Julie and I have cruised on the Disney Cruise Line (DCL)
since they first sailed. Before Disney Cruise Line was founded, Disney had an arrangement
with Premier Cruise Line (PCL) to allow its characters to appear on the Premier
“Big Red Boats.” This arrangement ended, and Premier switched over to the
Looney Toons and shortly thereafter PCL declared bankruptcy. Disney Cruise Line
was later founded in 1995.
My children have enjoyed going on Disney cruises and now
their children will have the same joys cruising around on what my grandson
Calvin calls “the great big ship”. Next January, Calvin, his brother
Henry and their cousin Logan will all be riding on “the great big ship”.
One of my recommendations regarding Disney has always been
to never bring anyone to Disney before the age of six. Well, since I
moved here to The Villages, I changed my mind on one of my rules. We have three
grandsons all under the age of 5. We all visited Disney World this year
and had a super time.
How did this story about Disney Cruise Line start? Well, I
have invited, asked, discussed and talked about going on a Disney cruise with
my friends. Does anyone know what their very comments always are?
“Why does it cost so much?” And the second comment is, “too many kids will be
running all over the place.”
Okay, I will answer the second comment first - that’s the
Goofy in me.
During our cruises without our children, Julie and I have
enjoyed every minute, and I mean every minute of every cruise. We board
the ship, and only as Disney can do, we are treated like royalty with their
first surprise. (It’s a surprise.) We head to the scrumptious buffet and eat
shrimp, salad, desserts and more. We sit on the top deck and view Port
Canaveral as we are ready to set sail.
I still haven’t bumped into any kids running under my
feet. We go to our abandon ship drill and then off to the deck party only
Disney can throw. Yep, we get to see some kids there. Jumping up and
down, screaming with us old folks.
Deck Party - Pirates Night - Aqua
Duck water ride
Then we’re off to get dressed for the show and dinner.
The Disney entertainment is for all ages, as most of you may know. The second
seating has mostly adults, but the magic still happens during the meal.
After we eat, we go to the adult section of the Disney ship (Forward). This
section is lively, quiet or loud, whichever you desire.
The next day we enjoy the pool, oh yes, there is an “adult
only” pool.
Okay, what if I do bring kids? Can I see them if I WANT
TO? Of course you can. You will get your own ‘wave’ phone in your
stateroom when you check in. Call them anytime you want. And the cruise
goes on.
Here’s a little history on the Disney cruise ships: The
Disney Magic was the first ship sailing out of Port Canaveral on July 30, 1998.
The Disney Wonder was launched on August 15, 1999. Disney Cruise Line
later contracted with Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany to build two more ships.
The first, the Disney Dream, was delivered in 2011. The second, the Disney
Fantasy, was christened in 2012. And Disney announced that two more, yes, two
more ships, are being built as we speak. The schedule calls for the new
ships to be completed in 2021 and 2023. No names have been made yet for these
ships.
Okay now for comment number one: “Why do they cost more than
some other cruise lines?”
The one thing we all know is that Disney knows how to
entertain and put on a show! And they do that with extremely high quality
theatre shows that are performed on most evenings. The show themes are
creative, obviously Disney themed, and very well executed, and the actual
production with the special effects and the theatre techniques seem to give it
that extra magic that you just don’t usually get aboard cruise ships. The
other entertainment includes a sail away party, a pirate night, holiday-themed
nights, a farewell party and you can’t forget the Fireworks at sea! My favorite
entertaining act, Mike Super, the world famous illusionist, is often on
board. You can even get your vows renewed.
Dress up Pirates
Night - Wedding Vows - Mike Super Magic & Illusion Show
Disney Cruise Line also has special cruises only Disney
could provide. That cruise I mentioned, the one my family is going on
next year, is one of those special ones. Star Wars Day at Sea, a celebration
of all things Star Wars, is a one-day extravaganza. For the remainder of your
voyage, look forward to a fun-filled itinerary of entertainment and activities
from Broadway-style shows and innovative dining to unforgettable Port Adventure
excursions. Our two older grandchildren cannot wait to participate in Star Wars
activities. No Calvin and Henry will have pictures with his heroes.
Here are the highlights of the Star Wars Day at Sea — Disney
Caribbean cruise, you’ll be transported to “a galaxy far, far away” for an
entire day of fun, including:
• A deck party
featuring Star
• Wars Characters,
music, dancing and fireworks
• Photo
opportunities with Characters from across the Stars Wars universe
• An onboard
version of the Jedi Training Academy, where young Palawan’s learn lightsaber
maneuvers
• Star Wars-themed
games and activities at Disney’s Oceaneer Club and Disney’s Oceaneer Lab
• Stellar food and
beverage offerings
• Screenings of
the Star Wars films plus episodes of Disney’s animated series Star Wars Rebels
• Exclusive themed
merchandise
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that
will thrill all the younglings, Palawan’s and Jedi Masters in your family.
Group Party - Disney
Shows - Star Wars Characters
When you go to one of the Disney Parks, they
are always clean, attention is made to detail, and this is what we have all
come to expect. The cruise ships have the Disney’s signature touch and every
inch of the ship has Tinker-bell’s special touch by means of these clever ship
features.
Here are just a few of the features that I
see around the ship:
• The Midship
Detective Agency — An interactive detective game that directs its participants
to cleverly disguised works of art around the ship to help solve the mystery.
This is a really fun and very unique game that has everyone, adults and kids
alike, running around the ship trying to find clues in the artwork. I have
never spent that long staring at the wall art on a ship before! Such a clever
idea.
• The detail and
backstory on the Aqua Duck water ride —There are duck footprints on the stairs
and has a cute story revealing how Donald got stuck in the side of the forward
funnel. All wonderfully detailed which makes it so much more than just a basic
water ride. Aqua Duck is a water coaster (a water slide with similar turns,
drops and g-forces as a roller coaster) that is located on the deck of two
Disney cruise ships. It was first constructed on the Disney Dream in January 2011
and then later on the Disney Fantasy in February 2012. The Disney Magic
has you in a starting position towering nearly 37 feet above the decks
below. Brace yourself for the high-speed ride ahead as the floor beneath
you fall away like a trap door. Then it’s down the hatch! Plummet 212
feet through a translucent tube that twists and turns to an unforgettable
splashdown.
• Large portholes
— Certain public corridors have large portholes with built in seating. Clever
use of the space, and instead of simply having windows there, they have created
lovely idyllic and quiet spots to sit and watch the world sail by.
• The magical
porthole — The magical porthole is found in the inside stateroom category and
is something unique that makes an ordinary inside stateroom really special.
This is a screen made to look like an actual porthole, and by means of a camera
on the exterior of the ship, shows live video footage of what you would see if
you had an outside or a verandah category stateroom. The magical part is the
occasional appearance of a Disney character floating across the screen. A
really fun feature that entertains and is a practical real time view of your
port.
Disney Ship - Large Portholes - Adult Pool
• Wave phones –
Disney’s answer to communication between families aboard the ship at no extra
cost. Each stateroom has two wave phones that allows you to text and call
without using your personal cell phone. You can call any shipboard phone, other
wave phones and other staterooms. You can even use it on shore at Castaway Cay.
These are really useful to have and make it easy to keep in contact with other
members of your party. If you have children in any of the supervised
facilities, nursery or the Oceaneer Clubs, you can be contacted if necessary.
• Hidden Mickey
(HD) — HD is an all-time favorite in my family. One day of our cruise vacation
will be devoted to finding as many HDs as possible. We will have our hands full
on the Disney Fantasy. There are well over 200 on board. YEP, two hundred, just
on board this one cruise ship.
• Navigator — Each
day you will receive a copy of the navigator in your cabin. They will arrive by
a secret messenger when you are out for dinner. I am still waiting to
catch that person. Well, anyway, the navigator will give you all the events
onboard the ship or in the port. There is even a Friends of Bill meeting
every day. The navigator will list the places where you can get pictures
with your favorite Disney Characters. The dress code for the day also will be
listed. [Quick note on dress code: the specialty dining rooms, Palo and
Remy, require evening dress attire. The dinner meals are less casual, but I
would suggest a collared shirt for the men and a little dressy for the
women. No flip-flops, tank tops or bathing wear. Just look nice. I
have never seen anyone, in the dining rooms sent back to changes, but you will
stick out like a sore thumb. Goofy will not be happy.]
Dining Staff Moves with you to each Dining Experience - Pictures with Mickey &Minnie - Food Everywhere 24 Hours a Day
Someone once told me, “never ask a question if you do not
know the answer.” So I am going to ask if you ever were disappointed going to a
Disney park. Why would you be surprised if the cruise experience was just
the same? The level of service on board is very high standard and all the crew
members try so hard to give you the feeling that you are the only person they
are working for during your cruise. We are extremely impressed with the
level of customer service given and it absolutely enhances our cruise overall.
I want to see Goofy! Well, this is obviously something very
special and unique with a Disney ship – the characters are on board for your
entire cruise and you can enjoy many benefits as a result. There are character
meet and greets that happen many times a day from embarkation day to your last
evening on board. The characters on board include Mickey Mouse and his pals and
of course THE MAN – GOOFY, The Disney princesses, Chip and Dale, certain Disney
Junior characters, and at times, certain Toy Story characters, and don’t forget
the Star War theme cruises. It is so much fun seeing them around the ship, being
available for those all-important photographs and seeing them participate in
key shows and parties throughout the sailing. They make appearances at the sail
away deck party on embarkation day, the welcome on board theatre shows and the
different themed party nights throughout the cruise before saying a fond
farewell on the last evening at the See Ya Real Soon show.
Food is food you say. Why is a Disney Cruise so
different? Being on different cruise lines and the way the other lines did
their meals made our dining experience much more than simply enjoying our
meals. The rotational dining system allows guests to enjoy each of the
three themed restaurants on board each Disney cruise ship. I like that you have
an assigned seat with the same waiter or waitress who learns your likes and
dislikes — and your names. My salad of choice is Caesar. I only told them once
and then I always got my Caesar Salad — Oh Ya, extra anchovies and Iced Tea.
On the Disney Magic — Feast your eyes on an astonishing
dinner show celebrating Disney storytelling at Animator’s Palate, set your
taste buds aflame on American and French fare at Lumiere’s, and savor a
culinary jubilee of South American-inspired delicacies at Carioca’s, inspired
by Disney’s classic film The Three Caballeros.
Colorful Dining Rooms
on Board Different Disney Cruises
On the Disney Wonder - Be drawn into an innovative dinner
show starring a host of characters at Animator’s Palate, dine “under the sea”
on mouthwatering American and French fare at Triton’s and savor a culinary
carnival of Caribbean-island grill house specialties at Parrot Cay.
On the Disney Dream - Be drawn into a “state-of-the-art”
dinner show at Animator’s Palate, dine like a king or a queen in a classic
Disney fairytale at Royal Palace, and savor an arboretum of appetizing delights
in a serene conservatory setting at Enchanted Garden.
And on the Disney Fantasy - Don’t miss an innovative dinner
show at Animator’s Palate called Animation Magic. You can also dine in a lovely
setting that feels like an Enchanted Garden, or eat like a king at Royal Court
in a dining room inspired by Disney fairytales.
Don’t forget the buffets and 24-hour room service.
Free coffee, tea, soda and ice cream.
Extra money spent is worth every penny in the restaurants
alone! So although you may get great food on other ships but I am not sure that
they could ever top the dining experiences you can get aboard a Disney ship.
Are you celebrating a special anniversary or occasion while on board?
Take your dining experience up a notch by eating at Palo’s. For a modest
price, you can dine in a more private setting and the food is first
class. If you just want to have a special night with your favorite other,
you will have a night to remember, no kids allowed.
Bon Appétit Aboard the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy.
A French-inspired menu of superior seasonal ingredients ensures dining at Remy
is always a first-rate affair. Offered at an extra cost.
Most of the cruise lines have private islands. Guess
what my opinion is about Disney’s Private Island? Castaway Cay is a private
island owned by Disney, and reserved exclusively for guests sailing on the
Caribbean or Bahamian cruises aboard the Disney cruise ships. The island is
beautiful and it was definitely a port highlight on your cruise. Whether you
want to sun bathe on the many different beaches, swim, snorkel, or explore the
island or waters by means of a port adventure, there is something for everyone.
There is even a 5k held every day for those of you who would like to run.
When you have worked up an appetite, head to the barbecue location for an
all-inclusive barbecue lunch. The characters also are ashore ready to pose with
you for your castaway photos. So yes, it is a great destination, and
again, obviously unique to Disney! By the way, the adult only beach is a
tram ride away from the other beaches. Don’t forget your private massage
in one of the cabanas! Disney docks their ships on Castaway Cay, when
most cruise lines have to tender their patrons.
Fun things on
Castaway Cay - Docking Disney Cruises on Castaway Cay - Beautiful Family Beach
Alright, what are the down falls? I can only think of
one: No casinos.
The Disney Cruises might be more expensive than some other
cruises. All I can say is you get what you pay for. The Disney cruises
are well worth the extra money.
Have questions about a potential Disney cruise?
Write me, mrgoofy1@yahoo.com.
Rich Leopold