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When you think, “epic family vacation,” what do you think of? For many of us, it’s anything Disney! And you can’t get much more relaxing than a cruise. The cheapest Disney cruise is a Disney cruise in Bahamas, and you have lots of sailing dates to choose from. But with SO many sailings, how do you find the best prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas?
When we booked our Disney cruise back in January 2020, SO many people said to wait for price drops. But (wonderful!) bloggers said Disney cruise prices only go up. I wanted to find out for myself!
So, every month since January, I’ve been recording the lowest prices for popular Disney cruises:
- 3-night Disney cruise to Bahamas from Port Canaveral
- 7-night Disney cruise Eastern Caribbean from Port Canaveral; and
- 7-night Disney cruise from Vancouver to Alaska.
And now I’m sharing what I found!
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CONTENTS:
- About Disney Cruises in Bahamas
- Cheapest Prices for Disney Cruises in Bahamas: When to Book
- Benefits of Booking with a DISNEY TRAVEL AGENT
- Summary and Resources
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that if you use the links below to make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting us!
About Disney Cruises in Bahamas
Before we compare Disney cruise prices, I’ll quickly summarize key things to know about the Disney cruise in Bahamas. Here we cover: your sailing options, your cruise itinerary, and your Disney cruise ship.
WHEN Do Disney Cruises Go to Bahamas?
You can take a Disney cruise in Bahamas year-round.
Every calendar year, you have many sailing options for a Disney cruise in Bahamas:
- 3-night Bahamian Cruise from MIAMI: 2 sailings (May and Dec 2021) on the Disney Magic cruise ship. Stops include Key West (1 of 2) and Disney Castaway Cay island.
- 3-night Bahamian Cruise from PORT CANAVERAL: 57 sailings (Dec 2020, Jan-Dec 2021) on the Disney Dream cruise ship (2 on Disney Fantasy, in June and Nov 2021). Stops include Nassau (most) and Disney Castaway Cay island.
- 4-night Bahamian Cruise from MIAMI: 13 sailings (Dec 2020, Jan-Apr and Nov-Dec 2021) on the Disney Magic cruise ship. Stops include Nassau or Key West (5 include both) and Disney Castaway Cay island.
- 4-night Bahamian Cruise from PORT CANAVERAL: 57 sailings (Dec 2020, Jan-Dec 2021) on the Disney Dream cruise ship (2 on Disney Fantasy, in May and June 2021). Stops include Nassau and Disney Castaway Cay island.
- 5-night Bahamian Cruise from MIAMI: 13 sailings (Dec 2020, Jan-Apr and Nov-Dec 2021) on the Disney Magic. Stops include Nassau, Key West and Disney Castaway Cay island.
- 5-night Bahamian Cruise from PORT CANAVERAL: 2 sailings (July and Nov 2021) on the Disney Fantasy cruise ship. Stops include Nassau and 2 at Disney Castaway Cay island.
- 6-night Bahamian Cruise from GALVESTON: 4 sailings (Dec 2020, Nov 2021 and Dec 2021) on the Disney Wonder cruise ship. Stops include Key West and Disney Castaway Cay island.
- 7-night Bahamian Cruise from GALVESTON: 1 sailing (Jan 2021) on the Disney Wonder cruise ship. Stops include Nassau, Key West and Disney Castaway Cay island.
- 7-night Bahamian Cruise from NEW ORLEANS: 3 sailings (Feb 2021) on the Disney Wonder cruise ship. Stops include Nassau, Key West and Disney Castaway Cay island.
As you can see, Port Canaveral is by far the most common departure for a Disney cruise in Bahamas. You have a whopping 57 sailings for a 3-night cruise in Bahamas AND 57 sailings for a 4-night cruise in Bahamas. These are also your best options to cruise in Bahamas for cheap.
My analysis below focuses solely on the 3-night Disney cruise in Bahamas from Port Canaveral. I thought this would be the most interesting contrast to the 7-night Disney cruises to Alaska and Eastern Caribbean.
3-night Disney Cruise in Bahamas ITINERARY
Most Disney cruises in Bahamas stop at Nassau. All stop at Disney Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island).
Your 3-night Disney cruise itinerary in Bahamas from Port Canaveral includes:
- Day 1: Boarding in Port Canaveral by 3:30 p.m.
- Day 2: Nassau OR Disney Castaway Cay OR At Sea
- Day 3: Disney Castaway Cay OR At Sea
- Day 4: Disembark in Port Canaveral by 8:00 a.m.
Which Disney Cruise SHIP Goes to the Bahamas
Of the 3-night Disney cruises in Bahamas from Port Canaveral, 55 are on the Disney Dream cruise ship and 2 on Disney Fantasy. Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are the newest and largest ships in the Disney ship fleet. Both have 1,250 staterooms (4,000 passengers maximum).
Both Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy have the famous AquaDuck water coaster, the world’s longest waterslide on a cruise ship. AquaDuck is 765 feet long and takes a two-man raft over the side of the ship! Other unique water features include a family wading pool right up on Deck 12, an extra splash pad for little ones, and an adults-only fountain pool, in addition to the Quiet Cove pool.
Also, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy both have other features families love. Connecting staterooms. Star Wars Command Post for the kids. Disney movies on demand. Hot tubs right up against the side of the ship. And unique restaurants, like Enchanted Garden, Royal Palace or Royal Court, and Remy, the sophisticated and intimate, adults-only French gourmet restaurant.
As for broadway-style shows, Disney Dream features Beauty and the Beast and Disney Fantasy features Disney’s Aladdin.
Like all Disney cruise ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy have plenty of fun adults-only pubs, lounges and spa areas. Tons of activities for the kids. And plenty of fun Disney character interactions.
Cheapest Prices for Disney Cruises in Bahamas: When to Book
So, how much are Disney cruises in Bahamas? A 3-night Disney cruise in Bahamas ranges from $1,314US to more than $7,556US, based on 2 adults. The cheapest price is for the cheapest inside cabin at the cheapest time you can book it, and the most expensive is the priciest concierge cabin at the most expensive time you can book it (so far!). And this data is based on 2021 Disney cruises in Bahamas.
Even for a short 3-night cruise, you still see quite a range of prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas. So, when should you book? We’ll break it down below.
Now, before I get into the cheapest and priciest times to GO and BOOK your Disney cruise in Bahamas, here’s a key point to note. Prices for adults and children fluctuate, often in opposition. My data below is based on a family of four (2 adults/2 children). So, the cheapest sailing for a family might be relatively pricier if you’re only booking adults.
*Note: Since I started recording prices in January 2020, I will continue to collect them until March 2021. This will give me an entire cycle’s worth of data to compare prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas. And then I’ll update this analysis as needed.
Cheapest Time to GO on a Disney Cruise in Bahamas
When is the cheapest time to GO on your Disney cruise in Bahamas? The cheapest time to take your 3-night Disney cruise in Bahamas is late January to February and September. Other comparably cheaper prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas include October to early December. This is generally true across all cabin types, though you can find exceptions.
TABLE: 2021/2022 CHEAPEST Disney Cruises in Bahamas – WINTER (USD)
Early 2022 sailings were just released in October 2020, so I include these cheapest Disney cruises in Bahamas for comparison. While I don’t want to give away the cheapest time to book your cruise in Bahamas (section below!), I will tell you that the 2021 prices below are NOT the original release prices.
| @ CHEAPEST TIME | INSIDE | OCEANVIEW | VERANDAH | CONCIERGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 22/21 | $2,154 | $2,202 | $2,292 | $5,135 |
| Jan 7/22 | $2,550 | $2,622 | $2,814 | $4,956 |
| Feb 5/21 | $2,192 | $2,246 | $2,348 | $4,985 |
| Feb 4/22 | $2,592 | $2,664 | $2,856 | $5,016 |
*Note: Prices are in US Dollars and for 2 adults/2 children.
TABLE: 2020/2021 CHEAPEST Disney Cruises in Bahamas – FALL (USD)
Below are the cheapest prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas during fall, which is the second cheapest time to go compared to January and February. Apologies that the table is so big, but I thought you might be interested in seeing how 2020 and 2021 compare. Below I discuss when to book to get these best prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas.
| @ CHEAPEST TIME | INSIDE | OCEANVIEW | VERANDAH | CONCIERGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28/20 | $2,454 | $2,514 | $2,658 | $5,603 |
| Aug 27/21 | $3,093 | $3,165 | $3,279 | $5,488 |
| Sep 18/20 | $2,730 | $2,784 | $2,922 | $4,971 |
| Sep 17/21 | $2,742 | $2,814 | $2,928 | $4,948 |
| Oct 16/20 | $2,275 | $2,359 | $2,461 | $5,314 |
| Oct 29/21 | $2,807 | $2,861 | $3,017 | $5,639 |
| Nov 6/20 | $2,360 | $2,444 | $2,546 | $5,792 |
| Nov 12/21 | $2,883 | $2,931 | $3,093 | $6,067 |
*Note: Prices are in US Dollars and for 2 adults/2 children.
Most Expensive Time to GO on a Disney Cruise in Bahamas
The most expensive time to GO on your 3-night Disney cruise in Bahamas is June, July and over Christmas. And as of October 2020, this is mostly true across all cabin types.
TABLE: 2021 PRICIEST Disney Cruises in Bahamas – SUMMER (USD)
In the table below, you can see July 2, 2021 as the most expensive cruise in Bahamas during summer for three cabin types. Prices climb leading up to July 2, make a small dip and back up to July 23, and then drop off into August.
But, you’ll notice that concierge cabins are more expensive in June compared to July. As of October 2020, concierge cabins are actually more expensive for the April 2, 2021 sailing ($8,040) and April 15, 2022 ($7,878) compared to summer prices of Disney cruises.
| AS OF OCT 2020 | INSIDE | OCEANVIEW | VERANDAH | CONCIERGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25/21 | $4,606 | $4,678 | $4,834 | $7,558 |
| Jul 2/21 | $4,666 | $4,738 | $4,894 | $7,468 |
| Jul 23/21 | $4,576 | $4,648 | $4,804 | $7,408 |
| Jul 30/21 | $4,432 | $4,504 | $4,660 | $7,168 |
*Note: Prices are in US Dollars and for 2 adults/2 children.
TABLE: 2020/2021 PRICIEST Disney Cruises in Bahamas – CHRISTMAS (USD)
As you’d likely expect, prices for Disney cruises are most expensive over the Christmas and New Years holidays. If you want the festive Disney cruise experience but don’t want to pay so much, book an early December sailing. These are almost half the price!
| AS OF OCT 2020 | INSIDE | OCEANVIEW | VERANDAH | CONCIERGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 21/20 | $4,163 | $4,343 | $4,505 | $7,505 |
| Dec 28/20 | $5,447 | $5,627 | $5,813 | $9,899 |
| Dec 24/21 | $5,548 | $5,602 | $5,779 | $10,882 |
| Dec 31/21 | $5,556 | $5,610 | $5,784 | $11,100 |
*Note: Prices are in US Dollars and for 2 adults/2 children.
Want more getaway ideas for the holidays? Check out Christmas Vacation Ideas for Couples!
Cheapest Time to BOOK a Disney Cruise in Bahamas
So, now we know the cheapest and most expensive times to GO on a Disney cruise in Bahamas. When is the cheapest time to BOOK that cruise?
When we booked our Disney cruise in January 2020, SO many people told us to wait. “Cruise prices always get cheaper,” they said. But all my research at the time (i.e. a lot of great blogs out there!) said, “NO! Disney cruise prices only go UP from their release price.”
And they were right. EXCEPT for last-minute Disney cruise deals specifically for Bahamas.
Book in Advance or Take Your Chances: Two Options for Cheapest Disney Cruise to Bahamas
If you want to be sure you have a cabin and pick your preferred location, the cheapest time to book your Disney cruise in Bahamas is the month the sailings are released. Looking at past release dates, new Disney cruise sailings are typically released as follows:
- Between late Feb and mid Apr: Sailings released for June, July, August, September of the following year
- Between mid May and late July: Sailings released for October, November, December of the following year
- Between late Sept and late Oct: Sailings released for January, February, March, April, May of two years ahead
BUT … if you want the best Disney cruise deals, you could wait for a last-minute release of guaranteed rooms with restrictions. Guaranteed rooms with restrictions are those that are assigned by Disney Cruise Lines. Also, they might have obstructed views, like a porthole or partial wall instead of a full verandah.
I saw prices for Disney cruises to Bahamas drop to their LOWEST through this deal, on sailings in January to April 2021. (Of all three Disney cruises I tracked, only cruises to Bahamas had last-minute deals cheaper than original release prices.) BUT not for concierge cabins; their original release prices were still cheaper. These guaranteed rooms with restrictions had staggered release dates from August through October 2020.
And the problem with waiting for these last-minute Disney cruise deals? They might not happen, of course, and you might get a cabin you don’t love.
Note: The cheapest time to book a concierge cabin is as soon as it’s released. I’ve only seen concierge cabin prices go up.
TABLE: 2021 GUARANTEED ROOM DEALS for Disney Cruises in Bahamas – Apr 16 Sailing (USD)
Below is a table that compares the Disney cruise deals you can get with guaranteed rooms with restrictions. Taking April 16, 2021 sailing as an example, you can see that the guaranteed room with restrictions rates dip below original release prices. But, regular room rates (i.e. where you pick your cabin) continue to climb. (Although not very much.)
| APR 16/21 SAILING | INSIDE | OCEANVIEW | VERANDAH | CONCIERGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Release (Sept 2019) | $1,923 | $1,995 | $2,109 | $3,993 |
| Guaranteed Room Rate (Oct 2020) | $1,506 | $1,560 | $1,644 | NONE |
| Current Regular Room Rate (Oct 2020) | $1,956 | $2,022 | $2,136 | $4,020 |
*Note: Prices are in US Dollars and for 2 adults ONLY (only available data for release prices).
Most Expensive Time to BOOK a Disney Cruise in Bahamas
If you missed the cheapest time to book your Disney cruise in Bahamas, what’s the worst time to avoid booking?
Generally, the longer you wait to book your Disney cruise in Bahamas, the more expensive the price will get. Prices are closely tied to demand. So, as a specific sailing or a cabin within a specific sailing gets popular, prices of Disney cruises go up. And if a cabin type becomes unavailable and then opens up again, it’ll be more expensive than before.
Also, if you want to book a guaranteed room with restrictions Disney cruise deal, book once it’s released. While most are available at least two months, I saw some disappear within weeks of me recording them.
Now, unlike the Disney cruises to Alaska and Eastern Caribbean, I didn’t see massive fluctuations in prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas. Maybe this is partly because it’s a shorter and cheaper cruise to begin with??
TABLE: 2021 PRICE INCREASES for Disney Cruises in Bahamas – Sep 17 Sailing (USD)
Below is a table that shows how prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas climb over time. While most cruises in Bahamas climbed only slightly over time, the September 17, 2021 sailing shows a fairly decent climb. At least in some cabin types.
| SEP 17/21 SAILING | INSIDE | OCEANVIEW | VERANDAH | CONCIERGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Release (Mar 2020) | $2,742 | $2,814 | $2,928 | $4,948 |
| Current Room Rate (Oct 2020) | $2,914 | $3,022 | $3,046 | $5,154 |
*Note: Prices are in US Dollars and for 2 adults/2 children.
When to Get the Best Disney Cruise in Bahamas DEALS
Disney cruise deals come up quite regularly for Disney cruises in Bahamas. These deals are offered by Disney Cruise Lines, and also available by a Disney cruise travel agent. Here are four Disney cruise deals that may apply to your Disney cruise in Bahamas:
- 50% deposit: Offered in January to mid-February on new reservations (4+ nights), for bookings between June of the same year through May of the following year.
- Special rates for Florida residents and military: Offered regularly for 3-night Disney cruises in Bahamas. In October 2020, these Disney cruise deals applied to specific sailings January through March. Florida and military rates were the same, but differed based on sailing date. More sailing deals were available to military rates than Florida rates.
- 25% Canadian reduction: Typically offered when new sail dates are released, for near sailing dates and specific cabin types. In October 2020, these Disney cruise deals applied to only the January 22 and 29, 2021 sailings.
- Up to 25% on select sailings: Offered periodically, often for shorter cruises and specific cabin types with restrictions. Typically this means that they choose the room for you, PLUS you must pay in full when booking, payment is non-refundable (relaxed due to COVID), and both the sail date and stateroom category can’t be changed. In October 2020, this Disney cruise deal included 3-night cruises in Bahamas, for verandah cabins with restrictions for sailings in January through March 2021.
There seems to be a link between these Disney cruise deals and when Disney Cruise Line releases guaranteed rooms with restrictions.
Benefits of Booking with a Disney Cruise Travel Agent
Should you book your Disney cruise in Bahamas with a travel agency or directly with Disney Cruise Line? The benefit of booking your cruise to Bahamas with a Disney cruise travel agent is that agents offer Disney cruise deals above what’s offered by Disney Cruise Line. And all Disney Cruise Line offers mentioned above are also available through travel agents that sell Disney cruises.
Now, it’s helpful to know that travel agencies are prohibited from undercutting Disney Cruise Line prices. So, you won’t find a better price for Disney cruises compared to Disney Cruise Line. But you will find incentives from travel agencies to book through them.
Disney cruise travel agents will usually offer their incentives as an onboard credit, which is based on your booking cost. As you look for your best Disney cruise deal, look at what’s included in your “booking cost.” Some extra things can bump you up to the higher onboard credit. For example, most travel agencies credit the insurance, transfers and hotels you book with them. But, only some travel agencies include your taxes.
Also, some travel agencies offer specific incentives, like credit on shore excursions, or a gift basket of cruise essentials.
Which of these Disney cruise deals is best for you? It’ll depend on:
- Your specific booking cost (including insurance, transfers, hotels and taxes);
- Where you spend the most, other than the cabin price (e.g. gratuities, alcohol, shore excursions); and,
- Whether you’re a Costco member.
I suggest you start by pricing out your preferred Disney cruise to Bahamas, including your travel companion details and cabin type. Then compare offers from Disney cruise travel agents, looking specifically at the factors above.
Summary and Resources
So, when should you book your Disney cruise in Bahamas? The best prices for Disney cruises in Bahamas are in January/February and September to November. Either book right away when your sailing is released, or take your chances with cheaper guaranteed rooms with restrictions.
Guaranteed rooms with restrictions are typically cheaper than original release prices. But, you take your chances on whether they’ll be released for the sailing date you’re interested in, and I haven’t seen any of these deals for concierge rooms. Disney Cruise Line picks your cabin for you and it might have obstructed views. These Disney cruise deals are typically released a few months before a sailing but can disappear at any time.
Compared to Disney cruises to Alaska and Eastern Caribbean, cruises in Bahamas are much more frequent, much less volatile in price fluctuations, and have many more Disney cruise deals.
Helpful Resources
- Disney Cruise Line website: Obviously THE most valuable resource in planning your Disney cruise in Bahamas. Here you’ll find all the specifics on sail dates, cabin prices, and Disney cruise ship features. Plus, this is where you’ll manage all your bookings for things like excursions, spa appointments and childcare.
- Disney Cruise Line Blog: SO helpful in doing historical research! This hyperlink takes you to the original release prices for Jan-May 2021, in case you want to compare current prices yourself.
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Disney Cruise Agents to Compare Disney Cruise Deals
Once you’ve compared prices for Disney cruises with your specific details on the Disney Cruise Line website, I highly recommend comparing Disney cruise deals at three Disney travel agents:
- Costco Travel: If you’re already a Costco member, they might have the best Disney cruise deal for you. Instead of an onboard credit, you get a Costco gift card. Their online interface is great, immediately showing you how much your gift card will be, based on your sail date and cabin type.
- Cruise Direct: A very popular, well-established website for booking cruises. Their search function is fantastic, including ship features and customer ratings. Quickly compare cruise prices, sailings and companies. Cruise Direct also offers competitive onboard credits, no booking fees and flexible payment plans.
- Dreams Unlimited Travel: Where I booked our upcoming May 2021 Disney cruise, because they clearly include taxes with their onboard credit. This bumped us up to the higher onboard credit. Plus, they offer a gift basket with cruise essentials, which is a nice touch. Their website isn’t nearly as easy to use as Cruise Direct, though, so I did my research elsewhere. So far, I’ve had excellent customer service.
Woohoo!! Aren’t you excited?!
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Other posts you may like:
- Best Prices for Disney Cruise to Alaska: When to Book
- Best Prices for Disney Cruise to Eastern Caribbean GUIDE
- Christmas Vacation Ideas for Couples 2020
- Gift Giving Guide: How to Give a Gift (includes Experience Gifts!)
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Featured photo credit: Georgy Trofimov from Unsplash.
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