The secret is out! Disney Cruise Line is returning to Europe and Alaska in 2014 – with brand new destinations – and offering Southern Caribbean cruises from Puerto Rico for the first time ever!

There are several new itinerary options for the Mediterranean sailings, so I’ll follow up with a second post tomorrow including more details. For now, I’ll cover the highlights…

From May to August 2014, the Disney Magic will sail four-, five-, seven-, nine- and 12-night cruises in the Mediterranean, including new destinations in the Greek Isles and Sicily for the very first time.

Also new for the 2014 European season, we will use Venice, Italy, as a homeport for select sailings. During these cruises, the Disney Magic overnights in Venice, giving guests the opportunity to experience an evening in the spectacular city.

Other big news is that for the first time ever, we will homeport in Puerto Rico. The Disney Magic will sail seven-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean, departing September 20, September 27, October 4, and October 11 from San Juan and visiting Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada, Barbados and St. Kitts.

And finally, the Disney Wonder will return to Alaska for another summer season, sailing seven-night cruises from Vancouver to Tracy Arm fjord, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Plus, we added one special nine-night sailing that includes a stop at Sitka, departing May 24.

Whew! That was a lot of new info! We’ll be giving you more details, photos and videos over the coming weeks – so stay tuned! Which one of these new itineraries are you most excited about?

Tagged: DCL, Disney Magic, Disney Wonder

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

Summer is just around the corner, and before you know it, the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic will be halfway across the world from each other! I gave you a glimpse at what the Disney Wonder’s time in Alaska will be like, and now I want to give you a look at some of the sites you may see during the Disney Magic’s upcoming three-month Mediterranean season.

Europe destinations brand new to Disney for 2013 include Venice, Athens, the Greek Isles, Turkey and Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, and you’re going to love the special Port Adventures we have planned for these locales. Stay tuned for updates soon!

Tagged: DCL, Disney Magic, Video

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

If you’ve read my last two posts about my adventures in Grand Cayman and Cozumel, or if you’ve been following @DisneyCruise on Twitter, you already know I had some pretty cool experiences on my 6-night voyage from Galveston, Texas, to the Western Caribbean.

With three days at sea, I had lots of time to explore the Disney Magic and plenty to keep me busy! Today, I want to tell you about some of the lesser known adult-exclusive activities onboard.

The Art of Theme Show tour is a brand-new discovery for me, and it’s something you should do on your next cruise, especially if artistic design and detail interest you. This tour takes you through various venues on the ship, explaining the choices behind names, color palette, materials, art and much more. The tour guide also reveals some very interesting facts you may never learn otherwise. For example, did you know that the name of the adult-only restaurant, Palo, is a tribute to Venice, the birth city to the Magic? The word itself means “pole” and is used in the streets of Venice to tie up the boats.

The Art of Entertaining culinary demonstrations show guests how to make some of their favorite dishes from the cruise. In the first session, the chef whipped up a yummy appetizer – Warm Water Lobster, Alaskan Crab Leg and Shrimp Martini – and, of course, gave us the complete recipe so we can make it ourselves at home. Doesn’t it look like we are on the set of a cooking television show?

On some cruises from Galveston, there is a special tasting offered for guests to experience Texas wines. I can’t recall tasting a wine from Texas before then, and I must say, I really enjoyed each one. If wine isn’t your thing, you’ll also find tastings for beer and specialty cocktails, all hosted by a very knowledgeable sommelier.

No matter your interests or your age, there’s something you’ll enjoy at all times on a Disney ship. Lounging on deck during the day and watching the live stage shows at night no doubt makes for a fantastic cruise, but I challenge you to experience new entertainment, too, each time you cruise with Disney.

Thanks for coming along on my voyage! Now I’d love to hear from you…what are some of the fun things your family likes to do on a Disney ship that others may not know about?


Look below to read more posts about Holly’s Disney cruise to the Western Caribbean:

• Disney Cruise Line Voyage Report: Adventures in Cozumel
• Disney Cruise Line Voyage Report: Adventures in Grand Cayman
• Disney Cruise Line Voyage Report: Texas to Western Caribbean

Tagged: DCL, Disney Magic

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

Hello, I’m Stephen Walker, the Fleet Culinary Standards and Consistency Chef for Disney Cruise Line. I first joined Disney Cruise Line as a Chef de Cuisine on the Disney Magic in 2000, and then I served as Executive Chef on the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder from 2002 until 2008. Now, I work shoreside, where one of the areas I oversee is the Disney Cruise Line menu creation.

We’ve gotten a great response to the Disney Cruise Line recipes posted recently, so I’ll be sharing more of those with you on a regular basis. The dish I want to share with you today is Marinated Lamb Chops with Couscous Tabbouleh and Mint Mojo, a guest favorite at Cabanas on the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream.

Bon appetit!

Marinated Lamb Chops with Couscous Tabbouleh and Mint Mojo
Serves 4

Lamb Chops
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
8 to 10 lamb chops
Light olive oil, for cooking

Couscous Tabbouleh
2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 (10-ounce) box couscous
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 European cucumber, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Mint Mojo
1 1/2 cups mint jelly
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 bunch mint leaves (about 1 packed cup)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For lamb chops:

1. Whisk together oil, lemon zest and juice, oregano, cumin, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add garlic. Add lamb chops and turn to coat.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
3. Remove chops from refrigerator and shake off excess marinade. Set aside.
   Heat a large grill pan or skillet over high heat. Brush pan lightly with oil. Add chops and cook 2 1/2 minutes per side for medium-rare.

For couscous tabbouleh:

1. Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Meanwhile, place couscous in a medium heatproof bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. When stock boils, carefully pour over couscous; cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside 5 minutes.
2. Uncover and fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in lime zest and juice, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add tomatoes, garlic, onion, cucumber, cilantro, and chickpeas. Stir to combine.

For mint mojo:

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until well combined.

To serve:

• Spoon a portion of couscous into the center of a plate; place 2 lamb chops onto the couscous. Drizzle mint mojo around the plate and garnish with a sprig of mint, if desired.

Tagged: DCL, Recipe

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

What a week! Today, we returned to Galveston, Texas, after a fun-filled voyage to the Western Caribbean. Not only did I have a blast on the ship (more on that later), I made incredible memories during Port Adventures in Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

I already told you about some of my adventures in the Caymans, and today I want to show you sights from Cozumel.

First we journeyed to the center of the island of Cozumel to explore Mayan ruins. I loved learning more about this ancient civilization from our private tour guide, Jose, who shared interesting tidbits with us all day. Plus, I didn’t expect to actually spot the iguanas he told us about, but they were everywhere!

After leaving the ruins, we took a gorgeous scenic drive along the east coast of the island. We saw a few people taking a dip in a tidal pool, but mostly we passed untouched, pristine beaches and large waves crashing up against the rocky coast.

Once we reached the west side with the calmer ocean, we spent the rest of the afternoon soaking up the sun on a beautiful golden beach. There were plenty of activities, with a pool, volleyball net and water trampoline, but the kids were happy just building sand castles and the adults relaxing on the loungers.

Be sure to check back next week to hear about some of the fun things I did onboard the Disney Magic during our three beautiful days at sea!

Tagged: DCL, Disney Magic

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

Hello from the Caribbean! Right now, I’m on a Disney Magic cruise that departed from Galveston, Texas, last Saturday. Hopefully you’ve been following along on Twitter, joining the #DCLTexas fun with @DisneyCruise.

Yesterday we hit up our first destination, the charming Cayman Islands, where we tendered at Georgetown, Grand Cayman. With the view I had from the ship that morning, I knew it was going to be a good day.

 
After being greeted by the islanders, we hopped on a bus with a friendly tour guide who gave us a rundown of the sites (including the many banks) as we drove to Hell and back. Despite the name of this unique limestone formation, the gift shop staff was very friendly and welcoming, even decorating visitors’ passports with an official stamp from Hell.

Next, we hopped on a boat to the world-famous, and breathtakingly beautiful, Stingray City, where we saw tons of these beautiful creatures.

Today we’re stopped in Cozumel, which I can’t wait to explore. I’ll check back in with you later. Hasta la vista!

Check out these posts for more updates from Disney Cruise Line:

• Disney VoluntEARS Spend ‘A Day at the Beach’ to Help Keep Florida’s Coastline Clean
• Disney Cruise Line Prepares for 2013 Summer in Alaska
• Disney Cruise Line Voyage Report: Texas to Western Caribbean

Tagged: DCL, Disney Magic

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

More than 150 VoluntEARS from Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line did their part on Friday, January 25, to help clean up a stretch of beach along Florida’s coastline.

With temperatures in the 70s that turned this January morning into a perfect day at the beach, Disney VoluntEARS worked alongside friends, family and community partners from Keep Brevard Beautiful, the United States Coast Guard and the Canaveral Port Authority.

By the end of the cleanup, the team cleared more than 250 pounds of trash and debris from coastal areas near the Disney Cruise Line terminal in Port Canaveral. Picking up litter keeps our shores pristine and safe for beachgoers to enjoy, while also preventing trash from harming wildlife such as sea turtles, birds and fish.

Disney VoluntEARS have supported local coastal cleanup efforts for almost two decades. Their commitment has contributed to the removal of approximately 40,000 pounds of trash along fragile waterways.

Nice work for a day at the beach!

Tagged: DCL, VoluntEARS, WDW

Filed: Community Outreach, Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World Resort