You might not like Disney Dream

by Chris Owen on

It’s sure the big cruise ship story of 2011, of that there is no doubt. Like Disney or not, like cruise vacations or not, Disney Dream is the big tamale of ships for the year. There will be more new ships from other lines coming out later in the year. But none will be as big of an event as the launch of Disney Cruise Line’s first ship in over a decade.

Why then, is it that so many have this all wrong?

If you’re not a fan of Disney, you won’t have too look far to find someone who has taken issue with something about the new ship. Some say it’s simply too much “Disney” to take. Others get more specific, pronouncing individual features disappointing. Still others compare what happens on board to a land-based theme park which I suppose is fair, since Disney does have a certain presence in that area.

Following their standard game plan, many who review cruise ships give Disney Dream a thumbs up but hedge their bets with a story or two about something universal that most people would agree is a negative. Kids bouncing off walls because soft drinks are free or comparing the cost per night on Disney Dream to some other new ship are common complaints.

On the other side, some reviews highlight innovative features like virtual portholes for inside cabins or the AquaDuck watercoaster as defining elements of the new ship. They mention the zillion dollars it cost to build Disney Dream and upcoming twin Disney Fantasy and get into details of how profitable these ships will probably be for Disney.

Neither one of them has it right.

What they are missing, the experience they are robbing themselves of is quite simple.Disney Dream is not a cruise ship at all.

Disney Dream is a show.

A grand show put on by the masters of storytelling, dream-making and all-things wondrous for kids of all ages for decades. The show begins before the curtain goes up as guests are greeted by cast members, dressed and rehearsed for the part, from the time they enter the cruise terminal at Port Canaveral in Florida.

Actually, the show begins before that. As guests approach the purpose-built cruise terminal, they see a carefully landscaped art-deco facade calling them into a grand space with a timeless air that transports them back to the days of grand ocean liners.

Waiting to board, guests line up, not to board the ship like they would on some other line, but to have their picture taken with a rotating parade of classic Disney characters. Do they really think this will be their only opportunity to get in a picture with Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck? Really?

No. Those people get it. Those people; large and small, young and old, get it. They have bought their tickets, checked in, are ready to board and have the time of their lives. Once on board they will experience a show that starts with their family name being called out as they enter the ship, answered by a round of applause. The show continues with every cast member they encounter along with every meal, activity and performance they attend. They’ll hear obscure bits and pieces of classic Disney music in hallways or elevators foreshadowing a culmination of energy, emotion, memories that represents a total escape from reality during some performance later in the day.

Disney has taken what every cruise line knows is the key to success: allowing passengers to Escape Completely, visit the Land of Wny Not or take a ride on The Fun Ships to an entirely different level.


If they believe.

Guests who allow themselves to be taken in. If they play along. If they can let Disney do what they do best on the perfect stage setting that the closed environment of a cruise ship provides, they will have a unique vacation experience like no other.

If they can’t do that, they might not like Disney Dream.

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Photos: Whitney Owen

13 things that make Disney Dream different

by Chris Owen on

New cruise ships usually have a number of features that are exciting to talk about. Disney Cruise Line’s new ship, Disney Dream, debuted last week to reviews that included many of the ship’s new attractions. Here are some others that make Disney Dream as well as Disney Cruise Line different from others.

  1. Fastest Internet connection at sea. This is smokin-fast in all areas of the ship. I don’t know how they did it but all cruise lines need to adopt this technology.
  2. Free soft drinks. Coca-Cola products are free all the time, 24-hours a day. Disney is a premium product at a premium price. This is one reason why. Remarkably, we don’t see kids wasting that free soda with spilled cups all over the place.
  3. Cabin layout– This one has some of the best cabin layouts of any ship floating right now. A category 4 Deluxe Ocean view with Veranda is one of the most versatile layouts available. Accommodating up to five easily, two would be good also. It could sleep six if the cruise line would allow it with no problem, they don’t though. Think Princess mini-suite size-wise but a better layout and design.
  4. Rotating dining experience– Rather than going to the same dining room every night, you and your waiters rotate to a different one each night. It’s a different dining room every evening that adds depth to the overall dining experience.
  1. Clientele- A higher price combined with the sugar-sweet Disney programming begets a very nice, safe, group of on-board guests.Castaway Club members almost as rabidly in support of their cruise line as pin-collectors at Disney parks. You don’t want to be on an elevator with one of them if someone else says something negative about the line. A fight will ensue.
  2. No Casino– Like it or not, there’s no casino on this ship. Oddly, many people, convinced they can’t cruise without one, end up having a good time without their favorite games along for the ride. There is an arcade though, with all the latest games.
  3. Disney element– It’s everywhere. If you don’t love Disney characters, stay off this ship. You will just be miserable. If you like Disney characters, even a little, this is heaven. If you like Disney characters a lot, you will never want to sail another line ever again.
  4. Smokers– If you smoke and sail this ship, you will have a hard time finding someone to share your addiction with.These nice folks just don’t do it. Just quit? This is totally the line for you. No having to walk through smoke-filled areas to get someplace.
  5. Announcements– They don’t do many of them. No nagging to buy this or that, no unnecessary calls to one event or another.
  6. Daily newspaper– every ship and cruise line has one. This one is different. Out are a zillion things you don’t want to do. In are easy to read blocks of activities and events for different interests and age group. Leave the highlighter at home, you can use this at-a-glance.
  7. Private island– Castaway Cay is Disney turning an island into a theme park, complete with rides, trams to get around on, gift shops plus really good food. All other private islands pale by comparison. Really. They should build hotels here and let peoole stay a while. No wonder some sailings include two stops at the popular island.
  8. Buccaneer Blast– It’s fireworks at sea on every sailing. They’re the only ones that do it and they do a good job with it. This is not some bottle rockets and a few aerial bombs, this is a full-fledged musically-timed production. Again, doing it at sea adds an extra undeniable dose of magic that puts some land-based displays to shame.
  9. Crowd Control– Who knows more about moving thousands of people from place to place than Disney? They do it every day in the parks and have taken that know-how with them to sea.

All that plus super-star attraction the AquaDuck water coaster and you might expect a theme park at sea motif. No, that would be Oasis-class ships on Royal Caribbean. Here, Disney Imagineers have gone out of their way to avoid being called a floating theme park; quite successfully.

Photo: Chris Owen

Can Carnival capture the Magic?

by Chris Owen on

When Carnival Cruise Line’s 130,000 ton Carnival Magic debuts later this year the ship will have some pretty cool new features. Will those features live up to the name of the ship? Will they be Magical? Let’s take a look at what’s coming soon to a Galveston near you.


“What? A new ship in Galveston?” you ask.

Traditionally new cruise ships debut in Florida, older ships go to home-ports line Galveston, New Orleans or Charleston. This is a different direction to be sure.

“The commitment of a new ship outside Florida is pretty significant and is pretty rare,” Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer De la Cruz said. “We have built up our presence in Galveston over many years, and we have been able to do that because the Texas and Southwestern market is so strong for us.”

On board Carnival Magic will be some different features in the line’s newest ship. Let’s take a look at a couple of the really different ones.

The Lanai – In Southern-speak that means “covered porch”. But this is way more than that. Probably one of the most unique features on the ship, the Lanai takes the traditional cruise-ship promenade in a different direction. Outside. It’s a half-mile, open-air promenade encircling Deck 5. Described as an area where “guests can stroll while enjoying spectacular ocean vistas, curl up with a good book, soak up some sun in a comfortable deck chair, or relax in one of four cantilevered whirlpools that extend out over the ship’s sides” It sounds pretty cool.

The SportsSquare is Carnival’s stab at a rock-climbing wall/ fitness-oriented activity with a dose of the line’s trademark “Fun” element included. Adding to an industry-wide focus on fitness and health, this makes perfect sense and should be quite popular. The big draw here is SkyCourse where around 20 guests at a time can strap into a safety harness and choose from beginner or intermediate courses, traversing across rope bridges, swinging steps and beams suspended above the top deck, called the Spa and Sports deck. 20 different elements on the ropes course are each named after a notable bridge in the U.S.

Those two unique features alone would be a big change for Carnival. It appears that the line is looking at every department, leaving no existing space or feature “safe” from innovation and change.

RedFrog Pub – described as “offering a laid-back Caribbean vibe with island-inspired snacks and drinks”, including a private-label draft beer, ThirstyFrog Red, brewed especially for Carnival Magic Will be featured along with tastings of top-rated rums of the Caribbean and a collection of the regional beers

Cucina del Capitano (“The Captain’s Kitchen”) – Free by day, cover charge by night this is an Italian eatery we predict will become a signature venue across the fleet. The idea is that the place honors the Italian heritage of the line’s captains and the fact that all the ships were built in Italy. I’d be they learned a lesson or two from sister-line Princess Cruises Sabatinis’s up-charge restaurant and will apply that know-how here.

Huge Family-Friendly Spaces – more than 19,000 square feet of space catering to kids and families, including dedicated spaces for children (Camp Carnival), ‘tweens (Circle “C”) and teens (Club O2), with organized activities and counselors for each group. This is Carnival’s answer to Disney Dream and upcoming Fantasy’s possible world-domination of the kid market at sea. They made more space for their award-winning existing program as opposed to another partnership with an established cartoon brand.

Huge Adult-Friendly Spaces too called “Serenity” – a popular adults area on existing ships, Serenity offers comfortable chaise lounges and chairs, hammocks, colorful umbrellas and two whirlpools, along with full bar service. Look for this on just about any ship that does not have it in the near future. This wildly popular options for adults wanting to escape the kids fills up fast so get there early.

Cloud 9 Spa – All the traditional body stuff is right here. Fitness center, personal training, soothing thalassotherapy pool, thermal suite or just take in the elegant, serene surroundings.

Stateroom Innovations – Some different accommodation types appear on Magic, including two-bathroom (finally) cabins holding up to five guests along with connecting staterooms, cove balcony cabins closer to the water line (ala sister-line Cunard) and spa staterooms providing special access and benefits plus a hefty fine if guests get caught smoking.

Carnival’s Seaside Theatre – This huge LED outdoor movie screen made popular by Princess Cruises Movies Under The Stars. Once a controversial topic (“If I wanted to watch TV I would have stayed home”), now appearing on more ships as they debut or cycle through dry-dock.

Ocean Plaza – Carnival’s answer to Royal Caribbean’s Aqua Theater, this one looks to be a better solution than Norwegian Epic’s answer to Royal Caribbean’s Aqua Theater adding specialty coffees and sweets, milkshakes (I can see the line right now), and full bar service, specializing in martinis and mojitos.

Fun Hub –It’s a social network and comprehensive shipboard intranet portal that provides access to information on the ship’s services, facilities and daily activities. Carnival Magic will also offer bow-to-stern Wi-Fi and cell phone service. The ship also has an interactive micro-site which features a full-screen virtual tour, exclusive images and videos, construction footage and more.

Currently based in Texas, Carnival Conquest is scheduled to move to New Orleans along with Carnival Ecstasy and be replaced by Carnival Magic and the Carnival Triumph.

Disney’s Dream comes true

by Chris Owen on

Amid smoke, fireworks and every magical trick in the book, Grammy award-winner Jennifer Hudson was on hand this morning at Port Canaveral in Florida to send off Disney Cruise Lines latest creation, the new Disney Dream.

It’s been 10 years since the Mouse launched a new ship and Mickey and the gang were in top form today as the latest seafaring creation from the legacy of Walt Disney was sworn into service. With singing, dancing, fireworks and a 16-foot champagne bottle “cracked” against the hull of the new Disney Magic via helicopter, a new era began in magical family cruising from Florida.

“For over a decade, Disney Cruise Line has been making vacation dreams come true for millions of families and we continue that tradition today with the launch of the Disney Dream,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger. “The mix of imagination and innovation found on the Disney Dream is unparalleled and elevates the family cruise experience to new heights.”

The Disney Dream will sail three, four and five-night itineraries to the Bahamas and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

On board the new ship, up to 4000 guests will enjoy features ranging from the “splashtacular” AquaDuck, the very first water coaster at sea to virtual portholes in interior cabins showing what is going on outside the ship with some characters stopping by from time to time.

See complete on-the-scene coverage from AOLTravel’s Fran Golden too.

Photo by CruiseGuy.com

Cruise lines focus on fitness and health

by Chris Owen on

Driving a stake in the heart of a “College Frat party-like” reputation that has dogged them for years, new Carnival Magic may finally turn the tide for Carnival Cruise Lines. The line is adding unique fitness choices and continues some healthy lifestyle options infused with their Spa Carnival program. Joining other lines with a similar focus, new Carnival Magic promises to continue a trend of adding more active options for cruise passengers

When new Carnival Magic sets sail May 1st, outdoor fun and fitness will be promoted as never before. Several new features will take the spotlight. Combined with the line’s ongoing Spa Carnival program, this new ship may very well set the bar for at-sea fitness options.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of guests who want to start or continue a fitness regimen or enjoy some personal pampering while at sea” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO.

Called “SportSquare” the new area on 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic will feature SkyCourse, the first ropes course at sea and the first ever outdoor fitness are seen in the cruise industry.

On SkyCourse around 20 guests at a time can strap into a safety harness and choose from beginner or intermediate courses, traversing across rope bridges, swinging steps and beams suspended above the top deck, called the Spa and Sports deck. 20 different elements on the ropes course are each named after a notable bridge in the U.S.Sky Fitness features stationary bicycles, elliptical and rowing machines, punching bags and Sports Track offers an 800-foot-long jogging path that surrounds the entire area. A multi-purpose space for basketball, volleyball and soccer, along with a six-station Vita exercise course plus ping pong and foosball tables are there too.

“We’re literally taking fun and fitness to a new level with SportSquare. Whether you’re climbing our amazing new ropes course at sea, doing some fresh-air cardio or just taking it all in, there’s something fun for everyone to enjoy, day or night,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO.

Combined with the line’s ongoing Spa Carnival program that up to 50% of their guests take advantage of, SportSquare continues a focus on fitness . The ongoing effort weaves a focus on fitness and nutrition into everything from youth programs to dining options.

The 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic, sister ship to Carnival Dream, will debut in Europe with a series of seven- to 12-day Mediterranean cruises in May. Following a 16-day trans-Atlantic crossing, Carnival Magic will sail seven-day Caribbean service from Galveston, Texas.

AOLTravel’s Fran Golden reports “Carnival Cruise Lines is sweetening the pot on Europe cruises this summer with free upgrades and onboard credits of up to $300 per cabin, for reservations made by Jan. 30.”