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How to Choose a Disney Cruise Stateroom

Disney Wish Stateroom with Verandah

After you’ve chosen your Disney Cruise Itinerary, it’s time to pick a stateroom! And on a Disney Cruise, its totally up to you! While your budget may determine what kind of room you are able to get based on the cruise you’ve chosen, there are options! From smaller rooms on lower decks to expansive options with verandahs, and suites. On any Disney Cruise there are four types of rooms; Inside, Oceanview, Verandah and Concierge. Generally called staterooms or cabins, we’re sharing the details here of each kind of room and what to consider for your Disney Cruise trip.

Comparing Staterooms on a Disney Cruise 

Now that you’ve selected a cruise, it’s time to pick a room! Your budget may determine what kind of room you are able to get on the cruise you’ve chosen. But if you’re not bound to a specific budget, there are several categories to choose from. Inside, Oceanview, Verandah and Concierge are all types of rooms to consider. The rooms on a Disney Cruise are generally called staterooms or cabins. 

Inside Stateroom on a Disney Cruise Ship

Inside Staterooms

Inside rooms tend to be a little smaller. And on some ships, they have what’s called a magical porthole. This is essentially a digital “window” that looks out into the “ocean” Sometimes you can spot characters through the magical porthole, so this can be a fun one for kids. 

Oceanview Stateroom

Oceanview Staterooms

Oceanview Rooms typically come in two sizes, and can come with either one or two portholes. Usually, the staterooms on the lowest levels, generally deck 1, will have two small portholes. And rooms higher up have one large porthole. We definitely recommend the large porthole if your budget allows, as the smaller portholes are not as scenic. The larger portholes are also nice because they’re big enough that you can sit in them too! Here’s an example of a Disney Cruise Oceanview Stateroom: Disney Wonder Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom 2510.

Verandah on a Disney Cruise

Verandah Staterooms

Verandah rooms come in several different styles. A Navigator’s Verandah is a closed-in balcony, with a large open porthole. These have benefits as well as drawbacks. They’re usually the cheapest verandah staterooms and can be nice if you’re traveling somewhere rainy or cold. But they also have an obstructed view since you can only see out of the porthole. 

A white wall verandah has a white “wall” along the bottom of the balcony up to the railing. You usually need to stand to see the full horizon in these types of rooms, but they are slightly cheaper than full verandahs.  A full verandah has a clear “wall” from the floor to the railing so you can fully see out even when inside your stateroom. Here’s an example of a Disney Verandah Stateroom: Disney Wish Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah 6162.

Concierge Staterooms

Concierge rooms are full verandahs that also come with concierge planning services. This is the ultimate luxury experience for Disney Cruisers and is also the most expensive. If it’s not clear on the room description, feel free to Google the exact stateroom, as there are many websites that have catalogs of stateroom photos. 

How to Choose a Deck on a Disney Cruise 

After you’ve decided what kind of room you’d like to stay in during your Disney Cruise, next you’ll need to decide which deck. Again, this is something that could be determined by your budget. But if not, then you get to pick! There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a deck. Will you be spending a lot of your time by the pool on the upper deck? Then you may want to be closer to the top.  Are you planning to do mostly indoor activities, like kids’ clubs, trivias or activities like towel folding? Then likely the middle decks (2-6) are a good fit for you. 

Another thing to keep in mind when choosing a deck is looking at what will be below and above you. If you are an early to bed type, you’ll likely want to steer clear of anything directly above or below the lounges onboard. And if you’re sensitive to the little voices of children, you may not want to avoid being directly above or below the kids’ clubs as some children are dropped off quite early. If you’re a light sleeper, you might want to avoid being on deck 2 or lower at the aft, because on port days, the engine can be quite noisy when docking. There are other things to consider, but these are some the most prominent things that could disrupt your vacation, so keep them in mind! 

Comparing Aft, Mid and Forward on a Disney Cruise

Another determining factor for choosing a stateroom is where exactly on the boat you want to be. You’ll feel the most movement on the Forward of the ship. If you’re prone to seasickness, you may want to avoid the front of the ship. And again, if you want to be close to something specific, like the elevators, you’ll want to take a look at the deck plans before selecting your room. Most of the ships, with the Disney Wish excluded, have elevators at the aft, forward and right at midship. So, if this is something you need or want, check the deck plans first. 

For reference, aft refers to the back of the ship (think afterward), midship is the middle and forward is the front of the ship. Easy, right?!

Comparing Port Side and Starboard Side 

Just more fancy ship lingo, Port side refers to the left side of the ship when facing toward the front and Starboard refers to the right side. Neither one is technically better than the other. And this is especially true if you’re on an inside room. But if you’ve spent the extra money on a Verandah or even an Oceanview, you may prefer one over the other. Every itinerary will be different, but most of the time, Port side faces the port at which you’re docked. Which means it’s usually the less pretty side of the ship. This is another instance where google can be your best friend! So many people have so many opinions that they love sharing online, that you’re sure to find reviews of which side of the ship is better for specific itineraries. 

How to choose a Disney Cruise Stateroom if you get Seasick

How do you know if you’ll be one of the unlucky ones to get seasick? Well, unfortunately, you usually don’t. It’s why we always recommend packing something for seasickness just in case.  But if you tend to get motion sickness, then it’s very possible you’ll get a similar reaction at sea. Some people adjust to it and get their sea legs over time; but if you’re concerned about seasickness, there are a few choices you can make regarding your room selection that can help. 

Generally, the middle of the ship will feel the least amount of movement. But it’s also the most expensive area to stay on a Disney Cruise. The aft is also a good choice for those prone to motion sickness but try to stay away from the very back of the ship. Also choose something on the lower deck. It really depends on the ship and the itinerary but generally anywhere deck 5 and lower should be pretty safe. The lower, the better. It’s also a good idea to book something with a window, like an Oceanview Stateroom or a Verandah. It may sound like strange suggestion, but trust me, your brain will appreciate the visual feedback from the window, which should help make you less motion sick. 

Hopefully this post has helped you decide how to choose a Disney Cruise stateroom! It can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve never sailed with Disney Cruise Line before, but it’s well worth digging in so you can choose the best option for the best cruise ever! 

How to choose a Disney Cruise Room Cabin DCL Stateroom guide
Melanie Renee
Melanie Renee

Melanie Renee is a photographer, writer, designer and mom. Visiting Disney destinations since 2010, she is also an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. When she’s not creating her next coffee recipe, or designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she’s seeking beautiful sunsets and planning her next trip

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