When we picked a cruise on the Disney Fantasy for our own multi-generational trip, we wanted one with more Sea Days. Our parents hadn’t been on a Disney cruise before (2 had never been on any cruise) and we were quick to assure them that there would be plenty to do, in fact, they wouldn’t have time to do it all.

We get a frequent question from first time cruise clients, “will I be bored stuck on a ship the whole day (or multiple days)?”. Our answer is a resounding “no”. We can tell you without a doubt that no matter the cruise line, you will never be bored.  There are always plenty of options for you to be as active and engaged as you want.  (And if you want to sit on your balcony or up on deck and watch the scenery pass by, that is a wonderful choice too.)

Tip: Each Cruise Line has an App that shows all the activities for each day. The Disney Cruise Line Navigator App will let you know everything that is going on, when characters will be out, and other importation information for your cruise. If you find an activity you don’t want to miss, make sure you mark it in the app and you will get a reminder for it.

Disney is a great line for families and multi-generational trips. You will see that there is plenty to do for grandparents, parents, and kids. Now sit back, grab your favorite drink, and picture yourself enjoying a day like this:

A Relaxing Morning on a Disney Cruise

No need to set an alarm! Sea days are for relaxing. Port Adventures are great, but many times they require you to be up and off the ship at a certain time. Sea Days don’t have that morning schedule.

Depending on your mood, you have 3 options for breakfast. For the most relaxing morning, enjoy breakfast in your room. With Disney Cruises, room service is included! If you are ready to start your day, you can go the buffet or one of the main dining rooms will be open for breakfast. We also try to go to the main dining room at least once for breakfast because we all love the extra options they have.

If you want to hit the pool deck right after breakfast, the buffet is your best bet – you can go right in your swimsuits with coverups! In fact, if your kids (or you) want to ride the waterslide, we highly suggest going when it opens. You’ll be able to get a few rides in before the line gets longer.

After a few water slide rides and watching a bit of a movie relaxing in the pool you may want to explore the other activities on the ship. Disney Cruise ships are a good size and you are never really too far away from your cabin so you can quickly change out of swimsuits and into shorts and t-shirts.

Disney Cruises (and most other cruise lines) have a lot of trivia games. Some are adults only and others are for the whole family. Make sure to check out the activities calendar in the App to see what topics and ages each game is for so you don’t miss your favorites. On Disney Cruises we love the music trivia – especially the Disney music ones.

A Fun-Filled Afternoon on a Disney Cruise

After the swimming and the trivia you’ve probably worked up an appetite (or at least, you’re ready for more delicious food). You have even more options to choose from for lunch! Just like for breakfast, you can order room service, go to the buffet, or enjoy a relaxing meal in one of the main dining rooms. Otherwise, there are classic options (like burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizza, etc) right by the pool. No matter what you choose, you won’t go hungry, and it will all be delicious.

One of the unique offerings on a Disney Cruise is their Animation Classes. They change the characters each time so you don’t know who you are going to draw until you get there. Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist, we suggest you go – it is always fun to see how different everyone’s drawings are.

Many of the newer family cruise ships have a 9 hole mini-golf course on board. But only Disney has Goofy Golf. If you are traveling with grandparents, this is a great time to let them take the kids to play some golf while your and your significant other can walk around the ship, attend a drink seminar, or relax in the adults only section. Fair warning, the grandparents may let the kids get soft serve Eye-Scream by the pool (but it’s included and that’s what grandparents are suppose to do).

Another activity unique to Disney Cruises is the Mid-Ship Detective Agency game. This is an interactive game with artwork all around the ship. There are typically a couple of different cases to solve and adults and kids alike will have fun with the different ways the pictures come to life.

Evening Time on a Disney Cruise

We like to pick late seatings for our cruise as it gives us more time during the day and to space out our meals. If you have younger kids, Disney offers a “Dine and Play” option for the late seating where kids can eat first and they will be escorted to the Oceaneer’s Club while the adults enjoy a relaxing meal. Late seating also means that you will enjoy the show or that evening’s entertainment before your dinner.

After you enjoy your afternoon activities, you can head back to your cabin and get ready for the night. Some nights are casual, on Disney Cruises in the Caribbean you will have a “Pirates in the Caribbean” night, and on longer cruises you will have 1-2 formal nights. None of the themed nights are required, but they are a lot of fun to participate in, and you can get nice family photos. If you or the kids are getting a little hungry, room service has a nice cheese and cracker plate that you can order and enjoy while you are getting ready.

On a Disney Cruise, drinks are include in the buffet, main dining room, and on the pool deck. This includes pop, lemonade, tea, hot chocolate, flavored waters, etc. This is great because you can grab a drink from the pool deck and take it with you to enjoy at the show. Tip: Disney Cruise Line is known for their entertainment. Do not miss their broadway style shows.

There is typically 30-45 min between the show and dinner. During this time you can relax, take photos (there are always a lot of nice options in the Atrium) or there may be an adults only trivia. If it is a formal night, use the opportunity to take nice family pictures. If you purchased the photo package (which you definitely should on a multi-generational cruise) everyone can get in the picture.

With the late seating for dinner everyone is typically excited and hungry.  You won’t be rushed and our kids have always done great (but remember, you always have the “Dine and Play” option for kids 10 and under). Dinner in the main dining room is a must for Disney Cruises. There are 3 main dining restaurants on the ship and unlike other cruise lines, you will rotate to a different one each night. The good news, your wait staff rotates with you! Over the course of the cruise they will get to know you and what you like. Some of the restaurants even have shows or other interactive elements that you won’t want to miss.

After dinner, there are even more activities if you are up for them. You may decide that you are ready to relax in your stateroom and head to bed. Many time the grandparents are ready to turn in and say goodnight. On Disney Cruises the kid’s clubs are open late (even for the 3-10 year olds) and a lot of times special characters may make an appearance. Pluto’s Pajama Party is always a favorite! (If you want to learn more about the Kids’ Clubs on the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream, check out our YouTube Video) Adults can go to the lounges the are Adult Only in the evening for various game shows, comedy, and musical acts. Even late in the evening, there are activities for the whole family.

As you can see, this day has a lot going on.  And there are so many activities that we didn’t even mention since you can’t possibly do them all in one day! You may want to spend the entire day by the pool you’ll have a blast.  Or you can choose to play bingo, use the sports deck, take a class, or just read looking at the ocean.  You really can do as much or as little as you want.

One of the things we love about cruising is that there really is something for everyone.  With a multi-generation trip you can split up and do what you want AND come together at dinner for family time.  It is a win-win-win vacation!

If this day is getting you excited for a Disney Cruise, take a look at what a Verandah Stateroom looks like on the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream!