Who hasn’t heard the name Disney? Who doesn’t know that Disney invokes the inner child in all of us. Disney is known for offering a quality product whether that product is its movies, its theme parks, or its cruise ships.
Disney Cruise Line is a two-ship cruise line, though they have recently signed an agreement for the building of two additional ships.
The ships of Disney Cruise Line are truly unique to the cruise industry, and sailing onboard them is even worth the flight from the U.K. to Florida, U.S.A. Both the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder were designed to resemble the ocean liners of old, with their signature elongated dark blue hulls with matching red trademark funnels. The picture of the famous mouse that started it all is proudly displayed.
Inside the Disney Cruise Line ships there is plenty of elegance, with a liberal dose of fun thrown in too. Drawings of all the Disney characters grace the walls. The atrium is a study in Disney history and a wonderful place where kids of all ages can meet and greet their favourite Disney characters in the flesh.
A Disney cruise is like no other. There are many signature touches you will find nowhere else. For example, dining onboard Disney is a unique experience. Where on other cruise ships, people are assigned a specific table in a specific restaurant at which to enjoy their evening meal, on Disney diners rotate between three different restaurants, each with a different theme, on each night of the cruise. They sit at the same table, and are served by the same wait staff that rotate through the different restaurants with them. Everything onboard evokes the Disney trademark style. The ships are family-oriented and as such, they have no casinos. In fact, they don’t even have libraries. After all, who wants to read books while on vacation?
Cabins too are unique. They are designed with families in mind with many of them featuring a bath-and-a-half and multiple sleeping areas. Another thing unique about Disney is that soft drinks are free onboard and folks can help themselves at self-serve soda stations located throughout the ship. This free soda concept is almost unheard of in the mass market cruise industry.
Disney Cruise Line offers lots of space where adults can find some “quiet time” as well. There are three pools on Disney’s ships, and one of them is designated adults only. There is also an alternative restaurant, Palo, which features northern Italian cuisine, and is for adults only. The spa too is off-limits to the younger ones, as is an adults-only area comprised of night clubs called “Beat Street” on the Disney Magic and “Route 66” on the Disney Wonder.
But while adults have their dedicated spaces, there is certainly plenty to keep the wee ones thrilled. Family activities are encouraged on Disney’s ships, and plenty of venues exist where families can spend lots of time together. There are also places the kids have to themselves, such as dedicated teen areas (strictly off-limits to adults), and there is also a very extensive children’s programme offered on all Disney ships, including group babysitting for the very young ones at a nominal hourly rate.
Both the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder are based in Port Canaveral. The Disney Magic offers seven-night alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings during most of the year. Come summertime, however, it repositions to the Mediterranean to do 10 and 11-night sailings, an excellent option for families in the U.K. who would love to sail the ships of Disney, but who are not interested in making the trek to the United States.
The Disney Wonder does alternating three and four-day trips to the Bahamas, though they have been known to do a few special 10 and 11-night cruises to the Caribbean. A highlight of all of Disney’s Bahamas cruises is their stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s exclusive private island. This island features everything families could want, along with sections of beach designated for adults only. Disney’s island is also unique in that it is one of the few cruise line islands that has its own cruise ship dock. The other cruise lines have to tender their passengers into their island retreats.
Passengers on Disney’s Bahamas sailings also have the option of extending their holidays to include a stay at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, Florida, a place that has been helping families the world over make memories for decades.
Find out about all the ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet
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