Disney Cruise Line Tightens Alcohol Rules And Cracks Down On Hallway Door Decorations

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click one, I may earn a commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
You can receive cruise news updates straight to your inbox, so you don't miss a thing! Subscribe here.

Disney Cruise Line has quietly introduced two significant policy changes that are already sparking strong reactions among loyal guests ahead of the new rules taking effect on 3rd June.

The cruise line has reduced the amount of alcohol passengers can bring onboard and also tightened restrictions on stateroom decorations, particularly those spilling out into cabin corridors.

Cruise mummy disney drinks

The alcohol update marks one of the biggest changes to Disney Cruise Line’s carry-on beverage policy in years. Previously, guests could bring two bottles of wine or six beers onboard at embarkation and were also permitted to bring an additional bottle of wine back onto the ship at each port of call.

Under the revised rules, guests will now only be allowed to bring one bottle of wine or six beers onboard at the start of the cruise, with no additional wine or beer permitted from ports during the voyage. Alcohol purchased ashore will instead be held by the cruise line until the end of the sailing.

At the same time, Disney Cruise Line has lowered its corkage fee from $29 to $20 for guests consuming their own wine in onboard dining venues.

Although Disney has not publicly explained the reason for the alcohol policy revision, many guests believe the move is aimed at increasing onboard beverage revenue, particularly as the line rapidly expands its fleet.

The changes appear to apply fleetwide, despite some confusion caused by outdated FAQ pages that continued showing the previous allowance shortly after guests began receiving notification emails.

Bring drinks on Disney Cruise
The previous rules that are no longer in effect

Guests booked on longer itineraries, especially in Europe and Alaska, have been among the most vocal critics of the update.

One guest preparing for a Mediterranean cruise wrote: “We always used to pick up a bottle or two in ports. Now we get one bottle of wine for the whole trip?”

Another commented: “The policy of bringing a bottle from port made me want to book with DCL for Europe.”

Several passengers also criticised the short notice before implementation. One guest sailing within days of the announcement said: “Why not give it some time to get the word out and not p*ss off the people who have already bought and packed up their alcohol?”

Others pointed to the impact on regional sailings where sampling local drinks had become part of the cruise experience.

“We did the Norwegian Fjords last year and it was awesome bringing a few beers from each port in Belgium and Norway to try on our balcony,” one cruiser wrote. “Was looking forward to doing the same in Alaska.”

Door Decoration Rules Tightened

Disney Cruise Line has also updated its stateroom decoration guidelines, adding a new restriction banning decorations from being placed on corridor walls or ceilings.

The updated policy now states: “Decorations should only be placed on doors and are not permitted on corridor walls or ceilings.”

The change comes as increasingly elaborate cabin displays have become common on themed Disney sailings, particularly Halloween on the High Seas and Merrytime cruises.

While guests are still permitted to decorate cabin doors using magnets, Disney reiterated that tape, adhesives and over-the-door hanging organisers remain prohibited. The cruise line also warned that guests causing damage could face a $100 repair fee per incident.

Unlike the alcohol policy, reaction to the decoration update has been broadly positive online, with many guests arguing that hallway displays had become excessive and were beginning to create safety and accessibility concerns.

One guest wrote: “Love it. We still get to decorate doors and no one can take over the hallway.”

Another added: “It’s getting out of hand and into fire hazard territory with some of these extensive displays.”

Comment
by u/mdisanto86 from discussion
in dcl

Some passengers described difficulties navigating corridors because of oversized decorations, particularly those using mobility devices.

“There was a stateroom that had a pirate chest and pirate ship extending a good 9 inches from the wall,” one cruiser explained. “I had to collapse it every time I passed that part of the hallway.”

Another guest recalled streamers becoming tangled in a motorised wheelchair during a recent sailing aboard Disney Wish.

Comment
by u/mdisanto86 from discussion
in dcl

The new rule is also being welcomed by stateroom attendants and guests frustrated with increasingly elaborate displays inspired by social media and Disney cruise Facebook groups.

“Good,” one passenger wrote. “It’s getting a lot ridiculous as influencers try to out do each other.”

Others pointed to full corridor takeovers during holiday sailings, with decorations stretching across walls, ceilings and service areas.

One guest summed up the feeling shared by many commenters: “I admire the creativity but yeah, this needs to stop.”

Get Expert Help Planning Your Disney Cruise

Get your trip planned to perfection, at no extra cost

Related Posts

If you found this interesting, please share!


Jenni with Disney Cruise ship at Castaway Cay


Leave a comment