What To Expect | Disney Cruise Line Extra Costs
I was not compensated nor was I given a free trip. I am sharing with hopes to help future travelers.
Our family recently came back from our first cruise aboard the Disney Wonder. I’ve been tossing around ideas on how and what to post about since we came home and decided to finally tackle it.
There are so many details when it comes to a cruise. I could probably go on for hours, but instead I’ve decided to focus on our top questions that we had before taking this vacation in hopes of maybe answering a few of your questions.
What is not included in the price?
When booking a cruise, remember that you are paying for an all inclusive vacation. This means that (almost) everything is already paid for (aka “free”… but yes, you paid for it) and you can totally relax and enjoy yourself without worrying how much everything is costing you.
Unfortunately you can still rack up quite the bill if you don’t pay attention.
Drinks: Unlike many cruise lines, pop is a freebie on board a Disney Cruise. BUT, it’s not free at all locations. There is a beverage station aboard each ship … on the Disney Wonder it was on deck 9 near the pools. The beverage station is a FREE self serve area that offers Coca Cola branded beverages, water, coffee, tea, milk and ice 24/7. The cup size is on the small side, so if you know ahead of time you will probably be drinking a lot I would bring my own travel mug. These types of drinks are also free with your meals.
The main items for consumption that will cost extra aboard a Disney cruise are:
- alcoholic beverages (BUT you are allowed to bring your own on board for free)
- specialty coffee from the Cove Café (Be sure to ask for a punch card! FYI regular coffee is free at the beverage station)
- smoothies
- pop from room service (it’s served in a can … beverage station pop is free)
- snacks/candy at the movie theaters and evening show (again, you can bring your own)
- tasting events (wine etc… these event tickets and prices are available at Guest Services)
A few ways I noticed other cruisers avoided these extra costs include:
- bringing your own movie theater candy/snacks from home
- fill your own mug at the beverage station and bring it to the movie/theater
- bring munchies from one of the quick serve restaurants (I saw several bringing in a plate of fries with them and even a few full meals)
Consumables are not the only extra expense.
If you plan to take an excursion planned through the ship, it will cost extra. These fees are not hidden and the wonderful employees at the desk are more than patient while helping you plan your outing. We did not participate in a planned excursion and I will share our experience with you in another post.
Souvenirs in the on board gift shops are also not included in the price. All items are labeled clearly and most are available at a reasonable price.
The main rule of thumb that I enforced with my older children was… if they ask for your room key, it costs extra. We were able to avoid the extra costs and still had a very enjoyable vacation.
Still looking for answers? Check out my other posts about taking a Disney Cruise:
This is very good information to know when going on a Disney cruise. This cruise looks like so much fun, and they give a lot of drinks free with your cruise. I think that it is nice that almost everything is included in the price.
It was a LOT of fun Julie. Yes, the free drinks are a huge plus, especially with a large family!
Wow. We have been tossing around the idea of a Disney cruise for a family vacation. These tips are very valid (I have 2 teens) and are a huge help! It’s fantastic that they let you bring your own food in the theaters! I wish all theaters would do that!
Glad it could help! My teen and oldest daughter are still asking when we can go again.. it’s NOT just for kids 🙂
I didn’t realize pop was a fee on most cruise lines. Yikes! It’s good to know there are so many things you can bring on board in order to save money!
Crazy, right? Yes, pop is usually an extra fee on other cruise lines… totally free and self serve on Disney :). You can bring a few bottles of water on, too. If you’d like to bring alcohol you can, any type… unlike other cruise lines that you can only bring a couple of bottles of wine. Definite benefits to a Disney cruise!
That’s great info to know! Our experience with all inclusive has always been every single thing was “free” during our stay but that wasn’t on a cruise ship.
These are fantastic tips I would not have known! Thank you!
We would love to be able to take the kids on a Disney cruise, but just can’t afford the price now. Thanks for this information – it might help us figure out when we will be able to manage a trip.
I have never taken a cruise, but your tips will be helpful if we ever do plan one. It is on my bucket list of things to do!
I’m not planning any cruises soon, but it is good to have an idea what to expect when I do
very good info! those extra costs really add up quickly and unless you’re prepared could put a damper on the vacation 🙁
Going on a disney cruise is definitely on my bucket list. I think my kids would love it.
I love the tip about bringing your own mug! We bring a water bottle on all of our cruises and it helps so much.
We did a cruise in November and the costs can really add up. Its good to be aware..great article!
I haven’t been on a cruise in over 10 years but I want to go on one. Would love to take the kids on a Disney cruise.
I’ve never been on a cruise and wouldn’t have thought about these… so thank you for sharing! Btw, I would have sworn I left a comment on Friday, but don’t see it. 🙂
Don’t forget extra charges for Palo ($25 per person), shore excursions, and staff gratuities. These really add up but are an important part of having a great cruise experience.
Also there is no extra charge for the child activity centers which are fantastic. And the kids never want to leave LOL, Plus Disney is one of the only cruise lines that have the child activity centers open when in port. If you and your spouse had your eye on a shore excursion go right ahead and enjoy yourself. Truly a great value.