What is it Like Sailing Thanksgiving Day on Disney Cruise Line?

One of the perks of not being home during Thanksgiving is not having to cook and clean after enjoying a Thanksgiving feast. But, what is it like while sailing on a Disney Cruise? Does it feel like Thanksgiving onboard?

Very Merrytime Cruises

The holidays are an excellent time to sail Disney Cruise Line as many festivities, decorations, and entertainment occur during the various Very Merrytime sailings. For one, a 24-foot Christmas tree adorns the Atrium or Grand Hall depending on which of the five ships a guest is sailing on, and the pastry chefs onboard create a gingerbread house each year.

Different holiday crafts are available for guests of all ages, including kids in the kids’ clubs and teens in their clubs. However, for one craft we needed to understand why it was called a holiday craft. It was coloring in a DCL puzzle with a set of colored pencils. Perhaps it is a holiday craft because it looks like a puzzle that could be sold in the gift shop for a present.

How does sailing on Thanksgiving Day differ than sailing on actual Christmas Day?

Thanksgiving Day

My family and I (Marisol) set sail the week of Thanksgiving on a seven-night sailing to Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlán. Before this cruise, we sailed over Christmas and Easter and wondered if it would feel like Thanksgiving Day on the ship rather than at home. Would we see themed Thanksgiving characters or be able to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade?

In the morning before heading out to Cabo San Lucas, I turned on our stateroom tv in anticipation of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on NBC but quickly remembered that Disney only owns ABC. Comcast owns NBC. That was a no-go!

We had a day at port in Cabo San Lucas on Thanksgiving Day, but all aboard was at 2:15 pm. Upon returning to the ship, I hoped that Mickey and Minnie would don their Thanksgiving pilgrim outfits, as seen on the marketing ads for Thanksgiving cruises. Unfortunately, they never appeared.

I also checked the Daily Navigator on the DCL app to see if any Thanksgiving activities would occur, such as Thanksgiving Trivia or a Thanksgiving craft. However, they were never offered!

During our Easter sailing, I recall the atrium having a set up with various desserts from around the world including big chocolate Easter eggs as decor on the dessert buffet table. It was not the Easter Bunny that met with guests, but rather the White Rabbit himself!

We had Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Santa Goofy on our Christmas sailing. Additionally, the last time that we sailed the same itinerary as this cruise, Mickey and his friends donned Mexican attire. That never occurred during this sailing.

Thanksgiving Dinner

The only time that it felt like Thanksgiving was when we were at dinner. Before our meals were served, Captain Robert, the ship’s captain, came over to the loudspeaker and thanked the guests and the Crew Members and gave a Thanksgiving speech as one may do at home surrounded by friends and family. He concluded by making a toast, and the restaurant cheered in unison and wished one another a Happy Thanksgiving.    

The Thanksgiving menu for the night consisted of turkey, gravy, cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, and sweet potatoes as an option.  One would have thought they would serve pumpkin pie for dinner; however, it was only cheesecake.

There were two other times when I read Happy Thanksgiving: at the Cabana’s buffet restaurant and at a quick service location near the pool area. Only a handful of food item placards stated the phrase. Another time I visited the bathroom, I found a turkey towel decoration.

Had it not been for my family and I greeting Crew Members with a Happy Thanksgiving when we passed out treats, one would have never really known that it was Thanksgiving Day! Although, I have to admit that I still snuck in my mid-afternoon nap as I do each Thanksgiving afternoon at home!

Is It Worth Sailing Over Thanksgiving?

For our family, we enjoyed sailing on Thanksgiving even though it did not feel the same way as it did at home. Besides cooking and hosting Thanksgiving with family at our house, we missed going through the Black Friday ads and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and the Best in Dog Show. Watching Black Friday NFL football games is not a problem as it aired in O’Gills Irish Pub onboard. In terms of Black Friday shopping, you must purchase the internet package to make your online purchases.

I also noticed that many big families were sailing together, whereas it was just my husband and our two kids. I do have to admit that it was nice not having to cook and clean up!

If you are looking to set sail on Thanksgiving Day in hopes that it will feel different from the rest of the days of sailing, then a Thanksgiving cruise may not be the one for you. However, one of the perks of sailing during this particular holiday was that it felt more like Christmas and the holiday season, as the decorations were beautiful and could be found throughout the ship.

Thanksgiving sailings are one of the first ones to experience the Very Merrytime Cruises. In another article, I will focus on what makes these sailings unique during the holidays. For example, Santa Claus had many meet and greets throughout the sailing. Many families, including ours, wore Christmas pajamas and attire when taking pictures with him in front of the Christmas tree. Perfect for our holiday Christmas cards!

Taking pictures with Pilgrim Mickey and Minnie would have been a treat to meet and to snap a photo! Please share this article with a friend thinking of sailing over Thanksgiving on a Disney Cruise. It will help them plan accordingly and what to expect.