How to Budget for a Disney Cruise

Booking a cruise (especially a Disney cruise!) can be a great way to budget for your vacation. Because the cost for the cruise includes your lodging and much of your food and entertainment, you’ll have a good idea of what the whole trip will cost. Here are some tips for budgeting for a Disney cruise, including what’s included and not included in the price.

This post contains affiliate links. A purchase/click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us. All opinions are my own. I’ve been on one complimentary Disney Cruise press trip and two trips as part of Disney Social Media Moms. The rest of my cruises were paid for in full by me.

Budgeting for a Disney Cruise

Get a Quote for the Price

You’ll want to start by getting a quote for your desired trip. Once you find something you want to book, you should do it whenever you can. I’ve had the price of a trip increase over the course of a week – so they definitely can and do change.

It’s usually easiest to get a quote either with a travel agent or online, but you can also book a cruise while on a cruise (you’ll save money too!).

Wondering what a Disney Cruise costs? This post can provide you with some details that can help you with a starting point on prices. In general, you’ll pay more the longer your cruise is.

In addition, some specialty cruises, like the Disney Very Merrytime Christmas Cruises, tend to be more expensive than the standard cruises. If you don’t want to take advantage of those extra activities, you may not want to book one of those.

When pricing out a Disney Cruise, be sure to check out Get Away Today. When you mention Family Travel Magazine, you get an extra $25 on board credit! You can give their agents a call at 877-510-2929. On board credit can be used for most purchases on the ship, including beverages, gift shop purchases, and activities.

Typically you can put down a deposit on your cruise, and then will need to pay the full balance at a later date.

Know When Your Final Payment is Due

Depending on the itinerary that you book, final payment may be due at different times. Know when your final payment is due, and start budgeting so that you can make that payment on time.

You aren’t able to book port excursions or make other reservations through the Disney Cruise Line until you are paid in full. If you have your heart set on a Disney Castaway Cay cabana or another sought after excursion, you’ll want to do that at the first possible opportunity.

Find Airfare Prices

Unless you are driving to the port, you’ll need to book separate airfare. You’ll want to check out airfare rates in advance so that you can budget for it.

I recommend using something like Google Flights or the Hopper app so that you can get a prediction of the fare. Don’t wait on this step, because you don’t want to book a cruise and then realize the airfare is super expensive. It’s best to have an idea of what the flights will cost before you commit to the cruise dates.

Look at Travel Insurance

If you are booking an expensive trip, you may want to consider travel insurance. I usually recommend travel insurance when you are spending a lot of money on your trip, especially for cruises. That way, you’ll be protected if your circumstances change.

Know What’s Included in the Price

Of course, there are some things that aren’t included in the cost of your cruise, and it’s important to know that before you leave. You’ll be adding a lot of those additional fees to your stateroom account, and you definitely don’t want to be surprised when you get the final bill.

They can add up quickly, and when you are in the height of your vacation, you may not be watching your budget. Set limits before you leave.

What’s Included in the Price of a Disney Cruise?

When you book a Disney cruise, it will include the following:

• your stateroom for the entire stay
• meals in your assigned dining room for dinner
• lunches at the buffet or one of the dining rooms
• breakfast at the buffet
• entertainment throughout your stay, including the evening shows, game shows, movies, drawing classes, and deck shows
• room service (excluding bottled water, alcohol, and prepackaged food)
• the kids clubs
• soft serve ice cream (as much as you want)
• use of the fitness center
• soda (unusual for cruise lines)
• food at Castaway Cay (but not alcohol)
• character meetings
• regular coffee and water

What Costs Extra on a Disney Cruise?

Note that there may be other things that cost extra that are not listed here.

• spa treatments including the Rainforest room
• gratuities (automatically added, although you can request changes)
• alcohol
• specialty coffee (although completely worth the extra fee!)
• prepackaged snacks
• gift shop purchases
• the nursery
• food at Vanellope’s Sweets and Treats (on the Disney Dream)
• meals at Palo and Remy
• transportation to and from the port, and parking at the port
• port excursions
• popcorn (available at the theaters)
• meals off the ship (except at Castaway Cay)
• photos taken by the ship photographers
• bottled water
• Other items not listed here

At a minimum, even if you aren’t drinking alcohol or getting off the ship at ports of call, you’ll need to find a way to get to and from the port, and will need to pay for gratuities.

Before booking your cruise, I also recommend looking at the average prices of excursions. Depending on where you are going, these can be very expensive and definitely add up. Make sure you know what the excursion prices are before you commit to a cruise.

If you are concerned about the final bill, you can always visit the guest services desk during your trip to see how much you’ve already spent. The Disney Cruise Line app can also show you this information. Definitely keep track because costs can add up!

Have you been on a cruise? How did you budget for it?