(Part 2) 10 more things to know before going for your Disney Adventure Cruise (tips + review)
If you're planning to go for the Disney Adventure cruise that's currently sailing from Singapore, here are ten more helpful tips! (This review continues from Part One!)
Here are ten more helpful tips if you're planning to go for the Disney Adventure cruise that's currently sailing from Singapore!
1) Go early for Lion King: Celebration in the Sky fireworks to secure the best viewing spot
This is another event where you’ll want to go early if you want the best view. We went about an hour ahead and, of course, there were already plenty of people there. Our server had recommended we go for the centre section of Deck 18 on the right side of the ship, which is the side the fireworks are launched. The view is good as it's nearest to the fireworks but you'll need to be mindful of structures like the Ironcycle track, which can block your view depending on where you stand.
In hindsight, after reading some socmed posts, I felt the left side near the centre might have been better, as you get a wider view and an entire view of the sky without structures blocking you, and you also don't want to have to crane your neck too much. So don't worry if the right side centre of the ship is already very packed. The left side centre of the ship works too.
2) Bring something to entertain yourself while queuing or have one adult queuing
If you've already read Part One of my post, you’ve probably noticed there’s a lot of queuing and waiting involved on the Disney Adventure. My advice is bring something to keep yourself entertained while in line. For us, physical books were perfect.
If you’re traveling with young kids who find it tough to wait, one strategy is to have one adult hold the spot in the queue while the other takes the kids to enjoy other activities. Then, just regroup before the performance or event starts.
3) The pools and jacuzzis are always crowded
Generally, cruise ship pools tend to be small and crowded, and the Disney Adventure was no exception. In fact, it was so packed the afternoon we were there that we didn’t even dare to go in, likewise for the jacuzzis.
My family did queue for the pool slides, but they came back saying it wasn’t worth the wait as the slides were pretty basic and not very exciting 😅
I feel the pool area and facilities are better suited for younger kids than teens or adults, so we only went for the wet facilities once.
That said, there is a jacuzzi area at the pool deck that's for those 18 years and above. It did seem rather quiet and less chaotic when we wandered in for a short while. If you have older kids or no children with you, this is definitely one place great for chilling!
4) There are lots of kid-friendly activities
There are lots of kid-friendly activities to keep your younger ones entertained. There's the Oceaneer Club, which is for children aged 3-10. It is a supervised drop-off care for younger children with themed spaces like Andy's Toybox...
...and Marvel Web Workshop. The club is strictly for kids but they have open houses during the cruise, and if you don't want to leave the kids there under supervised care, you can always drop by to check out the place during its open house timings.
You can also take them to San Fransokyo Street, where you’ll find kid-friendly activities like Hiro Training Zone and arcade games. That said, the games were usually occupied when we were there, so you might need to wait a bit or try your luck at quieter hours.
There is also two cinemas on the Disney Adventure that also plays newly-released Disney movies. We managed to catch Hopper and The Devil Wears Prada 2 when we were there.
Another place to catch movies would be the outdoors, Wayfinder Bay. We really love the experience of watching a movie at night at Wayfinder Bay. Movie schedules will all be in your Disney Cruise app.
We also tried some of the drawing workshops, which were fun but filled up quickly. So if you’re keen, head there a little earlier to secure a seat.
15) Meet-and-greets and photo ops
Meet-and-greets with popular Disney characters open for booking at 4:30pm on the app during our June cruise, and it’s really a fastest-fingers-first situation. Once the slots are gone, bookings close. Do note that you can’t just join the queue for these meet-and-greets unless you have a confirmed booking. That said, I feel Disney Cruise is always refining their systems to see what works best. So this format is as of June 2026 and the format to book meet-and-greets might change - just ask a staff or check your Disney Cruise app once you board to see how to book meet-and-greets.
There are also meet-and-greets with Disney characters at performance venues. We went to one with Captain Jack Sparrow. But all you can do is take photos and wefies with them from below the stage.
Occasionally, you might spot characters roaming around too, and they may be open to quick photo ops, like Stitch...
But otherwise, if you don’t secure a booking, opportunities to take close-up photos with Disney characters are pretty limited.
16) There aren't many freebies
You might have seen from the maiden Disney Adventure voyage that influencers were showered with freebies like charms and other goodies. But for regular guests like us sailing thereafter, there really aren’t that many freebies. I did read that you can pick up some badges/pins at the Guest Services counter, though we weren’t particularly interested in those.
One freebie worth mentioning—if you can count it as one—is the complimentary Bacha coffee provided in your room. Haha! I’d suggest asking your housekeeper for extra sachets if you enjoy it (he said we could!). We didn’t use ours during the cruise, so we brought them home, and in hindsight, we should have asked for more because they were really good!
17) Consider the photo and makeover packages
And while there aren’t many meet‑and‑greet photo ops if you didn’t book in advance, there are still plenty of chances to get your photo taken by professional photographers around the ship’s beautiful settings, décor and studios.
They offer different packages, like unlimited digital photos (around USD 170), or you can just buy a few photos. If you go for the unlimited package, it makes sense to take as many photos as possible to get your money’s worth. Some people did say the unlimited package is totally worth it if you end up with hundreds of shots!
If you or your kid go for the princess or Marvel makeover packages, it might also be worthwhile getting photoshoots at their studios. Here's the Marvel makeover package when you book on the ship.
And here's the Marvel Style Studio where you get the makeover.
The makeover packages are not the cheapest but we did see lots of families booking the princess makeovers, which if I don't remember wrongly, starts from USD60. If my girls were younger, maybe I would have taken them for the makeovers too 😆
18) Gratuities will be automatically charged to your credit card
Do note that gratuities are automatically charged to your room and deducted from your credit card near the end of the cruise. For standard staterooms, the rate is about USD16 per guest per night. So for our family of four, we paid USD256 in gratuities for our 5D4N trip. These tips are pooled and shared among the service staff who look after your room and dining tables.
This rate is recommended by the cruise line, but if you’d prefer to pay less, you can let Guest Services know and adjust the amount. Personally, I think if you feel the service was good (and I do think they’re excellent), it’s fair to stick with the recommended gratuities. I’ve read on socmed that apparently staff salaries aren’t very high, so they do rely on these tips.
You can also give extra cash tips directly, which we did for our housekeeper as a little thank-you.
19) There is drinkable tap water
The toilets in your stateroom say the water is safe to drink. But if you prefer boiled water, there’s a kettle in the room so you can boil it yourself. Another easy option is to refill your bottles at the drink stations around the ship.
20) Remember to fill your ICA form near the end of your trip
Do note that you’ll need to fill out an ICA form before disembarking in Singapore, similar to what you’d normally do at the end of any overseas trip. The form is easy to access through the free Wi‑Fi onboard, so you can get it done before you leave the ship.
Okay, that's all for the tips! There's also a couple of other things you might be wondering:
i) What type of rooms to get?
Staterooms can usually fit up to four people. We booked a standard stateroom with a balcony facing the sea. I did find it rather tight for four people and if we go for a future cruise, we might go for two rooms or the deluxe rooms instead.
That said, having a balcony definitely helped; it made the room feel less claustrophobic and gave us a nice view to enjoy.
Some stateroom balconies face the outdoor performance venues instead of the sea. Some people love the former because it gives them a front-row view of the shows, but I think it’s a bit hard to know which rooms have the perfect angle unless you’ve cruised before and already know the layout. Personally, I’d still prefer a balcony facing the sea as it feels more relaxing and less noisy.
ii) Should you go for the 5D4N or 4D3N cruise to nowhere, or one with stops?
When we booked, only the cruise-to-nowhere option was available. I chose the 5D4N because the ship returns to Singapore early in the morning on the last day, so it feels more like a 4D4N trip. For me, 5D4N was just right as it gave us time to enjoy everything at a comfortable pace. My husband, though, felt we had already done everything we wanted by day three, so the extra day was more of a chill day where we repeated some of the activites we enjoyed like watching the Avengers Assemble show and taking photos again at the Marvel Studio.
I noticed that Disney Adventure now offers cruises with a stop in Langkawi. Personally, I really enjoyed staying onboard the whole time without needing to disembark as there are so many things to enjoy onboard. But if the price is about the same, having the option to visit Malaysia is a nice bonus. And of course, you can always choose to remain onboard if you prefer.
iii) Is Disney Adventure better for younger or older kids?
I think Disney cruises are great for all ages! But from my own experience cruising since my kids were as young as two, I feel that primary school–aged kids can really appreciate it more. They’re old enough to enjoy the shows, have the patience to queue for attractions, and meet the height requirements for rides like the Ironcycle. Plus, I don’t have to plan things around nap times or try to secure early dinner seatings. I definitely enjoyed cruises more when my kids were from the primary school age.
But that said, I have friends who have brought younger kids to cruises and said they had lots of fun too, so I guess it's different for different families. But I would say Disney cruises are definitely more special for Disney fans!
Okay, this will be my last blog post for our Disney Adventure cruise. If you haven't read Part One of my review, please head there for more useful tips! If you'd like to see more pics and videos, do head over to the IG stories on my Instagram page!
Disclaimer: We paid for your cruise. As always, all opinions are ours.
©Vivian Teo. All content and photos are copyrighted to Vivian Teo unless otherwise specified.
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