A Disney Fantasy Vacation

The Disney Fantasy is the newest cruise ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet.

This post will give you some great information about the Disney Fantasy.

Overview

Designed to reflect the golden age of cruising in the 1930s, the Fantasy arrived in her home port of Cape Canaveral, Florida in March of 2012, and sailed her maiden voyage on March 31, 2012.

The ship's fourteen decks include 1,250 staterooms to accommodate up to 4,000 passengers, with oaver 1,450 Crew Members to help make each guest's voyage a magical one. Onboard, passengers can take advantage of youth activities, dining, entertainment, nightclubs, pools, and spa/fitness services.

Accommodations

Accommodations on the Fantasy include staterooms and suites to accommodate up to 5 people. Stateroom options include standard inside staterooms (169 square feet), deluxe inside or oceanview staterooms (204 square feet), and deluxe oceanview staterooms with navigator's verandah or verandah (246 square feet including verandah); all of these accommodate 3 or 4 guests. The deluxe family oceanview stateroom (241 square feet) and deluxe family oceanview stateroom with verandah (299 square feet) accommodate 3-5 guests. The largest stateroom available is the concierge family oceanview stateroom with verandah (306 square feet including verandah), which accommodates 5 guests. Concierge suite options with verandah include: 1-bedroom suites (622 square feet including verandah) and royal suites (1,781 square feet including verandah) that each accommodate up to 5 guests.

Youth Activities

A variety of Youth Clubs for ages 3 months to 14 years can be found on Deck 5 of the Fantasy. It's a Small World Nursery provides childcare for children from 3 months to 3 years old, for a reasonable babysitting fee, and recommendations are highly recommended, as space can fill up quickly.

Disney's Oceaneer Club (activity center) and Oceaneer Lab (play space) are designed for children from 3 to 12 years old. The Oceaneer Club and Lab are included amenities, and children may also eat lunch or dinner in these clubs. Children with special needs are welcome in the nursery or Oceaneer clubs; however, advanced notice is suggested in order to better serve the children.

In addition, guests ages 3-12 can enjoy a royal makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique on Deck 5. This location transforms into the Pirates League on pirate party nights.

There are even special areas for "tweens" and teens. Vibe is an indoor/outdoor lounge specially designed for teens ages 14-17 years old, also found on Deck 5. There is also a special area for "tweens" ages 11-14, called Edge and located on Deck 13.

Other specified family and/or youth areas are located on on Decks 4, 11, and 13 of the Fantasy. A family nightclub called D Lounge is located on Deck 4, while the video Arr-cade is located on Deck 11.

Dining

Dining on the Disney Fantasy includes 4 Main Dining restaurants, which guests visit on a rotational dinner schedule to offer a variety of opportunities. These 4 restaurants are: Animator's Palette (where animated drawings come to life), and Cabanas, Enchanted Garden, and Royal Court (all of which also serve breakfast and lunch). In addition, there are two Adults Exclusive restaurants: Palo (serving Northern Italian cuisine for brunch and dinner) and Remy (serving French cuisine for dinner). The Adults Exclusive restaurants must be reserved in advance for an extra fee.

Entertainment

There are a variety of entertainment opportunities onboard the Fantasy. Live shows, including musical productions, are performed in the Walt Disney Theatre on Decks 3 and 4. First-run movies and digital 3-D films are shown in the Buena Vista Theatre, located on Decks 4 and 5. In addition, Disney characters can be found onboard for a scheduled and surprise visits.

There are a variety of nightclubs and lounges on the ship. Most of these are located on Deck 4 and are for adults only: La Piazza, O'Gill's Pub (Irish bar), Ooh La La, Skyline, The Tube (nightclub) and Vista Cafe. Located on Deck 12 are Meridian and Waves, both designed for adults only. Other options are: Bon Voyage (a family lounge) on Deck 3, Cove Cafe (an adults-only lounge) on Deck 11, and Currents on Deck 13.

Water Areas

Pools and water play areas abound on the Disney Fantasy. Three pools are located on Deck 11: Mickey's Pool (for children), Donald's Pool (for families), and Quiet Cove Pool (for adults only). Also located on Deck 11 is Nemo's Reef, a fun splash deck for children. Plus, the Fantasy also has the AquaDuck, a water coaster, and the AquaLab, another water play area, and a Wading Pool, all located on Deck 12.

There is also an adults-only area on Deck 13 called Satellite Falls.

Spa and Fitness

A variety of spa and fitness services can also be found on the Fantasy. Senses Spa & Salon is located on Decks 11 and 12, where guests can experience relaxing spa or salon treatments for an additional fee. The Fitness Center is located on Deck 11, including state-of-the-art fitness equipment and group exercise classes. Goofy's Sports Deck on Deck 13 includes a miniature golf course, virtual sports simulators, and a basketball/volleyball court.

Ports of Call

Now to talk about the ports of call! All Disney Fantasy itineraries leaving out of Port Canaveral, FL currently stop at Castaway Cay, Disney's private Caribbean island. Western Caribbean cruises sailing out of Galveston, TX do not stop at Castaway Cay, with 2-3 days at sea as well. Other ports visited vary by itinerary and may include: San Juan (Puerto Rico), the US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Grand Cayman, Falmouth (Jamaica), Costa Maya (Mexico), and/or Cozumel (Mexico).

Are you ready for a Fantasy vacation?

Imaginations Vacations by Katherine is currently offering $25-$50 onboard credit, depending on the type of stateroom booked. See

www.imaginationsvacationsbykatherine.com

or email me at

katherine@enchantedearstravel.com

Feel free to post questions and/or comments in the comments section!

Enter the Giveaway!

Enter my Disney gift card giveaway! The more entries we have, the more chances there are for you to win! I will give away one $25 Disney gift card for every 20 people who enter. If you comment on this post (or any other post on the blog), you can earn 2 entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a magical day!

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Disney Cruise Line Tops the Industry!

Condé Nast Traveler has rated the Disney Cruise Line and its ships in the top tier of the cruise line industry. Results are based on Readers' Polls, and include awards for top cruise line and cruise ships.

Disney Cruise Line Ship at Sea

For more information, keep reading!

In November of 2012, the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards were announced. For Large Ship Cruise Lines, Condé Nast readers rated Disney Cruise Line first in its category, with a total rating of 88.4. Other cruise lines in the category include: Celebrity, Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival. These results were published in November of 2012.

Disney Magic

In addition, Disney Cruise Line was named to Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List 2013, ranking 2nd out of 7 ocean cruise lines. Disney Cruise Line was the only large ship cruise line included on the list, with an overall rating of 88.4.

Disney Wonder

Finally, it was recently announced that all four of the Disney Cruise Line ships were ranked in the top 20 large cruise ships in the world by in the 2013 Readers Poll conducted by Condé Nast Traveler. In fact, all four ships were ranked in the top 10, also taking the top 3 spots! The rankings and ratings are:

#1 = Disney Magic (89.9) - Disney's first cruise ship is still at the top!
#2 = Disney Wonder (89.6) - The second ship of the Disney Cruise Line
#3 = Disney Dream (89.5) - Disney Cruise Line's third ship
#8 = Disney Fantasy (84.8) - New to the poll, also Disney's newest ship

Disney Dream

One of my first posts to this blog was titled: Why Cruise? Why Disney? I think these results speak for themselves.

Disney Fantasy

For more information on the Disney Cruise Line, you may also want to read:

If you have questions about a Disney Cruise, or would like more information, feel free to comment below!

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A Match Made on the Seas: Adventures by Disney Plus Disney Cruise Line!

Do you have difficulty choosing between a relaxing cruise vacation and an active vacation? Do different people in your group have different ideas of the kind of vacation you would like? Are you excited about the possibility of a cruise, but wonder what you would do when in port?

Disney has the answer! Pair your Disney Cruise Line itinerary with a specialized Adventures by Disney vacation! To find out more about the Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney, read my introductory blog posts: Why Cruise? Why Disney? and Adventures by Disney: An Introduction.

Adventures by Disney has itineraries that run in conjunction with Disney Cruise Line vacations to Alaska and the Mediterranean. Read more to find out the details!

Wonders of Alaska

When booking a 7-night cruise to Alaska on the Disney Cruise Line, guests have the option of also booking the Wonders of Alaska itinerary through Adventures by Disney. These guests will enjoy the following additional experiences:

2 Adventure Guides who stay with the group at sea and onshore
VIP privileges and special surprises at the various ports
private onboard receptions
unique onshore experiences (different from those offered to general Cruise Line guests)
photo CD with ship photographers' and Adventure Guides' photos, plus a slideshow
a case of bottled water per stateroom
water, snacks, and meals in port
early debarkation at each port

While at sea, guests can take advantage of all the Disney Cruise Line has to offer. In addition, here are some of the highlights at sea and in port:

welcome reception onboard
city tour of Skagway
2-hour scenic train through Yukon territory ride in a private car
visit the Yukon Suspension Bridge and the Jewell Gardens
glass-blowing demonstration with glass souvenir to keep
Junior Adventurer scavenger hunt
gold panning
private helicopter ride in Juneau
dog sledding experience
tour of Mendenhall Glacier
ziplining in Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary

Pre-Cruise Adventures in Spain

When booking a 7- or 12-night cruise in the Mediterranean on the Disney Cruise Line, guests have the option of also booking a 3-night pre-cruise vacation in Barcelona through Adventures by Disney. Highlights of this itinerary include:

visit to Gaudi's famous cathedral, La Sagrada Familia
visit to Parque Guell, also designed by Gaudi
walking tour of the Gothic quarter
tour of Montserrat basilica with alternate activity for Junior Adventurers
tour of Pueblo Español
farewell dinner and flamenco show

Sagrada Familia

When booking a 4-night cruise on the Mediterranean on the Disney Cruise Line, guests have the option of also booking a 4-night pre-cruise vacation in Barcelona or Madrid through Adventures by Disney. Highlights of the Barcelona itinerary include those listed above with the 3-night itinerary (except Pueblo Español), plus:

private cooking class
Junior Adventurers archeology experience
wine tasting
tapas tasting
visit to Serra de Collserola Natural Park
visit to Camp Nou, home of the FC Barcelona
visit to Museum of Chocolate

Barcelona

Highlights of the 4-night Madrid itinerary include:

visit to Royal Palace of Madrid
private cooking class
visit to El Escorial monastery
visit to Alcazar and Segovia
walking tour of Madrid
tapas tasting
bike riding or walking tour of Retiro Park
farewell dinner with flamenco show

Alcazar

Mediterranean Magic

When booking a cruise on the Mediterranean on the Disney Cruise Line, guests have the option of also booking one of the Mediterranean Magic itineraries through Adventures by Disney. While at sea, guests can take advantage of all the Disney Cruise Line has to offer. In addition,each Mediterranean Magic itinerary has extra experiences.

Guests on a 7-night Mediterranean Magic vacation will experience:

private welcome reception
private coach ride to Monaco
Prince's Palace tour
time in Monte Carlo
visit to Eze
gelateria tour in Florence, Italy
tour of the Vatican City Museum and Sistine Chapel
tour of Rome's ancient landmarks
Junior Adventurers visit to the Coliseum
farm visit in Naples
cruise tour of Capri
farewell reception

Rome, Italy

Guests on a 12-night Mediterranean Magic including Venice vacation will have all of the same experiences as on the 7-night itinerary, plus:

gondola ride in Venice
walking tour of Venice
Venetian Carnevale mask-making
Murano glass blowing
walking tour of Dubrovnik, a walled city in Croatia
biking in the hills of Croatia
kayaking in the Adriatic Sea
ferry to Gozo, Malta for a tour of the salt pans
glass blowing, swimming, and shopping

Venice, Italy

Guests on a 12-night Mediterranean Magic including Greece vacation will have many of the same experiences as on the 7-night itinerary (except Naples and Capri), plus:

visit the Panathenaic Stadium in Greece
Junior Adventurer Mini-Marathon
tour the Acropolis
tour Ephesus archaeological sites
visit the Grand Bazaar in Kusadasi, Turkey
participate in a private Greek cooking class
visit the beaches of Mykonos, Greece
ferry to Gozo, Malta for a tour of the salt pans
glass blowing, swimming, and shopping

Mykonos, Greece

Overview

As you can see, Adventures by Disney can supplement your Disney Cruise Line vacation, making it both relaxing on the ship and active on land! These combination can be perfect for the combination group of people, or for those who want the best of both worlds!

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Cruising the Bahamas: A Disney Dream

The Disney Cruise Line began with one cruise ship (the Disney Wonder) sailing 3- and 4-night itineraries to the Bahamas. These itineraries are being continued, now on the Disney Dream.

Would you like to take a cruise to the Bahamas, and experience all that the Disney Cruise Line has to offer?

Itinerary

The only difference between the 3-night and 4-night itineraries to the Bahamas is that the 4-day itinerary includes a day at sea before returning to port.

The cruise begins at Port Canaveral, Florida. The ship arrives in Nassau in the morning of Day 2. Time in Nassau can be spent exploring, or experiencing one of several excursions, including tours of the island and snorkeling.

Day 3 is spent at Disney's Castaway Cay, a private island offering relaxation and fun. Castaway Cay offers:

2 beaches: Castaway Family Beach and Serenity Bay Beach (for adults only)
2 water play areas: Pelican Plunge and Spring-a-Leak
The Hide Out: a teens-only activity area on the beach
Scuttle's Cove: a child's area offering free childcare by Disney counselors
Cabanas
Swimming, kayaking, and other water sports
Open-air massages and yoga
Port Adventures, including glass-bottom boat tours, parasailing, and fishing
Disney character interactions
Open-air BBQ locations
2 souvenir shops

On the 3-night cruise, the ship returns to Port Canaveral on Day 4. On the 4-night cruise, Day 4 is spent at sea, with many activities available onboard the ship. For more information about the Disney Dream, see my blog post: A Disney Dream Vacation.

The ship returns to Port Canaveral on Day 5 of the 4-night cruise.

Great Deals

The Disney Cruise Line offers deals on particular sail dates. There is a current offer available for 3- and 4-night cruises to the Bahamas sailing between August 25 and September 26, 2013.

In addition to a lower cruise rate during those dates, Disney is also offering onboard credit between $50 and $100 depending on the type of stateroom booked. Plus, Disney Vacations by Katherine is offering an additional $25-$50 onboard credit depending on the type of stateroom booked. That adds up to $75-$150 onboard credit when you book these certain cruises through Disney Vacations by Katherine!

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