Disney Cruise Vacation

The Walt Disney Corporation, in addition to owning movie studios and theme parks, also runs a cruise line with two cruise ships in its fleet and plans for more. A Disney Cruise vacation is a treat for the whole family and the ships were the first to be custom built for use by families. Both ships incorporate separate areas for toddlers and young children, as well as adults and teenagers, so all age groups are entertained. They are also unique in having pagers for parents with young children.

Honeymoon couples also enjoy the cruises. The Disney Magic was the first ship, launched in 1998, and the Disney Wonder came into operation a year later. Each has more than 870 staterooms and they are almost the same in their design and features. A Disney Cruise vacation is booked for three, four or seven nights to sail to different spots in the Caribbean. The ships leave from Port Canaveral in Florida and make a stop at Castaway Cay, an island in the Bahamas that Disney owns and uses as an exclusive facility for their ships and their passengers and crew to have some rest and recreation on. Some vacation packages are a combination of the cruise and a stay at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

The ships are designed in a nostalgic style, reminiscent of luxury transatlantic liners of the past whilst promoting the Disney themes and characters. There is everything on board that anyone could possibly want, with a large choice of restaurants, hair salons, spas, entertainment venues, swimming pools and movie theatres. Both ships have rotational dining with themed restaurants, including one just for adults.

The Disney Wonder has a children's play area, known as the Oceaneer's Club. It has a Peter Pan theme and there are computers, a climbing space and storytelling sessions. Teenagers have their own area, called Aloft and contains television sets, mp3 listening posts and games. A Disney Cruise vacation blends the classic design of the past with the latest technology.

It was announced that the Disney Magic will operate a new service in summer, 2007 with the introduction of a Mediterranean cruise, leaving from Barcelona in Spain. Stops will include Palermo in Sicily, Naples in Italy, Marseilles in France, Gibraltar and Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The successful Disney franchise will probably continue to expand and a Disney Cruise vacation will be a dream come true for many people