Disney Cruise Line tightens rules for bringing alcohol, decorating doors
Disney Cruise Line has always been a little more generous than other cruise lines when it comes to rules around bringing your own alcohol on a cruise. It's also a line where passengers tend to bring a lot of themed decorations to personalize their stateroom doors.
The level of detail that Disney cruisers apply to decorating stateroom doors is unmatched and makes hallways feel like festive extensions of the themed spaces found throughout Disney cruise ships. It's a beloved tradition on Disney cruises that allows passengers to add to the magic of Disney cruises in their own unique way.
Although Disney welcomes passengers to get creative to personalize their stateroom door with magnetic decorations, the cruise line needs to ensure that decorations don't compromise the safety of passengers and crew members, or damage the ship. As the door decoration trend grows, the cruise line is now introducing clearer limits for how passengers are permitted to decorate.
These new guidelines are part of a larger update of Disney Cruise Line policies that also places stricter limits on the amount of alcohol that passengers are permitted to bring on board as well as photography equipment used on ships.
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You can no longer bring two bottles of wine on a Disney cruise
Disney Cruise Line is reducing the amount of alcohol that it permits passengers to bring on board to one bottle of wine or six beers per adult of legal drinking age. Previously, the cruise line allowed passengers to bring two bottles of wine, which was more than what most cruise lines allow.
"Disney Cruise Line Guests 21 years and older - or Guests 18 years and older on round-trip cruises from Singapore - may bring a maximum of one bottle of unopened wine or sparkling wine (no larger than 750 ml) or 6 beers (no larger than 12 ounces) on board at the beginning of the voyage. These beverages must be packed in carry-on (not checked) bags or luggage," the cruise line's updated alcohol policy states.
This change will begin rolling out on board the cruise line's ships on June 3, according to Disney Cruise Line Blog, a Disney cruise news blog not affiliated with the cruise line.
Related: What happens when you buy liquor in port on your cruise?
As it reduces the wine allowance, Disney is also reducing the corkage fee charged to passengers who bring their personal bottles of wine to its onboard restaurants from $29 to $20. You can avoid this corkage fee by enjoying your wine in your stateroom. Your stateroom attendant will happily provide a corkscrew, if you ask.
Additionally, Disney Cruise Line updated its prohibited items list to add new limits on selfie sticks, handheld extension poles, and tripods. Passengers can only use these items on board the ship if they are folded down and no longer than 18 inches. Longer items can be brought on board, but can only be used on land in ports of call.
Disney Cruise Line sets stricter door decoration rules
Disney Cruise Line also updated its policy for door decorations to make it clearer that passengers should limit their creative displays to stateroom doors only.
"Decorations should only be placed on doors and are not permitted on corridor walls or ceilings," the updated policy adds.
Elaborate decorations that extend beyond the door onto the hallway walls or the ceiling can create safety hazards.
"There are safety concerns regarding the ingress and egress of staterooms and potential bottlenecks in the hallway corridors," Disney Cruise Line Blog's Scott Sanders explained. "Although the policy doesn't explicitly state this, guests should exercise restraint to prevent door decorations from extending outward into the hallway."
Related: Royal Caribbean warns cruisers of cabin door decoration risks
Sanders also notes that the updated door decoration policy does not apply to fish extenders, hanging pocket organizers that many passengers bring to hang from the decorative metal fish that's located outside each stateroom door. Passengers use fish extenders for informal, passenger-led gift exchanges during sailings.
If you plan to decorate your stateroom door on a Disney cruise, keep in mind that the cruise line recommends magnetic decorations and asks passengers not to use tape and other adhesives, since they can damage the door's finish. The cruise line warns that passengers who damage doors will be fined $100 per incident to cover the cost of repairs.
You should also avoid decorating with anything of value that you wouldn't want to lose because door magnet theft and vandalism happens at sea on most every cruise line.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 4:08 AM.