What to pack, do, bring and eat
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In 2012, I moved on to the Disney Fantasy ship as it was being built in Bremerhaven, Germany. At the time, this was Disney’s latest ship, its fourth, after the Magic, Wonder and Dream. I worked on the big boat for over a year. In 2022, when Disney launched its fifth ship, the Wish, I sailed on it as a guest. This was my first time being a guest on a cruise.
It’s interesting having the perspective of both working on a Disney ship and sailing as Disney’s guest. I’m not saying one was better than the other, they were just (to infinity and beyond) different. Both magical.
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Here are five tips that I’ve learned from my experiences on the Disney Fantasy and Wish — intended for those who are sailing with Disney.
Before we dig in, a quick contextualization of both of my experiences. When I worked for Disney, I was an adult (kids and babies have their own teams) entertainment host, meaning I hosted shows, activities and other guest-facing events. When I sailed on the Disney Wish, Disney hosted me to showcase the newest ship and programming.
1. What to do on the ship (and what to skip)
I’ve only been on the Disney Wish and Disney Fantasy. They feel like different books from the same series. There’s a familiarity between the two ships, in terms of structure, feel, programming and definitely smell. But they each have their own specialties, designs, Easter eggs and entertainment. The first thing to do whenever you get on a Disney ship is explore your whole new world. Get ready to get lost and found with these tips on what to see and what’s not worth it, especially if you’re on a quick cruise:
Not to be missed:
**Behind the scenes: When I was on the Fantasy, there was a guy with a clipboard looking at a line of people waiting to get into a venue on the ship. I asked why he was looking at the line and he was hired by Disney to study lines. The man basically had a PhD in lines. He wrote his thesis on lines and his job was to make them as efficient and enjoyable as possible.
Could be missed:
All of these “could be missed” suggestions are dependent on your cruise duration. If you’re on a world tour, do it all!
- The “third” show. As mentioned above, the two Disney classics are a must-see. I’d use my “third show” time exploring the ship.
- Bingo. I don’t know why this gets such a huge turnout. It’s fun, but I’d rather buy another fancy drink over a bingo card.
- Snorkelling on Castaway Cay. If your cruise goes to Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, you’ll see a few activity options for the day. I’d suggest hanging out on the beach or renting a bike to explore. A bike is the easiest way to escape the crowds and get into nature. Look out for cute little newts on the bike path.
2. What to pack (and what to unpack)
If you must check, check. If there is anything you can do to exclusively carry on, be a cruising hero. I suggest having one carry-on luggage and backpack per person. Ideally, these two items are made to work together (so the backpack can easily rest on the carry-on). Like these options:
I prefer carry-ons because they certainly shouldn’t get lost in the land of checked luggage and you don’t need to wait for the carousel (and be tempted to ride it). But when you get to the Disney ship of your choosing, you label your luggage with a tag (that Disney provides) and your bags will get delivered to your room. You may beat your baggage to your room, so make sure to bring a daypack or backpack to carry all your important documents and key items like a bathing suit, hat, sunscreen (like these, recommended by our go-to dermatologist) and sunglasses. Here are some packing tips, for warm/hot destinations.
What to pack:
- Loose, comfy, casual clothes (no need to fight with denim)
- A sweatshirt, for the nights and theatres (like these from the Disney Shop)
- Bathing suits
- Belt bag (easy hands-free way to carry a phone, which you pretty much need to cruise now)
- Comfy sandals, like these waterproof Birkenstocks (Heidi Klum would agree)
- Comfy shoes that can be worn casually or dressed up a bit (like these Allbirds shoes)
- Empty reusable water bottle, to fill up once on board (to avoid buying water bottles)
- Toiletries and sundries, like sunscreen (under 100ml, for those who are carrying on), sunglasses, hat, lip
- Pirate gear, if there’s a pirate night on your itinerary
- Workout gear, if that interests you (there’s a fantastic gym)
- Full list, here
What not to pack:
3. What to eat (and what to not)
This is pure strategy. There’s endless food on board. The food served at the restaurants is incredible. I don’t know why I haven’t heard about this before. Each ship has a few restaurants that you’ll get to experience on a rotational basis. The food is excellent at these restaurants. But there’s endless food available at a few cafes that I’d suggest skipping.
What to eat:
What to skip:
4. Who to bring (and who to leave at home)
I’m a Disney fan, but I couldn’t say the same about the person I was sailing with. I knew I was going to love my Wish experience, but it was even more incredible seeing my sailing partner’s reaction. She would literally say “oh, I get it,” referring to the magic of Disney she has heard so much about. This was her first Disney park/cruise line experience (aside from a visit to Disney World when she was very young).
Disney Cruise Line is for everyone. I hate how sales-y that sounds, but if the cliche fits. If you go on a cruise with your family, there’s a space for everyone. There’s baby and child care too, so parents/guardians (of the galaxy) can drop off their little ones and have their own fun.
Who to bring:
Who not to bring:
5. When to sail (maybe not in the wake of a hurricane)
We sailed at the tail end of Hurricane Nicole. Of course, Disney will only sail in safe conditions and King Triton is too busy performing on board to control the sea. So our sailing time was delayed a couple of hours and we had to skip over Nassau, Bahamas. You may want to consider hurricane season when booking your cruise, but I wouldn’t necessarily avoid it. The Wish crew did an incredible job of pivoting the regularly scheduled programming.
However, we were the first Wish trip to experience Disney’s Very Merrytime, a holiday-themed cruise. You may want to plan your vacation around one of these themes, like Halloween on the High Seas, Pixar Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea. Check out the current options.
6. Bonus FAQ about ship employees
- They live on the ship (do not helicopter in daily)
- They work seven days a week for the entirety of their contract (which can vary, many months at a time)
- They are allowed off the ship to explore the ports
- There’s a whole other “crew” world, with a bar, entertainment spots, restaurants etc.
- Your entertainers play many roles (try to spot your favourite dancer, singer or musician in all their roles)
- There is no “land” experience that I can compare it to. It’s wildly intense and rewarding sailing the world with the best-in-class crew. I’m still tired from working on it but it’s one of the most incredible, rewarding and memorable moments in my life
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