Onboard Frequently Asked Questions

There's so much to do on the ship! How will I know what's going on when?
Every day, you'll receive a Personal Navigator in your stateroom, which lists all the activities and entertainment for that day. There are even special Personal Navigators for children and teens!

What happens on days at sea?
During days at sea there are lots of activities going on for all ages! There are different programs run throughout the day, such as galley tours, and towel animal folding demonstrations. With children's clubs, movies, swimming, dancing, the spa, shops, entertainment, and characters you'll be spoilt for choice!

Can you stay on the ship when in port?
Yes, you don't have to get off the ship when in port. There's always lots going on onboard, and everything is less crowded. The pools remain open, and some of the restaurants stay open, plus special activities going on throughout the day, which are listed in your Personal Navigator.

Can all children participate in youth activities?
Supervised youth activities are available on the ship from 9:00 a.m. to midnight for children ages 3-12. Children must be age 3 or older and toilet-trained in order to participate. Children must be able to interact comfortably within our counselor-to-child ratios of 1:15 (ages 3-4) and 1:25 (ages 5-12). Disney are unable to provide one-on-one care. A child who becomes disruptive within the group may be excluded from participation. Parents sign their children (ages 3-12) in and out of activities and are provided pagers so they can keep in touch. Events have been designed for teens as well, ages 13-17. Teens do not need to be signed in and out by parents. There is no additional charge for these planned events

Will I have enough time to eat dinner and see a live show?
Yes. There are two seatings for dinner (on the Disney Magic & Wonder), early and late, and both schedules have been designed to allow guests enough time to eat dinner and see the evening's live show. If you are assigned the early dinner seating, you'll be able to go to the late performance of the live show. If you are assigned the late dinner seating, you'll be able to attend the early performance of the live show.
Guests onboard the Disney Dream will be assigned one of two show times, depending on their dinner seating time - 6:15pm and 8:30pm.

How can I be sure I'll be able to get into a live show?
You will have no problems being able to see the live shows, but it's best to arrive early as seats can fill quickly.

What kind of movies can I see on a Disney cruise? Are the movies just for kids?
There are always a good selection of movies showing in the Buena Vista Theatre, with first-run features, Disney favorites, and sometimes film premieres.

What is the policy on alcoholic beverages?
The drinking age aboard ship is 21. Valid photo I.D. is required. Disney Cruise Line® reserves the right to refuse sale and/or service to anyone

What is rotational dining?
Every evening, you dine with the same tablemates and have the same servers as you "rotate" to one of the three main restaurants. You will be given your schedule when you board, so you'll know exactly when you'll enjoy the unique atmosphere of each restaurant, and be assured the wait staff who know your tastes are always there for you. Children's menus are available in the restaurants.

What should I wear to dinner?~
Dining Dress requirements vary by venue or theme night on your cruise. In general, most meals are "Cruise Casual" -- no shorts, swimwear or tank tops. Most cruises also have special theme nights with additional attire requirements. Here's a breakdown of these events by cruise itinerary.

On 3-night cruises:

• First night: cruise casual — no shorts, swimwear or tank tops
• Second night: pirate or tropical deck party
• Final night: "dress-up night" — jacket for men, dress or pantsuit for women

On 4-night cruises:

• First night: cruise casual — no shorts, swimwear or tank tops
• One pirate or tropical night (deck party)
• One "dress-up night" — jacket for men, dress or pantsuit for women
• Final night: cruise casual — no shorts, swimwear or tank tops

On 7-night cruises:

• First night: cruise casual — no shorts, swimwear or tank tops
• Three additional "cruise casual" nights — no shorts, swimwear or tank tops
• One pirate or tropical night (deck party)
• One formal and one semi-formal night — formal wear for men: tuxedo or suit; for women: gown or dress; semi-formal wear for men: suit/jacket; for women: dress or pantsuit.

Dress for dinner at Palo on all cruises:

• Men: dress shirt or jacket
• Women: dress or pantsuit

Are meals available for guests with special dietary needs?
Low-sodium meals, kosher meals and certain other special diet-restricted meals are available. Please detail any dietary requests at the time of bookings.

Can coolers and/or food items be brought onboard?
Coolers are not permitted except for those needed for medications, baby food or items related to dietary constraints. Items must be pre-packaged, unopened and cannot require any food prep from the kitchen. Coolers filled with personal items (e.g. soda, chips, candy, etc.) may not be brought onboard. Homemade items or pre-cooked items purchased on the way to the ship will not be allowed to be brought aboard. Also, open bags or containers of snack items should not be brought aboard. All items will need to be stored in the stateroom; the ship's storage and/or refrigeration are not available to use

What business services are available onboard?
There are a full range of business services, including facsimile transmission, copy and AV equipment; these services, available at an extra charge, must be booked prior to embarkation. Of course, the Internet is available in several onboard locations. As for phone use, ship-to-shore calling rates apply.

Can we celebrate a special occasion?
Whether you're celebrating an anniversary, birthday, honeymoon or other special occasion, please advise Disney Cruise Line of such occasions at least three weeks prior to departure. They will be happy to celebrate the occasion in our dining rooms. They also offer a great variety of fun-filled baskets, merchandise and other goods for your stateroom that will get your cruise off to a perfect start.

Do I need an electrical converter?
All stateroom outlets are 110V/60 Hz. Standard U.S. electrical appliances will work onboard.

Does the ship provide religious services?
During certain religious holidays, onboard clergy perform services. Check your Personal Navigator for more information, pics, including locations and times.

Should I bring cash or credit cards or foreign currency?
You won't really need cash on the Disney ships, but when you get to port, you'll probably want to have some money with you. In the Bahamas, the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera, U.S. dollars and major credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. Onboard the ships, all transactions are in U.S. dollars. However, you won't need cash while at sea because Disney Cruise Line® has a convenient "cash-free" system onboard the ship. When you arrive at the Walt Disney World® Resort or at the Disney Cruise Line terminal at Port Canaveral, your signature will be requested for check-in. At this time you may also present a credit card (Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, Discover® Card, Diners Club®, Japanese Credit Bureau or Disney's Visa® Credit Card) which will give you charging privileges at both the Walt Disney World Resort and aboard the ship. Any purchases on the ship, including beverage services, spa, salon services, photography, medical and laundry services, purchases from our retail shops, gratuities and any item or service of a personal nature must be charged to your room. All charges must be settled before your Resort departure and debarkation from the ship by cash, travelers checks, Disney Dollars or by the credit cards mentioned above. The only time you'll need cash on Castaway Cay is to buy stamps at the Post Office, everywhere else on the island only charges to your room key.

May I bring a personal cooler?
Personal coolers may not be brought onboard except for those needed for medications, baby food or items related to a dietary constraint.

May I have visitors at the port terminal or onboard before embarkation?
For security reasons, visitors are not permitted in the Disney Cruise Line® Terminal or onboard the Disney ships.

Are there adult-only places onboard?
There are many places onboard the ships where adults can escape to. The Quiet Cove Area is for over 18s only and features a pool, spa, bar and Cove Cafe. The entertainment disctricts with their lounges and clubs are adults only at night, and Palo is for the exclusive use of adults.