Is a Disney Cruise Affordable for the Middle Class?
Written by
Cara Danielle Brown
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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According to the Los Angeles Times, Disney Cruise Line has become so popular in recent years that Disney is set to add three additional ships to its fleet by 2031.
But who is it that’s setting sail? With Disney’s cruises costing two to three times that of Carnival or Royal Caribbean, can anyone other than the wealthy actually afford them?
Let’s take the middle class: with an annual household income between $49,715 and $149,160 (depending on geographic location), according to a recent study by GOBankingRates, let’s examine whether a Disney cruise is affordable for them — and find out if it ever has been in the past.
Disney Cruise Prices Per Person Over the Past Decade
According to professional travel agent and founder/CEO of Keys Please Holiday Homes Dubai, Hasan Morcel, “The average seven-day [Disney] cruise has been steadily increasing with an upward trend as they used to be $2,100 per person in 2015 and have increased 25% every five years [to] $3,400 [per person in 2025].”
Some Disney Cruise Line offerings have increased by an even higher margin. According to Disney Cruise Line Blog, a shorter, four-night, five-day voyage to the Bahamas started at $662 per person in 2015. By comparison, per the Disney Cruise booking website, a four-night, five-day Disney cruise to the Bahamas in May of 2025 starts at roughly $1,634 per person.
Editor’s note: Prices vary depending on kind of room, destination, time of year and how far in advance a trip is booked.
Is a Disney Cruise Affordable?
Like most things, whether a Disney cruise is affordable for the middle class will depend on who you ask and what factors are considered. According to Morcel, not only are Disney cruises particularly unaffordable for the middle class nowadays, but they’ve been unaffordable for the middle class for about the last decade.
“One of my clients saved money for 18 months so he could a afford a five-night cruise. They enjoyed the experience, but told me they could have taken two vacations elsewhere for the same price,” he said.
This sentiment becomes all the more understandable with little ones in tow. Per the Disney Cruise booking website, prices for a family of four in 2025 begin at $3,900 for a four-night, five-day cruise to the Bahamas. Prices begin at $11,000 for a seven-night, eight-day cruise to the Western Caribbean. If a household earns $50,000 annually, these cruises easily wipe out between 8% and 20% of their total income.
A household pulling in a low six-figure salary (still considered middle class) would not feel the same strain, however. And the cost could decrease with shorter sailings during off-peak seasons. A family of four traveling for three nights and four days to the Bahamas in February of 2026, for instance, would only pay $2,900.
According to founder and CEO at Fast Cover Travel Insurance, Dean Van Es, quality level and the things your family values are considerations that may trump sheer numbers.
“If your family is a massive fan of all things Disney, these adventures can certainly make for a once-in-a-lifetime experience that could justify the premium cost,” he said. “For instance, Disney cruises are jam-packed with top-notch, Broadway-style shows and character meet-and-greets. There is also a huge range of themed restaurants and kids’ clubs that level up the Disney immersion, plus Caribbean cruises often include an unforgettable stop on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. Alongside top-notch service and adult-only areas when you need a break, taking a Disney Cruise trip is highly valued for a reason.”
Both Morcel and Van Es did agree on one thing: Today’s middle-class families are better off considering a Disney cruise as a one-time, special occasion rather than an annual escape — especially during uncertain economic times.
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