Fun for the whole family on a Disney cruise

By Kim Windyka and Whit Honea

Family vacations should be chock-full of theme parks, beaches and exciting new places, and sailing with Disney Cruise Line makes it easy for travelers of all ages to enjoy all three of these things in one truly magical place.

Disney Cruise Line offers a variety of  family-friendly trips aboard their ships the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder and the highly anticipated Disney Dream, which sets sail in 2011. Destinationsinclude Alaska and the Pacific Coast, the Bahamas (including Disney’s private island Castaway Cay), the Caribbean, the Mexican Riviera, the Panama Canal and the grand ports of Europe.

All of the  ships bring the whimsy and enchantment of Disney to the open sea.  Plus, there’s something for the whole clan: little ones will love the  ships’ dedicated kids-only levels and the chance to interact with their favorite characters,  and parents will appreciate the spa, fine dining and bars.

The Disney Dream

In particular, the Disney Dream takes family cruising to a new level, boasting the massive AquaDuck water coaster, a spa specifically for teens, pools that cater to every age group and more. Parent-friendly features, like in-room babysitting, a “peek-a-boo” window at the onboard nursery and a “parent pager” that allows moms and dads to keep tabs on their kids, will also do wonders to put any worries to rest.

If you haven’t gotten the chance to get away with the whole gang this summer, there’s still time left to plan an August or September Disney cruise.  For a tropical vacation, take a look at the 5-Night Bahamas sailing that departs from Port Canaveral, Florida and makes stops in Key West, Florida, Nassau, Bahamas, and Castaway Cay.

If you have a few more days to spare or want to enjoy an adventurous itinerary, the 10-Night Western Mediterranean sets sail out of Barcelona, Spain and heads to Malta, Tunisia, and Corsica, as well as Italy’s Naples and Rome and the French port of Villefranche-Sur-Mer.

Want a little bit of both? The 14-Night Transatlantic Westbound leaves Barcelonaand makes stops in Gibraltar and Portugal before heading to the islands of St. Maarten, Tortola, and Castaway Cay for sun, sand, and surf.

Best of all, each Disney cruise includes almost everything that your whole family could want. When you book your sailing, you’re paying for your stateroom, meals in a selection of restaurants like Animator’s Palate, Parrot Cay, and all-you-can-eat buffets, plus onboard entertainment and clubs for kids and teens.

Start planning your dream Disney vacation today and get ready to embrace the magic at sea!

Related resources

• Disney cruise line videos
• Disney Dream gets finishing touches
• Disney vacations and cruises
• Cruise deals

Kim Windyka is a travel brands copywriter, bona fide Twitter addict and freelance feature writer whose work has appeared in Metro Boston, the New Hampshire Visitors Guide and the Nashua Telegraph. Despite being a Northeast native, she dreams of palm trees daily.

Whit Honea is a travel writer living in Seattle with his wife and two children. He packs light and travels often to far-away places, exotic lands and more than a few theme parks.