Choosing The Right Disney Cruise Ship For You

Selecting the "right" ship for your first (or next) Disney cruise can be quite daunting. There are several factors to consider, such as: itinerary, ship size, character and specialty dining options, and a wide array of Disney's magical touches that make each ship unique. This BLOG looks to demystify some of those factors, while also encouraging you to reach out to your Disney travel professional - always there to help you make the perfect choice.

Where Do You Want to Travel?

One contributing factor in deciding which Disney cruise ship to select is the Disney Cruise Line deployment schedule. This schedule determines what part of the world, and which home port(s), each ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet will operate from for a specified period of time. This schedule can change slightly from year to year, as well as when new ships are added to the Disney Cruise Line fleet.

First-ever cruise to Alaska aboard the Disney WONDER

Alaska. The Disney WONDER spends its summers (May through September) sailing to Alaska on five, seven-, and nine- night itineraries from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Baja Peninsula. The Disney WONDER sails three- and six-night itineraries from San Diego, CA along the Mexican west coast during the months of March and April and the first two weeks of May. The Disney MAGIC sails two- to six-night itineraries from San Diego, CA along the Mexican west coast during the months of October and November.

Bermuda. The Disney DREAM sails the month of October out of New York, NY offering three- to five-night round-trip itineraries to Bermuda.

Caribbean. The Disney WISH sails year round offering three- and four-night itineraries to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL. The Disney FANTASY offers week-long (seven-night) cruises in the Caribbean year round from Port Canaveral, FL. Itineraries include the Bahamas, as well as the Eastern and Western Caribbean. From November 2023 through April 2024 the Disney DREAM offers three- and four-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, FL to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean. The Disney MAGIC offers three- to six-night Western Caribbean itineraries from Galveston, TX and New Orleans, LA from December though mid-April. From May through December 2024, the Disney MAGIC will sail primarily three- and four-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, FL to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean. Following its maiden voyage over Christmas 2024, the Disney TREASURE will offer alternating 6-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, FL.

In June 2024, Disney debuts its second private island destination in the Caribbean, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera, joining lone-time favorite, Castaway Cay. Three Disney ships (MAGIC, DREAM & FANTASY) are scheduled to visit Lighthouse Point in 2024.

Europe. The Disney DREAM currently relocates to Europe every summer, sailing to places like Iceland, the British Isles, the Greek Isles, the Mediterranean, the Norwegian Fjords, and Western Europe. Departing from ports in Barcelona, Spain; Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; and Southampton, England - itineraries vary in length from three-nights to a select few that last up to ten- and eleven-nights. Spring and Fall also include a trans-Atlantic repositioning cruise to/from Europe - each lasting almost two weeks.

Panama Canal. The Disney MAGIC currently transits the Panama Canal from Miami, FL to San Diego, CA (early October), and from San Diego, CA to Galveston, TX (early December) on a 13-night itinerary each direction, once per season.

Australia & New Zealand. Late fall 2023 through mid-February 2024 marks the inaugural season for Disney Cruise Line to sail from ports in Australia (Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney) and New Zealand (Aukland). The Disney WONDER offers two- to five-night itineraries "Down Under," in addition to a trans-Pacific cruise each way when repositioning to/from North America's west coast. The Disney WONDER is scheduled to return to Australia and New Zealand from October 2024 through February 2025.

COMING SOON: Singapore. The Disney ADVENTURE - the seventh (or eighth) ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet (depending on when the third Triton-class ship is christened) is rumored to sail from a home port in Singapore when it arrives (late-2025 or early-2026). Stay tuned...

Size comparison: Magic-, Dream- and Triton-class ships

Three Classes of Ships ... Does Size Matter?

Magic-class. This class includes the Disney MAGIC (1998) and the Disney WONDER (1999). Both ships have a more classic look and intimate feel when contrasted with the Dream-class and Triton-class ships. Each Magic-class ship has a maximum passenger capacity of 2,700.

Dream-class. This class includes the Disney DREAM (2011) and Disney FANTASY (2012). Dream-class ships are 35% larger than Magic-class ships and just slightly smaller than the newest, Triton-class ships. Both ships in this class have a maximum passenger capacity of 4,000. Disney DREAM and Disney FANTASY were the first cruise ships in the world to offer virtual portholes providing a real-time glimpse of the outside to Interior staterooms.

Triton-class. This is the newest class of ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet and includes the Disney WISH (2022), the Disney TREASURE (December 2024), and a still-to-be-named ship tentatively scheduled for 2025. Triton-class ships are 42% larger than Magic-class ships, and have a maximum passenger capacity of 4,000.

The ABCs - Amenities, Bars & Lounges, and Character-themed Live Shows

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Amenities. The AquaDunk is a 212-foot long body slide / water slide found on the Disney MAGIC. The AquaDuck is a 765-foot long elevated "water coaster" found on the Disney DREAM and Disney FANTASY. The Aqua Mouse is a first-of-its-kind, 760-foot long elevated water slide combined with a Disney animation and special effects found on both the Disney WISH and Disney TREASURE. AquaMouse riders on the Disney WISH are treated to two splash-tabular adventures: SCUBA Scramble, and Swiss Meltdown. The two-seater ride on the Disney TREASURE will teleport riders into the whimsical story called Curse of the Golden Egg, and likely a yet to be announced second adventure...

Bars and Lounges. Text here. Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge is unique to the Disney WISH. The Haunted Mansion Parlor is unique to the Disney TREASURE.

Sitting at the bar of Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge on the Disney WISH

Character-themed Live Shows. These performances can change from time to time, as new shows and/or ships are added to the full line-up. Here are the shows currently offered on the five Disney Cruise Line ships sailing, and the scheduled shows for the Disney TREASURE - making its inaugural voyage over Christmas 2024:

• MAGIC - Disney Dreams - An Enchanted Classic, Twice Charmed - An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story, and Tangled - The Musical

• WONDER - Disney Dreams - An Enchanted Classic. The Golden Mickeys, and Frozen - A Musical Spectacular

• DREAM - Beauty and the Beast, Disney's Believe, and The Golden Mickeys

• FANTASY - Disney's Believe, Frozen - A Musical Spectacular, and Disney's Aladin - A Musical Spectacular,

• WISH - The Little Mermaid, Disney Seas the Adventure, and Disney's Aladin - A Musical Spectacular

• TREASURE - Beauty and the Beast, Disney Seas the Adventure, and Disney - The Tale of Moana

"D" is for Dining ...

One of the special features aboard a Disney cruise is their rotational dining experience for dinner. Each stateroom is assigned a dinner seating (main or late), a table number, and one of the three restaurants in the rotation. Each night you, along with your dinning service staff, rotate to another one of these three restaurants.

Just a few of the amazing menu options at Palo Steakhouse aboard the Disney WISH

Animator's Palate features "an innovative show that celebrate's the art of storytelling" and is found on each of the four original ships (MAGIC, WONDER, DREAM & FANTASY). Each of these four ships has a second restaurant featuring a French/American-inspired menu: Lumiere's (Beauty and the Beast theme) on the Disney MAGIC, Triton's (The Little Mermaid theme) on the Disney WONDER, Royal Palace on the Disney DREAM, and Royal Court on the Disney FANTASY - both inspired by the Disney classic princess movies. Rounding out the trio of rotational restaurants for the original four ships are: Rapunzel's Royal Table (Tangled theme) on the Disney MAGIC, Tiana's Place (The Princess and the Frog theme) on the Disney WONDER, and Enchanted Garden on both the Disney DREAM and FANTASY - inspired by the gardens in Versailles and featuring a market-fresh menu.

Rotational dining on the newer (Triton-class) ships features: Worlds of Marvel - placing you right in the middle of an interactive Avenger's mission; 1923 - named for the year the Walt Disney Company was founded, and featuring over 1,000 pieces of memorabilia celebrating the evolution of animation; and Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure on the Disney WISH, and Plaza de Coco on the Disney TREASURE.

Adult (18-years and older) speciality restaurants (reservations required plus additional fee to book) are another dining feature of the Disney Cruise Line fleet. Palo features cooked-to-order cuisine from northern Italy and is found on each of the four original ships (MAGIC, WONDER, DREAM & FANTASY). The Disney WISH and Disney TREASURE feature Palo Steakhouse - adding refined menu options from a modern steakhouse to the authentic Italian favorites. Dinner (Prix Fixe) is $50 pp plus $59 pp for wine pairings; Brunch is $45 pp.

Both Dream-class ships (DREAM & FANTASY) also feature Remy - a French cuisine restaurant inspired by the movie Ratatouille and it's main character namesake, serving an elegant eight- to nine- course tasting menu. Dinner is $135 pp plus $105 pp for wine pairings; Champagne Brunch is $80 pp plus $30 pp for Champagne pairings; Desert Experience is $65 pp plus $25 pp for wine pairings.

Enchante offers the most luxurious fine dining experience aboard the newer (Triton-class) ships (WISH & TREASURE). This intimate, romantic dining venue is inspired by Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast, and features an exceptional ensemble of international dishes, paired with superlative wines, and first-class service. Dinner (9-course "Collection" menu) is $205 pp plus $140 pp Champagne journey; Dinner (6-course "Passion" menu) is $135 pp plus $115 pp for wine pairings; Brunch is $80 pp plus $30 pp for Champagne pairings; Desert Experience is $65 pp plus $25 pp for wine pairings.