2025 Cruise Planning on my Mind

In late 2024, we opted not to renew our DLR Magic Keys to trade in our DLR trips/year for as many cruises as we could muster. We have a great line-up and decided I need to put up a planning thread of all things DCL for us 2025.

The Sailings

:beach_umbrella: Feb 12-16 4N Bahamian Disney Fantasy from Port Canaveral to Nassau/Lighthouse Pt
:whale: Apr 7-11 4N Baja Disney Wonder from San Diego to Catalina Island/Ensenada
:desert_island: June 7-14 7N E. Caribbean Disney Treasure from Port Canaveral to USVI/BVI/Castaway
:ship: Nov 20-24 4N Maiden Voyage Disney Destiny from Ft. Lauderdale to both Disney islands

Also, it wasn’t my design to do this, but when we step off the Treasure in June, we’ll have done every ship available to sail in Disney’s fleet and because we’re doing a maiden voyage will still get to say that once the Destiny sails (knock on all the wood).

The Disney Adventure will depart from Singapore on its maiden voyage in Dec 2025 and will end our claim to having sailed every Disney ship, but with the size their fleet is growing to, we’re happy to have had any time at all with that claim.

Staterooms Booked

Fantasy in February


Oceanview Family Deluxe Split Layout (Category 8A)

I am so stoked for the room we booked for February. It’s a unique layout to only a few rooms on the Disney and Fantasy. The room takes up a square space spanning two floor-to-ceiling portholes. Then, as you see pictured there is a dividing wall to portion off the wide space into two sections (there are some others that are in the same 8A category that are the same size but instead of the wall have a column or pure open wide space, but we were able to get 2 of the very few that have the wall dividing the spaces).

There are a few tradeoffs, mainly that you lose the split bath, and some of the bathrooms in the 8A rooms are built to look like but aren’t fully accessible bathrooms (so no separation from the shower floor to the rest of the bathroom floor). You also only have room for 3 to sleep as you don’t have a bunk that comes out of the ceiling, so only the queen bed and sofa that converts to a bed. With 6 of us we always need at least 2 rooms, so we’ll have 2 of these connecting over a total of 4 portholes. One porthole per kid :bangbang: :bangbang:

For a full room tour to conceptualize this unique layout you can click here.

Wonder in April
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Oceanview Deluxe (Category 9B)

This is a much more standard category being a rectangular room with a large but not gigantic porthole window, the standard sofa bed with bunk above that pulls down from the ceiling, a curtain to close off the sitting area/bunk from the bed area and the DCL popular split bath (one bathroom has a sink and toilet and a second bath has a sink and shower/tub). This will be the first oceanview room we have that doesn’t have a ledge to sit in the porthole so we may have a couple of kids who will miss that feature. But we liked the price & location (deck 2 midship), so I’m sure we’ll overall be happy with it and definitely be happy to be on a cruise at all.

Treasure in June
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Oceanview Deluxe (Category 9B)

Being the same category as the Wonder above, the layout is very much the same. The porthole though will have a ledge (where at least the smaller kids can) sit in the porthole. And of course, the decor/theming will all be fresh/updated/new compared to the Wonder.

We’ll be midship deck 2 again with this cruise. On the Treasure (and the Wish where we also had a deck 2 midship room last year), this will mean being close to both the Oceaneer Club and just the one set of stairs from our hallway to the Walt Disney theater above. I loved both those things about the location on the Wish, so expect to love it on the sister Treasure ship too.

Destiny in November


Deluxe w/ Verandah (Category 5C)

Again a standard layout like the Wonder and Treasure rooms, but with a verandah/balcony instead of a porthole. We booked the very soonest minute we could with the Destiny but we had to wait for those with higher loyalty status than us to book, so by the time our window opened, the majority of Inside and Oceanview rooms were booked and none connecting.

There was a great selection of verandah rooms, especially on the middle decks and port side (which less people book since the views of Castaway Cay when docked are on the starboard side). So we’ll be deck 6 forward (but right by the ‘forward’ elevators which in my view are more in the middle of midship & forward so bordering on midship). With the 2 connecting rooms we may be able to get the divider removed to have one longer balcony space which has always been so fun & nice the 2 times we’ve done verandahs before.

And so there’s the bare bones basics of the sailings. Hope you love following along and any questions you have ask away!

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Onboard Ship Activities and Excursions Planning

What we have booked or hope to get booked for when on each cruise. And keeping track of check-ins and boarding groups.

Fantasy Bookings & Excursions

Online Check-In :white_check_mark:
PAT 11:45-12PM Boarding Group 10

:green_circle:Booked & keeping :green_circle:

  • Palo Brunch 10am on Day 2 (Nassau)
  • Remy Dessert at 3:15PM on Day 2 (Nassau)
  • Golf Simulator 4 & 4:30pm Day 2 (Nassau but plan to be onboard all/most of day)
  • Royal Gathering 9:00am on Day 4 (at Sea)
  • Royal Tea 3:00pm Day 4 (at Sea)
  • Goofy Sports Simulator 5:00pm Day 4 (at Sea)
  • Unlimited Photo Package Discounted for booking ahead of time & have until the last night before the photo location closes to keep or cancel it

:heavy_multiplication_x:Dropped Already :heavy_multiplication_x:

  • Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique 9:15, 9:45, 10am on Day 4 (Se day)

No excursions. For Nassau, can do self-guided walking tour if decide to go ashore in Nassau.

For Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Pt explore new & do included Goombay Cultural Center for Junkanoo Parade, nature trail to Lighthouse, splash pad/water park, beach. Option to get snorkeling gear on the island.

Wonder Bookings & Excursions

:warning:Online Check-In opens Mar 2nd 10pm MT :warning:
:warning: Booking opens Mar 7th 10pm MT for Royal Gathering for Day 3 or 4 :warning:

:orange_circle: Booked & maybe keeping :orange_circle:

  • Palo Brunch 10:30am on Day 3 (Ensenada)
  • Unlimited Photo Package Discounted for booking ahead of time & have until the last night before the photo location closes to keep or cancel it

No excursions. In Ensenada at most walk around port to check out shopping. Catalina Island walk to Casino, can rent golf cart or bikes as well to ride/explore.

Treasure Bookings & Excursions

:warning: Booking Window Opens Feb 21st 10pm MT :warning:
Bookings to try for/research:

  • Adventure Tea with Royalty for Day 3? 5? maybe 2? 6?
  • Palo Brunch for one of the 3 sea days (Day 2,3 or 6)
  • BBB for the 3 kids under 13 (evening Day 1, Day 2/3 (most anytime), afternoon Day 5 or early Day 6)
  • Some kind of beach day excursion in St. Thomas(St. Johns?) on Day 5
  • Possibly an excursion in Tortola too?? on Day 4 look to book with Viator/Trip advisor??
  • Floats, Bikes & Snorkels on Castaway Cay (Day 7)
  • Unlimited Photo Package Discounted for booking ahead of time & have until the last night before the photo location closes to keep or cancel it

:warning:Online Check-in opens May 2nd 10pm MT :warning:
:warning: Booking opens May 7th 10pm MT for Royal Gathering & possible other group character meets, Treasure doesn’t have any as of now, but may add?) :warning:

Destiny Bookings & Excursions
:warning: Booking Window Opens Aug 6th 10pm MT :warning:
Bookings to try for/research:

  • Palo Brunch Day 4 at Sea (will it be offered another day? Day 2/3 are Disney islands when brunch is not typically offered)
  • BBB for the 3 kids under 13 (low priority since shorter cruise on a Maiden Voyage)
  • Conservation or Cultural Tour on Lookout Cay (Day 2)
  • Floats, Bikes & Snorkels on Castaway Cay (Day 3)
  • Unlimited Photo Package Discounted for booking ahead of time & have until the last night before the photo location closes to keep or cancel it

:warning:Online Check-in opens Oct 15th 10pm MT :warning:
:warning: Booking opens Oct 20th 10pm MT for Royal Gathering & possible other group character meets, will Destiny have Heroes v. Villains events to pre-book?) :warning:

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Pre/Post Cruise Adventures

How we’ll get to/from each port and any plans for parks/entertainment before/after sailings.

February
:white_check_mark:Flights booked to/from MCO,arrive 2/12 5:50am, depart 12/18 7pm
:white_check_mark: Rental car from Alamo at MCO thru Costco Travel for 2/12-18
:white_check_mark: Holiday Inn I-Drive hotel booked 2/16-18 ( :orange_circle: can cancel by 2/11 4pm MT)
:o: Purchase 2 day 1 park/day convention tickets for WDW (reserve AK 2/16, EP 2/17)

Arrival/Embarkation Day Wed 2/12
:oncoming_automobile:Drive rental from MCO > Port Canaveral with stop in Vineland area for, Publix, Starbucks in Publix parking lot for caffeine and bfast, possible stops at Five Below (opens 9am) and/or Character Warehouse (opens 10am) to kill time before drive to PC,
10:25 am leave Vineland area for ~60 min. drive to Port Canaveral, park at terminal - no reservation needed

Debarkation Day Sun 2/16
:oncoming_automobile: Drive rental from Port Canaveral > Animal Kingdom Parking lot
~10:30-11am Parking, tram, security
AK until 6pm close
:oncoming_automobile:Disney Springs or Vineland area for dinner (if didn’t eat at AK) > settle into hotel after (if warm, option to night swim too)

Last Full Day Mon Feb 2/17
7am GotG BG
:oncoming_automobile: Hotel to Epcot main entrance parking by 8:15 for 9am reg opening
EP open to close 9am-9pm
:oncoming_automobile: Hotel to sleep/pack

Departure Day 2/18
Sleep in, finalize packing
Option to use mini-golf from convention tickets
Disney Springs or Character Warehouse outlet shopping time

April
:o: Book parking near port for length of cruise
:o: Book pre-cruise hotel for SD area
:o: Book post-cruise hotel for LA or SD area
:o: Tickets/reservations for SD/LA activities > possibly Explorer or All-Inclusive CityPass

Fri/Sat/Sun Apr 4/5/6
:oncoming_automobile: Drive Van the Van (our mini-van) to San Diego, depart by Sun 6pm at the latest Sun 6pm to arrive by Mon Apr 7 ~9am

Sat/Sun Apr 6/7
San Diego area TBD if doing 1-2 days pre-cruise
Ideas include: Zoo/Zoo Park, Sea World/Lego Land, beach, time at Old Town

Embarkation Day Mon Apr 7
:oncoming_automobile: Van the Van to reserved parking TBD
:minibus:/:children_crossing: Shuttle or cross street to port dependent on where Van is parked
USS Midway Museum morning before boarding?

Debarkation Day Fri Apr 11
:minibus:/:children_crossing: Shuttle or cross street back to Van
:oncoming_automobile: Drive from SD to ?? LA or SD activity TBD
Ideas in SD area include: Legoland, Sea World, Zoo or Zoo Park
Also option to do something en route towards LA for last day Long Beach, Newport Beach, DLR (1 partial day only)
:oncoming_automobile: Drive to hotel in LA area/settle in

Sat Apr 12
:oncoming_automobile: Universal Hollywood OR LA sites TBD & back to LA hotel after
Funko Store, Hollywood/Ghiradelli Studio Store, LA Children’s Museum, Tar Pits

Sun Apr 13
Pack hotel/check-out
:oncoming_automobile: LA sites in morning/lunch in LA w/ friends
:oncoming_automobile: Sometime between 12-2pm begin drive home to arrive by 12-2am

June
:o: Book flights to/from MCO arrive 6/6 or 6/7, depart 6/15-19 TBD
:o: Book 1 night hotel pre-cruise if arriving 6/6
:o: Book post-cruise hotel for 1-5 night 6/14-6/15-19 TBD based on flights/park plans
:o: Book transportation to port or rental car pick-up MCO to drive to port
:o: Book transportation from port or rental car pick-up Port Canaveral
:o: Buy 1-5 day WDW or UOR tickets

Sat 6/14-Thur 6/19
TBD plans for post-cruise park time WDW or UOR

November
:o: Book flights to FLL? from MCO?? or to/from MCO arrive 11/19 or 11/20, depart 11/27
:o: Book 1 night hotel pre-cruise if arriving 11/19
:o: Book post-cruise hotel for 3 nights 11/24-11/27
:o: Book transportation to port (or Uber? since port is close to airport)
:o: Book transportation from port (Brightline to MCO or Uber to FLL for rental car pick-up)
:o: Book rental car pick-up from MCO/FLL for post cruise 11/24-11/27
:o: Buy 3-4 day UOR or WDW park tickets

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Wow! I’m so jealous of all your amazing cruise plans. Should be a fantastic year! :passenger_ship:

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Thanks! It’s definitely a carpe diem year on sailing and so far things have lined up for us to pull it all off (but DH says that for 2026 we’ll slow it down to one spring or fall sailing out of San Diego and only do more if the extended family finally decides if they want to do another joint sailing, unless he or I go after and get a promotion at work).

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Wow, that’s an epic year of cruising ahead! Those state rooms on the Fantasy are unreal.

I can’t wait to live vicariously through these trip reports!

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Nassau Self Guided Walking Tour Notes

It’s a long shot that we’ll get off the ship in Nassau, but at some point in my life, I’d like to make it to at least th public library and small museum exhibit it has in Nassau. I think my family would love seeing the pretty colored tropical buildings and my youngest loves Pirate Night on the cruise so the Pirate Museum would be a cherry on top for her. So just in case I convince the family to get out for a little exercise in Nassau…notes to myself for the walk. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Parliament Square

One block from Woodes Rodgers Walk (where the exit of the port is located) along Parliament Street to Bay Street.

Flamingo pink assembly buildings, Queen Victoria statue.

If going to Shirley St./Public library next, walk through Remembrance Gardens on the way.
If going to Queen’s Staircase & Fort > Walk along Bay St. to Elizabeth Ave.

Public Library

Octagonal building, formerly prison, refurbished to a library w/ children’s area & main floor exhibit of some Bahamian history.

If coming from Parliament Sq: Library is after Remembrance gardens(along Parliament St) on Shirley St.

If coming from Queen’s staircase/Ft. Fincastle: down the Queen’s Staircase and back along Elizabeth Avenue before turning left onto Shirley Street. Stop by Remembrance Gardens behind (along Parliament St.).

After library, can return back Parliament St to Bay St. and go left to Pirate Museum OR continue left on Shirley St to Heritage Village OR right to Elizabeth Ave to Queen’s Staircase & Fort.

Queen’s Staircase

From Parliament Square walk along Bay Street and turn right onto Elizabeth Avenue.
Keep walking all the way along this road past the Bahamas Historical Society on the right (at corner of Eliz. Ave & Shirley St).

If uncomfortable proceeding, turn right onto Shirley St to get back to Public Library.
If proceeding, Princess Margaret Hospital will be on the left.

Once past the hospital the Queen’s Staircase can be found behind the barrier which is located across the end of the road. No cost to walk around.

Fort Fincastle

At the top of the Queen’s Staircase, make a right turn and walk past the Water Tower and the market to Fort. Free to walk grounds. $3+tax/adult, $2+tax/child to go inside fort.

Go back down Queen’s staircase and walk along Elizabeth Ave for all other destinations.

Greycliff Heritage Village w/ Gov. House on the way

Umbrella’s over street w/ museum, shops, winery, chocolatier, restaurants, mural artwork surrounding.

From Elizabeth Ave: turn left at Bahamas Historical Society onto Shirley St.
From public library or before step: continue to on Shirley St > curves into Duke Street, Gov’s House at the end, turn left to West Hill St. Heritage Village.

Go back to Duke’s St for next destinations.

Pirate Museum

History of piracy in the Bahamas. Across the street from Christ Church Cathedral on Bay St. $14/adult, $7/child.

From Greycliff Heritage: Go back to Duke St., take a left onto George St. Pirate Museum on left almost to Bay St.
From Library: Go back to Bay St. and go left, follow to George St., across from Cathedral.

Free Walking Tour of Nassau
Source for all above information + includes directions to walk to National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, John Watling’s Distillery, Junkanoo Beach, Fish Fry at Arawak Cay, Ardastra Gardens and Wildlife Conservation Centre, Pompey Square/Pompey Museum of Emancipation and Slavery, Straw Market.

Marked up Map w/ possible routes described above

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Your cruise plans are breathtaking for so many reasons! Can’t wait to hear how these all turn out. I’ll be two months behind you to sail the Treasure, so I’ll be particularly interested in that one.

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What a year! We are getting SO EXCITED for the February sailing. Do you like to do sit down lunch or buffet lunch on embarkation day? We’ll probably stick to Cabana’s/deck food to save time for other things but it sounds so dignified.

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Short answer, buffet.

The long answer is that the very first UG Guide I bought, from 2019, included a testimonial from @len about the experience of rounding the corner to glorious amounts of crab legs heaped high for the taking. When I read that I knew my DH would be in ultimate vacation heaven and always want to cruise if that were actually the case.

We had planned to first sail 2020-21 and obviously that was bumped back, but one of the reasons we waited all the way until 2023 was for a chance for the crab legs and buffet to make a full return. And so in March 2023 when we finally did our first cruise, on our first Cabana’s lunch within 30 min. of being on board, sitting down to his first plate heaped high after witnessing the mountain of crab available to him, DH asked “So when can we book the next one?”

Mission: accomplished. :white_check_mark:

And now here we are with the line-up we have. :laughing:

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So my spreadsheet where I track my to do’s for all these bookings is telling me that I really should be getting on booking a hotel for after the cruise.

But I am very much stuck on making a final decision.

I’ve spent a lot of time, playing with Priceline Express Deals immensely helped along by JJT’s amazing Priceline Hidden Deal Resort Finder.

I’m still torn though because I have commitment issues with a nonrefundable prepaid rates (even with Travel Insurance) but I like the freedom to change my mind more than I like having a reservation that is locked but may want to cancel for a better option.

Up until last week the 2 top options I was considering were both about the same price ($412-$423) but then Option B (which was the cheaper of the 2) went up by over $100 and Option A went down by $60, so now there is a lot more spread in their prices, but they are still both front-runners.

Option A: Holiday Inn & Suites Orlando I-Drive - Theme Parks. All-in cost (includes taxes, resort fees, parking): $350

  • Location ticks off a lot of boxes for us being in close proximity to food open later (something we really struggled with a couple of post-cruise stays in Orlando last year), really close to shopping like the Vineland outlets (where the Character Warehouse is) & also a Publix and Walgreens very close by and still a not long drive to WDW/Disney springs.
  • Price is great and about as good as I am finding that’s an acceptable room without delving into cheap cheap motels. This price is actually the cancellable 5 days before price, we could save another $20 if we chose a nonrefundable prepaid rate.
  • Room is 2 queens and a sofa sleeper couch in a separate room so has ample sleeping surfaces and good space for the whole family.

Option B: Priceline Express Deal Hidden Hotel in the Disney Springs area (but thanks to the link above can confidently say it’s Renaissance formerly Resort B). All-in cost (includes taxes, resort fees & parking): $523

  • Location is also great being a Disney Springs Hotel
  • We would get early entry onsite which is awesome, but our use of it would be one day at Epcot with the ability to maybe get a low wait on FEA (which is not a top priority for us) so paying $175 premium that alone seems silly and might as well just use that $175 towards LL if we really want to skip lines (and get on Remy which is much higher on our list of wants).
  • Room is 2 queens and a twin size armchair sleeper that based on pictures looks like a hospital overflow hallway cot (read uncomfortable AF and tiny) so with this particular sleeper is feeling like a squish too far.

Option B was a lot more attractive when it was about the same price as Option A, but being close to Disney Springs will have perks too. And it being a 4 star (vs. the 3 star Holiday Inn) counts for something, even if their 3rd sleeping surface sleeper is, as the kids say, sus. But I don’t want to commit to a locked in reservation that I could only cancel for a travel insurance covered reason just yet, so I keep scouring the Priceline Express deals and booking directly through a few other options.

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And now since typing it out, I’ve booked the Holiday Inn.

I decided to book it because the price dropped so drastically since I’ve been checking and with it being cancellable up until 5 days before (which is the day we fly out), I still have all the time up until I am in vacation mode to check for any great Priceline Express deals.

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All the bookings will lock at some time in the next day, so here’s what we ended up with. We are going to be so freaking full Day 2 with both Palo brunch & Remy dessert. :rofl:

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AK Detail Plans

Hoping this isn’t too ambitious. In a perfect world, we’d get through it all, but I think realistically we’ll probably not.

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Trying to finish up a couple more things for work so I can get to finishing up our packing for the flight tonight. I won’t do a live report, but will recap things when I’m back and link that here. :slight_smile:

But instead I keep checking.

image

:arrow_right: The answer at this exact moment is: :arrow_left:


Which has also led me to looking up…

In 24 hours the muster drill will be over and we’ll be heading up for sail away. And hopefully within 20-21 we’ll be onboard. I just have to get through the next 4.5 hrs to physically be on vacation instead of just mentally.

:soon::luggage::airplane::dancer::ship: :mobile_phone_off::ring_buoy::sunglasses::parasol_on_ground:::desert_island::tropical_drink::skull_and_crossbones: :pirate_flag: :sparkler: :crown: :teapot:

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So exciting!! Save travels - have an amazing trip and looking forward to reading about it when you are back!

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I hope you have so much fun! I want to hear all about your Palo brunch and Remy dessert. We loved our brunch on New Year’s Eve. Wishing you fabulous weather! :sun_with_face:

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Have fun on your cruise! I am jealous of all your trips this year. I love cruising!

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Ok I lied, I started a trip report. It will not stay live but I decided I wanted to get it started anyway.

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