We’ve never been on a cruise. What do we need to know?
First, relax – that’s the point of your vacation. With Disney Cruise Line, you’ll find your ticketing, air transportation and transfers (if you choose our air program and have added ground transfers), your stateroom accommodations, meals and entertainment on board have all been arranged. All you need to do is pack – and you don’t need to bring much, because the atmosphere is casual and informal. And if necessary, you can purchase almost anything you need right on board.
Should I buy travel insurance?
We strongly recommend the purchase of the Disney Cruise Line Vacation Protection Plan. The insurance provided by the Plan protects your vacation investment in the case of certain unforeseen circumstances such as illness or delays which could result in the cancellation or interruption of your trip. It provides trip cancellation/interruption protection, emergency medical and dental, baggage coverage, baggage delay and emergency medical transportation for your vacation. Remember, most major medical policies do not provide coverage outside the U.S. Vacation Protection Plan may be added to your reservation up until final payment has been made to Disney Cruise Line.
Are Guests who are pregnant permitted to sail?
Women who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of their embarkation date or who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy during the cruise will be refused passage due to safety concerns. Neither a doctor’s medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be accepted. In addition, Disney Cruise Line cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel alert for travelers to specific countries in the Caribbean and Latin America due to the Zika virus, a mosquito related illness. While the most common symptoms are usually mild and include fever, rash, joint pain and pink eye, pregnant women should pay special attention to the travel alert and take necessary precaution to avoid mosquito bites. Additional information can be found under the Travelers Health section of the CDC website at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices.
What documentation do I need to bring?
All U.S. and Canadian citizens must travel with proof of citizenship, which is a valid passport, or certified birth certificate with a picture identification, or a certified naturalization certificate with a picture identification. Acceptable forms of picture identification are state or provincial driver’s license with a picture, or federal, state, province or local government photo I.D. card. Children 17 and under who are U.S. or Canadian citizens are only required to have proof of citizenship, excluding picture identification.
All Guests who are non-U.S. citizens residing in the United States will be required to travel with their Alien Registration Card (Green Card) and valid passports. All other Guests must have valid passports and necessary visas at time of embarkation. Travel documents required throughout the vacation are the responsibility of the Guest. Please consult with your travel agent, government agencies, embassies or consulates to determine documentary requirements.
Any Guest traveling without proper documentation will not be allowed to board the vessel and no refund of cruise fare will be issued.
For all non-U.S. citizens including Canadian citizens, travel documents will be collected at check-in by a Disney Cruise Line representative and a passport/Alien Resident Card receipt will be issued for presentation to Immigration Inspectors upon return to Port Canaveral.
Should I bring cash? Credit cards? Foreign currency?
Transactions aboard the ship are in U.S. dollars. In The Bahamas and the Caribbean, U.S. dollars and major credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. But you won’t need much cash (except for shoreside purchases), because Disney Cruise Line has a convenient “cash-free” system on board 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 (American Express®, MasterCard®, Visa®, Discover Card®, Diner’s Club®, Japanese Credit Bureau or The Disney 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 of 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, travellers checks, Disney Dollars, Disney Gift Card or by the credit cards mentioned above. (Any other expenses are payable on demand.) Note: Credit card payments are subject to credit clearance.
What should I pack?
When packing for your cruise, necessary items include proof of citizenship, valuables, medications (in their original containers), personal items or other items required for check-in or embarkation. Please note, it’s highly recommended that you pack necessary items in your day bag.
During the summer months, lightweight shorts, slacks, sundresses, jeans and tops are all appropriate daytime attire in the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Central Florida. In the winter and on cruises to cooler regions, a light jacket, sweater and socks may be needed.
Bring comfortable shoes like boat shoes, sandals or sneakers. And don’t forget swimwear, a sunhat or visor, sunglasses and sunscreen—especially for the kids.
All cruises host a tropical deck party. You’re invited to join in the fun by wearing festive island wear, including colorful shirts, dresses, shorts or pants.
To better enjoy—and capture—special moments of your cruise, be sure to pack a camera, as well as an extra pair of glasses or contact lenses.
For your convenience, a limited number of strollers are available for rental onboard. Rest assured, if you do forget something, it’s likely that you can buy it onboard or upon arrival in a port.
What should I know about bringing my own food and/or ice chest on board the ship?
In order to create a safe, healthy and enjoyable cruise experience for all our Guests, we ask you to take note of the following guidelines concerning bringing your own food and ice chests on board. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
You may not bring:
- Homemade, precooked or perishable foods or open food containers.
- Ice chests or coolers, except as noted below.
- Electrical appliances such as rice cookers, hot plates, coffee makers, blenders, bottle sterilizers and bottle warmers.
We do have a limited number of approved bottle warmers and bottle sterilizers available upon request through Guest Services. In addition, you can request hot water to be delivered to their stateroom at any time from Room Service.
You are welcome to bring:
- Nonperishable, government-approved snack foods in sealed, original packaging. All items must either be consumed prior to returning to your home port or remain unopened.
- Breast milk, in carry-on luggage only.
- Coolers no larger than 12″ X 12″ X 12″ (30.5cm x 30.5cm x 30.5cm) are permitted as carry-on luggage only for storing medications, baby food and items related to dietary restrictions.
May Guests bring alcohol onboard?
Effective for cruises embarking on or after September 30, 2015, Disney Cruise Line Guests 21 years and older may bring a maximum of 2 bottles of unopened wine or champagne (no larger than 750 ml) or 6 beers (no larger than 12 ounces) on board at the beginning of the voyage and at each port-of-call.
Guests wishing to consume wine or champagne that they have brought on board in one of the dining rooms will be charged a corking fee of $25.00 per bottle.
Please note:
- These beverages must be packed in carry-on (not checked) bags or luggage.
- Any alcohol packed in checked luggage will be removed and stored until the end of the cruise.
- Any wine or champagne in excess of 2 bottles or beer in excess of 6 beers will be stored until the end of the cruise.
- Bringing liquors and spirits (including powdered alcohol) on board is prohibited. These items will be stored until the end of the cruise.
- Guests MUST retrieve any stored alcohol at the end of the cruise. Items not retrieved will be destroyed, and no compensation will be offered.
- Alcohol brought on board may not be consumed in any lounge or public area.
Please note that the Disney Cruise Line alcohol policy is subject to change without notice.
What items are prohibited on board the ship and on Disney Castaway Cay?
In order to maintain a safe and secure environment for all Guests and crew, the following items are prohibited on board Disney Cruise Line ships. If found, the items listed, and anything similar, will be held in storage for the duration of the cruise. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Items prohibited on board ship and on Disney Castaway Cay.
- Firearms, ammunition, knives (including dive knives), swords, daggers and any other types of weapons
- Toy guns or other replicas of firearms and weapons
- Highly flammable liquids and combustible substances
- Liquid oxygen
- Non-prescribed controlled substances, illegal drugs, medically prescribed and synthetic marijuana
- Liquors or spirits (including powdered alcohol)
- Hookah pipes
- Power tools and toolboxes (except those utilized by vendors providing services)
- Samsung Galaxy Note7 devices
- Potentially dangerous sporting equipment, such as baseball and cricket bats, hockey and lacrosse sticks, pool cues, ski poles, fishing gear and archery equipment. (Golf clubs are permitted as long as they are stored inside your stateroom.)
- Scuba equipment such as tanks, spears, spear guns, slings, dive knives, pry bars, and underwater scooters. (Masks and snorkels are allowed.)
- Remote-controlled helicopters, airplanes, drones or similar devices
- Kites, balloons, surfboards, wave boards, inflatable floats, inflatable pools and pool noodles, and wagons (Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) and flotation sewn into the bathing suit for safety are permitted.)
- Pool noodles, inflatable pools and wagons
- Bicycles, Segways, skateboards, inline and roller skates and any wheeled footwear.
- Wheeled transport devices other than those required by Guests with disabilities.
- Electrical appliances such as rice cookers, hot plates, coffee makers, blenders, electric irons, steam irons, bottle sterilizers and warmers and electric blankets
- Please note: A limited number of approved bottle warmers and bottle sterilizers are available upon request through Guest Services.
- All ships offer self-service laundry facilities with irons and ironing boards.
- Small portable fans are permitted in your stateroom. However, you must contact Guest Services to have the Chief Electrician approve your fan.
- Candles and incense
- DVD, VCR, and Blu-ray players
- Gaming systems such as Playstation®, Xbox and Nintendo Wii (due to compatibility issues with the stateroom TVs)
- Musical instruments
- Ice chests and coolers no larger than 12″ X 12″ X 12″ (30.5cm x 30.5cm x 30.5cm) are permitted as carry-on luggage only for storing medications, baby food and items related to dietary restrictions.) except for those permitted for storing medications, baby food and items related to dietary restrictions.
- Homemade, precooked or perishable foods or open food containers. Also, please refer to our guidelines on restricted food and beverages.
- Over-the-door hanging organizers.
- Metal detectors
- Fireworks or pyrotechnics
- Seasonal and/or celebratory light bulb strings
- Extension cords or surge protector
What time should I arrive at Port Canaveral?
For our Bahamian and Caribbean cruises, the Port Canaveral cruise terminal and parking facility opens at 11:00 a.m. Guests should arrive at the Port based on the arrival time selected on ‘My Online Check-In.’ Embarkation begins at approximately 1:00 p.m. Please note that all Guests must board the ship no later than 4:00 p.m.
I’ve heard reports about the stomach flu affecting passengers on cruise ships. What do I need to know?
Stomach flu-like symptoms have recently been reported on cruise ships. There have also been similar reports of the stomach flu throughout North America and Europe. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has conducted extensive lab tests on cruise ships and determined the stomach flu has been passed through person-to-person contact and is not tied to food or water aboard. In fact, a flu bug going around a cruise ship is no different than one being passed around a school or office building. Nevertheless, Guests aboard our ships will observe precautionary measures being taken to promote their well-being. For more information, please call 1-800-951-3532.