Ahoy there, Charlotte! Welcome aboard, planDisney!
I LOVE your question for two reasons:
- You’re a great friend for reaching out to make this Disney cruise the best it can be.
- I always love a question that mentions first-time cruisers, because as we both know all too well, they’re about to experience the most magical voyage!
That being said, I would love to make some suggestions to help you plan your upcoming cruise!
While I don’t think you can go wrong with any itinerary and/or ship, I have some suggestions when it comes to making a choice, especially when I’m sailing with a group. I’ll always start filtering by itinerary and date, as some itineraries that I want to sail might not always sail year-round. But if itinerary is not a factor, then I’ll move on to ship choice.
When it comes to ship choice for first-time cruisers, I suggest the Disney Magic or Disney Wonder, as they're easier to navigate than the larger ships. However, since you're a frequent Disney cruiser guiding them, this might not necessarily be a factor. So then I move on to theming and offerings on each ship.
If the majority loves Marvel, I suggest Disney Destiny for its Heroes and Villains theme. If you're big Star Wars fans, choose the Disney Wish so that you can visit Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge. For a classic cruise ship vibe or a dedicated adult-only area, choose the Disney Dream or Disney Fantasy because of the classic and elegant themes and adult lounges, etc.
For an itinerary, I recommend a Caribbean or Bahamian itinerary. You’ll be able to show them around Disney Castaway Cay and/or Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, and they’ll love the included amenities, such as Character Experiences, which are always pretty cool to see! You’ll also have a higher chance of having a Pirate Night! Fireworks at Sea are a quintessential Disney Cruise Line activity, and anytime I’m bringing a first-time Disney cruiser on board, this is one of the events I’m most excited to show them! In fact, a family member we now sail with often first told me Disney Cruise Line was officially their favorite vacation after watching the Pirate Night fireworks! I immediately thought, “Yupp, my work here is done! Magic found!”
I also suggest making a Palo or Palo Steakhouse dinner reservation on board. Your friends will get a delicious taste of one of the adults-only dining options, and it’s a complimentary perk for you as a Pearl Castaway Club Member. Plus, we both know they NEED to try that famous chocolate soufflé!
Lastly, if you’re all staying in the same stateroom, I suggest visiting all the photo locations on board, since you receive the Unlimited Digital Photo Package as a complimentary Pearl perk. These will be some of the best souvenirs from your first Disney cruise together!
Charlotte, I hope that I offered great suggestions for a magical sailing with your friends! I wish you all plenty of fun memories on board! Please sail back to planDisney if you have any other questions.
Seas the Adventure,
Rana