Disney Cruise Line’s latest ship brings Disney’s mix of characters, themed spaces, immersive experiences and family entertainment to Singapore, with plenty on board for both children and adults
What
The highly anticipated Disney Adventure has arrived and will call Singapore home, where she will be based for the next five years. As the first Disney Cruise Line ship to be homeported in Asia, she is also the cruise line’s first vessel not built from scratch but acquired and later given a US$1.8 billion retrofit. The ship will operate three- and four-night cruises to the open sea from Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore.
Facilities
As with any Disney Cruise Line vessel, Disney Adventure offers a range of activities to keep both young passengers and the young at heart occupied during the cruise. There are seven themed areas: Disney Imagination Garden, Disney Discovery Reef, San Fransokyo Street, Wayfinder Bay, Town Square, Marvel Landing and Toy Story Place.
Included in the cruise fare are clubs for kids, tweens and teens. The Oceaneer Club for children aged three to 10 features a Toy Story-themed indoor playground, a rollercoaster simulator where they can design and ride their own coaster, Fairytale Hall for meeting Disney Princesses, the Marvel Web Workshop with interactive stations, and the Walt Disney Imagineering Lab where kids can create things such as cosmic goo with Stitch. Registered children receive a Magicband to wear on their wrist, allowing them to tap in and out easily.
For those aged 11 to 14, there is the Edge club, while Vibe is designed exclusively for teenagers aged 14 to 17. Both provide social spaces with table tennis, board games, video games and movies. Vibe also features a foosball table.
There are also open house periods where adults can visit these clubs to take part in family activities.
Younger children can be cared for at the It’s A Small World Nursery – which also includes Mickey & Minnie’s Captain Deck – available at an hourly charge. The facility includes cribs, diaper changing tables and play areas with age-appropriate toys, as well as interactive features such as a captain’s control panel.
For those looking to spend time by the water, there are several pool areas on board, including the Infinity Pool and Infinity Bar, and the Wayfinder Bay wading pool, which hosts night-time music with a live DJ. Children can enjoy Toy Story-themed water play areas with a pool and water slides.
The ship also has a medical centre, where seasickness pills are provided free, a laundry area as well as a fitness centre and a spa with heated loungers, a steam room and sauna.
On deck five is a shopping arcade offering souvenirs and essentials such as diapers and medication. Additional speciality shops are located on decks 10 and 11.
Concierge guests also have access to a private lounge, sun deck, pool, shops, fitness centre and spa.
Room
I was given an Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah, which my children and I found comfortable. We enjoyed sitting on the deck chairs and admiring the ocean. The room was clean, and what I particularly appreciated were the separate shower with sink in one bathroom, and the toilet with sink in another.
Amenities such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap and lotion were provided, along with plush towels by Frette. There was even a dark make-up towel – a thoughtful and practical touch.
The room had an open-concept wardrobe with top and bottom clothes bars, and plenty of hangers. There was also a closed cabinet with deep shelves, a pull-out table for room service, a vanity stool, a hairdryer, a safe with an innovative lock system, and a kettle along with Bacha Coffee and TWG tea sachets.
All the walls are magnetic, so my magnetic hooks came in handy. The stateroom door and walls are also magnetic, so we had fun decorating our door with cruise-themed magnets we brought from home.
Convenient charging outlets, including USB, two-pin and three-pin plugs, are located near the bed and dressing table.
Other room types available on the ship include Inside Staterooms, Ocean View Staterooms, Garden View Staterooms, and Reef View Staterooms, with a choice of verandah. Concierge rooms comprise of staterooms and suites.
F&B
Disney cruises offer rotational dining, a feature across all Disney ships. This allows guests to experience most of the restaurants while being served by the same staff at the same table throughout the cruise. The idea is for the staff to become familiar with guests’ preferences and be aware of any allergies or dietary restrictions.
While this is a thoughtful concept, it did not always play out fully during our meals. Although the staff remembered our names, we occasionally had to remind them of our dining preferences. It may also help if staff check with parents before bringing additional desserts to the children, as some were not ordered and ended up going uneaten.
I had sit-down dinners at Navigator’s Club, which featured song and dance performances and appearances by Captain Mickey Mouse and friends; Animator’s Palate, where diners are invited to sketch their own characters before the meal, only to see their drawings later brought to life on screen in animated form; and Pixar Market Restaurant, where each section was themed after a Pixar film, such as Ratatouille, Cars and Monsters University.
The menus at all three restaurants served a variety of Western and Asian dishes, and children get their own menus, often with activities to keep them occupied. Diners can also order more than one entrée, main or dessert.
The other three restaurants in the rotational dining programme are Hollywood Spotlight Club, which also features show performances; Animator’s Table, which follows a similar drawing concept to Animator’s Palate; and Enchanted Summer Restaurant, decorated with themes from Frozen and Tangled.
Besides the sit-down dinners, Pixar Market Restaurant and Enchanted Summer Restaurant also serve buffet breakfasts and lunches, offering a mix of Asian, Indian and Western dishes, along with plenty of fruit and desserts. At breakfast, keep an eye out for the Mickey-shaped waffles and Mickey-shaped churro waffles – a fun and sweet treat.
And of course, the famous Mickey Mouse ice cream bars make an appearance too, though they are only available during dinner and you will need to ask the staff for one.
Other included dining spots are Cosmic Kebabs for Middle Eastern fare, Mowgli’s Eatery for Indian dishes, Gramma Tala’s Kitchen for Asia-Pacific flavours, and Stitch’s Ohana Grill for burgers and hot dogs. There is also Wheezy’s Freezies for soft serve ice cream (with gluten-free cones available), and Pizza Planet, which stays open until midnight. Complimentary 24-hour room service is also available.
Additional charges apply at Palo Trattoria (Italian), Mike & Sulley’s Flavors of Asia (Japanese), and Bewitching Boba and Brews for bubble milk tea. Drinks at the lounges and bars are also not included. The best coffee I had was at Tiana’s Bayou Lounge, accompanied by jazz music, a hot cuppa topped with foam art, and a sweet beignet with chocolate dip.
Entertainment
No one will be bored on a Disney cruise. There are Broadway-style shows at the Walt Disney Theatre, such as Disney Seas: The Adventure, a lively performance filled with song and dance, and Remember, an all-new musical that follows a story of love and longing inspired by the Pixar film WALL-E. I especially enjoyed the latter and even felt tears well up by the end of the show.
Other not-to-be-missed shows on board include Moana: Call of the Sea, Baymax Super Exercise Expo, Duffy and The Friend Ship, Avengers Assemble!, and the fireworks night extravaganza: The Lion King: Celebration in the Sky.
Marvel Landing on the ship’s upper deck is a zone dedicated to all things Marvel. Highlights include three attractions: Groot Galaxy Spin, Pym Quantum Racers and Ironcycle Test Run, the first roller coaster on a Disney Cruise Line ship and the longest at sea, spanning more than 250m – I was lucky to get a chance to ride this, and it is way more thrilling and faster than it looks!
My teen spent most of his time at San Fransokyo Street, which is inspired by Big Hero 6. The area features youth clubs Edge and Vibe for tweens and teens, Baymax Cinemas for Disney films, and the Big Hero Arcade with video games and interactive experiences. Guests can also visit the Duffy and Friends Shop, and may even spot Baymax appearing for meet-and-greet moments.
Guests can use the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app – an essential tool on board – to check show times, book character meet-and-greet photo opportunities, and see where they are scheduled to dine that evening.
Families with children aged three to 12 who dream of becoming royalty can opt for a makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, or join The Royal Society for Friendship and Tea, a paid character dining experience featuring Disney Princesses, music and storytelling.
Service
All the staff were friendly and helpful, and did their best to accommodate guests’ requests. The counsellors in the kids, tweens and teens clubs knew the children by name and kept them engaged, and there were smiles all around. Housekeeping was provided twice a day, and the staff were prompt in meeting our needs. I also had a few matters to sort out at Guest Services, which were resolved in a timely manner.
Verdict
As my first Disney cruise, I had high expectations after seeing many videos and reviews on social media. I can say Disney Adventure did not disappoint. While there were some teething issues, such as technical problems with shows and rides, the crew responded quickly and arranged additional showings where possible. They were also very apologetic, which helped smooth things over. We will certainly be back to cruise on Disney Adventure again, perhaps to try the Concierge experience next time.
Contact details
Website: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/en-sg/ships/adventure
