By Budgeting for a Disney Cruise Line vacation works differently than when you’re planning for the parks.
When you visit Disneyland or Walt Disney World, your budget fluctuates dramatically based on myriad factors.
A Disney cruise offers an all-inclusive experience, with most meals and activities included in the flat fee you pay.
While there are ancillary fees to consider, budgeting for your cruise should prove substantially more straightforward than for a park visit.
Once you’ve paid for your cruise, you’ll decide on any other upgrades and additional expenses. That knowledge will provide you with peace of mind as you plan and during your vacation.
Still, you should understand the various aspects of Disney Cruise Line budgeting.
Understanding Cruise Fares
Booking a Disney cruise differs from booking a theme park vacation. I say this due to the unique nature of the cruise business.
Disney cruise prices typically increase rather than decrease as the sailing date approaches. This so-called embarkation date is when passengers board the cruise ship and set sail on a magical vacation.
The budgeting aspect of a cruise is that all the cruise cabins should be filled by the time you board. As such, prices go up, not down, due to limited availability.
However, this raises an important caveat. Disney and other businesses rely on maximum occupancy to maximize profit. When a cruise isn’t fully booked, that’s a problem.
So, Disney sometimes offers exceptional discounts on last-minute cruise bookings to sell those final few cabins. Those of you with (extreme) booking flexibility may find deals.
As such, the two best times to save money on Disney cruises are right at the start and at the very end. For this reason, you should pay attention whenever Disney announces new itineraries.
Act quickly, and you may snag the lowest fare possible. Conversely, when you’re looking to sail soon, pay attention to sites like MickeyBlog to learn about last-minute discounts.
You can skip all the aggravation by speaking with a MickeyTravels agent. These Authorized Disney Vacation Planners book thousands of cruises each year.
They know the market better than anyone, which explains why they’ve earned Diamond Earmarked status, the highest tier of sales any agency can attain.
So, they’re literally the best of the best, and they’ll find you the best cruise deal possible…for free! That’s right. They don’t charge you for their services.
You’ll have an expert searching for the best possible Disney deals, saving you the aggravation of doing so. It’s an incredible opportunity for you. They’ll find you the best cruise money can buy, no matter what your budget may be.
The Main Kinds of Cruise Expenses
Once you pay for the cruise, your expenses will fall into one of the following categories:
- Alcoholic Beverages*
- Coffees, Soda Cans, and Specialty Drinks*
- Internet Access*
- Onboard Activities*
- PhotoPass*
- Popcorn and Specialty Store Desserts*
- Port Adventures*
- Signature Dining Experiences*
- Souvenirs
- Spas and Cabanas*
- Tips
I realize that I just described Disney cruises as all-inclusive, but then listed 11 different ways you may need to spend more. Nine of them have asterisks beside them, though.
That’s an intentional designation to indicate which of these expenses are optional based on your travel habits. Let’s be honest that you’re going to pay for some souvenirs, though.
I’ll dive into the tipping aspect in its own section, but I consider it a must. Most of the other categories here involve some degree of flexibility.
When we were researching our first cruise, we received some excellent advice. Someone told us to plan for $100 per person, per day in expenses.
As fate would have it, we don’t spend as much as most tourists, and you might not either. A lot depends on your travel habits. So, let’s quickly evaluate each one.
Do You Drink Alcohol Or Coffee?
When you eat on your Disney cruise, your meals are a part of the package. Well, most of them are. As I’ll discuss in a moment, each cruise ship hosts a restaurant or two that aren’t part of the standard package.
The point is that your meals include complimentary standard beverages such as soft drinks and lemonade. Should you desire alcohol – and it’s a cruise, so you probably will – these drinks aren’t included in the package.
Typically, you’ll pay $10-$20 for a glass of wine. Similarly, any bars you visit on the cheap aren’t a part of the deal. You’ll pay extra for them.
The same philosophy applies to the various coffee shops onboard, several of which are must-dos for coffee lovers. Cast Members add foam images to your drinks.
So, they’ll look great on your social media pages, and they’ll taste like caffeinated ambrosia. They’re not free, though.
Then again, they’re not particularly expensive. Some cost as little as $3 or $4, while the fancier drinks may be twice that. Thus, a cruise café won’t be much different from a trip to Starbucks.
While we’re on the subject of beverages, you should know about two other potential expenses. Fountain drinks and water are readily available during your cruise.
However, should you order a canned soda, you will pay for it. Similarly, bottled water isn’t free. I’d suggest you buy a case when you get on board.
Realistically, beverages are the casual expense where you’re most likely to spend money during your trip, as you’ll get thirsty. The fountain machines only go so far for many tourists.
Finally, I’ll mention the same thing about popcorn and specialty store desserts. Disney cruise ships host enough food stations that your biggest fear will be wrecking your diet.
A Few Foods Aren’t Free
Still, a couple of foods aren’t a part of the standard offerings. Should you watch something at the movie theater onboard – yes, there’s a movie theater onboard – you may want popcorn.
While the movie is free, the popcorn is not. Thankfully, it only costs a few bucks. Still, if you’re a movie lover like me, you may want to buy a popcorn bucket instead, as refills are cheaper.
Also, Disney Cruise Line sells the best popcorn buckets. I’m talking about the ones that people stand in line for hours to buy at the parks.
If you buy a popcorn bucket during your cruise and don’t need it afterward, you may be able to turn a profit by selling it on eBay later.
Then, we have specialty stores like Vanellope’s Sweets and Edna Á La Mode Sweets. You can buy so many sweet treats here, but the key word is “buy.”
These desserts aren’t included in the standard fare. Thankfully, nothing here costs more than $20…and any ice cream treat near that price includes enough for an entire family.
Finally, we have the upscale restaurants like Palo and Remy. Every Disney cruise hosts an upscale dining experience for guests.
You’ll book a reservation, just as you would at any Disney theme park restaurant in the Signature Dining category.
These meals cost between $55 and $145 per person, plus tax and tip. Importantly, you don’t need to eat at these places. The rotational dining options are incredible on their own.
So, this isn’t something you need to factor into your budget unless you want to eat a fancy meal on your cruise. I will say that Palo, the cheaper one, served me one of the best meals of my life.
As far as splurges go, $110 for an incredibly romantic dinner for two is quite reasonable, especially by cruise industry standards. Still, you don’t need to factor this one into your budget unless you’re splurging.
About the Splurges
While we’re on the subject of splurges, they come in several forms on Disney cruises. Some of them involve a bit of pampering, which you so richly deserve.
Disney cruise ships host Senses Spa, which offers massages and other services. The prices range from $150 to $500, depending on the kind of relaxation you seek.
Some onboard activities aren’t free, either. Beverage tastings, some group fitness classes, and a handful of events, such as Bingo, include a modest fee.
With so many activities occurring on the ship each day, you’ll have no need to do any of these. In fact, you may struggle to fit them into your schedule.
I’m mentioning them so that you’ll be aware of potential financial hiccups, as these are the kinds of expenses that can disrupt your budget planning.
About Ports of Call Spending
Obviously, when you reach various ports of call, all bets are off. The local economies feed off tourist dollars. So, you’ll spend money at these places.
I cannot provide specific details, as it’ll depend on your itinerary. Still, you should realize the differences in currency at these places.
When you’re visiting a foreign country, you’ll use a different form of money. You can plan for that by getting the relevant currency at your bank.
Disney cruise ships can also convert your dollars into the local currency. You may discover lines on the mornings of your visits, though. So, planning ahead is best.
Another thing to consider is that currency rates fluctuate daily. When you know you’ll visit a country, you can stretch your dollars.
Exchange currency on days when the American dollar is strong. You’d be surprised how much of a difference this can make.
Disney will also book Port Adventures for you. These cost money, but they’ll provide you with organized activities at your ports of call.
Generally, Disney negotiates a better rate than you’ll get on your own. Along those lines, when you buy from third-party merchants at ports of call, be prepared to negotiate.
This process can be aggravating, but shrewd bargainers can save a LOT of money on souvenirs.
I’ll level with you that I’m too lazy for this, which is probably why vendors love me. I’m the sucker at the table. Be smarter, and you’ll stretch your cruise budget.
Internet and PhotoPass
Here are two purchases I don’t view as necessities, but many will. In fact, I’m being hypocritical on one, as I definitely need internet access at all times.
That doesn’t always require Disney access, though. Many cellular services, including my carrier, offer packages that enable international tower usage.
There’s almost always a slight fee for this sort of package, but you’re saving money on the whole. I say this because Disney cruise ships sell two levels of internet access.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. You need the Navigator app on Disney cruise ships. It’s an essential service during your trip.
However, Disney provides free access to the app. You’ll have enough Wi-Fi to use Navigator on your cruise. It’s a part of your booking package.
The paid internet service allows you to use your phone or tablet the way you usually do. Without this package, your phone will be a camera more than anything else.
If you’re like me and need internet access, Disney cruises offer two options. The Internet package provides basic service for activities like checking your email and using social media.
You’ll pay $26 per day for this option. However, if you’re paying for a package anyway, you’ll probably want Internet + Streaming, which costs $42 per day.
You’ll enjoy faster connection speeds and a decent amount of bandwidth with this package. The basic Internet version will let you surf the web, and that’s about it.
So, for those of you like me who need Wi-Fi to stay in touch with your jobs, Internet + Streaming is a must. Otherwise, you’re on vacation. You should put down your phone anyway.
Well, I say that, but there’s a vital exception. You should take pictures of everything. I practice what I preach on this topic, too.
When I returned from my last cruise, I realized I’d taken more than 300 photographs. That’s probably more pictures than I’ll take the rest of the year.
Still, you’re on vacation and may want lasting memories. If your photography skills are lacking, you can buy a Disney Photo Package.
Prices vary greatly depending on the length of your cruise. What I can tell you is that these packages are the equivalent of PhotoPass. So, the pictures are exceptional.
You can buy them in packages of ten or 15 onboard photos. Alternatively, you can buy a package for everything for your entire trip. That will cost about $300, with quite a bit of leeway depending on how long you’re onboard.
Meanwhile, ten photos will cost about half that price, while 15 will be roughly two-thirds. I’m being very general with these numbers, as they vary greatly.
The point is that if you’re going to buy a Disney Photo Package, you should get the best one. However, when you do that, you must make sure that you use it. Otherwise, it’s a waste of money.
About Tipping
For whatever reason, tipping remains one of the most controversial subjects in society. Disney Cruise Line is somehow even more of a touchy subject, as tipping guidelines are vague.
Here’s what you need to know. Some people say that tipping isn’t necessary on a Disney cruise, and they’re technically correct. They’re advising some selfish behavior, though.
Disney Cruise Line asks its staff members to live and breathe their jobs. Some of them work 80 hours a week, no joke. Like, Disney lists that in the job postings.
For international employees from smaller countries, working at Disney is a dream come true. So, they sign up to bring magic into our lives as tourists.
To reward these Cast Members for their hard work, Disney Cruise Line has established an intricate cruise tipping system.
As part of this system, Disney will presume that you’re tipping the standard amount. Should you not want to do that, you’ll actually need to speak to Guest Services.
In the process, you’re negatively impacting the lives of those who have just made your vacation so magical. So, PLEASE don’t do that.
Now that you know that tipping is customary, here’s how to budget for your generosity. As a core part of rotational dining, you will have the same servers each night of your Disney cruise.
These two individuals and the person in charge of the entire operation receive tips. These people ensure that every meal you eat is perfect, and they learn your tastes over time.
So, you’ll tip them just as you would any other restaurant server, although probably a bit more since you’ve developed a relationship with these Cast Members.
Similarly, you’ll tip the person in charge of keeping your room clean. This individual, the stateroom host, works tirelessly on your behalf, as you’ll be in and out of your cabin often.
Every swan towel they leave you makes your vacation that much more magical, and they deserve a healthy tip, too.
How much do you tip? Per Disney guidelines, you’ll pay $16 per person in your stateroom per night of your cruise. So, two people taking a four-night cruise would tip $128.
The prices are higher for concierge room guests, but I presume anyone booking those won’t be worried about a vacation budget.
Disney splits that money among the four employees that I referenced, the three at the restaurant, and the one who keeps your room clean.
So, they divide the $128 four ways, although not evenly. For two people, you’re paying $32 per day. In that scenario, here’s how the tips break down:
- Dining Room Assistant Server — $8.50
- Dining Room Head Server — $2.50
- Disney Room Server — $10.50
- Stateroom Host — $10.50
Now, that is the bare minimum, the baseline tip. It makes a WORLD of difference in the lives of these Cast Members when you tip better.
In our experience, the Dining Room Head Server glad-hands everyone and keeps the trains running on time. So, we tip this job a bit more than usual.
However, we save our largesse for the other three jobs, as we know those people work their tails off to bring us the vacation of our dreams. As such, we tip accordingly.
I’m not telling you that you must do this. I’m just saying two things. First, PLEASE don’t be one of those people who asks to have the tip removed. You’re saving $128-$200 at most.
I’ve provided you with enough tips that you should be able to save a lot more than that anyway, and these people rely on this money not just for themselves but also to send back home to their families.
So, please don’t be callous and remove the tip. Second, a few dollars won’t make the difference to you that it will to some of your servers.
As such, I’d encourage you to tip better than usual on your Disney cruise.