Disney’s newest cruise ship has finally sailed away!

Joining Disney’s fleet as their 7th cruise ship, the heroes and villains themed Disney Destiny opened up to guests on November 20, 2025 from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The boat offers 4 and 5 night cruises to guests who are interested in setting sail to the Bahamas and the Caribbean as well as Disney’s two private islands. The Disney Destiny joins the “Wish Class” ships, which includes the 2022 ship, the Disney Wish, and the 2024 Disney Treasure, meaning that they all have a similar layout and ship size. Due to the sheer amount of cruises Disney offers guests, with the Disney Adventure setting sail in March as well from Singapore, it may seem daunting when choosing or even considering a cruise. This raises a very important question to families considering setting sail on the new ship in the near future, with it being “Is the Disney Destiny worth it”?

To begin, when you first enter the ship you are met with a Black Panther themed grand atrium on Deck 3. Adorned in gold, the atrium holds a Black Panther statue as the ship’s symbol as well as hosts various character meet and greets and events throughout your cruise. Everyone from Captain Minnie Mouse to heroes like Spiderman can be found in the atrium at different times throughout your stay. Past the atrium are various jewelry shops and the Walt Disney theater, where various Broadway-level stage productions occur at different times, which can be found on your itinerary.

Moving forward, Deck 4 above the atrium also holds entertainment options, with Cafe Megara, a Hercules themed cafe, meeting you just when you get off of the staircase. Behind the cafe, Hooks Barbery and the Untangled salon, a Peter Pan men’s hairdresser and a Tangled themed salon respectively, can also be found. While going to these places are an extra charge, they can do everything from cutting and styling your hair to giving you a mani-pedi.

Making your way back past Cafe Megara and the atrium, you will also find Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, where young guests can get either princess or pirate makeovers at an additional fee. Moving on, Saga, a large entertainment lounge where events like bingo and trivia are held, and Triton lounge, where smaller events are held, can also be found on this floor. Finally, right past these lounges you will find Senses Spa and Fitness. In the spa you can get any spa treatment done such as facials and massages, or you can go to their Rainforest Room with heated lounges, an aromatherapy steam room, a dry spa, and even more for guests 18 and over to experience. In Senses Fitness, you can find treadmills, weights, and anything essential to a perfect workout onboard. On the last main floor, which is Deck 5, you can find the gift shop Mickey’s Mainsail, Cafe Merida, and Shutters Photography, where you can find all of the pictures you took on your vacation. From Deck 5 onward, guest staterooms are available, and once you reach Deck 12 through Deck 13 you will be able to find the concierge rooms. In between the two different types of staterooms, Deck 11 holds two quick service food locations, Marceline Market and Mickey’s Festival of Foods, and various pools and waterslides such as the Aquamouse.

Now that we covered the layout of the ship, you may be wondering what official dinner restaurants are onboard? To begin, each restaurant serves different menus based on the theming of the restaurant you are in. Each meal comes with an appetizer, entree, and dessert, however, you are allowed to order as much as you want during dinner time. It is also important to note that there is an early dinner at 5:45 and a late dinner at 8:15, and you will have the same waiters each night on your cruise, allowing you to get to know them personally. Now, with the actual locations of the included dining, on Deck 3 you will find 1923, a California inspired dining experience with two sides being the Roy and Walt Disney sides.

Each side of the restaurant features different concept art of classic Disney films, and celebrates the legacy of the two brothers. The next dining location is Worlds of Marvel on Deck 4, which features a show starring Rocket and Groot who are originally from the 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy film that takes place during your dinner.

Lastly, on Deck 5, you will find Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King, which is based on the 1994 Disney film The Lion King and features a live sing-along show celebrating the music of the film, making it a fun experience for everyone. It is important to note that each of these restaurants are almost “stacked” on top of each other, with them being right above each other on different floors. If you are looking for adult only dining, on Deck 12 you can find Paolo and Enchante, in which you can attend at an extra fee. While it is more money, these restaurants feature Michelin Star chefs and unique dining experiences that ultimately make it worth it for anyone above the age of 18. On board there are also themed bars such as the Haunted Mansion Parlor based on the Disney ride “The Haunted Mansion”, De Vil’s based on the character Cruella De Vil, and the Cask and Cannon that is themed to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Each bar serves specialty mocktails and cocktails and are often open to all guests who are looking to see the theming inside.

For children on board, there are a multitude of kids clubs for different ages that are available throughout each day. To start, for younger children from 6 months to 3 years old, the “it’s a small world” nursery is available for them to be dropped off at an extra fee. For slightly older preschool aged children, the Oceaneer Club is open and is themed to have a variety of magical Disney lands for guests to go to and play in. Oftentimes different Disney characters will host activities in each area, allowing children to be fully immersed in the cruise experience. For tweens and teens respectively Edge and Vibe have fully separate areas with age appropriate activities and games onboard. Clearly, children of all ages from 3 months to 17 years of age are able to meet new friends, participate in games, and have a space all to themselves onboard.

Don’t worry, if you’re an adult there are plenty of things for you to do onboard as well! On your cruise ship itinerary, which can be accessed on your Navigator App on day 1 of your sailing, plenty of activities are listed for each day. These activities can include various trivia’s, “learn to draw” sessions of different characters, crafts, visiting the private adults only pool, and more! Some of the above activities get locked as 18+, meaning that guests under the age of 18 cannot attend these events, making it a special experience for the adults on the cruise. If you are looking for a specific adults only activity, be sure to check your Navigator App to see if the activity you are interested in shows up at “For Guests 18+”.

For families who want to spend the days all together, Disney also offers options for you! To begin, on the embarkation day of your sailing, the “Sail Away” party will begin in the afternoon. During this party, everyone meets on Deck 11 and there is a special show that occurs right before guests officially set sail on their cruise and leave Port Everglades. Oftentimes this show is a dance party featuring Mickey and Friends, and once you set sail you will hear the iconic Disney Cruise Line horn set off in the tune of “When You Wish Upon A Star”. Besides this, on each day of your sailing, specialty themed Broadway like shows can be found in the Walt Disney Theater. While the ship has two different smaller theaters playing newer Disney films, the Walt Disney Theater hosts live shows like Frozen and the Disney Destiny exclusive Hercules. Due to their popularity, guests may need to get in line to enter these shows early, however, these hour-long shows are known for being quite impressive and astonishing. Besides this, during the day the pool area on Deck 11 plays classic Disney films on the “Funnel Vision” screen and holds the family friendly slide the “Aquamouse”.  The real event however, has to be the “Pirate Night” that happens on one night of every sailing. During this night, which is specified on your Navigator App, you will be given special pirate bandannas in your stateroom and be encouraged to dress up just like a pirate! Your dinner menu will be pirate themed regardless of your dining location, and various Disney characters like Jack Sparrow, Captain Hook, and even Mickey and Friends in their pirate outfits will be available to meet. At the end of all of this buildup, at night there is a special “Pirate Rockin’ Parlay Party” that features live music and fireworks on Deck 11, making it perfect for anyone on the cruise.

Now that just about everything on the ship has been covered, the cruise does make stops to both of Disney’s private islands. To begin, the ship visits Disney’s Castaway Cay, which is an island that has been fully owned by Disney since 1998 when their first cruise ship began sailing. This island is convenient to get around due to its smaller size and available trams. Besides this, Castaway Cay is known for having calmer waters, easy ship-to-shore access, and a traditional private island feel. Moving on, the ship also visits Disney’s Lookout Key at Lighthouse Point, which has been owned partially by Disney since 2025. Other cruise lines, such as Princess Cruise Line, own different parts of the island, meaning that while the whole area isn’t owned by Disney but rather different sections of the island are designated to different cruise ships. Don’t worry about getting lost on the island though as you will only be going to the Disney Cruise Line owned parts of the island during your stay as every ship has their own blocked off section on-shore! While slightly less convenient than Castaway Cay due to the far walking distances as well as long tram rides, Lookout Cay provides a newer, vibrant experience that specifically celebrates Bahamian culture as well as holds more complex art, new facilities, deeper waves, and even more beach areas. Both private islands offer similar lunches at various locations as well as splash pads designated for children. Each private island also holds an adult only area for guests over the age of 18 and private cabanas for an additional fee. Besides this, if you are feeling up to the challenge, you can also do a specialty 5 K on each island as well as look into the excursions offered on each cruise, which can include scuba diving, snorkeling, para sailing, and more!

Compared to some of the other cruise ships in Disney’s fleet, the Disney Destiny definitely stands out. While it’s not the Alaskan Cruise or one of the longer European cruises, it is definitely one of the longer cruises that Disney offers, making it worth your consideration. Besides this, some ships, such as the 2011 Disney Dream and 2012 Disney Fantasy, visit other islands such as Nassau, however, the Destiny focuses on giving you “Days at Sea” to give you plenty of time to explore the boat’s offerings and give you time at the private Disney islands. In short, the Disney Destiny’s trips are the perfect length for anyone wanting to take a longer cruise nearby, and is the right choice for those wanting the full Disney private island experience.

With all of this being said, should you consider setting sail on the Disney Destiny for your next vacation? If it is within your budget, I would recommend it and say it is worth it due to the various activities offered for all ages onboard. The staff onboard are very friendly, and you will never run out of things to do during your stay! Whether it be catching a Broadway-level performance, relaxing in a salon or spa, participating in trivia or bingo, exploring one of Disney’s private islands, or staying in one of the kids clubs, there is never a dull moment on board! While the Disney Destiny is just one of 7 Disney Cruise Ships, don’t overlook it when considering your next vacation as you are guaranteed to have a blast!