Disney Fantasy

The 2012-built MS Disney Fantasy cruise ship is Walt Disney's second Dream-class liner, with sistership Disney Dream (2010).

The vessel (IMO number 9445590) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311058700) and registered in Nassau.

History - construction and ownership

DCL-Disney Cruise Line is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (shipowner). The company was incorporated in 1996 as "Magical Cruise Company Ltd". Walt Disney also owns the private Bahamian island Castaway Cay (an exclusive port of call for Disney ships) and a dedicated cruise terminal at Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida). Disney cruises are marketed as "family vacations" and offer unique features such as costumed Disney characters, adults-only deck areas, dedicated areas for teens, kids, and toddlers, signature onboard facilities and entertainment, and themed live performances.

The 4000-passenger Disney Fantasy targets families with young children (especially under age 8)—a key demographic for Disney's cruise operations. MS Disney Fantasy is nearly 50% larger, two decks taller, and has 44% greater passenger capacity than her older fleetmates Magic and Wonder. Her design is inspired by classic 1920s ocean liners, featuring a navy-blue hull, two red funnels, elegant Art Deco décor, and innovative technologies and attractions, including:

• 22 pieces of "Enchanted Art"—LCD screens framed as paintings that react with animated sequences when guests approach.
• Wave phones in every stateroom (for calling or texting other guests), replacing the older beeper system used by youth counselors.
• "Magical Portholes" in all Inside cabins—LCD screens designed as portholes, displaying real-time exterior views from ship-mounted cameras.

The clientele consists primarily of North American travelers (USA and Canada). Disney's approach to offering age-specific activities and restricted-access areas appeals strongly to multi-generational cruisers, teens, and couples.

The dress code aligns with Disney luxury resorts—casual by day and resort casual in the evening (men: jackets, no ties; women: summer dresses). Each cruise includes one pirate night and one semi-formal night. On 3-day cruises, one evening is casual; on 4-day sailings, there are two casual nights; and on 5-day cruises, three casual evenings.

Gratuities total USD $12 per guest per day and are distributed among the dining room and cabin staff. A 15% service charge is automatically added to all bar purchases.

Decks and Cabins

Most Disney Fantasy staterooms (1250 total, across 28 categories) are 205–255 ft² balcony cabins. The ship has 21 Suites, 887 Balcony, 199 Oceanview, and 150 Inside cabins. The largest accommodations are the Concierge Royal Suites (900 ft² / 84 m² plus an 885 ft² / 82 m² private terrace).

Staterooms are among the industry's most spacious and are designed to accommodate up to four guests comfortably. Notable features include generous closet space, split bathrooms (one with shower/tub/sink, the other with toilet/sink), beds raised to allow luggage storage underneath, two vanities, a 22-inch smart HDTV, iPod dock, and two rechargeable Wave Phones. Inside cabins feature Magical Portholes—LCD screens simulating ocean views in real time. Veranda staterooms include two chairs and a small table.

Concierge Suites and Concierge Family Cabins (Decks 11–12) offer direct access to the Concierge Lounge and a private sundeck with complimentary food and drinks. Most one-bedroom suites include a queen bed, a double sofa bed, a pull-down bed, walk-in closet, and two bathrooms (one with hot tub).

The Royal Suite adds a separate living room, wet bar, kitchenette, media library, and a balcony with Jacuzzi.

The ship has 14 decks, with cabins located on 9 of them.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The three main dining rooms are "Animator's Palate", "Enchanted Garden", and "Royal Palace". There are also two adults-only specialty restaurants—"Remy" (French cuisine, inspired by the movie *Ratatouille*) and "Palo" (Italian). Disney’s Rotational Dining system allows guests to rotate through all three main dining rooms while keeping the same service staff each night.

"Animator's Palate" features interactive dinner shows with Disney characters. "Enchanted Garden" mimics the gardens of Versailles, with lighting that transitions from day to night. "Royal Palace" is themed after Disney princesses, with décor inspired by *Cinderella* and *Sleeping Beauty*.

"Remy" offers fine dining with a $75 per person cover charge (reservations and formal attire required; drinks/wine extra). "Palo" charges $20 per person and serves dinner and Champagne brunch on select days. "Cabanas" on Deck 11 is a self-serve casual dining area offering hot/cold buffet items. "Flo’s Café" serves burgers, pizza, wraps, and salads.

Full list of dining venues includes:

• Enchanted Garden (696-seat dining room; buffet for breakfast/lunch, table service for dinner)
• Royal Palace (696-seat, offering complimentary French-inspired meals)
• Animator’s Palate (696-seat, rotational dining with themed shows)
• Flo’s Café (with 3 counters: Fillmore’s Favorites, Tow Mater’s Grill, Luigi’s Pizza)
• Cabanas (buffet with American cuisine, pasta, sushi)
• Remy (French fine dining, adults only)
• Palo (Italian fine dining, adults only)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Disney Fantasy’s youth programs are a key reason for its strong family appeal. All youth counselors are college-educated, experienced, and engaging. "Oceaneer Club" and "Oceaneer Lab" (ages 3–10) are interconnected for expanded play space. Oceaneer Club features "Andy’s Room" (*Toy Story*) and "Laugh Floor" (*Monsters Inc.*), while Oceaneer Lab is maritime-themed with an animator’s studio and sound lab.

"Edge" (ages 11–13) is located in the funnel on Deck 13 and includes an 18-ft LCD screen, video karaoke, and networked PCs. "Vibe" (ages 14–17) offers 9000 ft² of exclusive space with a fountain bar, private pool, and sun deck.

The ship’s three-deck atrium is decorated in blue and gold, with a grand staircase, glass elevators, and a bronze Donald Duck statue. Wi-Fi is available throughout the vessel, and there's an internet café onboard. Like all Disney ships, there is no casino.

• Live Entertainment: The Walt Disney Theatre hosts major productions like *Golden Mickeys*, *Villains Tonight*, and *Disney’s Believe* (directed by Gordon Greenberg), plus 3D Disney movies. Character meet-and-greets are frequent and accessible throughout the ship. Pirate Night includes two shows—*Mickey’s Pirates in the Caribbean* and *Club Pirate*—plus fireworks at sea.

• Spa & Fitness: The Senses Spa offers massages, hair and nail services, and exotic treatments. “Chill” is a teen-only spa. The fitness center includes cardio and strength equipment, plus yoga and Pilates (for a fee). The Sports Deck has a basketball court, mini-golf, ping-pong, and jogging track.

The pool deck has two kids' pools (Donald’s and Mickey’s), two hot tubs, and a toddler splash zone themed after *Finding Nemo*. A giant LED screen is mounted above the pool area. The "AquaDuck"—a 765 ft (233 m) long, 4-deck high water coaster—is a major highlight, soaring 150 ft (46 m) above sea level. There's a 42" (107 cm) height requirement.

For adults, the "Quiet Cove" pool area offers a serene atmosphere with two whirlpools and access to the Cove Bar. "Nemo’s Reef" is a splash zone for toddlers.

Itineraries

Disney Fantasy’s itinerary program is based on 7-day roundtrips to the Eastern and Western Caribbean departing from Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida). Ports of call include Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island), St. Thomas (USVI), Tortola (BVI), Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Falmouth (Jamaica).

The Walt Disney ship Fantasy is the company's fourth (and currently newest) liner, with her sistership being the Disney Dream. Both ships are approximately 40% larger than the two older Disney vessels, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. While Disney Fantasy's capacity at double occupancy is 2500 guests, she can accommodate up to 4000 passengers at full occupancy (all berths used).

The vessel (Meyer Werft’s hull number 688) is powered by MAN B&W marine diesel engines (three 12-cylinder and two 14-cylinder units), along with diesel generators (three rated at 14.4 MW and two at 16.8 MW), delivering a total output of 76.8 MW. Propulsion is electric, based on two Converteam propulsion motors with a combined output of 26 MW, and two 5-blade Fixed-Pitch Propellers (FPPs), inward-turning.

The ship was ordered on February 22, 2007. Her design was announced on October 29, 2009, and steel-cutting began in March 2009. Construction commenced with the keel-laying ceremony on February 11, 2011. The vessel was launched (floated out from drydock) on January 8, 2012, and officially delivered to The Walt Disney Company on February 9, 2012, at the Port of Bremerhaven.

The ship’s inaugural call to the USA was at the Port of New York City on February 28, 2012. She was christened in NYC on March 1, 2012, by godmother Mariah Carey (1970-born US singer, actress, record producer, and entrepreneur). The hull’s stern character is Dumbo the Flying Elephant.

Other cruise ships sharing the "Fantasy" name include the Carnival Fantasy (1990-built), as well as cruiseferries like Color Fantasy (2004) and Moby Fantasy (2023).

Fantasy vs Magic (ship comparison and new features)

"Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique" was the first at sea, similar to those in Disney theme parks, offering princess transformations for young girls. During Caribbean Pirate Night, the boutique is transformed into "The Pirates League," allowing children to dress up as pirates. The Aqualab (now also available on Disney Magic following her 2013 refurbishment) was introduced on Fantasy. The "Europa" nightlife district features venues inspired by European cities, including "The Tube" (London), "Ooh La La" (France), "O'Gill's Pub" (Ireland), and "La Piazza" (Italy).

"Satellite Falls" is an adults-only sundeck area, and the "Animator's Palate" restaurant features the "Animation Magic" dinner show, where guests’ drawings come to life on screen, presented by Mickey as the Sorcerer.

One of Disney Fantasy's most popular attractions is the AquaDuck — a water coaster that sends guests spinning through a clear tube suspended over the ocean, ending in a splashdown. The ship also debuted the "Muppets at Sea" show, an interactive mystery game featuring the Muppets and designed for guests to solve clues throughout the ship.

The vessel’s most recent drydock was in 2020, conducted at Damen Shiprepair in Brest, France, for routine maintenance and upgrades.

The next scheduled refurbishment is set for October 20 to November 16, 2025. Additional details about the upcoming project will be announced in the coming months.