Seven nights on the Disney Treasure sounds like plenty of time. Then you start thinking about everything there is to do onboard, add four ports of call to the mix, and suddenly that week can fill up awfully fast.
On this week’s DCL Show, Mary Tesh joined Chris Vorobek to talk about her family’s recent Western Caribbean sailing aboard the Disney Treasure. They covered everything from the Rainforest Room and Haunted Mansion Parlor to port adventures in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica, plus a rainy day at Disney Castaway Cay that made the family’s cabana feel like an especially good investment.
Along the way, Mary shared what worked, what she’d do differently, and why she thinks seven nights is the sweet spot for experiencing the Treasure. If you’re considering this itinerary, there are plenty of useful takeaways here, including a few things you might want to add to your own cruise plans.
Mary Tesh spent seven nights aboard the Disney Treasure, and she figured out the perfect balance between hanging out on the ship and exploring ports in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Disney Castaway Cay. Her wins, her misses, and her honest tips can help you plan a Western Caribbean cruise that actually feels fun instead of frantically rushed.
Start the Vacation Before Embarkation Day
Here’s a pro move: Mary didn’t just show up at the port on sailing day. She flew from Wisconsin to Orlando on Wednesday for a Saturday departure and spent three nights at Disney’s Old Key West Resort with her husband, their adult kids, and their son’s fiancée.
Yeah, the three-bedroom grand villa was way more space than five people really needed, but nobody was complaining. Their children drove down to Florida while Mary and her husband took the Disney Cruise Line motorcoach from Old Key West to Port Canaveral.
Chris Vorobek points out that Disney transportation is pretty efficient, especially at Terminal 8, but he wants to clarify one thing: it doesn’t guarantee you’ll arrive early. You show up whenever the bus gets there, even if your boarding group technically goes earlier.
Mary usually boards in group five with Disney transportation. This time? Group seven. But she decided to wait for friends in group 13, so by the time she actually boarded, hanging out in the Grand Hall wasn’t exactly calling her name.
You know what was? Food. Lots and lots of food.
Sure, Mickey was waving from the balcony and the Aladdin and Jasmine statue was gorgeous, but Mary made a beeline for Marceline Market first. Specifically: the peel-and-eat shrimp she never makes at home because her husband is allergic to them. Sometimes cruise priorities are beautifully simple.
Pick Your Treasure Priorities
The Rainforest Room shot right to the top of Mary’s list. The outdoor area on Wish-class ships is her absolute favorite spot onboard, and this sailing was surprisingly peaceful there. The hot tubs usually had just two or three people in them, and she could snag a circular lounger whenever she wanted to read without fighting for space.
Mary also makes it a point to try something new on every cruise. On the Treasure, that meant getting her hair done at Untangled Salon and doing an Old Fashioned tasting at Hook’s Barbery with her son (her “drinking buddy,” as she calls him).
The Haunted Mansion Parlor needs to be on your must-do list. Seriously. Mary’s son even got his death certificate there – which led to jokes about dying and where you go afterward for the rest of the cruise. Mary felt like she’d walked straight into the actual Haunted Mansion, and Chris thinks longtime Disney Parks fans really should carve out time for this one.
Fair warning though: Chris has a complaint. Ordering those elaborate specialty drinks is way more fun than actually drinking them. The presentation? Chef’s kiss. The taste? They tend to be a little too sweet for his liking.
Mary also hit up the beer tasting at Periscope Pub and grabbed drinks at Scat Cat Lounge with her husband. The pianist was playing Disney Parks music in a jazz style, which was Mary’s kind of perfect, as she’s a musician, so that hit different.
Plaza de Coco was another major win. The mariachi performers and all the Mexican traditions throughout the room had Mary loving every second. Chris adores it too, though he’ll tell you the centrally located stage can get pretty loud.
Now, here’s where they disagreed: Disney The Tale of Moana. Chris ranks it among his favorite shows across the whole Disney Cruise Line fleet. Mary appreciated the technical brilliance, but it just didn’t land for her or her husband the same way. She’d watch it again, but it’s not making her top-10 list.
And here’s the thing about seven nights: You don’t have to cram every single show, lounge, and restaurant into your schedule like it’s your last chance. Mary skipped Beauty and the Beast on the final night so she could spend more time in the Rainforest Room and actually start packing without panicking.
Cozumel: Bees, Submarines, and a Clear Boat
Mary and her husband booked the National Geographic Day Tour at Mrs. Martha’s Bee Farm in Cozumel for $159 per adult. Totally worth it, she said.
The guides broke down why bees matter (hello, pollinators), and guests got to taste different types of honey from different bee species. Plus, it worked great for their group’s wide age range.
Mary’s family has done the Atlantis submarine in Cozumel before when the kids were younger. Chris enjoyed it too and thinks it’s a solid way for kids to see underwater life without scuba diving. The submarine goes down about 100 feet, and Chris compared the vibe to Disneyland’s submarines. It’s a little snug, but neither of them found it claustrophobia-inducing.
Chris is especially into the Clearboat Cozumel excursion. Unlike those disappointing “glass-bottom boats” from his childhood, this thing is actually transparent. You can look through the boat at sunken ships and marine life, and you get a chance to snorkel too. The pickup is right at the pier, so you skip the shopping district, and Chris has done it twice with excellent staff both times.
Grand Cayman, Then a More Cautious Jamaica Plan
As we mentioned above, Mary’s family left Grand Cayman with a running joke that lasted the entire cruise about her son, who’d already gotten his death certificate at the Haunted Mansion Parlor.
Getting tendered into Grand Cayman wasn’t an issue for Mary, even with a knee that acts up sometimes. Crew members offered a hand, and she found the whole process pretty manageable.
She and her husband did the Island Flavors, Rhythms and Highlights excursion for $109 per person. They checked out an observation tower with mosaics, ate jerk chicken at Spanglish, and had rum punch.
Her son and his fiancée went for the Mangrove Kayak Adventure at $69 per person. They loved the kayaking part, but here’s a heads-up: the tour company didn’t provide water during their time out. His fiancée felt off later that night, so it’s definitely worth asking about water availability and prepping for the heat with this one.
Chris still hasn’t found his ideal Grand Cayman excursion. Recently, he followed a crew member’s suggestion, had lunch and cocktails at a restaurant near the pier, and just walked around town. He’s heard mixed things about Seven Mile Beach, and he’ll be the first to tell you he’s not really a beach person. Sand has a way of hitching a ride home with him for months.
Jamaica requires a different approach for Chris. He recommends booking a Disney Cruise Line port adventure instead of going solo because Disney actually vets its excursions. That peace of mind matters in a destination with legitimate safety concerns.
On a personal level, Chris chooses not to spend money in Jamaica because of the country’s treatment of gay people. He treats Falmouth like another sea day and enjoys the quieter ship instead.
Mary also sticks with Disney Cruise Line excursions in Jamaica. She and her husband took the Hampton Estate Rum Tour for $109 per person. The younger adults booked the Chukka Horseback Ride and Swim for $119 per person and had an amazing time.
Mary was just as happy with the rum tour because, as she said it best: “You can never go wrong with rum.”
Castaway Cay Was Worth the Cabana Cost
Mary managed to snag one of the newer Mickey and Minnie Cove Cabanas at Disney Castaway Cay. Seven people shared cabana number 30, and the total came to just over $1,000.
For her family? Absolutely worth every penny.
Several showers and storms rolled through while they were there. Every time guests got called out of the water, Mary’s family had their own private covered space to hang out in. The cabana came loaded: multiple seating areas, loungers, a hammock, soft drinks, water, fruit, sunscreen, floats, tubes, and even bikes.
These cabanas are a bit farther from the main family beach, but Mary didn’t think the walk to lunch was bad. Plus, her family had several food allergies, and their dining room server happened to be delivering allergy meals to the cabanas. Everything showed up right on time.
There’s an electronic call box to request more towels or whatever else you need. You can also order cocktails for an extra charge, which Chris thinks is a pretty fantastic way to spend an afternoon at Castaway Cay.
The only real challenge? Ketchup. When Mary’s family asked for some for their fries, this absolutely enormous dish showed up – like enough to supply half the cabanas on the island.
Why Seven Nights Works on the Treasure
Mary’s biggest piece of advice? Go for the full seven-night Treasure sailing if you possibly can. Shorter cruises have their perks, but they don’t give you the same amount of time to actually get to know the ship, fall into a groove, and explore multiple destinations after unpacking just once.
The extra time also makes the little stuff easier. Before an early port adventure, Mary ordered a continental breakfast from room service and ate it on her verandah. She also did the Imagineering the Disney Ships tour and picked up details she would’ve totally missed otherwise – like a living portrait made with actual plants.
Chris loves those Imagineering details, but he also really appreciates the rhythm of a longer cruise. You actually get to know your servers, you find a quiet spot that becomes yours, and you’re not treating every free minute like it has to be packed with another activity.
For Chris, that usually clicks once he knows exactly where to get his morning tea.
Watch the full episode of this week’s DCL Show below and leave your tips in the comments!
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