Ahoy, Catyrine!
Thank you for sending in your question to planDisney! I'm so excited to hear you'll be celebrating two milestone birthdays on your Disney Cruise Line vacation. If you haven't already, be sure to note the birthdays on your cruise reservation so your dining team can help you celebrate, too! You can find this in the "Special Requests" section under "My Reservations" on the
Disney Cruise Line website.
You've asked two great questions, Catyrine. Once a Guest turns 18, they are allowed to be in the adult-only areas beginning at midnight. So your daughter will be able to experience the
adult-only pool area, spa, Cove Café, restaurants, entertainment offerings, and bars and lounges (when switching over to the 18+ hours). When both my children turned 18, we planned a meal at
Palo to celebrate this milestone. They had been waiting patiently for years to join us, and it didn't disappoint! My daughter turned 21 on board Disney Cruise Line on the second day of our sailing, so we also planned a
beverage tasting seminar. The system wouldn't let me book her, even though it was after her birthday, so I had to call the following day. If you encounter the same issue when your
booking window opens, call Disney Cruise Line at 1 (800) 951-3532 to speak with an agent. If you are concerned about spacing, you can book another over-21 in your party and ask the agent to switch the names once it's confirmed. When the clock struck midnight on my daughter's birthday, she was able to order an alcoholic beverage from one of the bars. She had her ID handy, and there was no issue. On the "Key to the World" cards, there is normally an "A" that represents an adult over 21, so if he'd like to change out his card, he'll need to stop by Guest Services once it's his birthday.
Another tip for the one turning 18 is to join the 1820 Society offerings once it's official. There is typically at least one activity scheduled per day for this age group, and these will be listed in the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. Both my kids loved participating in this group during their early adult years.
It was a pleasure assisting you with your questions. Please let us know if you have any others before you are celebrating on the high seas!
Nancy