I’ve always been a big Disney fan. Whether I’m visiting nearby Disneyland or flying to its big brother Disney World, there’s little about Disney I don’t like. This includes its cruises, which I have been eyeing enviously for years.

Happily, I was recently able to take a Disney cruise, and the experience lived up to my expectations. Let’s talk about it in this review.

Booking a Disney cruise

Like most everything Disney, its cruises are expensive. While you might find a cruise for a couple of hundred dollars on a different line, expect to pay more for Disney. Room rates start at $1,400 for two guests on the four-night cruise from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, that my family and I booked.

Rather than settling for an interior category room, we booked a deluxe oceanview stateroom with a verandah. Prices can vary but expect to pay a minimum of $2,500 for this room type.

While booking a Disney cruise is costly, there are ways to help bring down the price. If you subscribe to Disney+, for example, you may be able to take advantage of an offer allowing the third and fourth guests in your stateroom to sail for free.

Those who live in Southern California, Florida or Canada may also qualify for discounted rates on select routes and dates, as do those in the military.

If you’re looking to lower your out-of-pocket cost, you may want to consider paying with a credit card and using statement credits. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has this ability, as does the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card.

Online check-in

Once we booked the cruise, we received an email confirmation. Along with details about our itinerary, the confirmation also included information regarding online check-in and documentation.

We needed to provide a variety of information before departure, including our passport information, COVID vaccination status and other personal details. Once completed, Disney assigned my family a port arrival time, which let us know when to show up for embarkation.

We were also mailed luggage tags to attach to our suitcases. This meant we were able to drop off our bags upon arrival and receive them in our room a few hours later.

Embarkation

On the day of departure, we were due to board at 1:45 p.m. Once we arrived at the cruise terminal, however, we were required to join several very long queues before actually getting on the ship. This included a security screening as well as an additional check-in process.

The cruise ship terminal is decidedly unmagical. It’s a large concrete building filled with ropes and one sad vending machine. The entire process took an hour from arrival until the time we got into our rooms.

I wish I could say this was unexpected, but Disney is as known for lines as it is for quality. All in all, I didn’t love the embarkation process, but I understand the necessity.

For what it's worth, those who book Disney cruise concierge rooms enjoy an entirely separate and expedited check-in experience.

Aboard the ship

The room

(Photo courtesy of Carissa Rawson)

We were aboard the Disney Wonder, which is one of five ships that Disney operates. As I mentioned, we had booked a room with a verandah. It felt pretty large for a cruise room, especially since it fit both a king bed and a fold-out couch.

The total square footage of the room came in at 268 square feet, which means a total of three to four guests can fit. However, my family had booked two separate (and connecting) rooms, which meant just my brother and I were sharing a room.

The room included all the standard amenities you’d expect, including a hair dryer, expansive closet and fridge.

(Photo courtesy of Carissa Rawson)

It’s clear that Disney expects many different types of guests. I was grateful for the curtain divider that separated the “living room” from the “bedroom,” since my brother and I each had a private space.

(Photo courtesy of Carissa Rawson)

My favorite part was our private verandah, where we spent a lot of time hanging out, reading and enjoying the wine we’d brought with us.

(Photo courtesy of Carissa Rawson)

I also especially appreciated the bathroom design. Rather than cramming everything into a single space, Disney has chosen to create two distinct bathing areas. One features the shower and a sink.

(Photo courtesy of Carissa Rawson)

The other has an additional sink as well as a toilet.

(Photo courtesy of Carissa Rawson)

Such a design allows two groups of people to get ready simultaneously, which is super convenient. The shower also includes a tub, which is unusual for cruises. I imagine the intention is to make it easier for children and families.

Note that each night housekeeping came in for turndown. This included creating fun towel animals, converting the couch into a bed and providing chocolates.

Food and beverage

I’ve been on cruises before where the food was unlimited but nearly inedible. This wasn't the case on my Disney cruise. Simply put, there is food everywhere, all the time, and nearly all of it is incredible. Most food on the ship is included with your fare, though there is one specialty dinner restaurant that costs money.

Most non-alcoholic drinks are also included, such as coffee and soda. Specialty coffees and smoothies cost extra, as do any alcoholic beverages.