What is a split bathroom on a Disney cruise?

Disney Cruise Line is one of the most recognized cruise operators in the world, even though it has a small fleet of just eight ships.

Still, it's a great choice for families looking to hit the high seas while enjoying Broadway-caliber entertainment, high-quality service, family-friendly activities, and a lot of Disney magic!

One thing that sets Disney apart from other cruise lines is its focus on accessible, functional stateroom design. It's not easy traveling with young ones, but Disney makes it so that it's just a little bit less stressful. 

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For example, most rooms feature an innovative split bathroom design, which separates the shower and bathtub from the toilet. This makes it easier to get ready after a long day ashore by allowing multiple family members to get ready without cramming into one small bathroom. 

If, for instance, one parent wants to focus on bathing a younger child, the other can use the separate toilet and sink at the same time. It also helps preserve a sense of personal space and gives everyone a little more privacy, which is rare in tiny cruise rooms. 

Disney Cruise Split Bathroom Review

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Although most Disney cruise rooms have a split bathroom design, not all do. For example, when sailing in the cheapest cabin aboard the Disney Magic, our room had a traditional cruise bathroom layout with everything in a single space. Moreover, all interior cabins aboard Wish Class ships (i.e., Disney Wish, Disney Treasure, and Disney Destiny) don't have split bathrooms. 

I splurged on a verandah cabin aboard the Disney Destiny and immediately noticed how much more spacious and comfortable the experience was — all thanks to the split bathroom. 

The toilet and sink were in a separate room closest to the entrance, while the shower/tub and main vanity were located in a separate room. 

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This layout made it much easier to get ready. For example, if I wanted to shower, my partner could use the restroom without feeling as though she had to wait for me to finish. 

We noticed that there was a lot more storage than standard cruise bathrooms, too. The toilet side, for instance, had five shelves, while the shower area had three built-in shelves above the spacious vanity. 

This meant that we had plenty of space to unpack all our toiletries and cosmetics during our short four-night sailing to The Bahamas. 

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The second sink is a big deal, too. It adds another space for brushing teeth and washing up at night, which helps keep multiple passengers from cramming around one tiny sink. 

My partner and I were traveling alone, so we could have made do with a standard all-in-one bathroom. However, the added space and storage made a noticeable difference in how smoothly we got ready. 

It was nice not to feel like we were constantly on top of each other in the bathroom, and the added storage space significantly reduced the clutter that usually builds up in normal cruise bathrooms.  

Is the split bathroom on a Disney cruise a must-have?

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Split bathrooms aren't necessary for your Disney cruise vacation. However, they are hard to give up once you've had them. 

My partner and I loved how we each had our own space to brush our teeth and wash our faces at night, and it was nice that either one of us had the ability to use the restroom when the other was showering. 

That said, because it was just the two of us, we could have easily gotten away with a standard cruise bathroom setup, even if it wasn't as convenient. 

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However, split bathrooms are undeniably beneficial for larger families of four or five sharing one cabin.

Regardless, all Disney bathrooms are outfitted with premium sea salt and sea marine products, including shampoo, body wash, conditioner, liquid hand soap, and body lotion. This is a noticeable upgrade compared to other mainstream lines that generally only provide body wash, shampoo, and hand soap. 

Plus, most staterooms come with a shower/tub combo, which makes bathing little ones much easier than using a cramped capsule shower.