Welcome aboard, Nichole!
Thanks for bringing your questions to planDisney; I hope this means you’ve booked, or are considering booking, a
Disney Cruise Line vacation. There’s absolutely nothing like it, and the
plentiful delicious dining is one of the things I love the most! I’m happy to help you understand more about what’s offered on both embarkation and disembarkation days.
The day you board your beautiful Disney cruise ship, embarkation day, is an exciting one. I can certainly bust the myth that you don’t receive dinner – in fact, dinner on the first evening is a very special one because you meet your wonderful dining team!
Let me walk you through the day. You’ll arrive at the port during your Port Arrival Time (PAT) selected at online check-in. Once called onboard, you can explore the ship and have some fun. My family likes to enjoy lunch at the buffet and sit outside to eat on the sunny top deck, but you can also go to one of the main dining rooms open for lunch. Sometime that afternoon, your stateroom will be ready and your voyage begins with a fun sail away party. Once underway, you have time to get settled in your stateroom and continue exploring. In your
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, you’ll see your
dining rotation schedule – this indicates which of the main dining rooms you’ll be in each evening, along with a menu to preview.
On the first night’s dinner, you will be escorted to your table and meet your incredible dining team. This special team will stay with you for the duration of the cruise, get to know your family’s preferences, and cater to your every need each evening. These magnificent meals in the main dining room are
all included in your Disney Cruise Line vacation.
Fast forward through your fabulous vacation to the sad last morning, disembarkation day. The night before, you will receive detailed instructions on the procedures. Depending on your main dining time, you will be assigned one of two breakfast seating times in the same main dining room where you had dinner the last evening. This is a chance to say goodbye to your dining team and have any final questions answered. This breakfast is a full breakfast from a set menu. If your itinerary that day requires a quick departure, you have the option to walk off the ship (luggage in hand) and bypass the final breakfast. This is your choice though; my family always likes to take the opportunity to thank our server team and have a full meal before a long day of travel.
In between the first and last meals onboard, you’ll have endless possibilities for your dining pleasure!
Complimentary room service, endless buffets, snacks,
pastries at the coffee bar, poolside lunchtime delights,
adults-only dining, and a self-serve ice cream station – phew! There’s never enough time to try it all but please know you’ll be spoiled for choice onboard.
Please let us know if you have more questions, we’d love to help you have the best cruise ever!
Bon appetit,
Amy