there should be cruises to meet all definitions about what is fun.

[@mads855]

My cousin and his wife went on a Disney cruise for their honeymoon 🤣 then when they were pregnant with their first child they all went to Disneyland and surprised their parents with matching shirts lol

[@Ron-x7j]

Love your videos. Cabanas wasn’t open until and thru dinner time? We have been on 9 of these and never felt pressure to tip more. On our last cruise, the dining staff did explain how important and excellent rating is for them and how much they would appreciate it if we thought they deserved it. It may have been a little forward, but nothing terrible and it was the only time during the entire cruise that it ever came up.

[@carol_draper]

I’ve been on 10 Disney cruises and HAVE NEVER BEEN PRESSURED FOR TIPS! They are concerned about ratings on the survey at the end because that card counts heavily for them or against them. There are a lot of inaccuracies in this list. There are plenty of areas to retreat away from kids and lots of adult only activities and tastings throughout the day and not just at night. Many people cruise Disney without kids. It’s quite common. It’s an amazing cruise line that is very clean and peaceful. Maybe you should try several of the ships and revisit your list.

[@GunnerHillTX]

No need to get defensive on Disney's behalf. This was Gary's first Disney cruise, and just because he didn't have the same fantastic experience as you seem to, that doesn't make his experience, opinions and comments any less valid than yours.

[@daniellevadgama643]

I agree completely. ZERO pressure for tips. The rating is very important to the dining team in particular, and they let you know that, but they also tell you that if ANYTHING is not to your liking to let them know. They want you to have a perfect experience, not just give the perfect rating. Also agree about adult only things going on during the day.

[@csmithreal]

​@Gunner Hill her name is disneycruisemomof3. I wouldn't be too concerned with her P.O.V.

[@carol_draper]

@@csmithreal just as I wouldn’t be concerned at all with you. You don’t know me and I could care less what you think. What I stated was facts. Period.

[@carol_draper]

@@GunnerHillTX the problem here is he gave inaccurate information. Period.

[@monkeygirl55]

I am not a huge Disney fan and I’ve done many cruises on different lines and I still go back to Disney. I’m 50 with no kids and still always have a relaxing time with the friends I travel with. And Castaway Cay in the Bahamas is amazing. The adult beach is quiet and beautiful.

[@WifeDesignLife]

Thank you for your informative videos! Going on our first Disney cruise in January. Keep the Disney cruise 🚢 videos coming please!

[@HHh-ej4rl]

My first cruise was with Disney back in the 80's. They were doing the similar with tips way back then too. Even the cabin steward was pushing it so much that my dad was done with cruising

[@best-sound]

That wasn´t even a disney cruise. That was third party, licensed cruise. First DCL cruise was 1998

[@brackjrdodd8789]

Cruising on Disney is our favorite but we have also cruised on Royal because of price. We have 20 DCL cruises as adults only and maybe it is because we love Disney but the experience is top notch.

[@BuckeyeToe]

I enjoyed this prospective about traveling on Disney without children. I have kids and am a big disney fan. One thing that I agree with is the pressure for an exceeds expectations when it comes to rating food. Now the food was really well done in my opinion but it wasn't the best I've ever had. That said, what isn't fair is how the line blames your serving team if they don't get the top score. I'm sorry but they aren't cooking the food. Now that being said the team goes far above and beyond when it comes to getting you want you want even if they need to head to a different kitchen and as much as you want. For that, they definitely got an extra tip from us. I never felt pressure to give more tip, those folks earn it. I would like to see a drink package, however you are permitted to bring a 6 pack of beer or a bottle of wine to enjoy in your stateroom. Love the videos!!

[@FraserAtSea]

I must say - the only thing I’m really interested in a Disney cruise for is the ship design. There isn’t really any other draws to the line - I really haven’t warmed to their concept through your videos. Thanks for sharing!

[@rmpa5727]

Yes the extra tips make me uncomfortable too, not to mention very pressured. Coming from a non tipping culture it seems like a form of grifting, now I'm thinking some will agree and others will disagree. Tipping people really can add up, 5 dollars, 1 dollar bills here and there and before you know it your cash is gone! This is my opinion anyways.

[@cherifurr3935]

Are you from Australia? Just curious.

[@ashleyconnor8891]

I live in a tipping country…and I agree with you. It sometimes feels like everyone has their hand out

[@diannebrideson2368]

Maybe gratuity procedure has changed. I recently booked a Disney cruise for 2024 and prepaid my gratuities on my booking

[@paulgerrard9227]

Gary. I dont know you but i wouldnt think you are not in the disney profile unless travelling with grandkids. I couldnt think of a better cruise to not bother looking at. It has its market

[@gman9525]

I am surprised that there were no talks on the area. When we went to Alaska and Norway there were talks that we went to. Could they have changed due to Covid-19?

[@sanarm9470]

Very nice throwing shade at Disney with the casino and Bingo😂

[@SmithCoInternational]

When my wife won a Disney cruise, I asked a co-worker who had cruises dozens of times what to expect. He said, “you’re screwed!” We had never cruises and now I expected sticky floors, running and screaming kids everywhere. We’re Disney moderate fans but not extreme so you can imagine what I was thinking. “No,” he said, “you misunderstand. You’ll *never* get as good service on any other cruise line!” Now we haven’t cruise all the others but it was true that Disney service was spectacular. Enough so that we booked a second one on Fantasy when it first sailed. A couple years later we wanted to cruise more but maybe with fewer kids and less ‘Donald.’ We researched and picked Celebrity. On one of their back stage ship tours, I saw employee posters that reminded me very much of Disney - importance of guest experience being paramount - importance of the personal relationship of each crew member to the guests. And after over a dozen Celebrity suite-level cruises, we’re satisfied. Although I did find the rotational dining with the same server crew and table mates to be conducive to friends and fun. Good, informative video. Keep up the good work!

[@ayanasarver4059]

I love to cruise and I really appreciate your channel. Keep up the good videos!

[@strongyp]

you can ask the State Room Host / Server for a paper version they will be printed on demand to save paper

[@WhitneyAbrina]

Wow you really took one for the team!

[@deskubrir]

Thank you for this review. Ship looks like going back to the 70s/80s. Even if I forget about the kids for a moment, this ship is not my thing. I like contemporary/modern ships like Celebrity Edge series.

[@rmpa5727]

The problem with information being digital is it can be at times internet dependent. And if you have been on a cruise ship where the internet is down more than a couple of hours, it can be most problematic as a full day definitely can. This is my opinion anyways.

[@best-sound]

Have you really been on a DCL ship? It only relies on Wifi, no internet is needed. And the intranet over wifi on the ships is very stable.

[@rmpa5727]

@@best-sound Have you really been on a ship were the internet or WiFi is not working ship wide? Not always reliable in my experience.

[@coles5243]

If you tell the server on day 1 that you will give them a good review (if there is an issues, you’d let them know upfront ) & you always tip extra - They leave you alone the rest of the trip (about the pitch).

[@cherylkavanagh3387]

So informative, as always, Gary.

[@DivaChicluvsCena]

Great perspective. I would def give it another try! Try one of their bigger ships The Fantasy or The Dream or the new ont The Wish. The magic and The Wander are the smaller in the fleets so I could see how your room would seem small. I actually like the tips and didnt feel pressured to give more at all. If we enjoyed our service or they gave a little extra magic, it was pleasure to give them a little extra!

[@Readit4Life_2Chron7_14]

Thank you Gary for your incredibly detailed explanations of the entire experience on this type of a cruise. I'd heard that DCL does a great job of providing services & entertainment for Adult only cruisers. I thought about doing this as I really liked Disney when I lived in So. Cal for decades. It got difficult after a while, when all my family & friends from out of state always wanted to go to Disneyland. Enough is enough & too much will make a dog sick. After viewing both of your DCL videos, now I can make a more informed decision as to whether or not I'd want to do a DCL cruise. Cheers!