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Best Times of the Year To Cruise with Disney

Castaway Cay
Credit: Disney

A Disney Cruise is an absolutely incredible vacation that you and your family will never forget. There is nothing like spending time on one of these amazing ships, and the limitless list of things to do onboard is astounding. This is true at all times of the year. Therefore, we recommend hopping on board a Disney ship absolutely anytime you get a chance.

That said, there are certain times of the year that are extraspecial for cruising. Therefore, depending on what you’re looking for—and if you have a say in when you take your vacation time—you might want to shoot for one season over another.

Below are our absolute favorite times of year to cruise with Disney, based on what fits your needs. Each time frame listed is wonderful for completely different reasons, but each and every one is well worth experiencing.

1. For Lower Fares

Let’s say you’re looking to save money. If this is the case, you ought to know right out of the gate that your Disney cruise is never going to be considered cheap.That said, there are ways to save a few bucks.

The very best way to do this is to cruise during the slower season. When ships aren’t filling, the rates go down, and this is good news for all you thrifty travelers out there.

To find these lower fares, you’ll want to plan your cruise during one of two months: January or September. Why is this? Because this is when the kids go back to school after their breaks. Most parents aren’t looking to pull their kids from classes right after they return, and this means fewer people are booking vacations during this time, and thus lower fares for you and me.

2. For Ideal Beach Days

Perhaps you’re less worried about saving a few bucks and more concerned about the weather. This is understandable. After all, everybody wants some perfect beach days during their cruise vacation, and a day with beautiful weather spent at Castaway Cay is to die for.

So how do you go about ensuring your cruise includes some ideal beach days? If you’ll be cruising the Caribbean, try to book in April or May. This is the beginning of the warm season, meaning you’ll definitely be treated to toasty temps, but it’s still early enough in the year that you won’t run into rainy months and the dreaded hurricane season.

Just be aware that April tends to bring a lot of spring break crowds, and late May might be quite crowded as well with kids getting out of school.

3. For Star WarsFans

Have a Star Warsfanatic in your travel group? If so, the incredible “Star Wars Day at Sea” is the perfect experience for them. This special celebration is found exclusively on the Disney Fantasyand includes character meet-and-greets, a special performance, fireworks, and more.

Of course, you can’t just hop on the ship anytime and expect to get this extra special experience. In fact, “Star Wars Day at Sea” is actually only found on a few select sailings. These happen from January through March, making these months the very best time to cruise with Disney if you happen to be a Star Warsfan.

4. For Marvel Fans

For those who prefer the superhero world of Marvel over the Star Warsuniverse, there is a completely different option. “Marvel Day at Sea” is what Avengers fans out there adore, and once you experience this celebration you’ll understand why.

Like “Star Wars Day at Sea”, this event include special character meet-and-greets, a performance, fireworks, and more.

Marvel Day at Sea can only be found on the Disney Magicon select sailings between January and March (for the time being). For this reason, we highly recommend Marvel fanatics book their cruise in the early part of the year.

Marvel Day at Sea

Photo Credit: Disney

5. For Spooky Fun

Halloween is an amazing holiday that doesn’t always get the hype it deserves. After all, who doesn’t like dressing up in fun costumes and collecting a bag full of candy? On top of all that, Halloween decorations are tons of fun!

Disney Cruise Line realizes all of this. That is why their ships come alive during the weeks leading up to Halloween. If you take one of the “Halloween on the High Seas” cruises between September and October, you can expect to find amazing decor, special entertainment, special meet-and-greets, and more. Obviously, this makes early fall the ideal cruise time for those who adore the Halloween holiday.

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6. For Festivities

Last but not least, we must cover the very best time to cruise if you adore holiday festivities. As you might have guessed, Christmas is the biggest holiday celebration aboard Disney’s fleet of ships, and it is truly spectacular to see.

With events such as storytime with Santa and special performances to exclusive meet-and-greets and more, the “Very Merrytime” cruises are an absolute blast and a must-see for those who love the whole winter holiday season.

These cruises take place in November and December. Just look for “Very Merrytime” in the name of the cruise, and you’ll know you’re about to book some serious wintertime magic.
 

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About Chelsea

Chelsea is a lifelong Disney fanatic who lives and travels full time in an RV with her son and husband. Their family takes full advantage of their unique living situation by visiting Disney parks on both sides of the country as often as possible. In doing so, the Gonzales family gathers loads of great tips and info about the parks, which Chelsea is thrilled to share with readers here. Visit Chelsea's blog: https://wonderwhereverwewander.wordpress.com Wonder Wherever We Wander! Here you’ll find a wealth of valuable information as well as a variety of reviews and resources to help you navigate the often uncharted territory of roadschooling.

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