Tammy Whiting, our Disney Cruise Line expert, points out 10 things that are not included in the price of a Disney Cruise.
Disney Cruise Line prices include a lot! Your room, meals, snacks, entertainment, and more are included. I’ve been on Disney cruises where I prepaid gratuities and didn’t spend a dime on board. But there have also been times when I’ve spent much more on board. Here are 10 of the things that are not included in your price.
1. Gratuities – Gratuities for the standard tipped positions (stateroom host, assistant server, server, and head server) are the one thing on this list that are not included in your price but are expected. If you’d like to prepay your gratuities and not worry about them on board, you can do that. Otherwise, they will be auto-charged to your account. You can adjust those amounts up or down once you are on the ship.
2. Souvenirs – The shops are full of great souvenirs and even luxury items! But, sadly, they are not included in your cruise fare.
3. Adult Dining – The adults-only restaurants Palo, Palo Steakhouse, Remy, and Enchanté are not included. They’re worth it, in my opinion, but they’re not included.
4. Alcohol – With very few exceptions, like the alcohol passed out at the Captain’s Reception on longer cruises, alcohol on board will always come at an additional cost.
5. Excursions – Excursions, or port adventures in Disney-speak, are not included. You are under no obligation to book excursions, though!
6. Nursery – Parents can reserve time for children up to 3 years old in the “It’s a Small World” nursery, but they are charged $9 an hour for the first child and $8 an hour for the second.
7. Some Snacks – While there is free soft-serve ice cream on the pool deck just about all day, there are some snacks that are not included. Examples include popcorn and other packaged snacks outside the theaters, packaged snacks from room service, and snacks on the menu in the bars.
There are also some specialty sweets stores (Vanellope’s Sweets, Joyful Sweets Candy Shop and Treats, Sweet on You, etc.) on most ships, which are not included. There’s so much included food that these are pretty easy to avoid if you want.
8. Photos – The ship photographers are great and are right there when you want them to take pictures of your family on formal night in the atrium, your little one meeting Captain Mickey for the first time, and more, but the pictures are not free (unless you are a Pearl Member of the Castaway Club).
9. Soda in Bars and Coffee in the Specialty Coffee Shops – Sodas on the pool deck and in the dining rooms are included! However, if you order a soda from a bar or room service, it is not free. Similarly, drip coffee during meals is free, as is the coffee you can get on deck at the coffee station, but any specialty coffee ordered in the dining room will cost extra, as will any coffee ordered in the specialty coffee shops on board.
10. Spa and Salon – The spa and salon services are not free.
About the author of the blog: Tammy Whiting is the coauthor of The Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line. Blogger, Space Force wife, and mother of two, Tammy has been involved in the travel industry for more than 15 years. Though she certainly enjoys vacations of all kinds, her favorite adventures around the globe have been on cruise ships. Tammy spent five years of her childhood in Europe as a military brat and has been a military spouse for over 30 years, living in almost every corner of the US. When she isn’t traveling, you can find her enjoying her family, buying camera equipment, and planning her next trip!
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