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Disney Cruises Are For More Than Just Kids (And Aren't Child-Filled Hellscapes)

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Whether you’ve been on a cruise or not, chances are you’ve heard of the Disney Cruise Line. What if Disney World was a boat en route to the Bahamas, complete with all of that “Disney magic” you’ve come to expect from the company’s vacation destinations. That said, if you’re like me, you figured these were designed to entertain families (read: children) and didn’t think it would amount to much of a vacation for those without kids. Then, as if I was being challenged by Disney, I was invited on the christening sailing of the company’s newest ship, the Wish. Imagine my surprise that I was very wrong.

To be completely honest, I love Disney stuff. I’m a regular visitor to the parks, I tend to see most of the movies, and I’ve been watching Mickey Mouse cartoons since I was a child. The cruises, though, seemed like a different story. In my mind, would be geared toward children, filled with the sort of activities that would ultimately not appeal to me, an adult looking for a relaxing vacation. It’s kept me away from cruises, in general, my entire life until now. When you don’t have kids, being surrounded by them just doesn’t sound that relaxing.

What I learned, however, is that these cruises aren’t just for kids or families–there’s plenty for adults to do where children simply aren’t allowed. What’s more, the all-ages fare on the ship–including the food, entertainment, and activities–is all pretty great, even if you’re a grown-up not dragging a kid around.

And that’s the important takeaway here. Disney cruises aren’t just for children and families. The Disney Cruise line has taken great care to make it a worthwhile experience for adults who just like their vacations to be Disney-flavored. From the food and drinks to excursions off the ship and the extras you can shell out extra money for, it’s easy to have a child-free vacation aboard one of the company’s ships, while still satiating the Disney fan in you.

The food

Let’s start in the most obvious place, with the food. The Wish features a trio of rotating restaurants. What that means is you’ll be scheduled for one of these per dinner service, rendering you able to eat at all three during your cruise. The restaurants are Worlds of Marvel (a Marvel Studios-themed dining experience), Arendelle (a Frozen-themed dining experience), and 1923 (an “old Hollywood” restaurant).

Worlds of Marvel and Arendelle are both very family-friendly restaurants, with “shows” unfolding during your dining. Marvel’s takes place mostly on screens and features a number of faces from the MCU (Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, and more reprise their roles). Arendelle, on the other hand, sees a live musical performance happening in the middle of the dining hall set shortly after the events of Frozen 2.

If you’re looking for alone time away from families and children, these aren’t your best bet. In both restaurants, you’re seated next to other tables, almost as if you’re all sharing large tables. If the theming is something you’ll enjoy, it’s probably worth it to give it a show. However, you should note that Worlds of Marvel definitely wasn’t as impressive as I hoped. Most of the action unfolds on screens around the room and during the majority of the meal, clips from various MCU movies take up the screen time. The original footage (which includes a handful of familiar superheroes) is fun, but it’s certainly not a requirement.

Then there’s 1923, which is a more subdued dinner. Rather than an “immersive dining experience,” it’s more of an upscale restaurant with no live entertainment. Plus, your tables aren’t lined up next to each other, giving you plenty of space to enjoy your meal in relative peace.

All three of the restaurants have unique menus (though all include steak, seafood, and chicken options) and all had definite high points. While I’d say 1923 had the best meal of the rotational restaurants (order the corn chowder along with practically anything else) there’s something to enjoy at each of them. And if you’re not paying attention to calories and planning to splurge, keep in mind you can order anything from the menu, including multiple items, and it’s all included in the cost.

What if you want a more exquisite dining experience, though? That’s where the Wish’s adults-only restaurants come into play. There are two on the ship, Palo (which exists on Disney’s other cruises) and Enchante. Both offer genuine fine dining, however, they also aren’t included in the price of the cruise. If you want to go gourmet, you’re going to have to pay for it. Still, for an exclusive dining experience far away from the cries of children or any familial bickering that may be happening, it’s worth it.

And if none of that works for you, there are quick-service food kiosks around the ship with plenty of complimentary fare (BBQ, Mexican, pizza, ice cream, and more) plus room service is also included in the price of your cruise. There are options aplenty and they’re all very tasty.

The drinks

If you’re going on a vacation, chances are you might want to enjoy some adult beverages along the way. You’re in luck, because while Disney’s cruise ships may not contain casinos and nightclubs, they certainly have bars–and thankfully most of them have the Disney theming you’re looking for.

The Wish, in particular, even has a Star Wars bar. The Hyperspace Lounge is a cool area of the ship that’s essentially a somewhat upscale bar set in the Star Wars universe. Here they serve all kinds of unique Star Wars-y cocktails–including that $5000 one you’ve heard about. There are also bars themed to bars inspired by Cinderella, The Princess and the Frog, Beauty and the Beast, and even a Viking-themed sports bar. There really is something for everyone. There’s also the Quiet Cove area of the ship, which is an infinity pool, bar, and cafe reserved exclusively for adults at the back of the ship.

Make a note that while the majority of the bars are adults only, the Hyperspace Lounge is open to families during the day, and there are a selection of alcohol-free drinks available. Also keep in mind that alcohol is not included in the price of the cruise, so bring your wallet.

Castaway Cay

Did you know Disney has a private island? Even if you didn’t, chances are it’s not that hard to believe. Of course Disney has its own island. Castaway Cay is a destination that practically all of Disney’s cruises to the Bahamas stop at–and for good reason. If you’re on a cruise, it’s likely that you probably want to spend some time on the beach. However, the prospect of spending the day hanging out on a beach filled with families might not be all that appealing. Thankfully, the island has Serenity Bay–the adults-only beach. You get there via tram and while there isn’t as much to do as there is at the family beach: there’s a bar, a restaurant, and plenty of sand and ocean to enjoy.

The upcharges

A lot of things are included in the price of the cruise, but not everything. There are several things to do on the ship that will cost you some money but they are decidedly not things you should expect to see large families partaking in. I, for instance, had an appointment at Hook’s Barbery, which Disney describes as “an upscale salon inspired by Captain Hook’s private quarters aboard the Jolly Roger.” There, I got a haircut, a shave, a nail treatment, a scalp massage, and a facial. It cost a pretty penny, but the comfort and the quiet was well worth it. And since we just got done talking about the bars, you should know the best bar on the ship is in this very barber shop. Hook’s includes a “secret” whiskey bar, filled with rare whiskeys and run by a bartender who was ready and willing to walk me through customizing my own old fashioned. You don’t have to have a barber reservation to visit this bar (I should know, I went four times) and it’s definitely a must if you are on the Wish.

There’s also a Tangled-themed beauty salon on the ship, a full-service spa, and even the Rainforest Room–a popular location on Disney’s ships. The Rainforest Room is a limited capacity area of the ships with steam rooms, jacuzzis, and so much more to help you relax. You have to pay for a pass to it but if you’re truly looking to unwind, chances are it’ll be worth it.

The conclusion

While there is undoubtedly plenty for kids and families to do aboard the Disney Wish and the company’s other cruise ships, just as there’s plenty for them in the theme parks, it’s not exclusive to them. Leading up to my voyage, I told multiple people that I was planning to use the Wish to convince me I’m not a cruise person. I’d never been on one cause I didn’t know if I’d enjoy them and thought something so Disney-centric and family-focused would leave me wary of going again. Instead, I’m already working on planning my next voyage.

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p dir=”ltr”>The sheer amount of thought put into keeping adults entertained when there aren’t kids around is important. And while, yes, doping a lot of the adult experiences means you’ll be paying more out of pocket, the luxury that comes with it is worth it. I can’t compare them to other companies’ cruise lines because I haven’t experienced them before. However, in speaking with other reporters previewing the ship with far more experience than I have, the unanimous answer was that Disney Cruise Line is the gold standard.

Now, if casinos and nightclubs are what you’re looking for on a cruise, this clearly isn’t the company for you. But if you are a fan of Disney’s parks and are looking for a relaxing vacation that doesn’t include spending four hours in line to ride a roller coaster of some sort, a Disney cruise is definitely worth the price–and it’s still cheaper than the Star Wars hotel, so it has that going for it.