Our Disney Wish Concierge Cruise: What We Did, What We Skipped and Why

I recently sailed aboard the Disney Wish with my friend and fellow Fairytale Journeys Travel advisor, Veronica. This was not our first time on the Wish, and it was definitely not our first Disney cruise.

That made this sailing a little different.

We did not board with a long checklist of everything we needed to see, eat and experience. We already knew the ship. We knew which spaces we loved, and we knew we did not need to spend three days rushing from one activity to another.

Instead, this became a quick and relaxing getaway filled with Concierge time, champagne, spa treatments, adult spaces, trivia and plenty of time with friends from Fairytale Journeys Travel.

We even had access to a Serenity Bay cabana at Disney Castaway Cay and chose not to get off the ship. Yes, you read that correctly.

Here is how we spent three nights aboard the Disney Wish, what we loved about our one-bedroom Concierge suite and why sometimes the best cruise plan is not trying to do it all.

Our Disney Wish One-Bedroom Concierge Suite

For this sailing, Veronica and I stayed in Concierge 1-Bedroom Suite with Verandah 13522. The suite can accommodate up to five guests, although it was just the two of us.

Was it more space than two adults truly needed? Probably.

Did we enjoy having all that space? Absolutely.

The bedroom has a huge and very comfortable king-size bed. Although the living room sofa converts into a full-size bed and there is an additional single pullout, we decided to share the king bed and did not use either of the extra sleeping spaces.

The bedroom can also close completely from the living area. That would be a wonderful feature for a family, especially when children and adults have different bedtimes.

There are two televisions, plenty of living space and more storage than we could possibly fill on a three-night cruise. A family staying in the suite would have room to unpack and settle in without feeling as if everyone’s belongings had taken over the stateroom.

One of our favorite practical features was having two bathrooms. Even with only two people in the suite, it was so convenient. Veronica used one bathroom, I used the other, and no one had to negotiate shower or getting-ready time.

For a family of five, the combination of multiple sleeping spaces, two bathrooms, a separate bedroom and all that storage could make a significant difference in how comfortable the cruise feels.

Why We Loved Stateroom 13522

The suite itself was beautiful, but its location may have been one of its greatest advantages. Stateroom 13522 is on Deck 13, just off the elevators. We could easily return to our room, and we were very close to one of our favorite places aboard the Disney Wish: the private Concierge sundeck.

The sundeck includes two hot tubs, comfortable seating and a shallow water feature with bench seating where guests can sit and cool off. We love spending time there, so being able to reach it so easily was a major perk.

We did have to walk down the hall to reach the Concierge Lounge, but it was not far. For us, the convenience of being near the elevators and sundeck made this an excellent location.

I would happily choose this suite again.

What We Enjoyed About Disney Wish Concierge

Concierge is about more than having a larger stateroom.

Concierge guests receive priority boarding and earlier access to request popular activities and experiences. On a short cruise, it is especially nice to board early and begin enjoying the ship as soon as possible. We also had access to the Concierge Lounge and private sundeck, along with a team of Concierge hosts available to help throughout the sailing. The hosts were all incredible. They were newer to us than some of the hosts we have gotten to know on previous cruises, but the service was still excellent.

The Lounge offered breakfast items, snacks, afternoon tea selections and savory evening options at different points throughout the day. On embarkation day, we enjoyed champagne and mimosas before 3 p.m. A full bar was available in the Lounge from 5 to 10 p.m. each evening, included with our Concierge cruise fare. We definitely took advantage of that!

The Wish-class ships also offer Concierge guests a hot menu in the Lounge. Guests can order hot breakfast, lunch and dinner selections to enjoy there. The food is not delivered to the suite, but it is a nice alternative for someone who does not want to attend a full rotational dining meal.

We did not order from the hot menu during this cruise, although we have enjoyed it on previous sailings. The brioche French toast is especially good at breakfast.

Embarkation Day: Champagne Before Muster

Embarkation day was mostly about settling in and reconnecting with friends.

This was the annual Fairytale Journeys Travel agency cruise, so we spent part of the afternoon watching for friends and fellow advisors to arrive. We visited the Concierge Lounge, unpacked for our very short sailing and found a little time to enjoy the hot tub.

At 2 p.m., we attended a champagne tasting, which is always one of our favorite onboard activities. There is nothing quite like enjoying champagne and then heading to the required muster drill. It makes muster feel slightly less like a chore!

Our first rotational dining restaurant was Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure. The experience combines dinner with live entertainment featuring characters from Frozen.

Veronica also arranged for everyone to sing “Happy Birthday” to me, even though my birthday was not until the following week. She thoroughly enjoyed embarrassing me, and I suppose a Disney cruise is as good a place as any to begin celebrating early.

We chose not to attend the evening stage show. We have seen the Disney Wish productions multiple times, so we did not feel pressured to repeat them on such a short cruise. That became a theme for the weekend. We did what we genuinely wanted to do instead of following a list of things we thought we were supposed to do.

Nassau Day: We Created Our Own Sea Day

When the Disney Wish arrived in Nassau, we stayed onboard and treated it as a sea day.

Veronica and I booked a couples massage in the spa. We both fell asleep almost immediately, which may not make us very helpful massage critics, but it does prove how relaxed we were.

We also chose not to have brunch at Palo on this sailing. Several other Fairytale Journeys advisors went, but we have enjoyed Palo before and decided not to schedule every hour of such a short trip.

That evening, our Fairytale Journeys group gathered in the Grand Hall for a group photo. It turned out beautifully and gave us a chance to get everyone together before we returned to our different plans.

Our dinner that evening was at 1923, one of the three rotational dining experiences aboard the Disney Wish. This is both of our favorite main dining restaurant on the ship. We love the pasta appetizer, the soups and the filet! The restaurant has a more elegant atmosphere and celebrates the history and creativity of The Walt Disney Company.

After an intentionally quiet day, we went to bed fairly early.

Castaway Cay Day: The Day We Never Left the Ship

Our final full day was at Disney Castaway Cay. We had access to a cabana at Serenity Bay, Disney’s adults-only beach. Serenity Bay cabanas are very difficult to reserve, and other members of our Fairytale Journeys group had a wonderful time enjoying it.

Veronica and I never got off the ship.

I know that sounds unbelievable, especially to someone visiting Castaway Cay for the first time. We both love the island, but we have also visited it multiple times. We realized we had not spent much time at the Disney Wish’s Quiet Cove infinity pool during this sailing, and a port day gave us the perfect opportunity to enjoy it without the usual crowds.

So, we chose the nearly empty ship. We spent our day relaxing in Quiet Cove and enjoying the infinity pool. It was peaceful, uncrowded and exactly what we wanted.

If you are taking your first Disney cruise or have never visited Castaway Cay, I would certainly recommend experiencing the island. But returning cruisers sometimes have the freedom to make a different choice.

We did not have to worry that we were missing something. We simply enjoyed the ship we had already paid to sail. That may have been one of the best parts of the entire weekend.

Our Last Night: Marvel, Trivia and Plenty of Drinks

Before dinner, we did a little shopping. We also packed our luggage and placed it outside our stateroom before dinner so we would not have to worry about it later.

Our final rotational dining restaurant was Worlds of Marvel.

The Marvel menu is not our favorite overall, but we have a few favorites. Veronica loves the roasted red pepper dip served with the bread and the potato soup containing what she describes as “hot dogs.” It is actually sausage, but we now know exactly which soup she means.

Spider-Man appeared and interacted with the dining room, which is always fun to see. Even after multiple Disney cruises, Disney still finds ways to bring a little extra entertainment to an ordinary dinner.

We also packed quite a bit into our final evening:

• Drinks in The Bayou

• A visit to Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge

• 2000s music trivia

• Games in Luna

• Silent disco

• Majority Minds

• Several more drinks

We did not win trivia, but we had fun trying. Majority Minds is also one of our favorite games and always brings plenty of laughs.

After two relatively relaxing days, we stayed out until approximately 1 a.m. It was a late night filled with games, drinks, friends and a little denial that we would have to leave the ship the next morning.

Is Three Nights on the Disney Wish Enough?

Three nights always feels too short. By the time you unpack, learn your way around and settle into cruise mode, it is nearly time to place your luggage outside the door again. A three-night sailing does not provide enough time to experience everything the Disney Wish offers, particularly for a first-time guest.

However, three-night cruises still have an important place.

They are wonderful when you need a quick getaway but cannot take a full week away from work and everyday responsibilities. They can also be a good introduction for someone who wants to try cruising before committing to a longer vacation.

The key is setting realistic expectations. You cannot experience everything during a three-night Disney cruise, and you will enjoy the trip much more when you stop trying.

Choose the experiences that matter most to you. For one family, that may mean stage shows, character greetings and Castaway Cay. For another, it might be the youth clubs and family activities. For us, it meant Concierge cocktails, a spa treatment, adult pools, trivia, time with friends and absolutely no rush to leave the ship.

Was the One-Bedroom Concierge Suite Worth It?

For us, yes. I would absolutely stay in this suite again. It was more space than two adults needed, but the layout, storage, separate bedroom and two bathrooms made the cruise exceptionally comfortable. Its Deck 13 location was also perfect for accessing the Concierge sundeck.

I think the suite would be especially valuable for:

• A family of up to five that wants more room

• Parents who value a separate bedroom

• Families that would benefit from two bathrooms

• Guests who want priority boarding and early activity requests

• Cruisers who plan to use the Concierge Lounge and sundeck

• Travelers who appreciate an additional level of service and convenience

Concierge is not required to have a wonderful Disney cruise. A standard Disney Cruise Line vacation already includes entertainment, rotational dining, excellent service and many family activities.

Concierge adds space, convenience, exclusive areas and more personalized assistance. Whether those benefits are worth the additional cost depends on how your family travels and which amenities you will use.

My Final Disney Wish Verdict

This cruise was fast, familiar and fun.

We drank champagne before muster, slept through our massage, ate at all three rotational dining restaurants, skipped both ports, played trivia without winning and stayed out much too late on our final night.

Most importantly, we enjoyed the Disney Wish exactly the way we wanted to.

The perfect cruise is not necessarily the one where you complete the most activities. It is the one that feels right for you and the people traveling with you. For this trip, that meant a beautiful Concierge suite, an intentionally relaxed itinerary and three days of laughter with friends.

It was too short, of course. Three nights always is. But I would happily do it all over again.

Continue Reading

Is a three-night Disney Wish Concierge cruise worth the additional cost?

Veronica is breaking down which benefits we actually used, who will receive the greatest value from the one-bedroom suite and when she would personally pay for the upgrade again.

Read Veronica’s companion article: Is a Three-Night Disney Wish Concierge Cruise Worth It?

Ready to Plan Your Disney Cruise?

Choosing the right Disney ship, itinerary and stateroom can completely change your cruise experience. As an experienced Disney Cruise Line advisor with Fairytale Journeys Travel, I help families understand their options and design a vacation that fits the way they actually want to travel.

Whether you are considering your first Disney cruise, planning a quick adults-only getaway or wondering if Concierge is worth the upgrade, I would love to help.