What’s Good and Bad About Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship the Disney Destiny

This is our review of the Disney Destiny cruise ship. This is Disney’s newest cruise ship in the fleet and comes after the debut of the Disney Treasure ship last year. The ship brings to life stories from Disney’s iconic movies with a heroes vs villains theme.

We had the opportunity to sail onboard as part of the christening of the new ship. We already provided a look at the christening ceremony and the specific new changes of this ship vs the others in the fleet. Now, I wanted to dive into a full review of the Disney Destiny ship to share what is great about the new vessel and what is lacking. At Mickey Visit, we bring you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including changes to the Disneyland Magic Key and ride closure news.

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What’s Great About Disney Destiny Cruise Ship

The Disney Destiny stands out from earlier ships in the cruise line fleet for its constant character presence. The ship features so many of your favorite characters and puts them in different settings to tell unique stories.

The ship itself was beautiful and was another entry into the Disney Cruise Line that carries the golden age ocean liner design aesthetic, combining luxury and Disney. You can see our review and choice for best Disney Cruise ship here.

Almost every space onboard the ship was as impressive as the spaces on the Disney Treasure, which is a high bar. Some of the offerings that I enjoyed the most were ones that I knew from the marketing materials of the ship and others were ones that I stumbled into while onboard.

DEAL ON DISNEY CRUISES – If you are considering booking a cruise, be sure to work with our travel partner. You’ll get up to a $400 onboard credit when you book qualifying cruises. They also have deals on all other cruise lines. Get a no-obligation quote here >

Disney’s Hercules Musical

Disney’s Hercules is the new onboard musical on the Disney Destiny. This show is Broadway caliber and combined incredible performances, physical effects, projection, and puppetry to bring the story to life.

The show is narrated by the three Muses and leans heavily into the pop and gospel influences from the animated film.

This is a true good versus evil story that feels high energy all the way through. The show also features a song written for the original film that didn’t make the final cut.

Disney’s Hercules feels perfect on the stage. They did a great job finding the theatricality of the different elements to deliver a big story. There is one moment where Hercules is battling a Hydra that perfectly utilizes massive puppets to deliver a massive battle onstage. It feels bigger than anything you would expect to see on a stage in the middle of the ocean. The performers here are world class and the actor who portrays Hercules and the three muses were particularly impressive.

The show is exclusive to the Disney Destiny and is right up there with the Tale of Moana show that debuted onboard the Disney Treasure ship.

The same theater also performs the Frozen A Musical Spectacular show and the Disney Seas the Adventure show. Knowing that all three shows fit on this same stage and that all the performers are in the different shows makes this even more impressive.

Unique Character Interactions

The Disney Destiny leans into the heroes and villains theme in the entertainment and character interactions available onboard. The way that these characters interact feels unique to the ship. They created story-based character interactions that would not be possible in the theme parks due to the amount of people there.

Some of the highlights from the new ship:

• Up close magic with Dr. Facilier in a small group of less than 12 people
• Strut the runway with and write a song for Cruella de Vil
• Interact with Maleficent while she holds court in a lounge to see magic from afar or meet her for a photo
• Loki takes over the Marvel-themed grand hall multiple times throughout the voyage, commanding those in attendance to do his bidding

All of these felt like a real effort from Disney to do something different with the character interactions. As part of a couple of these mini-show interactions, there were two storytellers carrying the story forward. These two storytellers, Zayah and Gamble, were woven throughout the sailing, popping up in different shows. My favorite show with these two is my next highlight.

Marvel Choose Your Adventure Adult Show

Disney created their first-ever adults-only Marvel show that uses a mix of PG-13 humor and great music to retell the story of some of the most popular Marvel movies. The show takes place in the Saga adults-only lounge. The night kicks off with an impressive Jazz singer performance – I believe the same singer is one of the Muses in Hercules – and then leads into the show.

The show uses everyday props to retell the story of the Marvel movies with plenty of Disney inside jokes. The jokes ramp up when Deadpool arrives at the show to cause some real havoc.

The show is similar to the Indiana Jones retelling that is performed on the Disney Treasure. They nailed the storyteller concept on the Treasure and carried that forward well on the Disney Destiny.

Incredible Artwork and Carpeting

The design details onboard the Disney Destiny in the hallways and stairways were so impressive that they deserve their own mention in this review. The carpet designs onboard were rich with color and power that evoked the emotion of the characters that they depicted. The key characters in the carpet were Sorcerer Mickey Mouse and Maleficent. Yes, these were basically “Fantasmic!” carpets.

The artwork was also superb. Some of the artwork onboard was created specifically for the ship and other pieces were concept artwork from films.

There were many times when I found myself wishing that I could take home some of the art (you can purchase print on demand onboard, but I saved my wallet from that this sailing).

Oceaneer’s Club

There is an Oceaneer’s Club on every single Disney Cruise Ship. This kids club area is home to the programming for kids ages 3 to 10 years old. Within the club, there are multiple spaces with different Disney themes. These spaces include Mickey & Minnie’s Captain Deck, Walt Disney Imagineering Lab, Star Wars: Cargo Bay, and Marvel Superhero Academy. Any adult can come see the space during the open house that happens at the beginning of the sailing.

There are also other kids spaces onboard for preteens and teens. These give them a perfect escape from the rest of the ship, where they can spend some time throughout the day. The Hero Zone also offers other activities for the entire family to enjoy together like basketball or the blow-up Incredibles Obstacle Course.

For the youngest kids, the “it’s a small world” nursery is also available. This space is adorable.

The Oceaneer’s Club space is identical on the Disney Destiny to the Disney Treasure and Disney Wish.

Pirates of the Caribbean Bar

Disney debuted their new Cask & Cannon bar onboard the new Disney Destiny cruise ship. This space is inspired by the classic Disney Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. The lounge serves rums and brews developed specifically for the venue and served from big barrels at the bar.

Check out the lanterns hung over the bar, which are inspired by the Disneyland Paris version of the attraction.

This space is not as immersive as the Haunted Mansion Parlor on this ship or the new Beak and Barrel Pirates of the Caribbean bar at Magic Kingdom. While Cask & Cannon is themed to Pirates of the Caribbean, the screens in the space also play live sports at different times of the day.

The pirates theme works just fine as the sports bar space because it can fade into the background during times when there are games on the TVs or rise if this space is in full pirates mode. The space is a bit less themed than the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea-themed Periscope Pub on the Disney Treasure, but it is still nice.

Doctor Strange Sanctum

There is also the Doctor Strange Sanctum. This space features “spellbinding cocktails, spirits, and coffee drinks available at the bar.”

This is the first space inspired by the powerful sorcerers and mystical artifacts of Doctor Strange. The lounge is located in the same spot that the Jungle Cruise lounge is located on the Disney Treasure.

There are quite a few different details from the Doctor Strange movies located here, including spell books from the library and the Cloak of Levitation behind the bar.

The space serves up colorful cocktails, mocktails, spirits, and coffees. There are lots of very cool specialty drinks here, including one with big bubbles added on the top of the drink. There is also a Dr. Strange eye novelty sipper available here.

Cruella De Vil Lounge

Just off the Grand Hall is De Vil’s piano lounge. This space is decked out in black, white, and red in a perfect Cruella de Vil tribute. The Dalmatian piano in the middle of the room is the perfect centerpiece.

The space offers martinis, cocktails, wines, and bubblies. The champagne comes in a striking black glass with red lipstick on the outside.

The Cruella interaction I mentioned earlier, where you write a song for her, takes place in here with the two storytellers. That cute music moment is a must-see. That moment brought real energy into this space and made it stand out as my favorite of the new lounges onboard.

Haunted Mansion Parlor

This Haunted Mansion-themed bar and lounge is available on both the Disney Treasure and the Disney Destiny. The lounge onboard the Disney Destiny is identical to the previous lounge that we shared from the Disney Treasure. The lounge is fantastic.

They took all this incredible technology from Walt Disney Imagineering and pushed it all into this incredibly themed space. Different show elements take place throughout your time in the lounge. Ghosts appear in the mirror behind the bar, portraits change, and props begin to move. The lighting in here also brings this space to life.

There are unique themed drinks and even a secret menu that you can only access if you click through the menu in a certain way. Ask one of the bartenders to reveal it for you. This is the most highly themed space that Disney Cruise Line has ever delivered, and it is fantastic. This space was clearly designed by Imagineers who felt a deep passion for the Haunted Mansion, and it shows. Even though this space already appeared on the Disney Treasure, this space is also our favorite spot on the Disney Destiny.

Stateroom Themes

The ship features comfortable rooms that make great use of the space. I always like to call out how there is so much storage space for bags, including under the bed.

The themes of the rooms on this ship include Brave, Hercules, Mulan, Big Hero 6, Raya and the Last Dragon, Fantasia, and The Incredibles.

The themes are represented in multiple pieces of artwork throughout the room, including over the bed.

Most staterooms will feature a split-bathroom and many will offer the option of a connecting door that adjoins staterooms to accommodate larger groups.

Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King

This dinner show is debuting for the first time on the Disney Destiny ship. The dinner performance brings to life iconic songs from The Lion King with musicians and singers in the center of the restaurant.

The live musicians and storytellers perform while you eat and retell Simba’s story. The themed restaurant menu uses authentic African spices and sauces to deliver a delicious offering. This food was delicious. Highlights include a shrimp curry, spiced roasted chicken, sarabi roasted beef tenderloin salad, and tomato-braised lamb shank.

This restaurant is located in the same spot as the Pixar Coco dinner show onboard the Disney Treasure and Frozen dinner on the Disney Wish.

Restaurant Rotational Dining on Disney Destiny

There are three restaurants onboard the Disney Destiny ship for rotational dining. The three restaurants are the Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King, 1923, and World of Marvel. Disney introduced the rotational dining concept when they launched their first cruise ship. This concept that revolutionized the cruise ship experience means that your entire dining room, including your waiter, busser, and restaurant manager, all rotate with you to your next restaurant. This means that your wait staff will get to know your likes and dislikes by the end of the sailing.

For instance, my aunt prefers water without ice. The first night she said it and then for the rest of the sailing, they had her water waiting for her exactly how she wanted it. This concept is one element, especially on longer sailings, that makes Disney Cruise Line so special.

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What’s Not as Good About Disney Destiny

Disney has already launched two ships in their Triton Class of ships. This is their third. The Disney Destiny, Disney Wish, and Disney Treasure all have the same basic layout and ship structure. This ship layout introduced some key differences from the earlier Disney Cruise Line ships, which remain here. Some of the changes include the removal of a midship elevator, shift in where gift shops are, and changes to the layout of the top deck.

While Disney did work to improve the layout changes that they could after receiving guest feedback on the Disney Wish, there were only certain things that they could change. Some spaces were opened up on the Disney Treasure and now the Disney Destiny. There were also design changes brought in here to cover up some of the previous issues with the design.

As I reflected on in my review of the Disney Treasure, none of these issues are deal breakers for the ship. This list should serve as more of a heads up about certain elements onboard.

Generally, all of the spaces onboard the Disney Destiny and Disney Treasure are marked improvements from the Disney Wish. There is just one space that I felt was a bit haphazard and lacking on board the Disney Destiny.

Grand Hall On Disney Destiny

Where the Disney Treasure overdelivered in the Grand Hall space, the Disney Destiny didn’t quite line up.

The Disney Destiny Grand Hall is inspired by the lore and distinctive iconography of the Marvel Black Panther films. The centerpiece of the hall is a statue of the Black Panther character. The room is the grand stage for different heroes and villains’ shows across the entire voyage. This is also where you first step onto the ship.

The entertainment here was superb, but the space itself felt minimalist when compared to the Disney Treasure Grand Hall. The comparison may just be one of preferred design styles, because the Destiny hall is more modern in places where the Disney Treasure Grand Hall feels detailed down to every single inch. I went home raving about the craftsmanship of the Treasure hall. In this case, the hall feels like it delivers on the modern spaces of Wakanda, but that it doesn’t gel as well with the classic ocean liner luxury of Disney Cruise Line.

I had wondered how they would bridge the elegance of Disney Cruise Line with the heroes and villains theme that I perceived as more comic book pop art. They delivered in every other aspect of the ship besides the Grand Hall. In the hall, the attempt to bring modern glass railings and what appears to be fiber optic light strips just doesn’t connect as strongly for me. This is a space that I was excited to see realized, but just fell a little bit flat for me.

Interestingly, there is one aspect of the hall on the second story where there is a large Black Panther tile mosaic that is quite stunning. It feels very similar to the Grand Hall style on the Disney Treasure. I would have liked to see more detail in here to bridge the gap of the cruise line luxury with the modern version of the Black Panther hall they tried to create.

The best moments in the Grand Hall were the Marvel moments, which included the lighting package that took over the entire room as seen above. There is also a good night moment here with drum music from the Black Panther soundtrack. The lighting during the moment brought a special kind of Marvel magic that brought more life into the space.

Lack of Pool on Main Deck of the Ship

There are lots of smaller pools scattered throughout the Disney Destiny. The only negative is that there is this big open space on the top deck where it feels like there should be a big pool, but no large pool exists. It stands out when comparing the ship to other pool layouts in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. There was clearly a decision to open up this space for live performances and entertainment. Those shows were also a highlight for me, so I guess you have to pick and choose priorities.

While there isn’t a main pool, there are lots of fun water areas on board. The Aqua Mouse water roller coaster that loops all the way around the ship has a unique storyline just for the Disney Destiny. The story features Disney villains, including the Evil Queen, Scar, and Chernabog. This water roller coaster is always lots of fun.

Generally, the pool areas are scattered throughout the ship and feel disjointed at times. There are two kids’ pool areas far from the main deck and a couple of dead ends that are not intuitive.

Adult Areas Onboard Disney Destiny

The main outdoor adult area is in the far back of the ship, with only one way in to access the area and the accompanying Cove Bar and Cove Cafe. The main pool here is a shallow infinity pool. There is also one hot tub back here. This is the only hot tub that isn’t located in the extra-charge spa area and is consistently full.

Beyond the pool, the adult spaces in midship are also spread across a couple of different floors. Unlike the previous class of ship, there is no nightlife space with all of the offerings in one space, which means that late in the evening, you have to walk between different spaces to see what is still going on. This is different from the Disney Fantasy and Dream, where all the adult venues are in one space, and all the teen venues are in another.

No Track Around the Ship

The ship does not have a track around the ship the way that the older classes of ships do. There is a looping running path around the ship, but it has steep stairs in the middle on either side that interrupt the run.

That said, there is a nice workout area with plenty of space. There are a variety of weight machines, including multiple Pelotons. The gym is plenty big with large windows. I like this space more than the gyms on the older ships that felt quite enclosed.

Wish We Could Have Been Onboard Disney Destiny For Far Longer

There is so much to enjoy on board the Disney Destiny ship. From the special villain interactions to the Haunted Mansion Parlor to the fantastic dining options, the three days onboard this new Disney Cruise ship just isn’t enough time to take it all in.

Our preview sailing was just three days and they fit a ton into that time, including the christening of the new ship. The new ship kicks off its inaugural season with four and five night sailings.

This should be a general note on cruising. I highly recommend booking at least a four night cruise so that you have enough time to get into vacation mode before you disembark on your final day.

Is Disney Destiny Right Disney Cruise Ship For You?

Throughout this review of the Disney Destiny, you should have gotten a sense of the incredible elements of this new ship. I enjoyed the different spaces and offerings onboard. The entertainment dazzled, and the service was impeccable.

The ship goes deeper with Disney intellectual property than any of the others in the fleet. This is the first time that they have leaned heavily into the Marvel presence on one of the Disney ships. All the characters feel more present here than in any of the other ships in the fleet. Even with the expanded presence, their addition does not feel forced. The theming is comparable to the Disney Treasure, with detailed and immersive designs that go beyond the look of the older classes of ships that lean more into the classic ocean liner aesthetic.

Even if you are not a big fan of Marvel stories, the ship never feels overwhelming. For example, one lounge is themed to Dr. Strange. While you may not catch every reference, the space is inviting and easy to enjoy. Not all guests may recognize the levitating spell books in the wrought iron over the booths, but everyone can enjoy the live music and enjoy a drink with family and friends. The Marvel theming is balanced with more traditional Disney stories. The Cruella de Vil lounge for instance, is a standout that resonates with Disney fans of all ages.

The ship is a great Disney Cruise Line option for families. The Disney Hercules show alone makes this stand out as something special within the fleet. The additional fun of the smaller entertainment offerings are something special here. It feels like the entertainment team unlocked another layer of offerings.

If you are considering booking a cruise, be sure to work with our travel partner. You’ll get up to a $400 onboard credit when you book qualifying cruises. They also have deals on all other cruise lines. Get a no-obligation quote here >

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