I love Disney cruises.
I've been on 29 of them.
Twenty-nine!
And apparently, that's not enough.
Because I've already booked another one. Or two.
But there's one type of Disney cruise I especially love.
A transatlantic cruise. Or a TA.
Thirteen nights on a Disney ship.
Seven straight days at sea.
No ports.
No land.
No escape.
Just me, a Disney ship, and an alarming amount of ocean.
Sounds wonderful, right?
Well, I've done it twice.
And I've already booked a third.
Apparently, I enjoy being trapped in the Atlantic Ocean.
But are these cruises perfect?
Nope.
So here are 10 things I loved and 5 things that made me question my life choices.
And we're starting with my favorite subject.
Saving money.
Because 29 Disney cruises aren't going to pay for themselves.
10 Good Things About a Disney Transatlantic Cruise
1. The Price Is Right!
Disney and bargain.
Two words that rarely belong together.
But on a transatlantic cruise?
They do!
Our 13-night Disney Dream cruise cost approximately $6,500 for both of us.
In a verandah stateroom!
That's $500 a night.
For TWO people.
We've paid more for seven-night cruises.
And our 2015 transatlantic?
We stayed in the Royal Suite.
The Royal Suite!
A room we could never afford on a regular sailing.
Same Disney ships.
Same Disney magic.
Just more nights for less money.
But here's my warning.
Thirteen nights also means thirteen nights to spend money.
Drinks.
Shopping.
More drinks.
Things I apparently couldn't live without.
Until I got home.
Disney giveth. Disney taketh away.
2. A Little Taste of Europe
Dave and I have been to the Caribbean.
A lot.
I love the Caribbean.
But there are only so many times I need to visit Nassau.
Hello, Europe!
On our 2015 transatlantic cruise, we visited New York City, Halifax, Stavanger, Oslo, and Copenhagen.
In 2026, we boarded the Dream in Southampton and explored Vigo, Lisbon, and Madeira.
Not exactly your typical Disney cruise ports!
And that's what I love.
We get to explore new cities.
See beautiful places.
Eat interesting food.
Or at least look at interesting food.
I'm a picky eater, remember?
Try different pastries.
And if we love a destination?
We can always come back.
If we don't?
No problem.
Our Disney ship is waiting.
With dinner.
And dessert.
Now that's my kind of European vacation.
3. Seven Glorious Days at Sea
Seven days.
In a row.
In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
And I loved it!
I know.
I was surprised, too.
I was worried.
Would I get bored?
Would I go crazy?
Would I start talking to the furniture?
Turns out, I was worried about nothing.
Dave and I quickly developed a routine.
Breakfast.
Our favorite lounge chairs.
Double espressos and snacks at Cove Café.
A little walking.
A little reading.
A nap.
More snacks.
It was exhausting.
And the best part?
No rushing off the ship.
No worrying about missing something.
No schedules to follow.
Just seven glorious days of doing absolutely nothing.
Apparently, I'm very good at doing nothing.
Who knew?
4. The Food. So Much Food.
Thirteen nights.
Thirteen different dinner menus!
Not one repeat.
And believe me, I checked.
Dave and I tried everything.
Well, almost everything.
Some dishes were delicious.
Some were questionable.
And some should never be served again.
And if you want to know exactly what we ate, I wrote about all 13 dinners.
Thirteen different menus. Thirteen nights. And a whole lot of opinions.
But the desserts?
SIXTY-FIVE!
Yes. Dave and I tried 65 desserts.
Some we shared.
Some I only tasted.
And some?
I ate every last bite.
I regret nothing.
And yes, I wrote about all 65 desserts, too.
Some were heavenly. Some were questionable. And some tasted like sunscreen.
I'm looking at you, coconut ice cream.
We also enjoyed 10 lunches and 13 breakfasts.
Including my beloved Peanut Butter & Jelly Typhoon.
Salmon eggs Benedict.
Fried rice.
And churro Mickey waffles.
Three times!
And let's not forget the soft-serve ice cream.
Actually, let's forget it.
I refuse to disclose how many cones I ate.
Some things are between me and the ice cream machine.
5. Special Events You Don't See Every Day
Disney knows how to keep people entertained for 13 nights.
And sometimes things get a little ridiculous.
Like the boat-building competition.
Guests build miniature boats and see how many soda cans they can hold before sinking.
Some people take this VERY seriously.
I've heard of guests bringing entire suitcases of supplies.
We met a family who tested their boat in their bathtub.
Their bathtub!
Who knew Disney cruising required an engineering degree?
And the entertainment didn't stop there.
We had special Broadway performances.
On our 2015 cruise, G even met Jeremy Jordan!
Jeremy Jordan!
There were so many special activities you don't normally see on shorter cruises.
Thirteen nights.
Seven straight sea days.
And somehow, Disney still managed to keep us entertained.
Who needs ports?
I've got a boat-building competition to watch!
6. So Many Activities. So Little Time.
Thirteen nights means Disney has to keep us busy.
And boy, do they try!
Crafts.
Drawing classes.
Cooking demonstrations.
Trivia.
Bingo.
I even attempted to draw Groot.
Sorry, Groot.
But my absolute favorite?
The daily photo scavenger hunt!
Every morning, Disney gave us 12 pictures of random things around the ship.
Our job?
Find them.
Easy, right?
I've been on 29 Disney cruises.
I KNOW THESE SHIPS!
Apparently not.
Those pictures were HARD.
Especially the door handles.
Who pays attention to door handles?
Disney does.
And apparently, I should too.
I became obsessed.
Every. Single. Day.
And thanks to Guillermo at Guest Services, I even brought home all 13 scavenger hunts.
Most people bring home souvenirs.
I brought home homework.
And I was thrilled.
7. The Characters Come Out to Play
On a transatlantic cruise, the Disney characters are everywhere!
Belle strolling around.
Cinderella waving from Deck 5.
Mickey just hanging out.
Even Mickey has nowhere else to be!
And because there aren't as many children onboard, the character meet-and-greet lines are often shorter.
But my favorite moment?
Character hide-and-seek!
Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy were playing in the atrium.
Yes.
Actual hide-and-seek.
Goofy was “it,” which meant he had to count.
And let me tell you, Goofy took his counting duties VERY seriously.
Which made the whole thing even funnier.
Because watching Goofy, of all characters, trying to be serious about anything is absolutely hilarious.
No peeking. No cheating. This was serious business.
At least according to Goofy.
I loved seeing the characters having fun instead of just standing around posing for pictures.
Even after 29 Disney cruises, they can still surprise me.
Especially that Goofy.
8. The Musicians Become Part of Your Vacation
On a regular Disney cruise, I'm usually too busy to enjoy the live music.
But on a transatlantic?
I've got nothing but time!
And we had some amazing musicians.
Matt Grinke was a wizard on the piano.
His fingers moved so fast I got tired watching them.
Then there was Katie Bell.
Talented.
Funny.
And genuinely lovely.
Dave and I watched her perform almost every day.
We even became friendly with her.
And Katie had a special way of celebrating her first long cruise.
Thirteen different pairs of socks!
One for every day.
I love a woman with priorities.
Then there was The Dreamers, the ship's house band.
Their lead singer, Leo, had a wonderful smoky voice.
We loved listening to them.
And that's what makes a transatlantic cruise special.
You have time to discover your favorite performers.
And then go back.
Again.
And again.
We're practically groupies.
Without the screaming.
9. The Cast Members Become Friends
Thirteen nights is a long time.
And that's a wonderful thing.
Because you actually get to know the cast members!
Our stateroom host was fantastic.
Our bartenders remembered our drinks.
Luca even introduced Dave to Fernet and Coke.
I'm still not sure Dave needed that introduction.
And then there was JR.
Our incredible lead server.
Thirteen dinners.
Same table.
Same wonderful JR.
He understood something very important about me.
I wanted to try all the desserts!
And he made it happen.
Every. Single. Night.
JR was so wonderful that I wrote an entire blog about him.
Because some cast members deserve their own love letters.
By the end of the cruise, these weren't just familiar faces.
They felt like friends.
And saying goodbye?
I hate that part.
There were hugs.
There were tears.
And there were promises to keep in touch.
Thirteen nights might seem like a long vacation.
But it's never long enough with wonderful people.
10. Time. Glorious, Wonderful Time.
I'm not very good at relaxing.
Even on vacation.
There's always something I should be doing.
Something I might be missing.
It's exhausting being me.
But on a transatlantic cruise?
Something wonderful happens.
I stop worrying about missing things!
I don't have to do every activity.
I don't have to see every show.
I don't even have to leave my lounge chair.
Well, except for snacks.
Obviously.
And for once, I don't feel guilty about any of it.
Which brings me to this picture.
I love this picture.
Not just because it's a spectacular sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean, but because of what it represents.
Time.
I can sit and watch the entire sunrise.
Not just a quick glance before rushing off to do something else.
The whole thing.
Because I have nowhere to be.
Nothing to do.
No appointments. No errands. No schedule.
Just me, the ocean, and a beautiful sunrise.
And if I want to sit there for another hour?
I can.
And the best part?
I don't feel like I'm wasting time.
I'm actually enjoying it.
Who knew?
Apparently, all I needed was Disney to strand me in the Atlantic Ocean.
But my love for transatlantic cruises actually started in 2015, on a Disney Magic sailing I almost canceled.
That cruise became one of my most treasured family memories.
And eleven years later, it's still the Disney cruise I wish I could take again.
Now for the Bad Stuff...
Do I love transatlantic cruises?
Absolutely!
Are they perfect?
Absolutely not!
Did any of these problems ruin my vacation?
Not at all.
1. Getting There and Getting Home Is Complicated
Here's the problem with transatlantic cruises.
They only go one way!
In 2015, we sailed from Port Canaveral to Copenhagen.
In 2026, we sailed from Southampton, England, back to Florida.
Wonderful cruises.
Terrible logistics.
Flights.
Hotels.
Transportation.
More money!
Remember that bargain cruise I was bragging about?
Well, the airlines want their share.
And so do the hotels.
So yes, transatlantic cruises can be a fantastic bargain.
Just don't forget to budget for actually getting there.
Because swimming across the Atlantic to save on airfare isn't an option.
I checked.
2. What Time Is It? Nobody Knows!
Oh, the time changes.
My poor internal clock!
On our 2015 eastbound cruise, we kept losing an hour.
Over and over.
And traveling with two kids?
That was fun.
We were wandering the hallways at 3 a.m.
Wide awake.
Meanwhile, G slept so late that chicken tenders became her breakfast.
Breakfast of champions!
On our 2026 westbound cruise, we had the opposite problem.
We gained hours!
Twenty-five-hour days!
More time to sleep.
More time to relax.
More time to eat!
Sounds wonderful, right?
Except I still had no idea what time it was.
And then there was my sunrise photograph.
Beautiful sunrise.
Lovely colors.
Nothing unusual.
Until I looked at the timestamp.
2:08 A.M.!
Excuse me?
Since when does the sun rise at 2:08 in the morning?
Is the sun confused?
Is my phone confused?
I know I'm confused!
Eastbound. Westbound.
Didn't matter.
Apparently, my body doesn't believe in time zones.
3. The Adult Areas Are Packed!
Here's something surprising about transatlantic cruises.
Not many kids!
Sounds wonderful for adults, right?
Wrong.
Because all those adults have to go somewhere.
And apparently, they all want to go where I want to go.
Cove Café.
The lounges.
The adult pool.
MY PLACES!
Meanwhile, the kids' clubs are practically empty.
Want to see live music?
Get there early.
Want your favorite lounge chair?
Set your alarm!
Dave and I got up at 6 a.m. to claim our favorite chairs.
One morning, we slept until 6:30.
BIG MISTAKE!
Our chairs were gone.
I even overheard some women saying the crowded adult areas had ruined their cruise.
They wanted Disney to open the kids' clubs to adults.
Seriously?
Ladies, it's a lounge chair. Not a national emergency.
So here's my advice.
Arrive early for the things you really want to enjoy.
And apparently, never sleep in.
Who knew relaxing required so much work?
4. When It's Gone, It's Gone!
Here's something I never considered about crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
What happens when Disney runs out of something?
Like when the Dream ran out of cocktail napkins.
Yes.
COCKTAIL NAPKINS!
Suddenly, our fancy drinks were being served on bathroom-style hand-drying paper towels.
Very elegant.
Very sophisticated.
Very gas station bathroom.
And then there was the soft-serve ice cream.
The flavors started disappearing.
Until we were left with chocolate and vanilla.
ONLY TWO FLAVORS!
The horror!
And then a machine broke.
No replacement part.
No repair.
Because apparently, Amazon doesn't deliver to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
How rude.
Did any of this ruin my cruise?
Of course not.
But I survived the great cocktail napkin shortage of 2026.
And I think that deserves a medal.
5. I Just Wanted Chick-fil-A!
Thirteen dinners.
Thirteen breakfasts.
Ten lunches.
Sixty-five desserts.
And I was sick of the food!
I know.
How is that even possible?
But after almost two weeks of fancy Disney dining, I wanted something simple.
Something familiar.
Something delicious.
I WANTED CHICK-FIL-A!
Chicken nuggets.
Waffle fries.
Extra Chick-fil-A sauce.
Was I starving?
Nope.
Was Disney feeding me wonderful food?
Absolutely!
But I didn't want another beautifully presented entrée.
I wanted nuggets!
Unfortunately, there isn't a Chick-fil-A in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Believe me.
I looked.
🚢 Clearly Maggie's Advice
Would I recommend a Disney transatlantic cruise?
ABSOLUTELY!
I've done two.
And I've already booked a third.
That should tell you something.
But these cruises aren't for everyone.
You need to love sea days.
You need to be flexible.
And you need to remember that the bargain cruise fare isn't the whole vacation budget.
But if you love Disney ships as much as I do?
You might just fall in love with transatlantic cruising.
Thirteen nights.
New places to explore.
Wonderful people.
And plenty of time to enjoy it all.
Plus, 65 desserts.
Not that I'm counting.
So go ahead.
Book that transatlantic cruise.
Enjoy every wonderful minute.
And if you see me by the adult pool at 6 a.m.?
Just don't take my lounge chair.
