A Disney Cruise is definitely not a cheap vacation, so I’m sure you’re wondering what is included with your fare, and what you’ll need to pay extra for. While it is true that once you get on board it’s possible not to spend another dime (besides gratuities), there are a few extras that you may want to budget for.

Let’s start by talking about all of the things that ARE included with your cruise fare:

Food & Drinks All of your meals and snacks in the main dining rooms as well as at the buffet and the quick-service spots up on deck are all included. If your cruise will be making a stop at Castaway Cay, the BBQ buffet lunch there is included too.

Also, many of the items from room service are included. However, there are a few specialty items on the menu (such as pre-packaged food and bottled water) that carry an additional cost, and will be marked as such.

Soft drinks, coffee, tap water, hot/iced tea, milk and juices are unlimited and free at meals. You’ll also find a few drink stations on the pool deck.

Entertainment:

Where to begin?! There is so much included entertainment provided on a Disney Cruise it’s hard to know where to start.

There is plenty to keep you busy:

– Broadway-style musical performances almost nightly

– Movie theatre with first-run and 3D movie showings

– Non-stop family activities such as trivia, live musicians and entertainers, poolside movies, animation workshops and more

– Deck parties

– Fireworks at sea

Pools, Sports & Fitness:

Disney ships are full of pools and hot tubs (both family and adult only), splash areas and even waterslides! Depending on which ship you’re on, you will likely have either the Aqua Duck water coaster or the Aqua Dunk water slide too!

There are also plenty of sports to play up on deck too. There is a multi-sports court complete with basketball hoops, foosball tables, shuffleboard and even mini golf on the newer ships!

You’ll even find a fitness center with free weights, cardio machines, and other fitness gear. What better way to stay fit than to run on a treadmill looking out at the open ocean! And once you’re finished, the gym also has changing rooms and showers available.

Kids Clubs (ages 3 and up):

Disney provides fantastic kids, tween and teen clubs for children aged 3-17. Children 3-12 can enjoy play areas, activities and character experiences in both the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab.

Tweens from 11-14 can enjoy their own space at the Edge club, while teens from 14-17 can mingle in the Vibe club where you’ll find movies, music and video games galore.

Character Meet & Greets:

No Disney Cruise would be complete without meeting Mickey Mouse or one of his pals in person! Standard character meet and greets are included in your fare and can be a magical experience for cruisers both young and old. There are a few special character meets that will require advanced booking, so be sure to request tickets to those events upon boarding (they should be listed in the embarkation navigator). I should also mention that there may be some character experiences, like the Princess Tea Party, that are a special event and do carry an extra charge.