Booking
If you’re looking for the best price possible, book your cruise early. Using Orbitz is a good idea, because they provide lots of information regarding your cruise and always offer specials. The Orbitz website will also offer advice on the best staterooms to fit your budget. The top staterooms go fast, which is another reason to book early.

Packing
Make a list of things that you want to bring with you. Make sure you include your passport, sunscreen, a bathing suit and clothes for both warm and cooler temperatures. A light jacket is a good idea. Dinner dress is cruise casual, meaning no tank tops, bathing suits or shorts. If you are taking a European cruise, there will be one formal dinner, so pack accordingly. Don’t forget your camera. Bring an autograph book for when the kids see the Disney characters.

Activities
One of the nicest things about a Disney cruise is that they offer activities for all ages. Pools are designed to keep everyone happy, including one that’s adults-only, for those who need a bit of time away from the children. Youth activities are abundant. Disney Cruise Line offers youth clubs, broken up into age groups, so no one will get bored. There’s even a lounge exclusively for teenagers. There are several areas that are only for the adults, including a restaurant. Other activities include aerobics, spas, shows, drawing classes, deck parties and even Velcro golf.

Castaway Cay
Shore excursions are a must for any cruise, and Disney offers one of the most unique. Castaway Cay is Disney’s privately owned island in the Bahamas. With sandy white beaches and crystal clear water, it’s unlike any place you’ve ever seen. While you’re there you can snorkel, enjoy a message, go parasailing, ride a bike and even feed stingrays. There are three beaches: one for families, one for teens and one for adults. Child care is available, and the kids will have even more chances to meet characters. Your excursion to Castaway Cay will be one that you’ll never forget.

Castaway Cay is a beautiful private island located in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Guests. Guests can enjoy snorkeling, boating, swimming, exploring and the best thing of all relaxation. Castaway Cay is 3.1 by 2.2 miles in size and features a post office with its own unique Castaway Cay postmark. When your cruise ship pulls into port along dock, observe the Flying Dutchman, a pirate ship used in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

Coconut Hidden Mickey – Photo Shoot Background
You can find this weeks Hidden Mickey in one of your own photos and you probably didn’t even notice. Across from where the tram loads a short walk from the ship exit you will find it. On the photo background when you enter Castaway Cay from the ship there is a coconut lotion barrel and on the barrel is a small Mickey created with three coconuts. View the pictures below to see it. You can also check out your own photos to see if you captured it yourself. Happy Hunting.

Pictures:

• Castaway Cay Photospot
• Castaway Cay Photospot Circled
• Castaway Cay Photospot Enlarged

Video:

Disney Cruise Line Creating More Magic at Castaway Cay

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The Disney Wonder will be stationed on the West Coast in 2011 with sailings to Alaska in the Summer and the Mexican Rivera during the other times of the year.

• 7-Night Mexican Riviera Disney Cruise
• 10-Night Mexican Riviera Cruise
• 8-Night Mexican Riviera Holiday Cruise
• 15-Night Panama Canal Cruise
• Disney Cruise Line sail dates

Mexican Riviera Disney Cruises
Ending the 2011 summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder Cruise Ship will sail 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

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Walt Disney World is about to break ground on a three-year project to expand Fantasyland. Among the new features will be a separate village for each of the Disney princesses. The Dumbo ride will also double in size, and park guests will be treated to a three-ring circus and carnival games while they wait in line.

The theme park is also planning a special promotion during nights this summer. In early June, the Main Street Electrical Parade will return to the Magic Kingdom along with a new fireworks spectacular. There will also be new lighting effects and a new drop sequence at Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney Cruise Lines is adding two new ships: The Disney Dream will sail in 2011, and the Disney Fantasy will begin service in 2012.

One of the ships will feature an onboard watercoaster that allows guest to ride on rafts through glass tubes high above the ship. In addition, Disney will soon offer cruises that stop in the northern European capitals, as well as trips to Alaska. Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay, is also getting a makeover.

Disney also announced a new partnership between its Wide World of Sports complex and ESPN. The two will work together to relaunch the complex with more interactive exhibits.

Disney’s announcement of all its new projects comes just weeks before the much-anticipated opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando.

The Disney Wonder will be stationed on the West Coast in 2011 with sailings to Alaska in the Summer and the Mexican Rivera during the other times of the year.

• 7-Night Alaska Disney Cruise
• 6-Night Los Angeles to Vancouver Cruise
• 5-Night Vancouver to Los Angeles Cruise
• Disney Cruise Line sail dates

Click Here for more information.

Alaskan Disney Cruises
It’s a Disney Cruise Line first! The Disney Wonder Cruise Ship is sailing to Alaska for a four-month season of 7-night cruises in 2011. Departing out of Vancouver, B.C., the ship will call on popular ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.

The first Alaskan cruise sets sail on May 3, 2011, with the last cruise of the season scheduled for Aug. 30, 2011.

AquaDuck

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Here’s an overview, video and concept art of the new features and locations you’ll find on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Dream which sets sail in 2011. See the AquaDuck, the Virtual Portholes in the Inside Cabins and more. Footage courtesy of Disney.

Disney Dream

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