Very Merrytime Disney Christmas Cruise Review
Are you looking for reviews from a Disney Very Merrytime Christmas sailing? My family and I sailed during the month of December on the Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Magic.
Since this itinerary was themed as one of the Very Merrytime cruises, we were able to experience extra special Christmas decorations and activities while onboard. Sailing on one of these Merrytime voyages is a great way to experience the magic of the holidays.
With festive holiday decor, themed food, Christmas activities, holiday merchandise, and more, the Disney Christmas cruises in November and December are a great time of year to set sail.
In this post, I’ll walk you through all the fun entertainment options that go along with Disney Cruise Line’s Christmas cruises so that you can enjoy a magical holiday too. We’ll discuss the Christmas decor, shows, and activities you’ll find while cruising with Disney on a Very Merrytime Christmas cruise during the holiday season!
Disney Christmas Cruise Information
Before you book a Disney Christmas cruise, you may be wondering what happens on the Very Merrytime cruises. Disney Cruise Line goes all out in their holiday decorations and entertainment.
They even turn their private island in the Bahamas into a winter wonderland! While on a Disney Christmas cruise, some of the themed activities you could find include:
Disney Characters in Holiday Attire
Guests on a holiday themed Disney cruise are able to enjoy their favorite Disney characters dressed up in their holiday best. You’ll have lots of opportunities to pose for photos with Mickey Mouse and the gang in their festive Christmas outfits no matter which of the Disney ships you choose to sail.
Holiday Fireworks
Disney Cruise Line provides so many magical moments at sea, but one of my family’s favorite things is the fireworks show. During the Christmas cruise sailings, DCL features a festive fireworks display complete with Christmas music that’s sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
Christmas Stories with Mrs. Claus
Story Time with Mrs. Claus is a super cute event that occurs on select days of the Disney Christmas cruise. Kids love sitting in the beautifully decorated atrium near the ship’s Christmas tree to listen to Mrs. Claus read a Christmas story.
Christmas Crafts
If you check out your personal navigator or Disney Cruise Line app while on the ship, you should see lots of options for holiday crafting like creating gingerbread houses. And don’t forget to check out the life-sized gingerbread house in the atrium!
Christmas on Disney Castaway Cay
Disney Cruise Line doesn’t just go all-out on the Christmas decoration on the ship, they decorate their private island too! As you disembark in Castaway Cay, you’ll notice a giant Christmas tree, snow flurries, wreaths, and snowmen.
Mickey’s Tree Lighting Magic Ceremony
During the first night of our cruise, guests were welcomed into the lobby atrium for the official tree-lighting ceremony. Mickey and friends dance and sing to popular holiday songs as the giant tree is lit.
Santa’s Winter Wonderland Ball
Santa’s Winter Wonderland Ball typically occurs later in the evening on holiday cruises. Cruisers will get to experience Mickey and friends introducing their special guests. Santa Clause and Mrs. Claus, to the ship.
Santa Meet and Greet
Another special holiday extra is a special visit from Santa Claus himself! You’ll want to get in line early for this character meet and greet as the lines get long quickly. It’s all worth it once you meet Santa though.
Caribbean Weather in Winter
You may be wondering what the weather in the Caribbean is like during the Disney Christmas cruises. The truth is that the temperature can fluctuate each day, but we’ve always lucked out with warm weather.
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Although the temps are obviously cooler during the months of November and December, you can still often swim and sunbathe without feeling cold. In fact, I strolled my toddler around the Disney Magic jogging track at around 5:30 each morning of our last December cruise.
The temperature was perfect (around 70 degrees) outside during these walks even though the sun hadn’t even come up yet. Additionally, our stops at Castaway Cay and Grand Cayman both produced sunny skies with temps in the mid 80’s and really warm ocean water.
Is a Disney Christmas Cruise Worth It?
We always have an amazing time on a Disney Cruise Line vacation. The Very Merrytime Christmas activities made the trip even more special. The Disney Magic cruise ship looked so magical lit up with holiday decor.
And the Christmas decorations at Castaway Cay were icing on the cake! No matter which ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet you are sailing, the whole family will have a blast experiencing the Christmas season with a hint of tropical flair.
Since we lucked out with balmy temperatures and beautiful weather in December, we totally think a Disney Very Merrytime Christmas cruise is worth it!
Hi ! Thank you for this blog on the holiday cruise. What was the weather like? We’re wondering if the 70 degrees is warm to swim in the outdoor pools and at Castaway Cay. What are your thoughts?
Hi Rosalie,
I think it depends on the weather (sunny vs cloudy) and on what you’re used to. Our family members from Canada find the temperatures really hot in December. I am from Tennessee, so the 70’s feel much cooler to me. That being said, we have been on several mid-December cruises and have always lucked out with the weather. When the sun is out, the 70’s can still feel pretty hot- even for southerners. We have always been able to enjoy the beaches and water at Castaway Cay when the sun is out. One year, we had overcast skies in the afternoon at Castaway, so it cooled off. My kids were fine, but I didn’t get back in the water. I find the pools on the ship pretty cold, but we tend to use them in the mornings before they get too crowded. I’m sure they warm up as the day goes on, and my kids never seem to mind the temperatures. Hope that helps! 🙂