Ahoy Brittany,
How exciting to be planning your first sailing with
Disney Cruise Line! A sailing on the lovely
Disney Magic and the warmth of a Bahamian cruise sounds, well, magical! I am happy to share some of my tips for your first Disney cruise with you.
First, let me comment on your itinerary. You will be on one of the earlier sailings heading to Disney's new island retreat,
Lighthouse Point! While of course I have not been there yet, my plans for when I am lucky enough to visit are to simply explore the island - I am sure it will be lovely! When you visit
Disney Castaway Cay, I recommend the same. Give yourself the first time that you are there to simply find a spot on the beach and relax! Take in all that there is to enjoy on this wonderful beach day. Enjoy a spot at the beach and savor the wonderful lunch provided at Cookies BBQ and Cookies Too. When you head to
Nassau, there are many Port Adventures that you could book. However, one trick that I like to use is to stay on the ship on Nassau day. Many guests will disembark, and you can experience the ship and activities with fewer guests onboard!
My next tip is simply to participate. Everything on the cruise is optional, but my family finds that we have so much fun if we participate! For example, if there is a dress up night on your cruise, dress up. If there is a
Pirate Night on your cruise, throw on a bandana and join in the fun! Definitely take advantage of the talented photographers aboard the ship, who will have specifically themed backdrops set up on each of the evenings. Also, during the day, check the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App for activities around the ship. A favorite for my family is to head to trivia and test our knowledge against that of other guests! At night, my husband and I check the app to find out what lounges are hosting live music. A nightcap with live music is one of our favorite activities aboard a Disney ship.
Depending on the makeup of your party, check out the spaces and opportunities for different age ranges. There are
Youth Clubs for all age ranges of children - from infants through teenagers. My daughter loved each and every club at each and every age! These clubs give children an opportunity to connect with others their age and make great friendships while having fun. If you are traveling with adults, or the children are happy to go to a Youth Club, be sure to book a meal at
Palo, the adults-only Northern Italian dining location. My trick is to enjoy brunch at Palo - it is absolutely scrumptious, and then I never have to miss a dinner at a rotational dining restaurant!
Please note that there are some
activities that you can book ahead of your cruise. As a first-time cruiser, you will be able to do this 75 days ahead of your sail date. I do recommend that you book any of these as soon as you know that you would like to as availability can be limited.
I would love to help you plan more Brittany; however, I am limited in the space that I have to answer. Please do sail on back to planDisney with any further questions!
~ Mona Leigh