This afternoon we set sail from Miami, and we have some very special friends joining us. Part of the Disney Cruise Line social media team will be sharing our voyage with you on Facebook and Twitter, so you can join in on the fun, too.

They stopped by to say hello earlier today and asked me to share their video shout out with you. Take a look…

Be sure to follow all of their adventures on the Disney Cruise Line Facebook page and on Twitter @DisneyCruise.

Bon voyage!

Read the posts below for more news from Disney Cruise Line:

• Sailing the Mediterranean with Disney Cruise Line in 2014
• Disney Cruise Line Unveils New 2014 Itineraries and Ports
• Disney Cruise Line’s Return to Europe this Summer

Tagged: DCL, Video

Filed: Disney Cruise Line

Earlier today, Jonathan told you more about how your family can spend time in Europe during the summer of 2014 with a variety of Disney cruise vacations. As if it wouldn’t be amazing enough to travel the Mediterranean with Disney Cruise Line, we’ve just announced you can also enjoy an Adventures by Disney trip – at the same time! It just keeps getting better, doesn’t it?

For many of the Disney Cruise Line European itineraries, including five-, seven-, nine- and 12-night options, you can enhance your voyage with group guided, all-inclusive port experiences from Adventures by Disney, plus exclusive activities and VIP privileges both on and off the ship. Your two Adventure Guides will sail with you, making sure your entire trip is completely carefree. Adventures by Disney plans activities in each port that showcase the best of the destination and include unique excursions developed just for you.

Here’s a quick look at some of the Disney Cruise Line itineraries that can be enhanced with an Adventures by Disney experience:

• 5- and 7-night cruises from Barcelona to France, Monaco and Italy
• 9-night cruise from Venice to the Greece and Turkey
• 12-night cruise from Barcelona to France, Monaco, Italy, Greece and Croatia
• 12-night cruise from Barcelona to Malta, Greece, Turkey and Italy
• 12-night cruise from Barcelona to France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Malta

For most cruises sailing out of Spain, you can also add a four-day Adventures by Disney experience to explore the best of Barcelona just before your cruise. You’ll spend three nights at a beautiful hotel and fill your days with unique adventures like watching an electrifying Spanish flamenco show and exploring the incredible Montserrat monk retreat embedded in the mountainside. Your two expert Adventure Guides will take care of all the details – including transportation from the airport to the hotel and then from the hotel to the port – so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

Coming up, I’ll give you a look at some of these Adventures by Disney experiences in more detail. Until then, let me know in the comments if you think a summer in Europe with Disney might be in your future!


Check out these posts for more updates about Adventures by Disney:

• Educational Experiences With Adventures by Disney
• Adventures by Disney Launches Tours Specifically for Multi-Generational Families
• Exploring Costa Rica with Adventures by Disney

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Filed: Adventures by Disney

Yesterday I shared some pretty exciting news … Disney Cruise Line will once again be sailing the Mediterranean in 2014, home porting in both Venice, Italy, and Barcelona, Spain, with brand new destinations and a wide variety of cruise lengths.

It will be the first time we’ve departed from Venice, not only giving guests the chance to stay overnight in this charming city during the cruise, but also the option to see more of the Greek Isles than ever before.

The new 9-night Venice to Greek Isles cruise stops at four ports in Greece (Katakolon, Piraeus, Rhodes and Mykonos) plus Kusadasi, Turkey, before returning to Venice for an overnight stay. Check out this video showcasing some of what you may see on this cruise:

Other European options available next summer include:

• 4-night cruise from Barcelona with two stops in Spain (Palma, Mallorca and Ibiza)
• 5- and 7-night cruises from Barcelona to France (Villefranche) and Italy (La Spezia and Civitavecchia, plus Naples on the 7-night itinerary)
• 12-night cruises from Barcelona to France (Villefranche), Italy (La Spezia and Civitavecchia), Greece (Piraeus and Mykonos), Turkey (Kusadasi) and Malta (Valletta)
• 12-night cruises from Barcelona to France (Villefranche), Italy (La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples and Venice), Croatia (Dubrovnik) and Malta (Valletta)
• 12-night cruises from Barcelona (ending in Venice) to France (Villefranche), Italy (La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples, Catania and Venice), Greece (Corfu) and Croatia (Dubrovnik)
• 12-night cruises from Venice (ending in Barcelona) to Greece (Piraeus, Rhodes, Heraklion, Mykonos and Santorini), Turkey (Kusadasi) and Malta (Valleta)

I hope this information helps as you begin planning your 2014 summer vacation. Now that you have more details, which itinerary are you leaning toward choosing for your family?

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Filed: Disney Cruise Line

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?

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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!

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How do you cultivate educational experiences for your children?

Last week on my Disney cruise, I was pleased to meet several parents who viewed their trip as not just a vacation but also as a learning opportunity for their children. Whether it was an authentic cultural experience on a Port Adventure, or an educational craft in a youth club, these parents sought out how to expand their children’s knowledge and understanding of the world through a family vacation.

Not surprisingly, families are doing the same thing with Adventures by Disney trips. In this video, which was first shared on the Disney Post, Director of Trip Development Heather Killingbeck explains how Adventures by Disney creates immersive itineraries that engage, excite and educate families.

Do you agree with Heather’s perspective on travel? What are some of the ways you use real-world experiences to teach your children outside the classroom?

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Filed: Adventures by Disney

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