Pinkjgray
I ❤️ All Things Disney!
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- Oct 1, 2023
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Pre-Cruise Stay: Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort
Transfer to Port: Disney Cruise Line transfer — seamless and convenient
I’m sharing a summary of my recent experience aboard Disney’s eastbound Transatlantic cruise. From start to finish, the trip was a memorable one filled with both highlights and a few minor hiccups.
Embarkation & Stateroom
Check-in at the port went smoothly. My boarding group was #3, but as soon as boarding began, it felt like a stampede—even though rooms weren’t ready until 1:30 p.m. I didn’t understand the rush, but maybe folks were hungry!
At the port, I realized I hadn’t activated my DisneyBand+. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal, but it turned out to be glitchy the entire cruise—possibly because I didn’t activate it before boarding.
Once on board, I grabbed lunch at Cabanas and waited for room access. At 1:34 p.m., staterooms opened. I booked my cruise as a VGTY and was upgraded to a Deluxe Family Verandah stateroom—a spacious treat for a solo cruiser. However, my bathroom wasn’t fully cleaned, which I later discovered was because the original stateroom host had to disembark unexpectedly. A new host had just been assigned and was very kind and apologetic. I told her not to worry—it wasn’t a major issue.
Guests On Board
There were about 3,800 guests on this sailing and I was surprised by the number of children—about 600 onboard, which was more than I expected simply because others had said there will probably be no more than 200. However, the children didn’t bother me because I enjoyed seeing them. There were also a noticeable number of guests with medical needs, as well as five or six service dogs on board.
Onboard Life
They offered a good number of adult-only activities. However, many of them were often overcrowded. Many events were held in “The Tube,” which couldn’t accommodate the high number of adults on this voyage. Standing-room-only situations were common, and many left early due to the lack of seating.
I wished I had stayed in my room and enjoyed my balcony more than I did. For some reason, I felt the need to do every activity. It wasn’t until the second week, I decided to skip out on most of them.
There was a medical emergency one night that woke many of us up around 2 a.m. An alarm sounded, and we later learned a crew member had a head injury. I do wish Disney had made a general announcement the next morning to ease concerns—relying on rumors wasn’t ideal.
Ports & Excursions
The itinerary was wonderful, but I wish we had more time in port—most stops were only 6–7 hours, which felt rushed for a European itinerary. Some Disney excursions were overpriced and underwhelming, including one where we waited nearly an hour just to disembark. Disney gave us a 40% refund on that excursion ($164), but going forward, I’d likely book independently or just explore the port myself.
WiFi
I purchased the DCL WiFi from for the entire length of the cruise which worked great for me.
Food
The food was good on most days. However, I preferred the room service cheeseburgers, hot wings, and Mickey bars!
What Worked Well for Me Personally:
• Bringing my own DCL themed pillowcase, bedroom slippers, and room deodorizer
• Liquid IV and electrolytes—essential for hydration
• Crossbody phone chain—great for keeping my phone secure
• Prunes—yes, they came in handy
• Laundry detergent (the ones in the laundry room were overpriced and out of order the 2nd week of the cruise)
• Scopolamine patch (behind the ear)—helped with motion sensitivity
• Water delivery + flower bouquet in my cabin—added a homey touch
What I Wish I Brought
• Magnetic phone charger
• Manual wash bag (the washing machines and dryers were inoperable on many days)
What I Didn’t Need
• More than one bathing suit
• A lot of clothes
Post-Cruise Travel
After the cruise, I extended my adventure by spending four days in Barcelona, then traveling by train to France and England before flying back to the U.S. Barcelona was beautiful but extremely crowded—Cádiz felt more relaxed and enjoyable by comparison. The Azores was absolutely breathtaking! Lisbon was interesting, but nice to explore.
Final Thoughts
Despite a few hiccups, I thoroughly enjoyed my cruise. The experience reminded me how special it is to meet kind and interesting people while traveling. I’d absolutely do it again—but next time, I’ll skip Disney excursions and hope for longer port days.
Transfer to Port: Disney Cruise Line transfer — seamless and convenient
I’m sharing a summary of my recent experience aboard Disney’s eastbound Transatlantic cruise. From start to finish, the trip was a memorable one filled with both highlights and a few minor hiccups.
Embarkation & Stateroom
Check-in at the port went smoothly. My boarding group was #3, but as soon as boarding began, it felt like a stampede—even though rooms weren’t ready until 1:30 p.m. I didn’t understand the rush, but maybe folks were hungry!
At the port, I realized I hadn’t activated my DisneyBand+. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal, but it turned out to be glitchy the entire cruise—possibly because I didn’t activate it before boarding.
Once on board, I grabbed lunch at Cabanas and waited for room access. At 1:34 p.m., staterooms opened. I booked my cruise as a VGTY and was upgraded to a Deluxe Family Verandah stateroom—a spacious treat for a solo cruiser. However, my bathroom wasn’t fully cleaned, which I later discovered was because the original stateroom host had to disembark unexpectedly. A new host had just been assigned and was very kind and apologetic. I told her not to worry—it wasn’t a major issue.
Guests On Board
There were about 3,800 guests on this sailing and I was surprised by the number of children—about 600 onboard, which was more than I expected simply because others had said there will probably be no more than 200. However, the children didn’t bother me because I enjoyed seeing them. There were also a noticeable number of guests with medical needs, as well as five or six service dogs on board.
Onboard Life
They offered a good number of adult-only activities. However, many of them were often overcrowded. Many events were held in “The Tube,” which couldn’t accommodate the high number of adults on this voyage. Standing-room-only situations were common, and many left early due to the lack of seating.
I wished I had stayed in my room and enjoyed my balcony more than I did. For some reason, I felt the need to do every activity. It wasn’t until the second week, I decided to skip out on most of them.
There was a medical emergency one night that woke many of us up around 2 a.m. An alarm sounded, and we later learned a crew member had a head injury. I do wish Disney had made a general announcement the next morning to ease concerns—relying on rumors wasn’t ideal.
Ports & Excursions
The itinerary was wonderful, but I wish we had more time in port—most stops were only 6–7 hours, which felt rushed for a European itinerary. Some Disney excursions were overpriced and underwhelming, including one where we waited nearly an hour just to disembark. Disney gave us a 40% refund on that excursion ($164), but going forward, I’d likely book independently or just explore the port myself.
WiFi
I purchased the DCL WiFi from for the entire length of the cruise which worked great for me.
Food
The food was good on most days. However, I preferred the room service cheeseburgers, hot wings, and Mickey bars!
What Worked Well for Me Personally:
• Bringing my own DCL themed pillowcase, bedroom slippers, and room deodorizer
• Liquid IV and electrolytes—essential for hydration
• Crossbody phone chain—great for keeping my phone secure
• Prunes—yes, they came in handy
• Laundry detergent (the ones in the laundry room were overpriced and out of order the 2nd week of the cruise)
• Scopolamine patch (behind the ear)—helped with motion sensitivity
• Water delivery + flower bouquet in my cabin—added a homey touch
What I Wish I Brought
• Magnetic phone charger
• Manual wash bag (the washing machines and dryers were inoperable on many days)
What I Didn’t Need
• More than one bathing suit
• A lot of clothes
Post-Cruise Travel
After the cruise, I extended my adventure by spending four days in Barcelona, then traveling by train to France and England before flying back to the U.S. Barcelona was beautiful but extremely crowded—Cádiz felt more relaxed and enjoyable by comparison. The Azores was absolutely breathtaking! Lisbon was interesting, but nice to explore.
Final Thoughts
Despite a few hiccups, I thoroughly enjoyed my cruise. The experience reminded me how special it is to meet kind and interesting people while traveling. I’d absolutely do it again—but next time, I’ll skip Disney excursions and hope for longer port days.
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