Let’s Answer Some of Your Questions about Disney Cruises
Disney Cruise Line has evolved into one of the most popular vacation options in the industry.
As I recently discussed, yet another independent evaluator named Disney Cruise Line the best family cruise company in the world.
Since the Disney Wish set sail in 2022, Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has exploded in popularity.
You’ve probably heard that these cruises are great, and you are probably looking to book.
As a novice, you may not understand some aspects of a cruise, though.
So, let’s answer some questions about Disney Cruise Line and how cruises work.
Does the Deck Matter?
When you reserve a cabin for your Disney cruise, you’ll encounter some oddly specific questions.
Some of them matter a great deal since they partially determine the price of your room as well.
I won’t take this answer ship by ship since the answer varies. Instead, I’ll use the Disney Wish as an example of how this works.
Disney’s latest and most luxurious cruise ship hosts 1,254 staterooms across ten passenger decks.
Overall, the Wish covers 15 decks, but five of them don’t have cabins.
When you book, you’ll primarily decide between a handful of these options.
As is usually the case with cruise ships, each deck comes with pros and cons.
You can study the ship’s deck plan here to gain a general understanding of its layout.
The deck you choose will impact your vacation enjoyment, at least somewhat.
Like everything else in life, it’ll seem like a bigger deal on the first day. After that, you’ll probably stop thinking about it.
Even so, your vacation style should determine the deck you choose.
Are you a light sleeper? If so, you should pick decks 7-9 on the Disney Wish.
The cabins here have cabins above and beneath them. You won’t notice as much noise from the entertainment areas of the ship. It’ll be more like an apartment instead.
Do you plan to swim a lot? If so, you may prefer a higher deck that’s closer to the main pool.
Those of you who plan to visit the Grand Hall frequently should choose something lower, such as decks 6 and 7.
Finally, tourists prone to motion sickness should pick a low deck.
For various scientific reasons, you’ll feel motion more on higher levels of a giant cruise ship.
Does After/Midship/Forward Matter?
At the risk of shaming my late father, who served on a Navy battleship during wartime, I am NOT great with ship terminology.
Still, I know enough about Disney Cruise Line to answer YES to this question.
Aft means the back of the ship, Forward signifies the front of the ship, and Midship is self-explanatory as the middle of the ship.
With the Disney Wish in particular, there’s a peculiarity to acknowledge.
Elevators play a factor in where you should select a cabin. These are both convenient means of reaching your destination AND high-traffic areas.
Some guests desire a cabin near the elevator, while others want as much distance as possible for the sake of quietness.
On the Disney Wish, you won’t find any midship elevators. Instead, Disney has placed eight in the Aft section and eight more in the Forward section.
So, that works to your advantage in selecting a cabin. If you want to avoid elevator noise, choose Midship!
When you prefer elevator proximity, Aft and Forward will both work. However, I’ll add a bit more science here.
Forward staterooms are more susceptible to motion sickness. If that’s an concern, your answer is obviously to book an Aft cabin.
To a larger point, you should again study the ship layout to determine how far your cabin will be from various destinations.
You may alter your booking should something look too far away from your first choice.
What Does Guarantee Mean?
No, this isn’t an SAT test. We all know what Guarantee means, but it comes with a specific definition with Disney cruises.
First, you must understand the difference between booking a cruise versus a hotel room.
When you reserve a hotel stay, you’re not picking any particular room for the most part.
Sure, you may book the Honeymoon Suite or the Presidential Suite for a big event, but you’re typically just saying, “I need a room.”
When you book a Disney cruise, you’re selecting a specific cabin number as a rule.
Remember how we just discussed boat decks and Aft/Midship/Forward?
Once you answer those questions, you will reach a screen where you pick a cabin. It’ll include the cabin number to avoid any confusion.
That’s what typically happens. However, since Disney cruises sell out so often and no-shows are a thing, the system adds a different option.
You can book a Guarantee instead. In such instances, you’ll reserve a slightly different cabin option.
Disney calls this category GTY, and it works similarly to a hotel reservation.
You’re not booking a cabin number with a GTY. Instead, you’ll pick a cabin type such as Oceanview Guarantee or Verandah Guarantee.
Disney won’t assign you a cabin number immediately. The company guarantees that you’ll get a cabin that’s at least at the level you pay for, though.
In some instances, guests have reported room upgrades because Disney had availability in a nicer cabin than, say, Oceanview.
Since DCL has guaranteed you a room of at least that quality, it’ll give you something even better.
You SHOULD NOT expect that. It’s more of a demonstration of what Guarantee means.
Disney will assign you a cabin in the appropriate category, if not an even better one.
Is Going on a Cruise As Hard As It Seems?
Absolutely not!
Booking a cruise is always the most stressful part of the entire cruise experience.
Then, packing and travel are the next most aggravating parts.
Once you board the Disney Cruise Line, all your troubles will fade away.
You’ll quickly discover the joys of cruise life and might even become a cruise person, someone who spends every vacation on a luxury boat.
Still, the initial aggravation could wear on you. That’s why I’d strongly suggest that you contact MickeyTravels.
These Authorized Disney Vacation Planners have booked countless Disney cruises.
They know night and day more about booking a cruise than I ever could.
Just get in touch with one of them, and they’ll set you up with the cruise of your dreams! And they’ll do it for free!
They probably know more nautical terms than me, too. Sorry, Dad.
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Feature Photo: Disney