Disney Cruise Line Welcome Aboard Lunch Menu
Disney Cruise Line offers several dining choices on embarkation day, and this Welcome Aboard lunch menu provides a look at the type of sit-down meal guests may encounter after boarding. The menu includes appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta, salmon and roasted beef, along with desserts and a dedicated children’s selection.
Unlike the faster casual options available around the ship, a table-service lunch can provide a more relaxed way to begin a Disney cruise. Disney Cruise Line confirms that breakfast and lunch are offered at selected themed rotational dining venues, although the specific restaurant and operating hours can vary by ship and day.
For more Disney Cruise Line planning information, CruisePrism readers can also explore our Disney Cruise line Drink Lists, Disney Cruise Line Dining Menus, and Disney Onboard Guides.
Disney Cruise Line Welcome Aboard Lunch Menu
The photographed menu is divided into appetizers, soups, entrées, desserts and children’s selections.
There is a good amount of variety for an embarkation-day meal, ranging from lighter options such as smoked salmon and mixed salad to more substantial choices including beef sirloin, a muffuletta sandwich and seafood and chicken gumbo.
Appetizers
Three appetizers are listed on the menu:
- Sliced Smoked Salmon – with lemon and a honey-mustard dill sauce
- Beef Empanadas – with red chimichurri
- Mixed Salad – iceberg, spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and carrots with a choice of raspberry, balsamic, ranch or Italian vinaigrette
The selection provides a choice between seafood, beef and a lighter salad before moving on to the main course.
From the Kettle
The menu describes its soup selections as hearty portions served in individual crocks.
Guests can choose between:
- Seafood and Chicken Gumbo with Cornbread
- Leek and Potato Soup with Soda Bread
The gumbo offers a distinctly different option from the more traditional leek and potato soup, while both are served with bread.
Entrées
Five entrées are shown on the Welcome Aboard menu:
- Pennette Pasta – tomato-basil Provençal sauce, goat cheese and spinach pesto
- Grilled Salmon Salad – grilled salmon filet on tossed iceberg with citrus-marinated couscous, spinach, artichokes, tomatoes and cucumbers
- Muffuletta Sandwich – olive salad, Genoa salami, mortadella and provolone cheese on muffuletta bread, served with chips
- Chicken Caesar Salad – marinated roasted chicken breast with crisp romaine, creamy Caesar dressing, sea salt croutons and shaved Parmesan
- Sliced Roasted Beef Sirloin – roasted beef sirloin with a double baked potato, green beans and thyme red wine jus
The selection ranges from salads and pasta to a substantial roasted beef entrée, giving guests several different options for their first meal onboard.
Pennette Pasta
The Pennette Pasta is the meat-free entrée shown on the menu.
It combines pasta with tomato-basil Provençal sauce, goat cheese and spinach pesto. For passengers looking for something lighter than the beef or sandwich selections, this is one of the more straightforward options.
Grilled Salmon Salad
The Grilled Salmon Salad combines a grilled salmon filet with iceberg lettuce, citrus-marinated couscous, spinach, artichokes, tomatoes and cucumbers.
It provides another lighter choice while still offering a substantial protein.
Muffuletta Sandwich
One of the more distinctive dishes on this menu is the Muffuletta Sandwich.
It features olive salad, Genoa salami, mortadella and provolone cheese on muffuletta bread and is served with chips.
The combination is inspired by the New Orleans-style muffuletta, adding another regional American influence to the lunch menu alongside the seafood and chicken gumbo.
Chicken Caesar Salad
The Chicken Caesar Salad keeps things familiar with marinated roasted chicken breast, crisp romaine leaves, creamy Caesar dressing, sea salt croutons and shaved Parmesan.
For guests who prefer a recognizable lunch option after boarding, this is one of the simplest choices on the menu.
Sliced Roasted Beef Sirloin
The Sliced Roasted Beef Sirloin is the most traditional plated meat entrée shown.
It is served with:
- Double baked potato
- Green beans
- Thyme red wine jus
For guests wanting a full sit-down meal rather than a sandwich or salad, the sirloin is one of the heartier options.
Disney Cruise Line Welcome Aboard Desserts
The menu includes three regular desserts:
- Cookies ’N Cream Cheesecake – layered on a chocolate Graham cracker crust with whipped cream
- Carrot Cake – layered with lemon cream cheese
- Welcome Aboard Sundae – vanilla bean ice cream with pecan caramel cupcake bites, butterscotch sauce and whipped cream
The Welcome Aboard Sundae is particularly appropriate for embarkation day, with its name tying directly into the beginning of the cruise.
No Sugar Added Dessert
A separate no-sugar-added dessert is listed:
- Chocolate Marquise Bombe – rich chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce
Disney Cruise Line also states that it can accommodate a variety of dietary needs, although passengers with dietary restrictions or food allergies should always communicate their individual requirements to the dining team.
Children’s Menu
Disney Cruise Line includes a dedicated children’s selection on the photographed Welcome Aboard menu.
Children’s entrées are served with fresh vegetables and steak fries.
Choices include:
- Mickey’s Mac “N” Cheese
- Golden Chicken Strips with Barbecue Sauce
- Minnie’s Mini Burger
These are simple, familiar options aimed at younger cruisers who may not want dishes from the main lunch menu.
Disney Check Meal
The children’s section also includes a Disney Check Meal.
The photographed selection consists of:
- Grilled chicken breast
- Roasted red skin potatoes
- Steamed carrots
- Fresh watermelon
- Choice of low-fat milk or water
This provides an alternative to the mac and cheese, chicken strips and mini burger selections.
Lunch on Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line currently confirms that breakfast and lunch are available at various locations throughout its fleet, including selected themed rotational dining venues and casual restaurants.
There are also quick-service options available for passengers looking for a faster meal.
The exact restaurant serving lunch and its operating hours can change depending on the ship and day. Disney directs passengers to the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app onboard for the current dining schedule.
That distinction is important when looking at menus such as this one: the food provides a useful example of Disney Cruise Line’s Welcome Aboard lunch offerings, but passengers should check their specific sailing rather than expecting the same restaurant or exact menu.
Table-Service Lunch vs. Quick-Service Dining
Embarkation day can be busy as passengers board, explore the ship and wait for their staterooms to become available.
A table-service Welcome Aboard lunch offers a different experience from immediately heading to one of the ship’s casual dining locations.
Guests who prefer a traditional restaurant meal can sit down and order from a menu, while passengers who want to begin exploring the ship quickly may prefer one of Disney’s casual or poolside dining choices.
Neither approach is necessary for every passenger, but knowing that multiple dining styles can be available makes it easier to decide how you want to spend those first hours onboard.
Disney Cruise Line Rotational Dining
Disney Cruise Line is best known for its rotational dining system.
During the cruise, guests rotate among three themed main dining restaurants while their assigned serving team travels with them. Disney currently uses this system across its ships, with the specific restaurants depending on the vessel.
Rotational dining primarily defines the dinner experience, but some of those themed dining rooms can also operate for breakfast or lunch.
The restaurant serving a meal such as the Welcome Aboard lunch can therefore vary by ship.
Is Welcome Aboard Lunch Included in the Cruise Fare?
Standard dining at Disney Cruise Line’s main dining and casual venues is generally part of the cruise experience, while certain specialty dining and beverages carry additional charges.
Nothing on the photographed Welcome Aboard menu displays individual food prices or supplements.
What Makes This Menu Useful Before a Disney Cruise?
Embarkation-day dining is one of the first decisions passengers make after boarding.
This menu gives prospective cruisers a practical idea of what a sit-down Welcome Aboard lunch can look like. Instead of only burgers, pizza and other quick-service choices, the menu includes dishes such as smoked salmon, beef empanadas, gumbo, grilled salmon, pasta and roasted beef.
Families can also see that children have their own dedicated selections alongside the main menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is on the Disney Cruise Line Welcome Aboard lunch menu?
The photographed menu includes smoked salmon, beef empanadas, mixed salad, seafood and chicken gumbo, leek and potato soup, pasta, grilled salmon salad, a muffuletta sandwich, chicken Caesar salad and roasted beef sirloin.
What desserts are available?
The menu lists Cookies ’N Cream Cheesecake, Carrot Cake and a Welcome Aboard Sundae.
Is there a no-sugar-added dessert?
Yes. The photographed menu lists a Chocolate Marquise Bombe with raspberry sauce as the no-sugar-added dessert.
Is there a vegetarian entrée?
The Pennette Pasta is served with tomato-basil Provençal sauce, goat cheese and spinach pesto and does not list meat among its ingredients.
Is there a kids’ menu?
Yes. The children’s selection includes Mickey’s Mac “N” Cheese, Golden Chicken Strips with Barbecue Sauce and Minnie’s Mini Burger.
What is the Disney Check Meal?
On this menu, the Disney Check Meal consists of grilled chicken breast with roasted red skin potatoes, steamed carrots and fresh watermelon, served with a choice of low-fat milk or water.
Does Disney Cruise Line serve lunch in its main dining rooms?
Disney Cruise Line confirms that breakfast and lunch are served at various venues across its fleet, including some themed rotational dining restaurants. The exact venue and operating hours vary by ship and day.
Which Disney ship is this menu from?
The photographed menu does not identify a ship, so it should not be attributed to a specific Disney Cruise Line vessel without additional documentation.
Which restaurant serves this Welcome Aboard menu?
The restaurant name is not shown in the photographed menu. Disney uses selected dining venues for breakfast and lunch, and the location can vary by ship and sailing.
How do I find the lunch schedule onboard?
Disney Cruise Line directs guests to the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app for current dining locations, operating hours and other onboard schedules.
Conclusion
The Disney Cruise Line Welcome Aboard lunch menu offers considerably more than a basic embarkation-day meal. Guests can choose from appetizers such as smoked salmon and beef empanadas, hearty soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta, grilled salmon and roasted beef sirloin before finishing with cheesecake, carrot cake or the Welcome Aboard Sundae.
Families also have a dedicated children’s menu with familiar choices and a Disney Check Meal.
Because Disney Cruise Line dining locations and operating hours can vary by ship and day, passengers should check the Navigator app once onboard for their specific schedule. Still, this menu provides a useful look at the type of relaxed table-service lunch that may be available as guests begin their Disney cruise.
