6 Reasons Why Disney Cruises Are Great Ideas for Adult-Only Trips
Disney recently celebrated their 100th anniversary as an entertainment company. The vast majority of that history has been centered around family entertainment. So it sounds odd to write about any part of the organization being ideal for adult oriented fun and entertainment like Disney Cruise Lines.
But it’s true – Disney Cruise Lines is a great option for adults wishing to embark on a cruise. And also true that there are plenty of things onboard for children and families to enjoy, Disney Cruise Lines is still highly recommended for adults who don’t want to hang out with kids. A Disney Cruise for adults may not seem like a good choice, but we’re here to tell you have fabulous it is! That’s been our experience for sure, having been on over a dozen different itineraries and multiple Disney ships.
Highlights of a Disney Cruise for Adults
When Disney ventured into the cruising business, cruise ships were very adult centered and specifically focused on singles. Remember the TV show The Love Boat? Disney was an innovator in cruising, creating family experiences. But that is not to say that they turned their backs on adult customers. With that in mind, here are our six top reasons why Disney Cruises are perfect for adults.
Quiet Cove Adults Only Space
At the top of our list is the adult only area, known onboard as Quiet Cove. Quiet Cove amenities vary by ship, but all feature a spacious pool for guests 18 years of age and older. The age limit is for the entire Quiet Cove area and is gently enforced should someone try to bend the rules. The pools are usually pretty laid back, with no splashing and screaming kids.
Quiet Cove offers plenty of lounge chairs for soaking up the sun along with tables and chairs to enjoy a snack or perhaps play a game. Our favorite chairs in Quiet Cove are to the side and look out to the ocean. These padded chairs are perfect to relax in while you read your favorite book or enjoy a drink of the day.
Speaking of drinking, Quiet Cove has a couple options to quench your thirst. For that drink of the day or any other alcoholic drink you can dream up, there is Signals Bar. During peak times during the day, they have waiters that will come visit you and take your order, or you can move on up to the bar and grab a seat and enjoy your drink.
If you’re missing your Starbucks hit of caffeine while onboard, you can check out Cove Cafe. They feature various specialty drinks along with your favorite coffee and tea offerings.
Disney Cruise for Foodies
Next up on why Disney Cruises are great for adults, the food. We love good food and the experience of trying new dishes and Disney does not disappoint. Yes, you can find chicken nuggets and hot dogs onboard – and they are delicious. But the dining experiences offer so much more.
When we book reservations, we request our own dining table for evening meals. We’ve been making this request for years and have always had it granted, so we are pretty assured that we won’t be stuck at a table with screaming kids. They might be next door, but not at our table.
The food quality on a Disney Cruise is exceptional. Based on our experience on another cruise line and at some all inclusive resorts we’ve stayed at over the years, Disney’s standard dining options outrank their competitors pretty easily. Chefs on board do vary the menu to match the itinerary, but they also keep a few of their classic dishes on the menu year after year. The mushroom risotto and the pasta truffle pursettes appetizer are just a couple of our favorites. Each cruise ship has some unique twists on the menu and restaurants on board, so you won’t get bored dining on a Disney Cruise ship.
Adult dining opportunities extend beyond the main dining area. Disney Cruises all feature premium dining at adult only restaurants. As Disney has added ships, they have added new restaurant options. Our favorite remains Palo, which offers both brunch and dinner service.
For any of the adult exclusive restaurants, you’ll want to get your reservation in early. Each guest over the age of 18 can go to a bunch and dinner during the cruise.There is a dress code at these restaurants. Recommended is formal or semi-formal, which we don’t do. We go for the dress casual attire with a polished look, which they also permit.
Palo on the older ships features Northern Italian cooking with a twist. They offer some delicious seafood options and steaks for dinner. One of our favorites is their Osso Bucco, which is a must if on the menu. For an appetizer, consider trying one of the pizzas that they make fresh in their wood fire oven. Dessert is where Palo shines. Their chocolate souffle, with white and dark chocolate poured over it is one of the culinary highlights of the entire cruise.
For their brunch, they offer a small menu of wonderful dishes to try. The highlight of the brunch is selecting some melt in your mouth pastries and desserts like chocolate dipped strawberries. Brunch is offered most days during the cruise, and it can be an easier get for reservations than dinner.
For those days when you just don’t feel like dealing with anyone, consider room service as a dining option. This is an especially good idea if you have a veranda and can enjoy excellent food from the comfort of your own balcony. While we’re partial to the eggs benedict served in the restaurants for breakfast, a close second might be dinner on your own balcony delivered. Room service is free on Disney, though a tip is highly recommended for the staff delivering.
Disney Cruise Customer Service
The third reason Disney Cruises are great vacations for adult only parties is the level of service you get from Disney. The level of service from start to finish is best in class for cruise companies considered premier.
Better service on the high seas would require a larger budget for cruisers. Looking back on all the cruises, a situation of bad service does not come to mind. In fact, quite the opposite is the case with cast members on board seeking out opportunities to make things better. It is a part of the Disney culture established early on by Walt Disney himself. When it came to customer interactions, to theme parks, resorts and other business ventures, Walt was always looking for an opportunity to “keep plussing” the experience. This is very evident throughout the ship, which is well maintained, clean and very welcoming to guests.
The best example of the level of service on Disney Cruise Lines is the dining staff. On board, you are assigned a waiter and assistant that will be with you as you rotate through each dining area every night. On day one, they will establish your preferred name, drink and other dining habits. From there on, you are called by the preferred name and drinks are quickly brought as you sit. We’ve experienced amazing acts of service during our trips, from donuts for dessert each night, to unique samplings of foods not on the menu and more.
Disney Cruise Entertainment Options
Reason four for Disney Cruises for adults is the adult only opportunities on and off the ship. Those that have not been on a Disney Cruise before imagine a floating theme park. What they don’t realize is that on board, they provide some fun adult only activities to keep you entertained.
Activities available will vary by itinerary, but we’ve had the opportunity to do several unique experiences. Kitchen tours have given us a behind the scenes view of the ship and the miracle they pull off every day of feeding thousands of hungry passengers. Disney also highlights their culinary talents, including instruction classes on how to make classic Disney dishes. We had classes from on board chefs, as well as guest chefs brought in from famous restaurants on Disney resorts. These were free of charge.
If spending a few dollars is an option, you can partake in a variety of tastings that they have available. Classes will vary, but safe to say that if you have a particular type of drink you like, they have a class for you. Some of our favorites have included bourbon tasting, a mixology class, tequila tasting and a pairings class for wine.
Off the ship, you’ll find adult only opportunities. Many of the official shore excursions offered through Disney have adult only options.
The fifth reason for Disney Cruises for adults only in the entertainment. While they do not offer casinos, they more than make up for it with Broadway caliber shows and entertainment throughout the ship.
The Walt Disney Theatre on board comes to life each night with a special show after dinner (or before dinner if you have the late dining option). The theatre itself is state of the art, gorgeous and there’s not a bad seat in the house.
If the silver screen is more to your liking, Disney ships all have an auditorium style movie theatre. The Buena Vista Theatre runs movies throughout most days, and has delicious popcorn and snacks too.
Because of the vast catalog of Disney movies, you get a chance to see classic movies as well as recently released films on board. Worth noting is that you might get a chance to see a world premier of a movie depending on the release schedule of movies and your cruise. We’ve seen a few big Disney movies on the first day that they were released.
Night clubs and bars are also great reasons to go on Disney Cruise Lines. Relax in a retro piano bar and listen to a crooner belt out Sinatra, or find your way to a classic English pub for a pint and pub night trivia. Those are just a few of the options to consider from the Nightclub part of the ship, which is adults only in the evenings.
Final reason why adults should do a Disney Cruise, the spa. Senses Spa and Salon offers an oasis of relaxation on board. They cater to all five senses with a variety of offerings and packages. Indulge in something special for yourself, or splurge on a couples massage.
Yes, you’ll still have children around you – an adult’s only vacation on a Disney Cruise Ship is not a Sandal’s experience. You don’t have to work all that hard to minimize your time around families, and have a fantastic time on board.
It is not a floating theme park. You might see a Disney character around occasionally, but not frequently unless you’re hanging around the kid’s pool area.
We’re providing you six reasons why Disney Cruises are great ideas for adult only trips, but we could have given you many more. The food, the service and overall quality of a Disney Cruise is hard to beat, and you shouldn’t worry about it feeling like a child-centered vacation experience.
If you’ve been on a Disney Cruise, let us know your favorite parts. We’d love to hear from you.
