disney vacation club alaska cruise

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Alaska Cruises

5-night alaskan cruise from vancouver.

Begin and end your cruise in beautiful Vancouver. Gaze upon natural wonders and sweeping vistas from the comfort of your Disney ship, as you gently glide through an icy fjord to view one of the stunning glaciers along the Stikine Icecap. Step into Alaska’s backcountry with a visit to Ketchikan, where you can stroll through authentic totem pole parks. Then spend an invigorating day at sea before returning to the largest city in British Columbia and the hustle of everyday life.

7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver

Sail from cosmopolitan Vancouver—yours to explore before or after your cruise—along the scenic Inside Passage. Gaze upon natural wonders and sweeping vistas from the comfort of your Disney ship, as you gently glide through an icy fjord to view one of the stunning glaciers along the Stikine Icecap. Call upon the historic mining and fishing towns of Skagway or Icy Strait Point, before stopping at Juneau and Ketchikan. Also, enjoy 2 days at sea to take advantage of the many onboard amenities on your Disney cruise ship.

8-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver

Discover enchanting ports of call—from the vibrant culture of British Columbia to the wild splendor of Alaska. Bookending your arctic expedition in Vancouver gives you the perfect combination of outdoor excursion and cosmopolitan recreation. Behold epic fjords and majestic glaciers, try your hand at gold panning or dog sledding and so much more on the Last Frontier. Then, enjoy upscale shopping and gastronomic delights in British Columbia’s largest city.

9-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver

Famous for its thriving culinary scene and countless recreational possibilities, Vancouver is a metropolis worth exploring before or after your seafaring adventure. This sizeable itinerary includes 2 incredible days at sea, views of colossal glaciers and stops at a handful of the last frontier’s most treasured towns, including Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Stikine Icecap and Icy Strait Point. Before returning to Vancouver, discover the old-world charm of Victoria, British Columbia’s scenic capital city. While at sea, enjoy all the magical amenities on board, including Broadway-style shows, themed deck parties and photo ops with beloved Disney Characters.

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Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise Review: Worth It? What’s Included?

The exclusive Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise has everything you’d expect from an Alaskan Disney Cruise sailing PLUS additional special events, lectures, and previews found only on Vacation Club Member Sailings.

Recently I was invited by Disney to join the 21st Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise onboard the Disney Wonder sailing to Alaska.

Below I’ll recap how the DVC Member Cruise is different than a typical Disney Cruise Line sailing, share details on all of the special offerings we experienced, and dive into the special something that makes this different than any other Disney cruise.

This article is tailored to Disney Vacation Club members debating if a DVC Member Cruise is right for them, prospective Disney Vacation Club Members who are curious about the “Membership Magic” extra perks that members receive, and Disney enthusiasts curious about the programming and my reviews of the early previews.

This article is not specifically focused on tips for the Disney Alaska Cruise. You can read my full review of the Alaskan Disney Cruise experience here and our overview of the Disney Wonder ship here.

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In this planning guide:

Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise Overview

The Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise is one of many exclusive “Membership Magic” events for DVC members. Some of the benefits in this category are the in-park lounges ( Disneyland Disney Vacation Club Lounge Opening Announced! ) and Moonlight Madness where DVC buys out one of the theme parks exclusively for members and provides food and access to rare characters.

Members can book the Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise using Disney Vacation Club points, dollars, or a mix of the two.

During our time onboard we were thrilled with how welcoming all the Disney fans were and how excited everyone was to connect. Through the commonality of Disney fandom, everyone had something to talk about. In many ways, I enjoyed the cruise for the same reasons that I enjoy the D23 Expo . It is a place for Disney fans to come together in real life and connect with other Disney fans around fun events and activities. Yes, there are insightful events and panels, but at the end of the day the real value is connecting in person with someone from somewhere else in the country or world with the same passion as you.

There’s one other item that makes the Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise unique in fandom…

The Boat Factor

The Boat Factor represents the fact that everyone participating in the event is on the ship for the duration of the cruise. Disney notables, expert presenters, family, and friends were all aboard for this ocean voyage and constantly present.

I had breakfast next to the voice of Mickey Mouse, met one of the Directors of Zootopia+ on a rainy walk in Ketchikan, rode the White Pass Railway with Disney artists and historians, and watched friends sing karaoke with a member of 4Town from Pixar's Turning Red. This was not unique to me. Anyone who wanted to connect with the personalities and other guests on the boat had ample opportunity.

Compare this to the events at the D23 Expo. Many of the same people on the cruise also attend the expo and even some of the panels are the same, but at the D23 Expo once a panel has been completed the panelists are whisked back to the concierge level at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel before a private dinner at Napa Rose. Onboard the Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise we all shared in the same dining, onboard entertainment, and shore excursions. This commonality is the Boat Factor

You never know who you'll run into onboard the ship.

Even beyond the Boat Factor, there was clearly a lot of care and effort put into making this event special. The entire ship was decked out with specific signage. Each restaurant had custom menus with the trip’s logo. The guide materials were clear and put together well. All materials shared were witty and informational.

The other unique aspect of the trip was that there weren’t that many kids onboard. While the nature of the cruise may have played in here, it probably had more to do with the fact that the cruise was the last week of August and most kids had just started school. In general, the shows and characters were relaxed. Quite often I saw characters like Princess Tiana, Spider-Man, and Thor meandering just looking for someone to interact with.

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DVC Member Cruise Review – Access to Leadership

One of the lounges on the ship was turned into Member Central for Disney Vacation Club members to meet with member services Cast Members in person. Interactions that are usually conducted over the phone, email, or chat could be conducted face to face. I heard from some attendees who even purchased additional points and had an extremely smooth experience with the help of the Cast Members present onboard.

The intimate nature of the cruise allowed guests to easily ask questions and provide feedback. A couple of times on the cruise there were Member Mixer events for guests to connect with Disney Vacation Club leadership, meet other members in an informal setting, and share their feedback.

DVC Member Cruise Early Screening Reviews

During our cruise we were also treated to early screenings of a number of new films and series coming to Disney Plus. Here are brief reviews of the new films:

Zootopia+ was my favorite new content that we screened. This series of short films is set in the world of Zootopia throughout the timeline of the original film. Each episode is shot and written to reflect a different genre/style of filmmaking. The episode genres are: action adventure, a Real Housewives style reality show, musical, gangster, dance competition (“So You Think You Can Prance”), and rom com (this episode features two of the sloths from the DMV in the original movie). The original Zootopia is one of my recent favorites from Walt Disney Animation Studios because of its heartwarming story, zaniness, and wide array of inside jokes. The two episodes of this series that we saw during the cruise built on this. The shorts seemed to only be about 7-10 minutes. When the full series comes out, I will fly through it.

The Pinocchio Live Action film starring Tom Hanks as Geppetto was the headlining early screening of the cruise. It was an entertaining blend of live action and CGI. They did a good job delivering a new version of the Disney classic that was fun to watch with the entire family. The film is largely the original storyline lifted into live action with a couple of modernizing aspects. I found Pinocchio to be likable and Joseph Gordon Levitt did a nice job as Jiminy Cricket.

The new Mickey Mouse documentary, Mickey: The Story of a Mouse , aims to be the definitive story on the character’s creation, evolution, and cultural impact. The highlights of the documentary were a new animated sequence of Mickey Mouse flying through his looks from over the years, new to me footage of Walt Disney in Marceline, and commentary on Mickey’s portrayals of race in a healthy way that I haven’t seen Disney attempt before. Unfortunately, the documentary felt disjointed.

There were also early screenings of the new Chris Hemsworth “Limitless” series coming to Disney Plus from National Geographic and Obi Wan Kenobi show making of documentary. We did not catch those screenings.

Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise Special Programming

The Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise was full of special programming celebrating Disney history and providing a look into the future of the company. Walt Disney was known to say he had one foot in the future and one foot in the past and the programming on the cruise represented that.

Below are some of my favorite programs. Many of the presentations did not allow filming due to their exclusive nature so my photos are limited. Hopefully the below list of programs gives you a sense of the types of programming offered during the Disney Vacation Club Member Cruises and provides a fun look into our week.

The presentations largely took place during our three complete at sea days. There were a couple of times that events and screenings also took place during the evening after an onshore day. Presentations never took place while there was an option to be on land.

TOP HIGHLIGHT Disney On Broadway Let’s Get Together – On the final evening of the cruise, four Disney on Broadway stars performed an incredible array of Disney songs and a surprise medley from the Greatest Showman (now part of the Disney family post 20th Century FOX Acquisition). The performers were Bobby Creighton (long running Timon in Lion King), Josh Strickland (original Tarzan on Broadway), Kissy Simmons (longest running Nala in Lion King), Michael James Scott (the current Genie in Aladdin on Broadway), and Kara Lindsay (Katherine Plumber in Newsies). Their talent was incredible and blew the audience away. After each number I felt like I could spring up to give a standing ovation. Incredible. The songs performed were: “Let’s Get Together” from Parent Trap, “All in This Together” from High School Musical, a Hercules medley, “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins, “Easy as Life” from Aida, “Positoovity” from Little Mermaid, “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Lion King, “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin, “Santa Fe” from Newsies, “Let It Go” from Frozen, and the Greatest Showman Medley.

TOP HIGHLIGHT Sketchbook School with Eric Goldberg – Located inside the Animator’s Palate restaurant, noteworthy Disney Animator Eric Goldberg led drawing classes of a variety of different characters. Goldberg has worked on many Disney films over the years. He is known for being a lead animator on the Genie in Aladdin and Co-Director of Pocahontas. He continues to work on new Disney films and special projects – he animated the tattoos on Maui’s body in Moana and works on special projects for all divisions of the company. We went to both showings because we enjoyed the sketch class so much. Think of this event on the cruise as the Animation Academy in the theme park on steroids.

Strange World: An Inside Look – In the large Walt Disney Theatre, a Disney Animator shared a first look at the new Walt Disney Animation Film coming to theaters this November 23rd. I enjoyed seeing an early look at the film and hearing from a new-to-me voice from the Animation Studio. The film looks like fun – think Journey to the Center of the Earth. As usual, the animation looks incredible and the voice cast clearly brings emotion to the characters.

National Geographic’s Making the Disney Wish – One of the first National Geographic forays into covering Disney was this new documentary on the Disney Wish cruise ship (the next will be this new book on 100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime ). The Emmy Award-winning producer was onboard to talk about the process of capturing the footage and what it was like to be onboard the new ship during construction. I enjoyed seeing the footage and hearing his first-hand account on crossing the Atlantic onboard the ship was work was still going on.

A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps – Soon to be crowned Disney Legend, Don Hahn was joined by Disney Historian and author of some of my favorite Disney books, Marcy Carriker Smothers to share some historic footage and talk about Walt Disney. The footage of Hahn in noteworthy Disney places with other Disney personalities was a new angle to bring some of the stories big Disney fans will have already heard to life. Smothers shared quotes and photos from her book “ Walt’s Disneyland ”.

Zootopia+ First Look – The Directors of the new series that I reviewed above shared some of their background with the Walt Disney Animation Studios and talked a little bit about working on the new series. I was impressed by their clear passion for animation and how well they riffed off one another. Their energy got the room excited to dive into the first look. For those of you headed to the D23 Expo, I recommend you consider the Zootopia+ panel as it will be identical to the one we saw.

Off Script: Getting Goofy With Voice Acting – The character voices of Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Miguel from Coco, Ahsoka Tano from Star Wars, and a member of 4*TOWN from Turning Red read funny scripts riffing on their character’s classic scenes. The two hosts kept the panelists moving through lots of different scripts and never let it get too serious – “what is this a college symposium?” was used to move speakers on from giving any long answers to the quick questions asked.

Sing! Disney Hits With the Stars – The musical stars onboard the ship (stars listed above for Off Script and the Disney On Broadway show) each prepared one Disney duet and the hosts picked a guest out of the audience to sing the matching part with the star. While this sounds fun on its own, the bit was elevated even more when family members of the stars joined in on the fun. The real life son of Disney Legend and voice of Goofy, Bill Farmer, joined Bill on stage to sing a duet that was originally shared by Goofy and Max in “A Goofy Movie” and the voice of Miguel from Coco's brothers joined him on stage for a rousing rendition of “Un Poco Loco” from Coco. Another highlight came when Josh Strickland, the original Tarzan for Disney on Broadway, came out in a tentacled Ursula dress and belted “Poor Unfortunate Souls” in honor of Pat Carroll’s passing.

The Fjord Fest – During one of our at sea days on the inside passage, there was a special deck party featuring a signature dish from Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ restaurant in Disney Springs in Walt Disney World (Smith was onboard) and the merry menagerie puppets that are typically found at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom during the holiday season were out to play. The chicken and biscuit sandwiches from Homecomin’ were awesome!

As I look back on our seven-day voyage it is pretty incredible to see the wide array of programming that the Disney Vacation Club put on IN ADDITION to the programming offered on any Disney Alaska Cruise. The above is only the programming that we made it to.

Other DVC Member Cruise Extras

The Disney Vacation Club team that puts on the event is clearly made up of true Disney fans. The original Imagineering designer of the Haunted Mansion purple wallpaper was onboard the ship as the guest of one of the other speakers. The Imagineer, Tania McKnight Norris, only recently connected with the Disney community.

On this cruise the DVC team put together a custom photo backdrop and welcomed guests to pose with Norris and the backdrop. A great keepsake that only a true fan of Walt Disney history would understand to pull off.

Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise Gifts 2022

Disney Vacation Club Member Cruises are known for being gift forward. We were all alerted beforehand to plan to have ample room to bring things home.

Each gift was some custom creation with the Disney Vacation Club Alaskan Cruise logo. The Disney Cruise Line is known for constant service and these gifts were an extension of that. Each morning we would leave our stateroom for activities and then return to a freshened-up room and gifts on the bed. We sometimes also received gifts during the evening bed turn down that was completed while we were at dinner.

Here are the gifts that each person on the ship received.

• Welcome Kit: Lanyard, Mug, Glossy Magazine With Upcoming Activities
• Brown Alaska Ball Cap
• Warm Blanket With the DVC Logo
• Bear Statue With Disney Vacation Club Membership Cruise Logo
• Electronics Holder and Battery Pack
• Deliciously Disney: Walt Disney World Book by Marcy Carriker Smothers, Pam Brandon, and the Disney Chefs
• Disney nuiMOs of Mickey and Minnie Mouse with specialized Alaskan costumes that match the costumes they were wearing on the ship
• Alaskan Disney Posters Collection – Exclusive hand printed screen print posters drawn for this cruise by Bret Iwan, artist and voice of Mickey Mouse, for six of the destinations
• Custom Disney Pin with Alaskan Disney Member Cruise Logo
• Alaskan Disney Vacation Club Duffle Bag

These are the awesome screen print posters themed to the national parks that each depict a day of our trip.

And of course, there was so much more to enjoy on the cruise that is standard with any Disney Cruise to Alaska. I will have much more coverage off our ship and tips for a Disney Cruise to Alaska very soon.

I’ll end with a photo of one of our must dos for Disney Cruising…enjoying LOTS of soft serve up on deck even when it is a little cold and wet outside!

DVC Member Cruise 2023

The next Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise is in 2023 and will be onboard the Disney Wish. The cruise will be a 4-night sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida on September 4, 2023. The DVC Member Cruise will include stops at Disney's Castaway Cay island and Nassau, Bahamas. The cost of the Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise fluctuates by room type and payment method utilized.

The 2023 Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise is already sold out. If you’re a Disney Vacation Club Member, would you consider booking a DVC Member Cruise in the future?

Interested in Disney Vacation Club?

Be sure to check out our other planning guides and information below and join our FREE Mickey Visit newsletter so that you never miss out on key information for planning your trip.

• Disney Vacation Club Points Rental Guide – Tips to Save on DVC Rentals
• Disney Vacation Club Buying Guide – What You Need to Know
• Disney Vacation Club Guide – Everything You Need to Know About DVC
• Review of Disney Beach Club Resort Disney Vacation Club
• Disney Cruise Line Guide
• Review of Disneyland Hotel
• EPCOT Morning Strategy 2022
• Disneyland Discount Tickets 2022
• Discount Walt Disney World Tickets
• Disneyland Genie Plus Tips and Tricks 2022

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About Gavin Doyle

Gavin Doyle is a best-selling author and founder of Mickey Visit. He is an expert on helping families save money and experience more at Disney, Universal, and beyond. He has been featured in Forbes, ABC7, Travel+Leisure, the OC Register, Orange County Register, LA Times, Yahoo! News, and more.

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10 things to know about sailing on a Disney Alaska cruise

I don't like to pick favorites, but we just got back from what may have been our most enjoyable vacation to date: a three-generation family cruise to Alaska on Disney Cruise Line . The trip had it all: nature, excitement, relaxation, scenery, entertainment, food, fun, swimming, hiking and so much more.

If you're considering sailing on a Disney cruise to Alaska, realize it's a big adventure. It's a once-in-a-lifetime type of trip in terms of length, distance and financial commitment. But our group of travelers ranging from 7 to 74 years old all loved it.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

With our cruising crew now off the ship and back home in the lower 48, here are 10 things to know before you set sail on a Disney Alaska cruise.

The cheapest time to book is the day cruises go on sale

Let's talk about the price upfront. An Alaska cruise is one of the more expensive Disney Cruise sailings, and it's pricier than similar itineraries on other cruise lines. Once the cruises go on sale, the prices often only go up.

Because of this, one of the best ways to save on a Disney cruise is to book your Alaska sailing the first day it goes on sale. You can get additional discounts from booking through an agent offering an onboard cruise credit. Plan far enough in advance, and you can save 10% by putting $250 down on your next cruise when you're already sailing on a Disney ship. We used all of these money-saving tricks — and the Alaska vacation was still very expensive.

For example, the cheapest Alaska sailing in 2024 is about $5,000 for a family of four in a windowless inside cabin and over $8,000 in a room with a private balcony. Those prices are for shoulder-season May and September sailings; the peak June through August sailings, such as the early June one we were on, cost more.

Disney Premier Visa Card : Earn a $400 statement credit after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening + unlock Disney-specific perks

'Glacier day' is a marathon, not a sprint

The "glacier day" on the ship can be confusing if you haven't done it before and don't know what to expect.

Essentially, the ship will sail as close as it safely can (both for the ship and wildlife) to one of a few glaciers. For example, it's common on sailings to head to the Stikine Icefields, though weather and conditions do play into exactly where you may go on a given voyage.

No matter where you head, you will not be getting off the ship to set foot on a glacier on the glacier viewing day; it's a view-from-a-ship experience. However, you can book an excursion that leaves from the cruise ship to get a closer view of the glacier on a smaller boat for an additional fee ($199 for kids and $299 for adults).

On our sailing, the captain explained that it was a marathon day and to pace yourself watching the "show" of the scenery on deck ... and he was right.

As the day went on and we got closer, the scenery got better and better. If we had gotten our fill of looking around the deck that morning, we'd have missed some of the best views that came that afternoon.

Just before dinner, we sailed close to a waterfall. The whole day was an incredibly special experience because the view changed from hour to hour. You need to keep checking back outside, so you don't miss anything.

Related: These are the best Alaska cruises

Book some excursions — but price them carefully

Don't sail all the way to Alaska and just walk around the shops near the pier in cities like Juneau and Skagway, especially if this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

On the other hand, you don't need to book the $800 helicopter excursions to the glaciers to have a good time (though those flights look amazing). You can find plenty of full- and half-day tours in the $100 to $300 range that are excellent. But no matter how you choose to spend your days, get out and experience something you can only do in Alaska in at least one or two ports.

We loved the excursion in Juneau that included an hour at the Mendenhall Glacier (though 30 more minutes would have been ideal), whale watching and a surprisingly good outdoor salmon bake. It was expensive at $279 for adults and $199 for kids, but it was a highlight of the trip, and I wholeheartedly recommend it if those activities sound fun to you.

In Skagway, we booked an excursion that included learning about dog sledding, interacting with sled dog puppies, gold panning and a ride on the White Pass railroad . Unfortunately, the train portion of our excursion was canceled due to mechanical issues, but normally the tour is the same price as the Juneau excursion. Without the train, it came to $169 for adults and $119 for kids — and you can book it that way from the start.

While I can't speak to the train portion (I hear it's worth doing), the dog sled demo and gold panning were quite enjoyable. And this was a perfect example of how in Alaska, nothing is set in stone. It is common for operators to make adjustments to excursions based on weather, safety concerns and other factors. Helicopter and small plane tours are especially likely to be canceled or adjusted. My advice is to be flexible and not stake the trip's success on any one excursion.

For the long, multi-faceted excursions that get you a good distance away from the ship, booking through Disney makes sense, even if it is a little more expensive, as the ship won't leave without you if your tour gets delayed. In one port, we did see a group on a ship come back right at the designated sailaway time, which I'm sure would have been extremely stressful if they'd been traveling independently.

With other, shorter excursions, it can make a lot of sense (and save a lot of dollars) to book on your own directly with a tour operator.

For example, by booking directly, we paid much less for the silly but fun Disney-branded lumberjack show right next to the ship in Ketchikan. Booking direct also lets you take advantage of discounts, such as lower rates for veterans or active military. The show takes place a few steps from the dock, so there's no risk of not returning to the ship on time.

Oh, and whatever you do, make a point to get the sweet fry bread in Skagway from the Klondike Doughboy. It's a 10-minute walk from the ship and worth every step and penny.

Related: 15 Alaska cruise mistakes you don't want to make

You can warm up with free hot chocolate

Disney tries to think of everything, so complimentary hot chocolate is always waiting for you on deck during glacier day and at the pier as you return from port. It's a small touch, but one that was a fun treat when we got a bit chilly.

If you're looking for an adult version that will warm you to the bones, keep an eye out for bar carts out on deck during glacier viewing. You get a cool Alaska-themed reusable cup with the price of your drink.

Choose the late dinner

Days are long in Alaska, both in terms of the time in port and the sun itself.

For example, in Skagway, we were in port from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. With Disney, you need to choose the early or late dinner seating, and while eating late may sound like a bad idea with kids, it's the best choice on an Alaska cruise. If you choose the early dinner, you're being seated at 5:45 p.m. every night. Not only is the sun going to be up for at least four more hours, but you'll have to cut your port time short to make it to dinner on time.

Your show time is opposite your dinner time, so if you have late dinner, you see the show early. On a typical seven-night Alaska cruise, the ship puts on only three Broadway-caliber shows, which are usually scheduled on sea days or on days you leave ports earlier. It's not as big a trade-off to miss a few minor shows as missing out on port time to get to dinner at 5:45 every night.

On a night when you're wiped out and don't want to do a late dinner, you can always order free room service or visit the quick-service option up on deck for a burger, pizza, chicken fingers and other casual quick bites. Hands down, late seating is the better option in Alaska.

Pro tip: Don't miss lobster night on the ship, where you can order as many lobster tails as your heart desires.

Related: Is Disney Cruise Concierge Level worth it ?

Characters aren't in their Alaska outfits every day

If you're going to spend the bucks to sail on a Disney cruise, you need at least one photo with Mickey, Minnie or their friends in their Alaska-exclusive outfits.

Typically, the first (and arguably best) time you'll see them in these outfits is on glacier day. You'll see the times and locations in your Disney Navigator app once on board, and you can bet there will be lines — some of the longest you may encounter on the cruise.

I recommend getting at least one photo with the characters out on the top pool deck on glacier day as it's the most sure-fire time to do so, and it's the best only-in-Alaska backdrop.

If you're planning your day around the photo sessions, don't choose the morning option if you care about background because you'll likely not be right up to the glacier, snow and ice yet.

Wait until later in the day for photos, so you'll be closer to the glacier. During our sailing, Mickey was on the glacier side of the ship multiple times that day, but it wasn't visible in the background until just after lunchtime.

Glacier day isn't the only time Mickey and his friends wear these adorable outfits. On our cruise, they also wore them the day we were in Skagway. In fact, as we sailed away from port, we ran into Mickey out on Deck 4 — with no line — waving goodbye to land with the rest of us.

Pro tip: Have one person get to the spot where the characters will be on deck about 30 minutes before the stated time to secure your spot in line. Sometimes the line can get too long to take more guests even before the official photo start time.

Related: Is the Disney Visa worth it?

It's easy to overpack

I get it — packing for an Alaska cruise is tough.

You're packing for glaciers, chilly outdoor adventures and potential rain but also for a cruise, swimming and a dress-up night or two. In the summer, even in Alaska, it can be warm. But of course, on a glacier, it can be cold.

During our early June sailing, we swam in the heated pools, dunked in the hot tubs and careened down the waterslides multiple times on both sea days and port days.

While the time of year and the forecast for your sailing should influence what goes in your bag, try and resist the urge to overpack. Bring too much stuff, and your cabin will feel crowded with your belongings, you'll be less nimble and flexible in the airport and you won't have as many options for ground transportation. Plus, you'll spend more time packing and unpacking.

For a cruise to Alaska, you'll need layers, including accessories like a vest, hat and gloves you can take on or off. What you often don't need much of, at least during the summer months, is a variety of winter gear. It's possible you may not need a super heavy winter coat at all, but you will need rain gear and possibly a fleece vest or jacket, so you can probably opt for layers over individual bulky pieces, especially in June, July and August.

Our coldest day was the morning of the glacier day when it was windy and overcast out on deck. The weather went from the high 40s that day to the high 70s and sunny at other times, but we didn't need much bulky winter gear.

Here's a guide to packing for an Alaska cruise to get you started. The thing we used the most: magnetic hooks to hold and organize all those layers inside the stateroom, so get some of those, for sure.

Related: When is the best time to sail to Alaska

The 'Frozen' deck show isn't a must-do But the stage show is a must-see

Most of the elements of our Disney Cruise to Alaska were exceptional, but the much-anticipated "Frozen night" with deck show wasn't one of those things. It was fine; the littlest kids enjoyed it, and if it's convenient for you to pop up and see, then do it. But don't plan your evening around it or stress if you are tired and need to miss it, especially if you don't have young kids.

Elsa and her friends led a 15-minute sing-a-long and show with a minute or so of "snow," but it rated two out of five snowflakes in my book.

An earlier Frozen-themed indoor party, where there was an interactive activity to decorate the maypole, was almost more interesting, in my opinion. Look forward to Frozen night and attend some of the events and activities, but don't expect anything to knock your socks off.

That said, the "Frozen" Broadway-caliber stage show in the Walt Disney Theater is exceptional and not to be missed — but also somewhat confusingly not offered on Frozen night.

So to recap: You can skip Frozen Night and the deck show, but make a point to attend the Frozen show in the Walt Disney Theater.

Plan an extra day in Vancouver

Disney cruises to Alaska leave from Vancouver, as opposed to Seattle, where some other lines embark passengers for their Alaska sailings.

I highly recommend arriving in Vancouver at least the day before the cruise departs to ensure you don't miss it (that happened to some folks on our sailing) but also to enjoy the city. Plan an extra full day to enjoy Vancouver if you can. It's as fun and interesting as some of the Alaskan ports.

An easy excursion to do, even if you have just a few hours in Vancouver, is the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Free shuttles leave from multiple downtown spots to the park, including from near the port itself, and it's a fabulous way to spend a few hours on land, or rather, in the trees.

The highlights are the suspension bridge itself and some other walkouts that take you all around the large park with great views of the trees, river, ponds and more. Sometimes there's live music, cozy fires to warm up by and free talks from staffers to learn about the totem polls, wildlife and other aspects of the park.

You don't need a verandah room

We started with the price, and we'll close with it.

Rooms with verandahs (aka balconies) always cost more on cruises than inside cabins and rooms with ocean views through a window. But on an Alaska Disney cruise, verandah rooms don't just cost a few hundred dollars more — they cost a whole lot more, usually to the tune of thousands of additional dollars for the stateroom over the cost of an ocean-view cabin.

Looking at prices for four on the early June 2024 seven-day sailing similar to the one we took this year, it costs an additional $4,000 to go from an ocean-view to a verandah.

If you have the money to spend, go for it and enjoy it. But if you don't, or if booking that room type means having to skip excursions or not being able to afford other trips, then relax and book the ocean view. It's also fabulous.

My parents had a verandah room, and they loved having that balcony. This was my dad's first cruise at 74 years old, so the trip really might be a once-in-a-lifetime thing. My dad said having a verandah made the trip at least 25% more enjoyable overall, which is a large amount of happiness, and they spent time out there each day. (It also made their room about 35-40% more expensive.)

Right next door to them, my girls and I had an ocean-view room. We had just as excellent of a cruise as they did.

It was fun to look out the window and see where we were, but honestly, I'd happily sail in an interior room if it meant we got to do the cruise all over again.

All my favorite moments of the trip happened outside the room, and I don't think that would have changed if we had a balcony. I enjoy having a balcony on warm Caribbean and Mexico sailings more than in Alaska, where it can be windy and chilly outside as the ship is moving.

Additionally, on truly exceptional viewing days, you probably don't want to be confined to the specific angle you can get from your cabin. Better to embrace the 360-degree view from out on the top deck.

That said, if you have mobility limitations or other logistical issues that will keep you in the room more often (aka a frequently napping little one), then the equation may shift because you do want to see and enjoy where you are. If you need to do that from your room, book the verandah if possible.

Related: Which type of cruise cabin is right for you?

Bottom line

It's highly unlikely you'll regret taking a Disney Alaska cruise.

Alaska is special, cruising is special, and a Disney cruise to Alaska is incredibly special. You can feel the shared appreciation for the journey with the other passengers. It's a camaraderie of sorts as you spot and point out wildlife on deck, talk about what you did in port at the bar in the evenings, and even agonize over what to pack in the unofficial Facebook groups leading up to the sailing.

Sailing with Disney specifically costs more than many other options, but getting to experience Alaska while interacting with favorite characters, seeing amazing Disney shows in the evening and relaxing while Disney Cruise Line took care of everything made what was already a great trip one of our favorites of all time.

If I were to add an 11th thing you should know about sailing on an Alaska Disney cruise, it's that you're going to be really sad when it's over.

I saw plenty of real tears the final night and on the morning of debarkation. At the risk of sounding like a cheesy commercial, the only real solution for this will likely be to start planning either a return trip to Alaska or another Disney Cruise ... or both. If you feel that happening to you a few days into the trip, be ready to put that $250 deposit down on a future sailing to get the 10% discount before you get off the ship and it's too late.

That's exactly what we did, so at the end of seven magical days, it wasn't "goodbye" — it was "see ya real soon."

Related reading:

• How to save money on a Disney Cruise
• Best Disney Cruise Line tips and tricks
• Review of Disney Magic, the original ship in the Disney fleet
• Best Alaska cruise tips to help you make the most of your time aboard and ashore

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Cruising Alaska with Disney Cruise Line: A First-Timer’s Guide

Avital Andrews

Avital Andrews, SmarterTravel's editor-at-large, is a travel and lifestyle journalist who is also a contributing editor for AAA's Via magazine. Her stories have been among the 10 most emailed or viewed on the Los Angeles Times, Outside, Sierra, and SmarterTravel websites, and have also appeared in USA Today, HuffPost, Apple News, Business Insider, and many other nationwide outlets. Her travel book , sold at bookstores and on Amazon, is in its fourth edition, and her journalism gets national media attention, including from The New York Times , The Atlantic , Time , NPR, and MTV. She's currently working on her first children's book. Follow her on Twitter @avitalb .

The Handy Item I Always Pack: My laptop—the lightweight and stylish HP Spectre x360—since I'm almost always on deadline.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: A round-the-world cruise that makes stops to experience Aurora Borealis, the Olympics opening ceremony, Borneo, Madagascar, the Jerusalem Festival of Light, the Bolivian salt flats, Kenya's Giraffe Manor, the Galapagos, the Maldives, Bora Bora, the Seychelles, and every Disney park. (That itinerary definitely exists, right?)

Travel Motto: I'll steal Saint Augustine's: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Window, always. For the views and also the naps.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

If you’re like many travelers, you’ve long dreamed of taking a cruise to Alaska—and for good reason. An Alaskan ocean voyage provides an enviable almost-Arctic itinerary, opportunities for adventure at every port, and a constant supply of magnificently icy views, the likes of which probably won’t exist in 50, or even 20, years. You get all this via the comfort of an ocean liner that’s stocked with restaurants, theaters, hotel-like guest rooms, and much more.

I, too, had yearned to cruise to Alaska, so when the opportunity to hop aboard the Disney Wonder presented itself, I enlisted my husband and daughter as my travel mates. We flew to Vancouver to embark on a trip that would end up supplying us with exhilarating experiences, unforgettable nature encounters, heaping helpings of Disney fun, and, ultimately, lifetime memories.

If you’re not sure whether a Disney Alaska cruise is right for you, here’s a good idea of what you can expect based on my experiences and observations as a fellow first-timer.

Why Choose a Disney Cruise?

There are a few factors to keep in mind if Disney Cruise Line (DCL) is among the companies you’re considering for your journey to the Last Frontier.

Foremost among them: If any of the travelers in your group is a Disney fan, a Disney cruise will very much play into that enthusiasm. This may be too obvious to mention, but almost everything on a Disney cruise is Disney-themed, right down to the ketchup that’s squirted onto kids’ plates—in the shape of Mickey’s head. The characters and their stories pervade the ship, as well as some of the shore excursions.

The level of service, too, is thoroughly Disney. Everyone who works on the ship is there to make their guests’ experience magical, and it’s obvious that the hiring process is geared toward picking cheerful people who love to make other people—children, especially—happy.

“We have a fabulous, diverse team on board,” says Martin Kemp, Disney Wonder ’s hotel director. “Basically, we get to go around the globe and hire the best talent out there. And when our team members first come onboard, we go through a very, very extensive training program to introduce them to our Disney brand, our culture, and our heritage.”

In addition to providing the exemplary hospitality that the company has become known for, other Disney-specific elements that you can expect during a Disney cruise to Alaska include exclusive shore excursions that are enhanced with Disney touches, like Goofy showing up at the lumberjack show in Ketchikan, or Donald Duck panning for gold alongside your kids in Skagway. Disney hand-picked the top Alaskan tour operators, then worked directly with them to create experiences that are reserved solely for Disney Cruise Line guests.

Onboard, Disney characters wear Alaskan gear—resulting in photos that are Instagram gold—while naturalists lecture about glacier science, and nightly menus spotlight regional cuisine: buttered king crab legs one night, roasted salmon steak the next, alongside Alaska-inspired cocktails that carry the theme even further. Also exclusive to Disney’s Alaskan itineraries: a “Frozen” deck celebration featuring Anna and Elsa, plus a joyous Pixar party in the atrium.

“We truly do believe that Disney Cruise Line is a great way for families to see Alaska,” says Melanie Curtsinger, a company spokesperson. “From our themed dining spaces to the live entertainment, extensive children’s spaces, and exceptional detailed service, there truly is something for everyone in the family on these sailings.”

Disney Alaska Cruise Itinerary

Disney’s Alaska cruises depart from Vancouver for five-, seven- and nine-night summer cruises, with stops, depending on your specific itinerary, for Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Sitka, Victoria, Icy Strait Point, Hubbard Glacier, and Endicott Arm.

Mine was a seven-night cruise, and we spent a full pre-cruise day in Vancouver , where we rented bicycles from Club16  and took the spectacular waterfront ride around Stanley Park. (Other excellent in-Vancouver-for-the-day options include the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain.) We stayed overnight at the Fairmont Vancouver Waterfront Hotel , where Canadian hospitality is on full display, and where they personalize your shampoo bottles with your last name. The hotel is conveniently across the street from the Port of Vancouver, where we boarded the Disney Wonder. (Tip: Before boarding the ship in Vancouver, try an exotic flavor, like osmanthus flower, in a black cone at Bella Gelateria .)

After a day at sea, our first port of call was Skagway, where we took a stunning helicopter ride to a glacier (more on that below), hiked to land’s end, explored the Western-style State Street full of shops and saloons, and watched the visitor center’s film about the short-lived and ill-fated Klondike gold rush.

Next up was Juneau for some satisfying whale watching and browsing the shopping strip. There’s also the Mount Roberts Tramway , an aerial gondola that transports visitors to the top of the 3,800-foot peak for a wide-spanning, eagle-studded view over Gastineau Channel. Everyone kept saying how lucky we were to be here during such gorgeous weather.

In Ketchikan, we took a morning trolley tour to see the town’s iconic totem poles at Saxman Village. The afternoon was reserved for the raucous Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show (more on that below). In the early evening, as a light rain started to fall, we meandered the above-water walkways past Ketchikan’s former brothels—as colorful as the local characters—that now house curated art galleries, one-of-a-kind souvenir shops, and down-to-earth places to eat and drink.

At each port, there’s souvenir shop after souvenir shop, giving you no excuse to come home empty-handed. To save money, we returned to the Wonder for lunch, but there was plenty of opportunity to sample the local restaurants, many of which seem to be mom-and-pop outfits.

We also spent three full days at sea, including one in the Endicott Arm fjord during which the captain pulled the ship in as close as possible to see the 600-foot-tall Dawes Glacier, then did very slow 360-degree turns so that every passenger could take in its full splendor. Meanwhile, smaller icebergs floated past, crackling their presence. It was poignant to be in the presence of such threatened beauty—people all around us were telling their children to remember this scene, since they might not ever be able to see it look this way again. During the glacier viewing, Disney characters, donning galoshes and parkas, were on deck for hugs and photos.

After our last night onboard, we were shuttled back to Vancouver for an early-morning disembarkation. (Tip: Pack your bags the night before to have staffers lug them off the ship for you.) During our bus transfer back to the airport, Disney trivia played on the screens overhead, though our fellow passengers mostly slept through the ride, happily exhausted from such an activity-packed journey.

The Shore Excursions

Called “Port Adventures” in DCL lingo, there’s a menu of more than 200 family-friendly things to do whenever the Wonder docks in Alaska. Make sure to reserve ahead of time for these memorable shore excursions—you can easily find independent vendors to haggle with once you’re at the destination, but you’re taking a chance with the quality of your experience. You’re much better off booking in advance through Disney, whose contracted operators are total pros.

Disney’s most popular shore excursions in Ketchikan include the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour  (a Disney exclusive that gives an inside look at the life of Alaskan crab harvesters) and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show , a down-home demonstration of manly men showing off their impressive timber-sport skills, like chainsawing and log rolling. There’s plenty of enthusiastic audience participation, and Goofy makes an appearance. Wear red-and-black plaid if you’ve got it.

In Skagway, there’s the Klondike Gold Dredge and White Pass Railway  excursion, during which you take a gorgeous train ride and pan for gold; and Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp , which includes a narrated motor coach tour of Skagway, panning for gold (you’ll find some, guaranteed), a scavenger hunt, a puppet show that’s both hilarious and educational, a Donald Duck cameo, and a salmon bake.

In Juneau, the Dog Sled Summer Camp  lets you feel what it’s like to be pulled through the Alaskan wilderness at the speed of sprinting huskies, while the Whale Watching and Wildlife Quest  on Stephen’s Passage guarantees humpback and bald eagle sightings aboard a comfortable catamaran stocked with a full bar; an expert naturalist explains everything you see.

By far the most memorable event of our Disney Alaska cruise—and that’s saying a lot—was the Glacier Discovery by Helicopter  excursion, operated by Temsco Helicopters in Skagway. After a quick safety briefing, we boarded an Airbus helicopter manned by a very capable and personable pilot who was also an expert at calming any nerves, mine included. We flew over crystal-blue lakes, above vast expanses of gleamingly white ice fields, and incredibly close to steep, lush mountainsides. When we landed, it was on the 650-foot-deep Meade Glacier, but it may as well have been another planet. Confident, reassuring guides were there to explain what we were seeing—and to stop us from walking into danger—as we took in the surreal scenery before flying back to the Disney Wonder . The word “awesome” is egregiously overused, but this was awesome.

If you’re worried that your children won’t be able to make it all the way through that excursion you’re eyeing, or you’d just prefer some grownup time ashore, don’t feel bad about dropping your little ones off at the ship’s kids’ spaces before you disembark for some adventure. Most youngsters are ecstatic to have more time in these colorful rooms, where the storytelling is epic, the games and crafts are age-appropriate, and the movies are all Disney. Attentive camp-counselor types from around the world do an excellent job of supervising. (Read on for more about the kids’ spaces.)

Life Onboard Disney Wonder

The Disney vessel that shuttles passengers to and from Alaska is the impressive Wonder, which first set sail in 1999 and is one of DCL’s fleet of four (a fifth will be added in 2021; a sixth in 2023). The 83,000-ton ship has 10 floors, 875 guest rooms, 950 employees, and room for up to 2,713 passengers, a third of which are typically children.

Every day, there’s a program so packed with entertaining activity options that it’s easy to fall prey to some initial FOMO, but once you get into the swing of life onboard a Disney cruise (which doesn’t take long), the fun really begins.

Putting together the ship’s complex entertainment and dining schedule, says Natalie Bailey, Disney Wonder ’s cruise director, “is a Tetris puzzle, truly a group effort of everyone coming together to try to create variety for our guests throughout the day, and the entire cruise. Our biggest thing when it comes to planning is truly ensuring that we do have something for everyone.”

To that end, there are live shows, deck parties, character greetings, first-run movies in the theaters, trivia games, karaoke, crafts, bingo, chef demos, and plenty more. The handy Disney Cruise Line Navigator app , which you should download before your trip, tells you what’s going on at any given time. In addition to providing the day’s full lineup, it lets you “heart” the activities you don’t want to miss, text your fellow travelers for free, book shore excursions, make spa and specialty dining reservations, link your reservation number, and check in online.

Disney is, first and foremost, an entertainment company, so yes, you will be thoroughly entertained the whole way to Alaska and back. Twice nightly in the extravagant 977-seat Walt Disney Theatre, a cast of Broadway-caliber performers display their prodigious talents, with a new live production to enjoy each night, including the Alaska-appropriate “Frozen, a Musical Spectacular,” “Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic” (a production that helped launch Jennifer Hudson’s career), and the life-affirming “Golden Mickeys.” You don’t need to reserve a ticket or pay anything extra to see these shows—just show up; seats are first come, first served. (Tip: Even if the theater appears packed when you enter from the back, there are often seats available way up front.)

If you time your sailing to coincide with the release date of a new Disney movie, you’ll get to see it premiered onboard, to much fanfare—we were at sea the day Toy Story 4 came out and got to see it for free, with Green Army Men photo opps in front of the theater and a bag of popcorn as an in-room amenity.

As mentioned above, children have a whole realm of entertainment catered to them: the fifth-floor Oceaneer Youth Club. Whenever I came there to pick up my daughter, she asked to stay longer, a testament to the amount of fun she was having and the level of comfort she felt with the kind staffers.

These elaborate kids’ spaces were created to immerse youngsters in Disney stories—kids can hang out in the Wandering Oaken trading post from Frozen, Andy’s playroom from Toy Story , or the Marvel-themed Super Hero Academy, where kids train alongside their favorite superheroes. There are many enriching activities for kids to choose from, like crafting, scavenger hunts, dance parties, performing in a talent show, story times, character greetings, and so on; you can use the Navigator app to find out what’s going on in the kids’ spaces. (Tip: Once you’ve made your cruise reservation, you can have a Disney character call your child to get them excited for the trip.)

As for the guest rooms, they’re comfortable and cleverly designed, with enough space for a full family to live, sleep, bathe, and store luggage in. While we dined, our room attendant transformed the couch into a kid’s bunk, adding a guard rail for safety. He also left memorable Disney amenities on our bed, along with Ghirardelli chocolates and towels folded into amusing figures.

The themed restaurants aboard the Wonder  are extraordinarily thought-through and exist for much more than just feeding you. Take Tiana’s Place, based on The Princess and the Frog, a movie in which the title character dreams of opening a restaurant in New Orleans. Yes, the menu at Tiana’s Place includes gumbo and beignets, but the stage also features a talented quartet jazzing up favorite Disney tunes, while Tiana herself visits each table to take photos with young fans; the grand finale is a joyful parade that stars all the servers.

Over at Animator’s Palate, a screen-enhanced shrine to Disney’s drawn history, your server instructs you to draw a character on your placemat. Soon thereafter, your drawing, alongside those of your fellow diners, gets animated into a magical on-screen mashup. The food is good, too.

There’s also Triton’s, a traditional cruise restaurant, and Cabanas, a huge buffet on the ninth floor with great ocean views. Several walk-up-and-go snack counters hand out pizza, gyros, ice cream, and more. All food and beverage is included in the cost of your cruise (except alcohol; you can bring a small amount onboard), so you can order whatever you want without fretting about the tab.

The only restaurant with an upcharge is Palo, the adults-only Italian eatery atop the ship. The cuisine there is a step up, and the service is top-notch, too. If you’re interested in dining at Palo, make a reservation as far ahead of time as possible.

As you cycle through Tiana’s Place, Animator’s Palate, and Triton’s each night at your set dining time (5:45 p.m. or 8:00 p.m., your choice), your dedicated team of servers follow you from restaurant to restaurant. They’re genuinely kind and accommodating, and clearly hired in part for their ability to make kids smile, laugh—and eat. They joke around, bring you whatever you want, do magic tricks and origami, and give generous hugs and high fives.

If you’d rather skip the dining room, though, or if you get hungry in the middle of the night, room service is included in the cost of your Disney Alaska cruise, and you can order as much as you want without being charged extra.

Other features worth mentioning on the Wonder include the spacious spa and top-floor fitness center, where you can run on a treadmill while watching glaciers and icebergs glide by. No matter the weather, people are always using the swimming pool and outdoor hot tubs, while Disney movies play on the huge outdoor screen above. And the “nightlife district” is a collection of three handsome bars, including a classic British pub.

Wi-Fi on the Wonder is prohibitively pricey ($89 gets you 1,000 megabytes), so it’s wise to use your cruise as an excuse to unplug from email and social media.

Whatever you’re planning to do onboard, book as much of it that’s bookable well in advance, before departing for your vacation, to make sure that you get the spots you want. This includes nursery times, spa appointments, character meet-and-greets, shore excursions, and specialty dining reservations. Then once you get onboard, you can simply relax and enjoy.

What to Pack for a Disney Alaska Cruise

Once you’re ready to get your stuff together for your Disney cruise to Alaska, check out DCL’s full list of what to pack —and what not to.

There are some pretty specific things that you’ll want to bring along for this type of cruise, including binoculars (which are available for purchase at the Port of Vancouver), rain gear, boots, layers, and waterproof jackets. Bring fancy attire for the ship’s formal and semi-formal nights, and if you plan to dine at Palo, keep in mind that the dress code there encourages dress pants or slacks and a collared shirt for men, and a dress, skirt, or pants and a blouse for women.

It’s fun to wear red-and-black plaid in Ketchikan, especially if you’re planning to see the lumberjack show there, and it’s also fun to bring Disney-themed door decorations—check Pinterest and Etsy for ideas. Don’t forget Disney autograph books for your little ones to get signed, princess dresses for the young princesses in your life, Disneybounding gear for you (if you’re into that), and at least two bathing suits so that you can wear the dry one while the wet one dries.

It’s also smart to fold an extra duffel bag into your suitcase—what with the merchandise available onboard and the many souvenir shops on shore, you’ll be coming home from Alaska with way more than you packed.

More from SmarterTravel:

• Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide
• What to Expect on Your First Disney Cruise
• 10 Best Disney Hotels Around the World

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter  @avitalb  or on  Facebook .

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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Disney Alaska Cruise Planning and Tips

Taking a Disney Wonder Alaska cruise is a great way to experience nature with all the comforts and fun of a Disney vacation. Use our Disney Alaska cruise planning timeline and tips to make the most out of this expensive, but incredible vacation.

• 12 months or more before Alaska cruise
• 10 months or more before cruise
• 4 to 6 months before cruise
• 2 to 4 months before cruise
• 1 month before cruise
• Embarkation Day
• Our Favorite Disney Wonder Alaska Cruise Excursions

Disney Alaska Cruise Vacation Tips

12 to 15 months before your alaska cruise, book your disney alaska cruise.

Disney Alaskan cruises are extremely popular bucket-list vacations. Many people reserve their Alaska sailings as soon as the booking window opens for the best prices and room locations.

Pricing first increases not long after the Disney Alaska cruise itineraries are released and usually continue to climb. Guests booking their first Disney cruise should reserve a cabin when the dates open.

The best way to save on a pricey Disney Alaska cruise for experienced Disney cruisers is booking early and using a placeholder reservation. 

Placeholder reservations are only available to those who have previously cruised with Disney. Pay a $250 deposit while still on a Disney cruise and you’ll get a “placeholder”. Once this placeholder is reserved you have 24 months to use it. 

Placeholder deposits are applied to your next reservation and also provide a 10% discount on the Disney cruise. This discount saves a lot of money on expensive cruises like Alaska and Europe.

We used our placeholder discount for a Disney Wonder verandah room. These rooms have private outdoor balconies perfect for gorgeous inside passage views, but these are more expensive cabins.

Guests saving money with inside staterooms can head to Disney Wonder’s top deck for stunning wildlife views.

Alaskan Disney Cruise itineraries vary slightly by sail date. We were locked into specific dates so our ports of call were Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.

In the end I was grateful our Disney Wonder Alaska cruise stopped in Skagway instead of Icy Point Straight. The White Pass Railway in Skagway was incredible versus what I think are less interesting Icy Strait Point excursion options.

10 Months Before Disney Alaska Cruise

Book your hotel.

Hotels near Canada Place are in-demand with all Alaska cruise lines guests.  Easy access to Canada Place on embarkation day and a limited number of hotels within walking distance make prices soar and availability plummet much earlier than you’d expect. 

We opted for Pan Pacific Fairmont which is directly above Canada Place. Although the price was shockingly high for a mediocre room, embarkation was a breeze. 

Pan Pacific bell services has a convenient, tip-only service that brings your marked bags down to your ship straight from your room. This means no lugging heavy suitcases through the terminal.

If you opt for a hotel further away, budget for extra travel time. Heavy traffic and large crowds make arriving, dropping bags, and embarking take longer than you’d expect. 

6 Months Before Disney Alaska Cruise

Check Your Passports

Everyone flying into Canada must have a valid passport to enter. Passports are routinely checked throughout the cruise since guests often cross the US and Canada border on excursions, too.

Last year US passport applications had a significant processing time with expected waits of 10 to 13 weeks plus mailing time. Thankfully 2024 US Passport application and renewal times have significantly decreased. Expect new passports to take 6 to 8 weeks or 2 to 3 weeks for renewals plus mailing time.

To avoid last minute drama, I still recommend applying for all new passports and renewals at least 6 months in advance. This ensures passports are in your possession well before Disney Alaska cruise check-in.

5 Months Before Disney Alaska Cruise

Research Excursions and On Board Activities

Excursion and on board activity reservations open as early as 120 days before the cruise so it’s wise to research options ahead of time. 

Each port has a range of potential excursions from simple sightseeing to ziplining, helicopter rides, and other active options. Excursion descriptions on Disney’s website have an overview of what to expect, mobility or age restrictions, and prices.

There are many excursion options at each port, but some fill up more quickly than others. For example, a tender boat excursion where guests take a ramp off the Disney Cruise Line ship onto a waiting boat for close up glacier viewing is one that routinely sells out. 

Glacier dog sledding via a helicopter is another excursion that sells out quickly despite the high price and risk of same-day cancellation due to weather. 

Disney Alaska cruises also have several sea days where guests can book special on board activities. The most popular on board options are alcohol tastings, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique makeovers , and Palo brunch or dinner reservations.

75 to 120 Days Before Disney Alaska Cruise

Book Excursions and On Board Activities

On board and excursion booking windows vary by Castaway Cay Club status with higher status and concierge guests booking further ahead of time. 

Disney Cruise Line Booking Windows:

• Concierge – 130 days prior to departure
• Pearl ( After completing 25 DCL sailings ) – 123 days prior to departure
• Platinum ( After completing 10 DCL sailings ) – 120 days prior to departure
• Gold ( After completing 5 DCL sailings ) – 105 days prior to departure
• Silver ( After completing 1 DCL sailing ) – 90 days prior to departure
• First Time Disney Cruisers – 75 days prior to departure

Narrow down preferred Disney Alaska cruise excursions and then have one or two back up options in case your first choice is unavailable. This is especially important for guests who have later booking windows.

If you don’t get your preferred reservations, keep checking back. Sometimes availability is added closer to the sail date or as other guests cancel. 

We loved all of our Disney Alaska Cruise excursions and felt like they were the right choice for our family and friends. There’s tons of options, but here’s a quick overview of what we did.

Glacier Viewing (Stikine Icecap), Alaska

Glacier Explorer is the only Disney Wonder excursion on glacier viewing day. Your excursion begins by checking in and waiting for instructions in a holding area. 

From here the group walks down to a lower deck where a ramp leads from Disney Wonder directly onto a smaller glacier viewing boat. This tender boat gets incredibly close to glaciers where we were able to see both glacier calving and baby seals along the shore with our binoculars. 

This port adventure is expensive, but we enjoyed the experience and gorgeous pictures of Disney Wonder in icy surroundings. However, on our sailing Disney Wonder was able to get pretty close, making the excursion less crucial.

The picture above shows our view from the tender ship and the picture below shows the glacier view from our stateroom.

Skagway, Alaska

Steeped in Gold Rush history, Skagway is a small town with shops and cool National Park Service museums . We explored these on our own before taking our port adventure. 

We booked the Yukon Suspension Bridge, City and White Pass Railway excursion. This port adventure began with a bus ride back into Canada where we explored a small Yukon suspension bridge. From here we took the bus back to Fraser and climbed aboard the White Pass Railway.

The White Pass Railway runs along the same tracks used during the Gold Rush with incredible views of the Alaskan wilderness. Guests can sit inside the train car and watch through the large windows or stand on outside train platforms for an even more exciting experience.

I absolutely recommend riding the White Pass Railway. This train ride was unlike anything we’d done before and an iconic part of the Skagway area.

Some of our group did the Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp & Salmon Bake Featuring Exclusive Disney Character Experience instead. Although the characters were cute and food decent, they didn’t love the overall experience and regretted forgetting bug repellant.

Juneau, Alaska

We booked the Mendenhall Glacier Dog Sled port adventure despite my nervousness about the helicopter ride to the top of Mendenhall Glacier. The flight provided stunning views of the glacier and riding a dog sled across the snowpack felt surreal.

Our group was lucky to experience a Mendenhall Glacier Dog Sled excursion. Groups before, and after, us had their port adventures canceled due to weather conditions right before leaving.

Want a dog sled experience without the risk of cancellation or the high price tag? We also considered the Dog Sledding Summer Camp port adventure which lets you play with puppies and ride on a cart through a forest.

Ketchikan, Alaska

We mostly explored Ketchikan on our own, visiting Creek Street, museums, and Salmon Ladder. However, we did opt for one super touristy excursion in Ketchikan, The Exclusive Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.

The lumberjack show was a hit with all ages in our group which encompassed a future Kindergartener, tween, teens, and adults. The riotous show demonstrated incredible lumberjack skills with most of the lumberjacks having serious competition credentials. 

We opted for the Disney Wonder Exclusive Lumberjack Show since some of the storytelling was modified to be more family friendly.

30 to 40 Days Before Disney Alaska Cruise

Complete Online Check-in

Castaway Club status determines when online check-in is available for guests. Online check-in is an important step for anyone sailing on Disney Cruise Line since this is when guests choose a port arrival time.

Have family member pictures on a plain background, think passport style photos, taken on your phone before check-in.

Also have everyone’s passport information and pictures of the documents ready which are required to complete online check-in. Once all the essential documents and photos are uploaded you can book your port arrival time. 

Early port arrival times are ideal since you have early access to the ship to explore, swim, and eat even though staterooms are not available until later in the afternoon. 

Disney Cruise Line Online Check-in Windows:

• Concierge/Pearl – 40 days prior to departure
• Platinum – 38 days prior to departure
• Gold – 35 days prior to departure
• Silver – 33 days prior to departure
• First Time Disney Cruisers – 30 days prior to departure

Book Royal Gathering

Royal Gathering is a popular Disney Alaska cruise princess meet and greet.

Book a reservation time and then stand in one short line to meet several Disney princesses. On our Disney Alaska Cruise we met Tiana, Belle, Ariel, and Cinderella in just a few minutes.

Reservations for Royal Gathering open 30 days before the sail date for all guests, regardless of Castaway Club status. Book this popular onboard activity right at 30 days for the best chance of reservations.

Find out more about Disney Cruise line character experiences in this article.

14 to 30 Days Before Disney Alaska Cruise

Start packing.

Alaska cruise packing is not for the faint of heart. Active outdoor excursions, formal nights, daytime clothes, and an unbelievably wide range of weather means you really need to pack for every option. 

I purchased so many things I wasn’t sure I’d use, like waterproof boots and pants, but ended up needing almost everything at least once. 

Packing early meant that as I thought of missing items I still had time to order them. Avoid the stress I felt by using my free, printable Disney Alaska Cruise packing list to keep track of everything you’ll need.

Disney Wonder Alaska Cruise Day Of Embarkation

Complete online questionnaire.

Every guest embarking Disney Wonder on an Alaska cruise must complete a health questionnaire before boarding. This form is easily done online and only takes a minute. 

Disney Wonder Embarkat ion

When completing online check-in you signed up for a port arrival time. This port arrival time window is when you complete the in-person check-in and then wait to board the ship. Earlier groups access the ship sooner. 

Wear a comfortable outfit you’d like for pictures. There are a couple photo ops before boarding Disney Wonder and it’s best to be camera ready.

Pack important items like medications, all documents like passports and IDs, and any other essential items in your day pack. Luggage arrives at the staterooms late. 

For example, on our Alaska cruise our luggage was the last to arrive of anyone we knew. It came so late we didn’t even have time to change for dinner the first night.

Start Your Epic Adventure

Have some lunch, explore the ship, and even take a dip or ride the water slide once you’ve embarked. Since the weather looked cool on embarkation day we didn’t wear our suits on, but I did pack them in our day pack.

The water was plenty warm and crowds were low so Elizabeth and her friends changed into suits and had a good time using the pool and slide before the Sail-A-Wave party.

The Sail-A-Wave party occurs on embarkation day and is usually timed to coincide with departing from the dock. The party features Disney friends in an energetic pool deck stage show and gets everyone excited for the trip to begin.

Book Wildlife Viewing Tours For (Almost) Guaranteed Experiences

We read a lot of reviews that wildlife viewing was easy on Disney Wonder Alaska cruises. While we did see some wildlife, it was few and far between. I regret we didn’t do a whale watching tour excursion or take one in Vancouver.

Most wildlife excursions don’t guarantee sightings, but reputable companies work hard to ensure the best chances to see wildlife.

Spend Time In Vancouver Before Your Cruise

We always recommend arriving in a port city at least one day before embarkation just in case there are flight delays or cancellations.

Vancouver is such a lovely destination we easily filled two whole touring days exploring this beautiful city. Our three night pre-cruise stay seemed perfect.

Pack Waterproof Gear

I read everywhere that I needed to pack waterproof gear, but I was skeptical we would actually use it. However, everywhere we went locals told us that we were in a temperate rainforest.

We used our waterproof gear on the ship, in Ketchikan, and in Juneau. I was so glad I bought and packed our waterproof boots, pants, and rain jackets. 

Have A Plan For Alaska Port Days

Alaska port towns are generally small and touristy with lots of shops. Although it is nice to walk around the towns it doesn’t provide the Alaska experience most of us picture when planning. 

Booking excursions lets you explore outside the port and experience more of what Alaska has to offer. I recommend booking excursions ahead of time, especially through Disney Cruise Line, for a generally seamless experience.

Walking off the ship you’ll find lots of booths hawking excursions, but often these tours are expensive and underwhelming. 

If you opt out of excursions, make a plan of what you’d like to do. For example, tour the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Visitor Center in Skagway to learn about the area’s Gold Rush history.

Bring Binoculars

What wildlife we saw from Disney Wonder on our Alaska cruise generally needed binoculars. Views of Bald Eagles, a couple whales, and seals were all better with our binoculars.

Arrive Early For Broadway-Style Shows Like Frozen

There are three big productions on Disney Wonder: The Golden Mickeys, Disney Dreams, and Frozen. Both Disney Dreams and Frozen, A Musical Spectacular, are incredible shows.

Arrive when the doors open for the best seats since the theater fills up quickly for performances.

Book Palo Brunch On Sea Days

Palo is an adult-only restaurant on Disney Wonder. The food, service, and atmosphere provide an elevated dining experience perfect for a day at sea. We enjoyed a long, multi-course brunch on our sea days without missing out on port adventures.

Buy The Disney Cruise Line Unlimited Photo Package

Although the unlimited downloads photo package is expensive, we loved having good quality photo ops where we are all in the picture.

Take advantage of photo opportunities at character meet and greets, dinner, and cool backgrounds in the lobby available before dinner on most nights. 

On our Disney Wonder Alaska cruise I pre-booked the Unlimited Digital Package which was $295.95 when reserved ahead of time. Once on the cruise the same package would have cost $349.95.

Check The Prohibited Items List

I knew our formal clothes would likely be wrinkled upon arrival. Irons are only available on-board in the laundry rooms for safety reasons. I packed a travel steamer so we could avoid the laundry room which gets very busy.

Fortunately the night before embarking I double checked the prohibited item list and discovered that steamers are not allowed.

I sadly had to leave a great steamer in our hotel room, but if I had left it in our bag it would have been confiscated and also delayed our luggage.

For Extra Fun Participate In Fish Extender Activities

We had never participated in a Fish Extender before our Alaska cruise. One family in our group surprised us with an extender (a hanging pouch placed outside your stateroom) and the other families delighted us each day with fun trinkets. 

We couldn’t wait to see what was waiting in the pouches when we went back to the room. If you aren’t traveling with a large group you can find Disney Alaska cruise fish extender Facebook groups for your sail date.

Understand Disney Cruise Line Rotational Dining

There are three Disney Wonder dining rooms: Tiana’s Place, Animator’s Palate, and Triton’s. Guests experience the restaurants more than once over the course of a Disney Wonder Alaska cruise.

The dining rotation and tables are assigned to guests.  Upon embarkation you can see which restaurant you’ll dine at each night. 

We enjoyed our experiences at each of the restaurants. Tiana’s Place atmosphere is super fun with live music during dinner, but conversation is difficult on these nights. 

Another incredible dinner experience was on our third night at Animator’s Palate.

Everyone is encouraged to sketch a character on a special paper when they arrive for dinner. Through Disney magic these characters are animated and come to life on the screens surrounding the restaurant during dinner.

Final Thoughts On Disney Alaska Cruise Planning Timeline and Tips 

Our Disney Wonder Alaska cruise was a bucket list item and I did tons of planning for this once in a lifetime trip. I loved each of our excursions, the incredible scenery, and wonderful Disney vacation experiences.

Follow our Disney Alaska Cruise planning timeline and tips to make the most of this unique and expensive Disney vacation.

About The Author

• Disney Cruise Line / Disney Vacation Club / News

2020 Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise to Alaska!

by Whitney Littlejohn · February 28, 2019

Anchors aweigh for this memorable Member event—to Alaska! The 7-night, round-trip Disney Cruise Line sailing from Vancouver aboard the award-winning Disney Wonder transports you to glaciers, gold rushes and grand vistas at some of Alaska’s most popular ports.

This coveted itinerary—back by popular demand—is as special as the exclusive gifts and experiences planned for Members during the journey. Once aboard, you and your family will delight in daily gifts delivered to your stateroom and onboard entertainment planned just for the Member Cruise. It goes on sale on April 6, 2019 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time.

Member Cruise A Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise elevates the already spectacular Disney Cruise Line experience.

Standout features include “insider” shows, commemorative gifts, special décor and more—all created with Members in mind.

Member Cruise Entertainment Some of the best and brightest from the incredible Disney family of studios and storytellers will come together to present an incredible array of shows and experiences for all ages—with fun for every member of the family.

Cruise Itinerary Explore historic towns, towering fjords, majestic scenery and wildlife during this extraordinary Alaskan adventure. Plus, enjoy 2 delightful days at sea—with access to signature Disney entertainment, themed dining, pools, live shows, surprises for Members and more.

Explore the scheduled itinerary for the 2020 Member Cruise to Alaska:

• Monday, August 24, 2020 – Depart from Vancouver, Canada
• Tuesday, August 25, 2020 – Enjoy a day at sea filled with unique experiences and special shows created with Members in mind
• Wednesday, August 26, 2020 – Sail through Endicott Arm fjord to see Dawes Glacier, Alaska
• Thursday, August 27, 2020 – Arrive at Skagway, Alaska
• Friday, August 28, 2020 – Arrive at Juneau, Alaska
• Saturday, August 29, 2020 – Arrive at Ketchikan, Alaska
• Sunday, August 30, 2020 – Enjoy another leisurely day at sea filled with unique experiences and special shows created with Members in mind
• Monday, August 31, 2020 – Debark in Vancouver, Canada

Welcome Home to the Disney Wonder Let your imagination set sail on an unforgettable voyage aboard a ship known for its beauty and family-focused entertainment.

Onboard Activities and Amenities Most of the amazing onboard activities and dining experiences on this Member Cruise are automatically included in your cruise fare, unless otherwise indicated.

There are vividly themed venues designed for Guests of all ages, including:

• Distinctive dining choices to suit nearly every taste and style—from casual, quick-service venues with magical touches to formal dining rooms with a hint of romance.
• Endless entertainment , including deck parties, screenings of first-run and classic Disney films, Character Greetings and Broadway-caliber musicals.
• Specially themed play spaces for kids, including Disney’s Oceaneer Club—home to Marvel Super Hero Academy.
• Pool areas designed for relaxation and nonstop fun. The whole family can make a splash at Goofy’s Pool—while the 18-and-older Quiet Cove Pool bestows a perfect oasis for parents to unwind.
• A full-service fitness center with state-of-the-art workout equipment and specialized classes.
• The Wide World of Sports Deck , home to basketball courts and ping-pong tables.

Four main categories encompass a variety of room types—and deck locations within those types—all designed with your family’s comfort in mind:

• Concierge – luxurious accommodations, each with a large private verandah and premium amenities and services
• Verandah – spacious non-Concierge staterooms, each with a private verandah, some with partial views
• Oceanview – more space than Standard and scenic vistas through a real porthole window—or possibly 2
• Inside – base accommodations with charming nautical touches

How to Book Book this spectacular 2020 7-night Member Cruise to Alaska before it sells out.

Please call Member Services at (800) 800-9800 or (407) 566-3800† beginning at 10:00 AM Eastern Time on Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Note: Member Services will be taking only Member Cruise bookings between 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Eastern Time on Saturday, April 6. Normal operation for all Member needs, including Member Cruise bookings, will resume from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM April 6.

Simplify Your Booking Phone Call To make your booking phone call go smoothly, please have information on hand about yourself and each person sailing with your party, including:

• Member ID Number
• First, second and third stateroom category choices—popular options sell out quickly for this event
• Special dietary needs
• Special medical needs
• Castaway Club Number (provided to repeat cruisers by Disney Cruise Line)

For each person sailing on the Member Cruise, please have the following information ready:

• Legal name and middle initial, spelled as it appears in print on appropriate citizenship documentation
• Physical home address (no P.O boxes)
• Home telephone number
• Date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy)
• Citizenship/nationality

To assist in your planning, you may wish to visit Disney Cruise Line to view the ship layouts and general locations associated with the categories offered.

Source: DVC

Are you ready to start planning your magical Disney vacation? Contact me today at MickeyTravels for your FREE, no obligation quote for a Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line or Adventures By Disney vacation! My magical planning services are included at no extra cost. You can find me on Facebook or via email at Best of all my services are absolutely FREE! Get in touch at 843-288-1130, via email at  [email protected]  or follow along on  Facebook and Instagram .

Tags: Alaska itinerary Disney Cruise Line Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise

Whitney Littlejohn

Whitney is a wife and mom of 2 princesses of her own. She has grown up visiting Disney World and has turned her passion into a career. When she's not at the parks, she can be found planning her client's vacations with MickeyTravels and sharing advice with readers at MickeyBlog. Please reach out for a free, no-obligation quote at 843-288-1130 or [email protected].

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7 Night Disney Vacation Club Alaska Cruise

Find out how crowded are ports - cruise ship traffic during this voyage. Click on each port for more details.

Vancouver, Canada

Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm, Alaska

Skagway, Alaska

Juneau, Alaska

Ketchikan, Alaska

Immerse Yourself In The Alaskan Culture When You Sail On The Disney Cruise Line To Alaska

W hen most people think of sailing off with the Disney Cruise Line they think of fun in the sun but did you know that during 2017 Alaska sailings, Disney Cruise Line guests can experience the beauty of Alaska in a way only Disney can provide with exclusive, one-of-a-kind Port Adventures?

Port Adventures are designed for Disney Cruise Line guests to make the most of their time ashore. Disney Cruise Line partners work with local tour operators to highlight each port of call, and create hassle-free, interactive adventures for families to enjoy.

For the 2017 Alaska season, all ports of call include tours that feature distinctly Disney touches, beloved characters and rich storytelling to help bring local culture and customs to life. Signature Collection tours range from deluxe experiences in intimate, upscale settings to customized tours that are enhanced with experiences exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests.

A historic pathway that winds through the snow-capped mountains bordering Alaska is the Liarsville Gold Rush Trail . At the camp, nestled beside a waterfall, guests are delightfully entertained by a cast of sourdoughs and dance hall girls as they tell classic stories of the gold rush era and local tall tales through hilarious puppetry and live music. After the show, a fun scavenger hunt through the camp sets the stage for a gold-panning expedition joined by classic Disney characters, with everyone guaranteed to find the precious metal in every pan. Guests find their fortune, and gather around the campfire to roast marshmallows, and enjoy an all-you-can-eat feast featuring freshly grilled Alaskan salmon.

On the White Pass and Yukon Route , guests take a vintage railroad car 3,000 feet to the summit of White Pass while weaving through cliff-hanging turns to witness rushing waterfalls and towering mountains. Guests retrace the original route of the Klondike Gold Rush where they envision the path of the early prospectors seeking their fortune. During the return trip, children ride in their own car with Disney Cruise Line youth counselors, and take part in sing-alongs, games and stories of the gold rush age. Adults relax and toast a glass of champagne or cider, and receive a unique ornament welcoming them into the White Pass Summit Club.

For families looking to bring out their competitive side, the Klondike Family Challenge is full of immersive activities paired with fun challenges, like panning for gold and playing with Iditarod sled dogs. A tour of the Klondike Gold Fields brewery follows, where guests sample fresh brews and design their own root beer labels. Disney Cruise Line families leave their mark by etching their name into a wooden plank to leave at the site’s gold panning shed.

Only Disney Cruise Line guests get to live the life of an Iditarod champion during the Glacier Dog Musher for a Day Port Adventure. On this excursion, guests are transported by helicopter over the massive Juneau Icefield to one of the region’s most breathtaking glaciers. Atop the glacier, they are greeted by the crew and sled dogs of the Iditarod, and then follow their new furry friends to the camp for a behind-the-scenes tour of the kennel, cookhouse and veterinary clinic. After a backstage look of the camp, guests prepare their new canine companions for an unforgettable day of mushing. Once the dogs are fed, harnessed and cleared for the trail, mushers take guests on an exhilarating, once-in-a-lifetime adventure across the pristine snow-capped glacier.

Untouched Alaskan wilderness awaits at Taku Glacier Lodge , a remote outpost directly across from the picturesque Hole-In-The-Wall Glacier and surrounded by the Tongass National Forest. Guests enjoy a meal of wild Alaska king salmon, and hear stories of the lodge’s rich history and lively characters, such as Mary Joyce, a legendary adventurer who made a 1,000-mile dogsled journey from Juneau to Fairbanks in the 1930s.

Teens gear up for the ultimate adventure during the Teen Exclusive Ultimate Canopy & Zip Line Expedition. Accompanied by their favorite Disney Cruise Line youth counselors, teens embark on an adrenaline-pumping, high-flying adventure overlooking Juneau’s magnificent landscape that includes 10 zip lines, two towering sky bridges over lofty tree platforms and a thrilling repel to the ground.

In Ketchikan, Disney Cruise Line guests discover the rich culture and heritage of Annette Island , home to the only native reservation in Alaska. A signature Port Adventure gives guests a rare glimpse into a working village of the Tsimshian people. During this exclusive experience, guests learn about the lives and language of the culture through song and dance, create their very own drums, and learn a few words of the native language, Smalgyax.

On the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour in Ketchikan, guests look on as professional fishermen haul in the catch of the day in 700-pound king crab pots. An on-deck aquarium becomes the crabs’ temporary home, providing an up-close look and a chance to hold the crabs and snap a photo. After a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship, including a photo in the captain’s chair, Disney Cruise Line guests have an exclusive opportunity to dine with the crew and listen to telling stories about life on the Bering Sea over freshly caught King crab and Dungeness crab.

Several Ketchikan excursions include a visit to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show , a rollicking competition created especially for families that features some of the world’s top timber sport athletes going head-to-head for bragging rights and the title “Bull of the Woods.”

Offering a historical look at the timber industry that helped shape Alaska, the one-hour show includes events such as chopping, sawing, log rolling, death-defying speed climbing and more, plus opportunities for a few Disney Cruise Line children to participate alongside the burly competitors in select events. After clapping and cheering for their teams, families can meet the lumberjacks for autographs and photos at the end of each rowdy show.

Beginning May 22, the Disney Wonder will depart from Vancouver for 14 seven-night cruises to Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, guests can visit www.disneycruise.com , call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact their travel agent.

The post Immerse Yourself In The Alaskan Culture When You Sail On The Disney Cruise Line To Alaska appeared first on The Adventures Of Life-Spontaneous Travel, Food and Fun .

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2025 Member Cruise to the Western Caribbean

Embark on the 2025 Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise to the Western Caribbean! This 5-night, round-trip Disney Cruise Line sailing departs from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on August 2, 2025, charting a course for family fun in dazzling tropical destinations—plus a first-ever Member Cruise visit to Cozumel.

Along the way, delight in commemorative keepsakes and experiences created with Members in mind—including onboard entertainment planned just for the Member Cruise!

Booking is now available.

Set Sail for Adventure

A Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise elevates the already spectacular Disney Cruise Line experience.

Disney Cruise Line sailings offer fun and excitement for everyone in the family, from Broadway-style stage shows and delectable dining to unique onboard activities and spectacular fireworks at sea.

And a Member Cruise brings this already exceptional experience to a new level. Some of the best and brightest from the incredible Disney family of studios and storytellers will come together to present amazing “insider” shows. Additional standout features include commemorative keepsakes, themed décor and more—all crafted with our Members in mind!

Embark on an exciting sailing to the Western Caribbean, with visits to 2 tropical islands brimming with activities for the entire family. Plus, enjoy 2 delightful days at sea—with access to signature Disney Cruise Line entertainment, imaginative themed dining, Broadway-style stage shows, refreshing pools, surprises for Members and more.

Explore the scheduled itinerary for the 2025 Member Cruise to the Western Caribbean:

• Saturday, August 2, 2025 –Depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
• Sunday, August 3, 2025 –Enjoy a day at sea filled with unique experiences and special shows created with Members in mind.
• Monday, August 4, 2025 –Arrive in Cozumel, Mexico, an island paradise renowned for its beautiful beaches, turquoise water and protected coral reefs.
• Tuesday, August 5, 2025 –Enjoy another leisurely day at sea filled with unique experiences and special shows created with Members in mind.
• Wednesday, August 6, 2025 –Arrive at Disney Castaway Cay, a private island paradise exclusive to Disney Cruise Line.
• Thursday, August 7, 2025 –Debark in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Before or after your cruise, consider adding a little extra magic to your vacation with a stay at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida—located approximately 3 hours from Fort Lauderdale.

Dreams really do come true on the award-winning Disney Dream, where classic beauty and modern luxury blend seamlessly with legendary Disney storytelling.

Onboard Fun

There’s an almost endless amount of one-of-a-kind entertainment, recreation and dining offerings to keep the entire family smiling from sun-up to well after sundown.

• Dining –Feast on casual fare and gourmet delights at wondrously themed restaurants. Adults can also choose to indulge in romantic dining experiences at Palo or Remy.
• Entertainment –Be front-and-center at original Broadway-style live shows, enthralled by brilliant fireworks displays, delighted by greetings from favorite Disney Characters and more.
• Youth Clubs –Kids will love Disney’s Oceaneer Club—with its larger-than-life spaces fueled by Disney storytelling—while tweens can enjoy videogames, music and movies at Edge and teens can get together in the Vibe lounge for karaoke and dance parties.
• Pools –Make a splash on the exhilarating AquaDuck water coaster, cool off in 2 family pools or relax at the Quite Cove Pool—an oasis exclusively for adults.
• Fitness Center –Stay shipshape at a workout facility offering top-of-the-line weight machines and cardiovascular equipment, plus aerobics classes, yoga and more.
• Goofy’s Sports Deck –Don’t miss this open-air activity center featuring a miniature golf course, a basketball court and virtual sports simulators.

Choose a stateroom that fits your family’s need for style and comfort—from cozy private lodgings with extra space to grand and richly appointed suites boasting sweeping views.

• Concierge –Luxurious and spacious beyond compare, Concierge staterooms feature separate bedrooms, top-notch amenities and unparalleled service.
• Verandah –Breathe in the ocean air from these richly appointed accommodations designed for families of 3 to 5—featuring a private balcony and sweeping sea views.
• Oceanview –Relax in roomy quarters bedecked in a charming nautical motif with art deco flourishes—plus one or 2 portholes for admiring the scenery.
• Inside –Sail away in a spacious stateroom fitted with a Magical Porthole for real-time sea views—and surprise sightings of animated Disney characters!

Learn more about Disney Cruise Line .

Learn more about the Disney Dream .

Call Member Services at (800) 800-9800 or (407) 566-3800 † to book your spot.

Dedicated Support for Member Cruise Bookings

Member Services will be open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern Time on April 13, 2024 to book reservations for the 2025 Member Cruise exclusively —as well as to assist with any Resort arrivals occurring within 5 days of the April 13 date. Due to the popularity of the Member Cruise, you may experience longer-than-usual wait times.

Member Services will reopen with normal operations at 9:00 AM Eastern Time on Sunday, April 14 to support all Membership requests.

Simplify Your Booking Phone Call

We have adjusted this Member Cruise Booking Day process to improve our ability to quickly secure your stateroom and collect payment during your initial inbound call. To make your booking phone call go smoothly, please have the following information on hand about yourself and each person sailing with your party, including:

• Member ID Number
• First, second and third stateroom category choices, as popular options sell out quickly for this event
• Special dietary needs
• Special medical needs
• Castaway Club Number (provided to repeat cruisers by Disney Cruise Line)

For each person sailing on the Member Cruise, please have the following information ready:

• Legal name and middle initial, spelled as it appears in print on appropriate citizenship documentation
• Physical home address (no P.O. boxes)
• Home telephone number
• Date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy)
• Citizenship/nationality

To assist in your planning, you may wish to visit Disney Cruise Line  to view the ship layouts and general locations associated with the categories offered.

Find out the booking information and general rules concerning this 2025 Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise. Please keep in mind that all reservations are subject to availability.

Please note:

• Member Services will collect your payment at the time of booking; please have your payment method prepared.
• Booking requests will not be accepted by fax, email, live chat or Member Online Booking—or in person at the Disney Vacation Club Member Lounge at EPCOT or the Disney Vacation Club Star View Station – a Member Lounge at Disneyland Park. Call Member Services at (800) 800-9800 or (407) 566-3800 † to book your spot.
• Additional fees may apply for recreational activities and Port Adventures.
• Due to the unique nature of this special event, Disney Vacation Club has waived the policy of requiring at least one passenger to sail using Reservation Points for this Member Cruise voyage. If Members would like to pay by using both cash and Reservation Points, individual passengers must be paid for by using all cash or all Reservation Points.
• Disney Vacation Club will waive the initial transaction fee associated with booking your Disney Cruise Line reservation for this Member Cruise voyage.
• Disney Vacation Club will accept the following methods of payment for Members not using Reservation Points to book the cruise: Disney Gift Card, JCB, Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. If paying by credit card, please have the credit card number, expiration date and the name that appears on the card available. Full payment is required at the time of booking.
• For the safety of our Guests, women who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of the embarkation date or who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy during the cruise will be refused passage due to safety concerns. Neither a physician's medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be able to override the policy. Disney Cruise Line and Disney Vacation Club cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.
• Disney Cruise Line policy prohibits infants less than 6 months of age on the date of embarkation to travel.
• Effective March 21, 2011, Members who do not purchase their ownership interests directly from Disney will not be able to use those Vacation Points to make reservations for the Member Cruise. If a Member wishes to pay entirely in cash, they must still own at least one Contract with ownership interests purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, LLC. Effective June 3, 2021, to obtain a Disney Vacation Club Digital Membership Card, Members must accumulate a total of at least 150 Vacation Points purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, LLC.
• Members may book a maximum of 4 staterooms per Membership.

Important Information About Membership Extras:

Membership Extras—such as exchange options in the Disney Collection and options offered through hotel exchange, certain discounts, offers and special events—are incidental benefits. These incidental benefits are subject to change or termination without notice, may require the payment of a fee and cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Membership Extras are also subject to availability and blockout dates may apply, including high periods of demand such as Christmas and New Year's Day. To receive any Membership Extras, purchasers must present a valid digital Disney Vacation Club Membership Card along with a corresponding valid photo ID.  Effective June 3, 2021, to obtain a Disney Vacation Club Membership Card, Members must accumulate a total of at least 150 Vacation Points purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc.  Exchange options in the Disney Collection and options offered through hotel exchange are not available for ownership interests not purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. after March 21, 2011 and, effective April 4, 2016, Members who have not purchased an ownership interest directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. will not have access to Membership Extras.

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