10 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Disney Cruise

Get your sea legs, because we're going sailing with Mickey! After making our first journey to Disney World, the last place I thought I'd find my family was surrounded by Mickey, Minnie, and the gang on a cruise ship. But that's just where we ended up after Disney Cruise Line invited us on the Disney Magic's sailing out of NYC and up the New England coast. Having never cruised before, we found it to be an entirely new adventure for us, and one that had me nervous about being "trapped on a boat" for five days (one day in Halifax, Nova Scotia, one day in St. John, New Brunswick, and two days at sea).

Now that we're back on land, I can see I had little to worry about. In true Disney fashion, there was so much to do that I wished I had another two days to take it all in. We relaxed in hot tubs, played ping-pong and foosball at the bow of the ship, took photos with countless characters, baked cookies in the kids' club, watched The Avengers in 3D in the 278-seat Buena Vista Theatre, joined in a boisterous round of Bingo one evening, saw first-rate live shows every night, danced to pirate rock music on the deck of the ship, and even found time to work out in the gym while overlooking the Atlantic — and this was all before we ever stepped foot off the boat at one of our ports. From the moment the crew gave us personal welcome over the loud speaker when we walked onto the ship (a Disney Cruise Line exclusive), there was never a dull moment.

Keep reading to see my tips for making the most out of your time on a Disney cruise.

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Get to the Boat Early on the Day of Embarkation

Get to the Boat Early on the Day of Embarkation

If the early bird catches the worm, then the early traveler catches the best photo ops! The checking-in process couldn't be easier — simply follow the Mickey Mouse hands (all the port staffers were wearing them) to the appropriate terminal. Boarding the ship takes place in the order of arrival, so the earlier you are there, the sooner you get on the boat. Here in NYC, a Statue of Liberty-clad Minnie Mouse and Uncle Sam-dressed Mickey Mouse were there to greet guests and welcome us to the cruise. And about an hour prior to departure, the Sail Away Celebration begins with all the iconic Disney characters in attendance.

Our best tip: If you're leaving from NYC, then stand on the starboard (right) side of the ship as you pull out of New York Harbor. The views of the Statue of Liberty are nothing short of magnificent!

Bring Your Pirate Gear

Bring Your Pirate Gear

The highlight of our trip (and most of our fellow travelers' as well) was the Pirates in the Caribbean deck party. Starting around 4 p.m., the entire crew was decked out in pirate gear and the party was just beginning. At dinner, we were given pirate gear to help us get in the spirit, and the kids joined in a pirate parade around the restaurant. At night, we were joined by pirate-clad characters who took part in a battle against Captain Hook and Mr. Smee to win control of the boat. With music, dancing, and a magnificent firework display, it was a blast.

Our best tip: If you don't already own pirate gear, then go to your local party store and pick some up. It's a lot cheaper than what you'll find for sale on the ship, and it works just as well (we found ours at a Five and Dime in a port town). The ship's castmates do give out some gear, but your kids are going to want more!

Bring Different Color Highlighters With You

Bring Different Color Highlighters With You

No, there won't be a quiz that you need to study for on the trip, but there will be so much information that you'll want to highlight the pieces that interest you. Each night, the "Navigator" will be left on your bed with a list of the next day's activities subdivided into Character, Movie, Family, and Adult categories. Let each member of your family highlight the activities that appeal to them, and you'll be able to track them better.

Our best tip: Don't just skip to the calendar inside the Navigator. The cover features the day's highlights, and there are some great seminars for adults!

Don't Miss the Nightly Shows

Don't Miss the Nightly Shows

Disney is — first and foremost — an entertainment company, so this is where the ships shine. Throughout your cruise, the talented staff will put on several Broadway-quality productions (and I do mean Broadway quality) that should not be missed (the cruise director told me that the shows are staged in Toronto for two months before they ever hit the ship's stage). We saw three on our trip — "Twice Charmed" (a twist on Cinderella), "Villains" (a gathering of all the Disney villains in one comedic show), and "Disney Dreams" (a Peter Pan-led bedtime story made up of sequences from various Disney fairy tales). Each show was worth keeping my overtired kids up night after night!

Our best tip: With 977 seats, the Walt Disney Theatre is large, but there doesn't appear to be a bad seat in the house. Choose an aisle seat right off the center section, and you'll enjoy cast members running up and down the aisles throughout the productions.

Book the Disney Signature Shore Excursions

Book the Disney Signature Shore Excursions

Mom wants to go see the famous museum in a port town but the kids don't like the idea of being cooped up all day, so what's a family to do? Turn to Disney for its shore excursion. In typical Disney form, the company worked with local touring firms to create family-friendly experiences for guests. So a trip to a famous garden (such as the one we attended in St. John, New Brunswick) also includes a petting zoo and a tea party with none other than Alice in Wonderland for the kids. A trip to the whaling museum will divide up tots and adults so the grown-ups can enjoy the museum, while the kids engage in arts-and-crafts activities, hands-on exhibits, and more.

Our best tip: Book your shore excursions early (even before you board the ship) so they don't fill up. Sure, you can book with outside companies, but a Disney cruise ship doesn't wait for anyone, so if you're running late on a non-Disney endorsed trip, then you'll literally miss the boat!

Book a Night in the Adult-Only Restaurant

Book a Night in the Adult-Only Restaurant

Sure, Mickey plates, menus adorned with movie characters, and Mickey-shaped globs of ketchup for your tot's french fries (our dinner waitstaff were masters of creating this) are cute, but sometimes Mom and Dad need a break from it all. That's where the adult-only restaurants on the ship come in handy. On the Magic, Palo serves excellent Italian food (for a small additional fee) in a grown-up environment — meaning it is quiet, the food is more sophisticated, and there are no kids at the table threatening to melt down at minute.

Our best tip: Book the dinner before you've even boarded the ship, and plan on sending the kids to the Oceaneers Club or Oceaneers Lab for a night of fun while Mom and Dad dine out.

Use Room Service

Use Room Service

Everyone knows that food is abundant on a cruise, but did you know that room service is included in your meal plan? On Disney cruises, it's not only included, but it's also full of surprises. The infamous Mickey Mouse ice cream pops are not on the room service menu, but they're just a phone call away — as are cheese plates, fruit plates, and bedtime milk and (warm) cookies.

Our best tip: Order a Mickey pop for a mid-afternoon snack, and watch your kids' eyes light up when they think you know the secrets to the ship!

Ask the Photographers to Use Your Camera

Ask the Photographers to Use Your Camera

One of my kids' favorite parts of the day was tracking down the characters for photos. With each day came a new costume for Mickey and the gang (Disney created six new costumes just for the new NYC-Canada journey, including Fisherman Mickey and Statue of Liberty Minnie) and my kids wanted pictures with them all. As expected, photographers are present to capture each moment, and the photos are for sale onboard the ships. But that doesn't mean Mom can't join her kids in the photos if she wants to snap one on her own camera; the cast members are ready and willing to use your camera, too!

Our best tip: The biggest gathering of characters occurs just before dinnertime each night. They also appear right before the second dinner seating, so if you miss them the first go round, then you have a second shot each evening.

Keep an Eye Out For Towelgami Creations

Keep an Eye Out For Towelgami Creations

My kids' favorite part of each evening? Running back to our room to see what animal our steward had created out of towels for us that night. The art of towel origami, or towelgami, is just one of the many surprises that may await you at night. We received a Big Apple (our ship did leave from NYC, after all), a sting ray, a monkey, an elephant, and swans. Want to try this fun skill at home? Just visit the gift shop on the boat for a book that gives you step-by-step instructions.

Our best tip: Take a picture of each masterful creation. They are sure to be a highlight of the trip!

Wait Until Your Kids Are Potty-Trained

Wait Until Your Kids Are Potty-Trained

If your visions of cruising involve playing in the pool with your kids, then you better make sure your tots are potty trained before booking your trip. The Centers For Disease Control does not allow diapered tots (including those in swim diapers) to play in cruise ship pools, for sanitary reasons. On the Disney Magic, the best alternative is Mickey's Splash Zone, a play area with interactive fountains, but certainly not a pool.

The ship's amazing kids' clubs (the Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Lab) are designed for children 3-12, and they're one of the highlights of the ship. The clubs are usually open from breakfast until midnight and feature everything, including indoor playards; video games; storytime; and cooking, dance, and pirate-training classes — all for free. The ship's nursery — Flounder's Reef Nursery — is usually open during similar hours (and costs $6 per hour), but as it is reserved for tots under 3, its activities are more babysitting-focused.

Our best tip: Though the cruise welcomes tots over 12 weeks old, wait until your lil one is 3 or older to book your first trip. They'll get more out of it!