Disney offers many ways for younger and older fans to enjoy its fantastical storytelling empire. Children dream of going to Disneyland, and the many Disney films and shows today remain popular across various age groups. Another way of enjoying an unforgettable Disney experience with your loved ones is by going on one of Disney’s many cruise lines. Just recently, the Disney Cruise Line announced an expansion to Southeast Asia set for debut in 2025. This would mean new ships and destinations sailing year-round from Singapore. The Southeast Asian expansion is part of Disney Cruise Line’s exciting expansion involving new ships and destinations for Disney-loving travelers to sail.

That being said, should a Disney Cruise trip only be for diehard Disney fans? Many 90s Disney kids would have grown up in the Disney Renaissance, with Disney-everything opening everywhere — from Disney Stores to Club Disney. For any Disney kid, whether from the 90s or within the past decade, a Disney cruise trip would mean an all-new travel experience that features recognizable images, characters, and themes from the much-loved company. But how about non-fans? In this post, we’ll look at how the Disney Cruise Line compares to other cruises:

Accommodation

Photo Credit: Un-Cruise Adventures under license CC BY-SA 3.0 No changes were made to the image.

If you’re planning a cruise trip, accommodation will be a priority. After all, your comfort while at sea can impact your entire cruise experience. For Disney fans, expect a suite on a Disney Cruise ship to be dotted with Mickey Mouse ears and other Disney characters. This feature on a Disney Fantasy deluxe family ocean-view suite with a veranda details everything you can expect in the $888 per night onboard suite. Notably, Disney’s cruise suite offers a seamless adjustment from home and land life to stress-free sea life for families traveling with young children and babies.

Meanwhile, you can expect the accommodation on non-Disney cruise lines to be less Mickey-themed. However, aside from the lack of Disney characters on onboard furniture or glassware, there may be more similarities than you think. Most luxury cruises offer ocean-view suites and a veranda like the Disney Fantasy suite. Still, luxury options may differ. For families looking for a luxurious cruise experience, cruises like the Symphony of the Seas feature an in-suite slide for easy navigation from the second story of your suite.

Cuisine

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Like many other facilities and amenities, food on a Disney cruise is bound to be Disney-themed. Reminiscent of the many Disney parks, each Disney cruise ship features convenient booth-like options for guests to walk up to and grab a bite between official meals. These booths, like Goofy’s Galley, Pluto’s Dog House, and Pinocchio’s Pizzeria, offer in-between meals snacks like sandwiches, pizzas, fries, and hamburgers. Of course, Disney cruises also offer adult-only dining areas reserved for guests 18 years old and above, including fine dining options such as Remy — a Ratatouille-inspired French restaurant.

Other cruises, on the other hand, are likely to have a more luxurious take on dining. Explora Cruises offers nine distinct culinary experiences, including in-suite dining, which often reflect the cultures of your destinations. For example, their Mediterranean itinerary comes with platters full of home-grown produce such as succulent olives, creasy cheese, flaky pastries, and freshly-caught seafood. Onboard cuisine also verges on luxury more than comfort food, such as Australian Wagyu beef or handmade tortellini. While it may not be for everyone, these culinary offerings are a more adult-friendly and luxurious alternative.

Destinations

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Disney cruises offer specialty cruises that are themed voyages named and designed after Disney’s many brands and flavors of storytelling. These include family-fun options such as Pixar Day at Sea, Marvel Day at Sea, Halloween on the High Seas, and Very Merrytime Cruises. Currently, Disney’s non-themed cruises offer destinations such as the Bahamas, Mexico, Alaska, and Europe. As mentioned in our introduction, their ongoing expansion for more ports worldwide — such as Southeast Asia — means they are pretty limited in destinations and stops.

Non-Disney cruises rely on theming their cruises and amenities, such as onboard cuisine, depending on their offered itinerary and destinations. Recently, cruise lines from various parts of the world announced upcoming world tour roundtrips for a more exclusive and enriching cruise experience. Among them, the Costa Deliziosa is set to depart in 2024 on a roundtrip from Savona, Italy to cruise the Mediterranean and stop by European ports, through the Atlantic Ocean, Canary Islands, and many more stops around the world.

Photo Credit: Chad Sparkes under license CC BY 2.0 No changes were made to the image.

Overall, you can see the similarities and differences in what Disney cruises have to offer compared to other alternatives. At the end of the day, if you seek a more family-friendly trip with your children and loved ones, then a Disney-themed cruise should be a dream come true for the little ones — especially if they’re fans! If you’d rather go for luxury and exclusive experiences, then a trip with the Disney Cruise Line may not be for you. For more information on anything Disney, Kait Around The Kingdom has you covered.