Disney Cruise Line has 5 ships in their fleet (& 3 more coming in the next few years), so you may be wondering which ship is the best one. While some people think newer is always better, that may not be the case for you and your family so let’s dig in!
First let’s cover the five ships:
Disney Wish – This is Disney’s newest ship which routinely sails from Port Canaveral offering 3- and 4-Night Bahamian sailings to Nassau and Disney’s Castaway Cay.
Disney Fantasy – The Disney Fantasy is also based out of Port Canaveral and typically offers 7 Night sailings leaving each Saturday with two different itinerary options (there are a few exceptions).
Disney Dream – The Disney Dream sails from various ports throughout the year covering Europe, Bahamas, and Caribbean sailings. In the earlier and latter parts of the year, you will find this ship based in Florida, while during the Summer and Fall the ship will be in Europe before coming back to the states and doing a few sailings from New York.
Disney Wonder – The Disney Wonder is generally based on the West coast doing sailings to Alaska from Vancouver or Mexico from San Diego. The Wonder also covers the Hawaii and South Pacific sailings.
Disney Magic – The Disney Magic sails Caribbean and Bahamian itineraries from various ports including Galveston, New Orleans, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale.
If you are set on visiting a specific destination, you may not have a choice in the ship you sail on, but if the only thing that is important to you is getting out of town for vacation, we have some narrowing down to do.
Maybe you are looking for a ship for an Anna & Elsa loving little one, the Disney Wish is hands down your best bet. From Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure to Olaf’s Royal Picnic, your Frozen admiring kiddo will be in heaven. Beyond those experiences, you can also choose a Frozen themed stateroom! Your travel agent can help you narrow down to figure out which rooms on board have that theming.
Do you have a Rapunzel fan on your hands? Maybe a Tiana fan? Or even your very own Marvel hero? How about a Buzz and Woody loving pal? No worries! Disney Cruise Line has you covered there too.
The Disney Magic has an incredibly beautiful, themed restaurant, Rapunzel’s Royal Table, where you will sing Happy Birthday and celebrate none other than the lost princess! On the Disney Wonder, you can enjoy southern cooking and live jazz at Tiana’s Place. Don’t forget to save room for beignets. If you can’t get past the beauty of the Disney Wish, you can find a Princess and the Frog themed Lounge, The Bayou, where you can enjoy cocktails and beignets while listening to jazz music as well!
Our biggest Marvel fans will be delighted to know that Disney Cruise Line offers a Marvel Day at Sea sailing from January to March on select sailings from Miami on the Disney Dream. On this itinerary you can meet your favorite superheroes, partake in themed activities, and even watch an incredible deck show! For our cruisers who can’t get enough of our Pixar Pals from movies like Toy Story, The Incredibles, Up, and Inside Out, you won’t want to miss the Pixar Day at Sea itinerary on the Disney Fantasy from Port Canaveral during the months of January to March on select sailings.
Beyond those two special themed cruises, you will find Halloween on the High Seas sailings across the fleet during September and October, and Very Merrytime Sailings across the fleet during November and December. Here are a few more professional tips to picking the perfect cruise for your family:
- 4 Night sailings are perfect for testing the waters
- 3 Night sailings on the Disney Wish cover the weekend
- All sailings from Florida go to Disney’s Private Island Castaway Cay
- 3 and 4 Night sailings from Port Canaveral are a great way to turn your Walt Disney World trip into a Land and Sea Vacation
If you want help navigating a Disney Cruise Line vacation or need help picking the perfect itinerary for you, fill out our quote request form here (feel free to select Hunter as your preferred travel planner!) If you have booked a Disney cruise within the last 30 days and are finding yourself overwhelmed with information or not knowing where to turn, there is good news! As long as you have not paid in full and booked your reservation within 30 days, you can transfer your booking to an experienced travel agent like me who will guide you every step of the way to help you have a smooth and magical Disney Cruise.
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