Two things every first-time Disney cruiser asks
Disney does a few things differently from every other cruise line. These are the two that come up first, answered from our own sailings.
Do I have to dress up for Pirate Night?
No. Pirate Night on Disney Cruise Line is optional, and it works just as well in a themed t-shirt as in a full costume. Nobody is checking.
- Entirely optional. Go all out, keep it simple, or wear what you were wearing anyway
- A pirate-themed t-shirt is the easy answer and there are good options under $10
- Costumes photograph beautifully and children love them
- Not every itinerary includes a Pirate Night, so check your sailing before you pack for one
Read the detail
There are two good approaches and no wrong one.
Go all out. A full costume is genuinely part of the fun. It is the right call for the deck party, it photographs wonderfully, and children adore it. Costumes pack down smaller than you expect.
Keep it simple. A themed t-shirt, a bandana or an eye patch does the job completely. Buy it before you sail rather than in the onboard shop, and it costs almost nothing.
And if you buy nothing at all, you will still fit in, because plenty of people do. The night runs on atmosphere, not on costume compliance.
If you are traveling with children, our honest advice is that the costume is worth it. Pirate Night is one of the evenings they talk about afterwards.
What is Palo?
Palo is Disney Cruise Line’s adults-only signature restaurant. Italian-inspired, table service, panoramic ocean views, and open to guests 18 and over. It carries a per-person charge on top of your fare, and reservations go quickly.
- Adults only, 18 and over. The rule is firm, including for teenagers
- Upscale Italian-inspired menu, dinner on most sailings and brunch on some
- Panoramic ocean views, and the quietest dining room on the ship
- There is a per-person charge in addition to your cruise fare
- Book the moment your reservation window opens. Palo is one of the first things to sell out
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Palo is the restaurant people book for the anniversary, the honeymoon, the milestone birthday, or simply for one evening in the week that is quiet. No rotational dining room, no show schedule to make, no children. On a family cruise that hour or two is worth more than it sounds.
The food is Italian-inspired and served properly, and the room is built around the view rather than around turning tables. Brunch, where it is offered, is the version regular Disney cruisers tend to recommend first.
The thing to get right is timing. Reservations open before you sail, and Palo is routinely gone soon after the window opens. We put reservation windows in our clients calendars for exactly this reason, and the same window governs the other premium bookings worth having. There is more on how that window works in our Disney insider tips.
Also worth reading: The Questions Every First-Time Cruiser Asks and Our Disney Insider Tips.
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