Disney Offers Unique Halloween at Sea

Posted on 21 June, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

Disney Cruise Line announced it will transform its ships for Halloween activities with “frightfully fun events and activities, special decorations, unique menu items in the restaurants and themed parties” on cruises this fall.

Halloween on the High Seas takes place on most voyages aboard the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wonder and Disney Magic from September through October.

The festivities include lively entertainment and elaborate décor, including The Pumpkin Tree, which magically transforms throughout the cruise.

Other special experiences include:

Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party, a celebration with games, dancing and candy! Beloved Disney characters, wearing special Halloween costumes just for the occasion will join guests for a costume party.

A Nightmare Before Christmas—Sing and Scream: an interactive movie experience where guests are part of the action, followed by a meet-and-greet with Jack Skellington and Sally.

Haunted Stories of the Sea, where guests gather under the stars to hear tales of the sea told by a mysterious sea captain storyteller.

Creepy Cabaret: a Halloween-themed music performed live in the atrium by a band of ghostly musicians.

Halloween Isn’t Just For Kids: For adults, the nighttime entertainment district becomes the ghoulish setting for a costume contest and a Villainous Takeover on the dance floor.

Spooky Movies: To get guests into the spirit of the season, Halloween-themed movies will be shown on Funnel Vision by the family pool and in staterooms.

Ghoulish Delights: Disney Cruise Line chefs will prepare some special treats for Halloween, including chocolate cake with pumpkin filling, spider cakes and “Spooky Juice.”

More spooky fun includes mask-making and a ghostly takeover of ship announcements, Disney said.

The First Look at Disney’s Newest Ships

Posted on 9 March, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

PHOTO: A new era of Disney Cruise Line ships (Photo courtesy of Disney Cruise Line).

Disney Cruise Line has drawn the curtain back on its three new vessels.

Set to debut in 2021, 2022 and 2023, the line promises that the ships will take family cruise vacations to a new level.

Newly-released renderings reveal a few details. Namely, the ships will carry on the Disney Cruise Line style, evocative of elegant ocean liners of the past.

The ships, which brings the “golden age of cruising” into the digital era will feature high-tech innovations, new technology, and immersive entertainment experiences. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Disney Cruise Line voyage without a surfeit of iconic stories and characters to infuse the experience.

The new vessels will be approximately 140,000 gross tons in size and hold about 1,250 guest staterooms.

Disney’s Magical Private Caribbean Island

Posted on 31 January, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

Imagine having your own private island.

Well, Disney has done just that with its enchanted Castaway Cay. This tranquil retreat is just for Disney cruisers and embodies the perfect island paradise.

I’ve often said I’d take a Disney cruise just for a stop on this magical isle. The rest of the family heartily agreed after we returned from our 3-night sail on the Disney Dream, celebrating our grandson’s birthday.

The cruise itself was one fantastic experience. Food, service, staterooms and entertainment were all top-notch Disney-esque.

Our first port of call was Nassau— a fun place we’ve visited in the past—teeming with Bahamian and British flavour, miles of spectacular beaches and stretches of vivid coral reefs perfect for snorkelling.

Excitement, however, started to build as our ship slowly approached Castaway Cay. The tropical island hideaway located just 225 nautical miles from Port Canaveral, Florida is a stop on all Disney’s Bahamian and Caribbean cruises.

There’s no shortage of things to do here. (Actually, we found it impossible to do it all in a day.)

Ships dock right on the island, allowing Disney cruisers to disembark directly onto the pier. A short 15-minute walk leads to unbelievable amenities, including our first stop: powdery white and sandy Castaway Family Beach. The beach area is quite extensive with points and coves along the shoreline.

Trams are available for those who need them (or want to get to the beach faster) and traverse all Castaway Cay amenities. Beach towels are provided by cruise line members at the pier, so no need to pack those in your suitcase or beach bag.

Beach and Water Fun

After securing our chairs and umbrellas, the kids scurried to the bay’s turquoise crystalline waters. Snorkeling is available to those wanting to explore the Caribbean’s undersea marine habitat in Snorkeling Lagoon just off Castaway Family Beach.

Two submerged submarines from Magic Kingdom’s retired 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction add an element of adventure for intrepid snorkelers.

We found it impossible to resist Pelican Plunge, the 2,400 square-foot floating platform with two bending twisting water slides dropping squealing riders directly into the lagoon. A giant “bucket dump” of water delivering hundreds of gallons brought more anticipation and laughter. Four water cannons provided sharp-shooting fun with floating nautical targets.

Game pavilions near the Family Beach offer a variety of sand and shaded games like volleyball, tetherball, foosball, ping-pong, pool, shuffleboard and basketball. And there are also places where each age group can hang out with their peers that include planned activities like Teen Hideout or Scuttle’s Cove kids club for the younger cruisers.

Inner tubes, snorkel masks and fins can be rented from Gil’s Fin and Floats or Flippers & Floats on the beach, while kayaks, paddle boats, paddle boards and Aqua Trikes can also be rented for use in this water wonderland.

Hammocks are located beachfront and very popular with visitors. And while my husband was clowning around in one with our grandson, that wily, notorious pirate Captain Jack Sparrow snuck up on them, grabbed our camera and started snapping photos.