Hi Gwendolyn,
Thanks for reaching out to me with your question. My family has celebrated many birthdays in the Disney parks, but we've never been fortunate enough to cruise during a birthday celebration.
So to be sure I answer correctly, I will defer to Nancy, one of our Disney Cruise Line specialists. She answered a similar question a couple of weeks ago. If you didn't note your son's birthday on your reservation, I suggest you do so when you check-in at the cruise terminal.
Here's the advice Nancy shared:
As soon as you board the ship, head
to Guest Services to pick up your son's birthday pin! Have him wear it
throughout your cruise so he can receive birthday greetings
from the crew and other guests. On the night of his birthday, he will
receive a special dessert while your servers sing to him! There
are
Happy Birthday Celebration Packages
available for purchase that include festive Disney-themed stateroom
decorations and a birthday magnet for the stateroom door. Disney Cruise
Line themed
gifts also can be delivered to your stateroom.
Another idea is to bring along an item such as a pillowcase, t-shirt,
bag, or photo mat to have signed by the characters onboard. Two items
per stateroom can be left at Guest Services in a plastic bag labeled
with your last name and stateroom number. In the bag, include either
fabric markers or Sharpies for the signatures. By the end of the
sailing, the items will be returned to your stateroom. This free
service is a great way to take home a personalized souvenir from your
son's birthday and first cruise!
I hope that helps. I hope you have as much fun on your first Disney cruise as much as my family did ours last year. We can't wait to go again. Enjoy!
Wilma