Disney Cruise 2020 Ships and Itineraries: How to Choose Your Cruise

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Most people decide to take a Disney Cruise before they even know where they are going to go. When we cruised Disney for the first time I knew that I wanted to cruise Disney, however I had no destination planned. There are plenty of exciting new Disney Cruise 2020 packages to discover. Disney Cruises are different than others.

There is something inherently special about the whole experience that makes it uniquely Disney, so the destination can understandably become an afterthought. However, that thought must come and the decision is a little bit more loaded than you might think.

Black Family Travel Disney Dream Cruise mickey and minnie
Photo courtesy of Disney Media Team

Disney currently has four ships in its fleet. Each one is different from the next and they only sail to specific destinations. Your choice in destination is therefore deeply integrated into the rest of the Disney cruise 2020 experience.

In order to help you choose your Disney Cruise, Here is a breakdown of the chips in the Disney Cruise Line fleet and what kind of itinerary you might prefer.

The Disney Dream

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Deck 11 of the Disney Dream

The Disney Dream is one of the two largest ships in the Disney Cruise Line Fleet. If you’ve seen any advertisements lately for Disney Cruise Line, This is likely the ship that has been featured. As one of the newest Disney cruise ships the Disney Dream has enhancements you won’t find on previous ships.

Animator’s Palate, a restaurant found on all three ships is one example of an updated concept on the Disney Dream. in this version of the restaurant, animation comes to life in the form of interactive exchanges with Crush from Finding Nemo.

The dream also features a water coaster called the AquaDuck, as well as Remy, a fine dining restaurant from Michelin Star and AAA 5 Diamond award-winning chefs.

The entertainment on the Disney Dream includes Beauty and the Beast Live, a brand new telling of the tale as old as time. The kids areas are updated as well and include Star Wars, Marvel and Toy Story experiences. Tween club “Edge” and teen club “Vibe” are also part of this ship.

The Disney Dream almost exclusively sails to the Bahamas including Disney’s famous private island Castaway Cay. Disney Cruise 2020 itineraries are between 3 and 7 night long. One exception to the Bahamas centric cruiseliner’s list of itineraries is the 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise.

The Disney Dream also features seasonal Holiday Cruises in the Bahamas for Halloween and Christmas.

The Disney Fantasy

Black Family Travel Disney Fantasy Cruise ship
Photo courtesy of www.wdwinfo.com

The very most recent Disney Cruise Line ship to be added to the fleet is the Disney Fantasy. This ship is the same size as the Disney Dream and has many similarities as well as a few differences. While nearly identical in design, the Fantasy features an Art Nouveau style as opposed to the Art Deco style on the Dream.

The Animators Palette is the same version as the Disney Dream and the two ships share other restaurants such as the Royal Palace and the Enchanted Garden. Like the Disney Dream, the Fantasy is very family-focused and includes spacious accommodations, but also has Remy and Palo, the adults-only restaurants offered on the Disney Dream.

Instead of Beauty and the Beast, the Disney Fantasy shows Aladdin Live. There is also a new twist on the Animator’s Palate that lets diners draw and animate their own creations. Another difference between the two ships is that the kids area does not feature a millenium Falcon.

The Disney Fantasy specializes in 3-night to 8-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises, but there are also a few Bahamas cruises as well. Like the Dream, the Fantasy offers holiday-themed cruises at Christmastime and Halloween. Disney Cruise 2020 itineraries for the Fantasy have departures from Toronto.

The Disney Magic

Black Family Travel Aqualab Disney Magic
Photo courtesy of www.wdwinfo.com

The Disney Magic is the first Disney Cruise ship and it features the main elements that Disney Cruise Line has become known for including various youth clubs and family areas. It’s one of the two smaller ships in the fleet.

Although the first voyage was in 1998, the ship was dry-docked after 20 years for an update. The update included the addition of adjoining staterooms with expandable verandas to keep up with the more spacious quarters on the two newer ships.

The Disney Magic Features Tangled the Musical as well as other entertainment included across the Disney Cruise Line ships. Although there is no AquaDuck coaster, there is a water slide called the AquaDunk. The Magic also has a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

The Disney Magic sails to the Bahamas and the Caribbean as well as to Europe. Transatlantic cruises East and West are available for 10 and 12-night voyages. There are Mediterranean cruises that depart from Rome and Spain and also Northern Europe among Disney Cruise 2020 itineraries.

The Disney Wonder

Black Family Travel Disney Wonder Cruise Ship Mickey Pool
Photo courtesy of www.wdwinfo.com

The Disney Wonder is a lot like the Magic. It’s the second ship in the fleet and sailed its maiden voyage in 1999, less than one year after the Magic. It too underwent enhancements after 20 years and is keeping up with the rest of the fleet, although the size of the ship definitely has an impact.

One recent addition to the ship is the French Quarter Lounge, a jazzy counterpart to Tiana’s Place, a Princess and the Frog inspired restaurant with character performances. Vibe and Animator’s Palate also got redesigns for the ship to better compare with the newer ships in the fleet.

Among the entertainment offerings on the Disney Wonder is Frozen, A Musical Spectacular. The cruise ship also features a frozen deck party and a Pixar Pals party among its unique experiences.

The Disney Wonder is the only Disney Cruise ship that sails the west coast of North America. However the itineraries onboard the Wonder are diverse. Disney Cruise 2020 itineraries include Caribbean Cruises that depart from New Orleans as well. A call back to the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland, no doubt.

West coast voyages sail from Vancouver to San Diego and from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas or Ensenada, Mexico. Many of the itineraries are for 4-5 nights, but there is also a 7-night cruise on the Mexican Riviera. There are also 6-7 night Bahamas cruises from New Orleans and Galveston and a 7-night Alaskan cruise that departs from Vancouver.

There are now even Hawaiian cruises exclusive to the Disney Wonder. They begin or end in Vancouver for 9-10 night voyages.

Bottom Line

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Boarding the Disney Dream from Port Canaveral

Regardless of which cruise you pick, you and your family will have an amazing time that’s for sure. We have cruised the Disney Dream twice as a family and have enjoyed every bit of it. I can’t wait for us to cruise on the Wonder, Fantasy and Magic!

If you need help booking a Disney Cruise, do not hesitate to send me an email at memorygetaways@gmail.com and I’ll get that booked for you at NO additional charge 😉. I am a Disney Agent, and can book any Disney Vacation you’d like.

Kay, The Mom Trotter

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