Expectations:Fact and Fiction about the Disney Cruise Line

I thought that I would talk about the expectations of this type of cruise. Many of us have cruised before. So we all know about what to expect in a cruise experience. However, when most people think about a Disney Cruise, they think about Disneyland on a ship. This could not be further from the truth. Here’s my take on DCL as compared to the expectations that I had and those that others I talk to have. 1. Disney Cruise Line is for children. Disney takes great care to provide an environment that is friendly to families. You won’t find Casino’s, Smoke filled bars filled with out of control drunken 20-somethings, or pushy personnel hawking drinks every few minutes. You will find areas that are family friendly and areas that are adult oriented. The entertainment on DCL is some of the best in the industry. You also won’t be bumping into Disney characters every time you turn your head either. They’re there, but subtly so. The nice thing about DCL is that as far as character interaction goes… you won’t get this type of attention in any of their parks! 2. Disney Cruise Line is Expensive. I’ve covered this one before. Yep, costs more. But it is a different experience and you really can’t compare DCL easily to the other cruise lines. Now for the expectations that you should have: 1. Disney cares for their customers. I like to plan my vacations ala-carte. I have much more control that way. However, if you don’t mind paying a bit more, you can have Disney care for you every step of the way. They’ll book your flight, a night in a great hotel prior to the cruise, they’ll arrange for your luggage to meet you at that hotel without you having to find it on a baggage carousel. They’ll even pick it up for you the next morning and make sure it is in your stateroom when you arrive on board. You’ll travel aboard a nice bus from the hotel to the ship and never have to crack a map. And when the cruise is over they’ll pick up your luggage from your stateroom, load it on your plane and you’ll see it next at your home airport. Want a few days in WDW? They’ll take you there as well. Everything is taken care of. Worry-free is the catch phrase. Now let’s say that the unthinkable has happened and you’re stuck in Houston TX on the way to the ship and can’t make your connection. Disney will find a way for you even if it means booking another flight for you. Was the ship diverted to another port because of a hurricane? No problem, if you’ve booked through Disney, they’ll re-arrange your flights to the new port. 2. Top Notch Accommodations. I’ve been on other cruise lines. The cabins are small. In order to get a Full sized bed in a room you have to push together two singles. Disney cabins start with a queen bed and then add two singles. The split bath is a wonderful time saver when getting ready in the morning. The ship looks as though it has been teleported forward in time from the 1920’s Classical and Elegant. How about Disney World? Some of us may decide to prolong our vacation and spend some time there. How does that compare with Disneyland? Well, as the name implies, it is a world unto its own. As with DCL, if you want them to, they will take care of you from start to finish, including most of your meals. Transportation throughout WDW is provided and is very efficient. The parks are large with enough to keep you busy and exhausted by the time you lay your head on your pillow. Because of the size of the parks, there is less of that crowded feeling that you can get in the Disneyland parks. As far as food goes… you can get standard fare


So You've Booked Your Cruise Now What?