Disney Cruise Line introduces Frozen themed events

Frozen experiences are to be added to Disney Cruise Line ships this year

Disney Cruise Line is to add new experiences to its ships based on the hit movie Frozen.

A new Frozen themed deck party will debut this summer on select Disney Magic and Disney Wonder sailings to Europe and Alaska. The ship will be transformed into a winter wonderland for a day of Frozen themed entertainment.

Character meet-and-greets will be offered with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf. A themed scavenger hunt will be offered, along with a snow and ice activity named "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" after one of the key songs from the film.

Families can learn a traditional Scandinavian dance spinning and braiding giant ribbons on a Maypole and there will also be a Frozen themed dining experience inspired by traditional Nordic cuisine.

A deck party will conclude the day’s events, complete with snowflakes, icicles and snow-covered rocks.

A new production show is also planned for the Disney Magic inspired by the movie. It will feature three songs from the movie - "Let it Go," "For the First Time in Forever" and "In Summer" – along with characters from the film in a new adventure.

For itineraries on-board aboard the Disney Magic to Norway there will be a selection of exclusive shore excursions that link the region to the film.

Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream will also benefit from character meet-and-greets with Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. Disney Cruise Line’s private island Castaway Cay will also experience a Frozen theme with the addition of Olaf's Summertime Freeze bar that will serve non-alcoholic specialty frozen drinks in souvenir cups.

During July this year two 12-night voyages on-board Disney Magic will sail from Dover to the Baltic region. On 3 August she will reposition to Barcelona for several seven-night Mediterranean cruises.

(Photo credit to Disney Cruise Line)

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Disney Cruise Line reveals ports and itineraries for 2016

Disney Cruise Line introduces two popular Caribbean destinations -- Tortola, British Virgin Islands and Martinique -- into the line-up of favourite tropical itineraries for early 2016. The return to the homeport of San Juan, Puerto Rico brings a new itinerary that includes Martinique.

From the warm Caribbean culture of Tortola, capital of the British Virgin Islands, to theFrench island of Martinique (above) , these destinations provide Disney Cruise Line guests the chance to relax on beaches, discover natural wonders and indulge in local shopping and cuisine.

Bookings opened to the public on 30 Oct. More details on 2016 itineraries can be found on Itineraries and Ports for 2016.

Port Canaveral to Eastern Caribbean, including Tortola

In 2016, Disney Cruise Line will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla. on a seven-night itinerary to the Eastern Caribbean, including a call at Tortola and Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

Ports: Port Canaveral; Tortola; St. Thomas; Castaway Cay

Departure dates: Disney Fantasy: 2, 16, 30  Jan;    13, 27 Feb;    2, 26 March;    9, 23 April ;  Disney Magic:  3, 17  April

Rates start at £699 per person for seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises for a category 11C standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included.

San Juan to Southern Caribbean, including Martinique

Disney Cruise Line returns to San Juan, Puerto Rico in early 2016 as the Disney Wonder sails four seven-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean, including a stop in Martinique on a new itinerary for Disney.

Ports: San Juan; Barbados; Grenada; Martinique; Antigua; St. Kitts

Departure dates: 10, 17, 24, 31  Jan

Rates start at £612 per person for seven-night cruises from San Juan for a category 11C standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included.

Port Canaveral and Miami to the Bahamas and Caribbean

In 2016, Disney Cruise Line will sail from Port Canaveral and Miami to the Bahamas and Caribbean on a variety of itineraries. All of these cruises include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

From Port Canaveral, rates start at £234 per person for three-night cruises, £312 per person for four-night cruises and £699 per person for seven-night cruises for a category 11C standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included.

From Miami, rates start at £220 per person for four-night cruises and £275 per person for five-night cruises for a category 11C standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included.

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More cruise ship visits as St Kitts welcomes more than a million passengers

St. Kitts continues to grow its cruise tourism, with a projected rise in passenger arrivals for the 2014/2015 season to more than one million for the first time in the island’s history.  

Next season’s growth is partly because the island will receive six calls from Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas, in its inaugural 2014/2015 season. St. Kitts will also see the return of Disney Cruise Line for the first time since 2009, with Disney Magic scheduled to make a total of four port calls to the island in 2014/2015. 

Inaugural calls are also being made in 2014/2015 by Oceania Cruises’ Insignia and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Pearl, which together will make 17 visits. 

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British Virgin Islands Firmly On Cruise Map

The wonderful Caribbean retreat of the British Virgin Islands will be firmly on the cruise map like never before from mid-2015 after the island government signed new long-term contracts with Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line.

The two companies have got together to guarantee a total of at least 425,000 passengers a year, a deal BVI Premier Orlando Smith says paves the way for the islands to be among the leading players of the Caribbean cruise industry.

The agreements, which grant preferential berthing to the two lines, were inked by Karl Holz, DCL president, and Colin Murphy, VP destination and strategic development for Norwegian, who will guarantee 350,000 passengers a year on top of Disney's 75,000.

The lines will pay a head tax of $15 starting in May next year that is subject to increase after five years based on a set formula that takes into account factors including inflation. The tax, much higher than the current rate, will help pay for a major upgrade and expansion of the cruise berth and landside facilities at Road Town, Tortola.

In a statement, the Premier said the Norwegian-Disney agreements mark the first time BVI has a guaranteed, year-round number of cruise passengers. He called the extension of the cruise pier and its associated landside development "the most fundamental" of decisions related to growing tourism through the cruise sector. He added: "By signing this berthing agreement, we are demonstrating, as a territory, that we are moving forward on the road of progress. The agreement is about the future sustainability of our cruise tourism sector."

Mr Smith added that the infrastructure improvements will enable BVI to accommodate the latest mega-ships such as Disney Dream and Norwegian Getaway, which is scheduled to replace St. Maarten with Tortola on its seven-day eastern Caribbean programmer starting in summer 2015.

The plans for Tortola involve dredging to expand the turning basin, navigation channels and berthing on both sides of the pier, lengthening the dock from 230 meters to 396 and widening it from 9.9 meters to 13.7. Additional mooring dolphins will be built along both sides, a new deck will be added to the widened pier, and landside development includes a visitor centre, restrooms, shopping village and a transportation staging area.

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More Disney Magic - Pt 4, The Big Picture

Concluding our look at the "newly re-imagined" Disney Magic of Disney Cruise Line...

By Editor Simon Veness

So, just how much of a ship CAN you see in 2 days? That was the challenge for us when embarking the newly-refurbished Disney Magic in Miami last Friday, spending two nights at sea (OK, one-and-a-half, as we we were back in port by 6am on Sunday!) and trying to cover as much of the ship as possible.

As we reported in the first three parts of this special report, we did manage to take in the wealth of new designs, additional elements and makeovers that have constituted the massive amount of work Disney have undertaken on their original ship, which dates back to 1998.

This was by far the biggest dry-dock process they had ever undertaken, and the five weeks it was in the shipyard in Spain were barely enough to complete a process that actually began at the design stage two YEARS ago.

Just for example, the parts for the amazing AquaDunk water-slide (above) and the

AquaLab (left) were built a year ago and shipped to Cadiz ready for assembly in that 5-week window. Other components were also pre-constructed and then just taken aboard in a frenzy of 24-hour activity to finish the job.

In reality, the job was only finished back in Disney's home port of Port Canaveral just prior to this short sailing. A previous 5-day cruise had to be cancelled as the plan to lay all the new carpets and other final touches on the transatlantic crossing was thwarted by bad weather, and those days needed to be used for the fitting out instead.

There were even a few small-scale last-minute details being attended to on our cruise (in Cabanas, for example and with some of the fittings on the doors to the new Carioca's restaurant). There were also a few  snafus in some of the cabins, where cleaners had not been completely scrupulous in coming in after the new cabinetry had been fitted, and there were some plumbing and electrical issues that were attended to on the first day.

But reports of wide-scale building going on during the voyage, of mass breakdowns of toilets and air-conditioning and (in one online story) of builders' tools and debris being strewn "everywhere", were a complete exaggeration. Maintenance work of some kind is carried out on every cruise ship in the world on just about every voyage. and there was nothing we saw that amounted to more than this level of inconvenience.

The bottom line is that Disney have pulled off a huge accomplishment in a very short space of time and done it, by and large, with great aplomb.

The enhancements to the likes of Animator's Palate, Cabanas and the kids clubs are

immensely impressive, while the wholescale rebuilding of the adults'-only district from Beat Street to After Hours is a singular triumph, in my opinion. 

The large-scale addition of the AquaDunk slide and AquaLab water-play area is nothing short of jaw-dropping, especially given that five-week window.

So what else did we manage to see in our two days?

Not a lot else, it has to be said! We were able to dine in each of Cabanas and Lumiere's (for lunch) and Animator's Palate and Carioca's (for dinner), and the food on offer in each one was definitely above average and better than I remember the main restaurant fare being 15 or even 10 years ago.

We did take in two of the main shows at the Walt Disney Theater, where the performances of the signature productions Twice Charmed and Disney Dreams drew huge audience applause and continue to be in the very best traditions of the company's live entertainment offerings. Indeed, the originality of Twice Charmed would not be out of place on Broadway, while Disney Dreams (which debuted with the ship itself) remains an absolute tour de force

of classic favourites, Disney's 'Greatest Hits,' if you like (pictured, right).

We managed to stop for coffee in The Cove Cafe in the adults-only section of the upper decks, and would have tried out the Rainforest Room in the Senses Spa if it hadn't been packed out on the Saturday afternoon! So, instead, we sat on the balcony of our wonderfully roomy stateroom and watched the Bahamian waters drift by for a soporific hour.

Finally, there was another highlight for us, pre-dinner drinks in Keys piano bar (below, left), with a female pianist enhancing the ambience with a few well-chosen tunes and a gorgeous cocktail provided by Indonesian barman Andy.

It set the seal on a hectic-but-enjoyable jaunt to see just what "newly re-imagined" really

means, and we can definitely say - it means VERY happy Disney cruising in future.

More info: Look up Disney Cruise line at http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ or, in the UK, see Virgin Holidays Cruises on www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk, or 0844 573 4398.

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More Disney Magic - Pt 3, Adults Only

Continuing our look at the "newly re-imagined" (that's heavily refurbished) Disney Magic of Disney Cruise Line...

Having looked at the extensive children's facilities aboard the 84,000 Disney Magic, fresh from its 5-week dry-dock process at the Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, it is only fair to focus on all the wide-ranging alternatives for the grown-ups.

Just to start with, the former adults-only nightclub district of Beat Street has been converted to a slightly more sophisticated vibe as After Hours, with all three venues being given a complete makeover.

The live entertainment bar/lounge of Diversions has become O'Gills pub, imported directly

as a popular choice from the new Disney Fantasy, and offering a touch of Ireland as well as the obligatory sports bar.

Then the out-and-out nightclub of Rockin' Bar D has become the trendier and more atmospheric Fathoms, with a sea-going ambience that really comes to life at night.

And the piano lounge of Sessions has been given a polish and been converted to the even-more-glamorous Keys (below), with a fabulous bar and wonderful cocktails, all in a 1920s art deco style. This is now comfortably the most 'grown-up' space on board, and we can see this being the place for pre-dinner or late-night drinks, with great live music and a wonderful couples' romantic hang-out.

The Senses Spa has been given a bit of a facelift (ho, ho), and the adults-only restaurant, Palo, has all new furniture and few extra decor touches that underscore the elegant Italian theming.

Finally, the main restaurant choices - open to all the family - have all been freshened up or, in several cases, completely revamped.

As mentioned in Part One, the new Cabanas buffet restaurant (formerly Topsiders) has

undergone a total rebuild and is now much larger and more user-friendly than its previous cramped and badly laid-out incarnation. There is more space and the buffet lines are better ordered so people can actually get at them rather than get stuck in a big bottleneck.
 

Lumiere's, the most distinguished of the three 'rotational dining' system restaurants has new carpeting (as there is throughout) and furniture, while the Brazilian-style of Carioca's (part two of the rotation) replaces the former rather two-dimensional Parrot Cay.

The Latin theming is not overwhelming and is quite subtle, hence it may not be obvious to everyone who walks through the door, while the huge curtain that cordons off the breakfast buffet area looks rather odd instead of adding to the overall festival feeling. But the new-look menu here is quite superb and definitely one of the culinary highlights now.

The third part of the rotational dining is still provided by the spectacular Animator's Palate, which has long been one of Disney Cruise Line's true original gems. A wow when the ship first launched in 1998 as a black-and-white vista that turns into vivid colour during the course of the meal, Animator's has actually been rebuilt from the ground up.

What has happened is that a new ultra-high-tech package of lighting and LED screens has been built in, mostly behind the walls and in the ceiling, and it may not seem obvious at first

(although the extra sharpness of the look should be a giveaway). But, once the visuals begin on the series of screens right around the room, there is no doubt that this is now a major triumph of new technology.

There are two shows here (we only got to see the first, but the Animation Magic from the Disney Dream and Fantasy will be incorporated in all voyages of more than 3 days), and the one we saw, Drawn to Magic, was simply a feast for the eyes. This vibrant, heart-tugging extravaganza of Disney's greatest film hits is so utterly sharp and iconic it feels like 3-D even though it is only two-dimensional. It is aided by a dynamic lighting package throughout the room that is equally startling and it all adds up to a must-see experience aboard the new-look Disney Magic.

Tomorrow...even more Magic!

More info: Look up Disney Cruise line at http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ or, in the UK, see Virgin Holidays Cruises on www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk, or 0844 573 4398.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link! 

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More Disney Magic, Pt 2 - It's Child's Play!

Continuing our exclusive look at "the newly re-imagined" Disney Magic of Disney Cruise Line on a recent short cruise from Miami...

There is a lot to admire about the new-look Disney Magic fresh from the biggest refit since she was launched in 1998, and much of it is geared around the children.

Disney has obviously long had the market cornered for family-friendly holiday options, and their cruise line is no exception. What they have achieved with the ship's upgrade, though, is quite remarkable.

The clear headline additions are the eye-catching AquaDunk water-slide (getting ready to drop - above) and the extensive water-play facilities on Deck 9 (see Part One of the blog for more on that), which consist of the AquaLab - an interactive water playground and pool (below) - and the Nephews Splash Zone, an under-cover area of more small-scale fun for younger

kids.

These are the real attention-grabbing enhancements, and it's hard to imagine children not having an absolute ball with all of these (although they may find fairly long queues for the AquaDunk on sea-days).

Passengers without children (or those just not paying attention) will miss out on some of the other amazing improvements in the kids' facilities, though, as they are all confined to Deck 6 (along with the unique Lake Buena Vista Theater, which is the ship's purpose-designed cinema).

First off, the old Flounder's Reef nursery (which was makeshift at best as it wasn't part of the original design but a hastily-added extra after the first 8 months) is now the fully-themed It's A Small World nursery, with all manner of toys, playthings and (most importantly) cots

for the youngest cruisers. It is wonderfully provisioned and is guaranteed to give mum and dad a welcome few hours off from baby-minding duties.

Next up, the Oceaneer Club has been transformed into something closer to the expansive model achieved with the new Disney Dream and Fantasy. Now divided into four main sections (and fully open to the 3-12-year age group), it is designed like a library, where each of the 'books' becomes a new section and a new play area.

While each area will appeal to children of the right age and interest, the Marvel Avengers Academy is probably the most timely, with the provision of Iron Man and Captain America sections as a high-tech command post for "special missions and operations training." Here, kids will get the chance to see Iron Man's suit, Captain America's shield and become Avengers 'recruits' with a fully immersive entertainment experience guaranteed to unleash

their inner super-hero!

Andy's Room is a two-level adventure playroom of toys, climbs and slides, with all the characters of the Pixar Toy Story films being on parade. Pixie Hollow caters to fans of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends, with a costume closet and other playthings in keeping with the impish pixie dust creator, while the Mickey Mouse Club (below) rounds out the offerings, an arts-and-crafts space with tables, play-stations and more energetic, interactive fun and games.

The Oceaneer Lab (formerly open to the 3-8-year age group but now linked via a secure passageway to the Oceaneer Club) is a pirate-themed journey of discovery in different sections, with all-new theming, decor, games, video walls and digital stations. An animator's studio will appeal to budding artists while the Navigator Simulators allow young buccaneers to take the wheel of their own ship.

Sadly, the only ones left out here are the parents, who may well feel that all this amazing creativity and activity is WAY too good to be the exclusive preserve of their kids!

Just to make sure older children are not forgotten, the hideaway teen lounge of The Vibe has been spruced up with new furniture and fittings to make it a true get-away-from-it-all venue just for their age group and the Senses Spa & Salon has even been enhanced to provide a Chill Spa with treatments especially for the 13-17 age group.

More tomorrow...!

More info: Look up Disney Cruise line at http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ or, in the UK, see Virgin Holidays Cruises on www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk, or 0844 573 4398.

 
Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

 

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More Disney Magic – Part One

A short preview cruise to look at the “newly re-imagined” Disney Magic…
 
First impressions of the completely refurbished Disney Magic – the biggest makeover since she was launched 15 years ago – are strong and extremely positive.

This is still the same essential vessel that wowed the cruise industry in 1998, but the improvements and enhancements that we outlined in our preview blog are startling.

At first glance they are definitely impressive; at second glance, they are a triumph of the latest technology and state-of-the art design.

We arrived at mid-day and were conducted straight on to the ship at Miami’s Terminal F. This allowed the chance to grab lunch at the new-look Cabanas buffet restaurant, which is now MUCH bigger and more user-friendly in its passenger flow.

Lunch was followed by a full tour of the Magic, with a chance to appreciate fully all the new

spaces and additions which, while not changing the essence of the ship, distinctly raise the bar for the company’s ability to appeal to both the family and the adult-only audience.

We will provide more details of the new components in the next two instalments, but suffice it so say, after Cabanas, there is a LOT more to see and enjoy.

Past passengers will be amazed at how ‘their’ ship has been refreshed and improved; new passengers will simply be bowled over by the Disney style and imagination.

Just to start with, the 3-storey Atrium (right) – the central repository of the ship’s Art Deco style – has a new look from taking away one of the staircases and moving the Captain Mickey statue to one side. It gives a much greater sense of space and ‘arrival’.

Chihuly fans may not be thrilled that the main glass chandelier has been replaced by a new lighting arrangement (with the main display now provided by a huge three-piece Swarovski

crystal chandelier series spreading out like the rays of the sun), with the Chihuly piece being returned to the main museum in California.

But that is a relatively minor quibble in the overall scheme of things, as the general smartening up of the Atrium, and the addition of new carpeting and a spruce up for the Mickey statue all provide for much more eye drama.

When it comes to big, of course, the most obvious additions are up on the top decks, where the 40ft drop of the spectacular AquaDunk flume ride is truly startling. With a capsule entrance on the side of the forward funnel that then drops riders onto the slide below, it is a true thrill-ride as it zips out over the side of the ship and then into a dramatic splash-down

on Deck 10 amidships.

Continuing aft brings you to the kids' pool area, where the old Mickey Pool has been completely rebuilt and enhanced as the AquaLab for children 3 and older. 

As well as a fabulous array of pop-jets, bubblers and geysers in a totally fun setting with those scamps Huey, Dewey and Louie, there is also a new water slide, Twist 'n Spout (right), that takes riders down through three large loops over more than 250ft of vivid yellow flume. There is also more shaded cover for the little 'uns and a look in keeping with the company's two newest ships, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy (launched in 2011 and '12).

More tomorrow....

More info: Look up Disney Cruise line at http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ or, in the UK, see Virgin Holidays Cruises on 0844 417 4723 or http://www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk/.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

 

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Setting Sail For More Magic!

By Editor Simon Veness

It's time for us to set sail again, which means another 'live' cruise blog from Time Spent At Sea - and a chance to be the first to run the rule over the newly-refurbished Disney Magic of Disney Cruise Line.

We are heading down to Miami later this week where we will be taking a short preview cruise aboard the 15-year-old ship which is fresh from major renovations in the Navantia shipyard in Cadiz.

Having sailed on the maiden voyage of the Disney Magic back in 1998 after an unforgettable naming ceremony starring Tinker Bell (yes, they really did manage to pull off that trick!), I am keen to see how this big refresh has treated what was already a classic ship.

Unlike most cruise vessels built in the 1990s, Disney's newcomer avoided much of the monolithic, slab-sided look that was so prevalent then, and is still largely the case today. The Magic - and sister ship Disney Wonder a year later - boasted a more traditional profile, with a raked bow and two funnels (albeit the second one being fake, but then that was not uncommon even in the 1920s and 30s) and a distinct Art Deco period touch aboard.

And, while the duo were packed full of child-friendly facilities and amenities, Disney were also head of the pack in providing adults-only areas where parents could relax on their own or couples without children could benefit from a distinctly more 'grown-up' atmosphere, free

of Mickey and Co if they preferred.

Now, 15 years later, we will get another 'maiden voyage' as the new-look version showcases what should be some dramatic additions and upgrades to the original formula.

First among them is the AquaDunk - a 40ft freefall water slide (right) that goes out over the side of the ship and then back again to land riders with a pronounced swoosh on the pool deck.

More water features include the AquaLab outdoor play area for kids, where young 'uns can splash and slide to their hearts' content in a completely developed area that was the Mickey Pool. The indoor kids clubs have been totally transformed, too, with the Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab and Its A Small World nursery all getting dramatic new looks and facilities.

The adults-only area - formerly Beat Street - will become After Hours with three distinct but interconnecting elements, O'Gills Pub, Keys piano bar and Fathoms nightclub.

The unique Animator's Palate restaurant has been tweaked with some of the more recent technological advantages from recent duo Disney Fantasy and Dream to include the 'Animation of Parade' show, while the Parrot Cay restaurant has been transformed into Cariocas, a vibrant Brazilian-style dining room (picture, below) that is intended to be both elegant and fun,

and buffet restaurant Cabanas will have more buffet stations rather than the old single buffet line idea. 

Finally, all the staterooms have been refreshed with new linens and mattresses, and more underbed storage, while 44 cabins are now inter-connected to allow for larger family groups. 

So, there will be a LOT to report on in our preview experience - we will just have to hope there is enough time to fit it all in!

Be sure to follow along here at Time Spent At Sea this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Have you subscribed to World of Cruising magazine yet? We have a fabulous offer for all new subscribers this year - 50 per cent OFF the regular rate AND the chance to win a cruise in our free prize draw offer. See this link!

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A Fantasy Photo Tour

OK, no words this time, just a handful of our best photos from last week's preview cruise aboard the new Disney Fantasy:

Bahamian idyll - the ship at Disney's private island of Castaway Cay

That Art Nouveau touch - a design style reminiscent of the Golden Age of cruising

You want fun - try the main pool deck, complete with the AquaDuck flume ride

Or for the grown-ups - the tranquility of the adults-only Cove area

Classic look - the proper wrap-around Promenade Deck, complete with steamer chairs

All this and princesses, too - the true Disney family touch with the Atrium meet-and-greets

More soon...!

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A True Cruise Fantasy

We are just back from a 3-day media preview cruise aboard the new Disney Fantasy, the fourth ship in the stylish Disney Cruise Line fleet.

A sister to last year's Disney Dream, the Fantasy is a slightly tweaked version to cater for the fact the newcomer will offer the line's 7-day Caribbean voyages out of their main base in Port Canaveral, Florida (just an hour from Walt Disney World).

There is an extra kids' water-play area, called the AquaLab, a new small-pool in the adults-only Cove area, a bigger version of the superb Skyline bar and a completely re-themed entertainment district, called Europa instead of The District.

The cabins remain larger than average and there are two exclusive new shows in the superb Walt Disney Theater - Dreams (which starts out like High School Musical but morphs into classic Disney musical territory in superb fashion) and Aladdin, a full-scale musical presentation. Both feature the theater's amazing technological variety and staging wizardry and have a young, vigorous cast that deliver with great verve and energy.

Dining quality seems to have been quietly kicked up a notch, too. We ate in each of the Royal Court, Animator's Palate and adults-only Palo and, while the latter remains a stand-out location, the other two were not left in the shade by any means.

(As a quick aside for non-Disney regulars, Disney Cruise Line operates a rotational evening dining system that goes through each of the three main dining rooms in turn, changing the style, mood and menu each time. Hugely imaginative and also great fun, especially for families)

The new show that goes with Animator's Palate is also every bit as impressive as advertised. It starts with every guest being able to 'draw' their own cartoon figure (on a standardized template that makes it easier than it sounds) and these are then incorporated into the dining room's big finale presentation in dramatic, eye-popping style. One of the cruise's 'Don't Miss' moments.

Fantasy is also decorated in 1930s Art Nouveau fashion (as opposed to Art Deco on Dream) and there are some genuinely beautiful and classic design touches throughout which really hark back to that Golden Age of cruising (while providing every mod con possible, like the interactive 'Enchanted Art' throughout the ship, which comes to life when a guest passes by). 

The current Disney mania for interactive games in its Walt Disney World theme parks is now extended to the ship, too, with the Muppets featuring in an adventure quest game using the Enchanted Art pieces in an interactive scavenger hunt/puzzle. Great fun for all ages.

We were also impressed, as we were with Dream, with the adults-only options and areas, which continue to make this a great proposition for couples as well as just families. Disney simply has THE most impressive children's facilities anywhere, but the 'grown-ups' are not left out at all, and, with the exception of the main dining rooms, the overt 'Disney-ness' is not all-pervading or at all off-putting. This is a genuinely sophisticated and engaging cruise experience that - most importantly - still harks back to cruising's maritime traditions, and does it very well for everyone aboard.

Finally - Castaway Cay, Disney's private Bahamian island (below) continues to get better and more feature-packed seemingly with every visit. There are SO many activities here now you would probably need a week to try them all, but just chilling out on the well-provisioned beach, surrounded by blissful views and the impossibly azure waters, remains one of THE great experiences in the cruise pantheon.

Three days is definitely too short a time to spend aboard - but the new alternating 7-day east and west Caribbean itineraries are well worth considering.

Be sure to order your Summer edition of World of Cruising magazine as we will have a full review, with extensive photos, from our preview.

For booking options, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading cruise agent specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

It's A Fantasy Float-Out

Disney Cruise Line are now firmly on course for the arrival of their new Disney Fantasy vessel in March with the official float-out today of the 128,000-ton ship at the Meyer-Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

The second new ship in as many years, DCL will unveil the ship with inaugural events in both New York and Port Canaveral  (Florida) in March, when Fantasy will also start regular 7-day Caribbean voyages from the line's purpose-built terminal just 45 minutes from Walt Disney World.

Numerous bloggers and Tweeters were in Papenburg for the big event - which included the inevitable Disney speciality of fireworks - and you can see the best of them on the following links from Stewart Chiron (@CruiseGuy) and Chris Owen (@orlandoChris):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht7gemvtv2s&feature=youtu.be&a

http://www.chriscruises.net/2012/01/cruise-video-disney-fantasy-float-out-ceremony/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

You can also read the full report on Disney Cruise Line's own website, here: http://dclnews.com/galleries/2012/01/09/disney-fantasy-float-out/#photo-1

Don't forget you can also follow World of Cruising on Twitter at www.twitter.com/worldofcruising or just @WorldofCruising.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Disney Difference

So, having evaluated the new Disney Dream from it's first-glance appeal, accommodation, dining and entertainment quotients, how should we sum up this glitzy new offering from Disney Cruise Line?

Well, it certainly remains a great proposition for families AND for couples without children, as the adults-only facilities remain some of the best at sea. And, should you so wish, you wouldn't need to even see a child aboard, let alone know you are at sea with several hundred of them at any one time!

There are, of course, the overtly Disney touches that could only come from the House of Mouse, notably the three themed restaurants, the superb (but distinctly Mickey-fied) big show productions, the many character meet-and-greet opportunities, and the outrageously outfitted kids activity centres, which only Royal Caribbean's biggest ships can touch for space, range and style.

The introduction of their 'magical portholes,' the virtual window onto the outside world which all inside cabins now boast, the Enchanted Art throughout the ship (special pieces of art which literally come alive when activated by a pssing guest) and the special fireworks-at-sea deck party also all point to the kind of imagination and invention which exists primarily with Disney's 'Imagineers.'

But the designers have continued to keep a handle on cruising's luxury and tradition-orientated heritage, with many touches which look and feel totally five-star. The Cove Cafe, glamorous Concierge Lounge and associated cabins, Palo restaurant (and new bar area), District nightlife complex and, especially, the gourmet dining of Remy all highlight a tendency which Disney began with the Magic and Wonder and have firmly continued with their latest vessel.

Their staff remains keen and eager to please and even the standard level cabins are wonderfully comfortable, practical and well-fitted, with the split bathroom arrangement putting them well ahead of most of the competition.

And, as befits a ship produced by the Meyer-Werft shipyard in Papenburg, it displays a superlative level of finish and build quality. While the yards of Finland and Italy are not short on style and quality, I have never failed to be impressed by the end product out of this German marine production centre, and feel they go the extra yard to making sure everything is completed to the nth degree.

Take time to stroll along the classic internal promenade on Deck 3 (above), take time out at the Bon Voyage bar, walk the 'red carpet' into the Walt Disney Theatre and take a ride on the unique AquaDuck 'water-coaster' and you will have sampled four highly contrasting but all representative facets of this extraordinary ship.

Unlike the vast Oasis and Allure of the Seas, it is not a destination in itself; and it is not an out-and-out resort at sea, with all mod cons and little connection with the maritime world. It does have plenty to keep guests occupied without ever setting foot ashore (and, to be honest, it's 3 and 4-day cruising to the Bahamas is not guaranteed to have people flocking off anyway, with the exception of Disney's private island of Castaway Cay), but the onboard style still has more in keeping with cruise tradition than the all-mod-cons approach of others.

Are there elements that don't work especially well? Almost certainly. The deck space in the adults-only Cove Pool area is less than capacious; there are sure to be quite long queues to try the AquaDuck; and the main atrium area seems like a huge, empty void at times, as it is geared up for the many Disney character photo opportunities and is otherwise a pretty pointless space.

Their rotational dining system may not suit those who prefer to dine in one main location, especially for a 7-day (or longer) voyage, but it is hard to fault the novelty and attraction that it represents over just 3 or 4 days.

We absolutely love Castaway Cay, where we were able to cycle at our leisure, enjoy the adults-only Serenity Beach area, grab a quick lunch with ease and stroll along the main beach back to the ship, which is docked by the purpose-built pier. Brilliant thinking all round, and the family facilities here are the equal of any beach resort in the world.

Does it all add up to the premium price that Disney charges for such a short cruise? It can cost $1350/person for a 4-night cruise in a balcony cabin, which could get you a 7-night cruise (or even longer) on a few other lines. But you will certainly feel like you are in high-quality territory here, and the X-factor that comes with all Disney ventures is most firmly to the fore here.

All in all, it is a superb experience, a real one-off in the cruise world today, and one that is well worth considering. The rest, as they say, is up to you...!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.