5 Tips I learned on Our First Disney Cruise

Last month we went on our first Disney cruise (and first cruise ever) aboard the Disney Dream. Here are a few important (or just fun) tips that I learned.

Don’t Bring Cash

The boys always bring cash on vacation to buy souvenirs so this time was no exception. We visited one of the gift shops on our first night as soon as it opened and they both picked out a lanyard and an autograph book. JT also picked out a Tsum Tsum. We headed over to check out and were told that cash was not accepted on the ship. We would have to charge to the room. There was also an option to pay using a different credit card but they could not accept cash.

This is also the case on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. The only method of payment accepted on the island is your key to the room card.

The boys ended up giving me a lot of cash at the end of our trip to pay for what they spent on the boat and at Castaway Cay. I meant to ask about whether or not gift cards are accepted but I forgot to. Next time, I would get the boys Disney gift cards to use instead.

The one exception to this would be that you might want to bring some cash to take with you to use while exploring the ports.

Bring Motion Sickness Medicine

I was not expecting to be hit with motion sickness but luckily we brought some medicine with us just in case. We brought along the Dramamine Non-Drowsy Naturals and Dramamine For Kids.

The motion sickness hit us within an hour of departing and the first evening/night was the worst. The boys also ended up purchasing Sea-Bands at the gift shop which they wore the entire time. Just in case you don’t purchase anything beforehand, I did notice that the Sea-Bands were only about a dollar more than the price I had seen at Target.

Make Plans As Soon As You Get Your Navigator

This tip was actually a suggestion from Connor. There is so much to do on the ship that you want to check out times and start planning for what you must do as soon as you get your navigator. The navigator has your cruise’s entire schedule on it. The schedule is also available on the Navigator app.

Our must do activities included shows, characters, and the premEAR of Captain Marvel. We ended up not really having time to schedule in anything else. We only did a 3 night cruise though so we were limited on time.

Use a Lanyard

Lanyards are super useful for carrying around your Key to the World Card. Your Key to the World Card serves as your identification when getting on and off the boat. It also unlocks your stateroom door and is used to turn on the power in your room. The card also contains other useful information like your dining rotation and where to report in case of an emergency.

Wearing a lanyard with your Key to the World Card ensures that it is easily accessible and you have it with you at all times. Besides carrying your card, lanyards of course can also be used to display pins for pin trading.

Don’t Miss See Ya Real Soon!

See Ya Real Soon is the farewell party on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. On the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic it is the ‘Til We Meet Again Party. All of the main characters along with some princesses come out for one last farewell.

We actually almost missed this because we were playing Midship Detective Agency but we got there with enough time to take pictures with Daisy, Belle, and Cinderella. So, if you are missing some character photos or autographs, this is a great time to get them.

Bonus Tip: Always Eat the Ice Cream

This tip comes from the boys. This is their number 1 tip, to always eat the ice cream (specifically the mango). They LOVED the mango ice cream. There are other flavors though. My favorite was the blueberry and mango swirl.

The Disney Cruise was such a fun experience. If you’ve been on one, what are your best tips?