DCL Duo Podcast: A Disney Cruise Line Fan Podcast

Shelby grew up a Disney kid, worked Figment during her Disney College Program, and booked her first Disney cruise the week she brought her son home from the hospital. Six months after that first sailing, her parents gifted the whole family a 5-night Bahamian cruise on the Disney Fantasy, and Shelby became the planner for eight people across three generations. Sam goes solo this week to hear how it all came together, from rope drop at Magic Kingdom to a duo dip at Lookout Cay and Castaway Cay.

In this episode:

• Why Shelby’s family chose a classic ship over the Destiny for a mostly first-time group
• The embarkation day routine that works with a toddler: kids club open house, then a deck 4 stroller nap
• Lookout Cay vs. Castaway Cay, the character beach party, and an August Castaway Cay 5K
• A Broadway visiting artist, Aladdin, Believe, and a night out at Europa
• The Skyline bartender who tracked down a crew member to make one cocktail
• Trip or vacation? A psychologist weighs in on cruising with little ones

“It’s the small moments that... still make you feel like, wow, I’m getting so much out of this.” — Shelby

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Same holiday, two ships, one week apart. Vanessa and Andrew sailed Halloween on the High Seas on the Disney Fantasy, then stepped onto the Disney Wish for the Disney Believe reveal sailing. On their third visit to the show, they compare everything from the pumpkin trees to trick-or-treating, and give us a guest’s-eye view of the Believe reveal.

In this episode:

• Fantasy vs. Wish Halloween decor: classic and spooky vs. elegant and silver
• Two pumpkin tree ceremonies with two very different stories, and a turnout gap you won’t believe
• Real trick-or-treating stations on the Fantasy vs. a pre-filled candy bag on the Wish
• Aladdin, Pirate Night and the Pirates Rockin’ Parley Party: where the Wish pulls ahead
• Watching the Disney Believe reveal from the pool deck, and whether the media crowd affected regular guests
• An accessibility report card from 41 sailings, plus Disney Cruise Line news on Palo’s new dinner menu, accessibility features and pricing

“My personal one is the fantasy. I thought it felt more Halloween with the darker colors... And it was just prettier, I thought.” - Vanessa

Follow Andrew on Accessible Adventures with Andrew and Vanessa on Instagram.

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Rob and Amy are back, this time with their friends Ann and Matt and five kids between them, for a 5-night Disney Fantasy sailing with two stops at Castaway Cay and one at Lookout Cay. They talk through the planning trade-offs, a Palo Prima Notte that won over a non-drinker, cruising with celiac, and why comparing the two private islands misses the point.

In this episode:

• How a surprise placeholder discount and the “fifth person tax” steered two families from the Treasure to the Fantasy
• Pairing the cruise with a DVC stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge, plus a night at Shades of Green
• Palo’s Prima Notte with zero-proof pairings, and why the Palo team rose to the challenge
• Why Ann chose an all-Disney-island itinerary to manage celiac, and how the gluten-free dining held up
• Castaway Cay vs. Lookout Cay, three island days in a row, and passing on a cabana
• Edge, Vibe, and Oceaneer Club, the Aladdin show, and a late-night karaoke duet

“Castaway Cay is kind of like Disneyland from the 50s, right? And then... Lighthouse Point is Epcot in the height of Epcot times.” — Rob

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

What happens when you take a grandma who hasn’t cruised in 30 years, and has never seen a Marvel movie, onto the heroes and villains ship? Returning guest Rob joins Sam and Brian to share his family’s five-night Disney Destiny sailing to Cozumel and Castaway Cay, from a near-miss on embarkation morning to the moment his mom cried happy tears on the way home.

In this episode:

• Why his daughter’s new Marvel obsession sold the family on the Destiny, and the short pre-cruise watch list Sam, Brian and Rob recommend (totally optional)
• Booking two side-by-side verandas and splitting the party two and two to save money
• A rented mobility scooter that couldn’t stay in a non-accessible stateroom, and what to confirm before you sail
• A forgotten prescription, an emergency CVS run, and making the Disney transportation bus with minutes to spare
• Villain meet-and-greets, Villains Game Night, a smaller-than-expected Royal Gathering, and skipping Cozumel on purpose
• Magical Moment certificates, a surprise gift from Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, and where the Destiny lands in Rob’s ship rankings

“She was all tears at the end with just how much of a nice time it was.” — Rob

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Josh and his wife dressed as Flynn Rider and Mother Gothel for Halloween on the High Seas aboard the Disney Fantasy, then discovered they were the only guests booked for that night’s whiskey tasting. Josh joins Sam and Brian live with stories of a bartender who became the highlight of the trip, a Pirate Night dinner made just for him, and a 110-flight stair challenge at sea. Plus, the big news of the week: Palo drops its prix-fixe dinner menu and the Platinum and Pearl credit is now dinner-only.

In this episode:

• Palo goes à la carte, the $55 Platinum and Pearl credit is no longer usable at brunch, and what it means for cruisers
• Disney Believe maiden voyage sells out, DVC’s Believe first wave sailing, and DJs returning as cast members
• Halloween on the High Seas on the Disney Fantasy: Tangled family costumes, trick-or-treating, and the best costumes onboard
• Why booking a whiskey tasting on Halloween night may be a pro tip
• Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay tips, plus why crew connections make the cruise
• Josh asks Sam and Brian which ship they would retire, rename, reimagine and replicate

“Just go on these cruises, be yourself, engage with the crew on a human level and magic will happen.” — Josh

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Miranda admits she used to be “kind of snobby” about cruising. A few years and three Disney Cruise Line ships later, the New Yorker is back from a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing on the Disney Treasure with her family, and she has thoughts on everything from the Grand Hall to the security line that confiscated her homemade fish extender treats.

In this episode:

• Why a true seven-night sailing feels different from a back-to-back that adds up to seven nights
• Splitting a family across staterooms to save money, and the photo package wrinkle that comes with it
• The prepackaged-food rule every fish extender participant should know before boarding
• Lunch at Enchanté with the wine pairing, and whether the splurge was worth it
• A 105-foot submarine dive in Cozumel and a Castaway Cay versus Lookout Cay hot take
• Coco, Worlds of Marvel, the Haunted Mansion Parlor, Moana and Beauty and the Beast

“The YouTube videos do not do the Treasure justice. Everyone said it’s so beautiful, and I was like, I don’t know. I don’t like that chandelier. But in person, it is astonishing.” — Miranda

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Lawrence and Lauren only started cruising in 2024. For their fifth wedding anniversary, they left the kids at home and booked nine nights on the Disney Destiny: a five-night Western Caribbean sailing followed immediately by a four-night Nassau and Castaway Cay sailing. Sam is solo-hosting this week and gets the full back-to-back story, from a Lucha Libre ring in Cozumel to a completely sold-out second sailing.

In this episode:

• How a same-stateroom back-to-back works, and the stateroom host move that made reboarding effortless
• The Cozumel Lucha Libre excursion and its Disney-exclusive wrestler meet and greet
• Timing the Dr. Facilier and Cruella meet-and-play experiences, and which one they would wait for again
• Trivia tactics, skipped dinners, and a very worried main dining server
• Pride Lands, the Broadway Star Series, and two different Megaras in Hercules
• What changes when a Wish-class ship sails at full capacity

“I think we were on board for like eight minutes and I turned to her and I was like… this is our personality now.” — Lawrence

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Disney never billed it as an eclipse cruise. Still, Anna and her family sailed the Disney Dream out of Southampton with their own viewing glasses packed and a port-side veranda booked. They watched totality together from their balcony. Returning guest Anna joins Sam and Brian from Scotland to recap a 4-night sailing to Bilbao that doubled as a 20th anniversary celebration and a do-over of a rocky first embarkation.

In this episode:

• Driving from Scotland to Southampton in four- to five-hour chunks, and what cruise parking cost
• The passport-validity issue that surfaced in her cruise group, and how a renewed passport was updated at the terminal
• Using a quiet port-day morning for back-to-back AquaDuck runs and an empty pool deck
• How the cruise director and captain handled the eclipse, including viewing glasses in every stateroom
• Palo brunch as a value play, plus a surprise favorite dish
• A serving team that turned an anniversary dinner into a moment worth remembering

“It was lovely, the idea that we could be just the four of us on our veranda... experiencing that together.” — Anna

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Love the show? Become a supporter on Patreon and help keep the DCL Duo sailing.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group | Watch on YouTube

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Stephanie and Danny from DCL Magazine spent a week aboard the Disney Wish chasing clues to the Disney Believe. They snorkeled for a Prince Eric statue on Castaway Cay, traded glowing ice to Oaken, and met a Moana on Castaway Cay that Disney says will never greet guests again. Recorded live the night before bookings opened, they fill in everything the reveal livestream left out.

In this episode:

• How the multi-day Believe scavenger hunt worked, from colored towel animals to a treasure map on Castaway Cay
• Oaken’s Table: a summer cottage in the woods with Anna, Kristoff, pop-punk Frozen music and an all-new menu
• The Wishing Well Lounge’s three zones, the Moonshine cocktail at Skygazers, and a new long-lasting smoke effect
• Why Encanto drew the biggest reaction of the night, plus the Susan Egan concert onboard
• Nick and Judy’s ZPD mystery in Gazelle, the magic mirror tease, and godparent predictions
• Maiden voyage booking tips: Castaway Club windows, the 10% non-refundable deposit, and trip insurance timing

“Frankly, I think a lot of this commentary is going to age like milk... they’re playing chess and we’re thinking in checkers.” - Stephanie and Danny, DCL Magazine

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Three private island days in five nights, and a sea day at the end to pack in peace. Returning guest Nick takes us through his family’s Disney Fantasy “double dip”: two stops at Castaway Cay with Disney Lookout Cay in between, plus everything he learned about doing it with two young boys and no stroller.

In this episode:

• Why ending on a sea day beats ending on a private island
• Surviving the Lookout Cay pier walk, and why the wagons are worth it on the way back
• The secret cave, the nature trail, and the barefoot lesson learned the hard way
• Castaway Cay vs. Lookout Cay, from someone who has been to Castaway many times
• How both boys sat through every show for the first time, plus the Palo date-night strategy
• Midship Detective Agency and switching from the Wish to the Fantasy

“I don’t even think [Lookout and Castaway Cay] are ... really the same product, right? ...They’re two different experiences.” — Nick

Follow along with Nick at: Nick is a travel advisor with Make Waves Vacations. You can find all the ways to connect and follow them at their website.

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today!

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#3)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Disney Cruise Line revealed the Disney Believe, and Sam and Brian went live that same night with an honest verdict on the fleet’s fourth Wish-class ship. There’s a Fort Lauderdale homeport, a December 18, 2027 maiden voyage, and the world’s first Encanto stage musical. There’s also a lineup of venues that left two longtime fans feeling underwhelmed.

In this episode:

• Homeport and maiden voyage: Port Everglades, December 18, 2027, and the early booking windows
• Oaken’s Table: why another Frozen dining show disappointed us most, and the Moana luau we were hoping for
• Café Kakamora, Big Hero Sips and why Baymax deserves more than a coffee counter
• Sea Notes, Wishing Well and Skygazers: the Little Mermaid piano lounge, the Snow White lounge and a pub that’s “a feeling, not a theme”
• The bright spot: the first-ever Encanto stage musical, a reimagined Tangled, Pluto’s Pita Platters and a Zootopia game show

“This just doesn’t feel like the cruise line at its best. And I just have to be honest about that. I think there are some bright spots with this ship.” - Brian

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We’re Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Travel advisor Alyssa just got back from a three-night Halloween on the High Seas sailing on the Disney Wish. She explains why a Disney Cruise Line Halloween can beat a Mickey's Not-So-Scary trip to the parks on price, and describes the night Oogie Boogie danced right up to her. Plus, Sam and Brian lock in their predictions ahead of the Disney Believe reveal.

In this episode:

• Alyssa's cost math: Halloween party tickets, hotels and park tickets vs. a three-night Halloween cruise
• Boo the pumpkin tree, the lighting story and why you shouldn't skip it on day one
• How trick-or-treating worked on the Wish vs. the Treasure, plus the allergy-friendly candy station
• Costume strategy: how many adults really dress up and why you should pack a backup
• Meeting costumed characters, including the Sanderson Sisters, and the up-close Oogie Boogie dance party
• Our pre-reveal Disney Believe predictions

"I love Disney parks, but I'm more in love with Disney Cruise Line now." — Alyssa

Plan Your Trip with Alyssa:
Alyssa is a travel advisor with We Do Travel Right. Follow her on Instagram, reach her by email, or start your inquiry with We Do Travel Right.

Support the Show

Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Derek and Maddie of the Disney Trip Report Podcast took a last-minute, three-night Disney Wish sailing with their three kids. Maddie's first verdict was that three nights is far too short. What followed is a practical playbook for short sailings: what to skip, where to eat, and why the kids club might be the best date-night upgrade on the ship.

In this episode:

• Why the Disney transfer bus beat private cars and rentals for them, and helped them board early
• The pool-deck food game plan, plus the hidden Marceline Market omelet table Maddie walked past three times
• Castaway Cay as choose-your-own-adventure: a first visit to Serenity Bay, a treasure-hunt win at Scuttle's Cove, and teens heading back to the ship on their own
• Derek's trivia redemption arc, family karaoke picks, and the villain song Maddie wants on the playlist
• How early to line up for Walt Disney Theatre shows, and when to get there even earlier
• Derek's number one reason to sail Disney: real date nights while the kids club works its magic

"The way you make the three night like really shine is you just lean in on the food." — Maddie

Follow Derek and Maddie:
Disney Trip Report Podcast | Website | Instagram and Facebook: @DisneyTripReportPod

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

One ship, two completely different cruises. Cindy sailed a three-night Disney Dream cruise from Southampton to Bruges alongside a crowd that was almost entirely from the UK. Then she stayed on board for a DVC member cruise to Denmark and Norway packed with Broadway stars, Disney legends, and daily gifts. She joins Sam and Brian live to compare both halves of her Disney Cruise Line back-to-back in Europe.

In this episode:

• Why Cindy swapped a pricey ABD London Short Escape for a cheaper three-night Disney Cruise Line sailing to Belgium
• What it's like to sail Disney Cruise Line with an almost entirely UK crowd, from luggage tag lines to near-empty Match Your Mate
• The DVC member cruise as "D23 at sea": a Frozen Broadway showcase, a Broadway stars concert, and talks from Marcy Carriker Smothers and Karen Dotrice
• Member gifts, European merch, and why you need an extra bag
• Port days in Skagen, Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens, and a waterfall drenching on a Stavanger fjord cruise
• Plus: reusable cups being tested on board, the Meyer Werft shipyard talks, and the October 7 Disney Believe reveal

"I've never been to D23 and... for me it's like D23 at sea." — Cindy

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Sarah is a travel advisor, and she brought 19 family members on the Disney Wonder to Alaska: grandparents, grandkids, teens, and everyone in between. She walks Sam through how she got the whole group to Vancouver, why she let everyone choose their own adventure in port, and what it's really like dining as a party of 19.

In this episode:

• Why Sarah flew her whole crew straight into Vancouver instead of juggling 19 people through Seattle
• A choose-your-own-adventure excursion strategy: Beyond Skagway into the Yukon, Jayleen's Alaska whale watching in Juneau, and Wild Wolf Tours in Ketchikan
• Bubble-net feeding humpbacks, sea lions, and how many whales you can actually spot from the ship
• Sarah's hot tip for booking the Disney Cruise Line-exclusive Lumberjack Show directly
• One serving team for 19 guests, plus Sam's go-to trick when the menu and your server disagree
• The honest take on booking the least expensive inside stateroom

"I love when I go on an excursion, my favorite thing is to... really learn about the place I'm at. I don't want to just do the touristy stuff. I want to really learn about the people that live there and how they live there." — Sarah

Plan Your Trip with Sarah
Sarah is a travel advisor with Vacation Daze, LLC. Find her on Facebook

Support the Show
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Castaway Cay, Lookout Cay, then Castaway Cay again. First-time guest Courtney joins us straight from her classroom to talk about her family's five-night Disney Fantasy "Double Duo Dip." It was three private island days with two little kids, a nap after every beach day, and one very determined top-bunk daredevil.

In this episode:

• Why a Castaway–Lookout–Castaway itinerary lets families with young kids spread out the beach time without skipping naps
• The smallest Fantasy interior stateroom, the first bunk-bed sailing, and the stateroom host who talked Courtney into it
• Pirate makeovers, a Captain Hook meet-and-greet that created a superfan, and timing naps around Pirate Night
• The picky-eater verdict on the new Kraft mac and cheese
• The black truffle pierogies at Animator's Palate
• Castaway Cay 5K with a jogging stroller, bike rentals, and the missing Lookout Cay 5K medal

"My son has talked about Captain Hook nonstop since. He refers to me as Mr. Smee all the time and he thinks he's Captain Hook." — Courtney

Connect with Courtney:
Courtney is a travel advisor with Kingdom Seekers Travel. Email Courtney

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Want to directly support the show? Join us on Patreon. Every pledge helps us keep bringing you great DCL content every week.

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We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Melissa flew all the way from Ireland for a late-season, adults-only sailing to Alaska on the Disney Wonder — six DCL sailings and nineteen cruises deep, and this one still delivered bears, whales, dueling pianos, and one gut-punch moment from home she wasn't expecting.

In this episode:

• Why a late-September Alaska sailing means an almost entirely adult ship — and everything that changes onboard
• Chasing bears in Ketchikan and sled puppies at a Juneau dog camp she almost didn't book
• Real vegan dining tips across the fleet, from crew curries to a Palo brunch workaround
• The Shutters photo-package trick that can save your travel companions money
• A Vancouver hotel booking gone sideways, and the lesson in it for third-party bookings
• A moving, unscripted moment about staying connected to loved ones back home while at sea

She's not a DVC member. She doesn't even really know what DVC is, but we always joke she'd be able to talk herself out of Alcatraz... she was sitting there, she already had a drink. Hilarious. - Melissa

Support the Show:

Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing. We Do Travel Right

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store. DCL Magazine

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot: Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

We put a single microphone on the table and asked one question: was our Adventures by Disney river cruise through Holland and Belgium actually worth it? What we got back wasn't a travel review — it was four completely different answers about why people travel at all.

In this episode:

• Why one lifelong "pool girl" pushed herself onto a bike through Kinderdijk's 19 windmills — and what she said when it was over
• The friendship-bracelet trick one traveler uses to turn total strangers into breakfast companions
• An unfiltered review from a family of six that couldn't agree on whether they even had a good time
• What a 5-guide, 119-traveler ratio actually buys you on an ABD sailing
• Two stories from a veteran adventure guide that explain what this job really is
• A real look at the Holland and Belgium river cruise itinerary

"A vacation is where you go to stop. A trip is where you go to go."

Support the Show:

Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Want to directly support the show? Join us on Patreon — every pledge helps us keep bringing you great DCL content every week.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot: Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1), Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2), Top Disney Podcasts (#4), and Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12).

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

We went live with Benji from LaughingPlace.com to get the full scoop on the 25th Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise — this year sailing Copenhagen, Skagen, and Stavanger aboard the Disney Dream. Turns out it's less D23 spectacle, more "mini D23 at sea," and yes, there's a John Stamos karaoke story.

In this episode:

• Why Benji calls a DVC Member Cruise "a mini D23 at sea." Inside the Norway and Denmark itinerary, including Tivoli Gardens, the Little Mermaid statue, and a castle opera performance.
• A rare public talk from Imagineer Michel den Dulk, plus a Halloween deck party with Nina West, Susan Egan, and Jodi Benson.
• The DVC gift and merchandise culture, and Benji's number one packing tip.
• DVC Member Cruise versus D23: who each one is actually for.

"I discovered that it is kind of like a mini D23 at sea." -Benji

Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with DCL Duo:
Website | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot: Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1), Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#4), and Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#10).

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Rebecca joins us to recap her family's 5-night Bahamian sailing on the Disney Destiny — a true multigenerational trip spanning three connected staterooms: her husband and their two daughters, her in-laws, and her sister- and brother-in-law's family, all sailing together. A crew member told them the ship was close to capacity, with an estimated 1,800 kids on board, but the crowds weren't what made this cruise memorable.

In this episode:

• How they coordinated three connected staterooms across three generations, and the MagicBand glitch that nearly derailed embarkation day
• Why her husband was a self-described "reluctant cruiser" and what finally won him over
• The night her mother-in-law unexpectedly ended up a contestant on Match Your Mate, and became a ship celebrity for the rest of the cruise
• Which rotational dining restaurant was the runaway favorite, and which one missed for their group
• Castaway Cay versus Lookout Cay: weather, snorkeling, and the beach wagon that saved the day
• A Marceline Market seating hack for anyone traveling with a big group

"The Tiana performer for Almost There brought me to literal tears. She had an amazing voice. She was so good. That to me was worth all of the other songs."

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor, We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing. We Do Travel Right

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store. DCL Magazine

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.