10 of the Best Desserts on a Disney Cruise

Mmmm. Dessert. I have dessert on the brain!  his summer I am headed on the 12 night (!) British Isles cruise and I am already excited about the food! Is that wrong? I think not. Dessert is a highlight of course, so let’s talk about dessert on a Disney cruise! There are wayyyyy too many options to list, so I’ll highlight some of my (plus some friends’) favorites.

1. Chocolate Soufflé from Palo – Hands down, my favorite dessert onboard. Maybe on the planet Earth. The soufflé is served hot out of the oven with decadent chocolate and vanilla sauces, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. My advice (because it’s also the advice most Palo servers wisely offer) is to break open the top, fill it with chocolate AND vanilla, and then add the ice cream. It’s simply amazing. Everyone must try this dessert at some point. It’s a good thing I’ve never sailed in the Roy Disney Suite where guests can order it every night in their room. I would gain 30 lbs! Pretty sure I gain a pound just by looking at it. Totally worth it, by the way. And if you are gluten free, I have some wonderful news for you. The chocolate soufflé can be made gluten free. I said it. Gluten free. A friend with celiac I was travelling with may have broken down in tears when our server told her that. I didn’t judge.

2. Mickey Premium Bar – No Disney dessert list is complete without a Mickey bar. Mickey bars are my go-to dessert onboard. And go-to snack. And lunch. Okay, I like them a lot. Mickey bars are plentiful onboard and free! Or included in your cruise fare, depending on how you like to look at it. To me, they’re free! To my husband they are included, but eating them is like getting more value for your cruise dollar. Mickey bars are available in all the main dining rooms at lunch and dinner (probably breakfast if you don’t mind the mocking that would ensue from your family when you asked! No? Just my family? Fair enough), and room service at any time. So get your fill of them and then some!

3. Peach Almond Soufflé at Palo Brunch – I’ll be honest, this one is here based solely on the ravings of my travel companions a few weeks ago, as well as past reviews from travelers. I’m not big on peaches or almonds, so I didn’t try it, but they could not stop talking about it. They insisted it was better than the chocolate soufflé!!! Whaaaa? Now we should all question their judgment, but anywhoooo… One of them describes it like this – “The best part was the crusty top that was filled with almond paste. The peach was not overwhelming. The liquid it was sitting in tasted like the white cream you pour over the chocolate soufflé, but with slivered almonds in it. BEST dessert of all!” So there you have it!

4. Grand Marnier Soufflé – I fully recognize I’ve got a lot of soufflé happening here so far on this list. The Grand Marnier Soufflé is served in Lumiere’s and Triton’s on the classic ships, and Royal Court and Royal Palace on the new ships on its regular rotation menu. The Grand Mariner doesn’t quite measure up to the chocolate soufflé in Palo, but it’s no slouch. It’s yummy! I had heard from several people that this was their favorite before I finally decided to try it, and I was not disappointed! It’s a vanilla soufflé with an orange flavor, which didn’t excite me but I ended up quite liking, and a vanilla sauce.

5. Vacherin from Remy – It doesn’t seem right to have a list of the top 10 desserts onboard, without a dessert from the actual dessert EXPERIENCE onboard. Well luckily, Julia was here to help! She recently posted her review of the Pompidou Dessert Experience at Remy. Number 2 on her list cannot be ignored. Vacherin! I have no idea how to pronounce that, but it’s a French dessert, which as Julia says, is “basically cream and fruit with meringue”. Julia said it may be the best dessert she’s ever had, beating everything at Victoria and Albert’s, the Chocolate Soufflé at Palo (again – whaa?) and the Grand Mariner Souffle.  Sounds pretty convincing! Don’t you want to try it now?

6. Vanellope’s Ice Cream and Gelato on the Disney Dream – There are also wayyy too many delicious things at Vanellope’s Sweets and Treats on the Dream to list. Frankly, it probably needs its own list because there are so many excellent choices, and because you actually have to pay for these desserts at the time of purchase (unlike all the other desserts on this list which are either included in your standard cruise fare or are included as part of your optional paid dining experience at Palo or Remy). While the freshly baked treats are beautiful and delicious, I’ll stick to the ice cream and gelato. We indulged in a Vanellope’s Go Kart Sundae with three scoops of ice cream, five toppings, whip cream, and cherries served in a souvenir go-kart. The ice cream and gelato are made onboard and the flavors change throughout the cruise. You’ll likely see flavors like salted caramel, cheesecake chunk, red velvet, key lime pie, Pina colada, and standard favorites like chocolate. There are so many great choices! There’s also free samples if you aren’t sure which one to get!

7. Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies in the Vista Café – If you are looking for a little sweet snack during the day, I’d recommend dropping by the Vista Café on the Dream and Fantasy, and Cove Café on all four ships. There is always something there! And while the specialty drinks served inside are an additional charge, the snacks and desserts are gratis! We highly recommend the chocolate peanut butter brownies. They’re worth a stop!

8. Sundaes and Ice Cream Balls – So my family likes ice cream. A lot. We like to start our cruise with lunch in Enchanted Garden topped off by one (okay a few) of the ice cream balls in the freezer.  There’s no better way to kick off your cruise! Disney apparently knows how many people like ice cream, because you will always see a sundae of some type on the dinner menus in the main dining room. I believe my Dad had a different one every night of their 14-night Panama Canal cruise. He won!

9. Soft Serve – Ice cream again, I know! The soft serve onboard (and on Castaway Cay) just has to be included! It’s smooth and yummy! You’ll always find chocolate and vanilla, usually strawberry, and sometimes something even more exciting like pineapple! And the soft serve? It’s open almost all day and you can get as much as you want (free/included!). There are cones or you can grab a cup to get even more! Fill the cup with coke from the drink station for your own float if that’s more your style! There’s no wrong way to get it!  Well, maybe not directly into your mouth, but otherwise, just get it!

10. Big Island Cookies – Big Island Cookies can be ordered from room service and they are served on Castaway Cay. And I love them! They are large, soft, chocolate chip cookies. Seriously so good. I love them. Chocolate chip cookies and milk before bed?  Yes please!  And there’s only one thing that makes these cookies better – soft serve ice cream.  Step one – get yourself two Big Island Cookies. Step 2 – make your way to the self-serve ice cream and make yourself one of the best ice cream sandwiches you have ever had. You’re welcome.

*Bonus that only works if you are stopping in Key West – if your cruise stops in Key West, you must pay close attention. Under no circumstances should you leave that island without having a piece of frozen, chocolate-covered Key Lime Pie on a stick. Yep. You read that right. It’s a must!  And the good news is, it’s sold all over. It’s hard to walk down Duval Street without seeing them for sale.

So what do you think? Are you hungry now? Did I leave off your favorite? Don’t keep it to yourself, we need to know!

Tammy Whiting is the owner of Storybook Destinations. Did you know Storybook Destinations offers a complimentary subscription to TouringPlans with qualified Disney and Universal bookings? Click here for a no-obligation quote on your next vacation.