We just returned from a 5 night cruise on the Disney Magic out of New York, calling on Bar Harbor Maine and St. John New Brunswick. Many of the features that attract us to Disney remain - the amazing dining room staff and cabin stewards, the entertainment (many levels above other lines) and the attention to detail. However, we were quite disappointed to experience several areas where service cutbacks had been imposed very recently, and I thought that I would share them with the forum. Like many of you, I have multiple Disney cruises on multiple ships, so I know what has been delivered in the past. Some cutbacks were obvious, and some were more subtle, but the overall combination produces the unavoidable conclusion that budget consciousness has hit Disney Cruises. Given the price of the product, this news is really sad. It started at embarkation. Disney had cut out the gold and silver express line, and 95% of the passengers were forced into a single line with a wait of some 75 minutes. Given the technology available to companies today, this is simply unacceptable. Disney's "system" of allotted check in times was a complete shambles. It seems that the system has a giant hole - no one checks the boarding time until the passenger checks in, and then it is only used to determine actual boarding group. We had an 11 am to 11:30 boarding time and had to wait endlessly behind passengers with 2 or 3 pm check in times. Disney needs a better system and they need to restore the gold express check in. The Castaway Club loyalty tiers already provide very little value. Taking away one of the biggest benefits is no way to build loyalty. When we finally did board, the next cutback was presented. We were seated for lunch (I don't do buffets), and as usual were presented with a bread basket (and I am a fan of Disney breads). That's it. No butter at all. I asked my helpful server for butter, and after a while he brought butter, but just two tiny pats for a table of four. I am usually successful at suppressing my sarcasm, particularly when it comes to dining room staff, but I asked: "is there a butter shortage that I have not read about?" The surprising response was "no sir, this is the new standard we just started". I guess I laughed, because a minute or two later the head server came over and said the same thing. He was very embarrassed and suggested that I comment about it. I noticed many similar small cutbacks throughout the food service during the cruise, and found myself having to ask for many items that in the past were simply brought and offered. I understand trying to reduce waste, but at the very premium price point charged by Disney, further inflating already industry leading profit levels by cutting back on such items as butter is a disservice to the Disney cruising community. Yes, butter is a small thing, and many of you are probably thinking that I am making a big thing our of nothing, but having been affiliated with major corporation for many years, I know what happens to a company where finance rules everything. I believe that it is starting to happen here. I also saw Disney cancelling a large number of excursions this journey. I personally had 3 excursions that I had signed up for cancelled after I booked them. Bottom line - I will probably still go on another Disney Cruise at some point, but am not sure that I would recommend the line to others now. Read Less

My mom and I took my 4.5 year old nephew on a 5 night cruise to Bermuda. This was my third Disney cruise and my third time on the Magic sailing out of NYC. This was my second Halloween on the High Seas. My nephew loved meeting all of the characters; it was probably his favorite thing to do. Bermuda was a great port of call and we really enjoyed Horseshoe Bay beach. The Disney movies in the room were also a godsend as my nephew is an early riser and we put movies on for him to watch so we could get some extra sleep in the morning. EMBARKATION: Always seems to take forever on Disney compared to other cruise lines. The characters coming out helps, but it still is a very slow process. And there is never enough seating in the NYC cruise terminal. DINING: Our waiters were amazing with my nephew and brought him chicken nuggets, french fries, and apple slices every night because he is an incredibly picky eater. I found the gluten free options very lacking. Other cruise lines give you an option of ordering off menu or will try to make non gluten free items gluten free for you. That is not the case on Disney. Some nights there wasn't even a gluten free appetizer option. Really enjoyed getting gluten free mickey waffles everyday for breakfast in the buffet though. Lumiere's now seems very boring and outdated compared to the other two restaurants as well. HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES: Were way too late for our 4.5 year old. We had the early dinner seating so had to stay up until 8:15 for trick or treating to start. We also found the party and trick or treating to not be well organized. KIDS CLUB: We could not get my nephew to attend the kids club on his own. We had him try it once for 45mins and when I went to pick him up he was standing in the room by himself not doing anything. He begged us not to have him go back by himself. He's a very shy kid so we suspected this may happen before the start of cruise. We attended the Zootopia and Sloppy Science activities during an open house and loved them. The Zootopia activity was especially cute. SERVICE: Amazing as always. Read Less

I am a Disney Fan, so I was excited to take my family on the Disney Dream cruise. I had such high expectations and for the most part, all of them were exceeded. The welcoming on the boat, made us feel so special. The shows and performances were like broadway productions. The restaurants, even the main dining experiences were 5 star A few things that I did not like The character schedules were for 15 min spurts and some characters had very few appearances, so with thousands of people on the boat, more often than not, a line was shut down. So we had a significant amount of missed opportunities. Similarly, since there was so much to do, you always had to choose what to do which is a good thing, but when you can't get a later time for things like the character schedule or a particular show, you start to feel like your missing out. Some character views were at 10pm, my children are sleep by then, to avoid tantrums, just something we couldnt take advantage of. I did expect the characters to have meals or appearances in the restaurants - so that was a missed opportunity They changed the port schedule (what days going to castaway ) without proper notification. They have an app that you can use, which was a life saver, but I did not see the change ahead of time. The most epic fail of them all, The Dream put on a fireworks performance, very excited, I love fireworks However they did it off the boat. In the beginning I thought it was a good idea until I saw firey fireworks pieces hurling towards a crowd of people ( I was in the crowd) I was able to dodge one that was coming in at top speed, but there was a second one that landed next to me, I thought it was one me, and it was still on fire. Luckily there was another person there to help put the fire out. Lack of full planning for cruisers safety These are the reasons it got a 3 out of 5 I am willing to give Disney Cruise Line another shot in a few years. But I expected to be wowed at every step of the way. Read Less

We are Florida residents and have a Disney Vacation Club membership. We chose the Disney Dream cruise instead of the Disney Theme Parks this year and it is an easy drive to the port. We cruise on the Disney Cruise Line usually every other year. This year, Hurricane Dorian was in the Bahamas the week before our cruise and we were stressed out from the preparations for the hurricane which had been expected to hit us directly, so it was a relief to have such a nice chance to relax for a few days. Our Vacation Club membership was purchased in 1995 when our son was young, but we continue to enjoy it. There are adult areas on the ship, the entertainment is top quality, and we enjoy the family atmosphere. Our cabin was on deck 2, and it had a large round window, which we enjoyed. It was a convenient location, on the same deck as one of the restaurants and just one deck below the main lobby. Once we were in the room with the door closed, we did not hear any outside noise. We were able to stop at Castaway Cay. Although there was visible beach erosion due to the hurricane and most of the activities weren't operating, the family beach was open and the lunch pavilions were operating. The water was beautiful and clean and we enjoyed our day there. The ship also stopped in Nassau but we've been there many times so we decided to enjoy the adult pool on the ship. The entertainment was top quality. Since it was a Halloween cruise, there were two costume parties, one for families and one later in the evening for adults. The pirate night was also fun, and the fireworks were shot off the top deck. We had a chance to see the new Lion King movie, and all the seats were taken. There were also live performers in the smaller venues: a violinist, a piano bar entertainer and a duo that sang popular music. There were a lot of large family groups on board and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Why not? It's Disney! Read Less

The ship is old, so you do need to overlook the wear and tear, but the smaller size is nice. First the bad-- 1) Embarkation was the biggest mess I have ever seen-- all the tour buses came at the same time, there was no plan and we stood outside in the cold for several hours A HUGE mess. Started the trip on a bad note. 2) The food is so-so, watery eggs in the morning, dried out hamburger buns, and a limited selection of dinner entrees. I expected more and better 3) The staff must be under a lot of pressure to get very high marks on the satisfaction survey as we had staff begging us to give an excellent score. 4) Stateroom walls are very thin, we could hear every conversation our neighbors were having 5) If you do not use the phone app you will be lost, as many staff do not answer questions and direct you to the app. The Good: 1) The entertainment is outstanding-- the best I have ever seen on a cruise 2) The staff works well with the passengers regarding character opportunities and photos 3) For the most part the staff went out of their way to meet our needs ( which were few) 4) Unlimited soft drinks on deck 9 were great. 5) Nice variety of activities 6) Shore excursions were organized and well executed, escorting guests to the buses helped in many ways. Would I do a Disney Cruise again, probably but I would check to make sure the entertainment had been updated and was fresh. Read Less

We took our first ever cruise aboard the Disney Dream in September 2019 (no kids with us). After carefully reading many reviews of the different cruise lines and ships, we chose to sail Disney due to their reputation for health, safety, and service. We were not disappointed in the slightest bit! The Disney Dream is a beautiful ship, one of Disney's two larger ships. It was well maintained and luxurious. The food was good, service was great, and the adult-only areas were quiet and relaxing. We particularly enjoyed the spectacular sunrises from our verandah and the amazing live shows. Beauty and the Beast was a favorite. To be honest I've never been a huge Disney fanatic, but there is just something magical and novel about Disney and you really feel that magic aboard their cruise ships. We chose the 3-night cruise which was a bit short for all of the planning and logistics and work it takes to travel across the country for a cruise. But we chose this because we weren't sure if we would even like being on a cruise ship. We can't wait to return and next time will try a 5-night cruise. The only complications on our cruise was that we were unable to visit Castaway Cay. Due to the recent hurricane, they weren't yet finished repairing areas of the island that had been misplaced and damaged. We docked at Castaway Cay, but weren't able to leave the ship. I know that many of our fellow passengers were disappointed by this. From what we could see though it looked like a beautiful place and we hope to be able to return. Lastly, Nassau was NOT a lovely place at all. It's a hard pass, next time we'll just stay on the ship. The port area was dirty and all of these hustlers crowd you and hound you to get you to spend money. Very uncomfortable and unpleasant. Not very "Disney" at all. It felt unsafe. Read Less

Free, high-quality food (except bar drinks, obviously) there were 4 restaurants on this ship. One is a buffet open only for breakfast with a wide variety of options. (Again, entry is free!) There is a grill, pizza place, and a salad bar open after breakfast and multiple soda fountains on Deck 11. The other 3 restaurants are open only for dinner except on the last day, and during dinner, you have the same (fun) waiters assigned to you and ready to serve. The menu has a lot of options and it's all free. Dinner consists of an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Now the rooms are kind of narrow but like dinner, the same person does your room and they are fun! In the morning the set it up so that it is spacious and at night the couches are turned into beds, and in my room with three kids, there are panels in the ceiling that become beds and the room service person makes animals out of the towels and usually gives you chocolate. Also, the shows are beautiful and on this ship, they invited Charles Peachock, winner of America's Got Talent to do his tricks. Also, note that it is hard to get lost on this ship for its massive size and it has a lot of age-fenced clubs for your kids to hang out. Also, the ship stopped at a pretty, disney-owned, private island. TL;DR -Ship: Really big, I compared ships at the port -Cabin: Really nice interior, a little small but actually very livable -Dining: food is great, waiters are fun, especially for children -Entertainment and Activities: Shows are REALLY good and have age-fenced clubs, and the ship stopped at a private, pretty island -Service: dinner waiters are assigned to you and are fun. Room service is great, and animals are made from towels. -Ports and Shore excursions: fast and that's partly because of the multiple gangplanks This is our second time and we're planning a third!! This was a great trip for all and you should join us! Read Less

Spoiler Alert for Kids and Adults who "Believe" or Want To About me: 60ish great aunt of these sailing kids, my 11th cruise, first and last on Disney Who Sailed: Extended family of 8, 6 adults and 2 children, including a 5 year old who turned 6 on the cruise, in 3 balcony cabins booked a year before sailing. Biggest Disappointments: Guest Services Handling of Gifts and Amenities (NOT our Steward, but Management) Before sailing, we arranged and paid online for the birthday child's cabin and cabin door to be decorated with a Star Wars theme as well as sail away champagne for the 6 brave, thirsty adults upon our arrival. As we walked to our cabin, said birthday child saw and loved many other decorated doors so we thought "HOME RUN"! Alas, when we got to our cabin, NO decorations on door or in cabin and one bottle of champagne when we had purchased two online prior to sailing. BOOM, not on board 20 minutes and already hugely disappointed. Guest services initially claimed no knowledge of the purchased decor and questioned second bottle of champagne until we produced receipts. Their lame excuses included paper sticking together, someone not turning the page over, decorations would be installed on child's actual birthday, second bottle of champagne is typically delivered on last day of cruise, etc. As soon as I told them my review would reflect my displeasure, the excuses stopped. To their credit, our wonderful cabin steward, Puri, had the room decorated by bedtime that night but we had to purchase door decor in the gift shop ourselves and install it while the child was otherwise occupied. The beverage manager caught up with me, in person, after dinner to apologize and two bottles of bubbly were delivered to our cabin the second day. Too little too late. Biggest Annoyance: During character greetings and in the buffet, our 5 year old was practically trampled several times, not by other children, but by rude adults muscling their kids through to the front of the line. The use of stanchions at character events and in the buffet lines might help remind the adults of their manners, prevent injuries to smaller, more polite children waiting their turn and improve the experience. Meh, Okay: Our kids are grown up for their age and know the "characters" are just people in costumes. They had fun seeing and having their picture taken with them but were not particularly enchanted. Half of the adults in the group were disappointed that there was no casino and all were insulted by Disney's philosophy that "alcoholic beverage packages encourage overindulgence". Both children felt the kid's club was "kinda like day care" and didn't want to go back. Unfortunately, our itinerary was entirely changed due to Hurricane Dorian, so the shore excursions had to be scrapped. No fault of Disney, but disappointing nonetheless. The Good Stuff: Our cabin steward and dining staff exceeded our wildest expectations every day. The steward was met with a chaotic mess in the kid's cabin each and every morning and always turned it into a peaceful, organized oasis before we returned. Our waiters won the hearts of the children with nightly magic tricks and very special attention such as cutting their meat for them and producing their favorite A1 Sauce without being asked. Stone crab claws for lunch every day can't be beat anywhere, anytime. Impressive accommodations for smokers, very chic, not at all the typical "circle of shame". Overall: Easily the most expensive cruise I have ever been on. Balcony Cabin size and furnishings are comparable to what Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival offer. Food, other than the crab claws at lunch, is also on par with the competition as is the excellent level of service provided by cabin and dining staff. Considering all that, the Disney "experience" should have commanded the difference in price. Sadly, for me it did not. Read Less

being first time on a cruise, we were so excited. After reading all the things that were special about the Disney Cruise sad to say let down beyond belief. Disney says that the waiters follow you from dining room to dining room and get to know their families and likes, nope we were lucky if they even remembered to get us coffee after dinner. We were second seating with no chance to change it, after eating if we wanted to see a show it was really late and we ended up falling asleep. If we wanted to get a photograph with a character, we ended up waiting for hour, easy. The shopping in the Bahamas that was touted as so much cheaper than the US, well don't forget the VAT tax. Not such a deal then. The Disney island was a let down as well, because of the weather all excursions were canceled except the snorkeling which should have been, the water was so choppy and visibility was zero but they still charged us 120 dollars. Back at the room we were exhausted but guess what? They decided to do maintenance on the balcony and we were left to find somewhere to wait until we could get back in. The pool was constantly closing down and the aqua duck was a hour wait if that was even working . The wave phones were also broken and unusable, we were terrified we would get charged for. The kids area was a joke, no activities just kids waiting around to play video games. I will NEVER go on another Disney Cruise. Ever. Read Less

Our first Disney Cruise was on the Dream roughly 5 years ago, and this is what got us hooked on Disney Cruise. We felt it was time to revisit the Dream has it had been a while, and it now featured the much loved Beauty and the Beast show. This 3-night cruise would also have the potential to be the perfect ending to a 2-week vacation. Ship: The Disney Dream has a classic look. The common areas are well maintained and everything was in good conditions. Clean washrooms, good entertainment venues, very decent "adult-only" area, and sufficient "water play" options given that the Dream almost sails exclusive 3 and 4 night itineraries to the Bahamas, with one day at Disney;s private island. For those in the AFT section of the ship, trying to move around before staterooms are actually ready, navigating the Dream can be a bit challenging as I did not find it as well laid out of the classic ships, the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic. Navigation was smooth Cabin: We had one of my favorite cabin type which is a full AFT cabin with an extended Verandah. Being at the back of the ships provide for great views on the ocean, as well as when docking at Castaway Cay. The extended verandah is nice as this is one of a few rooms that actually features lounger chairs on the balcony. The cabin was in really good shape and had sufficient space to store luggage and move around. I love the split bathroom concept - but less of a fan of the new fixed bottles for amenities (ie: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap). Those AFT cabin will get a bit more vibration when the ship is turning or breaking - but it is manageable. Being AFT on a high floor also meant quick access to the main buffet for breakfast and lunch. Bed was comfortable and we did sleep really well on this trip. Dining: Disney features rotational dining, meaning that you change restaurant each time, but get to keep your dining team throughout. We only had 2 of our 3 dinners in the main dining rooms as we settled for the specialty restaurant - Palo, on the last night. Overall, food continues to be above average on the Dream, but i have noticed that portion sizes for the mains have shrunk a little bit. I was also mildly disappointed in Palo as some of the pasta dishes were clearly overcooked - not something you'd expect for a premium experience. This was most likely a one off though as the rest of the meal was excellent. Buffet area is plentiful and food offering was satisfying for both the Embarkation lunch and the 3 breakfasts. Cabana buffet can get busy and crowded at times- but things were manageable. Our service team in MDR, as well as in Palo were excellent. Attentive and took notice of any allergy requests or dietary restrictions. The only negative is with the quick food service options - where I did not find the food up to par with what I had experienced before on the Magic and Wonder Entertainment and activities We had seen most of the Disney main shows before, with the exception of Beauty and the Beast, which is the only show we decided to watch. This is a wonderful production and definitely worthy of all the awards it has won. This is by far the best Disney Cruise production. It flows nicely, the signing and acting was excellent and the main Walt Disney Theatre is a great place to watch a show. The Buena Vista theater featured a couple of recent movies - but on a 3-night itineraries, unless it is raining, you won't really bother with this. Same with the other entertaiment options and adult activities. 3-nights is such a short cruise, especially with one day on Castaway Cay that there is just no time for anything else, especially if you decide to do a shore excursion in Nassau. The one area for improvement is the kids club. Compared to the Wonder and to a lesser extent the Magic, this is an area that is due for some tender loving care. The look and feel needs to be updated. Staff also have much less time to get to know the kids vs longer cruises so this is pretty much "in and out". Ports and shore excursions The highlight of this itinerary is usually Castaway Cay, Disney's private island. Castaway Cay never disappoints. This time around we were extremely fortunate to have access to a private Cabana and this was pure paradise. Complimentary snorkelling equipment, floats/tube, bicycle, more private beach area, close to refreshments and food and fridge filled with water, soft drinks and a fruit plate. It does not get any better than this. We decided to get off the ship in Nassau and do one of the Dolphin activities at Blue Lagoon and had no regrets All in, it did turn out to be the perfect ending for our vacation. Weather was supposed to be so-so, but we had 2 full days of sun in the Bahamas... Read Less

Outstanding Staff: Heru (cabin steward); Kevin (customer service desk); Melvina (cabin steward) The Great: - received a cabin upgrade; my 8 year old daughter had a fantastic time on the ship Dining: - Buffet meals in the morning and at lunch were mostly excellent - Supper was usually poor: meats were mostly dried out and of poor quality - when you name a dish a certain name (ie. Jerk Chicken; amaretto desert) ensure that it remotely tastes like said named dish - I have lived in the Caribbean for a number of years, and the Jerk chicken did not taste like Jerk chicken, not even remotely; the amaretto desert barely had a hint of amaretto; the coconut curry was poor overall, although it was closest to the name) - cooks very timid with the spices, very bland - wife ate the worst lasagna of her life, and she's not normally a picky eater - our table partners were far more disappointed with their meals than we were, and would agree that the food served at supper was sub-par - service was just okay, often slow, and at times would get orders wrong - nice people though Entertainment: - Aladdin was good - Magician was poor and kept constantly plugging his wares - Ventriloquist was very good - Comedian was good - rest of the shows - okay for the kiddies, but nothing to write home about Overall Onboard Experience: - excellent for my young child and wife, who spent a lot of time with the characters, at the movies, shows, boutique, tea time, etc. - poor overall experience for myself and my 13 year old boy who wanted to hang out - he's not into the characters and/or into the shows; we spent time on the basketball court, but there is only so much time you can spend with the sun beating down on you all day; - terrible pool experience: my 13 year old who is 6 feet 2 inches tall and looks 18 (three weeks prior a waiter at a restaurant asked him what kind of beer he wanted to drink) did not want to spend time in the kiddie pool with the 2, 3 and 5 year olds; nor did I, as I am over 6 feet myself - to have two grown men hang out with the little kiddies would not only look odd, but it was not something that we were interested in doing - so we went to the adult pool one night at about 10:00 p.m. - spend an hour there, and was great (it was empty) - next night we went again to hang out a bit and cool off, and this time a different attendant questioned his age and kicked him, even though there were only two other people there, and the two of us were behaving appropriately (we were being civilized, not loud, not disturbing anyone, etc.) - talked to Customer Service about the situation, and they were unwilling to budge and/or accommodate, even though I told them that my son would act appropriately, orderly, etc. and not disturb anyone - spoke to 4 managers in total - Yuki was very nice, but could not assist - after speaking to Yuki, two managers came to speak to me at the same time; I found that a bit "aggressive" of them - last manager by the name of Arief (apparently the top customer service manager on the ship) seemed a bit condescending (ie. Mr. "A" we have already discussed this with you...Mr. "A", I am not going to go over the same points that were already discussed"); I am not even sure that he correctly understood everything that I spoke to him about (seemed to have some difficulties understanding- English is my 4th of 5 languages, so there is no excuse that he should not have understood his customers) - overall, other than Yuki, I found the latter managers unwilling to listen; unwilling to use their heads and apply some discretion; all hid behind their "policies") - they all told me that my son and I could hang out together in the kiddie pool, or that my son could go to the teenage pool (true, he could, but then he'd be there by himself and I'd be by myself in the adult pool - not my idea of family time) - kept telling me that if they let my son in the pool, then they'd have to let all other teenage children in the pool (untrue - they gave me a cabin upgrade - they did not give everyone else on the ship an upgrade); we live in world full of policies, rules, etc.; exceptions to these policies and rules are made all the time based on individual circumstance (ie. people get a break from traffic tickets all the time; bureaucrats and politicians intervene in certain cases to make exceptions based on individual circumstances; etc.) - applying discretion is what allows our world to function more smoothly at times... Overall: The staff were nice overall, other than the higher-up client/customer service managers who were unwilling to provide the customer service that Disney supposedly prides itself on. At least for myself and my son, we did not in any way receive our money's worth - we could have done the same cruise with a different line anywhere from 50% - 65% cheaper. Movies on the television were limited. Even though we weren't on the cruise to watch movies, given the fact that my son was kicked out of the pool, we spent a fair amount of time in the room when not playing basketball, eating, at the shows, etc. Read Less

Planned and looked forward to this once a year itinerary for well over a year, sorry Disney but because of this poorly executed sailing we are trying another cruise line; just cancelled our B2B in 2020 and booked with RC. This 11 day sailing was fraught with sub par entertainment at best, even the Aladdin musical was reportedly an understudy who could not sing! The movies were the same repeated over and over again instead of offering additional selections and in the 11 nights the Edge Effect was the only entertainment worthy of applause. Even the on demand movies were quite limited. The menu's were the exact same menu's they have been serving since at least 2016, just lost all of the magic. Sea days were boring unless you played bingo, trivia or made crafts, the pools hot tubs were ridiculously full of bodies, our dream vacation was a let down of gigantic proportions. The crew was mostly kind but even there one could see the difference. We paid an exorbitant amount of money and did not feel as if we were valued passengers at all. We have a positive outlook on life but dare I say this sailing was a huge let down. Of course the rain was torrential on Castaway Cay day, no wonder we were able to pay for an available cabana, but they ordered us to leave an hour early and still we paid full price. Disney we know you can't control the weather but you could have not charged full boat for the pleasure of sitting in the wooden hut. We were super disappointed from bow to stern. Debarkation was chaos and a night mare, everyone leaving at once, just a mass exodus funneling to the one area. It was nice Disney but so long for now, see ya real soon....NOT! Read Less

This was our 22nd Disney cruise. We have been on all ships but I think the Magic is our favorite. We reserved this cruise for the itinerary but we love the ship. We have an adult disabled daughter who still loves all the characters and we always bring her best friend, also disabled. They have the freedom to roam around on their own. The staff and crew are wonderful to them. We had four of us on second level in an ocean view. Lots of room. Our room steward, Eddy, was terrific. He worked so hard on our room every day. And our servers, Thatra and Debora, were the best we have ever had. Charming, funny, sweet, accommodating...everything you could hope for. Even the head server, Steven, was always available and helped out his teams a lot. The food was good, with only a couple misses, The entertainment was top notch. We loved it from beginning to end, Read Less

1. Room 8040 was terrible we keep hearing super loud thumping sounds from somewhere, my four year old who always sleeps like a baby woke up so many times and said it’s just too noisy 2. Food service was terrible, they ask you how you want the meat cooked but it’s never cooked to our preference and most things are cold when they reach us. We weren’t very happy that there were many times when we were hungry but there wasn’t any food available to us other than soggy fries and pizza that tasted like plastic. The dining rotations were so bad by day 3 we wanted to skip it and just go to the buffet but only to realize there is no dinner buffet! Desserts were unbearable! Breakfast buffet was so 1980’s. No gluten free options and it’s just a bunch of flour and sugary foods but are not even considered real food. We could choose either cheap waffle pancake or donut, with lots of sugary dressings, or we go for boxed cereal that aren’t even real food but synthesized. The butter wasn't even real butter it was margarine! People who care about their bodies and health and watch what they eat don’t eat these packaged processed foods. My daughters are gluten/corn/soy sensitive, they ended up having no appetite for breakfast. I am not sure about you but from where I live everyone is aware that eating like that causes obesity and diabetes. But I don’t mind eating that stuff if it’s good but it wasn’t even good! 3. Most of us were so seasick we couldn’t really enjoy it, and I have never been seasick at all on any cruise ship, not to mention one time I was on a cruise when I was in between first and second trimester. But this time I felt so sick I was lying down one time for 36 hours straight and one of the kids threw up right in the middle of the show that’s how bad the ship was moving and swaying. 4. The Club House was terrible, they just hand my 4&6 year olds iPads! For the money we pay we would think the people there would have been giving them some more interesting things to do but our kids come back and say they are bored because they just get an iPad which my 4 year old never got any instruction and isn’t even fluent in English, so she had no idea what she was doing and was utterly bored! 5. The UK customs clearance was unbelievable, we were in line for almost two hours only to have to give up because we didn’t want to miss the Lion King premier and then had to go back in the line again after the movie! That’s just really poor coordination, we wasted so much time and it’s quite obvious that people were pissed too. They even asked us if we had any intentions to work in the UK! As if anyone would pay 17000 USD just to sneak in and find illegal work? 6. Laundry was so frustrating when half of the machines would always be broken at any time! So the functional machines were scarce and people ended up having to bite or fight each other to use them. It just reminded me of my college dorms! And people were taking my stuff out of dryer even before I got the message from Disney Cruise app! I had semi dry clothing lying all over when I got there a few minutes before my dryer time is up! 7. When we got to Dover, the shuttle bus to Dover train station actually cost 10 USD per person including our small children, that’s 40 USD in total while local taxi which we ended up taking only costs 10 pounds! 8. For all the coffee at our dining rotations, it actually costs money! For a coffee to go with the dessert after our meal, it costs 2-3 dollars I think that’s just too obvious Disney is trying to charge for whatever they could. We paid 17000 USD for 7 days and we couldn’t get a coffee to go with our dessert? 9. The Disney Cruise wasn’t even very Disney, I thought it would give us the feeling when we walk into Disney Orlando but it was nowhere near. Other than the shows and occasional characters posing for photographs (which again costs money), nothing was Disney! No Disney Music, no Disney decor, no Disney colors, not even the famous Disney parade....which we actually had even at non Disney Cruise Ship one time, the Oasis. For 17000 USD I think we definitely have many other options. Read Less

The cruise was amazing. Food at Palo (brunch and dinner) were exceptional. Rely (brunch with champagne pairing) was incredible. Kids Club my kid was glued to it and constantly wanted to be there. Pirate Night was fun, and I realized that I could have enjoyed the fireworks from our veranda, but hey, it was fun to be with everyone. Excursions, we did National Parks at British Virgin Island Gordo, and walked Devil’s Beach and The Baths. This was amazing, water, felt great, the walk in the caves was very adventurous (climbing down steep rocks, at times using a rope to hold on to, or walking down steep stairs so be warned) and very fun. St. Thomas was a trip to Coral World which was very relaxing, and very interesting to learn about sea life, animals and coral. Castaway Cay was the worst experience I have ever had. I set out to do the 5K which I walked. Lots of water, and beautiful stuff to see. I met my family and noticed that the weather was getting very hot. We found some chairs under an umbrella and sat. My son swam in the water, and I am not sure what it is with the heat and moronic people, but obscenities started to happen in everyday conversation. After discussing it with the people that were using it, and receiving a “Sorry” we decided to move to another area. Really, why do you have to use that language in front of your kids and mine? Come on! Wife started to get really hot and headed back to the ship. My son and I stayed for about 20 minutes longer, and as we headed back to the ship a Coast Guard helicopter landed next to the ship. I found out later, that the Coast Guard was called in because someone was suffering from Heat Stroke. THAT IS HOW HOT IT IS. Just know if you go out on the island, there is nothing to do except be in the sun or the water. When in the water, its a little cooler, but not much. No air conditioning on the island, and the air is pretty still, not a lot of breezes. The food for Castaway Cay left a lot to be desired we had a burger (son didn’t even finish it), and chicken burger. Both of which were the worst part of the food we had on the ship. I did drink a lot of Powerade which made me feel a bit better, but didn’t make anything taste any better. My son and I headed back, got on the ship and my son and I rode the Aqua Duck 17 times in a row....AND IT WAS SO MUCH COOLER! The Stateroom Host was incredible. Our head waiter, waiter and assistant waiter were amazing. The food was fantastic, all in all, you have to do a Disney Cruise if you haven’t. You don’t have to do the excursions obviously, you can enjoy a movie, or show, but enjoy that cruise. It really makes you feel special! My family is currently trying to figure out where to go next and when we can do it. This was my very first cruise, and having heard about other cruise lines, I may be a bit snobby and only cruise with Disney! :) Read Less

This cruise was definitely for the grandchildren, who loved every minute of it. We also loved the cruise but the much higher cost than for other “family oriented” cruise lines means this will likely be our first and only cruise on Disney. Arrival and Embarkation: Smooth and quick, no issues. Parking garage directly adjoins arrival processing. Only surprise was that a power strip we carried with us was confiscated (returned to us at end of cruise). Other cruise lines we have been on (RCL, Princess, Celebrity, Carnival, Cunard) allow; Disney does not. Cabin: Balcony cabin (8182) at far aft of ship. Some engine noise and vibration but not a problem for us. Quiet. As others have noted, more spacious than balcony cabins on other "family oriented" cruise lines, like RCL and Carnival. Lots of space and storage areas. Balcony adequate and nice view aft. Appreciated separate baths for toilet / sink and shower / tub / sink. Bed comfortable and AC worked just fine. Room steward (Arnis Devilla Cabral from the Philippines) was terrific. In short, no issues. Dining: Buffet crowded, particularly at breakfast but this is the norm for all non-luxury cruise ships, right? Found food in all venues to be excellent. We enjoyed rotating through different dining rooms with same exceptional wait staff (Agung Joko Susilo from Indonesia and Nick Khotala from Thailand - love the international staffs on all cruise ships - major reason I love cruising) each night. Definitely do not skip nights at Animators Palate dining room. I did note there was not as much variety in buffet foods as many other cruise lines. There was little to no curries, Mexican, Chinese / Asian offerings. Think Disney is "missing the boat" on this and that is why gave "four circles" in my rating for dining. We did not visit either of plus cost-restaurants (Remy and Palo) on board. Enrichment Activities: Not much that I noted and honestly, Disney does not market itself as a venue for this. Enrichment on this cruise comes from experiencing the foreign countries visited and the interactions with the multi-national crew members. If mind-stimulating lectures and presentations on weighty topics are important to you, recommend choose a different type of cruise. I think enrichment provided was average for a family-oriented cruise and thus so rated. Entertainment: All outstanding. Production shows (three) are superb - all of them, not just Aladdin. Do not miss the production shows. Outside of the major production shows, particularly enjoyed comedian Jonathan Burns and juggler Max Winfrey. Disney is not as good, my view, for lounge acts (my exception, pianist Tim Moss). This being Disney, whereas other cruise lines use the central atrium area for adult oriented music changing through the afternoon and evening, Disney uses primarily for child-oriented dance parties with Disney characters and similar. There are a lot of venues for adult entertainment. The Tube area on Deck 4 is focused on adults after about 8:30PM. In fact, the only time I witnessed a firm "no" from a crew member to a guest was when a guest tried to enter The Tube area during adults-only evening hours with young son in tow - he was politely but firmly refused entrance and pleading was to no avail. Good for Disney! All the entertainment we attended was very much family friendly. Disney also shines in movie presentation, on deck 11 (Funnel Vision) and in the Buena Vista theater. We saw Toy Story 4, one week after premier, and the screen in the theater is larger than most (and, of course, very comfortable and great sound system). We also saw recent release Dumbo. Popcorn is available – for purchase. Disney also has better than average options available on TV in cabin, mostly Disney films, of course, but not all. Shore Excursions: We used Disney to book excursions on Grand Cayman (glass bottomed boat for young granddaughter and submarine for grandson) and Cozumel (El Paradiso beach outing). All excursions we did were excellent and as advertised, no issues. We also very much enjoyed the day at Castaway Cay. It is definitely more low-key than latest similar offerings from RCL but as with all associated with Disney, what is provided is first class in quality. Beaches were beautiful with plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas for all who wanted. The picnic style lunch provided was good. The shuttle train is frequent. All in all, it was a very enjoyable day. Fitness Center and Recreation: Did not use but Fitness Center but checked and clearly well-equipped and maintained. The AquaDuck Slide was very popular with our daughter and grandson and there were lots of family-oriented activities throughout each day. The Muppet detective "game" (not sure what to call) you can sign up for is a lot of fun for all and very inventive. In short, loads of activities and chances to "recreate;" most all are family oriented. Pools: As with all cruise ships we have been on, crowded and hard to find a lounger in the shade. . .except in the strictly enforced adults only pool area on Deck 11 near bow. Presumably as most adults have children in tow and cannot enter this area with children, every time we checked this area, we found the pool to be near empty and plenty of loungers available. Again, kudos to Disney. There is also a very nice small hidden bar here, the Cove. Onboard Experience: Very enjoyable. We do not gamble and Disney ships to not have a casino, so we do not miss and allows for more venues (like two large theaters). Lack of “all you can drink” drinks packages meant no intoxicated jerks encountered. I suspect since most adults (not all but definitely most) are traveling with young children, best behavior is the norm. Couple notes: (1) Very few men wear a tux on the two formal nights; any suit or sport coat with tie will fit right in. Saw no formal evening gowns on the ladies; cocktail dress or "go to church" attire was the norm. (2) The free coffee, all venues, is ABSOLUTELY the worst I have had on any cruise. The brand (shown at the buffet) is Joffrey’s. I have had that brand coffee – the brand is not the issue. Coffee is bad because it is brewed so weak; makes McDonalds and Burger King coffee equivalent to a strong Starbucks brew. So, if want a good coffee, resign yourself to buying a Cafe Americano for about $3. (3) There is no printed daily events paper provided; you are expected to download and use the free "App", which is excellent. That said, if like me you miss having that printed paper you can pull from your pocket as needed, go to Guest Services and request. They do have (called the Personal Navigator) and if requested (as we did) will be delivered daily each evening to your stateroom for the next day. (4) Bingo is too expensive, too many people playing, too few games per session, and for the number of people playing and cost, the jackpots are way too low. We normally enjoy playing bingo on cruises; on this cruise, we played once and that was enough. Ripoff, my view. (5) There is always an alcoholic and non-alcoholic "drink of the day," for about $5.25 each. Children's Programs: We had our adult daughter and two grandchildren, ages 6 and 3 with us. Both grandchildren participated and both very much enjoyed. The "Club" is well run (not a surprise) and checking kids out is strictly controlled. We felt very secure leaving grandchildren there and they were never happy to leave. Of note, there are LOTS of opportunities each day for your child to have a chance to meet pretty much any Disney character you can name (from Mickey, of course, to Vamperina). These character meet and greet opportunities are advertised on the App and in the printed Navigator. There are also unannounced character encounter opportunities each day that you may unexpectedly walk into. You can buy the professional photo always taken as your child meets or just take and keep your own photos (and Disney employees accompanying each character are happy to take photo using your cell phone or camera). If you are considering signing up for a character breakfast or similar because you believe this is the only way your child will get to directly interface with a Disney character, you may want to rethink and put that money toward something else. Public Rooms: All spaces are clean and very well maintained at all times. The Disney Fantasy is NOT showing its age. Service: Impeccable and friendly, all staff and venues without exception. Debarkation: I think this was the quickest we ever got off a cruise ship. Under 45 minutes from time we started moving toward an elevator to leave to time we picked up luggage (easy to find) and cleared customs and immigration. I don't know how done as there are no set times assigned to everyone for departure and no area you have to wait for your group to be called. When you are ready to get off the ship, you can. Value For Money: My experience, the cost for a Disney cruise is more than twice as high as an equivalent length cruise and cabin on Royal Caribbean (and almost three times the cost for similar on Carnival). For me and my spouse, bottom line for us is that we are glad we took this cruise on Disney but doubt we will repeat. . .and definitely will not repeat without the grandchildren. The food is excellent and in buffet, we thought, superior in quality to all except Celebrity but the food in dining rooms was as good as other cruise lines, not better and there was less variety offered in the buffet than on other cruises (and the burgers on Carnival are WAY better). The main theater entertainment was superb but felt the entertainment in other venues was no better than on other family- oriented cruises and we missed having “adult focused times” in the atrium area. No can match (or even come close to matching) Disney for character visits or for movies offered but Disney ships simply not have some of the newest gee whiz stuff found on new large cruise ships (like the RCL skating and diving shows). Castaway Cay is terrific but so are the similar venues offered by other cruise lines (RCL in particular). The ship is beautiful and is well maintained (think slightly better maintained than ships on other cruise lines, except Cunard). The cabin was the best balcony cabin we have ever had, any ship. The staff is terrific but honestly, we always rave after a cruise about the superb service we get, all cruises and all cruise lines. So for us, worth doing once but (again for us) the very much higher cost to go on a Disney cruise is simply not worth it. Our cruise budget is limited and we would rather go on two RCL or Princess or Celebrity cruises (with money left over) than one Disney cruise. Read Less

I went on the Disney Magic 20 years ago and ever since then I have been telling my wife we need to take the family on a Disney Cruise. We finally booked the Western Caribbean 6 night cruise on the Fantasy. We have four kids ages 11, 13, 15, and 16 so we had two staterooms. Needless to say we spent a LOT of money on this vacation so our expectations were high because of that, and also because it was Disney. Positives: * Staterooms and our host Ignacius were incredible. He was amazing and friendly the whole time. * We saw the Aladdin, Disney Wishes, and Disney Believe shows...all were incredible but if you can only see 1 or 2, I think Wishes was the best, then Believe, then Aladdin. * Got to see Toy Story 4 on the ship for the first time. That was cool. * Cabanas breakfast buffet was great every day. * Room Service and Bianca were great! My kids liked ordering room service and they would send us little surprise treats here and there. My wife got to know Bianca quite well haha. * For smokers, Disney does a great job having places for smokers that are connected to the bars and restaurants, out of the way from everyone else, but not holed up underneath a stairwell or something like we heard from other cruise lines. * BBQ at Castaway Cay was AMAZING!!!! Some of the best food on the cruise. I read another review saying it was their worst. Interesting because we all loved it! * Overall the ship is amazing and clean everywhere! * Lots of opportunities for photos with characters * Pirate night and fireworks * AquaDuck...but go on it after 6pm and there is no waiting! That was when we did it because we had the 8pm dinner service. * Most of the staff was friendly and relaxed. Our servers at Cabanas for dinner (we took a break from the other 3 restaurants for one night) were fantastic! Ezra our assistant server at the 3 restaurants was awesome! * Trivia!!!!! We did multiple ones and it was a lot of fun. * Bingo - positive and negative. Positive because it was fun...Negative because it was over quickly and we were never close to winning. :) Negatives: * Francis, our server at the 3 restaurants. Yeah.....no. Nope, nope, nope. We wrote a letter to DCL about him specifically and that is all I will say. * Food was good and occasionally great, but never exceptional. Overall I can't say it wowed me. It's Disney. At times it was great, at times just good. But never poor. I can't say I had one meal that wowed me, although BBQ at Castaway Cay was really good. Maybe I was just ready for some ribs....lol. * Paying for popcorn. Really Disney? We just paid $18000 for our cruise and all the extras and now I have to pay for popcorn? That's pretty cheap of them. I think for the money you pay I wish more would've been included like popcorn, photos, a few well drinks, and parking at Port Canaveral ($119). * Snorkeling at Castaway Cay. We did not buy the snorkeling activity because we thought we could just do it on our own. At the family beach they have a section that is roped off specifically for snorkelers. We literally saw 3 white minnows and that was it! And we went out REALLY far, almost as far as you can go. There is no way we wouldn't have seen anything other than they must screen off the water or do something to keep the fish where the snorkeling activity is done. And the reason it has to be screened off is because there is no way they would let us be out that far, unless there was no risk of sharks. Which means they must have it blocked somehow. I can't prove it's what they do, but if so, that's pretty lame. Excursions: * We did Kayaking and Snorkeling at Cozumel. It was pretty good but took a long time to get there. Probably spent two hours just getting to it from organizing at the D Lounge to finally getting in a Kayak. But it was good. Next time we will do something different. * Costa Maya - Loved the beach break! Our favorite part of the trip. Lots of fish to see snorkeling, neat area, and felt exclusive. Only negative is we got tired of the vendors keep coming around to sell us stuff. But it was a minute thing. All the kids said they liked Costa Maya the best. I agree. Read Less

Kids age 16 and 17. We had never cruised before and never been to Alaska. We love Disney so this seemed like a good fit. Spent a day in Vancouver both before and after the cruise. Took a guided tour, wonderful city. Embarkation was straightforward, we boarded with no waiting around 12:30pm. The ship is pristine, you would never guess it's 20 years old. Everything literally looks brand new. Cabin had a queen bed and a sofa bunk bed. Small but fine, we were never there except to sleep or change. No window, and we didn't miss it really. The nightly shows truly were spectacular. Great talent and sophisticated technical aspects like sound, special effects, props, and sets. Food was the center of the experience. The rotation dining is fun and the dedicated wait staff of three give you a nice consistency. Food quality was truly excellent. The ship constantly had activities going on, from nature talks to trivia contests. It was all fun, mostly because the cruise activity staff is fun. Cruise Director Natalie is super high energy. We arranged our own port call activities. The kids spent a lot of time in the Teen Club "Vibe" and loved it. We felt safe letting them run around the ship and they were fine. Overall we consider this the best vacation we've ever taken. Highly recommended!! Read Less

This was another great cruise on Disney. The Dream is still an amazing ship. We always enjoy our time on all Disney Ships. Embarkation was a breeze. we were in boarding group 1, so we waited less than a half hour for boarding to start, then walked right on to start enjoying the ship. We don't have children traveling with us, so that helps a little when boarding. Disney maintains all their ships, and the Dream is just beautiful. We just can't say enough about how well Disney takes care of their ships. Now this was a last minute trip for us, so we originally booked a GTY. We were assigned cabin 10556. Again, Disney does an amazing job with the ship and our state room was no exception. it was very spacious and well maintained. Our cabin host took great care of us and we have no complaints about the service. We were a little worried about the location. Our cabin door opened right into the midship stairs/elevator lobby, and the cabin was right under the pool deck. I will say that we never heard any noise from the lobby area. It was remarkably quiet, especially for the amount of people traveling through that area. I will say though, we could hear a lot of noise from the deck above. This really wasn't an issue during the day because we spent such little time in the cabin. We did have issues at night. we could hear the movement of deck chairs and cleaning equipment and carts being used up there at all hours of the night. So while we still had an great time, I don't think I would ever choose a cabin on deck 10 again. Dining was great. the food is awesome! Our server staff was outstanding and we really had a fun time. They amazed us with magic tricks and kept us truly entertained as the took such great care of us. I can never complain about the food on a Disney Cruise. We visited Palo's twice, once for brunch and again for dinner on a different night. Their service and food is over the top. I highly recommend the Palo's brunch. And take your time and enjoy it, they give you over 2 hours to enjoy the service and the amazing food with the best view from the back to the ship. Cabanas is alway great too. We always love the egg station, with fresh omelets prepared to order. I love their selection and really can find something different to enjoy every day. Room service was awesome, also. We received coffee every morning to sip as we enjoyed the sun rise from our verandah. We really didn't partake in much of the entertainment on board. We had heard there were changes made to Disney Believe, so we did go to that show, and it was very good. They premiered Toy Story 4 on the ship, but we wanted to avoid the large crowd for that. we have no children traveling with us, so that really wasn't our thing. We love the adult activities around the ship. But we mainly enjoyed relaxing in the adult area by the satellite pool. This was a double up visit to Castaway cay, so the first stop, we enjoyed hanging out at Serenity Bay having drinks and sitting with our feet in the ocean. Disney does a great job maintaining their little piece of paradise. We never get off the ship in Nassau. we spent that day riding the Aqua Duck and sipping drinks by the pool. Th second stop at Castaway Cay, we had brunch at Palo's and decide to remain on the ship and relax. Disembakation was a breeze. We alway do express walk off with our luggage. Once the announcment is made, we depart. We usually wait less then 10 minutes to get through customs and then, sadly, board the bus for the trip back to MCO. Read Less

We previously sailed on the Disney Dream during a Bahamas cruise and loved the experience. When we decided to try Alaska this year, Disney was a no-brainer for our family. The Wonder, however, is a smaller ship than the Dream, as it is one of the two classic ships in Disney's fleet. Regardless, the Wonder was incredible, and we had an amazing time. SHIP - OVERALL The Wonder is a beautiful ship. For her age, she is in exceptionally great shape. The crew keeps her spotless. She is instantly recognizable in port with her white and navy color scheme. The interior is what a Disney fan would expect. Disney characters and art can be found throughout the ship, but it isn't overdone. Also, plenty of familiar Disney tunes are played in the common areas. The Wonder is on the luxury side of things in appearance and atmosphere. EMBARKATION Embarkation was really pretty easy from Canada Place in Vancouver. We hired a car to drop us off. Once we got there, it was easy getting our luggage to the porters, checked in, and on the ship. It is a bit noisy in there, so just come with a little patience. Don't forget your passport! DINING As with any ship in Disney's fleet, rotational dining is featured and included in the cruise fare. We had two nights at Triton's, two nights at Tiana's Place, and three nights at Animator's Palate. Of the three, Tiana's Place was our favorite. The food was the best on average, and the Mardi Gras party on our last night was just a lot of fun. In addition, Tiana's Place featured the Crawfish Crooners, and they were a very fun band that put a jazz spin on plenty of Disney classics. After Tiana's Place, we next enjoyed Animator's Palate the most. Our Frozen evening was there, and while that was fun, the night we got to create our own artwork that was animated as part of the evening's entertainment was the most fun we had during a dining experience. Triton's was fine, but we were seated in a corner near the kitchen. Our meals there were a little loud and it was on the warmer side. As with any Disney cruise, your wait staff follows you from restaurant to restaurant. Our servers, Nyoman and Jack, were amazing. They got to know us and our preferences. They knew what kind of recommendations to make when it came to food and drink at every meal. Typically, we had breakfast at Cabana's up on deck nine. This buffet style restaurant was wonderful. Each morning, everyone in my family was able to find plenty of options to choose from. I preferred the Mickey waffles with strawberry syrup, but my wife typically choose fresh fruit, oatmeal, and coffee. Our kids enjoyed the waffles, bacon, eggs, and other bakery items. For snacks, we typically went to Pinocchio's Pizza for a slice after returning from our shore excursions. Also located on deck nine, it is near the pool. My wife enjoyed Daisy's Delites, and the kids frequently got self-serve, soft serve ice cream when I would get a Dole Whip from Eye Scream Treats (the ice cream was included in the fare, the Dole Whip was extra). Boiler Bites, located near Pinocchio's, has some good burgers if that is what you are in the mood for. In short, there is always plenty to eat and it is easily accessible and almost always no extra charge. LOUNGES Even though the Disney Wonder is a family ship, it does cater to adults as well. After 5 p.m., the aft section of deck three becomes an adults only area. Many of the performers would have additional shows in this area that were a little more tailored for an adult audience. I typically hung out at Crown & Fin pub at the end of the evening. I'd usually buy a beer or cider, enjoy the complimentary nuts and mini-buffet, and watch Sports Center. A lot of others would gather there for cards and other games. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Cove Cafe. Although they serve alcohol there in the evenings, we enjoyed it for the coffee. You can, of course, get plenty of coffee for free on the ship. However, if you want a mocha, latte, or other concoction outside of your meal time, you will want to head to the Cove Cafe. The coffee drinks there are for an additional charge, but they are worth it. Plus, they have a machine that will make designs in the foam of your latte. They had everything from Disney to Marvel and Star Wars characters. I highly recommend it. CABIN Our cabin was just right for us. We probably could have used the extra space with a Deluxe Family Verandah room as our kids are 12 and 15. But, it worked out for us. We spent plenty of time on the balcony. Honestly, a balcony is the way to go for Alaska. There is so much great scenery to see as you sail, and a balcony helps you get the most of it. Our first full day at sea featured plenty of time on the balcony just taking in the sights. Definitely worth it. We appreciated that the bathroom in the cabin was split into two parts. The shower and tub were in one part. That room also had a sink. The other half of the bathroom had its own sink and the toilet. With two boys, and four people total needing to take showers, that was essential. Our guestroom host was exceptional. He kept our room tidy and well supplied throughout the cruise. We didn't have too many occasions to make special requests, but he was on top of things. STORAGE SPACE AND LAUNDRY Storage space was plentiful. TIP: store your suitcases under the bed. The bed sits a little higher, and there is plenty of room. The closet had more than enough space to hang up our suits for formal night and my wife's dress. Around the desk and the closet there were plenty of drawers as well. We had enough room for all our clothes. I would mention that we brought about four days of clothes and we spent a few days in Vancouver prior to the cruise. So, we did do laundry a few times. It was fairly affordable, but there was a laundry service available. Also, the laundry machines will send a message to your phone through the Disney Cruise app when your laundry is done. ENTERTAINMENT - THE MAIN STAGE A number of productions were held in the main theater, which is known as the Walt Disney Theater. These were all included in the fare for your voyage. We didn't catch everything there, but we saw the production of Frozen and Disney Dreams. Both shows were innovative and fun. They are described as Broadway caliber shows, and for the most part that is true. The only real difference is the length of the shows (about an hour) and the understandable absence of an in-house orchestra. The Walt Disney Theater also hosted performances by comedians and magicians. We saw one of the comedians, and he was entertaining, but not a can't miss. The magician, however, was a must do. Shawn Farquhar is a two time World Champion. We saw him in the Disney Theater one evening, and then we made sure to catch his performances in Azure later in the week. ENTERTAINMENT - THE BUENA VISTA THEATER The Wonder played several movies every day. Everything was under the Disney umbrella. For instance, the live action Aladdin was out recently, and that was available in the theater most days. So was Avengers: Endgame and Captain Marvel. Endgame was presented in 3D in a few instances as well. The theaters have a concession stand outside. The popcorn, candy, and drinks are for an extra charge. TIP: buy a popcorn bucket. You may not want to keep it, but the refills are only $1.50. Also, you can bring in food from any of the restaurants on deck nine. Nobody will stop you. We also attended a presentation on the bears of Alaska in the Buena Vista Theater, and that was informative and entertaining. ENTERTAINMENT - OTHER Beyond the theaters, the Wonder has plenty of other entertainment opportunities. The Disney characters have regular meet and greets throughout the day. Mickey, Donald, Minnie, Daisy, Pluto, Goofy, Stitch, and others are regularly available. Also, Spider-Man and Thor made appearances for the Marvel fans. The D Lounge and the Promenade Lounger are also a good places for families to go for game shows. We regularly attended "The Wheel" (a take off on Wheel of Fortune), Who Wants to Be a Mousketeer?, and So You Think You Know Your Family? All were a good time and family appropriate. Plus, there were always servers available to bring drinks and refreshment if you so needed. There are three kids clubs on the ship. My boys are more introverted, and they didn't really enjoy them. That said, I saw countless kids that did. The counselors we met were very friendly. PORTS AND EXCURSIONS The ports and excursions on this cruise were phenomenal. Alaska is just beautiful, and there aren't any real exceptions. Our first day was a sea day. Day two was to Dawes Glacier. We took the tour with Allen Marine Tours. They brought a boat up to the Wonder, and we boarded. They then explored the fjords and got us up close to berglets, cascades, and some of the wildlife. We got to within a mile of Dawes Glacier compared to the three miles the Wonder got. The following day was Skagway. It is a small town. Our excursion was the White Pass & Yukon Route. This was a train ride from Skagway through the mountains into British Columbia. We then took the bus back. This is another great way to see some scenery and wildlife. Make sure to bring your passport! The next port was Juneau. This was our favorite day of the cruise. We booked the excursion that took us whale watching and then to the Mendenhall Glacier. Again, this was with Allen Marine Tours. We saw plenty of whales and glaciers during the tour. The real highlight was Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls. The bus dropped us off near the visitor's center, and we walked the two mile round trip trail to get closer. Very worth it. The sights are breath taking. The last port was Ketchikan. We took a canoe tour of a nearby lake. It was a fun alternative to our earlier tours. That was also the only port where it rained on us. It was good, but not a must do. Be prepared for physical exercise as you do the rowing on the canoe trip. CONCLUSION Alaska on the Disney Wonder is a fantastic experience. We would consider doing it again. Our kids really enjoyed it. There are plenty of options for dining and excursions that you could do this cruise more than once and have very different experiences. Of course, with Disney, you are paying for the brand. So, if Disney is not important to you, consider an alternate cruise line to save some money. Disney fans, however, should love this. Read Less

I recently took a Disney cruise on the Disney Dream, a 4-day with stops at Castaway Cay and Nassau. I did not think I would ever take a Disney cruise. I’ve been on about 20 Royal Caribbean and Norwegian cruises and didn’t think I would ever spend the extra money for the Disney experience. But, now that I have, I’m glad I was able to see the difference and had a lovely cruise. I’ll try to explain a few differences between the Disney Dream and Royal Caribbean, in case you are trying to decide between a Disney cruise and a lesser expensive line. Booking: We booked the cruise by calling the 1-800 Disney cruise line phone number. We asked for two ocean view rooms, which connected. The ocean views we had were on Deck 8 and the ocean view windows were lovely. The windows were big with cushions for kiddos or small adults to sit and relax. From what I saw while on the cruise, there are other ocean view rooms with smaller windows (and are probably less expensive) but we were not offered this option, even when we asked for the cabins to be less expensive. I should have done more research on my own before booking the cabin offered by the phone agent. But, our cabins were lovely and there were plenty of room for storage. The coolest feature of the room, which Disney has over every other line, is the separate bathroom… one with a sink and potty and the other with sink and bathtub. The bathtubs are very, very cool. There is an overhead shower, a bath option, and a hand-held option. The bathtubs are great for kids and are just very cool in general on a cruise. Room service worked really well. The food was good and delivered quickly. The rooms had great Disney On Demand and tons of movies, which was nice for our kids. This was a nice perk you don’t find on other lines (the variety and amount of free movies). A note about “boarding time:” Going into this cruise, my biggest concern was getting on board the boat, as our “boarding time” was 1:30pm, which I did not like. I performed all my online check-in’s about 3 weeks before. I should have performed this sooner, but so be it. Since I am very familiar with cruises, I didn’t think I should have to wait until 1:30 to get on board the boat. With Royal Caribbean, we are used to getting on board at 11am or 11:30 on really, really big boats. I inquired with Disney customer service line several times about getting an earlier boarding time. With three phone calls I didn’t get anywhere. But, on the morning I left for the cruise, I called one more time to inquire and was told I could probably get on board a little sooner at Port Canaveral (rather than cruises which leave out of Miami). This was wonderful to hear and I arrived at the port a little sooner and was able to board about an hour before my “assigned boarding time.” There were numbers for “boarding times” but I acted like I didn’t see them and just got on board. I’d recommend getting to Port Canaveral about an hour before your “boarding time” because it takes a bit of time to get through security and get checked in. Embarkation: Upon entering the ship, it is quite lovely. The entrance is fun with how they announce families on Deck 3, where folks enter is big, gold, and lovely. We went directly up to Cabanas for lunch. My son loves buffets and I would have preferred to have lunch at the Enchanted Garden. Cabanas was totally crazy. Tons of people, not enough space to sit, as this is typical on the first day of a cruise. But, the food was tasty and we just tried not to let the crowds bother us. After lunch we went to our cabins, as they were ready right at 1:30pm. Cruise App: We downloaded the Disney cruise app and was looking forward to using it. All of our activities booked online were loaded through the app already. The app also gives updates on most of your signups, but not all (or at least I noticed our Bippity Bobbity Boutique appointment did not pop up). We were able to see the schedule for the ship on the app. But, the printed schedule can also be found on Deck 3 at the customer service desk. We didn’t figure out the texting part of the app, but had we wanted to take the time, it could have been fun. There are plenty of fun things to do on board. There are tons of activities, characters, food, and fun. The kids club is also well marked on the schedule. The kids club is very, very impressive. The kids club is massive and has tons of fun activities, movies, crafts, books, video games, you name it. It is truly large and very impressive! If your kids enjoy going to kids club and parents are looking to have some alone time, Disney should really, really be considered. The kids club is also very safe with code words and lots of security. The kids club also texts and calls the cabins if kiddos want to be picked up. I liked this feature. Food/Drinks: The rotating Dining Rooms were fun. The food on the Disney cruise was fine… I would say as good as Royal Caribbean. The buffet Cabanas had really nice roast beef and ham for the slicing. Cabanas also had peel and eat shrimp, crab, and oysters, which Royal Caribbean does not offer. On Disney, the soda is included. If you or your kids drink a lot of soda, this alone is a good reason to take Disney. The soft serve ice cream is also better than Royal Caribbean. There are more machines, more flavors, and none of the machines are broken. I attended the champagne class and it was very informative and the champagne was delicious. On Disney, you can purchase drink packages too. But, they are very different than Royal Caribbean. For instance, when I inquired about getting a beer package, it would have been about $60 for a dozen beers. It was not the price that bothered me; It was that they deliver the beer to my cabin for my fridge. I wanted to be able to grab a drink at whichever bar I was near, which was not an option with a package. Also, it has to be the same type of beer… no mixing and matching. The best price I found for a draft beer was on deck 3 across from customer service. It was at least $2 cheaper than the bottled beer, which was a nice treat! Characters: Yes, there are tons of lines. We didn’t want to wait in line for Mickey. But, we stumbled across him, just as he was leaving. My mom, who is quite elderly and moves very slow, motioned for us to run ahead. Mickey saw this. Mickey left his spot, walked over, and escorted my elderly mom back to the spot for the picture. It was beautiful and it brought me to tears. It reminded me of the “old days” when I was young and I could walk up to Mickey at the park’s entrance and embrace him without all the lines and chaos of today. I wish I would have told Customer Service about this wonderful moment. If you are looking for a moment like this with characters, perhaps a cruise should be your choice and you should skip the parks. If you book the Princesses and Frozen Friends ahead of time, the line moves quickly and it’s manageable. I recommend getting online and booking the day you’re able to (the agent who takes your reservations will be able to tell you the exact date). There are characters at many times during the day and those lines are very, very long. If you want to “do it all,” I can see how it would really stress you out. We just did what we could manage without getting frustrated. Castaway Cay: I’m from Florida and we have beautiful beaches. I’ve been to Coco Cay (Royal Caribbean) many, many times, and I love it. So, I had really, really high expectations for Castaway Cay. If you’re from somewhere without beaches, you will think it is paradise. The private island is lovely, but very compact and crowded with a long walk to get anywhere. I would try to avoid going right to the beach, where thousands of other people are. Or, I would skip the beach all together and splurge on a cabana or head directly to the adults only beach. I didn’t care for the beach part where everyone seems to congregate. Too many people in a small area. The beach/ocean for the water sports is much more expansive, but hardly anyone was over there (not saying I recommend it, b/c I just saw it from afar) One of my dear friends who has taken many Disney cruises waits to visit the island until after lunch. This would be my strategy if I ever go back. The lunch on Castaway Cay is just plain bad. And since Royal Caribbean has really beefed up their island lunches, Coco Cay blows Castaway Cay away for island lunch. Movies/Shows: The movie theater is very cool on the Dream. Movies are readily available and also movies which are current in the theaters, which is a nice perk. The Golden Mickey show was cute, but the gift shop should not charge $40 for the trophy of the Golden Mickey. Just plain mean. Beauty and the Beast is astounding; an outstanding show. The set, the special effects, the music… just beautiful. The soda is complimentary outside the theater (unless there was a mistake) and the popcorn should be free, but it is inexpensive to purchase. Games: The Detective Agency interactive game on board should not be missed (your kids will see it, don’t worry). My kiddos loved it and we performed all three challenges. If you are worried about time… the game can be played quicker by skipping to every other deck. For instance, you must visit every deck in the game, but the games are forward and aft on every other deck. So, you would want to hit decks, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 at one time and then go back for the odd decks another time (to save time). It was a highlight. When you see the game on Deck 2 (outside the Enchanted Gardens) or on Deck 5 (by the kids club), grab a map of the game, primarily to use as an on board map. The maps on Deck 3 at the service desk are too small to read. Aquaduck: The Aquaduck ride is very, very cool. You must be 54” to ride alone. I had my son measured at the pediatrician just several weeks before the cruise. Although he was 54” on our home ruler and 54” at the pediatrician, he was too short to ride by himself, as I don’t believe their measurements are accurate on the Dream. I got into it with the lifeguard… it’s a long story. Just be aware the ruler could be inaccurate, which makes a difference if you have smaller children and everyone wants to ride (two seater floats). The lines are quite long and we waited up to 45 minutes. But, on the night of the Pirate Show, there was not a line for the Aquaduck and its open for an hour during the Pirate Show. My son and I skipped the show (it looked really dull anyways) and we went on the Aquaduck during the show, round and around for an hour straight without a line. It was the best part of the cruise. We were the only ones in bathing suits on the whole deck, but we were absolutely having the most fun. It’s a memory of my son I’ll treasure forever. So, please skip the show and go on the Aqauduck. Or, skip the island in the morning and go on the Aquaduck when everyone else is getting off the boat. It’s worth it. Service: We are nice, friendly people, so we get good service on other cruise lines. But, Disney really blows everyone away with service. The dining room service was outstanding. They really catered to my elderly mother and helped her over and above normal service. They also catered to the kids. The room attendant was also really accommodating. Even the staff in the halls were super friendly. We always have great service on Royal Caribbean, but it was even more noticeable on Disney. Disney Visa: If you have a Disney Visa card, and you tie it to your on board expense account, you receive 10% off on retail items. I don’t remember getting anything else 10% off besides the shopping. This was a nice benefit I did not expect and did not see advertised anywhere. Spa: I went to spa and purchased the Rain forest Package, which included the private access to the aromatherapy showers, the heated lounge chairs, and two small Jacuzzi's, which have a great view. The package is for the whole cruise, so you can spend as much time as you’d like. It was very private, away from kids, and relaxing. I would recommend getting it. Departure morning breakfast: We didn’t know we had to be at our dining room when the dining room opens. We were turned away when we arrived late. We were banished to crazy Cabanas before departure. This is not the policy on Royal Caribbean, as you can arrive in the main dining room whenever you want. Just something to consider when making your decision. If given the choice, I would still choose Royal Caribbean, primarily because of the price and the perks I get because I have cruised so much with that line. But, I’m really glad I tried Disney and I may even go on another Disney cruise someday in the far future. Thankfully, I didn’t get too spoiled and I’m still happy to cruise on other lines. If you are planning to cruise very infrequently, or maybe only one or twice in a lifetime, I would choose Disney, as you are probably going to have a wonderful experience. If you live near a port or cruise often, I would choose a lesser expensive line… you will still have fun! Read Less

We are a late-60s couple who enjoy cruising. This was our fifth cruise, first with Disney. We were traveling with a large family party. We had a very good time, but I thought I would write this review slanted toward older adults who are trying to decide if a Disney cruise is right for them. First the bottom line, then the good and the not so great. Bottom line: it was great for an extended family gathering. I am less energetic than my younger relatives and could enjoy quiet time in the adult areas while they were off doing fun family things. We got to gather as a family at night at dinner and enjoyed hearing about their adventures. Are we glad we went? Absolutely. Would we do Disney again just as a couple? No. See below. The good... We thought Disney Fantasy was great. It was spacious, spotless, very well run. The food was great both in Cabanas and in the dining rooms. * Food - We didn't have a single bad meal. We thought it was far superior to Carnival, somewhat better than Norwegian. Not as good as Windstar but Windstar is much smaller and more expensive. The bars were great, bartenders efficient and friendly. * Cabin - Our deluxe oceanview cabin was larger and better organized than similar cabins on other cruises (except, again, for Windstar). * Entertainment - We didn't do any of the shows but our family members who did seemed to enjoy them. We thought pirate night was a lot of fun. * Embarkation - Embarkation and debarkation were efficient. We used the 'don't see your bags until your home airport' option and loved it. * Adult space - Disney did a good job with providing quiet adult-only space. The deck spaces especially were much better than either Carnival or Norwegian ships we have sailed on. The not so great... although I would give Disney high marks overall, some things don't suit everyone. * Disneyfication - we enjoyed seeing the characters and all the branding on board, but for adults without children it is something we wouldn't want to do again except with family. Unless you are a Disney fanatic, once will probably do it for you. * the 'go figure' category - some things just didn't make sense. We were staying at a Disney Resort, which you would figure would get you on the ship at a reasonable time. Not so. We had to have our bags packed and ready at 8:00 a.m., but our transport didn't get there until 12:30, which meant we didn't get on the ship until close to 2:00 p.m. Bummer. * the dining rooms are unavoidably very noisy. Lots of kids, lots of noise. If you are adults sailing alone, probably not your atmosphere of choice. * lack of activities for adults. One of the main reasons we wouldn't do Disney again is that the activities for adults without children was distinctly lacking. A bit of trivia (ok), bingo (been there, done that), and tasting/mixology classes that were booked long before we got to try to sign up for them. We were a bit bored during the day. * the excursions were oriented toward active families. Fair enough - that's the market. But we were disappointed in the range of excursions available. Other cruise lines have done a much better job. * prejudice against first-time cruisers. See above. It seemed to me that Disney was much worse about this than other lines we have used. I know you have to give preference to loyal members, but you should balance that with giving some opportunities to first-timers. So, again, glad we went. Good value, great fun, excellent food. Read Less

Disney cruise with Grand children and son and girlfriend. The best part was the food. The service with Leo and Sum was fantastic, I was so impressed with how they interacted with my family... My daughter is vegan and my grandson has an egg allergy. It was unbelievable how well we were catered to and treated by everyone. Really enjoyed pirate night Shows were great! Shaun Farquart was great in the adult and children shows. 5K was fun island was fun. The island was nice but a little to little to Disney. Cloudy day made it more enjoyable. Would have been to hot if the sun was out. Grand Kids loved the movies and shows. Downside was the price of drinks. Room service was great. As I said the waiter Leo and Sumi were the best part of this cruise, Leo took care of us at lunch even when he wasn't our waiter Read Less

I agree with several others about what people expect from this cruise.....I just dont think ANY cruise is good for an infant or toddler. My husband and I are in our 60's and love Disney. This was our 1st 7 day cruise and I wish we could of just stayed on it for another week. We have also done 3 day cruises on the Dream. Top notch entertainment and the dining for us was also top notch..Cabanas was ok but still much better than anything on a Carnival Cruise..we had a verandah and so worth it...loved how much room we had in our room. I know we have only done 3 cruises with Disney but I can not find fault with any of them. On this last one our room was next to a family with 3 kids and a baby...the kids screamed and cried the whole time and it sounded like they were playing ball in the room with all the noise...I know kids will be kids, but please teach them to respect others..this is not Disney's fault...our waitstaff David and Marco were fantastic and our stateroom hostess was great too...I do agree concessions for the movies should come with the price. Entire ship spotless!! Read Less

I chose this cruise because it was something I always wanted to experience and so I took my 9 yr old grandson during Spring break from school. We love the Disney Parks and wanted to try to cruise. My husband, 23 yr old son, my grandson and myself were in stateroom 7536. My brother, sis in law and 18 yr old nephew were in 7520. We had a nice time all in all. There was a mishap on first night dinner in AP. We ordered steaks and my bro got a one inch piece of metal in his. He was chewing and after feeling it, he spit it out - thank goodness. The wait staff, chef and head waiter were very apologetic and I felt bad for the chef. He looked so upset and puzzled. It was a piece of metal from a wire brush that would be used to clean a grill. This could have ruined entire cruise if it had been swallowed. Like I said, they were very upset that this happened and I hope they do whatever they need to do to ensure this never happens again. Swallowing that could be fatal. At the very least would require surgery. We received Magical Memories certificates for our troubles. The ports were fine. Key West was nice. Nassau - been there, done that. Unless your doing a day at Atlantis, might be best to stay on the ship. Castaway Cay, was beautiful. The weather was great. The shows were awesome. Saw every one of them. They released END GAME on the ship and that was so fun. Disney details were the best. We enjoyed some late night trivia and juggling entertainment. The food was okay but nothing over the top. We didn't do Palo. We were very disappointed that Lumiere's did not offer any entertainment for dinner. AP and the Tangled restaurants did have lovely entertainment, but not Lumiere's. It was our last night's restaurant so we looked forward to some fun, but there was none to be had. The wait staff said they removed the Beauty and the Beast entertainment because it was frightening to the little ones. This is Disney and they could have done something else rather than nothing. So yeah that was disappointing. Would I do another Disney Cruise, possibly but not 100% yet. Read Less