Looking to save money on your next Disney cruise? While all Disney Cruise Line sailings feature an all-inclusive price, there are still additional costs that you need to plan for. We’re sharing our best tips for budgeting and saving money when planning your Disney cruise sailing.
Sailing on a Disney cruise is like no other, but all magic comes at a price. All Disney Cruise Line sailings are all-inclusive, meaning that your per-person cost includes the room, meals, snacks, and select drinks. However, there are still plenty of additional charges to plan for. Whether it’s an additional cost meal or cocktails (neither of which are included in your sailing price), there are still ways to budget and save onboard your Disney Cruise Line ship — as well as save on your next sailing. We’re sharing our best tips on how to get the most bang for your buck and save money on your next Disney cruise.
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$5 Drink Of The Day
Although Disney Cruise Line does not offer an all-you-can-drink package, like most other cruise lines do, what Disney does offer are daily drink specials. Each day, Disney Cruise Line will have a ”drink of the day,” which will cost just $5. The “drink of the day” can be found on your Disney Cruise Line Navigator app and will change every single day, making for a great variety of drinks, all while still saving money on cocktails. A normal cocktail ranges from $9 to $14 and can sometimes be even more depending on what type of liquor you are ordering. Â
On my most recent cruise, Disney offered many “drinks of the day,” ranging from Mai Tais to Bahama Mamas to a Cool Breeze. Disney also offers non-alcoholic “drinks of the day,” which mainly consist of specialty smoothies.
Wine and Beer Packages
Photo by Maria Salerno
Disney cruises are nearly all-inclusive, but some beverages, including wine and beer, are an additional charge. If If you are a wine or beer lover, consider Disney’s wine package or beer package aboard the ship.Â
Prices for the wine package range from $95 to over $300, depending on how many bottles you decide you want included in your package and if you opt for the classic or premium wine package. However, this could be a great way to save if you plan to drink wine at dinner or throughout the day while aboard your cruise.
For those of you who love beer, think about purchasing the souvenir Disney Cruise Beer Mug, which costs just under $16. Then, for the duration of your cruise, guests can take the mug to any of the bars onboard the ship, where they will receive a 21 oz. Draft beer for the price of a 16 oz. beer, saving you money in the long run.Â
Bring Your Own Alcohol
Yes, you read that right! Guests 21 years or older are allowed to bring alcohol aboard their cruise – but there are restrictions.
Disney Cruise Line Guests are permitted to bring beer and wine on board the ship, with limitations. Each guest over the age of 21 is allowed to bring six beers (12 ounces or less) or two bottles of wine or champagne (750 ml or less) at embarkation. This must be packed inside your carry-on bag and can be brought to your stateroom and enjoyed while in your room or on your verandah, or they can bring a bottle of wine or champagne to their dinner. If you choose to bring your bottle to dinner, there will be a corking fee of $25 per bottle.
Sail During Off Season
Photo by Danny Shuster
If you want to save money on the total price of your cruise, consider sailing during the off-season. If you sail during January-March, you will find the price of cruises much cheaper than during the summer months, say from May to September. Plus, September to December offers holiday cruises, such as Halloween on the High Seas, meaning the price of these cruises also tends to be on the higher end.Â
Pre-Book Your Next Cruise
Disney Cruise Line offers an Onboard Booking option, which allows guests to make a Placeholder Reservation for a future Disney cruise and enjoy 10% savings on a future cruise (with restrictions). The Placeholder charges $250, but that charge will be used towards the deposit on your next cruise, plus you save 10% on the total price, meaning if you book a $6,500 cruise, you will be able to use the $250 you already purchased, plus you will save $650 off the total price!
