Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy: What is a Land and Sea Vacation?

A Land and Sea vacation is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a vacation that is part cruise, and part stay at a land-based destination. These vacations, also called cruisetours, exist throughout the travel industry. Disney is unusual because they are able to offer a “Disney vacation” for both the Land and Sea components of the trip.

Most Disney Land and Sea Vacations will include a visit to the Walt Disney World Resort. That’s because Disney Cruise Line regularly sails ships from two Florida ports. Port Canaveral and Ft. Lauderdale are both used to homeport Disney ships. And they are easily accessible from Orlando, where Disney World is.

However, it’s also possible to do a Disney Land and Sea Vacation from the West Coast. It’s common to find some Baja and Mexican Riviera itineraries on the lineup each year. These often depart from San Diego. That makes these cruises a good choice for a Land and Sea Vacation that includes a stay at Disneyland.

Since there are so many Disney Cruises from Florida, you can do a Disney World Land and Sea trip almost any time. For Disneyland, you’ll be far more limited in your choice of dates. But most visitors find it easier to “get everything done” in just a few days at Disneyland. So it may be a better choice if you’re looking for a shorter overall vacation.

Disney does offer Land and Sea packages, but it’s often better to book the cruise and parks portions separately. It’s worthwhile to consider using a Disney-specialist travel agent to book these trips, as they can help determine your best options.

There are a few questions you’ll want to answer when planning a Disney Land & Sea vacation. Cruise first or parks first? How long should each part be? For more thoughts on these topics, see Planning a Disney Land and Sea Vacation.

Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy is for first-time Disney cruisers looking to learn about the DCL experience. Got a question about a term that’s unfamiliar to you? Suggest it in the comments below. And if you’ve done a Land and Sea Vacation Package, leave your best tips!