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94 Useful Tips For an Alaska Disney Cruise

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Taking a Disney Alaskan Cruise is a trip of a lifetime! There are so many different items to pack for an Alaskan Cruise, and Disney Cruise Line is a different beast when it comes to cruising Alaska.

Before I even stepped foot on the Disney Wonder to see Alaska, I searched for the best Disney Alaska cruise tips and tricks so I could have the best time on the Disney Wonder.

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Disney Alaska Cruise Tips

Each year the Disney Cruise to Alaska changes just a little bit – either the excursions, onboard activities, or itinerary is just a little different, but these Disney Alaska Cruise tips will help you plan your trip.

Continue down this blog to learn what to pack on a Disney cruise, Disney cruise Alaska excursions tips, and what to do on Embarkation day.

Alaskan Mickey and Minnie Mouse

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PRE-CRUISING TIPS FOR BOOKING AND GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

1. Buy Disney Gift cards on sale

Y’all I’m just going to straight-up say it Disney Cruises are expensive. They are costly, but so worth it for your family and y’all’s memories.

You can read about how much a Disney Cruise Costs by reading up on all of the benefits of Cruising with Disney.

Most people take over a year to plan and book their Disney Cruise, especially if it is to Alaska. I spent three years to save and plan our trip of a lifetime.

During that time, I saved about 13% off of my cruise through buying discounted gift cards thought different money-saving tactics.

2. Combine your Disney Gift Cards

Combining your Disney Gift Cards is one of the easiest ways to stay on a budget before and during the cruise. You can combine up to $1,000 in Disney Gift cards per gift cards.

Combining gift cards will make it easier on you when paying for your cruise, excursions, or extras onboard.

3. Book your Cruise with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner

At first, I thought it was weird to use a travel agent to help book my Disney Cruise – but this is one of the best things you can do to prepare for your Disney Cruise!

I suggest working with Sunset Chasers Travel Agency because they are my favorite Disney Travel Agents – you may also recognize a face or two if you follow Plaid Shirt Yoga Pants. Just mention Plaid Shirt Yoga Pants sent you!

4. Mention that it is a special occasion

For our Disney Alaskan Cruise, we were celebrating some milestone birthdays – Mom’s 60th, and sis and my 30th. No Sis and I are not twins, but we did celebrate all cruise long.

If you mention, it is your birthday you may get some special surprises.

family celebrating birthday
Happy Birthday to the family members! We were celebrating our 30th birthday and mom’s 60th birthday. Birthdays written in chocolate.

5. Book the cruise as early as possible

Disney cruises do not go on sale, book your vacation as soon as you can for the best deals

6. Try to book a secret room for a better bang for your buck

Yes – Disney has secret rooms on their cruise ships! We booked room 7120 on both the Magic and the Wonder and saved a couple of hundred dollars with this discount!

Room 7120 on the disney wonder

Our room was considered a secret Verandah room which means that we had a slight obstruction on our balcony – but it didn’t matter because we saved so much money!

For your Alaskan cruise, on the Disney Wonder, try to book one of these rooms:

Secret Porthole Staterooms are sold as Category 10 Inside Staterooms but have some obstruction in the porthole.
The cabins to request are 6006, 6506, 5020, 5520, 5022, 5024, 5522, and 5524.

Secret Verandah Staterooms are sold as Category 6 room but is really a category 7a room
The cabins to request are 6134, 6634, 7120, and 7620.

7. Request a window seat for dining from your Disney cruise planner

Why get a window seat for dinner? So you can look out of the window! Also, a lot of the bigger tables are more towards the inside, and if you are a small party, you have less of a chance of having to share a table with dinner mates.

When we travel, we are usually a party of 3, and luckily for us, we didn’t have to share a table with other people.

8. Reserve your Palo Reservation as soon as possible

Need a little adult time on your Alaskan Cruise? Well, make sure to book your Palo Brunch and Dinner reservations as soon as you can.

On the Alaskan Cruise, we were able to eat both brunch and dinner at Palo, but on our Medeterrian cruise, the reservations were full, and we could never book a Reservation.

Can only splurge once? Book the Palo Brunch. The food is delicious, the scenery in Alaska is stunning, and it is just a great experience.

Top 25 Tips for Preparing for an Alaskan Disney Cruise
Disney Cruise Line Planning Book

9. BOOK YOUR ALCOHOL TASTINGS ONLINE

You can book your alcohol tastings online, just like any other excursion! When we traveled to Alaska, I had to run to Guest Relations and beat down all the other guests (partially joking) to get to book my alcohol tastings.

The Alcohol tastings fill up fast, but many people do not even know about the tastings.

My favorite days to book an Alcohol tasting (or education seminar) is on a sea day. I booked a few tastings at 10 pm while we were in Alaska, and it was rough.

disney magic chocolate and liquor tasting, disney alaska cruise tips and tricks
One of the many alcohol tastings you can book with Disney Cruise Line

10. Prepare with your mobility device

If you are bringing on a mobility device on board, make sure to email Disney to let them know by filling out this form 60 days before departing.

One of the best things about registering your mobility device is that any of the Port Adventures you pre-booked Disney Cruise Line will ensure that the adventure is suitable for your individual needs.
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11. Download the Disney Cruise Line Personal Navigator app

Seems like a no-brainer but make sure your entire family downloads or updates the Disney Cruise Line Navigator – Disney before getting on the Ship.

This App is a lifeline to all the activities, menus, and fun things you can do while on the Ship. It is also one of the best ways to freely text your family without using roaming data.

12. Book your flight to arrive 1-3 days before you cruise out

The worst, most stressful thing you can do is arrive in Vancouver the same day as the cruise. So many things can go wrong while flying.

You miss your connection. Your luggage gets lost. Your flight is delayed. You don’t want to deal with any of these things on Embarkation day.

Instead, get to Vancouver 1-4 days before your cruise. There are so many things to see and do in Vancouver that you will not miss out! Check out this 4 day itinerary We stayed at the Delta Vancouver Hotel and Suites Downtown.

If you do plan on staying in Canada for a few days and plan on driving, look into getting an International Drivers Permit.

Do you need a Travel Agent to Book your Disney Cruise?

Do you find booking travel for a Disney Cruise stressful? Have the Travel Professionals at our sister company Sunset Chasers Travel Agency, book everything for you, from flights, Hotels, transfers, cruise, and Excursions. Sunset Chasers can do it all!

You can easily fill out this form to get your vacation on the books! Mention that Plaid Shirt Yoga Pants sent you for a little onboard treat!

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13. Call your credit card company before you leave

Even though you are sailing out of Canada and into the United States, anything charged to your card will show up in the Bahamas. Make sure to call your credit card and give them a heads up that you will be out of the country, but some charges may show that you are in the Bahamas.

I used the Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card as my primary credit card.

14. Complete your online check-in

Make sure you complete your online check-in before leaving your home. Doing the online check-in will allow you to have a smoother morning, and you get to pick your Port Arrival Time.

Disney Alaskan Cruise review of the boarding process at Canada Place and Embarkation day from Vancouver to the Inside passage of Alaska. #Tripreport #plaidshirtyogapants #travelblog
Welcome Aboard! Boarding number 23 and room number 7120!

15. DISNEY VACATION ACCOUNT IS NO LONGER VALID

In July 2017, Disney Vacation Account closed without any warning. Many of the remaining customers received a 5% bonus for whatever cash and gift cards they had in their accounts.

Hopefully, Disney will think of something to replace this program. But for now, you cannot open up a Disney Vacation Account

16. DISNEY’S CRUISE FLEET WILL SOON BE SEVEN

For as long as I’ve been interested in the Disney Cruise Line, it has had four ships. In 2016 Disney announced three more ships to their fleet.
In 2021 Wish will be the newest Ship to join the fleet. In 2022 and 2023 additional ships will be introduced to the Disney Cruise Line.

17. DISNEY CRUISE LINE CHANGES THEIR CANCELLATION POLICY

Effective as of 2017, Disney Cruise Line is adjusting its cancellation policy. Cancellation fees for 5-night sailings will now begin at 89 days for regular sailings versus the previous 74 days and 104 days for holiday sailings versus the previous 89 days.

But don’t cancel your Disney Cruise Line Vacation!

18. THERE IS NO SECRET DECK!

At least not on the Disney Wonder.

The best thing mom and I discovered online was the secret deck, and we were so anxious to see it. Of course, we were reading blogs that were written in 2012 or 2013 and hadn’t been updated letting readers know that the deck is gone pecan!

While we were in Ketchikan, we had some time to kill at dinner and used the internet to search for the tips in finding the secret deck. I used the video to see where I needed to go.

I followed the directions to a T and came across this door:

No Secret Deck on Disney Wonder, disney cruise alaska tips
I was so sad to find out there is NOT .a secret deck on the Disney Wonder. It is just a sealed up door.

I was so sad to find out there is NOT a secret deck on the Disney Wonder. It is just a sealed up door.

What to Pack for Alaska Cruise

Packing for a Disney Alaskan cruise can be complicated. Not only do you need all of your usual cruise accessories, but you also need to pack for cold weather.
Even though this list isn’t exhaustive, it will give you a hint of things to bring to make your cruise better!

19. TIDE PODS AND dryer Sheets

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We brought a couple of Tide Pods and dryer sheets to do laundry. Tide Pods came in handy for when we wanted to re-wear something or just had some spills.
Also, doing laundry on board will help you pack fewer clothes in the long run. You can also do your dry cleaning while on the cruise by using Dryel as I did!
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20. BRING A ROBE

If you are getting room service of any kind, bring a robe! Mom was the only one to bring a robe, so when room service came, I grabbed her robe while everyone hid under the covers.

It was quite hilarious but would have made everyone more comfortable if we had all brought robes.

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tips for a disney alaskan cruise

21. Swimsuit for the Ship

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You may not think that you are going to go swimming while in Alaska, but it might be presently warm when sailing out of Vancouver. Make sure to pack and or wear your swim suit. If you want to try out the pools or slides, try to do it on embarkation day.
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22. Dress Up clothes

Our family doesn’t participate in Formal Night, but we did bring a few black dresses to wear to Palo for our Adult only dining. Palo is the only place on the Ship that has a dress code.

23. Rain Jacket or Plastic Poncho

Alaska has some crazy weather! We brought along our Northface raincoats, but a reusable Poncho will work just as well.

24. Warm Hat

Whenever you are exploring a glacier, it might be a bit cold. Bring a warm hat or something to cover your ears.

25. Boots

Cold feet are not fun. I brought along my Ugg Boots to ensure my feet were warm the entire trip.

26. Gloves

I only had to use my gloves when we visited Endicott Arm, but I needed it while out on that cold water.

27. Cold-Weather Gear

Layers! Bring Layers! The weather in Alaska is very unpredictable, and it could rain. I mostly wore my Plaid Shirt and Yoga Pants, but I did bring an extra jacket because I didn’t want to be cold.

28. LANYARDS OR A SMALL PURSE

Now I thought this was the dorkiest thing ever – I do not like wearing a lanyard at work – why would I want to wear it on the cruise!

Well, right before we were about to get on the plane, I grabbed two lanyards from previous conferences and brought them with me.

Since I only had conference lanyards, I had a nice little pocket to stick my navigator and my phone in. I also used the Disney Cruise Line Navigator – Disney App to stay informed of events.

The Key to the World was always close by, and I was able to purchase drinks quickly or anything else.

Of course, by the second day, I was done with wearing the layered because I am more of a purse girl. I wore my small purse which suited my needs (I was also able to have hand sanitizer with me and carry our stevia for lunch and dinner.)

29. HANGERS

You will probably think I am crazy for suggesting this, but bring hangers! We hung up a lot of our clothes on these small plastic hangers, and it made getting dressed a breeze.
The hangers were so cheap that we donated them to the cabin staff afterward. New crew members can always use them.

Comfort Items to bring on a Disney Cruise

These items will help you organize your cabin, keep you feeling well on the cruise and make sure you stay comfortable your entire stay.

30. Multi-Outlet Adapter

You can no longer bring a powerstrip on board of a cruise, instead, bring a multi-outlet adapter! This way you have have a couple of things charging.

31. Ziploc Bags

I always pack Ziploc bags with me when I travel, but make sure you bring them with you to Alaska.

32. Bug Spray

Y’all – you are going to be in the outdoors while in Alaska! Make sure to bring some bug spray or bug bands, so you don’t get bitten! We only had to use the bug spray twice, but it was handy when we needed it.

33. Anti-Nausea Medication

Pack anti-nausea medication (we like to use Bonine) and anything you may need for a cold or allergies.

We took Bonine two days before getting on the Ship and every day while on board to fight off any nausea. There was only one sea day that was rocky on my Alaskan Cruise.

34. Poo-Pourri

Face it – a cruise room is exceptionally tiny, and everyone is going to have to go at one time or another. Bring some Poo-Pourri (or other air fresheners) to make sure your cabin doesn’t stink.

Items you didn’t think to pack
The following list is a few items that you didn’t know to pack for a Disney Alaskan Cruise but will make the difference in your stay.

35. door decoration

Make sure to create a door decoration! All of the cruise doors start to look alike, so if you have a unique on your door so you can remember which one is yours! They all begin to look alike!

Disney Alaskan Cruise review of the boarding process at Canada Place and Embarkation day from Vancouver to the Inside passage of Alaska. #Tripreport #plaidshirtyogapants #travelblog
Many people add door decorations to spruce up the hallway and to find their room!

36. Anything Mickey-themed

Since we were three adults traveling together, we limited our Mickey Themed paraphernalia to three adorable Mickey Mouse Cups with our initials.

We found these a few weeks before our cruise at a Big Lots. We like our coffee strong, and we want a lot of it – which is why it was essential to bring a mug.

Travel Tuesday: Top 25 Tips for Preparing for an Alaskan Disney Cruise #plaidshirtyogapants #disney #alaska #Cruise
Disney Mug from Big Lots!

37. BRING A BACKUP CAMERA

My Canon Rebel died on our third day of the cruise, and I was devastated. I usually bring my Canon Elph, but for some reason, I didn’t.

I could only take photos on my phone and my Go Pro. Luckily my phone worked out pretty nice (and I caught a video of a whale on my Go Pro), but I would have been happier if I brought my point and shoot.

All of my photos from Alaska are from my GoPro and my cellphone.

38. Binoculars

There are so many fantastic opportunities to see wildlife in Alaska. Whales, Birds, Bears (maybe?). Bringing the binoculars will allow you to look at the wildlife in a safe space.

39. BRING AN OVER THE DOOR SHOE HANGER TO ORGANIZE

If you didn’t know, the Alaskan Cruise was my first cruise Ever. I didn’t realize how small the bathroom was going to be. Even though Disney staterooms are larger than most, these bathrooms were still tiny.

We purchased an over the door shoe hanger to put all our shampoos, soaps, and other bathroom necessities neatly packed away.

We also hung this up with super strong magnets since the hangers are technically illegal. The shoe hanger helped keep the bathroom in order.
A little messy, but this was our over the door shoe organizer that kept us organized in the bathroom.

Organizing Bathroom on Disney Wonder, what to pack for disney alaska cruise
A little messy, but this was our over the door shoe organizer that kept us organized in the bathroom.

Food items to bring on a Cruise

Now I know what you are thinking – why do I need to bring additional food items on a cruise? They already have everything. Well. Read over this list, and you will see that it makes a lot of sense for Items you would want to bring!

40. COCKTAIL and Wine ACCESSORIES

I didn’t bring a wine glass, because you can order them from room service – for real! You can call room service, and they deliver the wine glasses wrapped up in saran wrap!

We did bring our Rabbit wine opener and stopper which came in handy to quickly open bottles when we got back in our room!

You can also get these super awesome Wine Condoms that take up zero room in your suitcase but will keep your wine super fresh.

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Looking for a Disney Cruise packing list? Check out my Amazon Store. New Products added weekly!

41. Instant Coffee packets

I don’t know if it is because I am from New Orleans, but we like our coffee STRONG! The coffee that you get from room service and in the restaurants is weak at best.

During our Alaskan cruise, we bought a couple of the Starbucks Via packets to strengthen our coffee. We brought our own Maxwell House when we went to the Mediterranean.

42. Reusable Straws

While we cruised, there were plenty of plastic straws available on the Ship, but in the past few months, Disney has banned almost all straws on the Ship.

If you prefer drinking out of a straw or have to drink out of a straw for disability reasons, bring a couple of reusable straws and straw cleaners.

43. Refillable Cups

Make sure to pack a refillable cups so you can refill on free beverages – we purchased Tervis Tumblers and ordered custom monogram decals from Etsy.

Yes, we are very Extra.

cshow



44. You Can bring a 6 pack of beer or 2 bottles of wine

You can bring booze on a Disney Cruise! Each passenger can bring two bottles of wine or one six-pack of beer at Embarkation AND each port.

I liked to use these wine sleeves to ensure that my wine bottles do not break in my carry on.

Also – Make sure our carry on luggage is an actual carry on size. I made a mistake of trying to ‘carry on’ a bigger suitcase, and I almost lost all my booze!

45. Check luggage full of water

If you have a cheap, beat-up pair of luggage, and have free checked bags, bring a pallet of water on board! A pallet of water on a 7-day cruise will help stretch your pocketbook.

If you do not want to bring your water on board, you can always pre-order a pallet or…

46. Bring a Brita pitcher to stay hydrated

The water on the cruise is filtered, but different folks like different types of water! Bring a Brita pitcher to filter your water even more!

47. Pack any packaged snacks

I get it. You are going on a Disney Cruise to eat – and to eat everything. There are so many things to munch on – why do you need to bring packaged snacks?

Well, you may want to eat your favorite candy for watching the shows, or pre-packaged snacks like Goldfish or Welch’s Fruit Snacks to bring on excursions. You cannot take any fresh food off of the cruise ship.

Disney Cruise Embarkation Day Tips

Finally! It is cruise day – but Embarkation Day can be a very stressful day. Read over these tips to ensure the first day of your cruise goes smoothly

48. Have your cruise documents ready

One thing that I love to do is have a file folder with all of our information printed out and ready to go.

Make sure you have all your paperwork and passports because you are leaving Canada.

49. Only go Early if you like Standing in Line

If your time to board the cruise is at 2 pm, you do not need to arrive before 2 pm! Always pick the earliest time that you can choose, that way if you are running late, you still have plenty of time to get on board.

50. Pack Your Carry on Correctly

It may take a while for your room to arrive and luggage to make it to your stateroom so ensure your carryon has anything you need for the afternoon (medicine, sweater, etc.).

Use a traditional carry on with wheels – because, your booze has to be in your carryon.

If the weather is beautiful in Vancouver, you may want to pack your family’s bathing suits (or wear them onto the Ship!) to enjoy the pools and slides on day one!

51. As soon as you board eat lunch

Not only is lunch included in the price of your cruise, but it is also one of the most exciting meals on the Ship!

If you do not mind lines, kids running around, or crowds, check out the cabanas. If you want a more relaxing lunch, or you have a bunch of luggage and don’t’ feel like lugging it around, go to one of the open restaurants.

52. Unpack your clothes

Whenever you are allowed in your room, and your luggage arrives, quickly unpack everything. We travel with our clothes in packing cubes and throw them in our claimed drawers.

We also set up our bathroom so that when we come back from dinner and the show, we are ready to go.

Juneau 14 of 15

53. Do your Laundry

One of the least luxurious things on a cruise – laundry. If you spent a few days vacationing before your cruise, you are bound to have some laundry piling up in your suitcase. Throw that dirty laundry straight into the washer so you can start your vacation off fresh!

54. Visit the Spa

Even if you do not plan on getting a treatment, you want to visit the Spa for the Spa Raffle!

I’ve never won, but if you take a tour, and fill out some information for the raffle you may win some free spa services!

If you don’t win, you can always get a Rainforest room Day Pass for about $20 to have access to the sauna, steam rooms, and rain showers.

55. Attend the Muster Drill – you have to!

After all, guests are on board, right before the Sail Away Party, all services on the Ship cease and everyone must go to their respective evacuation spots for the Muster Drill.

Do. Not. Show. Up. Late. The quicker everyone is in their spots and accounted for, the quicker you can get to the sail away party.

56. Go to the Sail Away Party

The Sail Away Party may seem a little silly if you are traveling without kids (like us), but it is so much fun. It does get you in the right mindset for a Disney Cruise.

The best spots to view the Sail Away Party is from the top deck of the Disney Wonder. That way you can see all of the cast at characters dancing.

57. Get the Drink of the Day

During the Sail Away Party, you will see a bunch of cocktails in fancy glasses – its the drink of the day! If you plan on getting a few fruity cocktails throughout the cruise. Get the drink of the day – it is so much fun!

But hang on to the glass – you can get a discount on future drinks of the day.

Disney Alaskan Cruise review of the boarding process at Canada Place and Embarkation day from Vancouver to the Inside passage of Alaska. #Tripreport #plaidshirtyogapants #travelblog
Mallory with her Sail Away Drink.

58. DINNER ON THE CRUISE

Don’t skip your first night dining with your servers! It will throw them all off for the rest of the week.

Even if you want something light, go to dinner that first day.
Skipping dinner and shows also throws off your host/hostess because they need to come into your room at this time for turn-down service

59. DO NOT USE THE WIFI (EXCEPT FOR THE FREE 50 MB)

Yes, in my other post I talk about how you can get 50 MB of WiFi per person on embarkation day. You do not need much more than this (and it goes by pretty quickly because you must sign out each time you do not want to use the WiFi).

But I repeat – do not buy WiFi on the Ship! Over time we passed the Connect@Sea station, some unhappy customers were complaining that they need WiFi or their life was going to end.

I took these seven days as a perfect time to disconnect from the outside world.

60. Always use your cabin safe

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One of the first things you should do is make sure your cabin safe works and put your valuables in it and lock it.

ON THE ALASKAN CRUISE

61. Room service is mostly free

Yup, that is right! Most of the items on the Room Service Menu are free! It’s only the pre-packaged food that costs extra (and let’s be honest you do not need any of that pre-packaged food!).

My favorite things to order from room service is breakfast, Mickey Ice Cream bars, Fruit and Cheese Tray, and wine glasses.

Delicious dining experience onboard the Disney Wonder on an Alaskan Excursion. Learn all the delicious things we dined on at Cabanas, Triton's, Tiana's Place, and Animators Palate. Click to read more!
Room service please!

62. KEEP YOUR TIP CLOSE BY IN THE MORNING

Every morning we ordered room service so we could start the morning off with two pots of coffee. The first night I forgot to set out the tip, so I had to go into the safe before I let room service in.

Starting on the second day, I started just hanging the tips on the magnetic door, so I could quickly grab it.

So much more comfortable than scrambling, half asleep!

63. HALF AND HALF

Room service does not have half and half. If you enjoy your coffee with half and half make sure you visit the ninth deck.

The outside 24/7 beverage area is the only place where I could find free-flowing half and half. I had to fill up a full coffee cup three times while on our cruise.

Make sure you put a lid on the cup and save it in your fridge.
Our fridge with the essentials, wine, water, lemons, and a half and half.

Mini Fridge on Disney Wonder, disney wonder alaska cruise tips
Our fridge with the essentials, wine, water, lemons, and half and half.

64. If traveling fewer than three floors, take the stairs. It’s faster

If you are only going up or down a couple of flights, it is easier and quicker to take the stairs. Taking the stairs also helps with exercise and allows those people with mobility issues the option to use the elevator.

65. Get a refillable beer mug

If fruity drinks are not your thing, but you like a cold beer, get the refillable beer mug! You can buy the mug for $16.99 and will get a small discount. You get the 21 oz of beer for the price of 16 oz!

Don’t feel like carrying the mug around? Ask for a token, and you can swap it out until you are ready for your next beer.

You can also take the token with you when you go home and bring it to your next Disney Cruise.

66. Go to events with the free booze

Go to the captain’s Reception. Whenever you see this on your Disney Cruise Line Navigator, know that this means free booze! The wine and cocktails are not the greatest, but they make for cute pictures.

For all the captain’s receptions I’ve been to, I like the beer offering the best.

67. Learn How To Cook

If you are all about maximizing your budget, make sure you take the adult Anybody Can Cook courses. You learn how to make some creative dishes and usually get a free sample of wine.

Take a look at the first sea day on the Disney Wonder while cruising through the Alaskan Inside Passage.

68. play bingo at least once

Bingo may seem lame when you are at home, but on a Disney Cruise, it is so much fun! Since there is not a casino on this cruise fleet, this is the closest you will get to win back your money!

69. MEET ALASKAN CHARACTERS WHILE ON BOARD

If you want to meet characters but want to avoid the lines, you should hang out in the hallways to try to run into them in the lobby.
Without even trying, I met Mickey and Minnie (in their Alaskan gear) and Donald Duck (in his plaid shirt!) in the hallway.

Plaid Shirt Yoga Pants and Donald DUck on Disney Wonder
Donald and I wearing the same shirt. I’m not the only one on the Disney Wonder who likes to wear plaid!

70. USE THE PERSONAL NAVIGATOR APP AS WELL AS THE PAPER VERSION

Speaking of phones, the Disney Cruise Line Navigator gave a ton more information than the printed copy. I enjoy the layout of the paper version.

However, I love all the information on the App.

In the App, you can text your family (for free!) and even preview the menus at all the restaurants that night.

71. For Breakfast Order Room Service

We’ve always had a Verandah room on our Disney Cruises, so we wanted to have coffee on the balcony.

We also ordered a few pastries from room service, and I grabbed a couple of extras from Cabanas so we would have a full breakfast.

72. Breakfast and lunch are served in the main dining room

Depending on when your excursions are, you can have a leisurely breakfast or lunch in the dining room instead of wrestling with the masses of people in Cabanas.

73. You can order a second (or third or fourth) entrée at no charge

Yup! You could order everything on the menu, and it doesn’t cost anything else! A few times on the rotational dining, there are a few different appetizers or entrees that look interesting.

Go ahead and order them! Sometimes the first thing you ordered isn’t up to par, and you are so happy that you ordered the extra entree or appetizer.

74. ADULT ONLY DINING AT PALO

We were seated for a very early brunch, but I would have preferred if we sat closer to noon.

Even though we ate to our heart’s content, I still think a later seating would have done us justice at Bruch.

There are so many goodies to order and items to take from the buffet.

Thinking about booking a reservation on Disney Cruise Line's Palo? This review gives examples of my experience of both Brunch and Dinner at Palo.
Palo Dessert Display

75. Mickey’s Ice Cream Bars at Dinner or Room Service

I love dessert, but for some reason, the desserts on the Disney Cruise Line are not my favorite. But a Mickey Ice cream bar – yes, please!

When we were recently at Disney World, and I saw that these Mickey Bars are $5+ I wish I ordered more while on the cruise.

76. GO TO THE GYM

If you already work out daily, go to the gym one (or a couple) of mornings! I took two classes and did my workout twice while on the cruise.

However, if there are any rough seas, I do NOT recommend doing the spin class. Even our instructor warned that she might get off the bike to be sick!

If you already know the next cruise you want to book – book it on the cruise! You get a reduced deposit and can save 10% off the final price of the cruise

Gym on the Disney Wonder
A view of the spin bikes for the gym on the Disney Wonder.

77. There is so much to learn at the lectures

Yup! There are some great naturalist lectures on the Disney Alaskan Cruises.

The educational sessions is one thing I missed out on my other cruises, but I loved learning all about wildlife, glaciers and other amazing things about our world.

We may have also accidentally taken a nap during the presentation – but the speaker was so relaxing that it was hard not to.

78. Disney Cruise Line Gratuities

Tipping while on a Disney Cruise doesn’t have to be complicated! Much of the time, the gratuities are built into the price of what you are paying.

Starting in January 2019 Disney Cruise Line did increase their recommendations for select positions. The total recommended gratuity is $13.50 per passenger/per day based.
This means that your gratuity depends on how many days you are cruising and how many people are in your party.

  • Gratuities for the whole trip – $13.50 per passenger/per day based which dividends up to:
  • Stateroom host – $4.50 per day
  • Server $4.50 per day
  • Assistant Server $3.50 per day
  • Head Server $1 per day
  • Alcoholic Drinks – 15% is added to the bill
  • Palo – tip is included with the fee that you pay, but if you have excellent service, you can tip more.
  • Room Service – $1 per item
  • Senses Spa – 18% is added to the bill
  • Excursion tips – this is up to you, I generally tip $20 for the three of us
  • Kids Club Services – you are not expected to tip

79. Book your next cruise while you are already on your cruise

This is probably the best tip of this whole blog. If you book a cruise (or a placeholder cruise) while you are still on your current cruise, you can save 10%.

While we were in Alaska, we ended up booking our next cruise to the Mediterranean.

Dining reviews of the final four days on the Disney Wonder. Read about dishes at Cabanas, Triton's, Animator's Palate, and Tiana's Place.
Kissing some Alligators

Disney Cruise Line ALASKAN Excursion Tips

80. Tracy Arm isn’t an actual port

Yup that’s right – Tracy Arm isn’t an actual port but another Sea Day with extra experience. The only way you can get closer to the glacier is if you book a port adventure through Disney Cruise Line.

Depending on how icy the water is, the Disney Wonder can get pretty close to the glacier. We did book the excursion and had a blast.

If you want to book the excursion, book the first excursion of the day. The anticipation of traveling towards the glacier and seeing the glacier up close is amazing.

If you do not book an excursion, make sure you plan on staying on your balcony or on an outside deck to enjoy the scenes.

Plaid Shirt Yoga Pants takes on Alaska with Disney Cruise Lines. disney alaska cruise excursions

81. BOOK YOUR EXCURSION

Even though all of my Alaskan excursions were booked through Disney Adventures , feel free to book your tours, not with Disney!

Booking with other tour companies will usually save you money, and you have more of a choice of what to see.

However, I went in late May/early June, and the ports were not busy yet – some of the towns have up to seven cruise ships filled with tourists.

I am the type of person who is a planner and has to know exactly what I am doing, so pre-booking was a better option for me.

82. EXCURSIONS GET CANCELED

Unfortunately, excursions get canceled (ours did for Ketchikan) and they run over (we didn’t have any time to do anything else in Juneau) so prepare accordingly.

The most important thing is to make sure you are on the boat by All Aboard Time.

83. BUY WINE, BEER, AND WATER IN PORT

In Skagway, we almost didn’t buy extra bottles of wine to last us throughout the trip.

Thank goodness we did, because there wasn’t time in Juneau to buy anything and Ketchikan was the last port day so it would seem silly to buy more bottles.

We had an abundance of wine and brought home two bottles to enjoy. If anyone wants to track down a bottle of Bear Creek Chocolate Raspberry Dessert Wine, I would be so delighted!

84. Burger Queen – Ketchikan

While in Ketchikan, make sure to eat at Burger Queen! It is a local burger restaurant where locals and crew staff go to lunch. The burgers are good, and the food is not crazy expensive.

Ketchikan was the last port of call until the long sail back to Vancouver. We were also in port from 11:15 am until 7:45 pm, so it was a different vibe and feel for excursion day. I had decided to purchase tickets online through a third party to visit Misty Fjords National Monument, so it was the first time that we were actually on our own.

85. Tracy’s King Crab Shack – Juneau

We didn’t make it to Tracy’s King Crab Shack on our cruise, but we heard so many guests and crew talking about how good the king crab legs are at this shack!

Don’t be like me and miss out on this great opportunity

86. Starbucks Mug in Alaska – Juneau

If you are anything like me and collect Starbucks Mugs – make sure to get one while you are in Juneau! It is the only port that you can get a Starbucks Mug while on the Disney Cruise.

You do need to take a city bus to a Safeway to get the mug, but it is worth it!

87. If you are a National Park Geek

If you are a National Park Geek, make sure to bring your Passport to the national parks to collect stamps for some historic sites in Alaska.

88. Cruise port security is nothing like the airport

That’s right! Walking back onto the cruise ship is not as time-consuming or hard as going through airport security. Just make sure you have your wine or beer that you want to bring on board separated so the staff can make sure you are not carrying on liquor.

89. Get to the cruise on time

If your Disney Port Adventure ends early or you explore on your own – you must make sure you get to the cruise ship on time. You do not want to be left behind.

90. Get a good spot to see the late arrivals

Now, this might be a little bit of a mean tip, but if you want to see the late arrivals running to the cruise ship. Hopefully, they all get on the boat on time!

DISEMBARKMENT

Unfortunately, all fun cruises have to come to an end. Disembarking can be very stressful if you do not have a gam plan. Make sure you know how you are getting to the airport or your hotel and don’t forget to pack everything.

91. Prepay your tips the night before

You can prepay tips but if you don’t make sure you square up your bill with Guest Services the night before instead of dealing with long lines in the morning

92. Pack up your bags but leave the essentials out in a carryon

Most people let Disney take their luggage off of the cruise boat for them. If you do this, you need to have your luggage in the hallway by 10 pm.

Also – if you do this, you need to make sure you have a day bag that contains everything you need to get ready the next day. Otherwise, you might be leaving the Ship in your PJs.

93. SKIP BREAKFAST AND WALK OFF WITH YOUR SUITCASES

The last day of the cruise (it was a sea day for us) we spent a lot of time debating if we were going to walk off ourselves or pack up everything and let Disney Wisk everything away.

After much discussion, we decided that we were going to walk off with our suitcases.

This meant a couple of things. We wouldn’t have one last delicious meal on the Ship (it was ok we were so over food by then) and we need to make sure we ate at their airport (we had that covered with an airport lounge access)

94. TAKE THE DISNEY MAGIC BUS FROM THE DISNEY WONDER IN VANCOUVER

For $25 per person, the Disney bus to the airport is the best invention ever. You do not need to worry about taxis or Ubers.

Do not need to wait around in the heat for someone to pick you up. And the bus goes straight to the airport — one final magical touch to an incredible trip.

Disney Alaska cruise tips and tricks

I hope while you are preparing for your Disney Cruise to Alaska you take these tips

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Tips for planning the Perfect Disney Alaskan Cruise

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