5 Things To Know Before Sailing the Disney Magic to Alaska [Review]

In May 2026, I sailed on the Disney Magic, Disney’s original cruise ship, on a 7-night round-trip Alaska cruise from Vancouver. The cruise included glacier viewing, stops in Skagway, Icy Strait Point, and Ketchikan, and featured Disney Cruise Line’s onboard entertainment and dining. This was the longest cruise journey I have booked, and it was also the most expensive. I walked away with an absolutely amazing experience that I would book again in a heartbeat.

1. Concierge Level Was Costly But Worth It

I sailed on the Disney Magic with 2 friends as part of a trip celebrating my birthday. We paid thousands to cruise to Alaska on Disney Cruise Line on the Concierge level, and it was more expensive than short Caribbean sailings. However, we felt it offered good value for what was included.

Before this cruise, I had only ever sailed on Disney Cruise Line to the Caribbean, and only on 3-night cruises. Because of the high demand for Alaska cruises, prices were high. Since it was an Alaska cruise, we wanted a room with a verandah or at least a porthole to see the scenery outside.

My group opted for a Verandah room, which started at about $13,000 for 3 passengers. We upgraded to a Concierge-level 1-bedroom suite with room for up to 5 guests. This huge room, one of the largest on board, cost around $23,000 for the 7-night sailing. We split the costs evenly among the 3 of us, paying around $7,667 each, or about $1,095 per person per night.

The upgraded suite offered much more space and access to Concierge services, which added some nice perks. All taxes and port fees were included, but gratuities (which are discretionary and charged after the cruise) were not.

The room rate covered almost everything we did on board, including all meals and nonalcoholic beverages as well as all ship entertainment and shows. In Concierge, alcoholic beverages were included in the lounge during the evening. Port excursions, souvenirs, and alcohol outside of the lounge were extra.

This enormous 1-bedroom suite featured an entirely separate bedroom that could be closed off from the rest of the room for privacy.

Especially useful during this cruise was the dining table, since room service is included on Disney ships, and Concierge passengers also have the added benefit of ordering rotational dining meals to their rooms.

A highlight of the suite was a massive bathroom, featuring a soaking tub, a stand-up shower, a toilet, and a vanity.

Because I was traveling with multiple friends, having a second full bathroom was really useful, since no one ever had to wait to shower.

The Concierge staff and experience exceeded our expectations, especially when adjusting a sought-after reservation at Palo, the adults-only paid restaurant on board, to better suit our schedule.

During the Glacier Day portion of our voyage, Concierge guests had a special private viewing area and photo opportunities with Minnie in front of the glacier, with almost no wait.

This type of premium experience might not have been worth it on a shorter Caribbean voyage, but the Concierge level paid off because we were on the ship for 7 nights with more requests, more opportunities to engage with the staff, more downtime (especially during sea days), and more opportunities to visit the lounge space.

Hot Tip:

It’s not uncommon for the Concierge level to sell out within days on Disney cruises, especially on Alaska sailings. Be sure to book early for the best price and the best room, and don’t count on a port upgrade.

I charged the cruise to my American Express Green Card^® and earned 3 American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar.

Hot Tip:

The Disney^® Inspire Visa^® Card earns 3% in Disney Rewards Dollars on Disney Cruise Line, and cardholders earn 200 Disney Rewards Dollars each anniversary year after spending $2,000 on qualifying U.S. Disney resort or Disney Cruise Line bookings. Cardholders of the Disney^® Premier Visa^® Card earn 2% in Disney Rewards Dollars on Disney Cruise Line.

2. Numerous Shore Excursions Were Available

On my 7-night voyage, we had several opportunities to explore:

• Glacier Day
• Skagway
• Icy Straight Point
• Ketchikan

The first day was “Glacier Day,” when we could head off the boat to the Dawes Glacier. We had the option to book a $399 ferry to the glacier and sail within a couple of hundred feet of it for better photos and an up-close view.

Skagway offered many excursion opportunities, but I took the $175 train trip on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. This several-hour train trip took me from downtown Skagway up into the mountains, before returning to Skagway later in the afternoon. The entire journey was narrated, and passengers were allowed onto the decks between the train cars for a better view.

In Icy Straight Point, I could have paid $50 to take a gondola ride up the mountain for a hike, but I opted for a more economical day ashore. I walked about 20 minutes to the town of Hoonah to grab a bite to eat and explore how Alaskans live in this remote village.

In Ketchikan (which is also one of the city stops on the famed Alaska Milk Run), I saw the lumberjack show, which is held in an outdoor amphitheater just steps from where the cruise ships dock. There were also plenty of opportunities to walk around and see the town, dine, and shop.

3. There Were Extensive Onboard Activities

With a 7-day cruise, we had plenty of time to explore the ship and take advantage of the onboard activities. Even with several shore days and excursions, there were activities throughout the day to fill any gaps, as well as events late into the evening.

All events and activities were listed in the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, which was accessible while on board and connected to Wi-Fi. But there was no way to see the schedule in advance, so we had to wait until we were on board to find specific event times.

There are 3 Broadway-style shows on board the Disney Magic: “Tangled: The Musical,” “Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story,” and “Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic.” These shows were offered at various intervals of the cruise, so there wasn’t a show every single night. Disney had 2 showtimes on show nights, with dinner seating opposite the showtime.

At many points throughout the day, bars and lounges hosted live music, live trivia, or other gatherings. One of my favorite activities was the “Anyone Can Cook” culinary seminar, where I learned how to cook lobster ravioli and apple strudel. Disney also screened several first-run movies throughout the voyage.

All Disney Cruise ships also offer a fee-based spa.

While the ship does have several pools onboard, many of them are either closed during the sailing due to the cold, or, when open, sparsely occupied since it can really get chilly on deck. Not to worry, however, as the Disney Magic team turns the pool space into an outdoor theater where you can watch films and participate in the “Frozen” sing-along party that occurs on Glacier Day.

The ship does have optional formal and semiformal days, but most cruisers did not participate, opting for much more casual attire onboard. Because it can get cold outside, many were dressed in layers.

4. Sailing for 7 Days Offered Room To Plan

A 7-day cruise is one of the longer journeys Disney offers, aside from oceanic crossings. I found planning key to enjoying all the ship has to offer.

Before getting on board, I downloaded the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app for schedules and itineraries throughout the voyage. I went through the schedule day by day and marked each activity I wanted to do as a favorite so it was easy to sort through when I pulled up the day’s itinerary.

Hot Tip:

The ship’s shops opened on the first day, once we left port and headed out to sea, featuring Disney-branded merchandise, much of which had an Alaska theme. I charged purchases to my ship account to earn more points on travel with my Amex Green card.

Disney brings a naturalist on board all Alaska sailings for introductory presentations on the geography, landscape, wildlife, and people of Alaska, with several talks scheduled throughout the cruise. Especially if you’ve never been to Alaska before, be sure to add these talks to your itinerary.

5. Dining Options Were Plentiful

I did not go hungry while on board the Disney Magic. Every meal was included, and I could order as much or as little as I wanted. Disney has a rotational dining concept where you change restaurants every evening, but the servers stay with you. There are 3 restaurants on board — Animator’s Palate, Lumiere’s, and Rapunzel’s Royal Table — and there were new menus to order from when we circled back to places we’d already been to. All meals were casual, so we didn’t feel like we needed to dress up.

Some favorites were the truffle pasta purses (almost like a dumpling) and the pistachio-and-parmesan-crusted pork chop from Animator’s Palate.

Cabanas is the central buffet open for lunch, and Duck-In Diner and Pinocchio’s Pizzeria by the pool serve burgers, pizza, and the like for midday or late-night cravings.

Palo, the Magic’s signature Italian restaurant, open to adults only, is the only restaurant on board that we had to pay for at $55 per person. Lunch was an all-you-can-eat menu, and dinner was à la carte. Palo also offers specialty wine and food tasting experiences. We did not have this booked before the cruise, but the onboard Concierge team secured a last-minute reservation with no trouble at all.

Booking at least 1 meal at Palo is worth it. The food was extremely fresh, and the options were a step up from the rotational dining restaurants on the decks below.

Final Thoughts

My Disney Alaska sailing was a fabulous, nearly all-inclusive sailing experience to the 49th state. The ship was well-equipped, offered plenty of activities, and the shore excursions allowed me to see wildlife and scenery I’ll never see at home. While the cruise was pricey, especially on the Concierge level, the Disney experience made it worthwhile. I wouldn’t hesitate to book this cruise again in the future.