What is the Average Lifespan of a Cruise Ship?

What is the Average Lifespan of a Cruise Ship?

The average lifespan of a cruise ship is 30 years. 30 years in the salty ocean water and air do damage to the ship. Every 5 years ships are required to drydock and be inspected for safety, repaired and refreshed but that does not stop the damage.

 

Ships take a lot of harsh abuse. There is no real downtime. All facilities on the ship are used 24/7. Cabins are given around 3 hours to be cleaned between guests. Kitchens cook thousands of meals 3 times a day and then cook more food for snacks day and night. Entertainment is also active all day and night.

 

Ships have minimal access to getting to the “guts” and replacing/repairing old engines, wiring and plumbing. To do major upgrades they have to take the ship to dry dock and that is expensive. Lines do the best they can cleaning and maintaining the ships. Time, exposure to salt water and air, constant use and the fact technology changes and can’t always be update/changed/added to “age” the ships. Disney Cruise Line is top in maintaining the ships, but even Disney can’t stop the march of time. The older the ship the higher the cost of maintaining them.

 

What happens to a ship that is too old? The ship can be sold to a lower-class cruise line. This does happen a lot. The old ship will go into drydock and be reimagined, repainted and renamed by the line that purchased her. She could continue to sail there for another 20 years or so. But you can tell the ship is old. The ship can be scrapped, recoverable items such as copper wire, steel and other items can be removed and recycled. Parts are melted down and material reused. Want can’t be recycled is dumped. A recent and good thing done with retired ships is sinking them. Yes, this has been done for hundreds of years but now there is new twist. Now ships are being sunk where coral reefs have been destroyed or damaged. They remove all items that can damage the environment from the ship and set it up to encourage fish to come in and enjoy it. These are the 3 major things done with old ships.

 

Disney Magic turns 30 in 2028, and Disney Wonder turn 30 in 2029. Along with the information above is enough to make a DCL fan cringe. Does that mean that Magic and Wonder MUST retire in 28 and 29? No. As long as the ships are deemed safe by Maritime regulations and guests keep booking cruises on them, I believe they will keep going. How long do I think they can reasonably keep them going? I’m going to guess 2035 or at the longest 2040.

Disney cannot sell any of their ships to other lines. There is too much Intellectual Property (IP) on the ships that cannot be allowed to go to another company. Scrapping or turning them into coral reefs are the standard options. Disney is anything but standard! I’ve heard rumors that insiders have been begging for the ships to be turned into hotels! Pull them up to a dock permanently. Hook them up for shore power and make them a hotel! Personally, I think this is a win-win for Disney and fans alike!

 

 

Is it still worth it to sail on Magic and Wonder? YES!! The ships are beautiful and all amenities are functioning well, with only a few issues noted. Disney will do their best to keep them going. I believe that 2 of the 3 of the 5^th class of ships were ordered to replace them. But they may order more ships! DCL is expanding, yes, they will lose 2 ships soon but gain more! I believe there may be announcements about more ships being ordered. Watch for D23 in August!

 

 

Disney Cruise Line Classic Ships Part 2 of 2 – The Wonder

 Disney Cruise Line Classic Ships – The Wonder

Many people love the Classic-Class of Disney Ships. They are the original ships of the fleet, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. They are the smallest ships of the fleet and many guests feel they are more intimate and less crowded. These two ships are near identical twins.

Fun fact of the Disney Wonder: Take a stroll outside on deck 4 and look closely at the side of the ship when you are mid-ship. There is a weld mark there but no true weld. That "fake" weld is a nod to the Wonder's sister ship Disney Magic. Magic was built in 2 sections and then floated together.

 

Disney Classic-Class Stats:

Gross Tonnage: 83,000 GT

Length 964 feet / Beam 106 Feet / Draft 25.26 Feet

Number of Passenger Cabins: 875

Passenger Capacity: 2,400

Cruising Speed: 23 Knots

 

As of 2025 Magic and Wonder are DCL’s wondering ships. They can and have sailed out of Florida, Texas, Louisiana, California, Canada (Alaskan Cruises) and even Australia. In the past Disney Magic was doing European/Mediterranean cruises as well. In 2026 both Magic and Wonder will be doing Alaskan Cruises out of Vancouver, Canada for the summer months. They do not stick to one home port year-round.

 

Exploring Disney Wonder:

Restaurants:

Triton’s is themed on the movie Little Mermaid. The food is French/American. This is a beautifully themed restaurant but like many “nice” restaurants on land. There is no show.

 

Animator’s Palate is themed like an Animator’s Workshop. The food is Asian, Pacific Islands and Californian Cuisine. The fun starts the moment you enter the restaurant for dinner. There are 4 different possible shows in Animator’s Palate. For the Classic-Class ships it is more likely you will get one of 3 shows.

The normal show for the Classic-Class starts out with the “picture frames” on the wall showing pencil sketches of various Disney Characters being drawn in black and white. As the meal progresses the pictures are colored in and by the end of the meal they are fully animated.

The 2^nd possible show comes from The Dream-Class ships. You will be given a placemat and markers to draw your own character. If you follow directions your character will join classic Disney Characters in classic cartoons shown on the screens around the dining room.

The 3^rd show is Pirate Night! The show is much like the normal show, except the characters drawn are all pirate themed! From Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribbean and even Treasure Planet the characters bring the Pirate fun to dinner.

The 4^th show is usually on the Dream-Class ships and is like Turtle Talk from Disney Parks. Crush goes around the dining room to every table saying hi and chatting. The Moon Fish from the movies join the fun adding a fun game to the meal.

My suggestion is to request Animator’s Palate as many times as you can for your cruise and make a request for Animator’s for Pirate Night as well. On a 7-Night cruise you can get 3 shows! For a 4 night cruise request it twice with Pirate Night being one. You will get Triton’s  and Tiana’s once and Animator’s twice.

 

Tiana’s Place is themed after the movie Princess and the Frog. The feel is 1920’s, New Orleans at Mardi Gras! It is a place of celebration and fun! Listen to live jazz music as you enjoy your meal in Tiana’s Place. Tiana comes around to visit and there is a little dancing going on as well.

 

Shows:

The 3 Broadway-Style shows are Frozen, A Musical Spectacular, The Golden Mickeys, and Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic.

Frozen, A Musical Spectacular is based on the movie Frozen.

The Golden Mickeys is a fun Oscar type awards show. Walk the Red Carpet and be part of the pre-show! The show looks at all the great characters from past and current Disney movies.

Disney Dreams – An Enchanted Classic is a romp through the most beloved Disney Stories as a young girl looks for help figuring out her feelings of growing up.

 

All Disney Ships have the Sail a Wave/Sail Away deck party and Pirates Night. Some sailings have a Frozen themed Deck Party if they are not doing Pirate Night.

 

Disney Wonder is the only Disney Ship not to have a large water slide.

 

There is a fun lounge called the French Quarter Lounge. It is always Madi Gras in the French Quarter! It is themed after the movie Princess and the Frog. Stop in and get one of Tiana’s legendary Beignets and a drink! It has a stage so check the Navigator App for the schedule of entertainment there.

If you love Ariel, Tiana, or Elsa and Anna this ship is a special treat for you.

 

Disney Wonder is Accessibility friendly. If you wish to see the live stage show you can sit in the back of the theater or go to Deck 3 to the lounge on the port side and ask for accessible access to the front row of the theater. They will walk you through a backstage area to access the front. For accessible entrance to Triton's use the entrance on the port side hall instead of the Atrium Lobby Entrance.

Watch for future posts on each of the Dream and Wish class of ships!

How do You Choose a Disney Cruise??

 How do You Choose a Disney Cruise??

 

There are several ways to pick a Disney Cruise. First, I’ll say no matter where or what ship you sail on you will enjoy yourself. Here is the main questions to consider.

Are you more interested in what the ship has to offer or the Ports of Call? Personally I’m more interested in the ship but do enjoy the ports as well!

 

If you are more interested in what the ships have to offer, make sure you consider the following:

Restaurants – Some of the ships have 2 restaurants with shows during meals while others have only 1. The one with no show is more of an elegant restaurant with beautiful Disney theme but no real show.

Shows – Do you have a favorite Disney movie you would love to see in a live show? Check your ship!

Additional Offerings - Such as AquaDuck/AquaMouse and Incredible Sports area, AR Game on the app or Muppet Detective Agency, Kids Club offerings are slightly different between ships as well.

Length of Cruise – Some ships only offer 3 & 4-Night cruises while some offers 7-Night+ cruises.

 

If Ports of Call are what you are interested in make sure you look to see if the itinerary you are heading for has places you wish to go to.

Do you want a taste of Europe? Consider the Mediterranean cruises offered during the summer. Want to see Alaska? Go on the Wonder during the summer! Want an Island get away?? Any of the Bahaman or Caribbean Cruises are fantastic and will include a stop at one of Disney’s Private Ports, Castaway Cay, or Lookout Cay. In 2025 and beyond you can go on the Disney Adventure and check out ports in Asia and the South Pacific.

 

Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are the Classic Ships. They are twin sisters and very similar in style and build. Magic was the 1^st of the Disney Ships and Wonder was the 2^nd. These are the 2 smallest ships of the fleet. They do not have the AquaDuck or AquaMouse. Magic does have a much smaller slide called the AquaDunk that is fun. It is nothing like the AquaDuck or AquaMouse. They are beautifully themed and have a nautical design. 2 of the 3 main restaurants you will enjoy in the evenings have shows while you dine! You will see the Black and White walls of Animator’s Palate go colored and pictures on the wall come to life while you dine. In Tiana’s Place and Rapunzel’s Royal Table get ready for live music and entertainment while you dine! Shows are different in the Walt Disney Theater on the two ships. So you will see something different between them.

 

Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are the second set of twins for the Disney Cruise Line. They are s little larger than the Magic and Wonder. They both have the AquaDuck, the first Water Coaster at sea. They have mini-Golf and the Muppet Detective Agency where you can solve a Muppet Crime! This is lots of fun for everyone. Only Animator’s Palate has a show. It will either be a version of Turtle Talk where Crush and friends come to talk to you during dinner. You may be asked to your own character, you will be given instructions to follow and you may see it come to life on the screens with classic Disney characters.

 

Disney Wish was the last ship to join the fleet in 2022. Her triplet sisters, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny will be joining in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and we assume Disney Destiny will have 2 restaurants with live shows during dinner. Wish and Treasure have the Marvel Cinematic Dining Adventure that has a show. Wish has Arendale a Frozen Dining Adventure and Treasure has Plaza Da Coco. Disney Destiny’s restaurants have not been announced as of yet. You will not find Animator’s Palate on these ships. The Wish and Treasure have the AquaMouse (The first Disney Attraction at sea. Part Water Coater like the AquaDuck and Part Dark Ride.) We can assume Disney Destiny will also have a version of AquaMouse. Wish has 2 story lines for AquaMouse. Treasure has 3 story lines planned. We have not even heard if Destiny will have AquaMouse or not, but can assume she will. I’m guessing she will get the 3 stories from the Treasure and add one of her own.

 

Little is known about Disney Adventure. What we do know is she was not purpose built for Disney. Disney found the ship sitting abandoned in a closed shipyard over ½ built. She was being built for a Chinese Cruise Line that went under during Covid. The shipyard also closed down due to Covid. Disney purchased the ship and had the shipyard that is building the Treasure take over completing the build and changing it to fit Disney design. We know she will be ported in Singapore for at least 5 years after she is complete. She is much larger than any of the other Disney ships. That is all we really honestly know about Adventure.

 

I’m going to tell you what I choose. I look at the restaurants and shows first. Then I look at the other onboard offerings. After that I look at the ports to see if I want to go there. If the ship is interesting, I don’t care about the ports because I’ll just stay on the ship, enjoying myself. I look for at least 2 restaurants with “shows” so Dram and Fantasy are lower on my list. I love longer cruises and only do short ones that leave from a local port.

 

I hope this helps you pick a cruise!!

 

Need more information and help picking a cruise?? Let us know!

Carolyn-Tinky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

Scott-Sparky@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com

Disney Cruise Line Has More NEW Ships Coming!!

Disney Cruise Line Has More NEW Ships Coming!!

 

The Disney Wish joined the fleet in 2023, bringing the total ships in the Disney fleet to 5! The Wish was the first of 3 Triton class ships Disney had commissioned before the pandemic.

 

In 2024 the Wish’s sister, the Disney Treasure will join the fleet!! The date has not has not been released yet. Looking at the just released Summer of 2024 Itineraries I believe it will happen after September 2024. Few details have been released about the treasure. Let me share what is known about her.

 

The overall theme of the ship will be Adventure. Aladdin and Jazmine will be found riding Carpet in the Grand Hall Lobby. There is not much more information about her yet. We do know she will have the same overall layout as the Wish. They have not announced the restaurant themes or shows. We do not yet know who will be on the back of the ship as of yet.

 

Last year, November 2022 Disney made the announcement they had done something special and new! They had purchased a partly built mega ship! This ship was being built for a cruise line that did not survive the financial losses of the pandemic. The shipyard building the ship also failed. Disney had the shipyard building their ships take over the failed shipyard and they are having it completed! It will be one of the largest ships on the seas. It will have the capacity to carry 6,000 guests and 2,300 crew members. It will have lost of Disney touches added and of course the Disney shows and service.

 

In 2025 the partly built ship will be finished and join the Disney Fleet! The yet to be named 7^th ship of the fleet will not be sailing out of US ports! She will be based in Singapore for at least the next 5 years!

 

There will be a third Triton class ship joining the fleet in 2026. Two of the triton ships were announced back before the pandemic. Construction was delayed due to the pandemic and Disney made the surprise announcement they were adding a 3^rd ship to the order! That would have brought the total number of ships in the Disney Fleet to 7. Now this ship will be the 8^th ship in the Disney fleet!!

 

Here is a list of the Disney Ships and the dates they came into or will come into service:

 

Disney Classic Class Ships

Disney Magic – July 1998

Disney Wonder – August 1999

 

Disney Dream Class Ships

Disney Dream – January 2011

Disney Fantasy – March 2012

 

Disney Triton Class Ships

Disney Wish – July 2022

Disney Treasure – Fall 2024/2025?

Disney ??? 3^rd Triton Class – 2025/2026?

 

Disney Mega Class Ship

Disney ??? Mega Ship – 2025

 

 

Main Restaurants of the Disney Wonder

Main Restaurants of the Disney Wonder

Every ship of the Disney Cruise Line has 3 Main Restaurants. On a Disney Cruise you have Rotational Dining. This simply means you will move from one restaurant to another, so you experience each of the Main Restaurants. Your servers follow you from one restaurant to the next. Your servers get to know your likes and dislike along with food allergies.

The Main Restaurants of the Disney Wonder are:

Triton’s

Named after the Little Mermaid’s father, Triton’s is an upscale restaurant offering fine dining “under the sea.”

Location – Deck 3 Mid Ship off the Main Atrium Lobby

Part of her World

Be immersed in the underwater kingdom of The Little Mermaid inside this elegant restaurant named after her father. Make your way past a fanciful bronze statue of Ariel and journey inside a grand ballroom that recalls the opulent sea palace of King Triton bedecked in dazzling Art Deco theme. Brimming with ornate chandeliers, stained glass, sea-inspired architectural flourishes and sweeping mural of Ariel and her father, Triton’s serves up a regal atmosphere that Guests of all ages are sure to admire.

An Ocean of Flavors

Savor classic American cooking for breakfast and lunch and continental cuisine with a French flair for dinner.

            Dinner

Showcasing a sophisticated fusion of French and American fare, Triton’s serves a mouthwatering supper in 4 courses. “wet” your appetite with artfully presented appetizers that include duck confit, “Chef Louis” French onion soup and “Prince Eric’s” escargots gratins. Dive into avocado citrus salad or chilled jumbo shrimp before taking the plunge with steaming braised lamb shank, three-cheese lobster macaroni, roasted duck breast or porcini mushroom-stuffed pasta in a steaming vegetable broth.

Emerge from your main course wanting more? Satisfy your sweet tooth with crem brulee, chocolate mousse, Grand Marnier souffle or traditional ice cream sundae.

For an additional cost, Guests 21 years of ge and up can pair their entrees with a selection from the extensive wine list – many of which are available by the glass – in addition to a robust assortment of after-dinner liqueurs, dessert wines and specialty drinks.

Breakfast and Lunch

During the morning and afternoon hours, Triton’s offers table-service dining for those choosing to forgo the buffets or remain on the ship for breakfast and lunch. Start your day with such morning favorites as French toast, omelets, scrambled eggs, pancakes, crepes and fresh fruit. Specialty drinks like cappuccino, espresso and café latte only make the morning brighter.

Later, Triton’s is home to the delicious 3-course lunch. Sink your teeth into such lip-smacking entrees as herb crusted Nort Atlantic whitefish, grilled chicken breast with rosemary potatoes or honey glazed barbeque port ribs. A full wine list, specialty drinks like mimosas and margaritas and delicious ice-cream blended smoothies are also available for an additional cost.

Although your table is reserved at dinner, open seating is available at lunch, meaning you and your family are invited to dine at any available table you choose.

Vegetarian and Kids Menu

Vegetarian dishes and a selectin of classic children’s food favorites are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner at Triton’s

All menu items are subject to change without notice.

Tiana’s Place

Location – Deck 3 Aft

A Swinging Supper Club for One and Y’all

Step into a festive and brightly lit restaurant, where toe-tapping live jazz and iconic storytelling keep the party going nightly.

Make a pass at Tiana’s Place and travel back in time to a festive New Orleans-style family gala-complete with live jazz music-that brings the iconic elements of the popular Disney animated movie to life. Once inside, you and your family are transported to an era of genteel southern charm, where joyous street party celebrations were all the rage.

Adding to the magic, special touches from the movie like family photos, water-lily-shaped candleholders and more help convey the timeless tale of Tiana’s journey from waitress to frog to princess to proud restaurant owner.

Bounty from the Bayou

Chow down on a lip-smackin’ menu of artful prepared, Louisiana-inspired, Creole and Cajun grub for dinner.

        Dinner

Blending southern home-style cooking with the classic American flavors, Tiana’s Place invites you to drop in and sup on a tasty medley of mouthwatering fare influenced by the French Quarter. Nibble on the creole-infused New Orleans Seafood Pepper Pot -  a tantalizing bouillabaisse overflowing with calamari, shrimp, scallops and cilantro – or polish off a Cajun-spiced seabass on shrimp jambalaya alongside a crisp fennel salad and remoulade sauce. Whether you’re hankerin’ for bold and spicy or flavorful and familiar there’s something for nearly every palate on the menu.

Tuckered out . . . or fixin’ for dessert? Satisfy your sweet tooth with a confection of after-dinner delights, including Tiana’s Buttermilk Beignets, Mama Odie’s Chocolate Bread Pudding and the decadent New Orleans Banana Foster Sundae, just to name a few, it’s sure to leave grinnin’ like a possum till the sun comes up:

For an additional cost, Guests 21 years of age and up can pair the entrees with a selection from the extensive wine list-many of which are available by the glass in addition to the robust assortment of after-dinner liqueurs, dessert wines and specialty drinks.

Vegetarian and Kids Menu

Vegetarian dishes and an assortment of classic children’s food favorites and also in full swing for dinner at Tina’s Place

All menu items are subject to change without notice.

Animator’s Palate

Location - Deck 2 Aft

State-of-the-Art Dining

Enjoy an innovative dinner show celebrating the art of storytelling where Disney Characters come to life before your eyes.

On the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder

Be drawn into a spacious yet stylized dining room that recalls the real-life, hand-drawn environment in black and white Animator’s Palate boasts a fantastic architectural design, where proportions bed and slant suddenly and sketches showcasing characters and scenes from Disney and Disney-Pixar films adorn the walls around you.

Dinner Shows include:

Drawn to the Magic

Behold the evolution of animation – from pencil test to ink-and-paint. Follow a hero’s storytelling journey through Disney and Pixar animation, where wishing upon a star paves the way for happily-ever-after. In an emotional finale, the black-and-white interior of the restaurant is transformed with splashes of vibrant color. Join Sorcerer Mickey as he leads the fun!

Animation Magic (available on 7-night and longer sailings on the Disney Magic)

Try your hand at drawing your very own character – and then watch in wonder as your creation becomes part of the show, dancing alongside some classic Disney Characters. You won’t believe your eyes!

On the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy

Step inside a colorful restaurant filled with everything you would expect to find inside an animator’s studio. Character sketches, maquettes, light boxes, paint brushes, color pencils, computer work station and other tools of he animation trade delightfully decorate the venue, and scenes and characters from popular Disney Films adorn the walls – creating a one-of-a-lomd a,boemce sire tp captivate the entire family.

Dinner Shows Include

Undersea Magic

Immerse yourself in the underwater world of Disney-Pixar film Finding Nemo. As you dine, enjoy a visit from some of your favorite Finding Nemo friends, via spectacular digital animation and puppetry. You may even share in conversation with Crush, the totally tubular turtle from the hit movie!

Animation Magic (available on the Disney Fantasy)

Try your hand at drawing your very own character – then watch in wonder as your creation becomes part of the show, dancing alongside some favorite classic Disney Characters. You won’t believe your eyes!

·         Animation Magic (available on the Disney Fantasy)
Try your hand at drawing your very own character—and then watch in wonder as your creation becomes part of the show, dancing alongside some favorite classic Disney characters. You won't believe your eyes!

A Storied Spread

A savory fusion of Pacific Island foods, Asian cooking and fresh California fare paints a delicious culinary picture nightly.

Your dining masterpiece begins with a gallery of tantalizing appetizers, including smoked salmon tartare, wild mushroom risotto, black truffle pasta purseittes and creamy butternut squash soup. Hand-drawn specialties such as the taleggio cheese flatbread and a polenta cake topped with Roma tomatoes and Portobello mushrooms are sure to animate and delight.

Artfully prepared main course selections include Pacific black cod, lemon-thyme marinated organic chicken breast, angus beef tenderloin and white shrimp pennette pasta. Stir fry vegetables and black bean chipotle cakes are just some of the vegetarian offerings on full display, while a children’s menu is sure to inspire the pickiest of “palettes.”

Have an eye for something sweet? Add a finishing touch to your meal with a curated collage of decadent desserts such as crème brûlèe, peanut butter mousse or a classic ice-cream sundae.

For an additional cost, Guests 21 years of age and up can pair their entrées with a selection from the extensive wine list—many of which are available by the glass—in addition to a robust assortment of after-dinner liqueurs, dessert wines and specialty drinks.

All menu items are subject to change without notice.

 

Do you want to book a Disney Cruise Line or other Disney Vacation? Let me know!

 

Carolyn@EliteMemoriesTravel.com

https://www.facebook.com/CarolynsPixieDustedMemoriesAtEliteMemoriesTravel

Disney Cruise Line Recipe ~ Strawberry Soup

Disney Cruise Line Recipe

One of the fantastic treats I enjoyed the most on our last cruise was the cold fruit soups. One my favorites was the Strawberry Soup served in the Beach Blanket Buffet. It was a wonderful treat for a late breakfast/brunch or lunch.

I enjoyed the treat so much I contacted the Disney Cruise Line and asked them for the recipe and now I’m sharing it with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Strawberry Soup (8 servings)
This is served at the Beach Blanket Buffet on the Disney Wonder

16 oz of Vanilla ice-cream

4 cartons (about 1 dry pint per carton) of fresh strawberries

2 oz of corn syrup

1 pint of regular milk

Blend all the ingredients together

6 leaves of fresh mint

Decorate with the mint leaves

Picking a Disney Cruise Ship

Picking a Disney Cruise Ship

You’ve decided to go on a Disney Cruise! Congratulations!!!! Now what ship are you sailing? You don’t know? You can’t pick? Ok, let’s talk about picking a Disney ship.

The Disney fleet has 4 ships, 2 sets of almost identical twins. Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are the eldest and smaller of the ships. The Disney Magic just underwent major refurbishment. The pools that were the same on both ships have been changed with a new twisting slide and the AquaDunk added. The kids clubs also went through a big change bringing in the Marvel characters to the cruise ships for the first time. The Disney Wonder is still much as it was originally built with only a couple of minor alterations to make it more comfortable on deck in the cooler Alaskan weather.

Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy are the newer and larger of the 4 ships. They were put into service in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Both have an upgraded Animators Pallet Restaurant with an interactive dinner show. The Disney Fantasy actually has 2 different shows. Both have interactive “Magical Art” that comes to life around the ship. Both have Goofy’s Sports Deck that is larger than the sports decks on the older ships and has Miniature Golf that is not available on the smaller ships.

The main difference between the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy is the length of cruises they offer. The Disney Dream only offers 3 and 4 night cruises while the Disney Fantasy offers 7 nights and longer. Be aware that the 7 night and longer cruises offer more special things such as demonstrations/talks given by Disney Imagineers, Disney Authors and Documentary Film Maker along with others. They also have cooking lessons with visiting Disney Chefs, we had the pleasure of having cooking demonstrations with the head chef of Club 33.

There are two ways to pick a ship to cruise on. First you need to pick length of cruise 3, 4, 7 nights or longer? Second you need to pick the departure port. Third, most people consider where the cruise goes. Are they places you wish to go and feel comfortable? Most Disney Cruises leaving from ports in Florida go to Disney Privet Island Castaway Cay, but not all do. If a stop at Castaway Cay is important to you check the itineraries offered.

No matter the length of your Disney Cruise or the Disney Ship you pick you can be assured there is something from everybody. The kids are entertained in the Kids Clubs and in the kids areas and you can enjoy the adult spots when you wish to get away from them. All the ships have Kid only, Family and Adult only areas so everybody is happy.

Chef Marcel from Disneyland's Club 33 On the DCL Disney Wonder

Chef Marcel from Disneyland's Club 33

On the Disney Cruise Line ~ Disney Wonder

First let me give you a quick explanation about Club 33. Club 33 is an exclusive member’s only club/restaurant above the Blue Bayou Restaurant in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. The club gets its name for the number on the door that is the entrance to the club. It is to the right of the entrance of the Blue Bayou Restaurant. Chef Marcel is the executive chef of Club 33 and an amazing cook. I’ve had the pleasure of eating at Club 33 twice as a guest of a member. It is truly a magical and extra special experience.

While we were on the Disney Wonder Chef Marcel was on the cruise giving cooking demonstrations called the Art of Disney Entertaining. He did a total of three of these demonstrations. They were free to attend and adult only. We all got a small sample portion of the dish of the day. I highly recommend if you are on a Disney Cruise you look for the Art of Disney Entertaining demonstrations in your daily Navigator and check them out.

The first dish Chef Marcel demonstrated was Spiced Falafel Crab Cake with Meyer Lemon Mousseline. The second was to be the main course but Chef Marcel had a sweet tooth and decided to do the desert. So second was Dark Chocolate Terrine with Strawberry Chantilly Cream. Third was the main course, Braised Prime Short Rib with Horseradish Foam.

Here is the video we shot of the first demonstration.

Here are the three recipes.

Spiced Falafel Crab Cake with Meyer Lemon Mousseline

 Dark Chocolate Terrine with Strawberry Chantilly Cream

Braised Prime Short Rib with Horseradish Foam

If you have problems reading these recipes feel free to ask and I'll e-mail them to you.

You can also find them on Pixie Pranks Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.358112684224672.72971.229171923785416&type=1#!/media/set/?set=a.358112684224672.72971.229171923785416&type=3

 

Disney Fantasy Officially At Sea!!

Disney Fantasy Officially at Sea!

On Saturday, March 31^st the Disney Fantasy set sail on her maiden voyage! Oh how I wish I could have sailed away with her! Over the last month Disney has done a good job of getting people excited about the maiden voyage of the newest ship of the Disney Cruise Line! Did you get to watch her pull out with the fireboats spraying water as she went?

While Fantasy is much like her slightly older twin the Fantasy and a bigger version of her older sibs the Magic and Wonder. From a distance there is little to tell the ships apart. They are all the same colors and shape. When you get nearer you can see the size difference between the sisters. The two newer ships are longer, wider and taller than their older sisters. The newer ships also have the Aqua Duck water coaster that the older ships don’t have.

One thing I’ve noticed looking at the ship maps on line, and have confirmed talking to people who have been on the ships is the fact the adult Quiet Cove pool area on the newer twins (Dream/Fantasy) is smaller than the Quiet Cove area on the older ships (Magic/Wonder). For some reason there is more lounge/bar space on the newer ships.

While each ship is different all are fun! Some things that are unique to the Fantasy is an added adult quiet area with water fountains at the front of the ship. There are different water play areas for the little ones on both ships, the theme is slightly different. Dream has a Nemo theme where the Fantasy has Donald’s nephews getting into trouble with the Aqua Ducks left over parts. The Fantasy also has the added Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and the Muppets Adventure Game.

Whatever Disney Ship and destination you choose I don’t think you will be disappointed. They all offer so much fun. I am making it a goal to go on all of the ships. I’ve been on the Magic and Wonder. I’ve got plans to go with Walts-Basement.com on the Dream in 2014. I’m going to get on the Fantasy at some point.

What ship do you wish to go on?