Disney cruise review: is a Disney cruise worth it?

Our Disney Cruise Line scorecard

This is our editorial verdict on Disney Cruise Line, graded on the seven criteria we use for every line. It draws on Disney’s own ship, fare and itinerary pages and our Disney cruise guide, not on passenger ratings.

These grades put Disney fifth in our cruise line rankings, where it wins “best for young children”. It ranks below Royal Caribbean overall because its appeal is narrower and its fares are higher, and it tops our family cruise picks for little ones.

Strengths

• Kids’ clubs and the nursery. They are the reason to book. Children have supervised spaces with Disney, Marvel and Pixar theming, and parents get real time off.
• Shows and characters. Broadway-style stage shows, first-run movies and character meet-and-greets are included in the fare.
• Rotational dining. You eat in a different themed main dining room each night, and your servers move with you.
• Soft drinks included. Soda, coffee and tea at the drink stations cost nothing extra, which adds up for a family of four.
• Bahamas island days. Most Florida sailings stop at Castaway Cay or Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney’s two Bahamas destinations.
• The Wish-class ships. Disney Wish (2022), Treasure (2024) and Destiny (2025) are the newest ships in the Americas, with the AquaMouse water ride and the latest restaurants.

Weaknesses

• Price. Disney is usually the most expensive family line for a given trip length. The best deals come from booking early, sailing outside school holidays or picking an older ship.
• Extras still apply. Gratuities are added to your account daily unless you prepay them; bar, Palo and spa bills carry their own 18% gratuity; Wi-Fi and alcohol are extra; and Disney now says fees may apply for some room service items and deliveries.
• Few long itineraries from the U.S. Most sailings are three- to five-night Bahamas trips from Port Canaveral or Fort Lauderdale. Disney Treasure’s seven-night Caribbean cruises, some Destiny weeks and a few ten-night Fantasy sailings are the exceptions.
• Little for adults on their own. There are adult pools, lounges and restaurants, but no casino and not much nightlife. Couples should look at Celebrity or Virgin Voyages.
• No Glacier Bay in Alaska. Disney isn’t one of the lines the Park Service allows into Glacier Bay.

Who a Disney cruise suits

• Families with children about 3 to 12. This is who Disney designs for, and who gets full value from the fare.
• First-time family cruisers. A three- or four-night Disney Wish trip from Port Canaveral is the lowest total fare on the newest style of Disney ship. See our short cruise picks.
• West Coast families. Disney Wonder sails from San Diego to Baja and Mexico in the fall and winter, so you don’t have to fly to Florida.
• Northeast families from late 2027. Disney Wish arrives in New York in late September 2027 for Bermuda and Canada sailings. See our New York cruise port guide.

Who should skip it: couples, groups of friends, and families with older teens who’d rather have Royal Caribbean’s waterparks at a lower fare.

Disney cruise ships ranked

1. Disney Treasure: the Wish-class ship for a full seven-night Caribbean week from Port Canaveral.
2. Disney Destiny: the newest ship in the Americas, with four- to seven-night trips from Fort Lauderdale until it moves to Port Canaveral in fall 2027.
3. Disney Wish: the same design on short Bahamas trips, then Europe and New York in 2027.
4. Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream: nearly as much for kids, including the AquaDuck water coaster, usually for less. Fantasy was refreshed in late 2025.
5. Disney Wonder and Disney Magic: the smallest and oldest ships. Book them for Alaska, Mexico or the routes the big ships skip.

Disney Adventure, the largest ship, sails only from Singapore, mostly with no port stops, so it’s a separate decision.

Is Concierge on a Disney cruise worth it?

Concierge is a separate class of staterooms and suites. It adds a private lounge with complimentary food, soft drinks and cocktails at set times, a private sun deck, priority check-in and boarding, a concierge team, and an earlier booking window for activities and dining.

It is worth it if a quiet space on a busy family ship and first pick of dining and activity reservations matter to you, and if the price gap doesn’t cut into the rest of the trip. It is not worth it on a short Bahamas sailing where you’ll spend a day ashore, or if the parents will mostly be with the kids in the public areas anyway. Compare the Concierge fare with a verandah room plus a Palo dinner before you decide.

Disney Alaska cruises

Disney Magic and Disney Wonder sail mostly seven-night round trips from Vancouver in summer, to Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau or Icy Strait Point and a glacier day. They’re the best Alaska cruises for young children and among the priciest, and they don’t go into Glacier Bay. Details in our Disney Alaska cruise guide and our best cruise lines for Alaska.

Adventures by Disney river cruises

Adventures by Disney is a separate Disney travel brand that sells guided family river cruises in Europe aboard AmaWaterways ships. Its Danube river cruise, for example, visits four countries. It isn’t Disney Cruise Line, the ships aren’t Disney’s, and this review doesn’t grade it.

Disney cruise review FAQ

Is a Disney cruise worth it?

For families with children about 3 to 12 who will use the kids’ clubs, shows and characters, yes: no other line does them as well. Without young children, usually not. You’d pay a premium for things you won’t use, and Royal Caribbean or Celebrity give adults more for less.

What is the best Disney cruise ship?

One of the Wish-class ships: Treasure for a seven-night trip, Destiny for the newest ship, Wish for a short first cruise. Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream are the value picks.

Is Concierge on a Disney cruise worth it?

It can be on a longer sailing if you want a quiet lounge, a private sun deck and early booking for dining and activities. On a short trip, or if you’ll spend most of your time with the kids in the public areas, a verandah room is better value.

Are Disney Alaska cruises good?

For young families, they’re the best Alaska cruise available, on Disney Magic and Disney Wonder from Vancouver. They cost more than other Alaska lines, and they don’t visit Glacier Bay.

How does Disney rank against other cruise lines?

Fifth of the ten lines in our rankings, and first for families with young children. Celebrity, Oceania, Virgin Voyages and Royal Caribbean rank higher overall because they suit a wider range of travelers.