132 itineraries dropped this morning, and by the end of the night three of us had agreed on which ones we would not book. Travel advisor Jamie from We Do Travel Right joined Sam and Brian live for a ship-by-ship walk through the entire Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 release — the Disney Wish's return to New York, the Disney Destiny's move to Port Canaveral, two Panama Canal crossings with brand-new ports, and the full Castaway Club booking ladder.

In this episode:

• The complete booking schedule — Pearl on August 31, Platinum September 1, Gold September 2, Silver September 3, and first-time cruisers on September 8
• Why the 6-night Canada-and-Bermuda sailing out of New York covers 1,935 nautical miles, and why Jamie won't recommend it
• The Disney Wish transatlantic from Southampton to New York City, September 17 to 29, 2027, with an overnight in Reykjavík and a call at St. John's, Newfoundland
• Sleuthing Sam's prediction for the Disney Believe — Fort Lauderdale, December 2027 — and the terminal math that got her there
• Only 8 Galveston itineraries in this release, and what Sam turned up looking for a full-year port agreement
• By the numbers: 33 duo dips, only 4 double dips, 24 Halloween on the High Seas sailings, 43 Very Merrytime, and just two one-night gaps in the whole fleet schedule
• Jamie's favorites — the 8-night Disney Fantasy overnighting in Bermuda with a duo dip, and the ABC Islands run out of San Juan

"So sailing out of New York truly is iconic. And I'm calling it like Broadway to Bermuda." — Jamie, We Do Travel Right (54:16)

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STAY CONNECTED WITH THE DCL DUO
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Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Alexis had sailed every Disney ship except the Dream — until a European itinerary out of Barcelona finally got her there, alongside a promise to her daughter that had been six years in the making: finally going inside the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

In this episode:

• Dream vs. Fantasy vs. Treasure vs. Wish-class — how the Dream stacked up once she'd already sailed the newer ships
• A port-heavy European itinerary hitting Cagliari, Naples, Civitavecchia, and Livorno in four straight days
• The Rome transportation mishap that cost the family their Colosseum tour
• How dining times, crowd patterns, and daily rhythm shift on a European Disney Cruise Line sailing
• A dining service mix-up neither Sam nor Brian had heard of before
• Her honest take on whether she'd combine a cruise and a European vacation again

"Now that I've gone on Disney, I feel like I can't go back."

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing. We Do Travel Right

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store. DCL Magazine

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon (Patreon). Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
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We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Soshian and his wife brought their 7-month-old daughter on their very first Disney Cruise Line sailing — a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Disney Treasure with his sister's family in tow — and by the end of the week he was already plotting how to stay longer. He came in worried there wouldn't be enough to do. He left wishing he'd booked more days.

In this episode:

• Soshian and his wife's full packing and planning strategy for a 7-night sailing with a 7-month-old
• The "linked reservations" trick that got them added onto a sold-out Palo Brunch once on board
• Why booking nursery hours around show times on embarkation day is one of the smartest first-timer moves you can make
• His honest breakdown of all three rotational restaurants and all three main stage shows
• What happened when his one-year-old nephew became "cruise famous" at Jack-Jack's Diaper Dash
• Why Castaway Cay ended up as his favorite port, hands down

"I lived in New York for a while and enjoy Broadway shows... I'd say those two were probably comparable if not better than some of the Broadway shows I saw for sure."

Support the Show:

Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Sara's back — and this time she's bringing receipts. After sailing Disney Cruise Line three times, she just got off a Caribbean sailing on Norwegian's Prima, and she breaks down exactly how it stacked up: the price, the food, the kids club, and whether "half the cost" really means half the experience.

In this episode:

• Why Sara chose Norwegian this time, including the personal reason behind the trip
• A real comparison of dining, entertainment, staterooms, and service between NCL and DCL
• The upcharges that added up fast, and where Norwegian still came out ahead on value
• Her kids' surprising reaction to Norwegian's un-themed kids club
• Plus this week's D23 Disney Cruise Line news and the debate over the Disney Believe's stern lettering

There is something that feels so safe and so comfortable and so much like home for me when I'm on a Disney ship, but at the end of the day, I would still choose Disney. — Sara

Support the Show:

Support the show by booking your next Disney vacation with our sponsor, We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Check out DCL Magazine for your ultimate guide to Disney Cruise Line tips and tricks, and use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off at the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

This one is different. Before we sailed through Holland and Belgium with a group of listeners, our family spent three days in Amsterdam — and what happened there didn't fit into a normal cruise recap. So we did something we've never done in 650+ episodes: we sat down with the people who traveled with us and turned it into a story.

Across three days, everyone we talked to walked up to an edge and had to decide what to do standing at it. On a food tour through the Albert Cuyp market, our friend Tracy — a self-described picky eater — braved croquettes, cheese, and fresh stroopwafels, right up until the raw herring: "But I didn't try the herring, though. That's a bridge too far." In the Jewish Cultural Quarter, Sam, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, looked for her own family name on a memorial wall of 102,000 names and asked the question that runs underneath the whole episode. And at the Anne Frank House, an eleven-year-old named Emma stepped through the bookcase and put it more plainly than any adult could: "they were quiet for two years, and I can't be quiet in two minutes."

It's a food tour, a history lesson, and a family story about how far you go, where your edges are, and what you carry home. Grab a fresh stroopwafel and settle in.

Interested in one of the tours discussed in the episode? Here are links where you can learn more:

• The tour provider we used for our tour of the Jewish Quarter in Amsterdam
• The tour provider for our food tour in Amsterdam
• The official site for the Anne Frank House Museum. Tickets book quickly for this experience, so book as early as possible.

A programming note: this is a storytelling special that departs from our usual format. Regular Disney Cruise Line coverage returns next episode.

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Watch on YouTube

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

The Holgates just got off the Disney Destiny — and their honest take starts with a rough first day. Six shots of espresso, sensory overload, and a friend's kid getting hurt nearly derailed the whole trip. Then day two hit, and Stephen came out the other side calling it his favorite ship yet.

In this episode:

• First impressions of the Destiny, including an honestly overwhelming embarkation day
• Dining highlights and misses across Pride Lands, 1923, and the pool deck
• Entertainment breakdown: Hercules, the Maleficent show, and villain vs. princess meet-and-greets
• An insider tip for touring the ship's restaurants like a private museum
• How the Destiny stacks up against the Magic, Wonder, and their upcoming Treasure sailing
• DCL news: new sailing deals, Brightline funding for Port Canaveral, and possible fleet shakeups

"We woke up completely refreshed on day two, and now — spoiler alert — I can say the Destiny is my favorite ship so far."

Book Your Next Trip with Stephen:
Stephen is a Disney Cruise Line travel advisor. Reach out to book your next vacation with him:
[email protected] | Stephen's Instagram | YouTube Channel | Instagram

Support the Show:
Book your next Disney vacation with our show sponsor - We Do Travel Right! Life is short, take the trip. Let the agents at We Do Travel Right handle the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

Subscribe to the DCL Magazine today! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off everything in the WDW Magazine store.

Support the show by becoming a Patron! Join us over at Patreon. Your support each month allows us to keep putting out great content each and every week. Thanks to our current patrons for their support. Join today! You can subscribe for one annual discounted payment today.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Watch on YouTube

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

For her 50th birthday, Amy — a longtime Disney fan and a part-time Disney travel agent — finally got her reluctant-cruiser husband Dan on an adults-only Disney cruise: four nights on the brand-new Disney Destiny, with no kids on board for the first time in their cruising history. She stacked the itinerary with drink tastings, adult dining, and enough Marvel and Star Wars theming to make her case — and by the end of the trip, Dan was ready to admit it worked.

In this episode:

• Why Amy picked the Destiny to finally win Dan over, and why a four-night, two-island sailing was the right call
• Their honest take on Palo brunch availability, Enchante lunch, and juggling show times on a packed sailing
• Lookout Cay vs. Castaway Cay from a first-timer's perspective, including a surprising food discovery at each island
• The drink tasting that turned into a hands-on mixology lesson and became the trip's unexpected highlight
• Their honest verdict on Hercules, technical hiccups and all
• What finally convinced Dan to book his own 50th birthday cruise

Connect with Amy — Disney Travel Agent:
Amy is a part-time Disney travel agent with MickeyTravels. Reach her at [email protected] to start planning your own Disney Cruise Line vacation.

Support the Show:
We Do Travel Right — Ready to set sail? Book your next Disney Cruise Line vacation with our show sponsor, the crew that handles the planning so you can focus on relaxing.

DCL Magazine — your ultimate guide to Disney Cruise Line tips and tricks. Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off at the WDW Magazine store.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Sara spent years working for Disney Cruise Line as a youth activities counselor — and somehow the Disney Dream was the one classic ship she'd never sailed as a guest, until now. She and her husband Chris finally closed that gap on a week-long Mediterranean cruise out of Barcelona.

The highlight reel writes itself: dolphins, a sea turtle, and a whale, all spotted from their balcony in the same hour and a half. But the real value in this episode is the honest, insider take — what changes when a former cast member sails a much bigger ship for the first time, and whether that trade-off is worth it.

In this episode:

• Sara's decade-long path to sailing every classic Disney ship — and why the Dream was the last one on her list
• Chris's first Dream-class sailing, and how it stacked up against his Wonder experience
• Four ports in one week: a private Cinque Terre day, a Tarquinia trolley tour, Herculaneum with a local's pizza recommendation, and wild flamingos in Sardinia
• The wildlife trifecta that stopped a whole deck of guests in their tracks
• An honest, insider comparison of the Dream's adult spaces versus the more personal feel of the Wonder
• Why late dining wins out on European sailings

"She still could not prepare me for the insanity that is Disney Cruise Line. It's so unique." — Chris

Support the Show:

Ready to set sail? Book your next Disney Cruise Line vacation with our show sponsor, We Do Travel Right — the crew that handles the planning, so you can focus on relaxing!

DCL Magazine — your ultimate guide to Disney Cruise Line tips and tricks! Join the waitlist and use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off at the WDW Magazine store.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Fifteen Disney cruises in, Todd and Erica have a formula: inside staterooms, no excursions, and a "Triple Header" — one sailing on the Disney Destiny, then a back-to-back on the Disney Fantasy. They join us to break down exactly how they pulled it off.

In this episode:

• Todd and Erica break down the logistics of their "Triple Header" — one Destiny sailing followed by a back-to-back on the Fantasy, across two Florida ports
• The insider "hidden gem" inside stateroom on the Fantasy and Dream that most cruisers don't know exists
• Real back-to-back turnaround day logistics — luggage tags, Key to the World cards, and what actually happens when you switch ships
• First impressions of the Disney Destiny's Grand Hall, Heroes & Villains theming, and the Pride Lands second-night menu
• Why 15 cruises in, trivia is still their favorite way to connect with cast members
• A head-to-head on Destiny vs. Fantasy service, food, and atmosphere for adult cruisers without kids

"We are inside room people. We are not spending money usually on excursions. We're happy with the ship." — Erica

Support the Show:

We Do Travel Right — book your next Disney Cruise Line vacation with our show sponsor, the crew that handles the planning so you can focus on relaxing!

DCL Magazine — your ultimate guide to Disney Cruise Line tips and tricks! Join the waitlist and use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off at the WDW Magazine store.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Emily and Scott join us to share the full story of their vow renewal on Castaway Cay during a Disney Wish sailing — the planning, the timeline, the moment they ended up in the ocean in their wedding clothes — plus our big sponsor announcement.

In this episode:

• Why they chose the Disney Wish and Castaway Cay for their vow renewal
• The real timeline of the day, from hair and makeup to the ceremony
• Coordinating a 50-person group across cabanas, dining, and photos
• Why Castaway Cay not being your last sailing day changes everything
• What they'd tell other couples considering a DCL wedding or vow renewal
• Introducing our new show sponsor

"It was beyond anything that I imagined, that special connection that we had. And that moment in time, I will certainly cherish that forever. It was really special."

Support the Show:

Ready to set sail? Book your next Disney Cruise Line vacation with our show sponsor, We Do Travel Right — the crew that handles the planning, so you can focus on relaxing!

Subscribe today to DCL Magazine — use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:
Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1), Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2), Top Disney Podcasts (#4), Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.

Nathan and Alicea from Adventures and Mousecapades just got back from a brand-new 7-Night Eastern Caribbean sailing on the Disney Destiny, hitting two ports the Destiny doesn't usually visit: St. Martin and San Juan. Nathan even crewed an actual 1980s America's Cup 12-meter racing yacht in St. Martin, no motors, no electric winches involved. We break down the whole week.

In this episode:

• Why Nathan and Alicea picked the second 7-Night Eastern sailing over the more common Western itinerary, and what it took to snag two staterooms at their booking window
• A full breakdown of the 12-meter America's Cup regatta excursion in St. Martin, including how crew roles get assigned and how these boats moor with zero motors
• Their honest verdict on the Destiny's Grand Hall vs. the Treasure's, plus first reactions to the Marvel theming throughout the ship
• A 500-year-old fort in San Juan, a stop at Casa Bacardi, and why Alicea started photographing the historical placards instead of reading them onboard
• Their take on the Sanctum's signature drink, a new Kentucky bourbon-aged ale worth hunting down, and which drinks are actually worth the tasting slots
• Which villain show, Hercules or Dr. Facilier, won the week, and the audience member who filmed anyway right after being told not to

"They host, quite frankly, one of my absolute favorite shore excursions ever." — Nathan, on St. Martin

Support the Show:

Ready to set sail? Book your next Disney Cruise Line vacation with our show sponsor, We Do Travel Right — the crew that handles the planning, so you can focus on relaxing!

And don't forget to check out DCL Magazine — your ultimate guide to Disney Cruise Line tips and tricks! Use promo code DCLDUO for 10% off at the DCL Magazine store.

Stay Connected with the DCL Duo:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group

We're Ranked as a Top Podcast by Feedspot:

Top 30 Disney Cruise Line Podcasts (#1) | Top 20 Cruise Podcasts (#2) | Top Disney Podcasts (#4) | Top 20 Disney Cruise Line Influencers (#12)

The views expressed in this podcast are our own and do not reflect the views of the Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line or any other travel provider discussed or mentioned.