Everything to Know About Royal Gatherings on Disney Cruise Line

Are you hoping to meet princesses on your next voyage aboard Disney Cruise Line? Here is everything you need to know about scoring a Royal Gathering so you can enjoy the event!

Characters on Disney Cruises

One of the things that sets Disney Cruise Line apart from other competitor Cruise lines is the presence of familiar and beloved Disney Characters! It is the only cruise line that allows passengers to meet Mickey Mouse and pals like Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Goofy.

The characters appear throughout your sailing, sometimes in their traditional outfits and sometimes in special costumes depending on your itinerary. Even better, each cruise offers visits from select princesses!

Many of the meet-n-greets are planned, and you will see the daily schedule of available characters in your Disney Cruise Line Navigator App once you connect to the ship’s wifi at the terminal. Some characters appear multiple days/times, and others only visit once, so plan accordingly. Sometimes the characters also traverse the ship at random to say hello to passengers and even play a few deck games!

But, there is only one planned character meet that you can reserve in advance of your Disney Cruise, and it is tremendously popular. The Royal Gathering is a Disney Cruise Line treat that passengers love to book, especially if they have little ones who want to meet the Disney princesses during their sailing.

What is a Royal Gathering

A Royal Gathering is a special complimentary Disney princess meet-n-greet opportunity available on Disney Cruise Line. Guests see 4-5 princesses during this meet which is scheduled for approximately 15 minutes. It is completely complimentary, so it is included in the price of the cruise IF you can get a time slot.

The difference between the regular character meets and the Royal Gathering is that this is your travel party’s chance to meet multiple Disney princesses all in one fell swoop. Other meets are typically for one princess with a few exceptions such as Elsa and Anna aboard the Disney Wish.

On Disney Cruise Line, the Royal Gathering is available by appointment only! It is important to know that you must reserve a time slot to join the queue to meet the princesses.

Which Princesses Will You Meet?

The line-up of princesses varies depending on your ship and your cruise itinerary. Guests can expect to meet 4-5 princesses, but there are no guarantees as to which ones will be out.

You will meet several princesses all at once.

For example, on the Disney Wish, we met 5 princesses at the Royal Gathering. They were: Cinderella, Moana, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Belle.

How to Reserve a Royal Gathering

Some families see the line forming for all of the princesses and rush over to join it. They are disappointed to find that the queue is only open to those who have pre-booked reservations.

If you don’t want this to happen to you, simply be sure to make a reservation when your reservation window opens. The window opens at midnight Eastern Time 30 days ahead of your sail date. This is the window for EVERYONE regardless of your Castaway Club Level. The exception is Concierge Guests who may be able to arrange for it to be booked sooner.

Times and dates will vary from ship to ship. Slots go incredibly fast! So, act quickly. If this is also your check-in date, book your Royal Gathering FIRST and then check-in.

What if You Miss the Booking Window

If all Royal Gathering reservations vanish before you are able to book one, take heart! There are other ways to get one. Here are three things to try.

For one thing, you can keep checking your Disney Cruise Line Navigator App. Sometimes people cancel, and the reservations pop up closer to embarkation day! This method can be tedious and disappointing, so you may prefer trying a different way.

The BEST thing to do if you miss the initial reservation window is to look for a time slot on embarkation day. When you arrive for check-in at the port and you enter the terminal, you will be able to connect to the ship’s wifi. Once you are connected to the ship’s wifi, check the onboard activities to see if there is a time slot available. Often there will be!

My (Kate’s) family was able to make a reservation in the terminal while we were waiting to board the Disney Wish. We had missed the initial window, so I checked that day, and one popped up like magic.

However, if you forget to check while you are in the terminal, there is one more possibility. You can go right to guest services upon embarkation. Sometimes, they will be able to reserve a slot for you if you ask for one in person.

Of course, none of these methods are guaranteed to work. But, they are the best chance you will have to book a Royal Gathering once you are outside of the initial reservation window.

PIRATE TIP: If you are unsuccessful, your best course of action is to ask Guest Services when the event will be and avoid the atrium during those times. This will help to prevent hurt feelings for a little one who does not have a reservation because they won’t even know it is happening if they never see it. Besides, there are other simple ways to see princesses during your cruise.

Other Ways to Meet Princesses

If you are unsuccessful in reserving a Royal Gathering, do not worry. Here are other ways to meet princesses aboard your Disney Cruise.

The easiest way is to look for scheduled character meet n’ greets in the Dinsey Cruise Line Navigator App. You can favorite the ones you wish to attend so that they show up when you filter your itinerary. Princesses tend to be available throughout the voyage.

Arrive at the designated location ahead of time to minimize your wait as lines do tend to form, particularly on at-sea days or at times when travelers are not out visiting a port. The lines are shorter during meets that happen while the ship is docked.

Your child might also receive a visit from a princess in the Oceaneer Kid’s Club. While aboard the wish, my own little princess met both Rapunzel and Rey in the kid’s club. She even participated in a mission led by Rey. The Crew Members at the clubs might have an idea of the schedule, so be sure to ask if they know.

You could also meet select princesses if you book Olaf’s Royal Picnic aboard the Disney Wish or a Royal Court Royal Tea Party aboard the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, or Disney Fantasy. These are paid add-ons that are typically very expensive at over $200 per child and $69+ per accompanying adult. However, some families really enjoy it.

Finally, if you are a family of night owls, you might be able to meet characters after the Final Farewell show the last night aboard your ship. The show features the ship’s characters, and they often stick around for photos and autographs afterward. This event can be crowded.

Lastly, if you have a land-and-sea trip planned, you can see princesses in Disney Parks. Character Locator is your ultimate tool for meeting them all.

Final Thoughts

The Royal Gathering is cute if you can get a reservation, but it is not the end-all-be-all for meeting Dinsey Princesses. There will be plenty of opportunities to visit with characters. And, there is so much fun to be had on a Disney Cruise that your princess fan might not even notice if you skip it. Best of luck and happy sailing!

Have you ever enjoyed a Royal Gathering? What did you think of it? Let us know. And, be sure to pass this along to your friends and family members who are sailing on Disney Cruise Line so they know how to sign up for a Royal Gathering if they wish.