The Cruise Lines That Are Rated
As of the latest update , ships operated by the following cruise lines are included in the table: American Queen Steamboat Company, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Company, Carnival Cruise Lines, Inc., Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and Silversea Cruises LTD.
The 2 Types Of Disney Cruise Line Ships Explained
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Disney may be a giant in the vacation business, thanks to its many theme park and resort complexes around the world. But in the world of cruising, its a relatively small player.
Disneys 23-year-old cruising arm, Disney Cruise Line, only operates four vessels a small fraction of the number youll find in the fleets of cruisings best-known brands. The worlds two biggest cruise lines, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, by comparison, have 25 and 24 ships in their fleets, respectively. MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line have 18 and 17 ships, respectively.
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What this means if youre thinking about going on a Disney cruise is that its relatively easy to get a handle on your ship options much easier than it is at a line like Royal Caribbean.
At first blush, you only have to figure out the differences between four different ships. But, in fact, its even easier than that. While Disney has four ships in its fleet, the four vessels can be bunched into just two groups of two similar vessels. If you know one member of the group, you know them both.
Activities On The Disney Cruise Ships
Each of the ships offer lots of activities, including first-run Disney movies in the Buena Vista theater and Broadway-style stage live shows in the Walt Disney Theater. Other activities include family and adult game shows, beverage tasting seminars, Bingo, and animation classes. There are also Disney character greetings on every ship. Check the Navigator or the app to see the full schedule of events.
The shows on the four ships are different. My favorite show is currently Frozen, which plays on the Wonder. A close runner up to that is the new Beauty and the Beast show that runs on the Disney Dream. Other newer shows are Aladdin on the Disney Fantasy, and Tangled on the Disney Magic.
Ships on a Caribbean itinerary typically have a pirate night during one night of the cruise. Its so much fun definitely go to the fireworks if theres a pirate night during your cruise.
On the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream, kids will love the Midship Detective Agency. This free game lets you become a detective while finding clues throughout the midship section of the boat. When my kids were younger, wed accompany them on their quest. Once they were a bit older, they loved the freedom of doing it on their own.
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Choose Royal Caribbean If You Want An Amusement Park Or Mall On Your Ship
Royal Caribbean’s biggest ships have some pretty impressive onboard attractions. Twelve ships have indoor ice rinks, with open hours for skating. Quantum-class ships offer the SeaPlex, an indoor amusement park with bumper cars, roller skating, trapeze classes, games and an arcade, while Oasis-, Quantum-, Voyager- and Freedom-class ships feature the Royal Promenade, an indoor mall with restaurants, bars and shops.
Choose Royal Caribbean For The Largest Selection Of Suite Types And Perks
While Disney ships have three types of suites, a small Royal Caribbean ship could have five, while larger vessels have more than 10 kinds of deluxe accommodations. Junior Suites are essentially giant balcony cabins, while Loft Suites offer two floors, often with multiple bathrooms, bedrooms and balconies. Family Connected Junior Suites combine three cabin types to sleep 10 people, while the Presidential Family Suite can house 14 in a humongous space, including four bedrooms and a balcony with full dining table and hot tub.
And while Disney does offer expanded amenities to suite guests, Royal Caribbean’s Royal Suite Class, a tiered perks program available on Oasis- and Quantum-class ships, adds attractive benefits like free gratuities, specialty dining, Royal Genie butlers and alcoholic beverage packages for top-end suites.
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Taking A Cruise This Summer Heres Everything You Need To Know About Cruise Ship Disappearances
A man vanished during his honeymoon, never to be seen again. Investigators found bloodstains in his cabin and more streaks of blood down the side of the ship.
When a woman traveling with relatives didnt return to the cabin as planned, her travel companions assumed she was out enjoying herself. Only as the ship neared the final destination of the cruise did they realize she was missing. Back home, her apartment had been burglarized.
It took the mysterious discovery of their shoes left abandoned on the deck for relatives to realize that an elderly couple married 50 years was nowhere to be found.
A woman disappeared just two days into a week-long cruise, but the cruise line neglected to alert her family instead, it donated her possessions.
A young crew member was last seen having a distressing phone conversation. Then, suddenly, she was gone.
These are just a few of the more than 250 people Cruise Junkie says have vanished onboard cruise ships in the past two decades. Already, this year alone has seen another 12 incidents putting 2015 on track to surpass the annual average of 19 to 20 man overboard events.
Would it surprise you to learn that men are more likely to disappear on cruise ships than women, or that the average age of a missing cruise passenger is 44?
Disney Magic Cruise Ship
Weighing in at 83,338 gross tons and measuring 964 feet long by 106 feet wide, the Disney Magic cruise ship is also the smallest in the fleet. I, personally, love this feature of the ship. While mega-ships look great and have more amenities, I would be worn out just walking from one place to another!
Additionally, the Disney Magic has 875 staterooms whereas the Fantasy and Dream have 1,250 staterooms. More staterooms equals more people, and thats not always a plus in my book. Disney Cruise Line pioneered the rotational dining concept, and our family loved eating in a new place every night. On the Magic, youll get to experience Animators Palate, Cariocas, and Lumieres. Each dining experience is expertly Disney themed and provides the ability to branch out and try new things!
TravelingMom Tip: Don’t miss the great sales going on right now at shopDisney for both Halloween Costumes and Back-to-School items. Score a deal on items you can also use in the Disney parks!
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What To Expect For Kids
The key reason we chose to sail with the Disney Magic was the addition of to the Oceaneer Club. One of my twins is a HUGE fan of Marvel characters, and, right now, we cannot meet them in any Walt Disney World park. Disneyland is quite a hike for us, so the Disney Magic was going to be our best bet.
What if your kids are not fans of Marvel characters? No worries, there are lots of other great choices for activities in the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab. Teens and tweens can check out the cool Edge and Vibe areas that have activities and entertainment geared to their age groups. Of course, you may find it difficult to drag your kids away from the amazing pools and splash pads on board too!
For The Ultimate Experience The Disney Fantasy Is The Best Cruise Ship To Try
Heres why: Of course, Disney will outfit its newest cruise ship with the best that it has to offer to Disney fans or people whod just like to try a Disney cruise. The Disney Fantasy is almost the same as the Disney Dream. The only difference youd find between the two sister ships is that their atrium and adult bars are decorated and named differently.
On top of that, the Disney Fantasy has longer cruises that sail on the Caribbean and the Bahamas. It also sails in Mexico, which makes for the ultimate Disney Cruise experience in other must-visit countries.
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Disney Signature Experiences Unit
Soon after a March 2018 conglomerate wide reorganization that formed Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment division, Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations was renamed Disney Signature Experiences along with a new president, Jeff Vahle.
Disney Cruise Line purchased in early March 2019 another Bahamas destination, Lighthouse Point property on the island of Eleuthera from the Bahamas Government. The cruise line was looking for another Bahamas location since the announcement of the third ship expansion in 2016.
In February 2020, Disney Wonder moved its home port to New Orleans. From March 14 until further notice, Disney Cruise Line ships have suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sailings resumed in July 2021 in the form of “Staycation Cruises”, closed loop cruises of 2 to 4 nights from the United Kingdom ports of Liverpool, Southampton, Newcastle, and Tilbury for London.
The Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy entered service in January 2011 and March 2012, respectively. These ships were built at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. These new 129,690-ton ships are 339.5 m long and 36.8 m wide. They are two decks taller than the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder and have 1,250 staterooms each. The Disney Dream was the first ship to have a water coaster.
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Top Things You Need To Know
Here are the most important things you need to be aware of as you prepare for your Disney Cruise Line vacation.
COVID-19 Vaccination
- Disney Cruise Line strongly encourages all eligible Guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before sailing. Guests who are fully vaccinated may choose to provide proof of vaccination in order to be exempt from pre-trip and Embarkation Day testing requirements and travel insurance requirements. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers people to be fully vaccinated 14 days after the final dose has been administered. To learn more about how to provide proof of your vaccination, please visit: Before Leaving Home: Know Before You Go.
COVID-19 Testing
Health Screenings
- Embarkation Day Health Questionnaire: Guests are required to complete a health questionnaire related to COVID-19 and gastrointestinal illnesses on Embarkation Day. Guests are also required to attest as to whether they have experienced or are currently experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or have been in contact with anyone suspected of or confirmed as having COVID-19 within the previous 14 days.
- Crew Members: All Crew Members will be screened for symptoms of illness before every shift. Crew Members showing any symptoms or feeling unwell will refrain from working.
Physical Distancing
Close-up interactions with Disney Characters have been paused, and youth activities are experienced in small group settings.
Face Coverings
All face coverings should:
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Disney Cruise Line Is Moving Into A New Florida Port
PostedByKen Storey on Wed, Jul 28, 2021 at 2:29 PM
- Rendering of the Disney Wish cruise, Courtesy of Disney
- Image via Port Canaveral
- Concept art of the expanded Disney Cruise Line Terminal 8 at Port Canaveral.
Staterooms On The Disney Cruise Ships
While there are some differences between the staterooms on the ships, for the most part, they are the same. They offer similar features, and while they are small, they are also comfortable. My family of four regularly stays in a Deluxe Family Stateroom with Verandah, and we find it to be enough room. We dont spend too much time in the room because theres so much to do on the ship.
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Disney Cruise Line News
Uniquely Disney
The Disney ships are painted in Mickey Mouse-inspired colors black hull, white superstructure, yellow trim and two giant red funnels, each with the Disney Cruise Line Mickey Mouse logo.
Disney Cruise Line was the first cruise line to have yellow lifeboats, instead of the traditional regulation orange. Disney was granted special permission from the U.S. Coast Guard to paint the lifeboats yellow, to keep with the special color theming of the ship.
The Disney Magic was built in two halves one hundred miles apart! Part of the ship was constructed in Ancona, Italy then towed 100 miles to meet the stern in Marghera to be perfectly joined and welded together.
Disney Cruise Line ships use the iconic first seven notes of the When You Wish Upon a Star song melody as their horn signals.
Disney ships are the only cruise ships to have five captains the ships captain, Captain Mickey, Captain Minnie, Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow.
Measuring 964 feet in length, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are each longer than Main Street U.S.A at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. At 1,115 feet, the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream are longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and longer than the height of New York Citys famous Chrysler Building.
The anchor on the Disney Magic weighs 28,200 pounds about the same as three full-grown elephants.
Guest Experience
Dining
Beef 5,000 pounds Wine and Champagne 2,700 bottles
Castaway Cay
So What Is The Best Disney Cruise Line Ship
My personal favorite is the Disney Fantasy, the newest ship in the fleet . However, that was the first Disney ship that I traveled on, so Im not sure if thats why its my favorite.
Others really love the Magic. As a smaller ship, its definitely more quaint and its easier to walk around. I do love the shows on the Magic, as well as the restaurants.
Its really hard to say which is the best Disney cruise ship, because they are all great!
What is your favorite Disney Cruise ship?
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Carnival Cruise Lines Lanai
While cruisers battle it out for lounge chair space on the Lido Deck and adults-only Serenity area, those looking for more peace and quiet will find it on Carnivals Lanai. Found on only a handful of ships, including some of the lines newer ones, are cozy seating nooks along deck 5 that offer respite from the crowds and equally beautiful views.
Select ships Lanai decks also feature balconies that extend out over the ocean. Bars and eateries are conveniently located only a few steps away, for when hunger strikes or you need a drink refill.
Where to Find Them: Carnival Panorama, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic
Carnival Cruise Lines Forward Decks
Planning to sail on Carnival Cruise Line? Youll be pleased to know that most of the lines fleet features hidden forward decks.
The location varies by ship but generally includes decks 5, 6, 7 and 10. To reach these more secluded areas, youll enter through two doors that take you outside. Note: Most of these doors are unmarked, and they are usually locked at night and whenever there are high winds.
Where to Find Them: Carnival Radiance, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Vista, Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic, Carnival Glory, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Liberty, Carnival Valor, Carnival Splendor, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Elation, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Ecstasy
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Critics Call For Transparency
With those memories still fresh and the virus newly ascendant, consumers and the communities where cruise ships operate have a right to know how many infected crew members and passengers are aboard each voyage, Walker said.
So far, cruise lines have mostly waited until word got out from passengers using social media to acknowledge onboard infections, he said. Consumers wondering whether to risk boarding a cruise ship should be able to know how many infected people were on the ship during the previous voyage, he said.
No one is being forthcoming with basic information about how many people are in fact infected, Walker said. It seems to me that the CDC should be disclosing the numbers and requiring cruise lines to be transparent, in the interest of health and guest safety.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, whose congressional district includes Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, called on cruise lines to release infection data regularly, particularly as the highly contagious delta variant continues to fuel a COVID-19 surge in the state.
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A spokeswoman for DeSantis did not answer when asked whether DeSantis supports making infection numbers available to the public.
Choose Disney If You Love Disney Characters And Songs
High-quality live performances are a mix of animated classics brought to life and original stories that weave in classic Disney songs and characters. The familiar faces and stories will delight children, and creative costuming and colorful sets will impress adults. Each ship typically runs three different shows per cruise.
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