I take two things in life very seriously: Disney and caffeine. Oh, sure, my family is important too, but they also appreciate Disney, and no one wants a decaffeinated mom in this house. Coffee is my preferred method of caffeination, so let’s take a look at where to go on the ship for your best cup of Joe each day.
A Very Brief History of Free Coffee on Disney Cruise Line
If you haven’t sailed with Disney within the past five years or so, you may not have super fond memories of the free coffee served on Disney Cruise Line. It used to be horrible. I mean calling it coffee was a stretch. My comment cards were not complimentary when it came to the coffee on board. I think many others may have had strong feedback on the coffee situation because that brand is no longer served (on the cruises or on Walt Disney World property).
Disney changed its coffee vendor and now serves Joffrey’s coffee at coffee stations and in the dining rooms. It is a vast improvement over its predecessor. Goes to show you that Disney really does listen to feedback.
Free Coffee on Disney Cruise Line
I struggle with the use of the word “free” when talking about Disney Cruise Line. In this sense, I am talking about coffee that is already included in the dining that you paid for as a part of your cruise fare.
You can find “free” coffee at these locations:
- Beverage fountains on the pool deck have a coffee carafe as well
- Room service – you can order coffee service right to your room
- Dining rooms – You can order coffee with any meal in any dining room
- Lounges – make sure you are not ordering a specialty coffee that will incur a fee
Photo credit: Melanie Clatfelter
Specialty Coffee
Specialty coffee is any coffee that is prepared by a barista. These drinks will always incur an additional fee. Specialty coffee is available at:
- Cove Cafe (adults only)
- Vista Cafe (Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy only)
- Cabanas
- Select lounges also have the ability to serve specialty coffee drinks
- Dining rooms – Specialty coffee drinks are often listed with the desserts on the menu. Prices will be noted on the menu.
I find that prices at the onboard cafes are about $1 to $3 dollars higher than what a comparable drink would cost at your local Starbucks or cafe. So, pricey, but not gouging you for your caffeine fix.
Take a look at DCL Fan contributor Lisa Rufle’s overview of Cove Cafe.
Adult Specialty Coffees
One of the perks of having a specialty coffee onboard a cruise ship is that your barista can often prepare coffee cocktails with alcohol included. Irish coffee in Alaska is wonderful. As was this Grasshopper coffee I enjoyed while gazing at glaciers from the windows in Cove Cafe on the Disney Wonder.
Photo Credit: Melanie Clatfelter
Coffee Cards
In order to incentivise you to purchase your coffee – rather than rely on free offerings – Disney Cruise Line has a loyalty coffee card. With each purchase you get your card stamped, and when it is full, you get a free (non-alcoholic) specialty coffee or tea.
The best thing about the cards is if you depart with a card that only has a few stamps, you can save it. Then you can resume stamping on your next cruise.
Fun Coffee Bonus
Above I shared a photo of my Mickey coffee on the Disney Magic. Below you can see Cove Cafe also celebrates the holidays with fun images like the ones seen in this Very Merrytime Cruise video.
Where do you like to sit and enjoy a nice cup of coffee on Disney Cruise Line?
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