Disney Magic

The 1998-built MS Disney Magic cruise ship is Walt Disney's first and oldest liner, with her sistership Disney Wonder launched in 1999.

The vessel (IMO number 9126807) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 308516000) and registered in Nassau.

History – Construction and Ownership

DCL – Disney Cruise Line is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. It was incorporated in 1996 as "Magical Cruise Company Ltd." Walt Disney also owns the Bahamian private island Castaway Cay (exclusive to Disney ships) and an exclusive cruise terminal at Port Canaveral (Orlando, Florida). Disney cruises are promoted as “family vacations” and feature exclusive themed activities, including costumed Disney characters, adults-only deck areas, dedicated venues for kids, teens, and infants, signature facilities, and live entertainment.

The 1750-passenger Disney Magic delivers top-tier cruise vacation experiences. As with all Disney products, the ship primarily targets families with younger children (under 8), though many guests travel without children as well.

Launched in 1998, Disney Magic was created to meet the vacation expectations of a new generation of Disney fans. Her design resembles 1920s luxury ocean liners, but what makes her distinctively Disney are the iconic characters, themed activities, top-rated children’s programs, lively deck parties, and exceptional service.

The clientele consists mostly of Disney fans from the USA and Canada. The ship’s age-based children’s programs and family-focused venues make it a top choice for multigenerational travel.

Dress Code: Casual during the day and resort casual in the evening. For men – jackets (no ties) and pants; for women – summer dresses. Swimwear, shorts, and jeans are not permitted in main dining rooms during dinner. On 7-night cruises, one formal and one semi-formal night are scheduled.

Gratuities: USD 12 per person per day (automatically added to onboard accounts), divided among waitstaff ($8 – server $4, assistant server $3, head server $1) and cabin stewards ($4). A 15% gratuity is also added to all bar beverages and spa services.

Decks and Cabins

Most Disney Magic staterooms (877 total, in 22 categories) are Balcony cabins ranging from 225 to 260 ft². The ship has 22 Suites, 362 Balcony, 235 Oceanview, and 256 Inside cabins. The largest accommodations are the Royal Suites – 845 ft² (79 m²) plus a 185 ft² (17 m²) veranda.

Public spaces boast elegant Art Deco décor. Even standard staterooms are designed like mini-suites, with separate sleeping and living areas.

All cabins are designed for families – spacious, elegant, and filled with Disney touches. Staterooms offer quiet comfort and privacy, making them ideal for families or couples. Standard cabins include two beds convertible to a queen, a sofa bed (for a third guest), and in many cases, a pull-down bunk bed (for a fourth guest).

Family staterooms for five include a Murphy bed. Amenities include a closet with sliding doors, desk/vanity, smart HDTV, electronic safe, and two “Wave Phones” (texting onboard and on Castaway Cay).

A unique feature of Disney cabins is the split-bathroom layout (“bath and a half”) – one room with toilet and sink, and another with tub/shower and sink. Bathroom amenities include shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, and a hairdryer.

All suites are located on Deck 8 and include concierge service, deluxe furnishings, large verandas, Jacuzzis, upgraded bedding, robes, slippers, and vanity kits.

The ship has 11 decks, six of which contain passenger accommodations.

Shipboard Dining – Food and Drinks

Disney Magic offers three main dining rooms under a rotational dining system. Guests keep the same table number, companions, and servers each night. There are two seating times: 5:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. The venues include:

• Lumiere’s: Art Deco design, French cuisine
• Animator’s Palate: Interactive lighting and screens, Disney-themed shows
• Carioca’s: Caribbean-themed décor, also used for breakfast and lunch buffets

The food is plentiful and high-quality, with salads, fresh vegetables, seafood, meats, pasta, and dedicated kids’ menus. Casual dining is available at:

• Cabanas: Buffet restaurant aft, with great outdoor views
• Pete’s Boiler Bites, Pinocchio’s Pizzeria, Daisy’s De-Lites: Poolside fast food

Palo is the adults-only specialty restaurant (Deck 10, reservations required, surcharge applies). It serves Italian-Mediterranean cuisine, with Champagne brunches, seafood, cold buffet, salads, desserts, and à la carte dishes.

Room service offers a simple but efficient menu. Guests in suites can also order full hot breakfast and dining room meals. Complimentary soft drinks (Coca-Cola products) are available at meals and at a 24-hour drink station on Deck 9 aft.

Shipboard Entertainment – Fun and Activities

The ship features several entertainment venues, led by the 977-seat Walt Disney Theatre (Broadway-style shows, aerial acrobatics, and 3D movies). The Buena Vista Theatre (268 seats) screens Disney movies, including first-runs.

Public areas span Decks 3-5 and include the Promenade Lounge (live music), Studio Sea (game shows, karaoke), and the Atrium (character meet-and-greets, Disney pin trading, Captain’s cocktail party).

Shops onboard sell Disney merchandise, jewelry, clothes, and duty-free goods. Adult lounges include Fathoms nightclub, Keys piano bar, O’Gill’s Irish pub, and the Cove Café. There is no casino onboard, but Bingo is offered with generous jackpots.

Family-friendly activities range from themed deck parties (like “Pirates in the Caribbean”) to Disney shows like “Twice Charmed,” “Villains Tonight!,” and “Disney Dreams.” Lounges and theaters host karaoke, dance parties, trivia, game shows, talent contests, and pool games. Adult-only events include social mixers, wine/martini tastings, and enrichment lectures.

Kids’ Programs: Core to Disney’s success, the ship has massive age-specific venues:

• Oceaneer Club and Lab: For kids 3–12, themed play areas, character interactions, cooking, science experiments, and games
• Edge: Tweens (11–13), with video games, arts and crafts, bridge simulator
• Vibe: Teens (14–17), located in the funnel, featuring lounges, parties, and gaming
• “It’s a Small World” Nursery: For infants 3 months to 3 years (fee applies)

All kids' activities (age 3+) are complimentary. Baby products can be pre-ordered and delivered onboard. Programs are also offered on Castaway Cay. All counselors are experienced and college-educated.

New Venues and Shows (Post-2023 Drydock)

Soul Cat Lounge: A new music-themed venue located aft on Deck 3 (near Rapunzel’s Royal Table), inspired by the film “Soul” (2020). It recreates the Half Note Lounge with NYC jazz-club ambiance, featuring leather seating, live performances, themed cocktails, and Pixar artwork.

“An Encanto Celebration” is a new interactive production show themed around the film “Encanto” (2021). Guests can sing along, participate in crafts, and meet Mirabel and Bruno. The experience includes themed drinks and Colombian-inspired refreshments.

Itineraries

Disney Magic’s itinerary program includes roundtrips from PortMiami, Florida to the Caribbean and Bahamas, including stops at Castaway Cay.

In 2020, the ship was scheduled for a UK-Ireland season from Dover, calling at Plymouth, Cork, Liverpool, Greenock, and Dublin.

In summer 2021, DCL launched “Sea Staycations” from Tilbury, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Southampton. These cruises-to-nowhere were for UK residents only and had no ports of call.

In fall 2022, the ship ran 7-day itineraries from NYC to Bermuda. Since November 2022, Magic has been homeported in Galveston, Texas, offering 4-5-night cruises to Cozumel and Progreso.

From February 18 to April 10, 2023, the ship operated out of New Orleans on 4-6-day Western Caribbean voyages, including calls at Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Grand Cayman.

In summer 2026, Disney Magic is scheduled to debut in Alaska, homeporting from Vancouver. The 7-day Alaska cruise itinerary includes Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Hoonah/Icy Strait Point, and scenic cruising in Endicott Arm Fjord (Dawes Glacier). For the first time, two Disney ships (Magic and Wonder) will be deployed in Alaska.

The Walt Disney ship Magic is the company’s first-ever liner, followed by her sistership Disney Wonder. Each vessel is approximately 40% smaller than the newer Disney ships Dream and Fantasy. The inaugural cruise (Maiden Voyage) began on July 30, 1998. The ship’s Godmother was Patricia Disney (1935–2012), the wife of Roy Edward Disney (1930–2009), a longtime senior executive (Vice Chairman and Chairman) of The Walt Disney Company (1954–2009).

The vessel (Fincantieri Marghera shipyard, hull number 5989) is powered by Wartsila-Sulzer marine diesel engines (model 16ZAV40S) with a total output of 58.25 MW. The propulsion system is diesel-electric.

A fun fact: MS Disney Magic once held the record for the highest-ever regular Panama Canal transit toll at USD 331,200. This record was later surpassed by Coral Princess of Princess Cruises, which paid USD 400,000.

Externally, the vessel resembles an early-20th-century ocean liner. Her interior design is influenced by both Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. Disney Magic was also the debut platform for many of Disney’s Marvel superheroes—a thrilling experience for young passengers.

Disney Magic Refurbishment Review

Disney Magic was most recently drydock-refurbished in 2023 (April 15 through May 4) at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport.

The 3-week drydock included general maintenance and machinery overhauls, as well as renovations to passenger cabins and public spaces. The Concierge Lounge was redesigned, and all concierge staterooms and Royal Suites were fully refurbished with new fixtures, furniture, and artwork.

A new music-themed venue was added—Soul Cat Lounge (aft on Deck 3), inspired by Disney’s animated film “Soul” (2020). New entertainment programs for families were introduced, including the production show “An Encanto Celebration,” themed after Disney’s “Encanto” (2021).

During the 2023 drydock, shore power connectivity was also installed, allowing the ship to connect to port electricity while docked.

Drydock 2019

In 2019, Rapunzel’s Royal Table (a themed restaurant, aft on Deck 3) was added. The teen club was renovated, Cove Café (adults-only venue) was redesigned, and Club Disney Junior (a lounge within the Oceaneer Club) was introduced. The Rainforest Room in the adults-only Senses Spa was also redesigned, featuring updated steam and hydrotherapy amenities.

Drydock 2015

The 2015 refurbishment (September 5–18, in Cadiz) involved extensive renovations to restaurants, bars, the spa, atrium, staterooms, and kids’ areas. Dream-class concepts were introduced, including a waterslide starting near the funnel and extending over the ship’s side. Lighting and audio systems were also upgraded. General maintenance and a propulsion system upgrade were completed.

Drydock 2013

During the 6-week 2013 drydock (September 7–October 10, at Navantia’s Puerto Real Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain), the following upgrades were completed:

• Installation of AquaDunk (new waterslide) and AquaLab (interactive water play area with Twist n’ Spout waterslide)
• Animator’s Palette restaurant (formerly Studio C) was upgraded with new flat-screen TVs, lighting, and decor
• New Carioca’s restaurant (Brazilian-themed, replacing Parrot Cay)
• New Cabanas buffet (replacing and expanding the former Topsider Buffet)
• Palo restaurant renovation (new fixtures, glass artwork, stone flooring)
• New Mickey’s Mainsail shop
• Creation of the After Hours district on Deck 3 with Fathoms (disco club), Keys (piano bar, replacing Cadillac Bar), and O’Gills (Irish pub)
• Expansion of Senses Spa (by 725 ft²), adding Barbershop, Chill Spa, and Smile Spa
• Shop upgrades including Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and Anna & Elsa’s Boutique
• Upgrades to “It’s a Small World Nursery” and “Nephews” kids’ areas
• Redesigned and renovated staterooms (with elevated beds for added storage)
• Lobby Atrium changes (removal of the second staircase, replacement of the Chihuly chandelier with an Art Deco-style one)

Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab updates included the addition of Marvel’s Avengers Academy (the first on any Disney ship), Andy’s Room (now featuring the Slinky Dog slide, Mr. Potato Head, and Hamm the piggy bank), and redesigned interiors for Pixie Hollow and the Mickey Mouse Club.

The Edge teen club was relocated from Deck 2 to Deck 9, expanded, and enhanced with new gaming stations and a dance floor.

General maintenance was also performed on mechanical systems, hull and interior painting, piping, and propulsion systems (to improve fuel efficiency). More than 400 contract workers were involved in the project.

Service History / Itineraries Review (1998–2016)

Below is a summary of Disney Magic’s service history and past itineraries:

• [1998–2005] 7-day Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida
• [2005–2012] Homeported in San Diego, California
• [2012–2013] Relocated to New York City for Bahamas and Canada/New England cruises
• [June 2013] Relocated to Europe (Barcelona) for the summer season and underwent a 6-week refurbishment. After the Transatlantic crossing, began sailings from Miami, Florida, later returning to Orlando

In 2016, Disney Magic was deployed in Europe. For the first time, Disney offered UK-based cruises from Dover, England to Baltic Sea destinations (including the Norwegian Fjords), Iceland, and the British Isles. During summer 2016, the ship operated in the Western Mediterranean (departing from Barcelona). This was followed by a 12-day Transatlantic repositioning to New York City for roundtrip cruises to Canada (5-6 days to New England, including Saint John NB and Halifax NS) and 8-9-day sailings to Florida and the Bahamas (visiting Port Canaveral, Nassau, and the private island Castaway Cay).