Disney Cruises are known for their amenities and family-friendly atmosphere, so they’re a popular vacation choice for families with young children. Parents planning to bring their little ones on a Disney Cruise should know the important details, including the prices of Disney cruises and the regulations set by the cruise line.
Disney Cruises are priced per-person. Disney does not waive the fare for infants traveling onboard its cruise ships, but infant fares are a good bit lower than the standard rate for children. They’re also significantly lower than adult fares. Let’s look at a few examples to see how the pricing works in real life.
Example prices:
3-Night Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral on March 1, 2024 — Category 11B Inside Stateroom
- Adult Rate: $942
- Child (age 5): $564
- Infant (age 1): $319
7-Night Alaska Cruise from Vancouver on July 3, 2023 — Category 5B Verandah (Balcony) Stateroom
- Adult Rate: $5,516
- Child (age 5): $1,908
- Infant (age 1): $1,059
What’s the Minimum Age for Infants on a Disney Cruise?
As part of Disney Cruises’ regulations, the minimum age for a child to go on most cruises is at least six months. For some international routes such as Transatlantic, Panama Canal and Hawaii itineraries, the minimum age is 12 months.
The infant must reach the required minimum age no later than the day the cruise begins. Turning the correct age during a mid-cruise birthday is not sufficient.
It’s also worth noting that while an infant may be allowed onboard, they may not be of an age to fully comprehend and enjoy the cruise. We believe that the best age for children to cruise is a bit older.
Is Babysitting Provided on Disney Cruises?
All Disney ships have a dedicated babysitting facility for children aged three and younger. Its main play area has books, toys, and videos, while separate quiet rooms have cribs where the little ones can nap.
Inside the facility, there are Disney youth counselors to watch over young children. They are also willing to handle feeding and diaper changes — parents dropping off their child may also bring baby food, formula, milk, bottles, diapers/wipes, and pull-ups. You’re also welcome to bring extra clothes, baby blankets, and the all-important pacifiers.
There’s lots for little ones to explore at Disney Cruise Line’s it’s a small world nursery | Image © Disney
The “it’s a small world” nursery! has extremely limited space, so parents must book ahead of time to secure space for their infants. The booking window opens at the same time all other onboard activity reservations become available — it’s a sliding scale based on your Castaway Club level (how many times you’ve sailed with Disney). For first-time cruisers, this is as early as 75 days in advance of your sail date. You can also make reservations once onboard the ship, subject to availability.
The nursery service does require an additional fee, but it’s very reasonable. As of March 2023, the standard rate is $4.50 per half-hour, with additional infants/toddlers in the same family charged $4.00 per half-hour. The minimum reservation length is one hour. The total amount will be charged to your shipboard account.
No longer need your reservation? Be sure to cancel at least four hours in advance, or you’re on the hook for the entire charge for the reserved slot.
Infant Amenities on Disney Cruises
Disney Cruises offers several infant-friendly amenities. Among these:
In-Room Baby Supplies
You can borrow a complimentary stroller from the Guest Services desk on the ship. Meanwhile, your Stateroom Host will be happy to provide diaper disposal bins, a playpen / pack-n-play, and bottle sterilizers / warmers for the room. When it’s time for bed, your Stateroom Host is also able to set up a crib or bed rails during your nightly turndown service.
Freshly-Made Baby Food
There’s no need to find space for tons of baby food in your bags when you’re packing for your Disney cruise. The onboard galley kitchens are happy to puree fresh vegetables for your infant to eat.
This service is primarily provided in the main dining rooms, so it may not be available at some quick-service locations you visit. But don’t worry — you can always get it through room service, which is available 24 hours a day and is included in the cost of your cruise.
One further note for meal time: complimentary high chairs are available at all restaurants on the ship. If you don’t see them, just ask!
Fun in the Sun
Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, offers another way to make traveling with an infant easier: you can borrow a complimentary wagon to make it easier to get your little one around to everything there is to do on Castaway Cay. It’s SO much easier than trying to plow those sandy beaches with narrow stroller wheels!
Safety First!
Upon boarding, be sure to check and make sure that an infant life jacket has been provided inside your stateroom — if not, let your Stateroom Host know right away!
Buy Last-Minute Needs Onboard
Don’t fret over whether you’ve remembered everything — or worry that you’ll suddenly run out of an essential item. You can buy most of the basics onboard the ship if needed — diapers and pull-ups, rash cream, formula / bottles / baby food, pacifiers, and toiletries such as baby shampoo / lotion / powder.
Disney Cruises Activities for Infants
While you might be disappointed to have to pay a fare for infants on your cruise, you’ll be pleased to know that you get access to a number of special amenities for infants and toddlers.
Splash Zones
Each of Disney’s Cruise ships offer a water play area that’s made especially for the tiniest cruisers. Toddlers do not need to be toilet-trained, but swim diapers are required.
You’ll find Nephews’ Splash Zone on the Disney Magic, Dory’s Reef on the Disney Wonder, Nemo’s Reef on the the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, and Toy Story Splash Zone on the Disney Wish.
Worried about safety? You’ll be comforted to know that Disney Cruises have lifeguards on duty.
Character Experiences
The character meet-and-greet is one of the best parts of sailing on a Disney Cruise Line. It is a magical moment that all ages will enjoy.
While some character meet-and-greets are available to all, others take place on a more private basis. The characters present are different for each ship and cruise. Your little one might not remember meeting the Disney characters, but photographs of the event will last forever.
Deck Parties and Live Entertainment
There’s always something going on onboard, from dancing deck parties to live shows. And while not everything might be ideally suited to a young infant (you know best whether your child gets fussy in a theater setting or just takes a nap), you’ll usually find something to keep them entertained.
Tips For Taking Disney Cruises With Infants
Book Ahead of Time
When you book early, you can be sure you book the amenities you want and secure yourself the ideal room. Also, the closer you get to your cruise date, the more expensive cruise tickets can be.
Seek Help From a Travel Agency
Especially when traveling with a large big group and an infant, it is best to seek assistance from an experienced travel company or agency, like our friends at The Vacationeer. They can help you find the best deals and will make the arrangements for you so you can avoid spending money on unnecessary things.
Pack Light
It is best to travel light when going on a cruise; you can do this in part taking advantage of the complimentary cribs or strollers onboard. They’re given out on a first-come, first-served basis — but we definitely suggest making a request ahead of time either on your own or through your travel agent. Of course, to absolutely guarantee you have access to a stroller onboard, you’ll want to bring your own.
Bring the Essentials
Even if you will pack light, bring all the essential items. Remember to bring documents, jackets, pajamas, snacks, essential medicines, and the little one’s bath items.
Board Early
The sooner you arrive, the more time you will have to enjoy the ship’s amenities. Remember that there will be many people and pieces of luggage getting on and off the ship. If you’re traveling with young children, schedule extra time for boarding. You can schedule your boarding time during online check-on.
Final Thoughts: Bringing Your Baby Onboard
Going on a cruise is the experience of a lifetime. With proper planning, you can ensure that your cruise with your little one will be smooth-sailing.
Even though infants are not free of charge on Disney Cruises, we certainly think it’s worth it. And there are many ways to save money; you can book early, pre-reserve amenities, and take advantage of the complimentary items so that you can have peace of mind throughout the whole journey and enjoy every moment with your family.
How To Book a Disney Cruise With an Infant
One of the best ways to book your Disney Cruise — especially in special situations such as traveling with an infant — is to use the services of an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner such as The Vacationeer.
The dedicated Disney Cruise experts at The Vacationeer cheerfully provide free help booking your Disney Cruise, and will handle all the logistics for you.
You’ll have one dedicated agent from start to finish — great for busy parents who don’t have time to wait hours on hold navigating the phone menus for a giant call center.
And because they take the time to learn about you and your family, they can help you pick the best Disney Cruise ship for your kids.
Best of all, their services are completely free to use! You’ll never pay a planning fee, and your cruise won’t cost a penny more than if you’d booked it yourself. It might even cost less, because they know all the latest discounts and will even watch for new ones to be announced after you’ve booked!
Speaking of saving money, they even provide a generous onboard credit — that’s free spending money that can be used on the ship toward expenses such as babysitting or purchasing last-minute supplies.
Being a parent requires a lot of time and energy — The Vacationeer handles your Cruise details so you can focus on your family.
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