Overview
"Darling it's better down where it's wetter," Disney's animated hit The Little Mermaid told us; however, the Mouse House also thinks that life is pretty great on top of the water. For nearly a quarter-century, the huge entertainment company has been taking fans of its ever-growing array of pop culture wares on themed vacations, all thanks to its Disney Cruise Line. Alas, setting sail from Australia and Aotearoa hasn't been a possibility — until now.
Come October 2023, Disney Cruise Line will head Down Under for the first time ever, running Disney-themed holiday cruises from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland. And yes, given that Disney own plenty of huge franchises, that means these stints at sea are Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars-themed as well.
The Mouse House's first 'Magic at Sea' Australian and NZ cruises will depart from October 28, 2023, with the season running through till February 2024. On offer: sailings for two, three, four, five and six nights — your pick — where you'll watch live musical shows, see Disney characters everywhere you look and eat in spaces decked out like Disney movies.
Those musicals include a Frozen show; another production dedicated to the company's old-school favourites like Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Cinderella and Aladdin; and a Golden Mickeys performance, which is obviously all about Mickey Mouse. Or, there's a Mickey party set to DJ beats, nightly fireworks and a pirate shindig on the vessel's deck.
While not every show and party is available on all cruises — especially the two-night option — the entertainment also includes Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Moana, Tiana, Cinderella, Woody, Jessie and more wandering around the ship. And, Chewbacca, Rey, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel and Thor as well, if you like hanging out around folks in costumes.
The dining setup rotates, so each day of the cruise takes you to a different location with a different theme. One day, you'll hit up the Animator's Palate, which focuses on bringing Disney characters to life — including getting patrons to draw their own characters — and on the next, you'll get munching in a restaurant inspired by The Princess and the Frog, and serving up New Orleans-inspired dishes.
Or, there's also Triton's, which offers an under the sea theme given it's named after Ariel's father, and serves four-course French and American suppers.
For folks travelling with young Disney devotees, there's also a whole range of activities just for kids — but adults without littlies in tow are definitely catered for, complete with a dedicated pool for travellers aged 18 and over, an adults-only cafe, the Crown & Fin pub, cocktail bar Signals, Italian eatery Palo, and a day spa and salon.
Dates for Disney Cruise Line's first trips from Australia and New Zealand vary per city of departure, as do prices, but you can expect to enter this whole new ocean-faring world from $720 per person for two nights in a double-occupancy room from Sydney, $546 from Melbourne and $755 from Brisbane, and $760 per person for three nights in a double-occupancy room from Auckland.
And, room-wise, there's ten different types to choose from — some with private verandahs, and some with ocean views through portholes.
Disney Cruise Line's 'Magic at Sea' cruises will sail from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland between October 2023–February 2024, with bookings open from 8am AEST / 11am NZDT on Thursday, September 29, 2022. For more information, head to the cruise line's website.
Images: Matt Stroshane / Kent Phillips.