cost of disney cruise 2022

How much does a Disney cruise really cost?

Editor's Note

Disney Cruise Line is known for its family-friendly cruises complete with all of your favorite Disney characters, impeccable dining, exciting entertainment and thrilling ports of call. With everything that's included on the sailings, you might be wondering how much a Disney cruise costs — and if you can afford one.

Cruises with Mickey Mouse and his pals range in price depending on many factors such as the embarkation port and destination, departure date, length of the cruise and cabin type you book. No matter which cruise you book, it will be pricey, like any Disney vacation. You'll have to determine what value you put on experiencing the "magic" of Disney.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

To me, it's worth a lot. I've experienced all five ships in the Disney fleet and have sailed seven times to destinations around the Caribbean and the Mediterranean .

Here, I'm sharing how much a Disney cruise costs per ship and itinerary, any extras that are worth the additional fees and how to save money on a Disney cruise.

How much does it cost to go on a Disney cruise?

Let's be honest: A cruise on any Disney ship isn't cheap. Factors like cabin type and category, sail date, destination, length of cruise, traveling party size and if you're on a themed cruise can impact the overall cost. If you're trying to keep your costs lower, your best option is to pick a cruise on an older ship (Disney Wonder, Disney Magic, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy) or pick a shorter cruise length.

The cheapest Disney cruise we found cost $1,000 for an inside cabin for two people on a two-night sailing on Disney Wonder in Australia. That's $250 per person per night.

If you're looking for a cheap Caribbean or Bahamian sailing, consider a three-night Bahamas cruise on Disney Magic starting at $1,500 for an inside cabin for two people. This also equates to $250 per person per day. Add in drinks, specialty dining, souvenirs and other expenses, and you can expect to spend around $2,500 in total.

On a recent sailing on the Disney Dream , my family of three and I spent five nights at sea in a balcony room and paid a grand total of $4,514.06. This total included everything from the cruise fare and pre-night hotel stay to parking and spa services.

Some examples of starting prices for each ship and its major itineraries for an inside cabin or a balcony cabin are listed below so you can get a sense of pricing across the fleet. Prices are based on double occupancy.

Disney Magic

One- to three-night Bahamas: inside cabins, $1,500 to $2,500; balcony cabins, $1,900 to $3,300 Four-night Caribbean and Bahamas: inside cabins, $1,800 to $3,200; balcony cabins, $2,300 to $4,000 Five- to six-night Caribbean and Bahamas: inside cabins, $2,200 to $4,400; balcony cabins, $3,000 to $6,600 Seven-night Caribbean: inside cabins, $2,700 to $3,300; balcony cabins, $3,800 to $4,900

Disney Wonder

Two- to three-night Australia: inside cabins, $1,000 to $2,100; balcony cabins, $1,200 to $2,800 Four-night Australia: inside cabins, $1,700 to $3,000; balcony cabins, $2,200 to $4,000 Seven-night Alaska: inside cabins, $3,300 to $5,000; balcony cabins, $5,900 to $10,500

Disney Dream

Three-night Bahamas: inside cabins, $1,700 to $2,300; balcony cabins, $2,000 to $2,600 Four-night Bahamas: inside cabins, $2,100 to $3,500; balcony cabins, $2,500 to $4,000 Five-night Caribbean: inside cabins, $2,800 to $4,400; balcony cabins, $3,100 to $5,000 Five-night Bahamas: inside cabins, $2,700 to $4,000; balcony cabins, $3,200 to $4,600 Seven-night Europe and Mediterranean: inside cabins $4,400 to $6,800; balcony cabins, $5,200 to $9,500

Disney Fantasy

Four-night Bahamas: inside cabins, $2,100 to $3,000; balcony cabins, $2,400 to $3,400 Five- to six-night Bahamas: inside cabins, $2,700 to $4,400; balcony cabins, $3,200 to $4,900 Seven-night Caribbean: inside cabins, $3,300 to $5,700; balcony cabins, $3,900 to $7,000

Disney Wish

Three-night Bahamas: inside cabins, $2,000 to $3,000; balcony cabins, $2,500 to $3,500 Four-night Bahamas: inside cabins, $2,600 to $4,600; balcony cabins, $3,000 to $5,600

Disney Treasure

The maiden voyage is set for Dec. 21, 2024.

Seven-night Caribbean: inside cabins, $4,200 to $5,800; balcony cabins, $5,200 to $7,000

Related: The 3 types of Disney Cruise Line ships, explained

Where do Disney cruises sail from?

Disney Cruises depart from 15 different ports around the world, but the major ones to think about from the U.S. include:

• Fort Lauderdale
• Port Canaveral, Florida
• Galveston, Texas
• New Orleans

The major international ports Disney Cruise Line sets sail from include:

• Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
• Melbourne, Australia
• Southampton, England
• Brisbane, Australia
• Vancouver (British Columbia), Canada

Depending on the cruise you pick, getting to and from the home port can be easy or take a little longer — and that can impact the total cost of your Disney cruise.

For instance, many people drive to Fort Lauderdale or Port Canaveral if they already live in the southern U.S. Driving can save money versus flying, and you might not have to stay in a pre-cruise hotel if you can drive right to the port.

You will have to pay to park at the port or at a third-party parking lot. While the off-site parking lots are often cheaper, you will need to think about how to get to and from the ship, tipping the porter or driver, plus the added time to get from your car to the ship.

On the other hand, if you are taking a cruise from an international destination or flying to a domestic home port, your costs automatically go up because of flights for your family, a pre-cruise hotel, meals before the sailing, and transportation to the ship and back to the airport.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Disney Cruise Line ship

What's included in the price of a Disney cruise?

You might pay a lot for a Disney cruise, but you get a lot for your money. The cost of a Disney cruise covers your onboard dining and most nonalcoholic drinks, an abundance of entertainment for kids and adults, onboard activities and transportation between cruise ports. Even most entertainment and food on Disney's private island Castaway Cay (and upcoming private island destination Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point) is part of the fare.

Entertainment

Most of the entertainment on board is included in the overall cost of your sailing. On your cruise, you can experience Broadway-quality shows inside the Walt Disney Theater, watch first-run movies from Disney's production companies (like Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars), listen to live music and participate in game shows in the adults-only lounges. Most itineraries feature a deck party with a fireworks show.

Kids can meet and play with their favorite Disney characters and participate in activities like karaoke. Family-friendly sun decks with pools, waterslides, splash zones and wading pools are also included in the cost.

Disney Cruise Line is known for its rotational dining evening dinner service. Families rotate through three onboard restaurants throughout the sailing, and your service team moves with you. Each of the rotational dining options is included in your cruise fare. One of the restaurants will be open for drop-in, sit-down meals during breakfast and lunch as well. Complimentary room service is available 24 hours a day.

On the upper decks, quick-service food stations, soft-serve ice cream and a buffet are available. Every Disney cruise also includes unlimited coffee, tea and soda.

Accommodations

Almost every cabin across the Disney fleet features Disney's distinctive split bathroom concept. One of the bathrooms has a vanity, sink and tub-shower, plus another bathroom with a vanity, sink and toilet. Each room also has a small refrigerator, safe and hair dryer.

Every child ages 3 to 17 will have access to Disney's kids clubs on board. Youngsters ages 3-10 can enjoy Disney's Oceaneer Club and Disney's Oceaneer Lab . Tweens ages 11-14 have access to Edge, and teens ages 14-17 can chill out in Vibe.

Each kids club has dedicated counselors and a host of activities every day. The best way to see the list of activities is to download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app and scroll through the daily agenda. You can flag activities your kids want to attend, so you can get to the kids clubs before they start.

Adult-exclusive activities

Disney cruises are packed with family-friendly programming, but adults can find spaces and events geared just for them in the adult-only nightclubs and lounges on board. Live music, interactive games and shows are only some of the nightly activities.

Additionally, adults have a dedicated pool and hot tub area that includes a bar and coffee shop. (Drinks cost extra, but access is free). For those looking to stay fit while onboard, access to the fitness center is also included.

Castaway Cay

On most Bahamas and Caribbean sailings, you'll stop at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay . At the island, your family can enjoy the family beach or adult-exclusive beach (for those 18 and older).

Use of towels, beach chairs and shade umbrellas are complimentary, as are waterslides and splash zones. Live music and character appearances take place around the island. Kids and teen club activities are available on Castaway Cay — again, at no extra charge. Runners can participate in the Castaway Cay 5K and get a finisher medal.

When it's time to eat, three spots serve an included barbecue lunch, complete with soft-serve ice cream. Coffee, tea and fountain drinks are also included at Castaway Cay.

To get around the island, you can walk or use the complimentary trams.

Related: Are cruises all-inclusive? What's actually included in your cruise fare

Are there any extra Disney costs?

Even though many activities, dining options and entertainment are included in the cost of your cruise, you will find things to pay extra for on a Disney cruise. These may or may not be worth it for your family, depending on your budget and interests. Below is a list of things not included in your overall cruise fare.

Some of the cutest Disney activities are also ones that cost extra. Kids who want more time with the Disney characters might be interested in the Royal Court Royal Tea — a tea party with characters for kids ages 3 to 12. According to planDisney (Disney's online resource for vacation-planning tips) , the cost is $220 per child and $69 for anyone 13 and up. Each tea party includes a selection of tea and a two-course meal; every child gets an assortment of gifts.

Kids can also play dress-up and get a full regal or pirate (only available on Pirate Party Nights) makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, found on every Disney ship. Depending on the package you booked for your child, expect to pay $100 to $450 for each makeover.

Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy both have a virtual sports simulator that requires a reservation and a fee. You can play various sports, from football to golf, for either 30- or 60-minute time blocks. Cost varies based on time, sport and number of people playing.

Specialty dining and cocktails

Four specialty dining restaurants are offered across the Disney Cruise Line fleet. Exclusive to Disney Wish (and coming soon to Disney Treasure ) are Enchante and Palo Steakhouse. Expect to pay $60 to $205 plus an 18% auto-gratuity for a meal at Enchante; Palo Steakhouse is $50 for a prix-fixe meal, but an a la carte menu is also available.

On the four other Disney Cruise Line ships, Palo is also $50 for prix-fixe and offers an a la carte menu. An 18% auto-gratuity is also tacked onto your bill.

On Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, Remy is also available, with the dessert experience starting at $65 without the 18% auto-gratuity, while brunch and dinner are $80 and $135 respectively, plus an additional 18% auto-gratuity.

On all ships, themed bars and lounges sling drinks. Because there's no drink package available through Disney Cruise Line, you will have to pay for each drink individually. The planDisney panel says the average drink can range from $6 to $20.

If you're looking for specialty coffee, tea or hot chocolate drinks, look for the Cove Cafe on all ships; there are also specialty counters off of the atrium on Disney Dream, Fantasy and Wish. These drinks cost anywhere from $5 to $8, depending on your order. You can also order alcoholic drinks from the coffee bars, which run the typical cocktail prices.

Outside the Walt Disney Theater or near the movie theaters on board each ship, you'll also smell the buttery goodness of freshly popped popcorn. You can buy the popcorn for an added fee to take into the shows with you. Additionally, there are some specialty popcorn buckets available for purchase on each ship; you can refill them for a discounted price every time you want to munch on the salty snack. (Specialty buckets purchased off the ships at a Disney resort or theme park are not eligible for a discounted popcorn refill.)

Additionally, each ship offers beverage-tasting seminars where you can learn how to make and taste a variety of cocktails in a given category. Seminars can range from $40 to $70 and last about an hour.

While crew gratuities on Disney Cruise Line are not included in the overall cost, some can be prepaid before you step onboard. These include gratuities to your dining room server, assistant server and head server, plus your cabin host. Disney recommends a gratuity of $14.50 per night per person, including infants and children in regular cabins. It's recommended that those in concierge cabins and suites pay $15.50, with the extra going to your cabin assistant host.

Gratuities that are not included can be paid on board. Such gratuities include anything extra you would like to give to your service team, tips on alcoholic beverages in the dining room, adult dining locations, room service and the spa. The concierge lounge team is also not included in prepaid gratuities for concierge guests, and Disney recommends $8 per night per guest.

Keep in mind that an 18% gratuity is automatically added to bar tabs across the ship and for spa services. To make it easy while on the ship, you can charge all your gratuities to your onboard account.

If you want to bring something home from your trip — whether from a port of call or from the onboard shops — you'll want to budget for that extra cost. Souvenirs off the ship can range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars, depending on what you buy. Be prepared that some shops will only take local currency; purchases at Castaway Cay shops will be charged to your onboard account.

On the ship, easy-to-transport souvenirs included trading pins, magnets and apparel. These can range anywhere from $20 to $75. Other more expensive onboard souvenirs include jewelry, luxury brand purses and wallets, and art.

Related: 26 Disney cruise tips, tricks, secrets and extra magic to unlock

How do I save money on a Disney cruise?

If you're reeling from sticker shock, know you can find many ways to save money on a Disney cruise. Here are a few of my favorite money-saving tips.

Letting Disney choose your cabin can be a great way to get a deal on the cruise. These are known as guaranteed rates, and they are the cheapest fares in each category. All you have to do is pick your room type, such as inside, ocean view or balcony, and Disney picks which specific room number you get. This works best if you don't care where your room is on the ship.

If you're looking for a room upgrade , but that's not a make-it-or-break-it deal for your family, consider waiting to upgrade your room until you get to the port. If your cruise still has rooms available, you can ask at check-in about a room upgrade for a discount. The cost will be relative to the room type you originally booked and the room type you want to upgrade to. Sometimes, you can even upgrade to a concierge room or a suite, but you will need to get an early port arrival time to potentially score one of those upgrades.

Disney Cruise Line has one of the most generous alcohol policies of any big-ship cruise brand. At the start of your cruise, you can bring up to six cans of beer or two bottles of wine per person over 21 years old. Then, at each port, you can restock and bring the same alcohol allotment per person over 21 onto the ship to store in your room and enjoy. You might find that beer and wine are cheaper in port than on board — a smart way to save on your drinking expenses.

Related: Best Disney cruise ships for everyone — even Disney adults

Are Disney cruises cheaper or more expensive than other cruise lines?

Other family-friendly cruise brands include Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises. While all of the family-friendly brands have pros and cons, picking the right one for your family can come down to a matter of cost. Disney is almost always the most expensive.

For example, we priced out a three-night weekend cruise departing on the same dates for Disney Wish and Royal Caribbean 's soon-to-debut Utopia of the Seas. We found that Disney was almost $500 more expensive for the same weekend, cabin type and length of sailing. Utopia of the Seas came out to $2,850.10 for two people staying in a balcony cabin, while the Disney Wish cruise, also in a balcony room, cost $3,337.20.

What Disney does best — and why many people choose to cruise with the brand — is it provides a high level of service to families, even those in the least expensive cabins. The crew on Disney ships goes above and beyond to make your vacation easy. I've seen everything from dining staff cutting kids' food and taking children to the bathroom to room hosts ensuring parents know about the parental locks on balcony doors (so kids can't just wander outside without an adult).

The extra amenities that Disney offers — such as Broadway-quality shows, character experiences and larger standard cabins — all bring the overall cruise cost up.

Disney also has a smaller fleet than all its family-friendly competitors, meaning there is less cabin inventory to sell. Plus, its ships generally carry fewer passengers. For example, Disney Wish, Disney's biggest ship, carries 4,000 people at full capacity; Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas can carry 7,600 guests at capacity. The low inventory combined with the high demand for Disney cruises means that Disney can charge higher fares and still fill ships.

Bottom line

Cruise fares with Disney can change based on factors like room type, travel party size and sailing date. The minimum price you can expect to pay for a cruise to the Caribbean or Bahamas starts at $1,500 for an inside cabin for two people on Disney Magic.

Disney Cruise Line includes a variety of dining experiences (including room service), soda, character meet-and-greets and Broadway-caliber entertainment in its fares; it also allows passengers to bring alcohol on board in every port of call. For these reasons, you don't necessarily have to spend much on board to have a fantastic vacation. The cruise can be a good value depending on the extras you choose to add.

The real question is whether you want to spend more on the base cruise fare to immerse yourself in the world of Disney versus paying less for another family-friendly cruise line.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

How Much Does a Disney Cruise Cost?

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

Where does Disney sail?

Disney's fleet of cruise ships, disney cruise costs, how to save money on a disney cruise, disney cruise costs, recapped.

If you’ve caught yourself researching Disney cruises lately, we don’t blame you — with waterslides galore and a reputation for luxury, Disney cruises can be a lot of fun. But they can also be pricey, and those costs can add up if you’re sailing with multiple people.

If you’ve been asking, “How much is a Disney cruise?,” we have the answer for you. Let’s look at the options for cruises, how much they cost and ways you can make them more affordable.

No matter where you’re looking to go, Disney likely has a cruise for you. Sure, you won’t find ships heading to Antarctica, but there are still plenty of destinations from which to choose, including:

New Zealand.

Pacific Coast.

Panama Canal.

South Pacific.

Trans-Atlantic.

Many of these destinations are oriented toward North American travelers, but you’ll find options scattered all over the world.

» Learn more: Is cruise travel insurance worth the cost?

Despite its wide variety of destinations, Disney operates only six ships. Its newest ship, the Disney Treasure, is set to launch in December 2024.

Along with the Disney Treasure, you can opt to sail with:

Disney Dream.

Disney Fantasy.

Disney Magic.

Disney Wonder.

Disney Wish.

» Learn more: The best Disney credit card might surprise you

So, how much should you save to cover Disney cruise costs? The short answer: It depends.

No, that’s probably not what you want to hear, but it’s the truth. The price of a Disney cruise is going to be influenced by a variety of factors, including:

Where you’re going.

The trip’s duration.

Which Disney ship you’re on.

How many people you’re traveling with.

The type of stateroom you book.

Any add-ons or specialty bookings you choose.

If you’re looking for an all-out experience, it’s pretty easy to rack up a big bill. Disney cruises are well known as an expensive option, but tacking on high-end touches such as a concierge room and spa visits will really drive up the price.

The cheapest cruises you’ll find tend to sail from San Diego, and they’re the shortest trips as well. We searched for sailings across the calendar and found the cheapest rates rang in at $1,326 for two guests in an inside room on a three-night trip from San Diego.

In contrast, the most expensive cruise we found was a 10-night option that travels through Iceland, Norway, France and Denmark. The price tag came in at $6,489 for two guests in an inside cabin and rose to $28,089 for a concierge-level room.

» Learn more: How I did a 5-day, $4,000 Disney trip for just $1,600

There’s no denying that Disney cruises can be expensive. However, there are ways you can save money on your booking.

Find discounted sailings

This first option seems obvious, but you’ll want to specifically search for discounted sailings. Although Disney doesn’t always offer sales, if they are available, you'll find them on the Disney cruise line page — just click “Show special offer filters” when searching.

The special offers filter will let you know what types of discounts are available, like the example above promoting up to 35% off on select sailings.

Skip the add-ons

The base fare for these trips includes almost everything, so if you’re looking to drop the cost of a Disney cruise, consider avoiding add-ons. This means skipping out on things like wine tastings and specialty drinks as well as forgoing dinner at Palo, the adults-only Italian restaurant that comes with additional costs.

Instead, enjoy the plethora of complimentary activities, such as pools, movies, shows, karaoke, dancing and more. And when it comes to food and beverage, simply sip the included soda and coffee, eat the (already amazing) free food and don’t forget to order a Mickey ice cream bar with your complimentary room service.

Disney is notable in that it also allows you to bring your own alcohol on board. Each guest older than 21 can bring up to two bottles of wine or six cans of beer when they first board and at every port of call. Considering that alcohol on the ship can be pretty expensive, this is a good way to save money.

Use a promotion

Do you live in Florida or Southern California? Or perhaps you’re a member of the U.S. military ? If any of these apply to you, you may have special access to discounted Disney cruise prices.

You’ll be able to find these deals via that special offers filter shown above. For example, that three-night San Diego sailing mentioned above dropped from $1,326 to $1,164 once we selected the U.S. military filter.

Redeem points

Last, but certainly not least, is the option to redeem your points for a Disney cruise. While there’s no good way to transfer points directly, there are still ways you can use points toward your booking.

The most convenient way is by using a credit card that’ll wipe away your travel costs. Plenty of cards have this feature, but two fairly decent ones are the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . Both cards will allow you to redeem your points toward purchases at a rate of 1 cent per point.

Even better, these redemptions can be stacked with other discounts, allowing you to drop your costs even more. For example, a member of the U.S. military can redeem 116,400 Capital One Miles to pay for their entire cruise, an excellent double dip that saves money and miles.

» Learn more: 7 tips for getting the best deal on your next cruise

The cost of a Disney cruise can vary dramatically based on your needs and sailing preferences. However, you should expect to spend at least $1,000 on a cruise for two passengers. The price goes up from there depending on your cabin selection, trip duration and destination choices, among other options.

If you’re looking to save money on a Disney cruise, consider waiting for a sale, checking relevant discounts or redeeming points to help keep your out-of-pocket costs low. And if you like to enjoy an alcoholic beverage every once in a while, we recommend bringing your preferred drink with you on board.

(Top photo courtesy of Disney Cruise Line)

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-3x Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

How Much Is a Disney Cruise?

Disney Cruise Line is an excellent choice for families and couples who want to experience the magic of Disney at sea. That said, these premier cruises do come with a premier price tag. How much do Disney cruises cost, what are the factors that contribute to its price, and how can you save on your next Disney cruise? Let’s investigate Disney Cruise Prices!

Factors Affecting the Price of a Disney Cruise Fare

Nemo’s Reef on Disney cruise ship

Prices can vary based on many considerations. Let’s start by looking at a few examples to illustrate how much Disney cruises cost for 2023, then we’ll examine what contributes to the prices.

How Much is a Disney Cruise? 2023 Examples of Disney Cruise Prices:

• Disney Wonder ’s 3-Night Baja Disney Cruise from San Diego , sailing Thursday, March 16 to Sunday, March 19, costs $3,421 for an Inside stateroom, $2,897 for an Oceanview stateroom, $3,779 for a Verandah stateroom, and $5,891 Concierge stateroom. These prices are for 2 adults and 2 children, including taxes and fees.
• Disney Magic ’s 4-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from New Orleans, sailing Thursday, February 23 to  Monday, February 27, costs $3,421 for an Inside stateroom, $3,669 for an Oceanview stateroom, $4,197 for a Verandah stateroom, and $7,453 Concierge stateroom, for 2 adults and 2 children, with taxes and fees.
• Disney Dream ’s 5-Night Bahamian Cruise from Miami (with 2 Stops at Disney Castaway Cay ), sailing from Monday, April 10 to Saturday, April 15, costs $3,390 for an Inside stateroom, $3,530 for an Oceanview stateroom, $3,850 for a Verandah stateroom, and $9,310 Concierge stateroom. These prices are for 2 adults and include taxes and fees.

Note: Quoted prices can change quickly; contact The Vacationeer for updated pricing and more information for these 2023 Disney Cruise itineraries. They also have some of the best Disney Cruise onboard credit in the business and can provide an exact quote for how much a Disney cruise will cost for your family.

Why is there such a wide range in the Disney Cruise cost? Many variables affect the base fare for a Disney cruise.

General factors that affect the base cruise fare price include:

• Ship – In general, newer, larger ships with the latest innovations and newest features have higher fares than older, smaller ships that may not be as updated. While all Disney Cruise Line ships are outstanding, the newest and largest ship, Disney Wish , commands higher fares than the oldest, smallest vessel, Disney Magic . At times, however, older ships may still have higher fares, if they have recently been renovated or if they are offering longer, more elaborate itineraries.
• Length of Cruise – It is no surprise that longer cruises naturally have higher prices. Three and four-night sailings are generally less expensive overall, but their per-night price may actually be higher than longer sailings. Disney offers cruises that range from 3-night weekend sailings to extravagant voyages of 14 nights or longer.
• Itinerary – Where a cruise ship travels will affect the fare price. Cruise lines have financial agreements with ports of call, and pay different amounts to dock at piers depending on the available facilities, the size of the ship, and how long it will be docked. These port fees are passed along to passengers. A cruise that visits more ports will naturally have higher total port fees than a cruise with fewer calls. The Home Port (where the ship starts and ends its journey) also matters; sailing out of New York might be more expensive than a Disney Cruise from Galveston , and a cruise from New Orleans would have a different price than a similar cruise sailing out of Miami .   Disney cruises visit ports around the world , including sailings in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Mexico, Alaska , Hawaii , and more, all at different prices.
• Passengers – Unlike most hotel reservations which charge a flat rate per room, cruise fares are per person .   — so cruising with a family of four people will cost more than cruising with just two or three. The oldest two people in the room are always charged the full adult rate regardless of age. Any additional passengers in the same stateroom pay fares based on their ages , and even infants are charged a cruise fare . If you’re cruising solo, you’ll likely have to pay a so-called “single supplement” because you don’t have two people in your room and prices are quoted based on double occupancy.
• Sailing Date – Just like prices of other types of travel fluctuate throughout the year, the price of Disney cruises will also fluctuate based on sailing date . When family cruise vacations are more popular, such as during school vacations or holidays, demand for traveling is greater and prices will be higher. In general, cruises early in the year, after the Christmas and New Year holiday season but before spring break vacations, are the least expensive. Early fall cruises, after school begins but before Halloween kicks off the year-end holiday experiences, can also be more affordable.
• Stateroom Type – The most important factor affecting the cost of a cruise, including Disney cruise vacations, is the type of stateroom selected. Smaller rooms with fewer amenities – typically interior cabins – are less expensive, but larger rooms with balconies or verandahs are more expensive. The most elaborate cabins, the concierge suites, offer the greatest amenities and most space, but at the highest prices.

Stateroom on a Disney Cruise Ship

Costs Not Included in the Disney Cruise Fare

The cruise fare, while often the bulk of cruise vacation expenses, is not the trip’s complete cost. When booking a Disney cruise , it is important to understand what additional costs are necessary – some required, some optional – to budget properly for the vacation.

• Travel to the Port – Unless guests are fortunate enough to live close to a Disney cruise ship’s home port , the travel costs just to reach the cruise can add up quickly. Depending on how travelers reach the port, this may include airfare, airport transfers , hotel rooms, gas costs, parking fees, toll roads, and other charges, both before and after the cruise.
• Taxes and Port Fees – In addition to the published fare price, cruise passengers are also assessed government taxes and port fees for their voyage. These will vary depending on the ship’s itinerary, how long the voyage lasts, and where the cruise begins and ends. At times, fuel surcharges may also be part of these fees.
• Gratuities – While not required, it is customary to pay gratuities to the crew members who make cruise vacations so memorable. Disney Cruise Line makes this easy with the option to pre-pay gratuities prior to sailing, or guests can have gratuities automatically added to their shipboard accounts. The suggested amount as of July 2022 is $14.50 per day, per cruise passenger , which is divided up among the stateroom host and dining staff (this fee may be slightly higher in suites, which have more dedicated staff and a greater range of services). Additional gratuities for room service, Port Adventures, and other services are always at guests’ discretion.
• Specialty Drinks and Dining – While there are abundant free drinks and dining options available on all Disney cruises , specialty options do have extra charges. This includes alcoholic beverages , smoothies, specialty coffees, and bottled water, as well as premium dining choices such as the adults-only restaurants (Palo, Remy, etc.), and sweets purchased at themed shops onboard, such as sundaes from Vanellope’s Sweets & Treats aboard Disney Dream or similar shops on other ships.
• Premium Activities – Every cruise is packed with fun from bow to stern, and many activities such as trivia contests, dance parties, group competitions, character meetings, and extravagant stage shows are all included in the cruise fare. Certain premium activities, however, do have extra charges. These include magical makeovers, wine tastings, spa treatments, personal fitness training, bingo games, and exclusive events that include personalization and commemorative gifts, such as the Royal Court Royal Tea experience.
• Port Adventures – When guests leave the cruise ship for explorations in port, extra costs are expected. The guided Port Adventures are not included in the cruise fare, but can be well worth the cost as these tours have been investigated by the cruise line and are designed to help guests explore ports safely and hassle-free. While they’re always optional, Port Adventures on some itineraries (such as Disney’s Alaska excursions ) truly enhance the trip. Tips to port tour guides and drivers are customary, but always at guests’ discretion.
• Souvenirs – All souvenirs to commemorate a Disney cruise vacation are additional expenses to plan for. This may include photos taken by ship photographers, as well as different items purchased in shops, such as t-shirts, toys, magnets, hats, jewelry, photo frames, and much more, with many items exclusively available only onboard Disney ships. Similarly, souvenir items purchased in ports of call are also additional vacation budget expenses. Guests should also be aware that “forgotten” items can be purchased onboard – charging cables, sunscreen, batteries, hygiene products, etc. – but at very premium prices.
• WiFi Access – Our lives today are highly digital, and even on vacation many travelers want to stay up-to-date with social media, email, and favorite blogs or websites. The WiFi access on Disney cruise ships does have extra fees, which vary based on the type of plan guests choose. Different plans permit different numbers of devices to connect or may feature different levels of connectivity, which allows travelers to choose the exact plan that meets their needs. All guests can use onboard WiFi for free for the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app , which can help them organize their fun by making reservations, viewing daily activities, accessing deck plans, and more.
• Laundry – While few guests ever want to do household chores while on vacation, running a load or two of laundry may be necessary, especially when packing conservatively to save luggage space. All Disney cruise ships have self-service laundry facilities on board, but there is a charge to use the machines. Coins are not necessary, however, as the machines are paid via guests’ shipboard accounts. Full-service laundry and dry cleaning services are also available onboard, for additional charges.
• Travel Protection – Travel plans can change in an instant, and a last-minute illness, injury, job loss, or another issue could disrupt even the most carefully laid vacation plans. Furthermore, travel delays en route to the port could result in missing the ship, while accidents or illnesses could happen during the cruise . Travel protection insurance is highly recommended for all travelers to safeguard their vacation investment but is an extra fee based on the conditions of the cruise, the number of travelers, and the type of protection selected.

Dining on a Disney Cruise Ship

Saving on a Disney Cruise

With so many extra charges that are not included in a basic fare, the cruise vacation deal that may have seemed relatively inexpensive to start can quickly become much more costly than anticipated. Fortunately, there are also many ways to save , protecting a vacation budget without sacrificing the Disney magic of the getaway.

Working with an authorized Disney Vacation Planner is the best way to save, as these experts can access bonuses and promotional offers such as free stateroom upgrades, included ship credits, and more, which can all bring down the overall cost of the vacation. Expert planners can also help advise eager travelers on the best Disney cruise ships and itineraries to meet and exceed their cruise vacation dreams while working within practical budget expectations.

Guests should research their cruise plans and the Disney Cruise cost thoroughly before booking, and be reasonable about their own budget and what they expect to purchase during the cruise. Looking at the cruise as an opportunity to unplug from the digital world can save money on WiFi connection plans, for example, or staying onboard the ship to enjoy all its amazing features instead of spending money on multiple Port Adventures can be a great savings. If the vacation can be planned at a less expensive time of year to set sail, that can also lead to significant savings.

Why Do Disney Cruise Ships Cost More Than Other Cruise Lines?

As travelers research Disney cruises, they may find that setting sail with Disney Cruise Line can be dramatically more expensive than sailing with other major cruise lines. Even when ship sizes and ages, as well as itineraries and ports of call, are all comparable, Disney Cruise Line is still typically more expensive.

This is because Disney Cruise Line is set apart as a premium line, and as such, includes a variety of features directly in the cruise fare , whereas many other cruise lines charge extra fees for the same items. For example, Disney cruises include free 24-hour room service, with an extensive menu that includes selected appetizers, salads, soups, and kid-friendly entrees, such as hot dogs, chicken tenders, burgers, and pizza, as well as a few desserts. Many other cruise lines charge for room service, may have fees for room service at certain times of day, or may not offer as complete a menu.

Similarly, soda is included for free on Disney cruises, when it is ordered with meals or from selected locations onboard. Other cruise lines charge individually for all sodas or offer drinks packages that include all non-alcoholic beverages but at hefty per-day fees.

Finally, there is no substitute for the Disney cruise experience, which makes the Disney Cruise cost worth it. Magic abounds on every deck with special details to discover throughout the ship, from luxury touches that make the magic come to life for all travelers to total immersion in the world of Disney, the fun of hidden Mickeys onboard each of the line’s vessels, cruise ship funnels that “sing” classic Disney tunes, and the ability to indulge in the youthful magic all ages can enjoy. Disney cruises are more expensive, yes, but the price is well worthwhile for the amazing experience that awaits.

Girl staring out at sea on a Disney Cruise Ship

Book Your Disney Cruises 

Are you ready to book your Disney Cruise? Do you have any questions regarding the Disney Cruise cost? The Vacationeer is here to help!

The Vacationeer is a Disney travel agency that can provide you with the latest Disney Cruise Line pricing and itinerary information, as well as personalized vacation planning. They also have some of the best Disney Cruise onboard credit in the business, and can also let you know about last-minute Disney cruise deals . Best of all, the services of The Vacationeer are 100% free!

Related Posts:

Share This Page: Choose Your Platform!

About the author: melissa mayntz.

Related Posts

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

The Disney Cruise Line Blog

An unofficial disney cruise line news, information, weather, and photo blog..

Disney Cruise Line’s Summer 2022 Sailings – A Look at Opening Day Prices

The recently announced Summer 2022 Disney Cruise Line sailings went on sale today for Platinum Castaway Club members as well as residents of Disney’s Golden Oak. Sailings began to appear online in the 6 o’clock hour, well before the phone lines opened at 8:00 AM Eastern.

Now, it is time to take a look at the opening day pricing for the Summer 2022 Disney Cruise sailings. Please keep in mind, the pricing information is not available to view online for Gold & Silver Castaway Club Members, and first-time cruisers. As tiered booking windows open this week, the sailings will appear bases individual Castaway Club status.

Below, I’ve collected the opening day pricing, lowest price per stateroom category, based on double occupancy (2 adults) for all of the Summer 2022 cruises to provide a general idea on where the cruises are priced. I realize this does not take into account onboard booking, or a more detailed quote for your sailing party. For a more detailed look at quotes, I would suggest the opening day pricing thread over at disboards.com.

Interested in comparing Summer 2022 to Summer 2021, well, you are in luck, here is the Summer 2021 opening day look at prices .

The idea for this post was simply to get baseline pricing for each cruise and I felt 2 adults provided the baseline for double occupancy to help everyone plan for Gold, Silver, and first-time cruisers booking windows. The pricing is grouped by ship and itinerary for more of an apples to apple comparison.

One last note, the pricing below is representative of a snapshot in time on opening day. As cruises book, prices will increase and stateroom availability will dwindle. The pricing below includes taxes, fees & port expenses for 2 adults.

Disney Dream Summer 2022 Opening Day Prices

Port canaveral, florida.

3-Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral Port Canaveral, Florida • Castaway Cay • At Sea

Miami, Florida

3-Night Bahamian Cruise from Miami Miami, Florida • Castaway Cay • Nassau, Bahamas

4-Night Bahamian Cruise from Miami Miami, Florida • Nassau, Bahamas • Castaway Cay • At Sea

4-Night Bahamian Cruise from Miami Miami, Florida • At Sea • Nassau, Bahamas • Castaway Cay

5-Night Bahamian Cruise from Miami with 2-Stops at Castaway Cay Miami, Florida • Castaway Cay • Nassau, Bahamas • Castaway Cay • At Sea

5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Miami Miami, Florida • At Sea • Grand Cayman • At Sea • Castaway Cay

5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Miami Miami, Florida • Castaway Cay • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea

Disney Fantasy Early 2022 Opening Day Prices

5-night Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral Port Canaveral, Florida • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • At Sea • Castaway Cay

7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral Port Canaveral, Florida • At Sea • At Sea • Tortola, British Virgin Islands • St. Thomas, USVI • At Sea • Castaway Cay

7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on Disney Fantasy – Itinerary C Port Canaveral, Florida • At Sea • At Sea • St. Maarten • San Juan, Puerto Rico • At Sea • Castaway Cay

7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral Port Canaveral, Florida • At Sea • Cozumel, Mexico • Grand Cayman • Falmouth, Jamaica • At Sea • Castaway Cay

9-Night Southern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral Port Canaveral, Florida • At Sea • At Sea • St. Maarten • Roseau, Dominica • Antigua • St. Thomas, USVI • At Sea • Castaway Cay

Disney Magic Early 2022 Opening Day Prices

Since the Disney Magic is offering unique sailings over the summer, I am simply presenting the opening day prices in chronological order.

Disney Wonder Early 2022 Opening Day Prices

Vancouver, canada.

7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver Vancouver, Canada • At Sea • Dawes Glacier, Alaska • Skagway, Alaska • Juneau, Alaska • Ketchikan, Alaska • At Sea

7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver Vancouver, Canada • At Sea • Dawes Glacier, Alaska • Icy Strait Point, Alaska • Juneau, Alaska • Ketchikan, Alaska • At Sea

Now that you have had a chance to see opening day pricing for Disney Cruise Line’s Summer 2022 sailings, what do you think? What are you booking?

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

16 Replies to “Disney Cruise Line’s Summer 2022 Sailings – A Look at Opening Day Prices”

Thank you for taking the time! We are Gold and this helps a lot for tomorrow.

Kimi, Pleased to hear that this information was useful! Good luck booking tomorrow.

Thank you. Now if I can just get them to answer the phone. On hold for 1 hr 24 minutes so far. I have a placeholder so no option to book on line. It’s not usually this long. I wonder what is going on. Coupled with the demand and a high percentage of guests re-booking summer cruises that were cancelled in 2020 and 2021.

Shari, As is the case across The Walt Disney Company due to cast member furloughs, they are working with a reduced staff.

Thank you for the great baseline for Summer 2022 prices, Scott I appreciate it and everything you do on this site

Yes Scott. Thanks for your hard work. The pricing was spot on. The almost 2 hour wait was worth it. The prices seem somewhat cheaper. I don’t know if it is because of early booking due to being platinum.

Hey bro, just an observation, the word “opening” on your link labeled “opening day pricing thread over at disboards.com.” is linking to fall 2021.

Thanks, this has been corrected.

Thank you so much for putting these together. I’ll be booking Wednesday morning with my FCC.

You are the best Scott. I always come to you first.

Hi Scott. Have no idea why my posts aren’t showing up. Anyway, is the Dream permanently moving to Port of Miami? Even though we live in Miami, there is nothing like being at Port Canaveral. Thanks for the great job.

May need to clear your cache. All of your comments that were in a pending status have been approved to show.

Absolutely gutted I have been waiting since Monday to be able to book my cruise and the prices have gone up almost $3000 from what is above

Thanks Scott. Do you know what’s going on with the Dream? Why is it going out of Port Miami with their double dip?

Dear Scott, thank you for the work you keep on doing for all of us, even the ones living in europe. Talking about europe and DCL and Meyer´s shipyard in Papenburg/germany and Meyer´s second shipyard in R‌ostock/germany (at the baltic sea), where they build certain parts of the Wish as they did with the Fantasy and the Dream, you keep sending us videos showing the “journey of those ship´s-parts” from the baltic sea (Rostock) to Papenburg (located close to the Netherlands at the north sea), and show the transit through the KIEL-CANAL (aka Nord-Ostseekanal) which is the connection between baltic and northern seas and similar beautiful as the Panama-canal is. There comes my question, how to convince DCL to offer passages through that Kiel-canal, on their Disney magic northern cruises which would save at least one day cruising around Denmark with no shore-excursion there and cruising through that Kiel-canal, showing guest the absolute beauty of northern Germany´s Schleswig Holstein and the southernmost parts (almost) of Denmark. However there being no mosquitoes and no yellow fever as are in Panama. The Kiel-canal is about 120 miles long and the passage takes about 7-8 hrs ending close to Kiel, a cruise-harbour even not yet recognised by DCL with shore excursions available to the towns of Hamburg and Lübeck as well as the world famous Legoland in Denmark, and even possibilities to visit Meyer´s shipyard and see Disney´s ships grow. I have been there three times when they built the Dream and the Fantasy and I really loved it. Hope this might help to extend the northern cruises of europe a bit.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Comparing Disney Cruise Cost Per Person and Prices of Each Ship

Jul 21, 2023 | Disney | 0 comments

The cost of a Disney Cruise varies depending on the size and composition of each family. In our case, as a family of four (two adults and two kids), we have considered a specific price. This all-inclusive package encompasses everything necessary for the cruise experience, and in certain itineraries, it even includes shore excursions and adult beverages.

Everyone dreams about experiencing a magical Disney Cruise Vacation! But how much does a Disney Cruise Cost? The answer depends on the type of Disney cruise ship, the distance of your trip, and the time of year. Prices start at around 800 to $1,000 per person for shorter adventure cruises and can exceed $6,500 per person for longer trips with multiple ports of call.

Additionally, as we mentioned before costs may include luxury staterooms, excursions, meals, and drinks so keep reading and learn more about Disney cruise ships for first-timers including the Disney Treasure Ship

Get FREE Information by joining our private  Facebook Group  sharing  Amazing Travel Destination  photos and asking for tips and tricks! 

Book Your Trip with Blissful Travel Escapes

Tell us more about yourself to get matched with a Blissful Travel Advisor and start planning your dream trip today.

The Logistics Cost of a Disney Cruise?

When planning your cruise it is important to research all of the available options and find the best deal for you and your family. Booking in advance usually saves money on a Disney Cruise vacation . When looking at pricing, remember to factor in additional costs such as taxes and fees, tips for the crew, and any shore excursions you plan to take.

Finally, don’t forget about all the wonderful benefits that come with a Disney Cruise. From incredible entertainment to delicious dining experiences, you will have plenty of memories to last long after you disembark from your magical voyage!

If you’re considering booking your first Disney Cruise, you’ve come to the right place! Our knowledgeable Variety team is here to assist you, guiding you in Spanish to ensure you make the most of your vacation experience. Let us help you create unforgettable memories!

Where Does Disney Cruise Sail?

Disney Cruise Line offers cruises to all sorts of destinations, such as the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Europe, and beyond. Each destination has its unique character and attractions.

When it comes to cost, the price of a Disney cruise varies depending on the type of voyage, length of trip, and time of year. Generally speaking, shorter cruises tend to be more economical at around 800 to $1,000 per person. Longer trips to multiple ports can cost up to $6,500 per person or more. In addition, luxury staterooms of 22,000 average price, excursions, meals, and drinks can add substantially to the total cost of the cruise.

When planning a Disney Cruise vacation, it is important to make your research all of the available options and find the best deal. Booking in advance can often save money on cruise packages, so it is wise to plan. Be sure to compare prices across all of the destinations to get the highest value for your dollar.

By taking into account all of these factors, a Disney Cruise vacation can be an unforgettable experience for you and your family without breaking the bank.

How Much Will a Disney Cruise Price In the Future? 

We analyzed the average cost of a Disney Cruise for our own family of 4 on various itineraries, taking into account all taxes and cabin types: inside, oceanview, and verandah.

Please note that the concierge level is not included in this analysis. The prices for the inside to verandah cabins are relatively similar. Once we review the costs, we will explain how to obtain the greatest value for your money.

Typically, the cost of a Disney Cruise increases annually. However, in 2024, we anticipate that prices will remain stable, except for the new Disney cruise. The Disney Treasure Ship 2024. Additionally, keep an eye out for more promotional deals aimed at encouraging individuals to return to cruising.

The Different Disney Cruise Ships

Disney provides a wide array of travel options, boasting a fleet of five ships that includes the upcoming Disney Treasure and Disney Adventure Cruise ships. Among their latest additions is the highly anticipated Disney Wish, set to embark on its maiden voyage in June 2022. This magnificent vessel has garnered significant attention for its opulent design and captivating features. Get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey with Disney!

According to the search results, you will find found 7 Disney cruise lines, here are some of the most popular destinations of each Disney cruise ship:

Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy: These ships offer various itineraries to destinations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, including stops at popular ports such as Nassau, Castaway Cay, and Cozumel.

Wonder Cruise Ship: This ship offers itineraries to destinations in Alaska, including ports like Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, where passengers can experience the breathtaking natural beauty of the region.

Disney C ruise Magic: Disney Magic sails to various destinations around the world, including Europe, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the British Isles. Guests can explore cities like Barcelona, Rome, and Copenhagen, as well as visit iconic landmarks and cultural sites.

Disney Wish (New ship): The Disney Wish will feature itineraries to the Bahamas, with stops at popular ports like Nassau and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Disney Treasure: For those who are willing to exercise a little patience, there’s an enticing option to consider. Delaying your Disney Treasure cruise until May 2025 allows you to embark on this extraordinary adventure at a significantly reduced cost. Starting at just $3,944, two adults can indulge in this unforgettable experience for less than half the original price.

Disney Adventure Cruise Ship: The announcement of the new ship’s name Disney Adventure perfectly aligns with the vessel’s essence, reflecting the same “adventurous spirit” evoked by the highly anticipated Disney Treasure. Undoubtedly, when Disney Adventure makes its debut in 2025, it will offer unparalleled adventures and ignite the explorer’s spirit among its passengers.

Disney Wish Cruise Prices:

For a Family of 4, a 3-night sailing will be around $3,000 – $5,000 per sailing which comes to about  $250-$450 per person.  The 4-night cruise is typically a better deal as it sails during the week. For 4 nights the pricing for 4 people is $3,400 – $6,600, which comes to  $212 – $412 per person.

Please note that these destinations may vary depending on the specific cruise itinerary, season, and availability. It’s always best to check with Disney Cruise Line directly for the most up-to-date information on their cruise destinations.

> Learn More about The Best Overall Disney Cruise ships

How Much Does the Disney Wish Cost Per Person?

The Disney Wish, the latest addition to the Disney Cruise Line fleet, stands out as one of the largest and most opulent ships. Departing from Port Canaveral, it embarks on memorable 4-night voyages to Nassau, Bahamas, with a delightful stop at the breathtaking Castaway Cay. The cost of a Disney Wish cruise per person ranges from $900 to $3,500, depending on the aforementioned factors.

Disney Cruise Prices by Destination

Embark on a truly magical experience aboard the Disney Wish! Discover the enchantment of a 3-night Bahamian cruise from Port Canaveral, starting at just $1,800 per person for an interior cabin. For those seeking a longer adventure, indulge in a 7-night Caribbean cruise. Prices for the same cabin type can exceed $3,500 per person.

Imagine setting sail to breathtaking destinations like Castaway Cay and Nassau. In 2024, 3-night sailings range from $977.5 to $1,494 per person.

Join us on this unforgettable journey and create cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

• 4-Night Bahamian Cruise – $1,420 per person
• 3-Night Bahamian Cruise – $1,200 per person

Disney Cruise Price by Cabin Type

Prices at Disney Wish start at approximately $900 per person for a 3-night cruise in an interior cabin. For those seeking a more luxurious stay, indulge in a concierge-level cabin starting at $3,500 per person. As an example, embark on a captivating voyage to the beautiful Bahamas and Castaway Cay from September 30th to October 4th, 2024, and discover the following per person costs:

• Inside  – $2,591 per person
• Oceanview  – $2,743 per person
• Verandah  – $3,023 per person
• Concierge  – $5,903 per person

Disney Magic Price Per Person?

Experience the magic of the first-ever Disney Cruise Ship, the Disney Magic. Despite its smaller size, this enchanting vessel boasts 11 decks and 875 cabins for an unforgettable journey.

Embark on the Disney Magic to explore the stunning Western and Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, and more. The cost per person for a Disney Magic cruise can range from $700 to $2,500, depending on various factors.

Disney Cruise Costs by Destination

Experience the enchantment of the Disney Magic with a 4-night Bahamian cruise from Miami, starting at approximately $1,200 per person for an interior cabin.

Alternatively, indulge in a 7-night Mexican Riviera Cruise, where the same cabin type can reach prices of $2,600 per person. Looking ahead to 2024, the following Inside Room cruises on the Disney Magic are set to begin at:

• 3-Night Bahamian Cruise – $732 per person (Sailing November 2024)
• 5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise – $1,144 per person (Sailing December 2024)
• 7-Night Southern Caribbean Cruise – $1523 per person (Sailing April 2024)

Disney Cruise Costs by Cabin Type

Experience the enchantment of the Disney Magic with a variety of cabin options to suit your preferences. Interior cabins start at approximately $700 per person for a 4-night cruise, while the indulgence of a concierge-level cabin begins at $2,500 per person. Let’s take a glimpse into the future: in July 2024, embark on a 4-night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale and immerse yourself in the wonder and magic that awaits.

• Inside  – $1465 per person
• Oceanview  – $1625 per person
• Verandah  – $1989 per person
• Concierge  – $4017 per person

Disney Dream Cost Per Person

Experience the perfect blend of timeless Disney charm and modern luxuries aboard the magnificent Disney Dream. As one of the largest ships in the Disney Cruise Fleet, spanning 14 passenger decks and accommodating up to 4,000 guests, the Disney Dream takes you on unforgettable voyages to enchanting destinations like the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Europe, and beyond!

Indulge in the magic of a Disney Dream cruise, with prices ranging from $800 to $3,000 per person, depending on the aforementioned factors.

Disney Cruises by Destination

Experience the magic of the Disney Dream with a 3-night Bahamian cruise from Port Canaveral, starting at approximately $1,500 per person for an interior cabin. However, if you’re seeking a longer adventure, a 7-night Caribbean cruise may be your choice, albeit with a higher cost of around $3,000 per person for the same cabin type.

For instance, consider these sailings on the Disney Dream in 2024, offering Inside Rooms starting at:

• 4-Night Bahamian Cruise – $1249 per person (Sailing November 2024)
• 4-Night Spain Cruise – $1385 per person (Sailing August 2024)
• 5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise – $1525 per person (Sailing April 2024)
• 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise – $3,307 per person (Sailing June 2024)

Would You Rather Talk With A Cruise Planner? it’s Free

Prices by cabin type.

On the Disney Dream, a 3-night cruise in an interior cabin starts at approximately $800 per person. However, for a more luxurious experience, you may choose a concierge-level cabin, which can begin at $3,000 per person.

As an illustration, let’s consider the cost of a 7-night British Isles Cruise across four different room types:

• Inside  – $2,221 per person
• Oceanview  – $2389 per person
• Verandah  – $2634 per person
• Concierge  – $8094 per person

Disney Fantasy Price Per Person

Experience a world of unique adventures aboard the Disney Fantasy. From immersive Star Wars and Marvel-themed days at sea to being one of the largest ships with 14 passenger decks, this sister ship of the Disney Dream promises an unforgettable journey. Sail to the Caribbean, Europe, or the all-new Lighthouse Point, Disney’s exclusive cruising destination resort.

The cost of a Disney Fantasy cruise per person varies from $900 to $3,500, depending on the aforementioned factors. Embark on a magical voyage and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Disney Fantasy offers a variety of cruise options, each with its price point. A 7-night Caribbean cruise departing from Port Canaveral starts at approximately $2,000 per person for an interior cabin. On the other hand, a 7-night European cruise can be more expensive, with prices starting at around $3,500 per person for the same cabin type.

If you’re looking for a shorter getaway, there are also 4-night Bahamian cruises available, starting at just $1,200 per person for an inside room. Take a look at the following sailings on the Disney Fantasy in 2024, specifically for an Inside Room.

• 7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise – $1681 per person 2024
• 7-Night Lighthouse Point Cruise – $3,389 per person 2024

On the Disney Fantasy, an interior cabin for a 7-night cruise starts at approximately $1200 per person. However, if you prefer a concierge-level cabin, prices can begin at $4,000 per person or more.

For instance, let’s consider the cost of a 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise across the 4 different types of cabins:

• Inside  – $3243 per person
• Oceanview  – $3488 per person
• Verandah  – $3908 per person
• Concierge –  $9,074 per person

Disney Wonder Cost Per Person

The Disney Wonder, an original ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, holds the distinction of being one of the smaller Disney ships, accommodating up to 2,400 passengers. This delightful vessel embarks on captivating journeys to Alaska, Mexico, Australia, the Caribbean, and beyond. The price of a Disney Wonder cruise varies between $750 and $2,800 per person, contingent upon the aforementioned factors.

Embark on a magical 5-night Bahamian cruise aboard the Disney Wonder, starting at approximately $1,300 per person for an interior cabin. If you’re seeking an awe-inspiring adventure, set sail on a 7-night Alaskan cruise, which may reach a higher cost of $2,800 per person for the same cabin type. Looking ahead to the future, anticipate captivating voyages in 2024, such as those bound for Hawaii and Melbourne, offering unforgettable experiences at an estimated $2,000 per person.

For example, the following sailings on the Disney Wonder in 2024 for an Inside Room starting at:

• 4-Night Cruise to Australia – $1,045 per person (Sailing in November 2024)
• 5-Night Alaskan Cruise – $1,615 per person (Sailing in July)
• 10-Night Hawaiian Cruise – $2,570 per person (Sailing in March)

Disney Cruise Prices by Cabin Type

On the Disney Wonder, the price for an interior cabin begins at approximately $750 per person for a 5-night cruise. However, if you prefer a concierge-level cabin, expect prices to start at $2,800 per person.

As an illustration, consider the cost of a 7-night Mexican Riviera Cruise across four different room cabin types:

• Inside  – $1713 per person
• Oceanview  – $2028 per person
• Verandah  – $2588 per person
• Concierge –  $4625 per person

Discover the Price of Disney’s Latest Disney Adventure Cruise Ship

Disney has recently opened bookings for its newest cruise liner, the Disney Treasure. This magnificent ship, captained by Minnie Mouse, is a true work of art and a companion to the Disney Wish, which embarked on its maiden voyage in the summer of 2022. While the Wish was Disney’s enchanting castle on the seas, the Treasure is its elegant “palace.”

Starting from September 20th at 8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT, you can now reserve your room onboard the ship. However, if you dream of being part of the inaugural voyage from December 21st to 28th, 2024, be prepared to spend a significant amount. For two adults, prices for an inside room begin at $9,123, while an oceanview room starts at $9,963. If you desire a verandah room, prices begin at $11,279, and the concierge rooms, including the extraordinarily luxurious suites, start at $24,957.

Alternatively, if you are willing to wait a few extra months until May 2025 for your Disney Treasure cruise, you can enjoy the experience for less than half the price. Prices for two adults start at $3,944.

Disney Cruise Cost Itineraries

Alaska cruise 7 nights from vancouver.

If you’re considering a trip to Alaska on a cruise, keep in mind that the prices can vary greatly depending on the type of room you choose. Verandah cabins tend to be in higher demand and therefore more expensive, with prices ranging from $6,500 to $17,000 for a 7-night cruise. This breaks down to about $232 to $602 per person. On the other hand, inside cabins are much more affordable, typically priced between $6,500 and $8,000. If you’re looking for luxury, be prepared to pay a premium for a Verandah cabin, which can cost anywhere from $8,900 to $17,000.7 per person per day

7 Night Caribean Disney Cruise

For a family of four, a 7-night Caribbean cruise could cost anywhere between $5,300 to $10,000. You have the option to choose between Magic, Fantasy & Wonder ships. In my personal opinion, Magic or Fantasy would be the ideal choice when cruising with Disney in the Caribbean. Additionally, Disney also offers cruises in Europe.

RELATED: Disney Treasure Inside Review

Disney Europe Disney

The only cruise ship available in Europe is the Disney Magic, which happens to be one of my favorites and the first ship we ever sailed on. For a 7-night trip, the cost per person per day falls between $189 and $397 on average.

3-Night Caribean

for a 3-night Disney Cruise to the Caribbean can vary greatly, ranging from $2,600 to $6,300. This means you can expect to pay between $216 and $525 per person per day.

4 Nihgt Caribean Disney Cruise

A 4-night Caribbean Cruise can cost anywhere from $3,400 to $6,700. Choosing a 4-night cruise can be more cost-effective since it typically sails on weekdays. If you can take some time off during weekdays, consider a 4-night cruise that would average $212-$418 per person per day.

not Include your Flights and Hotels.

Factors Why Disney Cruise Will Cost But Worth Each Peny

“How much should I save to cover the costs of a Disney cruise?” This is a common question, but unfortunately, the answer is not straightforward. The price of a Disney cruise varies depending on several factors, such as itinerary, cabin type, and time of year.

• Where you’re going, the length of your trip, and the time of year will all impact the cost, with shorter cruises typically starting at around $1,000 per person and longer trips to multiple ports potentially reaching above $6,500 per person.
• The trip’s duration and port of call will also affect the total cost. Shorter trips, such as a three-night cruise to Nassau or Castaway Cay, tend to be more affordable than longer journeys with several destinations.
• Which Disney ship you’re on will also affect the price. The newer, more luxurious ships have a higher price tag than the older vessels in Disney’s fleet.
• How many people you’re traveling with can also influence the overall cost. Some cruise discounts may be available for large groups, such as military personnel or families traveling together. Additionally, excursions, meals, drinks, and luxury staterooms all add up to your final price tag. It’s important to research all of the available options and find the best deal before booking your Disney Cruise.
• The type of stateroom you book is also a factor that can affect the total cost of your trip. Luxury staterooms such as suites and concierge rooms offer more amenities for an additional fee. Booking in advance can often save money on a Disney Cruise vacation, so it’s worth planning to get the best deal possible. Your cruise package may include certain perks depending on the type and duration of your trip.
• Any add-ons or specialty bookings you choose can also add to the cost. Such options may include activities such as a spa treatment, special excursions, and a character meet-and-greet. Lastly, don’t forget about taxes and fees for your cruise package, along with tips for the crew onboard. By taking all of these factors into consideration, you can get the most out of your Disney cruise prices.

Tips for Finding the Best Deal on a Disney Cruise Vacation

Booking in Advance, Researching All Available Options, Comparing Prices Across Destinations, Taking Advantage of Group Discounts and Special Offers, Booking a Standard Stateroom, Planning Ahead for Add-Ons or Specialty Bookings, and Keeping an Eye Out for Taxes and fees.

When you have taken all of these factors into consideration, you can find the best deal possible on your Disney cruise vacation!

F&Qs About Disney Cruise

How expensive is the disney cruise.

Here is how much a cruise would be for a family of 4

– 3-night Caribbean cruise. You can look at paying from $2,600 – $6,300 on

– The 4-night Caribbean Cruise can range from $3,400 – $6,700.

– 7 Night Cruise will range from $5,300 – $10,000.

– 7 Night Alaska Cruise prices can range from $6,500 – $17,000

When Is The Cheapest Monyh To Sail DisneyCruise

Typically January, February, Early March, September & October are the cheapest times to sail on a Disney Cruise.

Is The Food Free On Disney Cruise

Your Disney Cruise includes all food except for meals at the two specialty restaurants, Palo and Remy, and treats from Vanellope’s Sweet Shop. Please note that alcohol and specialty drinks are not included in the cost of the cruise and will include an additional charge.

Is it worth spending money on Disney?

It depends on your preferences. If you are a Disney enthusiast, then It’s worth it. If you have children between the ages of 3 and 10, I would also recommend it. However, if your children are older than 10, it depends on how much you enjoy it.

Is There Only Adults on a Disney Cruise Line

Each Cruise Line has a section on their ships called “The District” that is only for guests who are 18 and older. This section has different bars, lounges, a nightclub, and a movie theater. It’s a spot for adults to unwind, spend time with others, and enjoy entertainment just for them. Additionally, they can access all the other family-friendly activities and amenities on the ship.

Overall, a Disney Cruise vacation is an unforgettable experience for you and your family. With excellent entertainment, delicious dining experiences, and plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained, it’s no wonder that families love cruising with Disney!

So start planning your magical voyage today to get the most out of your vacation experience. By researching all of the available options and finding the best deal, you can make your Disney Cruise vacation a dream come true!

Hope this helps! Happy cruising! 🙂

Home | Background Information | Article Corrections | About Us | Contact Us © 2023 – Blissful Travel Escapes LLC All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this website may be reproduced without our written permission. Please feel free to share our articles with others by providing a link back to the original article on our website. Other than links provided directly to this site, the information contained within is intended for personal use only and is neither endorsed nor approved by this website or its respective affiliates. Any unauthorized reproduction of any content, in part or full, is strictly prohibited.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Submit Comment

Dear Valued Customer

We use affiliate links on our website. This means we earn a commission from partner advertising or affiliate programs when you buy a product through these links. It won’t affect our product prices. Thank you for supporting our DM Marketing Program by purchasing through our website. Visit our website for more info on our terms and privacy policies.

Thank you for your loyalty.

Best regards,

• Inspiration
• Luxury Hotels
• New Products

Travel Articles

• U.S. National Parks

Alaska Alaska Cruises Alaska Travel amawaterways Amazon River Cruise Bora Bora California Cancun Packing List Caribbean Resorts Caribean Islands Costa Rica Cruises Disney Disney Cruises Disneyland Disney Travel Disney World Europe Galapagos hawaii Travel Islands Maldives Luxury Hotels Mexico national parks in usa National Parks USA Paul Gauguin Cruise Peru Rivera Maya River Cruise Shoes Tahiti Travel Turks & Caicos Travel

Recent Posts

Is it worth going on a disney cruise, when to visit alaska: finding the perfect time, exploring disney’s aulani resort: an honest review from oahu, hawaii island, disney destiny cruise is the new ship for 2025, the cost of a 7-day disney cruise: everything you need to know, related blogs.

If you’re looking for the best time to visit Alaska you’ll want to plan your trip with Blissful Travel Escape

Disney , Travel Articles

Cruises , Disney , Travel Articles

Are Kids Paying Full Price on a Disney Cruise?

Is all food truly complimentary on a Disney Cruise?

Which passports are the most powerful? How does the US passport rank in comparison?

Is Disney Cruise All-Inclusive? A Comprehensive Guide for Families

• Help Center
• 1-866-921-7925

Start Searching

• Packages  
• Hotels  
• Cruises  
• Rental Cars  

* Indicates required fields

Rental Period:

pickUpDate - dropOffDate

Pick-Up: pickUpTime - Drop-Off: dropOffTime

Pick-Up Location:

pickUpAddress

pickUpAgencyName

pickUpAgencyAddress

Drop-Off Location:

Same as Pick-Up Location

dropOffAddress

dropOffAgencyName

dropOffAgencyAddress

Coupon Override

Please call.

For drivers under the age of 25, additional fees and/or restrictions may apply.

For information and assistance in completing your reservation, please call:

We're unable to find your location.

Alaska Cruise Tours:

A cruise tour is a voyage and land tour combination, with the land tour occurring before or after the voyage. Unless otherwise noted, optional services such as airfare, airport transfers, shore excursions, land tour excursions, etc. are not included and are available for an additional cost.

Disney Cruise Line

Family-friendly fun, experience magic with disney cruise line.

• Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

Take to the seas with Disney Cruise Line for a magical adventure.

Venture forth with Disney Cruise Line to faraway lands. Visit the sunny Caribbean, home to the famous Jack Sparrow, or head off to the fairy tale lands of Europe to visit Elsa and Anna. Disney effortlessly blends family friendly with elegance for an extraordinary experience. Let the kids take full advantage of Disney’s Oceaneer Club while the adults enjoy the tranquil spa. Try to see if you can spot all the hidden Mickeys onboard, and don’t be surprised if some of your favorite characters show up to help. Plus, receive a Digital Costco Shop Card, courtesy of Costco Travel, with every sailing.

Featured Deals

Disney treasure.

Disney Cruise Line Maiden Voyage Winter 2024 Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

Discover Disney Dream

Disney Cruise Line Europe with the Magic of Disney Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

Experience Disney Fantasy

Disney Cruise Line One-of-a-Kind Venues and Experiences Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

Summer 2025 Vacation Wishes, Granted

Disney Cruise Line Summer 2025 Itineraries Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

2025 Itineraries

Disney Cruise Line Bahamas, Caribbean, Hawaii and More Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

2024 Itineraries

Disney Cruise Line Return to Favorite Destinations in 2024 Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

Disney's Specialty Themed Cruises

Disney Cruise Line Pixar and Marvel Day at Sea Itineraries Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

Alaskan Cruise

Disney Cruise Line Round-Trip Vancouver 7-Night Cruise Aboard Disney Wonder Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

Eastern Caribbean Cruise

Disney Cruise Line Round-Trip Port Canaveral 7-Night Cruise Aboard Disney Fantasy Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

Spain Cruise

Disney Cruise Line Round-Trip Southampton 5-Night Cruise Aboard Disney Dream Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

France Cruise

Disney Cruise Line Round-Trip Southampton 4-Night Cruise Aboard Disney Dream Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

British Isles Cruise

Disney Cruise Line Round-Trip Southampton 7-Night Cruise Aboard Disney Dream Digital Costco Shop Card Courtesy of Costco Travel

*Price shown is per person based on double occupancy and is valid for select stateroom categories only. Click on the Terms & Conditions link below for details.

Explore Disney Cruise Line Ships

Disney Dream

Costco member reviews.

Member reviews become available after at least 5 are received in order to provide you with an accurate picture of this travel product.

As can be expected from Disney, the Disney Dream was specially designed with families in mind, combining sleek style and convenient facilities with splashes of magic and cruise-industry firsts—like the splashtacular AquaDuck, the very first water coaster at sea.

Disney Fantasy

Building on the classic style of her sister ships, the Disney Fantasy is the fourth cruise liner in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. This ship features the same attention to detail that Disney is known for, while introducing new and immersive, one-of-a-kind venues and experiences for everyone in the family.

Disney Magic

Disney Magic pays homage to the timeless style of the past while embracing the contemporary. Experience Disney's traditions of extraordinary family entertainment and superb service while you ride the waves.

Set your compass toward the Disney Treasure, the newest ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, where the spirit of adventure meets the daring tales of classic Disney films and Disney park attractions—sailing 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries beginning December 2024.

Disney Wish

Set sail aboard the Disney Wish—Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship sailing to the Caribbean and The Bahamas. On board, there’s enchantment everywhere you turn, where fantastical worlds and beloved characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars are brought to life in new and amazing ways for everyone in the family.

Disney Wonder

Disney Wonder pays homage to the timeless style of the past while embracing the contemporary. Experience Disney's traditions of extraordinary family entertainment and superb service while you ride the waves.

Explore by Cruise Line

Explore more travel, exotic voyages.

Set Sail to Exciting Destinations

Why Just Dream It? Cruise It!

Experience the Disney Difference

Immerse Yourself in the Magic

Member Value in Every Disney Vacation

Save on Rental Cars

Exclusive Costco Member Pricing

No Cancellation Fees

Ship Rating

An outstanding luxury cruise experience with an exceptional level of attention to detail. Expect superb service from all levels of officers and staff.

A very good quality all-around cruise experience aboard a ship that offers a range of facilities and services.

A decent, unpretentious cruise experience, with a moderate amount of space and quality in furnishing and fittings.

A modest quality cruise experience with less attention to detail and service.

Expect a very basic cruise experience with minimal attention to service, hospitality and finesse.

Offers some, but not all, of the amenities and services associated with the next highest star rating.

Digital Costco Shop Card

This booking includes a Digital Costco Shop Card which will arrive by email one to two weeks after you return from your vacation. The Digital Costco Shop Card is a convenient payment option in our warehouses and on Costco.com.

We are processing your payment.

Do not refresh your browser or exit this page.

Save money, experience more.

How Much Does a Disney Cruise Cost? 2024 Pricing Explained

The Disney Wish will sail its inaugural season of three- and four-night cruises to Nassau, Bahamas, and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, from its new home port of Port Canaveral, Florida.

Disney Cruise Line offers a variety of Disney-themed ships with all-inclusive cruises traveling all over the world. Disney Cruises often Broadway-caliber dinner shows, Disney lounge-themed experiences, character meet and greets, and other themed experiences. Disney Cruises also offer amazing amenities and luxurious upgrade options for guests looking to sail in style. So this also begs the question, what does a Disney Cruise cost? 

If you're new to the experience of cruises, it also helps to understand how cruises are typically priced and what cruise lines mean by all-inclusive voyages. Keep reading for our full breakdown of Disney Cruise costs including amenities, inclusive options, and optional upgrades. We have experienced a variety of Disney Cruises plus we have the experience of helping guests budget for their Disney vacations whether it's for Disneyland, Walt Disney World or a Disney Cruise Line experience. 

Get exclusive access to prices on hotel & tickets just for Mickey Visit subscribers. Don't miss our travel hacks newsletter!

In this planning guide:

Disney Cruise Cost Pricing Explained 

Let's start by covering the details of how Disney Cruise costs are calculated between room pricing and cost per person. 

Disney Cruise Room Pricing

All Disney Cruise costs are priced based on two adults in the stateroom (room on the ship). This means that one adult traveling with a child (ages 3-12) is the same price as two adults (13 and up) in the room. Children ages 0-2 pay 50% of the child rate.

After the two adult prices, the third and fourth passengers in the stateroom are charged a lower rate. If you are traveling alone, Disney Cruise Line will charge you 100% of the second adult’s cruise fare (not including port fees and taxes) in addition to the full fare for the first adult.

Pricing Per Adult

It is simply impossible to determine exactly how much a person will pay without looking at several different factors. We are going to break these factors on Disney Cruise cost down for you.

Then, we will help you gauge pricing on a budget to pricing with no limits, and everything in between, so that you have an accurate idea of what you can expect to pay for your Disney Cruise itself. We will also show you a full Disney Cruise Scenario with estimates on what you may need to include for a Disney Cruise. Finally, we detail some ways to save money if you are interested in sailing on a Disney Cruise.

Disney Cruise Savings! Up to $300 Onboard Credit When You Book! Contact our travel sponsor, Get Away Today, and save big on your Disney Cruise. They'll give you up to a $300 onboard cruise credit when you book your trip with them in addition to the discounts they can secure. Request a quote for all the best options for your travel period – Request a FREE quote >

Which Disney Cruise Should I Do?

The first couple of factors to consider when deciding to book a Disney Cruise and cost are where you want to go and what ship you want to sail on.

Disney Cruise Ships

Disney currently has 6 signature cruise ships with more on the way.

The newest cruise ship available right now is the Disney Wish, but the Disney Treasure begins sailing in December of 2024, and it is almost time to start booking!

Each Disney ship is decked out from bow to stern in immersive Disney experiences. The experiences are going to differ depending on the ship, where it is sailing to, and if it is a themed expedition or not.

Ships Sailings

• Disney Magic : Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal
• Disney Wonder : Alaska, Mexico, Caribbean, South Pacific, New Zealand & Australia
• Disney Dream : Caribbean, Bahamas, Europe, Bermuda, Transatlantic Cruises
• Disney Fantasy : Caribbean and Bahamas
• Disney Wish : Bahamas
• Disney Treasure : Caribbean

Disney Cruise Cost Factors

There are a few factors that will impact the cost of a Disney Cruise like time of year, location of the cruise, plus the Disney Cruise ship chosen.

Time of the year

Disney prices their cruises based on peak seasons. The more in-demand the cruise sailings are, the higher the pricing.

The first peak season is the most expensive. Think about when children are out of school, June – August. There is an increase in demand for ships and sailings, so the pricing also goes up. Alaska, and the Caribbean, are usually priced high during this time. Europe and the Panama Canal are usually only offered during these peak seasons.

Holidays are another popular peak season. The Bahamas and the Caribbean are going to be more expensive during these times because families will want shorter cruises, which are offered to these two locations.

Off-season bookings will be cheaper, but keep in mind, that the weather may not be as cooperative depending upon the location you are sailing to.

When choosing locations for your cruise, a cruise to the more remote destination Alaska is going to cost more than sailing to the Bahamas from Florida.

Europe and the Panama Canal are usually only offered in the summer, which can drive up the price of the cruise.

When deciding on what you want out of your cruise, guests can choose from different night lengths.

Disney currently offers cruises in 1-3, 4, 5-6, 7 8-13, or 14+ lengths. The longer you cruise, the more expensive the cruise is going to be because more amenities are included and paid for in the cruise cost.

Specialty Cruises

Disney offers specialty cruises throughout the year. Each of these specialty cruises is going to include extra events, entertainment, dining specialties, and more that are factored into the higher costs.

Guests can book a Pixar Day at Sea, Marvel Day at Sea, Halloween High Seas, and Holiday-themed cruises.

Stateroom type

There are four different types of staterooms guests can book on the cruise ships. A stateroom is the cruise equivalent of your hotel room.

The most luxurious accommodations on the cruise and the most expensive. Each room has a large private verandah (balcony) and premium amenities and services included. Prices for this type of hotel room will be the most expensive out of all rooms on the ship costing upwards of $6,000 for a trip.

The most spacious non-concierge staterooms are in the Verandah category. Each room comes equipped with a private verandah (balcony), some with partial views of the ship and ocean. The space and balcony are worth the price increase if you are sailing on a longer cruise. This category is the second most expensive type of room to choose from and also tends to sell out the quickest. Pricing tends to start around the $3500 total mark for most cruise lengths and destinations. 

The oceanview room has more space than an inside room and also includes a porthole or two to be able to see the ocean. This is a great middle price on the cruise where you can still see the ocean passing by, but you don’t have the balcony to walk out on. This type of room falls in the middle pricing category. The cheapest cruises will come in around $2800 total but can go much higher depending on the length and destination.

The base accommodations feature no outside viewing as the rooms are on the inside of the ship. However, Disney provides a scenic porthole display of different images to make it not feel as claustrophobic. These will be the absolute cheapest rooms due to not having an actual window or balcony. If you want to go on a Disney cruise, but your family is on a strict budget, these rooms will be the cheapest, averaging around the $2,000 – $4,000 range. 

Transportation To Port

By far the biggest factor that will vary for each family going on a Disney cruise is the transportation to the Departing Port.

You will need to provide your own flight, take a train, or drive to the port that you are leaving from. This cost is going to vary widely depending on where you live versus where you need to leave from.

We also recommend arriving the day before the cruise is set to depart so there are no delays in boarding the ship at your arrival time. This is going to cost a night at a nearby hotel, which adds to the overall budget for your cruise.

Disney has ports in the following locations:

• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Port Canaveral, Florida
• Vancouver, Canada
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Barcelona, Spain
• Honolulu, Hawai’i
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Melbourne Australia
• Southampton, England
• Brisbane, Australia
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Sydney, Australia
• Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
• New York, New York
• San Diego, California
• Galveston, Texas

Certain cruises only depart from specific locations. You can filter this when you are searching to book your cruise.

When planning your destinations for your cruise, it is helpful to know where you are going to sail from. The majority of the Bahamas and Caribbean cruises are going to leave from the two ports in Florida, but they also depart from Texas. The Alaskan cruises sail from Vancouver, Canada.

The cheapest way to book transportation is to filter the cruises by which port is closest to you and see which destinations are available. Or, you can filter by destination and then see which ports are the closest to you to help keep costs down.

Keep in mind that if you drive to the port, this will be an additional cost to park your car at the port as well. The fee will be nightly similar to an airport.

What is Included in the Disney Cruise Cost Base Price?

A big question is what do I get for the price tag I see on the Disney Cruise Line website?

When booking your Disney Cruise, you are not just paying for a hotel room like many other vacations. You are paying for an all-inclusive Disney Experience . For every Disney Cruise booked, you can expect the following accommodations, activities, and amenities.

Room type chosen

Guests can choose from 4 different stateroom types:

• Concierge – Most expensive and most luxurious
• Verandah – Popular and mid-level pricing
• Ocean View – Mid-level pricing
• Inside – Cheapest book and smallest rooms

Three rotational table-service dining restaurants Buffet (for breakfast and lunch) Quick service bites

24-hour room service Unlimited soft serve ice cream Unlimited coffee, tea, and soda available on deck and at table service restaurants

On Ship Activities

Broadway-quality shows (original Disney products or live acts) Fireworks at Sea (available on most itineraries) Character meet and greets Movie screenings (first-run and popular Disney movies) Pools, waterslides, splash zones, and wading pools Gym and fitness center

Kids’ clubs

Disney’s Oceaneer Club (3 to 12 years old) Disneys’ Oceaneer Lab (2 to 12 years old) Edge (11 to 14 years old) Vibe (14 to 17 years old)

What is Not Included in a Disney Cruise?

While Disney Cruises is great at including a lot of amenities in the total trip cost, there are a few extras that you may want while sailing on your ship.

• Port Excursions
• Premium desserts
• Premium coffee (at the Cove cafe)
• Meals at the adult-only Palo and Remy
• Gratuities – can be prepaid
• Wireless Internet Access
• Baby Nursery (6 months -3 years)

All of these items should be considered when pricing out your Disney Cruise so that you do not have any unexpected costs.

Menus for restaurants are available on the Disney Cruise Line Website, so you can see if you want to eat somewhere not included in the base price.

Port Excursions are also booked ahead of time, so you can prepay these items and include them in the final cost of your cruise.

Gratuities Explained

On a cruise ship, it is customary to give gratuities in recognition of exceptional service. Disney recommends a gratuity amount of $14.50 USD per night, per stateroom Guest, including infants and children or $15.50 USD per night, per stateroom Guest for concierge and suites.

Pre-Paid Gratuities are distributed to the Crew Members who take care of you in the following roles:

• Dining room server
• Dining room assistant server
• Dining room head server
• Stateroom host

Easily pre-pay gratuities online to create a carefree, all-inclusive experience by visiting My Reservations in your Disney account and following the prompts for Pre-Paid Gratuities. If you do not pre-pay before boarding the ship, Disney automatically charges your onboard account the suggested gratuity amount. Once on the ship, you can adjust the amount of your Pre-Paid Gratuities by visiting Guest Services prior to the end of your cruise.

Pre-Paid Gratuities do not include the following gratuities, which are either included in the charge or based on your discretion:

• Extras added to rotational dining meals such as alcoholic beverages
• Adult dining locations such as Remy, Palo, Palo Steakhouse and Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement, which are not part of rotational dining
• Food or drink in shops and outdoor or poolside eateries
• Room service
• Port Adventures
• Senses Spa & Salon
• Concierge Lounge Team—Guests staying in Concierge accommodations are recommended a gratuity amount of $8.00 per night, per stateroom Guest
• Any other additional services
• An 18% gratuity is automatically added to bar, beverage, wine, deck service tabs and spa services. All gratuities can be charged to your onboard account.

Disney’s Private Islands

When sailing on a Disney Cruise, one of the locations you will visit on your travels during a Bahamian cruise is one of Disney’s Private Island’s Castaway Cay and coming soon Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Castaway Cay is the perfect beach getaway. Amenities on the island include

• A family beach
• Serenity Bay (18+ beach)
• Teen Hideout
• Game Pavilion
• Sports Beach
• Snorkeling Lagoons teeming with sea life
• Water play areas
• Walking trails
• Open-air BBQ dining locations serving complimentary meals
• Free transportation around the island
• Character appearances
• Boat rentals

Disney’s new island, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point will have similar amenities to Castaway Cay! We can’t wait to see what the island holds.

Breakdown of Pricing

This section of our article is going to take a look at the specific pricing of specific cruises to help estimate Disney Cruise cost. The three most popular Disney Destinations are the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Alaska, so that is what pricing we are going to focus on.

Disney Cruise On a Budget

If you really want to go on a Disney Cruise and stick to a budget, the 3-night and 4-night cruises are going to be the best option. Depending on how far from your destination you are traveling, the amount of time on the ship versus in a port will vary. The Bahamas destinations are going to offer more time in ports where Caribbean cruises will be more time on the boat.

The cheapest room option on a cruise is always the interior room. However, these rooms don’t have actual windows and can make a very tight space for a family of four, which we are basing all of our pricing on. If possible, spring for at least an Oceanview room where you are guaranteed at least one actual window.

Another way to stay on budget is to adjust the dates. In the tables below, you will see different dates and different ships will provide cheaper options. Cruises during February, August, and September tend to be cheaper, similarly to a Walt Disney World Vacation, whereas cruises during holiday seasons (Spring Break, Christmas, New Years, Halloween, etc.) are going to be more expensive.

3- Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale

• 4 Guests – 2 adults, 2 children
• Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point & Nassau, Bahamas

4 – Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale

• Disney Castaway Cay & Nassau, Bahamas

4-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston

• Sailing to Progreso, Mexico

4- Night Western Caribbean Cruise from New Orleans

• Sailing to Cozumel, Mexico

5- Night Western Caribbean Cruise from New Orleans

• Sailing to Cozumel, Mexico & Progreso, Mexico

The cheapest Alaskan cruise is about the price of the Concierge Level for other Disney Cruises.

7 – Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver

• Sailing to Glacier Viewing (Stikine Icecap), Alaska; Skagway, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska; Ketchikan, Alaska

Mid-Range Disney Cruise Pricing

A 5 – 6 day cruise is a great mid-price range budget. Typically with these cruises you will have enough time to explore the ship while also getting at least two, if not three days in a port of call to explore your destination.

For the longer 5-6 day cruises, we recommend the oceanview or verandah rooms. To keep the budget down and get to experience more for your money, avoid booking the concierge rooms at these middle price points.

Another great way to spend your money is to book one of the themed cruises. Guests can book the Marvel Day at Sea, a Halloween Cruise, or a Merry Christmas Cruise. The prices are going to be higher for these themed cruises even if they are only 5-6 days long, but you get a lot more special activities.

5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Galveston

5- Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Fort Lauderdale

• 4 guests – 2 adults, 2 children
• Sails to George Town, Grand Cayman & Disney Castaway Cay

No Restrictive Budget Pricing

The longer cruise you book, the more ports you can stop at and the greater chance you have to stretch your days at sea to fully explore all that the ship has to offer.

The longer the cruise, guests can also experience more themed Disney nights and formal nights as well. This can make the cruise an extra special vacation due to all of the extra magic you are receiving.

Our recommendation for rooms on a cruise any longer than 5 days is to book at least a verandah room if not the concierge rooms. This is going to provide the most space for the times when you need to escape from the hustle and bustle of the ship.

In addition to the longer cruise, specialty cruises can also be booked during peak times if you don’t have an incredibly restrictive budget.

7 Night Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Inaugural Cruise from Port Canaveral

• 4 Guests, 2 adults, 2 children
• Sailing to Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point; Nassau, Bahamas; Disney Castaway Cay; Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, 2 Days at Sea

7 – Night Western Caribbean Cruise from New Orleans

• Sails to Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman & Falmouth, Jamaica

7-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral (Pixar Day at Sea)

• Sailing to Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica; & Disney Castaway Cay

7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral

• Sailing to Tortola, British Virgin Islands; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; & Disney Castaway Cay

10 Night Southern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral

• 4 Guests, 2 adults & 2 Children
• Sailing to St. John's, Antigua; Castries, St. Lucia; Roseau, Dominica; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point; & Disney Castaway Cay

9- Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver

• 4 guests, 2 adults & 2 children
• Sailing to Ketchikan, Alaska; Glacier Viewing (Stikine Icecap), Alaska; Juneau, Alaska; Icy Strait Point, Alaska; Sitka, Alaska; Victoria (British Columbia), Canada

Sample Disney Cruise Pricing

With so many options, numbers, and things included, it can be difficult to tell what a cruise actually costs.

This section is going to show a sample scenario to give you a better idea of what a cruise would actually cost your family.

Cruise Picked: 4-Night Bahamian Cruise from Fort Lauderdale

Destinations: Disney Castaway Cay & Nassau, Bahamas

Dates: May 13-17, 2024

Ship: Disney Magic

Guests: 2 Adults, 2 Children (ages 6 & 3)

Stateroom Type: Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom

Deck: Forward, Deck 5 Room: 5018

Total Stateroom Price: 4,011.72

Ship Highlights

Entertainment.

• Live Shows: Tangled: The Musical, Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic, Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story
• Fireworks at Sea
• First Run Movies
• Character Greetings
• Daily Activities – karaoke, game shows, bingo

Main Dining

• Animator’s Palate – Unique Dinner show starring Disney characters
• Lumiere’s – American and French Cuisine
• Rapunzel’s Royal Table
• Duck-In Diner
• Pinocchio’s Pizza
• 24 hour room service
• Palo (Adult Only Restaurant) – extra cost

Recreation Kids

• Marvel Super Hero Academy – Disney Oceaneer Club
• Edge – club for tweens
• Vobe – club for teens
• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique – extra cost
• Pools: AquaLab, Goofy’s Pool, Nephew’s Splashzone, AquaDunk

Recreation Adults

• Keys- nightclub with live music
• Fathoms – late night dancing
• Quiet Cove Pool
• Full-service Gym
• Senses Spa and Salon – extra cost

Extra Costs on Ship & Ports

• Alcohol Gratuities: $14.50/ per night/ per person
• WiFi: $16-$42/ day
• Castaway Cay Rentals : Snorkel Gear, Floats, Rafts, Bicycles, Kayak, Paddle Boat

Extra Costs Outside of Cruise

• Hotel Room in Fort Lauderdale: $180-$230
• Parking at Port : $20/ per day

For the oceanview cruise stateroom, gratuities, hotel, parking, and WiFi, you would pay $4,621.72.

Disney Cruise Line Discounts

Disney cruises can be expensive, but there are ways to save money.

The best way to save money is to book as soon as you know when you want to sail.

Cruises price rooms by tiers – the earlier you book, the lower the cost.

Special Pricing

Sometimes Disney will offer special pricing for Florida residents, military personnel, travel agents, and cast members.

They may also offer Kids Sail Free to families with children.

Travel Agencies can also offer promotions if you book through them in the form of Shipboard Credit. While on the ship, you can use this credit for spa treatments, merchandise, photos, and more. Be aware these credits expire at the end of your cruise.

Final Thoughts

A Disney Cruise is an exceptionally personal vacation that allows your family to customize the trip that fits what you want and need. With each ship featuring new shows, themed restaurants, amazing kid areas, and specialty adult-only sections, there is a multitude of opportunities that a Disney Cruise ship offers for a vacation – not to mention the amazing destinations. 

Unfortunately, because Disney provides so many different ships and opportunities, it is difficult to narrow down the exact price that a cruise will cost your family. One thing for sure is that you can't put a price on the magical memories that will be made on your Disney Cruise vacation. 

Plan Your Next Disney Vacation!

Are you ready to plan your Disney Parks or Disney Cruise Vacation? Make sure you are subscribed to our FREE newsletter for up-to-date planning information, exclusive offers and deals, and news about your upcoming trip! For now, also make sure to check out our other related articles!

• Disney Cruises 2025 DATES & Guide – Start Planning Your Sailing Now!
• 2023 Disney Cruise Packing List: Essentials to Pack & What Not to Bring
• Disney Cruise Line Christmas Entertainment and 2024 Itineraries
• Your First Disney Cruise: Top Ten Tips to Enjoy a High Sea Adventure with Disney Magic
• Disney Cruise Line Shares New Announcements Regarding Future Growth

The cost of a Disney Cruise varies depending on the time of year, the Disney Cruise ship, and location.

Yes, only alcohol and some adult only dining experiences are not included.

Yes, all your meals are included in the cost of your cruise!

Kids are charged a cheaper child rate on Disney cruises.

Disclosure: We have used all the products recommended on Mickey Visit. We may receive compensation when you click on links to some products featured.

About Jessica Miller

Jessica is a full-time high school teacher and a part-time writer. She is also a full-time mom! When she isn't working, she loves to take vacations with her family to Disney.

Planning a Disney Vacation? Get Exclusive Discounts + Free Bonuses

In addition to exclusive discounts for Mickey Visit subscribers, get our free planning printable and guide to make your life SO much easier.

Previous Post: Disney World Parking Guide 2024: Price Increase, Best Tips

Next Post: Disney Makes Change to Food Mobile Ordering System to Improve Ease of Use

Exclusive Discounts + BREAKING NEWS

Join our newsletter of 100,000+ readers for discounts, planning tips, and breaking news about Walt Disney World and Disneyland. "Essential for planning your trip!" -Helen from Portland, Oregon

I spent almost $4,000 on a 3-day Disney cruise. Here's what everything cost, from $200 worth of souvenirs to a $13 bike rental.

• I'm a lifelong Disney fan who took my first cruise vacation in September 2022.
• Between food, souvenirs, travel, and the cruise itself, I spent almost $4,000.
• I really enjoyed my three-day trip, but probably wouldn't splurge on a cruise vacation again.

My round-trip plane ticket from New York City to Orlando, Florida, cost almost $400.

In the past, I've both flown to Florida and driven there from New Jersey in my car . But for my cruise, I knew the quicker trip would be ideal.

There were only connecting flights available when I booked, so I had brief layovers in Baltimore, Maryland, both ways. 

That said, I knew my round-trip journey would be long and pricey ($396.96), so I was happy not to pay extra for luggage. I was only traveling with a carry-on and personal item, which Southwest Airlines lets you bring for free.

I arrived in Orlando, Florida, one day before my cruise and spent the day at Disney Springs. Though it's free to enter, I still spent $185 while there.

I visited Disney Springs with my sister, and we spent nearly our entire day there. We had lunch, went shopping, enjoyed multiple snacks, and had a drink together. Here's a breakdown of what I spent:

• Lyft from my hotel to Disney Springs: $24.78
• Lunch at Guy Fieri's Chicken Guy! restaurant : $18.60
• Souvenirs for my family and friends: $40.44
• Souvenirs for myself: $48.97
• One Mickey Mouse pretzel : $6.59
• One 50th anniversary milkshake from Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop: $17.23
• Two drinks at Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar: $29.09
• Lyft to get back to the hotel: $22.85

Total: $208.55

The night before my cruise, I stayed at a DoubleTree by Hilton near Orlando International Airport. My room cost me almost another $200.

My standard room — which included one king bed, basic hotel amenities, and a famous DoubleTree cookie – cost $178.88 for one night after taxes.

Luckily, I didn't have to pay for transportation between the airport and hotel, as there was a complimentary shuttle available.

The following day, I needed to travel from Orlando to Port Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida, so I took a $30 shuttle.

The $30 Go Port ticket was entirely worth the price , in my opinion. Port Canaveral is located approximately 45 miles away from Orlando International Airport — where Go Port picks up and drops off travelers — and with traffic, it can take nearly an hour to drive there.

The bus ride was much cheaper than an Uber or Lyft would have been, and the driver knew exactly where to drop us off for our specific cruise.

The three-day Disney Wish trip that I booked with my sister cost just over $2,700.

I opted for the cheapest lodging on the ship : an inside stateroom with no window that measured approximately 169 square feet. I loved the tiny space, and thought it was pretty luxurious for being so small.

Of course, the high price tag of the vacation didn't only cover the room. Our trip also included unlimited meals — breakfast, lunch, dinner, ice cream, and all-day room service — and basic beverages including soda, water, coffee, and tea.

The fee also includes onboard activities and entertainment . On the Wish ship, there are multiple pools, movie showings, interactive games, musical performances, character meet-and-greets, a gym, a recreation center, and Broadway-level theater productions each night, among other amenities.

Though breakfast, lunch, and dinner were included in our cruise, I spent $37 on extra snacks while onboard.

Most of the extra snacks available for purchase onboard were reasonably priced, in my opinion. My sister and I enjoyed ice cream, macarons, and even beignets at a "Princess and the Frog"-themed bar.

The only snack we found overpriced was the popcorn. We bought a $4 bucket each night ahead of the daily musical production, and it was clearly a favorite with other passengers too. Because popcorn is such a simple and inexpensive snack, we thought it should have been included in the cruise fare.

Here's a breakdown of what I spent:

• Popcorn: $4.13
• Cone of gelato: $4.75
• Cup of gelato: $3.75
• Minnie Mouse cupcake: $4.50
• Rose macaron: $2.50
• Lemon macaron: $2.50
• Carrot cake brownie: $4.50
• Two beignets: $2.50

Total: $37.39

I also bought nearly $80 worth of drinks throughout the trip.

My sister and I aren't big drinkers, so we didn't expect to spend a ton on alcohol. But to our surprise, there were a lot of specialty cocktails — and two non-alcoholic drinks — we wanted to try.

Disney only offers wine and beer packages on its cruises, so we needed to pay out of pocket for the mixed drinks we wanted. And because it was my sister's birthday, I decided to pay for both of ours throughout the trip. 

Here's what I spent:

• Glass of Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio Trentino: $11
• Skall Sangria (Lineman's Framboise, Twisted Tentacle Ale, and Lillet Rose): $10.00
• Blue Hawaiian (SelvaRey White, Pineapple, and Coconut): $10
• La Piña (Cîroc Pineapple and Coconut): $10
• Frozen Fractal (Cîroc, Peach, Moët, and Chandon Ice): $16
• Butterfly (Bombay Sapphire, Butterfly Pea Tea, and Citrus): $13
• Ink and Paint (Fresh Lemonade, Butterfly Pea Tea, and Strawberry): $5.50
• Small latte: $4

Total:  $79.50

When we stopped at Disney's private island Castaway Cay in the Bahamas, my sister and I splurged on some outdoor activities.

Personally, I would have loved to lounge on the adults-only beach all day. The water was warm, the sun was strong, and stingrays swam around your feet.

My sister, on the other hand, was determined to have a more active day. As a result of her persistence, I spent $13 on a bike rental and $34 to rent snorkeling equipment.

It was exhausting in my experience, but well worth the $47.

I went a bit overboard (no pun intended) when buying souvenirs — spending more than $204.

There was so much to experience on the ship that I waited until the last full day of our cruise to start shopping. I bought a couple of postcards for myself at Castaway Cay, and also picked up some gifts for my family. My total there was $49.96.

It was the ship's gift shop, however, where I spent the most money. I wanted to commemorate my first cruise, so I left with a $75 spirit-jersey shirt, $45 Minnie Mouse ears, a couple of postcards, a $10 Captain Minnie pin, and a $12 Mickey Mouse magnet. My total was a whopping $154.41.

As I expected, Disney's cruise souvenirs are just as expensive as the ones at the theme park .

Finally, it was time to get off the cruise ship and head back to the Orlando airport.

I used the same Go Port shuttle service, and spent another $30 on my ride.

Between food, souvenirs, travel, and the cruise itself, I spent $3,870.21.

Both my sister and I agreed that we had a great time on our Disney cruise. Everything from our stateroom to our meals exceeded our expectations.

But nearly $4,000 is far more than I can regularly afford to spend on a Disney vacation as one person. I can't imagine funding a family of four, six, or more on the same trip.

So personally, if I were to save even a quarter of that total, I'd rather put it towards a trip to Disney World or Disneyland. My sister said she felt the same way.

But if cruising is for you, or you want to take your first vacation with Disney at sea, expect your trip to take a significant bite from your wallet.

• Main content

the disney food blog

food IS a theme park

Read the Latest Posts

Looking for something?

Get the dfb newsletter.

STAY CONNECTED

What It Costs to Take a Disney Cruise

By Lydia Storks Leave a Comment

Eating as much soft-serve ice cream as your body can handle. 🍦 Spending all day lounging around in the pool. Devouring unlimited chicken tenders, pizza, and other meals included. And (of course) hanging out with Disney characters and watching world-class shows. Being on a Disney Cruise might sound like a true dream come true, but (like most things in life) it comes at a COST.

Who’s ready to sail away?!

For so many reasons, Disney cruises are incredibly unique — from their family-focused atmosphere to the food, entertainment, and more that only Disney can deliver. You might be thinking “Yes! Sign me up for the next sailing! Let’s go on a cruise with Mickey!” But you’ll have to hold up for just one second. What will this cruise cost you? What options do you have when it comes to cheaper cruises or more expensive trips? How much should you prepare to spend on this special trip? Today, we’re breaking it down!

What Affects Cruise Line Costs?

Before we go through exactly what your cruise might cost, we have to first break down what could impact the price of your trip. Prices can vary (a LOT) based on different factors, including things like travel dates, room type, destination, and more. Changing up these factors can make a HUGE difference in the price of your vacation! 💸

Disney Cruise Line Pool

First, let’s discuss room type . When booking a Disney Cruise, you’ll notice that there’s a stark contrast in price between the various stateroom types . Inside staterooms are the cheapest, followed by Oceanview. Oceanview rooms will have a porthole but not a balcony. If you want something a bit fancier than that, then you can go for an Oceanview Room with a Verandah — these rooms have their own balconies. The most expensive room category is Concierge, which offers the highest quality rooms with the best amenities, including access to the Concierge Lounge.

You also may be able to save some money by traveling on the older ships. Disney Cruise Line has 4 ships currently sailing — the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic are the oldest ships. The Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream are newer. And soon the brand NEW Disney Wish will be setting sail.

You may find that some 4-night cruises on the Disney Wonder are cheaper than 4-night cruises on the much newer Disney Dream. Both of these ships also tend to be cheaper than sailing on the brand new Disney Wish , which sets sail in July 2022. For example, you’ll see that a 4-night Bahamian cruise on the Disney Magic starts at around $,2074 for 2 guests…

…while a 4-night cruise from a different port but with the same stops starts at $2,267 for 2 guests.

It’s also important to note that certain ports of call and destinations are typically more expensive than others . Traveling to ports like Alaska or Europe will generally cost you a pretty penny compared to a visit to the Caribbean or the Bahamas. The Alaskan and European trips are also typically much longer, which adds to the total price.

Alaska cruise

Your travel dates can also make a big impact on the price. Taking a cruise in December right at the peak of the holiday season could cost you thousands more than the same voyage in September. Cruise rates will typically go up during holiday seasons and long weekends when students are out of school, while they’ll be cheaper during hurricane season or during “slower” periods when children are in school.

Specialty sailings like the Very Merrytime Cruises, Halloween on the High Seas, or Pixar Day at Sea , can also make your sailing more expensive.

©Disney Cruise Line

There are several other factors that you shouldn’t forget about when pricing your vacation. Disney Cruises offer an inclusive feel and they do in fact include a LOT of things, but there are some things you’ll have to budget extra pocket money for, like airline fares , travel expenses, spa treatments , alcoholic beverages, upgraded dining experiences (like Palo and Remy ), tips and gratuities, and port adventures. Make sure to keep those in mind while budgeting!

So, what is  included in the cruise cost? For your baseline cruise expense, you can expect: your stateroom (of course) tons of dining options and room service (get that soft serve and stock up on chicken tenders), Broadway-caliber shows, a fireworks spectacular on select sailings, access to youth/teen clubs and child services (though note that some things like the nursery are an additional cost), night clubs and lounges, pools, and recreation areas, a movie theatre, games and oodles of family activities, and (when the cruise includes a stop there) access to Disney private island, Castaway Cay.

Click Here to Learn More About Disney Cruising During the Holidays!

Alright, now that we’ve talked about general pricing factors, let’s break down some sample pricing for those sticking to a tight budget, those in the medium realm, and those looking to go ALL OUT on their Disney Cruise budget.

The Budget Route

If you’re looking to cruise on a tighter budget, then an Inside Stateroom is likely your best option. You might be able to upgrade to an Oceanview or Verandah if you choose to travel during the off-season, like the early fall or the late winter.

If you travel when it’s less busy, it’ll generally be cheaper.

We searched for a Disney Cruise Line sailing for any destination, on any ship, and departing from any port within the next few months for a party of 4 — 2 adults and 2 kids (ages 7 and 6). During our search, these are some of the cheapest prices we saw within each category:

1-3 night cruises: $2,056 (total) for a 3-night Baja Cruise (Inside Stateroom)

4-night cruises: $2,299 (total) for a 4-night Baja Cruise (Inside Stateroom)

5-6 night cruises: $2,804 (total) for a 5-night Baja Cruise (Inside Stateroom)

7-night cruises: $3,979 (total) for a 7-night Mexican Riviera Cruise (Inside Stateroom)

8-13 night cruises: $6,709 (total) for a 8-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise (Inside Stateroom)

That, of course, is just based on the cruises we saw as available during our search. Availability and pricing can vary. But hopefully, this gives you a better idea of the general range in pricing on the cheaper side of Disney Cruise Line (around $2,050-$6,700).

Note also that these prices are totals for the entire trip for the entire family. You can see how one of these prices would break down in the summary below.

Remember that these are just starting prices on the cheaper side of the price ranges. The dates for these trips are likely mainly during “slower” times like early January or other times when you might not otherwise have expected vacation time.

You may not get those same cheap prices during the holidays or during the summer. However, you may be able to sail during March or April and still get relatively inexpensive rates depending on the situation. You’ve just got to do some digging around and see what your budget will allow!

Click here to get a sneak peek at the Little Mermaid show coming to the Disney Wish cruise ship!

The moderate price.

If you can stretch and afford a little bit more, you could potentially go for a balcony, more expensive destinations, or other “splurges.”  Let’s take a look at some cruising options that are a bit more expensive than our cheaper selections.

For these examples, we looked at cruises more in the middle of the listings when it comes to starting price, and we then looked at rooms in the Oceanview or Verandah Category for the price (again, trying to stay in sort-of the middle range when possible).

1-3 night cruises: $2,983 (total) (Oceanview) or $3,401 (total) (Verandah) for a 3-night Bahamian Cruise

4-night cruises: $3,858 (total) (Oceanview) or $5,626 (total) (Verandah) for a 4-night Bahamian Cruise

5-6 night cruises: $4,518 (total) (Oceanview) or $5,330 (total) (Verandah) for a 6-night Western Caribbean Cruise

7-night cruises: $6,242 (total) (Oceanview) or $6,676 (total) (Verandah) for a 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise

8-13 night cruises: $11,770 (total) (Oceanview) or $16,162 (total) (Verandah) for an 11-night Norway, Iceland, and Scotland Cruise (maybe this should fall into the FANCY vacation pricing though at those costs!)

As you can see, a moderately priced sailing could cost anywhere between close to $3,000 on the cheaper side to up to $7,000 or so for longer cruises (excluding those 11k and 16k figures for that pricier cruise!). If you stick to a budget of around $4,000-7,000 , you’ll generally be able to have your choice of the stateroom on 4, 5, or 6-night cruises to places in the Caribbean, Bahamas, or even the Pacific Coast.

Push the budget up to the $7,000-$8,000 range, you could do a nice 7-night trip to the Eastern Caribbean or some other spots. With an Oceanview or Verandah stateroom, you’ll have a great view of the amazing sights you’ll pass along the way!

Walking to the Staterooms

With this kind of budget, you’ll be able to travel for more of the week. And if you stay on the lower end of the budget, you’ll have extra cash to spend on port adventures and other upgrades!

Click Here For What to Know Before Cruising With Disney!

The fancy vacation.

But, let’s say you want to be extra fancy. We’re talking ALL THE BIG BUCKS. Concierge, long cruises to fabulous places, the WORKS. How much could you spend then? Well, if you got the maximum level of luxury, you could easily spend tens of thousands of dollars!

For this exercise, we took a look at the most expensive starting price for the cruise in each of the sets of days and then looked at what concierge would cost for each one. For some others though, we hopped around to find those REALLY pricey trips. If you’re gonna go all out, you go ALL OUT, am I right?!

1-3 night cruises: $10,791 for a 3-night Bahamian Cruise (Very Merrytime) (December 23-26th, 2022)

4-night cruises: $27,460 for a 4-night Bahamian Cruise (Very Merrytime) (November 14-18th, 2022) (Though note that other dates had concierge for around $9,500)

5-6 night cruises: $20,573 for a 5-night Mediterranean Cruise

7-night cruises: $26,592 for a 7-night Western European Cruise

8-13 night cruises: $70,249 (total) for a 12-night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise (TALK ABOUT FANCY!)

Booking a concierge stateroom alone can get super expensive (more than $10K for a family of four!) but upgrading that room to a fancier suite can make it even more costly.

For the epitome of fancy, check out the Wish Tower Suite onboard the Disney Wish or some kind of concierge suite with more than 1 room.

The Wish Tower Suite ©Disney

Thankfully, not every Disney Cruise Line package will cost you as much as a new car! And there are often discounts or deals available that could help you lower those costs.

However, even you “budget” shoppers will want to keep a few things in mind. Disney definitely doesn’t have the cheapest cruises out there. You can go on a trip on some other cruise lines for a similar length of time for significantly LESS. But you’re paying the higher price for the Disney Cruise for a number of things — the fact that sodas are included (small, but still a useful feature), the split bathrooms that appear in many rooms, the Disney feel, the special entertainment you’ll get on board, and all of the extra touches of Disney “magic.” They may be pricey, but Disney Cruises are a one-of-a-kind vacation!

Disney Dream

Also, even though most of your costs are included, you’ll still probably want to bring some extra cash . Little things around the ship will add up, like drinks for the adults, bonus snacks, souvenirs, photos, or other add-ons. Budget for it just in case — better to be safe than sorry!

You’ll want to bring money for those drinks!

So there you have it — a breakdown of the costs to go on a Disney Cruise! Just keep in mind that these cruise prices can vary and can be affected by a number of things including the COVID-19 pandemic and more.

Want some help on your cruise planning? Consider using a certified travel agent! We highly recommend our friends over at Small World Vacations . They’ve got a wealth of knowledge planning all kinds of Disney trips (including cruises) and their services are totally FREE!

Let’s Set Sail!

Also, keep in mind that travel restrictions and COVID-19 related rules are constantly changing , some of which can impact the cruise industry so make sure you stay up to date before your cruise sails!

If you want more tips on Disney travel and all the latest Disney Cruise Line news, stay tuned to DFB!

Click Here to Learn More About the Disney Wish!

What you need to know about disney cruise line, learn all about disney cruise line and its various ships, explore disney’s mega cruise ship – the wish, a full list of what you can’t bring on a disney cruise, these are the best times to book your disney cruise, the best ways to save space in your tiny cruise cabin, 10 things you need on your next cruise (that you won’t think to pack), what it’s like to live on a cruise ship for 6 months, join the dfb newsletter to get all the latest disney news delivered right to your inbox click here to subscribe.

Have you ever been on a Disney Cruise? Let us know in the comments!

TRENDING NOW

I used to work at one of Disney World's most popular restaurants, and I am...

An exclusive LOUNGE is coming to Disney World for V.I.Passholder Days and we've got all...

Some important updates will affect Disney's Disability Access Services soon.

We asked water park workers for their water park horror stories! Let's see what they...

Could we see an exclusive Disney World Annual Passholder freebie release soon?

ALERT! There's a NEW Annual Passholder discount coming SOON!

HURRY! Tons of Disney items are part of Target Circle Week, and you won't want...

It's always a good day to go to Disney's Hollywood Studios, right? While any day...

Let's talk about what you need to pack for Disney World this Summer!

TONS of new snacks and treats are coming SOON to Disneyland Resort!

Victoria & Albert's Restaurant at Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is a...

Disney is retheming Dinoland U.S.A., but what can we REALLY expect?

We experienced a type of Disney World evacuation for the first time!

A series has been renewed at ABC following a prior cancelation on a different network.

We found ten Disney Loungefly bags that are less than $50 right now!

Two NEW Disney popcorn buckets are coming to Pixar Fest -- see them here!

Some places around Disney World feel abandoned or downright creepy -- here are 5 spots...

Are Disney World hotels magical and memorable? Yes. Are they also occasionally problematic? Also yes....

There's a new Disney festival coming to an international park!

Calling all Disney Visa Cardmembers! You can get a FREE Disney Dining Plan right now!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER EBOOKS

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FEED

• Disney Cruise: Start Here 1️⃣
• 101 Disney Cruise Tips 💡
• What to Expect on Your First Disney Cruise 🚢
• Disney Cruise Packing List
• Castaway Cay Tips

What’s Included Disney Cruise?

• Fish Extenders
• Disneyland Paris
• Disney Good Neighbor Hotels
• Animal Kingdom Lodge Tips
• Animal Kingdom Lodge Rooms
• Animal Kingdom Lodge Restaurants
• Aulani Tips
• All About the Aulani Spa
• Aulani Daily Iwa
• BoardWalk Inn Tips
• BoardWalk Inn Rooms
• BoardWalk Inn Dining
• 50 Magical Disney Coronado Springs Tips
• Disney Coronado Springs Dining: 2022 Guide
• Disney Coronado Springs Rooms: Full Guide & Reviews
• Polynesian Village Resort Tips
• All About Spirit of Aloha Luau
• Best Dining at Polynesian Village Resort
• 50 Magical Pop Century Resort Tips, Secrets & Hacks
• Disney Pop Century Dining: 2022 Guide
• Disney’s Pop Century Rooms: 2021 Guide
• Port Orleans Riverside Tips
• Port Orleans Riverside Rooms
• Port Orleans Riverside Dining
• Saratoga Springs Tips
• Saratoga Springs Rooms
• Saratoga Springs Dining
• Star Wars Hotel News
• Rent DVC Points
• 101 Disney Gift Ideas 🎁
• Latest Disney Deals 🔥
• Disney Black Friday Deals
• Disney World Tickets
• Disneyland Tickets
• Why Use a Disney Vacation Travel Agent
• Mickey Mouse Shirts
• Star Wars Shirts
• Moana Shirts
• Beauty and the Beast Shirts
• How to Get Two Free Audiobooks for Your Disney Vacation
• Disney Shirts
• 101 Disney Freebies
• Mickey Mouse Nails
• Minnie Mouse Nails
• Star Wars Tattoos
• Harry Potter Tattoos
• Disney Recipes
• Get Disney+ Free
• Disney Plus Gift Card
• Disney+ Bundle
• Best Movies on Disney+
• Best Shows on Disney+
• Disney+ Marvel
• Mickey Mouse Coloring Pages
• Minnie Mouse Coloring Pages
• Toy Story Coloring Pages
• Star Wars Coloring Pages
• Frozen Coloring Page
• Moana Coloring Pages
• Little Mermaid Coloring Pages
• Tangled Coloring Pages
• Avengers Coloring Pages
• Captain America Coloring Pages
• Spiderman Coloring Pages
• Coco Coloring Pages
• Frozen Font
• Star Wars Font
• Free Disney Character Pennant Banner
• Free Disney Vacation Scavenger Hunt
• What’s in the Cricut Mystery Box?
• The Cricut Maker…Everything You NEED to Know
• The Cricut EasyPress Mini – Everything You Need to Know
• 101 Disney Cricut Ideas
• Star Wars Cricut Ideas
• How to Make a Disney Shirt
• How to Make Disney Luggage Tags with Cricut
• How to Make a Disney Card
• How to Make a Disney Water Bottle
• How to Make Mickey Mouse Earrings
• How to Make a Mickey Mouse Inspired Wreath
• Best of 2022
• Travel Credit Cards
• Hotel Credit Cards
• Airline Credit Cards
• Cash Back Credit Cards

Disclosure: This What's Included Disney Cruise post contains affiliate links. Read full Disclosure Policy .

What’s Included Disney Cruise

By Alisha Molen

"So...does that cost extra?"

Want to know what comes standard in the price of your Disney Cruise and what is considered an extra expense?

In this guide, I've outlined what's included Disney Cruise...everything that is "free" (included) with the cost of your Disney Cruise and what you can expect to pay for on the ship.

you'll learn about:

You don’t have to spend more....

F irst of all, you should know that it is absolutely possible to step foot on a Disney Cruise ship and not have to purchase another thing for your entire voyage (except for gratuities ).

Everything you need is provided for you. The free activities, shows, games, clubs and lounges will keep you entertained. Pools and sundecks provide plenty of relaxation. And the food? There’s plenty of it for free all over the ship.

However... There are plenty of additional activities to tempt you to spend your money while on your cruise. Let's take a look at what's included and what's not.

Dining: What's Included

Meals in restaurants and buffets.

All meals are included for free in your ship’s main restaurants and buffets, except Remy, Enchante, Palo Steakhouse and Palo specialty restaurants. You can order as much food as you like.

Castaway Cay Meals

Food is provided at Castaway Cay restaurants, as well as soft drinks at their drink stations.

Many Room Service Items

Aside from a few exceptions room service meals are free. You are encouraged to tip appropriately, however. A dollar or two per item ordered works great. You can tip in cash or add it to the receipt you’ll receive with your food.

Soft Drinks

Coffee, water, soda, hot/iced tea, milk and juices are unlimited and free at meals. Additionally, there are a few drink stations on the pool deck. Those are all-you-can-drink and no extra charge.

Self-Serve Ice Cream

You will find a self-serve ice cream dispenser on the pool deck. It’s like heaven for a child, because it is all the ice cream you can eat...absolutely free.

Dining: Not Included

Specialty Restaurants

Remy and Palo are exclusive restaurants for adults (18+) and require additional charges plus gratuity. Alcohol is also served at an extra charge.

Bottled Drinks

Beverages such as bottled sodas and water cost extra. You might be requesting a drink like this when sunbathing by the pool. In such cases, tipping your server is also customary.

Popcorn, Peanuts and Snacks

Packaged snacks are available for purchase around the ship. Additionally, popcorn, peanuts and snacks are available outside the theaters for an extra charge.

Alcohol, Cocktails, Fancy Coffee, Smoothies

All alcoholic drinks cost extra . So do "mocktails" and fruit smoothies that they will offer to bring you while you're lounging by the pool. Specialty coffees (espresso, cappuccino, etc) are available for purchase at bars and cafes around the ship.

Royal Court Royal Tea

This special tea party includes storytelling, two yummy courses, gifts, and face to face time with Disney princesses. Cost is $220 per child, $69 per adult.

Check out this video to learn more about the Royal Court Royal Tea party:

Stuff to Do: What's Included

Entertainment & movies.

Disney Cruise Line specializes in providing amazing entertainment. This is Disney, after all!

Virtually every night, in the Walt Disney Theatre, you’ll be treated to an amazing Broadway-style performance, an amazing juggler, comedian, singer, hypnotist, or a full feature movie - usually something that is in theaters or coming soon.

The Buena Vista Theatre is an Art-Deco inspired movie theater. You’ll find a variety current blockbuster films (usually movies owned by Disney) playing basically all throughout your cruise.

Pools, Games, Sports

All of the ship’s waterslides, pools, and sports activities (mini golf, basketball, ping pong, and shuffleboard) are all free. Some lounges have board games available to play for free.

Each ship has a fitness center with free weights, cardio machines, and other fitness gear. The gym has changing rooms with showers.

Castaway Cay

On Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay , lounge chairs and beach umbrellas are free. Additionally, it is free to participate in the Castaway Cay 5k run.

Kids Clubs (ages 3 and up)

Disney’s clubs for kids, tween, and teens provide fantastic entertainment in awesome settings. At one moment, your kids might be chasing Tinkerbell around the room, at another they might be listening to Belle read them a story. These clubs are all free.

Character Meet and Greets

No Disney Cruise is complete without meeting Mickey Mouse or one of his pals in person. There is no charge for the standard character meet and greets. Keep in mind that some character meetings require advanced booking. See tips 3 and 4 on my Disney Cruise Tips page for more info.

Stuff to Do: Not Included

Spa / Salon Services

Prices for salon services such as manicures, pedicures and hair styling range from $35-75 per service. Spa treatments can run from $100-500, depending on the treatment.

Castaway Cay Rentals & Alcohol

For your day on Castaway Cay , you’re welcome to rent bikes, snorkeling gear, boats, private cabanas. You can purchase cocktails at any of Castaway Cay’s bars.

Shore Excursions

Disney calls these Port Adventures. DCL contracts with tour operators, guides or other recreation companies to give you something to do in each port of call at a price.

You can also book your excursions with a third party company on your own. You’ll save money that way.

The main drawback?

If your tour company is late for the departure time, the ship will not wait for you. That’s never been a problem for me, however.

Just do your homework and pick a reliable tour operator before you go.

There are plenty of photo opportunities by Disney Cruise Line photographers during the cruise. It is free to have your picture taken, but the packages to purchase the photos are not cheap.

The cost of packages will vary with the length of your sailing. DCL offers packages of prints and/or digital images burned to CDs or flash drives. The staff will also take your pictures free with your own camera.

Child Care (ages 0-2)

It’s a Small World Nursery takes reservations to watch your children while you go have some “grown-up time.” Rates are $9 per hour for the first child, $8 per hour for each additional child. Learn more about how the nursery works.

Each ship has free wi-fi connectivity to run the DCL Navigator app but it won’t let you access the internet (web, email, etc). Internet packages called Connect@Sea are sold on the ship and the costs are relatively reasonable (compared to other cruise lines) but still not cheap.

One the first day of your cruise, however, you can get 50MB of internet data free to use during your entire sailing. See tip #26 here and then read my full Disney Cruise Internet guide to learn all the details about getting online on a Disney Cruise.

Each Disney cruise ship has self-serve laundry facilities. The washers and dryers are on the smallish side but you can do a 45-minute load. Costs currently are $2 per washer load and $2 per dryer load. Soap and dryer sheets are available to buy from a vending machine.

PRO-TIP: Save a few bucks and bring your own laundry pods .

Full-service laundry and dry-cleaning services are also available. You need to plan ahead for this, as it can take over 24 hours to get your garment back.

Calls to Shore

Yes, you can make phone calls from the ship to home (or anywhere else on shore) but it’ll cost you $7 per minute.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

There’s a special salon on each ship that provides elaborate prince and princess makeovers. They also provide pirate makeovers on Pirate Night. There is a long menu of services for makeup, nails, hair, and costuming. Prices range from $59 and go up from there.

Want a tip for a freebie at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique? Check out tip #83 on this page.

Disney Cruise Gratuities

Gratuities for the Disney employees that take care of you during your vacation are not included in the price of your cruise.

It is appropriate to recognize the great service you'll be provided by the crew throughout your trip.

The following suggested tips will be automatically added to your account at end of the trip, but you can adjust these amounts while on the ship:

Stateroom Attendant

Dining room server, dining room assistant server, dining room head server, tipping on disney cruise, you can pay in advance.

You can pay your Disney Cruise gratuities in advance based on the suggested amounts listed above. You can do this up to 3 days before sailing.

Palo, Palo Steakhouse, Enchante & Remy

At specialty restaurants Palo Steakhouse, Palo, Enchante and Remy, tips are not automatically added for dining service. That’s up to you.

Automatic 18%

A gratuity of 18% is automatically added on all alcohol, Cove Cafe, or bar tabs.

Room Service

It’s proper to give a small tip for any room service you receive. A dollar or two per item ordered works great. You can tip in cash or add it to the receipt you'll receive with your food.

Porters & Bus Drivers

Bring cash to tip porters and bus drivers that help you with your bags. Customary tip is $1-2 per bag.

Don't Tip These People

Babysitters & kids counselors don't expect or accept tips.

It's traditional to tip your tour guides and/or drivers. Bring extra cash with you when you get off the ship. US dollars are accepted anywhere.

Pin for Later

The Hidden Costs Of Sailing With The Disney Cruise Line

I understand the frustration you feel when you book a cruise, just to later be hit with a list of hidden costs you didn’t budget for. It’s not a good feeling, right?

In some cases, these hidden costs come in the surprise of how much they actually cost. Other times, they’re things that you didn’t even know had a price tag attached to them.

Either way, you should always do your homework before going on a cruise. Because you may be surprised at how much these extras can cost.

It’s so surprise that you’ll likely need a passport to cruise. But, you may not know how much it costs to get one.

Passport Photos

One thing that is always a surprise is that you may need to pay to get you photo taken. And getting your Passport photos taken can vary in price, depending on where you go.

While it’s perfectly acceptable to take your own photo, there are many guidelines for how they (and you) should look. And, unfortunately, if your photo is not accepted, you will have to get it redone. Not only will this cost frustration, it also costs you precious time that you may not have. I

That’s why companies, like Passport Photo Online , give you tips on how to look, photo size, lighting restrictions, and more. For those of us with a baby, there’s additional suggestions for how to take their photo, so it’s acceptable to be used for passports.

Once you upload your photo, they transform it into a professional passport photo that is guaranteed to be accepted.

How much is their service?

If you choose the $13.95 service, you can either print your passport photo at home or have any store with a photo lab (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, etc) print it for you.

Stores will want you to pay $16.99 to print a Passport photo. However, you can generate a passport photo template on the Passport Photo Online app.

Once you have the right format, you can simply print your photo (there will be 2 per page) on a 4×6 photo. Prices do vary per store, but they generally cost less than $1 per print.

Passport Book

To get a United States Passport book for the first time, the cost is:

Not only is this cost shocking to some, it may not even be all of the hidden costs you’ll be paying. If you need to expedite your passport, the costs will only go up from here.

To expedite your passport (meaning it’s processed within 5-7 weeks) there is a $60 charge. Once it’s ready to be mailed out, there’s an additional $18.32 for 1-2 day delivery added on top of that.

Whether you’re a solo traveler or you’re traveling with a family, these costs add up FAST! While you can’t do anything about the cost of passports, you start the process as early as possible so you’re not forced to pay for all the extras.

Transportation

Whether you take a shuttle, car share, or drive yourself to the Port, make sure you know the hidden costs associated with each of these options.

Parking at the Ports Within The USA

You may have anticipated you’d have to pay to park at the terminal. But, prices vary. So, make sure you’re budgeting enough to cover these costs.

Unless you’re local, I always recommend trying to arrive a day early. And while this doesn’t exactly fall under the category of “hidden costs”, it certainly adds to your overall travel costs.

Why travel a day early? You never know when flights will be delayed or cancelled. If you’re driving a long distance, you run the risk of traffic or car problems putting you behind schedule.

And while Lyft/Uber is often the cheaper option, some prefer the idea of riding with a company instead of a complete stranger. Fortunately, there are shuttles that can take you where you need to go.

Interested on saving money on Lyft? Use this link to save on your next trip.

Disney Cruise Line Shuttles

There are benefits to booking a shuttle with the Disney Cruise Line. While it’s often the more expensive option, you’re working with the same company. This means that if your flight is running behind, it’s much more likely that they’ll wait for you to make it to Port.

Space is limited, so I do recommend booking early. Contact your favorite Travel Agent to have Ground Transportation added to your Reservation.

Port Canaveral

Need a hotel pre and/or post cruise? Go Port has an option called Fly Snooze Cruise . Prices include shuttles to and from MCO, your hotel, and the cruise terminal.

If you’re driving to Port Canaveral, you can choose Snooze Park Cruise . This option not only includes your hotel stay, it also includes parking and the shuttle from the parking lot to your cruise terminal.

Port of Galveston

If you’re flying into Houston to take a cruise out of Galveston, try to fly into Hobby (HOU) airport. It’s much closer to Galveston than Bush (IAH).

I currently live in Tomball, in North Houston (much closer to IAH than HOU). It easily takes us 2 hours to get to Galveston. An if you get caught in traffic, especially on I45 as you’re passing through downtown, your trip can easily take longer than what is ideal.

Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

New orleans (port nola), new york port terminal (manhattan terminal), port of san diego.

This is quite possibly the most hidden of all the hidden costs!

While there is a lot included with the cost of your cruise, tipping is not. You can choose to prepay for your tips, or pay on board. But, this is where the hidden costs come in.

If you don’t prepay, your onboard account will automatically be charged the suggested amount.

The suggested amount for gratuities (tips) is $14.50 per night, per stateroom Guest (including infants and children) . If you’re staying in Concierge, the gratuities are $15.50 per night, per stateroom Guest . Tips are split between the Dining room server, Dining room assistant server, Dining room head server, and your Stateroom host.

For my family of 5 (including a baby), that’s an additional $72.50 per night that I need to budget for, even though it’s not initially calculated when I book my trip.

An 18% gratuity may also be charged to your onboard account, for alcohol, deck service tabs, and spa services. If you’re staying in Concierge, it’s also recommended to pay $8 per night, per stateroom Guest for the Concierge Lounge Team.

Dining at adult dining locations, such as Remy, Palo, Palo Steakhouse and Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement? These meals are an upcharge, so additional gratuities will need to be paid separately from the suggested gratuities listed above.

Disney Cast Members absolutely go above and beyond. But, seeing a giant bill at the end of your trip can ruin any experience. Budget accordingly and be mindful about what you can and can’t afford before getting onboard.

Specialty Food and Dining

You can absolutely cruise with Disney and not pay extra for food.

However, sometimes you absolutely need that specialty drink or treat. And the adult only areas are perfect for date nights with a loved one.

The problem is, these specialty treats and meals are not included in the price of your cruise. And since some of these specialty items are located in restaurants where meals are included with the cost of your cruise, it can sometimes get confusing.

Not sure if it’s an upcharge? You can simply ask a Cast Member. If one is not available, check the menu. Specialty drinks and treats list the price. Anything included in the cost of your cruise does not.

Your Passport to FREE Travel Resources – Unlock Now!

Sign up to gain access to  the traveler’s toolbox . discover sample itineraries, expert tips, fun pages, and more..

There are so many activities on the Disney Cruise Line. And many of them don’t require you to pay extra.

However, if you want to play Bingo, you’ll have to pay between $20 – $60 , depending on the package you want to play.

If you want to expand your horizons and learn something new, classes are available on board at a cost of around $40 – $100 per Guest. Special experiences, such as the “Be Our Chef” Experience can cost upwards of $247 per Guest .

If you’ve heard a lot about the Rainforest Room, it should come to no surprise that this comes with a price, as well. Like all Spas, there’s many different packages, and each has its own price tag.

Some packages can be very pricey. However, if you’re looking for a 1-Day Singles Rainforest Pass, it’s available for just $16 + tax .

Excursions at Ports of Call are extra, as well. And prices vary per activity. And some may be more affordable than you think. For example, activities on Castaway Cay , Disney’s private island, include activities such as: bicycle rentals ( $13 for one hour ), snorkeling with stingray ( $36 for ages 10+, $25 for ages 5-9 ), paddleboats ( $18 ), and parasailing ( $129 for ages 8+ ).

There are multiple areas for kids to go and hang out, without their parents. And most of them are free. However, the “It’s a Small World” Nursery , which is for kids ages 6 months through 3 years old, is the only childcare area that comes with hidden costs.

How much does it cost?

As a former Lead Infant/Toddler Teacher, I understand ratios very well. Ratios for these ages are very low, which is why availability is extremely limited. While reservations can be made at any time during your trip (as long as there’s room), it’s highly recommended that you pre-register online.

It’s expensive to stay connected on Cruise Ships, and the Disney Cruise Line is no different.

While the Disney Cruise Line has upgraded their plans from a “$0.25 per MB” cost (yikes!) to now include per day costs, it’s still pretty expensive for what you get.

If you only want to post pictures to social media, it’s still going to cost you at least $10 per day to do so. If you want to read emails, surf the web, etc…you’re looking at $20 – $30 per day .

In my opinion, skip WIFI. It’s pretty expensive for spotty service.

Unless you absolutely have to stay connected, you’ll still have access to the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App, so you know exactly what’s going on around the ship. And if you have an iPhone, you’ll likely still have the ability to text friends and family. Although, this can be spotty, as well.

Which of these hidden costs is the most surprising?

Got questions? Feeling a bit anxious? Not sure where to begin? We help families, just like yours.

Planning an entire vacation can be overwhelming. But, here’s the good news: we have the answers to the questions that have been stopping you from pulling the plug on your next vacation.

We understand the journey, the ups, and the downs. We’ve been through the training, made our fair share of mistakes, and learned valuable lessons from them. This is what makes us the perfect people to assist you.

From thoughtfully crafted itineraries to having direct access to your dedicated Travel Professional, our mission is to remove the stress from your vacation planning. With our simple 3-step process, we’re here to help you every step of the way, ensuring that your dream destination becomes an unforgettable reality.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

First Time Cruisers: Unlock the Benefits of Booking with a Travel Advisor - Explore With Catherine

[…] also wrote a whole blog post talking about the hidden costs of sailing with the Disney Cruise Line. These are the things that surprise my first time […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Everything You Need To Know About MagicBands

Which Disney Vacation Is The Best?

ExploreWithCatherine.com is not authorized or endorsed by, or officially connected with The Walt Disney Company, or any of their affiliates. For official Disney information, visit http://www.disney.com .

Explore With Catherine is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com .

Discover more from Explore With Catherine

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Disney Cruise Alaska Cruise 2022 Cost Revealed Updated

Sharing is caring!

How much does a Disney Cruise to Alaska cost? A Disney Alaskan cruise is a trip of a lifetime and one of the most sought-after of all the cruises available on the Disney Wonder.

But how much will a Disney Alaskan cruise cost?

Disney Cruises for Summer 2022 were released on March 22, 2021.

I decided to not only show how much the cost of a Disney Alaskan cruise was on opening day but to see how much the prices increase after the cruises have been released and booking is open to everyone.

Here I compare opening day prices with those on 30 March 2021 and April 18 2022

I was surprised by what I found.

When Should I Book a Disney Alaskan Cruise?

Booking opened up for everyone on March 22, 2021, for the Disney Cruise Summer Sailings 2022.

Note that the prices that I show here are opening day prices and the prices that were available on 30 March 2021 and on April 18 2022.

By the time you are able to book or even minutes from when I have posted this article , the prices will most likely have changed.

And they most likely will have increased.

All rates are for 2 guests and include taxes and port fees. All prices shown are the lowest possible for that category.

Staterooms are available for 3 and 4 guests. There are a limited number of staterooms that accommodate 5.

All passengers over and above 2 in the stateroom will be charged extra, but the charge will be less than for the first 2 in the stateroom.

These prices are intended to just give an indication of the cost of a Disney Cruise to Alaska.

I was surprised by what I saw – that most of the prices of the Disney Alaskan cruises did not increase in the week since opening day.

Usually, the accepted wisdom is that you need to book a Disney cruise as soon as possible after the opening date or the price will increase considerably. However, prices really didn’t increase that much initially.

However, most of the prices have increased since opening day. The price for some staterooms on certain dates has increased considerably.

This also shows that if you want to sail in Concierge on a Disney cruise it is definitely best to book as soon as you can.

Prices are most likely to go up considerably – and often the Concierge staterooms are sold out completely.

If you want to see the other summer 2022 Disney Cruise Prices you can see them in these articles. Some, particularly the Dream show significant price rises from opening day.

Disney Fantasy Summer 2022 Cruise Prices

Disney Magic Europe Cruise Summer 2022 Prices

Disney Dream Summer 2022 Cruise – How Much Does it Cost?

Disney Wonder 7-Night Alaska Cruise Cost

Day 1: Vancouver (British Columbia), Canada  Day 2: At Sea  Day 3: Dawes Glacier, Alaska  Day 4: Skagway, Alaska  Day 5: Juneau, Alaska  Day 6: Ketchikan, Alaska  Day 7: At Sea  Day 8: Vancouver (British Columbia), Canada 

All prices are correct for 2 adults and include taxes and port fees. The prices shown are the lowest available rate for that particular category of stateroom

Sailing on 5/16:

Sailing on 5/23:

Sailing on 5/30:

Sailing on 6/13:

Sailing on 6/20:

Sailing on 6/27:

Sailing on 7/4:

Sailing on 7/11:

Sailing on 7/18:

Sailing on 8/8:

Sailing on 8/15:

Sailing on 8/22:

Sailing on 9/5:

Sailing on 9/12:

Disney Wonder Cruise Ship

All of the sailings to Alaska are on the Disney Wonder Cruise ship. If you want to see a complete guide to the Disney Wonder cruise ship click on the orange button below:

If you are looking for early summer 2022 then these are at Disney Cruise Early 2022 Sailings.

Will you be sailing on a Disney Cruise to Alaska in 2022? What do you think of the Disney Alaska Cruise Cost?

Disney Wonder Cruise Ship Guide

The Disney Wonder is the cruise ship that you will sail on if you are booking a cruise to Alaska.

I have spent many months on board the Disney Wonder and have written many guides to help you have the best cruise ever on this Classic Disney Cruise Ship.

If you want an overview of the ship go to Disney Wonder Complete Virtual Tour .

There are so many things to keep you entertained on the Disney Wonder. The Disney Wonder Restaurants include Tiana’s Place where you can enjoy fabulous food including the famous Princess Tiana Beignets.

The adults will enjoy the Disney Wonder Bars .

Have you ever sailed on the Disney Wonder?

Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando.  In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 45 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 200,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.

Disney Wish: A Complete Guide to What’s On Board

Discover the staterooms, dining options, entertainment, and more that awaits cruise goers sailing on the Disney Wish. 

Planning to set sail on a cruise aboard the Disney Wish? First announced back in 2016, this incredible ship set sail for the first time in 2022 and has been welcoming guests aboard ever since. We’re breaking down everything you need to know about this Disney Cruise Line ship, from the staterooms available to different dining options to entertainment onboard. 

About the Disney Wish

• Entertainment

DLR Magazine Annual Digital Subscription

Wdw magazine annual digital subscription, wdw magazine monthly digital subscription.

First announced back in 2016, the Disney Wish was officially announced in 2019. It first set sail on its maiden voyage from Port Canaveral on July 14, 2022, cruising through the Caribbean with stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay. 

As the first Triton class ship added to the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Disney Wish is a truly special vessel. The ship weighs 140,000 tons and offers enough room for 2,500 guests on board. That’s larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy – but the Disney Wish features the same number of staterooms, offering the perk of increased space for guests. 

On the stern of the Disney Wish, you’ll find Rapunzel and Pascal. But there’s another special character at the heart of this particular Disney Cruise Line ship: Minnie Mouse. During the keel laying ceremony for the Wish, it was revealed that Captain Minnie was on the specially-minted coin made for the keel and the ship’s bow artwork. Captain Minnie is also at the helm for each sailing (so keep an eye out for her while you’re on board!).

Inside the Grand Hall, where you’ll be welcomed aboard the Disney Wish, you’ll find a life-size Cinderella statue waiting. As you step further into the ship, you’ll find there are 14 decks to explore, with everything from staterooms to restaurants to entertainment venues to pools and recreation areas spread across them. Learn more about all of the exciting offerings below!

Where Does the Disney Wish Sail?

The Disney Wish is based out of Port Canaveral, the home port of Disney Cruise Line. From Port Canaveral, the Wish embarks on three- and four-night sailings to the Bahamas. Every sailing includes a stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island available exclusively for those who sail on Disney Cruise Line ships. 

Staterooms on the Disney Wish

Photo by Danny Shuster

There are 1,250 staterooms aboard the Disney Wish – and there’s a whopping 11 different types of staterooms to choose from. You’ll have plenty of options, whether you’re looking for a luxurious two-story stateroom or a smaller interior stateroom that’s solely for resting at night. Best of all, there’s a unique perk to the Wish’s staterooms: the staterooms are more spacious than those on other Disney Cruise Line ships . 

Additionally, the Wish offers a wide selection of staterooms with an ocean view; in fact, most rooms on board offer a view of the sparkling sea! Here’s a look at the different types of staterooms you can book.

Inside Staterooms

On the Disney Wish, you’ll have one inside stateroom option: a Standard Inside Stateroom . There is no exterior or ocean view to be found in these rooms, but they do sleep up to four adults in total. 

Oceanview Staterooms

When you opt for an oceanview stateroom, you’ll enjoy similar room sizing and layouts as inside staterooms. Each Oceanview Stateroom includes a large porthole that looks out onto the open ocean as you cruise. You can opt for either a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom or a Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom , depending on how many people you’re traveling with. While a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom sleeps up to four adults, a Family version can sleep up to five.

Verandah Staterooms

If you’re hoping to spend some time taking in the ocean air on a private deck of your own, a stateroom with a verandah is the perfect choice. Verandah staterooms include a private verandah just for your cruising party. You have two choices on the Disney Wish: either a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah or a Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah . These staterooms sleep four and five adults, respectively. 

Being a Princess is Exhausting – Mermaid Solid Color Tote

Being a princess is exhausting – mermaid watercolor tote, dlr castle by sunset art quality poster with hanger, issue 95 – once upon a time, concierge staterooms.

If you’re looking for a stateroom that offers an elevated cruise experience, concierge-level rooms offer exactly that. On Disney Cruise Line ships – including the Wish – concierge staterooms are similar to club-level rooms at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. These rooms come with a higher price, but you’ll get more personalized service, special access to a lounge, and other perks not available with a typical stateroom.

When it comes to accommodations and options, there are six types of concierge staterooms :

• Concierge Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah
• Concierge Family Oceanview Stateroom
• Concierge 1-Bedroom Suite with Verandah (or Extended Verandah)
• Concierge 1-Story Royal Suite with Verandah
• Concierge 2-Story Royal Suite with Verandah
• Concierge Wish Tower Suite

Each one of these concierge stateroom types offers a different layout and room for a variety of group or family sizes. Three of them – the Concierge Family Oceanview, Concierge Family Oceanview with Verandah, and Concierge 1-Bedroom Suite – can sleep up to five adults. Concierge 1-Story Royal Suites and Concierge 2-Story Royal Suites can sleep up to six, while the Concierge Wish Tower Suite has enough room for eight.

Dining on the Disney Wish

You’ll find a whole host of dining options on the Wish, whether you’re searching for a midday meal, a quick snack, or something to satisfy your sweet tooth. With formal dining options as well as a buffet, room service, and grab-and-go casual choices, there’s something for every taste and every day of your sailing.

Like all other Disney Cruise Line ships, the Disney Wish offers rotational dining for dinners. This allows you to try each of the main restaurants onboard during your sailing, though you can choose to skip a night or two of rotational dining and secure a reservation at a different restaurant not included with your sailing instead (at an additional cost). Here’s a look at all of the dinner options on the Wish :

• Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure
• Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement (reservations required)
• Palo Steakhouse (reservations required)
• Worlds of Marvel

Beyond rotational dining – and meals other than dinner – you can also grab a bite at these casual restaurants :

• Inside Out: Joyful Sweets
• Marceline Market
• Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods
• Wheezy’s Freezies

Entertainment on the Disney Wish

The entertainment roster onboard the Wish is filled with activities for guests of all ages. From pint-sized fun for little cruisers to adult-only spaces to shows for everyone, there’s always something to do while you’re at sea. Here’s a look at the different entertainment options you can explore during your sailing:

• Olaf’s Royal Picnic , a character dining experience
• Character meet and greets inside the Grand Hall
• Visit Luna , an entertainment hub that’s home to Villains Game Night, Disney Songbook, and Uncharted Adventure
• Catch Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular inside the Walt Disney Theater
• Hero Zone , a sports arena and obstacle course with activities for all ages

For more information about the Disney Wish, check out all of our Disney Cruise Line coverage !

The post Disney Wish: A Complete Guide to What’s On Board appeared first on WDW Magazine .

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Save Up to 25% on Select Sailings

View All Special Offers

Embark on an unforgettable Disney cruise on select dates and take advantage of special savings of up to 25% on prevailing rates as quoted on disneycruise.com!

Important Details

• Valid for new bookings only
• Valid only for stateroom categories IGT, OGT or VGT
• Full payment is required at the time of booking for all Guests
• Bookings are non-refundable, except bookings made in the United Kingdom or the European Union, which are subject to applicable cancellation fees
• Full legal names of all Guests are required at the time of booking and no name changes are allowed
• Specific stateroom will be assigned at a later time, based on availability
• Rate does not include gratuities or Port Adventures
• Not combinable with Disney Vacation Club Points
• The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited
• The offer cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts
• Subject to Disney Cruise Line   Terms and Conditions

Important details on Inside Category with Restrictions (IGT), Oceanview Category with Restrictions (OGT), and Verandah Category with Restrictions (VGT)

• Full payment is required at the time of booking for all Guests and is nonrefundable
• Full legal names of all Guests are required at time of booking and no name changes are allowed

Book Your Cruise To take advantage of this special offer, book online, call (800) 491-9744 or contact your travel agent.

Why Cruise with Disney

Set your sights on a one-of-a-kind vacation that boasts something special for every member of the family. Whether it's relaxing "me time" for adults, fun activities for teens and tweens, imaginative play for kids, or thrilling entertainment for all, a Disney cruise provides something for everyone.

What’s Included on a Disney Cruise

From the moment you step on board to your last wave goodbye, a Disney cruise includes almost everything you could hope for—larger-than-life entertainment, outstanding dining, spacious accommodations, dazzling destinations and more—with most experiences included in the price of your cruise.

More From Forbes

The real reason for disney's $11 billion streaming losses.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

High cost content such as Loki has driven the woes of Disney+ ©Marvel Studios 2020. All Rights ... [+] Reserved.

Few developments are as well-suited to Disney as streaming. With an archive of more than 8,000 hours of content spanning more than eight decades, it was a no-brainer to offer subscribers online access to it. However, a flaw buried deep in the business model of the Disney+ streaming platform has turned it from Disney's prince charming into an ugly duckling.

Disney+ was launched in late 2019 by the media giant's chief executive Bob Iger who retired the following year and was replaced by the head of its theme park division Bob Chapek. Disney+ was seen as Iger's parting gift and the timing couldn't have been better.

Few major corporations were battered by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 as much as Disney. Covid-19 cast a dark spell on almost all of its divisions. It shuttered the shops that sell its merchandise and the Blu-rays of its movies. It grounded Disney's cruise ships, closed its theme parks and brought the curtain down on the theaters playing its films. There was one exception to this devastation.

For a number of months in 2020, Disney was almost entirely reliant on Disney+ and it came into its own. As people were stuck indoors during lockdown, the popularity of the platform surged and was hailed as Disney's white knight. It was almost unthinkable that it could actually end up bringing the company to its knees but that is exactly what happened over the following years.

As subscriber numbers soared far beyond Disney's forecasts, the Mouse got drunk on its own success and ploughed billions of Dollars into exclusive Disney+ content. By the time it was released, there was a vaccine for Covid-19 and the pandemic had receded. Consumers were left picking up the tab for blockbuster furlough payments creating a global cost of living crisis that endures to this day. It led to people cutting their streaming subscriptions and left Disney with a loss-making platform.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

Disney's share price plummeted and Chapek got the blame. It spurred Iger to return to the top job and he was promptly thrust into two battles with activist investor Trian Partners which wanted board representation to try and bring the magic back to Disney. Trian hasn't had a happy ending in either of its attempts though, as recently revealed on this column, Disney had to take desperate measures to win.

In order to pacify disgruntled stockholders, Disney had to cut $7.5 billion of costs, including a lot of the exclusive streaming content it had commissioned. Despite this, Disney+ has burned up more than $11.4 billion of operating losses since it was launched and isn't forecast to even make a profit until the end of the year. It would have been so easy to prevent this from happening.

Disney has made a loss on its Direct to Consumer division in every quarter since 2020

In order to see the significance of the flaw at the heart of Disney+ we need to go back further than even the launch of the platform and instead start with the birth of Subscription Video On Demand itself. Ironically, the United States Postal Service played a key role in the emergence of this cutting-edge service.

In August 1997, tech entrepreneurs Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph founded a subscription-based mail-order DVD sale and rental business based in Scotts Valley, California. It had a simple USP which was that customers didn't need to return the DVDs they rented. The catch was that until they did so they couldn't rent any more and in the meantime the business collected their monthly subscription fees without needing to pay any postage.

That business was Netflix and by 2009 it was shipping 900 million DVDs a year to more than 10 million subscribers, accounting for around 1.3% of all mail in the United States. Its subscriber numbers peaked at 14 million in 2011 but that was just the start of the story. Four years earlier, the company had taken advantage of advancements in technology to launch a groundbreaking SVOD service which streams media over broadband internet. It was far from an overnight success.

In its early days, Netflix only had 1,000 films available for streaming, compared to 70,000 on DVD. The technology was so far ahead of its time that it took years for widespread broadband adoption to catch up with it. However, when it did, the popularity of its platform surged past its mail-order business taking it to its current tally of 260 million subscribers. Traditional media companies didn't see it coming.

Reed Hastings launched Netflix as a DVD delivery service (Photo By Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In an interview with us for the Mail on Sunday , former Disney chief executive Michael Eisner explained that "Reed Hastings, who is a genius in this area, took selling DVDs by mail and said 'well, our real name is Netflix. We want to stream them now.' Nobody thought of that. Several companies had the ability to buy Netflix early for nothing." They ended up regretting it as Netflix is now the world's biggest media company by market capitalization with a value of $275.3 billion. It needed more than just streaming to get there.

As Eisner explained, Hastings "created a business strategy and that was buying everybody's library. Everybody agreed to sell their library to him which was probably a mistake for them but they made a lot of money on it and it kept a lot of companies afloat."

In 2014, Disney got in on the action when it announced that it would spend $200 million over three years filming four Netflix series based on its Marvel super heroes characters Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Daredevil. This culminated in a team-up miniseries called The Defenders, but it didn't stop there as a sequel series to Daredevil recently wrapped filming in New York City. The difference is that this time it will be exclusive to Disney+.

When media companies began to realize that they should get in on the streaming game they pulled their content from Netflix and launched their own direct-to-consumer platforms. Disney didn't do it by halves.

In December 2017 Iger stunned the media industry by announcing a $71 billion deal to buy 21st Century Fox. It gave Disney the movie rights to super hero squads the X-Men and the Fantastic Four as well as control of streaming service Hulu and adult-focused content such as The Simpsons and Family Guy . This diversified Disney's content making it appeal to a wider audience of potential streaming subscribers.

As Iger revealed when he announced the deal, "One of the most exciting aspects of our Fox acquisition is that it will allow us to greatly accelerate our DTC strategy, enabling us to better serve consumers around the world." Two years later at the MoffettNathanson Conference he reiterated this and added "the lens that we analyzed 21CF through was with an eye toward eventually launching DTC businesses." It was an costly way to do it and this was only the start.

One of the USPs of Disney+ is the depth of its library which has more that 13,000 shows on it in 39 languages. That's the majority of Disney's back catalogue but it doesn't stop there. Disney also puts new releases on the platform a matter of months after they play in theaters which makes it a force to be reckoned with.

Previously, customers had to pay theaters repeatedly to see the same new movie multiple times. But on Disney+ they can watch it as many times as they like for around the same monthly cost as a single theater ticket. What's more, for that price they don't just get access to one new Disney movie, they get access to all new Disney movies and pretty much its entire back catalogue. It may sound like Disney was cannibalizing its own business but it only gets around 50% of theater takings whereas it keeps 100% of the Disney+ subscription revenue so there was method behind its madness.

At a starting price of $6.99 per year, subscriptions sold like hot cakes and Disney+ had 10 million sign-ups on its first day alone when it launched in November 2019. It far outstripped projections of 14.3 million by the end of the year and the trend continued in that direction. It hit 60 million subscribers after eight months and 100 million after 16 months which was more than Disney initially forecast to have within five years. Then came a disturbance in the force.

Cracks in Disney+ started to appear soon after the pandemic began receding. Disney's first major release was its Marvel movie Black Widow which had its release delayed by more than a year due to the pandemic. When the movie finally came out in July 2021, Disney took the controversial decision of releasing it simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ where subscribers could access it for a month at an additional charge of $29.99.

Black Widow's Disney+ debut drove fans away from cinemas

The National Association of Theatre Owners blasted the decision and blamed it for a 67% fall in box office receipts in the movie's second weekend, making it Marvel's worst performer in that period. It also infuriated the movie's leading lady Scarlett Johansson whose contract gave her a cut of the theater takings which were dented by the simultaneous streaming release. It led to Johansson suing Disney with sources telling The Wall Street Journal that she had lost more than $50 million because of Disney's release strategy.

Although the suit was eventually settled, it exposed the damage that streaming could do as it competes directly with movie theaters. In its rush to launch its own streamer, Disney principally had its eye on seizing 100% of the takings. It didn't bank on streaming generating blockbuster losses and jeopardizing theater sales thereby leaving it with less than it had before.

Instead of being satisfied with its spellbinding performance, Disney doubled down and commissioned dedicated Disney+ shows and movies, spending $33 billion on content in 2022 alone. Driven by ego in a bid to attract more subscribers than Netflix, Disney upped the ante and it didn't pay off.

Pretty much everything that could go wrong for Disney did go wrong. Taxes soared as governments sought to claw back the massive furlough payments made during the pandemic. At the same time, inflation surged due to the war in Ukraine and local factors such as Brexit in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, consumers were still wary of returning to cinemas due to the risk of catching covid. However, they weren't stuck indoors any more so they had less of a need for streaming subscriptions and less money to pay for them.

This perfect storm was magnified for Disney because its flagship Marvel franchise has an inter-connected storyline across more than 40 shows and movies. It means that if fans miss one of them they may be more reluctant to watch the next for fear that they won't understand it. This led to Disney having to put disclaimers at the start of some of the shows saying that prior knowledge was not required but of course by the time that was necessary, Marvel was fighting a losing battle.

The content deluge cost Disney dearly, both financially and in its quest to dethrone Netflix. The number of Disney+ subscribers has fallen from a high of 164.2 million in September 2022 to 149.6 million at the end of last year whereas Netflix has almost double that at 260 million. Meanwhile, Disney's streaming losses ballooned driving down its stock price by more than 40% from its peak of $201.91 in March 2021.

Disney+ subscribers peaked in Q4 2022

Chapek had already attempted to stem the red ink by launching a cheaper ad-supported Disney+ subscription tier and even offered subscribers discounts on hotels at Walt Disney World in Florida. It wasn't enough to save his job.

Earlier this week Iger revealed to business network CNBC that Disney didn't anticipate losing so much money on streaming. "We ended up losing a lot of money on that, more so than we expected initially. Part of that was because we were chasing sub growth and not as focused as we needed to be on the bottom line. I came back and the losses were around $4 billion a year. It was clear that that was not sustainable and not acceptable and the goal was first let's reduce those losses." It wasn't tough to see where to start.

As we revealed, Disney spent more than $500 million just on Marvel's Moon Knight , Secret Invasion and Loki Season 2 streaming series which were essentially given away free to Disney+ subscribers along with all the other content. It is a bone of contention which the actor Seth Rogen alluded to when he told Variety that he is "personally distressed by not having any sense of how successful these shows and movies we make for streaming services are."

Iger cut down the upcoming Disney+ content slate and, according to recent filings, he is targeting $4.5 billion of annualized entertainment cash content spend "primarily from slate / volume reductions and lower spend per title." He also put the emphasis back on exclusive theater releases to protect that lucrative revenue stream. Iger essentially undid the mess he created as a number of these costly streaming shows, such as Moon Knight , were given the green light under his watch. The cost cuts were followed by an even more drastic decision.

Series such as Moon Knight were expensive to make for Disney+

Bringing Disney full circle, Iger pulled content from Disney+ enabling it to be licensed to other platforms. The culled content even included the original series Willow which cost Disney more than $100 million to make as we revealed . Again, discussions about developing the series began under Iger's watch.

The Disney+ series Ms Marvel even ended up on Disney's own linear ABC network. In the third quarter of 2023 alone Disney recorded a $1.5 billion impairment charge for pulling the content. It doesn't get more ironic that the costly content which began development discussions under Iger was then pulled by him leading to a tremendous impairment charge.

Disney isn't the only studio which took this approach. Warner Bros. Discovery pioneered it by pulling dozens of titles from HBO Max for tax write-offs or to loan out to Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) services. Paramount Global followed suit while downsizing its Showtime platform. The studios realized that some titles are more valuable earning ad dollars on FAST platforms than they are sitting in a SVOD library.

Disney is still trying to find its feet with its streaming platform and just last month began offering Hulu through Disney+. Iger told CNBC this week that there are more developments to come.

"We need the technological tools to lower churn and create more stickiness. It's things like recommendation engines, getting to know our customers better. We need to reduce the cost of marketing. We need to reduce the cost of customer acquisition to get the margins up.

"Obviously, I think we have to program more smartly, particularly outside the United States, which is to pick the markets where we could really move the needle and program with really strong local programming. We have had some success there. We need more success.

"Password sharing is something else. In June we will be launching our first real foray into password sharing. Just a few countries and a few markets but then it will grow significantly with a full rollout in September."

It has already had a magic touch as Disney's DTC division improved its operating income by 86% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024 with filings adding that it is "aiming to deliver double digit profit margins in the future."

That is only part of the picture though as Disney still needs to recoup the $11.4 billion of accumulated losses generated by the platform so far. Netflix reached profitability in 2016 and had a 21% operating income margin in 2023. Assuming that Disney+ hits a similar level from the start of next year - and there is no guarantee of that as Iger told CNBC he expects double digit profit margins "eventually" - it could still take more than three years for the platform to clear its accrued losses.

Disney+ has generated average annual revenue of $17.1 billion so far, though this could decrease as although its top line has been growing, it has been driven by a torrent of new content which is slowing down under Iger. A 21% margin would yield annual operating profits of $3.6 billion bringing Disney+ close to break even in three years.

Meanwhile, Netflix seems set to generate even more profits and this highlights an inherent difference between the two platforms which is at the heart of the flaw with the Disney+ business model.

Netflix mitigated risk in two key ways. Firstly, in its early days it focused on licensing series made other studios which is obviously considerably cheaper than producing them internally. This also enabled it to decide not to renew them for a second series if the shows didn't attract enough viewers in their first run.

Secondly, and crucially, in its early days Netflix wasn't a studio so it wasn't creating content for release in theaters and therefore wasn't competing with its own clients.

Things have changed since then as Netflix' massive profits have enabled it to create its own content and take more risks by streaming movies which may or may not be successful. Disney acted like it too was in this dominant position right off the bat.

The flaw in the Disney+ business model is quite simple – the production of exclusive streaming content. No matter how much it costs to produce, exclusive streaming content is a gamble because Disney incurs the expense in advance so it is too late to avoid it if the content bombs. What's more, as with all streaming content, it isn't possible to attribute subscriber fees to specific content making it tough to calculate return on investment. That's not all because if the content is pulled Disney also incurs an impairment charge.

In contrast, if studios only put content on their streaming platforms which has already played theatrically or has already been broadcast on television it would be a whole new world.

That way the studios would not be competing with their key clients as theaters would get new movies first. Studios would get their 50% slice of ticket sales and could therefore attribute revenue to each production as usual. There would also be no risk of studios paying for costly productions which don't pay off.

That's not to say that Disney shouldn't produce exclusive streaming shows. It should but they should be sold to dedicated streaming platforms like Netflix so that they directly generate revenue for Disney. Conversely, this would enable Netflix to continue managing its budgets. If the audience of the shows declines, the streamer would not need to renew them for another season.

If Disney had taken this kind of approach at the outset it could have enjoyed all the benefits of its streaming platform and it may have never made a loss. Its dedicated Disney+ content costs would be zero and before any exclusive shows got the green light they would have revenue booked against them from the streamers that commissioned them, just like Disney's original four Marvel shows had from Netflix.

It's important to note that Disney is far from the only studio that fell foul of this by producing exclusive content for its streaming platform. However, Disney took the biggest risks because of the staggering sums it spent. Crucially, it did so despite knowing that it couldn't attribute specific subscription revenue to the content it created. At the same time, Disney+ was competing at a bargain basement price point with theaters which are amongst its parent's biggest clients.

Netflix faced none of these hurdles but this didn't stop studios from trying to take it on directly as they were so blinded by a desire to beat it. To coin a phrase from Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm character in Jurassic Park , the studios were so preoccupied with whether or not they could take on Netflix directly, they didn't stop to think if they should.

It appears that despite burning up more than $11 billion of losses on Disney+, the Mouse still hasn't learned its lesson. In his recent CNBC interview, Iger said "Netflix is the gold standard in streaming and they have done a phenomenal job in a lot of different directions. I actually have very, very high regard for what they have accomplished. If we could only accomplish what they have accomplished that would be great."

Now, more than ever, what Disney needs in order to succeed in the streaming marketplace is some of its famous creativity rather than continuing a cat and mouse game with Netflix which has cost it dearly.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes

MSC Cruises' Latest Sale Has Voyages Starting at $179 — When to Book

The sale is running until April 18.

Courtesy of MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises is offering monumental savings on sailings to warm weather destinations starting at less than $200 per person.

The sale, which was extended and must be booked by April 18, offers cruises starting at just $179 per person, according to MSC. The sale rate is based on double occupancy and does not include the taxes, fees, or port expenses.

Travelers who take advantage of this deeply-discounted rate can sail on three and four night journeys from Miami for just $179, or from Orlando starting at just $189, MSC shared with Travel + Leisure .

“It’s a great opportunity, whether you’re curious about cruising for the first time or you’re an avid cruiser looking to book your next sailing,” Koreen McNutt, the senior vice president and commercial sales officer for MSC Cruises USA, told T+L. “These quick getaways let guests discover everything we have to offer from world-class onboard entertainment and outstanding family programming to a variety of delicious dining venues and wonderful amenities. Plus, these short cruises all visit our private island in The Bahamas, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, with beautiful white-sand beaches and pristine water brimming with vibrant marine life.” 

The sale also includes MSC’s cruises from Galveston , which the company plans to introduce as its newest homeport in the United States in 2025. The cruise line expects to sail 7-night trips to Mexico and Central America on the MSC Seascape out of Galveston, which start at just $459 per person during the sale.

In addition, MSC is offering savings on its newest ship, the MSC World America , which the company plans to launch next year complete with a thrilling over-water swing ride, 13 different restaurants, an 11-deck-high dry slide, and more. Cruises on this ship start at just $649 per person as part of the sale.

“Cruising offers an unbeatable value proposition for vacations and we’re offering more itinerary options from a larger selection of embarkation ports than ever before, which makes it even easier for more people to discover what MSC Cruises is all about,” McNutt added.

Beyond the cruise fare, MSC is offering the option for travelers to add a drink package and Wi-FI to their booking starting at just $329.