10 Things Not Included in Your Disney Cruise Line Price

While Disney cruise fares include the vast majority of expenses onboard, they don’t cover everything. Here are 10 things they do not cover.

1.Gratuities – Gratuities are the only thing on this list that are not optional. Not really, anyway. Gratuities are the norm in the cruise industry and are expected to supplement the minimal wages these crew members are paid. If you do not prepay them, Disney will auto-charge them to your onboard account. There are four tipped positions onboard (six if you are staying in a Concierge-level stateroom): your stateroom host/hostess, your dining room server, your assistant server, and your head server, totaling $16.00 per passenger (split unevenly between them) per night. If you are staying Concierge, you will also tip your assistant stateroom host and the Concierge hosts, totaling $27.25 per passenger per night. If you had a really bad experience, you could go have them removed or reduced, but in most cases, you’re going to want to add more, not take any away.

2. Excursions – If you book any excursions in ports, they are not included in the cruise fare. You can spend very little to a whole lot on excursions. If they are completely out of your budget, you may choose to stay onboard and enjoy the ship, or get off and explore on your own.

3. Alcohol – While there are a few instances onboard in which you may be offered a complimentary glass of champagne (maiden voyages, DVC events, formal night, New Year’s Eve), alcohol is not typically included in your cruise fare. If you want to imbibe but don’t want to spend anything on it, each adult passenger can bring up to two bottles of wine or champagne, or six bottles of beer, in each port.

4. Upcharge Dining – There are one or two adult-exclusive upcharge dining restaurants on each ship. The Magic, Wonder, Dream, and Fantasy all have the Italian restaurant Palo, while the Wish, Treasure, and Destiny all have the very similar Palo Steakhouse. The Dream and Fantasy also have Remy, and the Wish, Treasure, and Destiny have Enchante, all of which serve French cuisine. You can have wonderful meals without paying extra for the upcharge dining, but the food in the upcharge restaurants is delicious and the experience is excellent, so we think they’re worth it from time to time.

5. Souvenirs – There are a few shops onboard full of Disney-branded merchandise, jewelry, watches, toys, and sundries to purchase. Not surprisingly, these all cost extra.

6. Professional Photos – Some of my favorite cruise souvenirs through the years are family photos taken onboard the ship, but they are not included. You can certainly take your own photos if you prefer!

7. Packaged Snacks from Room Service – The majority of room service is completely free. There are, however, a few packaged snacks and drinks that are clearly labeled with prices. Whether you choose to purchase packaged snacks or stick to the free stuff, be prepared to tip the crew member who brings it to you.

8. Movie Snacks and Sweet Shops – There are a few other places you will pay for food if you choose to, and one tempting offering is located just outside the theaters onboard. They pop fresh popcorn before shows and movies to sell along with packaged snacks and drinks. Just try to walk by that fresh popcorn smell without being tempted! Impossible. The sweet shops on all the ships except the Magic and Wonder also sell appealing ice cream and baked treats. Stay out of them if you want to say no!

9. Spa Treatments – Every ship has a spa onboard with treatments to book. Spa visits are a highlight for some cruisers, but they are completely optional and easy to avoid if you prefer.

10. Wi-Fi – Internet onboard has gotten much more reliable, and also much more expensive. You do not need to purchase it to use the ship app onboard, to message other passengers through the chat feature, or to send iMessages and use other messaging apps like WhatsApp. If you can disconnect, more power to you! If not, be prepared to pay.

Did I forget anything? Let me know in the comments!