Discovering Destiny! My First Cruise!
I recently sailed on the Disney Destiny, and it was unforgettable! This was not only my first Disney Cruise but my first cruise EVER, so you can imagine my excitement (I know, I’m VERY spoiled!) I’m eager to share what surprised and amazed me!
Truthfully, I went into this with a very small part of me that was worried that going with a group of adults on a “work” trip might be… boring. Spoiler alert, I was INCREDIBLY wrong. Sure, we had a pretty packed itinerary; however, we still got to experience tons of the magic, and even with four days, there were still things we didn’t have time for. (So that’s how they keep you coming back!)
But let’s start at the beginning!
The moment you board the ship and your traveling party is announced to the Grand Hall…it nearly gave me goosebumps! At many points during the trip, I forgot we were on the ocean, and this was no exception, even if we were still docked. The Wakanda theme and the powerful statue of T’Challa in the Grand Hall set my expectations, and the Destiny kept delivering.
From here, we had time before the muster drill, so we started exploring. This is EASILY the moment where you could get hit with analysis paralysis, which makes me give a shout-out to the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, which comes in clutch! Being able to see all upcoming events and build your own itinerary for the day really sets cruising apart from other trips.
We headed to the Haunted Mansion Parlor. This was certainly my favorite lounge on the ship, and the atmosphere was spooky and bewitching. As much as I thought Cask & Cannon would win me over, the sheer detail of the Haunted Mansion Parlor could leave you spellbound!
This is a good time to mention that if you have a moment, sneak over to one of the Haunted Mansion: Happy Hunt terminals for a ghost hunt spanning the entire ship! We did this on our sea day, but if I could go back, I would start hunting at the beginning of the cruise. That way, you can find/collect the ghosts as you travel around during the sailing instead of running all over the ship to find them! Especially after long days of walking and standing. You will thank me later.
Pro tip: make sure your MagicBand is up to date and fully charged! The ghosts are very picky…
Being reminded of that ghost hunt got me hungry, so let’s talk dining! Our rotation for the 4-night cruise was Worlds of Marvel, Pridelands: Feast of the Lion King x 2 (no performance when dining on Pirate Night), and 1923. I think the first thing that surprised me was that the Cast Members who make up your dining serving team are the same for each night’s meal! Having them remember not only your name but also special preferences, like my drink consisting of Coke Zero with a hint of Blueberry Acai Vitamin Water, made it feel super bougie. Also, don’t judge me, it tastes like cream soda! But having the same team of Cast Members for each dining room lets you form a genuine connection, chat freely about your dining experience, and get their honest recommendations!
Truthfully, I wasn’t blown away by the food on the ship. But I don’t think that is a bad thing, and let me explain! Disney does an amazing job of offering traditional foods while also giving you the option to explore new dishes if you’re feeling adventurous! If you have picky eaters, they will find something they can enjoy; however, I’m a sucker for outlandish foods. Though I had some great dishes, nothing really scratched that itch. But when you can order as much as you like…you tend to give them a passing score.
Notably, things I enjoyed were the Cape Malay Shrimp Curry (Pridelands), Curried Apricot Chicken Sosatles (Pridelands), 1923 Peppered Filet Migon (1923), Buena Vista Soft Shell Tacos (1923), and Tia Dalma’s Jerk Chicken (Pridelands – Pirates In the Caribbean menu). Not to mention the sheer amount of cheesecake!
Even though I didn’t think the food was a highlight, the dining areas themselves were! I think the weakest of the three was Worlds of Marvel, which was disappointing as a Marvel fan. I think there was so much potential for fun here that was just missed. Maybe miniature dishes with an Ant-Man-themed design, or something a little more interesting than Marvel trivia happening during dinner. Especially when the next night we had Pridelands: Feast of the Lion King and… Holy moly, I was BLOWN away by the performance! The restaurant itself feels like you are at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, and if it weren’t for the rocking of the ship, I wouldn’t have known I was on the ocean.
Saving the best for last, 1923 was an absolute treat! I’m a sucker for concept art and the creative process, and seeing all the drawings and Disney history around the restaurant made me want to explore more than eat. If you have the chance, I would recommend taking the guided tour of the ship, as there is so much to see that you won’t have time to appreciate it once you’re hungry from a full day!
Now, let’s go walk off some of that food! What better way to do that than to talk about the two islands we stopped at during our sailing! We visited both the beautiful Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Disney Castaway Cay on our loop.
The weather was fantastic on our cruise! Nice and windy, so not overbearingly hot. Even though the water was a tad cold, we had an amazing beach day at both islands! Where Castaway Cay was definitely your more traditional Caribbean experience with beach, water, and fun under the sun that you would come to expect, Lookout Cay had a unique vibe. It was less Disney-focused and more about traditional Bahamian art and culture!
Back onboard the ship, there was still PLENTY to do! Firstly, the pool deck was stunning! Playing Disney Movies on the massive Funnel screen all day with the pool and food close by! The perfect place for parents to “relax” while the kids run rampant! I use “relax” loosely, as the pool deck is beautiful chaos, with the exciting AquaMouse looming overhead for a fun waterslide experience! There was even an adults-only area as well for those trying to find some peace and relaxation while on the seas!
Now, even though our group didn’t have a whole lot of time to vibe on the pool deck, we still had tons to experience! Something is ALWAYS going on! We were even lucky enough to get the option of an early screening of Hoppers on our ship before it came to the theatres! Whether we were meeting the villains, losing at Bingo, or seeing one of the shows, we were always on the go!
Disney doesn’t miss when it comes to their stage performances, and Hercules was no exception! I was most excited for this, and it did not disappoint! From the cast to the monster designs, I was captivated throughout the whole performance! However, I wanted to give Frozen a shout-out as well; the actor playing Elsa blew me away with her vocals!
I think the biggest highlight of this trip that I didn’t anticipate was the adult-only games/activities held at the Saga lounge. Big shout-out to Yo-Yo, Matthew, Nano, and the other entertainment Cast Members! They made the cruise so memorable with some amazing laughs and shenanigans!
At first, my introverted self was anxious about attending these events, but by the end of the cruise, I was really looking forward to them! The Destiny’s resident storytellers, Zayah and Gamble, also brought so much personality to shows like Elixir Hall, a Marvel comedy performance! I really underestimated how fun it would be, expecting it to be very lukewarm, and I was super surprised by how many genuine laughs I had!
Jeez, how long have I been rambling…Let’s try to wrap things up! There is no way I could truly cover everything without a WALL of text. Plus, it’s so much better to experience it firsthand!
Overall, my biggest takeaway from this cruise is that you can’t truly outgrow Disney, and I can’t wait for my next cruise!
~Zac
