Cruella to Black Panther set sail in Disney’s new themed ship
USA TODAY’s Nathan Diller toured Disney Destiny, a cruise ship equipped with guests’ favorite heroes and villains from Disney and Marvel movies.
- Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, Disney Destiny, is now homeported at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.
- The ship introduces a unique “heroes and villains” theme, with immersive character interactions and theatrical design.
- Disney Destiny is the first of the line’s ships to offer year-round sailings from Fort Lauderdale.
After an action-packed day aboard Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, Disney Destiny, our family gathered for dinner at Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King, an immersive new dining experience that celebrates the music of the beloved 1994 film and Broadway show.
We sat at an elegant wooden table in an expansive Boma (gathering place) and ate a delicious meal as performers on the venue’s circular center stage performed rousing renditions of “Circle of Life,” “He Lives in You” and a hero-villain mashup of “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Be Prepared.”
For a family that treasures Disney storytelling, it felt like the perfect way to spend a meal together — and the evening’s magic continued as we headed to the ship’s theater for a stunning new Broadway-style adaptation of “Hercules,” created exclusively for the ship.
Disney Destiny is the seventh in the line’s fleet and represents a milestone for the cruise line: It’s the first brand-new Disney vessel to debut outside of Cape Canaveral. Now homeported at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, the ship signals a new chapter for Disney Cruise Line’s expansion in South Florida.
Here’s everything families should know about the new ship — and why Disney Destiny’s Fort Lauderdale launch is significant.
Why Disney Destiny is now sailing from Fort Lauderdale
Since 1998, Disney Cruise Line has sailed from Port Canaveral, which has long attracted families due to its proximity to Orlando’s theme parks and international airport. Disney ships currently sailing from Port Canaveral include Disney Wish, Treasure, Magic and Fantasy.
Two years ago, the line began sailing from a second Florida homeport — Port Everglades — which currently offers sailings aboard two Disney ships: Disney Dream and Destiny. The new 4,000-passenger ship is the first in Disney’s fleet to offer year-round sailings from Fort Lauderdale, and a record 1 million passengers are projected to sail on a Disney cruise from Florida in 2026.
“Choosing the right homeport is important because it sets the stage for delivering a great guest experience,” said Jose Fernandez, Vice President of Port Strategy, Development and Operations for Disney Cruise Line. “Port Everglades offers everything we look for in a homeport — easy access to major airports, highways and the vibrant attractions of South Florida. That made it the ideal choice for our second year-round homeport in Florida and ensures our guests start their vacation with ease and convenience.”
Inside the Ship’s One-of-a-Kind ‘Heroes and Villains’ Theme
With Disney Destiny, the cruise line has debuted an entirely new concept: a ‘heroes and villains’ theme. This is the only Disney vessel where guests will encounter villains as part of the ship’s regular programming, and the result is a more theatrical, immersive approach to storytelling.
At the heart of the experience is the ship’s three-story Grand Hall, inspired by Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” and anchored by a glittering chandelier inspired by Vibranium and a regal statue of King T’Challa, the Black Panther. Throughout each voyage, the Grand Hall’s lighting and sound change dramatically depending on whether a villain or hero is present.
Chances to interact directly with characters are plentiful — such as when Spiderman sent my giggling children on a mission to deliver a message to trickster Loki, or when Cruella de Vil staged a fashion show in the Grand Hall. I thought my kids might find the villain encounters intimidating, but instead my 6-year-old sprinted toward Dr. Facilier from “The Princess and the Frog” for a hug.
Family-friendly attractions on Disney’s new ship
Some of the freshest additions aboard Disney Destiny are those that bring the theme park experience to sea.
The new “Pirates of the Caribbean”-themed tavern Cask & Cannon celebrates the fan-favorite attraction, with décor that celebrates pirate lore from Disney parks around the world. Families can stop in during the day for trivia, crafts and activities; adults will appreciate the specialty cocktails, vintage rums and “bootlegged” brews.
The ship also features a new animated storyline for its popular AquaMouse water thrill ride, as well as a “Toy Story”-themed splash zone for younger cruisers. My kids spent hours at Hero Zone, a futuristic sports arena themed to “The Incredibles” with a giant inflatable obstacle course; it quickly became their favorite onboard activity.
Disney’s Best-in-Class Kids’ Clubs Disney Cruise Line consistently ranks as the top choice for families cruising with children, and its kids’ clubs are a major reason why.
From the Grand Hall, children (ages 3–10) enter Disney’s Oceaneer Club via a slide, landing inside a fantastic kids’ club that comprises nearly an entire ship deck. Inside, offerings include Star Wars: Cargo Bay (a “Star Wars”-themed kids’ area), Marvel Super Hero Academy (where kids can train to become superheroes), Fairytale Hall (where children can meet princesses and participate in activities), Walt Disney Imagineering Lab (where kids can design their own rollercoasters), and Mickey & Minnie’s Captain’s Deck (a cruise-themed playground).
For babies and younger children (6 months to 3 years), the “It’s a Small World” nursery offers childcare for a nominal fee. The ship also has two separate clubs for tweens and teens: Edge (ages 11-13) and Vibe (ages 14-17), and even special meetups for young adults (18-20).
My children (ages 6, 6 and 9) never wanted to leave Disney’s Oceaneer Club. Every day, they told me stories about fun activities; highlights included a pajama dance party with Daisy Duck, channeling the force with Rey and Chewbacca and learning superhero moves from Spiderman.
Rotational dining with a theatrical twist
Disney Cruise Line ships are unique because they offer rotational dining, meaning that guests rotate to a new themed restaurant each night alongside their serving team.
On Disney Destiny, this meant that our family dined in 1923 (a fine-dining tribute to Disney animation), Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King (an in-the-round style musical dinner theater) and Worlds of Marvel (a futuristic dining experience with interactive trivia and superhero elements).
For breakfast and lunch, we loved the casual dining restaurant Marceline Market, and the poolside Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods quickly became a family favorite, especially for its pizza, tacos, chicken tenders and ice cream (new favorite flavors: pineapple and coconut).
Broadway-caliber entertainment at sea
Disney’s Broadway-caliber stage shows are some of the highest-quality performances I’ve ever seen at sea — and best of all, they’re meant for cruisers of all ages.
Aboard Disney Destiny, the new musical “Disney Hercules” is the ship’s headliner, offering a fresh, high-energy take on the classic story. The musical features an unforgettable cast, dazzling costumes, new musical arrangements and enormous custom-made puppets, including towering titans and a multi-headed Hydra.
Other nightly productions include “Disney Seas The Adventure” (an entertaining show that takes audiences on a journey with Captain Minnie and friends) and “Frozen, a Musical Spectacular,” which my kids loved. For families like ours who adore live theater, it’s a standout benefit of sailing with Disney.
Best adult spaces on Disney Destiny
The third ship in Disney Cruise Line’s Wish class, Disney Destiny’s layout is nearly identical to the line’s other Wish-class ships, Disney Wish and Disney Treasure. But while common elements can be found on all three ships, the theming of each is dramatically different, and Disney Destiny has stepped up its offerings for adults.
New spots adults will love include De Vil’s, a piano lounge themed to the extravagant villain from “One Hundred and One Dalmatians,” and The Sanctum, a “Doctor Strange”-themed entertainment parlor serving up tableside beverage experiences.
The ship also offers several elevated dining options for adults, including the upscale restaurants Enchanté and Palo Steakhouse, where my husband and I enjoyed a delectable brunch while the little ones played in Disney’s Oceaneer Club.
Fort Lauderdale sailings are drawing Disney fans to (and from) South Florida
Disney Cruise Line has long emphasized that it is “an entertainment company that also happens to be in the cruise business,” said Yolanda Cade, vice president of Communications and Public Affairs for Disney Signature Experiences. This approach has built exceptional brand loyalty: according to company surveys, 40% of Disney Cruise Line guests book specifically because it’s a Disney vacation.
For many families, getting to Fort Lauderdale is easier than ever, and the high-speed rail line Brightline has transformed regional travel. From our home in West Palm Beach, the trip to Fort Lauderdale took just 40 minutes via Brightline. We kicked off our sailing with a pre-cruise stay at the landmark Pier Sixty-Six Resort, which reopened in January following a $1 billion renovation.
“Port Everglades offers incredible accessibility for our guests, with convenient connections to major airports, railways and highways throughout South Florida,” Fernandez said. “This flexibility makes it easy for families to start their vacation seamlessly, whether they’re arriving from nearby cities or pairing their Disney cruise with a Walt Disney World getaway for the ultimate land-and-sea experience.”
And the future is bright for Disney cruises in the Sunshine State, he said.
“The Disney Destiny sets the stage for even more growth on the horizon as Disney Cruise Line moves toward a 13-ship fleet by 2031,” Fernandez said. “Florida will continue to play a key role in that expansion, giving guests more options and more magical ways to experience a Disney Cruise vacation.”
Is Disney Destiny a good cruise for families? Here’s what to expect
Disney Destiny is now sailing four and five-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas and Caribbean. Many include visits to Disney’s new private island destination Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Disney’s private island Castaway Cay; other ports include Cozumel and Nassau.
As a mom who cruises often with my children, I can confidently say that Disney Cruise Line offers one of the best experiences at sea for families. In addition to the line’s high-quality kids’ programming and entertainment, Disney also has a wonderful selection of stateroom options for families. Our family of five fit comfortably into a deluxe family oceanview stateroom with a veranda, which was thoughtfully designed with a split bathroom and ample storage space.
According to Disney Cruise Line’s website, fares aboard Disney Destiny start at $2,090 for two guests, with most dining, entertainment, character experiences, soda and kids’ programming included.
Linnea Bailey is freelance travel journalist based in West Palm Beach. She can be reached at [email protected].
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.palmbeachpost.com ’
