Ports of Call: Disney Wonder typically sails out of Galveston, Texas; New Orleans; San Diego; and Vancouver. Itinerary destinations include Grand Cayman, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Key West, Mexico and San Francisco.

Embarkation/Disembarkation: Our April sailing departed San Diego, California, for Ensenada, Mexico, for a weekend cruise. The two-day sailing kicked off with a true Disney send-off, including dance parties and characters waving our San Diego port good-bye. Trusting our bags would make it to our room, my mom and I lay by the pool, trying to soak in some sun before dinner. We felt the ship whir beneath us, pushing us out to sea.

Guest Quarters: A couple of hours later we found our bags waiting for us in our deluxe ocean- view stateroom with a veranda. With a queen-sized bed and a sitting area offering a couch, TV and desk with storage space, the room could have felt cramped for two people, but the walk-out veranda with outside seating really elevated the room, making it feel infinitely larger. The room design made great use of the space, including a restroom separate from the shower, allowing two people to get ready at the same time.

Services/Amenities: The all-inclusive nature of a Disney cruise provides a never-ending embarrassment of riches. Each restaurant offers more food than the next, and on such a short cruise, it’s difficult to make time for it all … though we tried. The price of admission includes a fitness center, live shows and nightly entertainment, youth clubs and themed parties, various age-appropriate pools, self-serve ice cream, recreation activities, daily character experiences and inclusive dining at all restaurants with the exception of Palo; the adults-only, fine-dining Italian restaurant requires a dress code and additional fees.

TOP TAKEAWAYS:

◆ Bring something warm to wear for the pirate party and fire- works finale. The air gets colder than you might expect, and this show is a must — Disney’s cruise ships are the only vessels offering fireworks shows at sea.

◆ Having a private, open-air space like a stateroom veranda offers a retreat from the public spaces on the upper decks.

◆ Arrive early to enjoy onboard entertainment and shows. Some of the more popular productions, like Frozen, A Musical Spectacular and movie premieres, fill up quickly and are first- come, first served.

◆ Familiarize yourself with the ship layout early. The ship’s décor provides clues and features thousands of signs (more than 2,400 total), but it’s still easy to get turned around.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE disneycruise.disney.go.com