- Boarding time
- So everyone on a Disney cruise gets assigned a boarding time. In my opinion it is definitely better to get on board early. You can eat lunch on board and get settle in your room as soon as state rooms open.
- When we booked, 230 pm was the earliest available boarding time. We got to the cruise port around 205 and we did not get on the boat until 3pm. The worst part was we basically got straight to our rooms and had to go to the safety briefing. We did not have to time to settle in at all.
- Luckily, they were not strict about the boarding time since we were a later boarding group. We were able to get in line earlier than 230pm so we were able to get on the boat a little earlier.
- If you do get stuck with a later port arrival time, keep checking the website. You may be able to get in at an earlier time.
- Port adventures
- Obviously if there are particular port adventures you really want to do, the earlier you book the cruise, the better. Several port adventures were already fully booked by the time we booked our cruise.
- My husband really wanted to do a fishing trip. Unfortunately, all were fully booked and no one cancelled.
- Onboard Fun
- Several onboard activities, especially the free character encounters that you can schedule, were fully booked by the time we booked our cruise.
- If you do book last minute, keep checking! We checked everyday on board. On day 2, we got a time spot someone else cancelled.
- My husband and I wanted to do some tastings while on board and the best times were fully booked. We each able to get a spot but not the times we initially wanted.
- Small World Nursery
- If you are taking kids less than 3 years old, you have to book times with the Small World Nursery.
- This is very sought after and they have limited availability during peak times, such as dinner and shows.
- Book early!
- Dinner Time
- When we originally booked we were given a 8:15pm dinner seating. Yikes! Our kids normally go to bed at 7pm!
- We immediately asked to be put on the 5:45pm dinner waitlist. Luckily we got a spot and moved to 5:45pm! Otherwise, there is no way our kids would have made it through a 8:15pm dinner seating.
As you can see, nothing on this list is a huge deal. It all depends on your preferences. Our last minute Disney cruise booking was still magical! In the future, I want to book way in advance since my kids will be older. I want to soak up even more magical moments on our next Disney cruise!
Have a last minute Disney cruise story to tell?
