Should you splurge on a cruise aboard the brand-new Disney Destiny?
I've been sailing with Disney Cruise Line since I was five years old, sailing on ships like Disney Magic and Disney Fantasy to the Caribbean. Still, vacationing on a Wish Class ship had long been a bucket-list experience of mine.
For my 27th birthday, I decided there was no better time to channel my inner child and booked a four-night cruise on the Disney Destiny, sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Castaaway Cay.
After over two decades of experiencing Disney Cruise Line’s classic ships, I was excited to see how the newest (and somewhat controversial) addition to the fleet compared.
In the end, the sailing gave me enough time to experience the ship's exclusive venues, entertainment offerings, and overall atmosphere, although I wish it had been a longer cruise!
Here's my full Disney Destiny cruise ship review, ranging from food to service, accommodations, and more, and concluding with my opinion on whether the vessel is worth the hype.
About the Disney Destiny ship
Debuting in 2025, Disney Destiny is one of the newest ships in the fleet, second only to Disney Adventure, which exclusively sails from Singapore on three and four-night cruises to nowhere.
As one of the newest cruise ships in the world, Disney Destiny has a lot to offer guests. There's more than enough to keep passengers busy — ranging from the adults-only Quiet Cove deck to retail shops, Broadway-caliber shows, complimentary poolside movies, and more.
Here's a full list of the features and amenities available aboard Disney Destiny:
- "it's a small world" nursery!
- Walt Disney Imagineering Lab
- Disney's Oceaneer Club
- Vibe
- Edge
- The Walt Disney Theatre
- Character interactions
- Saga Lounge
- Triton Lounge
- Hero Zone
- AquaMouse water coaster adventure
- The Haunted Mansion Happy Hunt
- Multiple pools and hot tubs
- Toy Story Splash Zone
- Slide-a-saurus Rex family slide
- Wonderland Cinema
- Never Land Cinema
- De Vil's Lounge
- The Haunted Mansion Parlor
- Cask and Cannon
- Senses Spa
- Fitness center
- Quiet Cove adults-only pool
- Untangled Salon
- Hook’s Barbery
- Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
- Pirate night
According to the cruise line, Disney Destiny measures 144,000 gross tons and can accommodate 4,000 passengers. She's home to over 1,550 international crew members and comes in at 1,119 feet long.
Plans are for Disney Destiny to remain in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, offering voyages to The Bahamas and Caribbean, through at least September 2027.
Cruise embarkation
My fiancée and I flew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, one day before our scheduled embarkation. We splurged on a pre-cruise stay at the Conrad, which was a great way to start our vacation on a high note!
Port Everglades is such an easy place to sail from because it's close to the airport and the beach. As such, we didn't have to worry about arranging transportation, like on our Liberty of the Seas cruise out of Southampton, England.
Instead, the terminal was a short Uber ride away. We left the hotel around 11:30 a.m. for our 12:00 p.m. arrival time, getting dropped off just fifteen minutes later.
Embarkation was easy enough. After dropping our luggage off with a porter, we joined the security line and had our travel documentation checked.
Our boarding group (11) was called just as we were beginning to look for a place to sit, and before we knew it, we were walking through the iconic Mickey ears and making our way onto the ship by 12:15 p.m.
Disney cruise verandah room
Since this was a celebratory cruise, my fiancée and I decided to splurge on a balcony cabin. Our Category 5C Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah came to $3,125, or $1,562.50 per person, including gratuities.
Our 243-square-foot cabin was located mid-ship on Deck 6, and we paid a little extra to guarantee we wouldn't be in the forward or aft of the vessel since my fiancée suffers from motion sickness.
We ended up loving the room's location more than we thought. Since it was close to the aft elevator bank, it was easy to run up to the Marceline Market buffet or grab a specialty coffee at Café Merida on Deck 5.
Moving on, the stateroom was typical of that of any cruise balcony cabin, with a queen-size bed, a vanity, an ensuite bathroom, a mini-fridge, safe, a large couch, and storage. That said, there were plenty of subtle magical touches throughout the stateroom that reminded us that we were, in fact, on a Disney cruise.
For starters, there was an elegant mural above the bed, which was inspired by Hercules, along with hidden Mickeys on the lampshades and carpet.
As a newer ship, I expected the stateroom to be outfitted with convenient charging options — and I was right! My cabin on Disney Destiny had multiple USB-C ports and standard outlets (both European and American) near the bed and vanity.
We were also impressed with the available storage. The vanity area, for example, had a dresser with five drawers, while the closet outside the bathroom also had a lot of hanging space and a few built-in cubbies.
Beyond the functionality of the cabin, I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the balcony. During our short four-night sailing, we took full advantage of this space, enjoying room service breakfast on the balcony and quiet afternoons spent reading before getting ready for dinner.
That said, the best part about my Disney cruise verandah was the split bathroom.
This innovative design, which separated the shower and bathtub from the toilet area, meant we could both be in the bathroom at the same time without getting in each other's way.
Not only that, but it felt more upscale than most cruise bathrooms, with white tile, a bathtub, premium sea salt bath products, and a showerhead with solid water pressure.
Overall, I was extremely happy with our Disney cruise verandah. The modern details, well-designed layout, and thoughtful amenities made the cabin feel spacious, practical, and luxurious — exactly what you'd hope for when paying the premium prices for a Disney Cruise Line vacation.
Disney Destiny restaurants and food
Disney Destiny offers a lot of dining choices for guests. Most of the restaurants on the ship are included in your cruise fare, though there are two adult-only specialty restaurants. The vessel also has extra-charge coffee shops and dessert spots.
Here's an overview of the complimentary and specialty dining options aboard the Disney Destiny ship:
Complimentary dining
- Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King
- Worlds of Marvel
- 1923
- Marceline Market
- Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods (Mickey's Smokestack BBQ, Donald's Cantina, Daisy's Pizza Pies, Goofy's Grill, and Minnie's Delights)
Specialty dining
- Edna À La Mode Sweets
- Café Megara
- Café Merida
- Cove Café
- Palo Steakhouse
- Enchanté
With Disney, it's important to understand the cruise line's rotational dining system, as it is unlike any other main dining experience at sea. Each ship has three main dining restaurants, each with its own theme and menu. On Disney Destiny, they include Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King, Worlds of Marvel, and 1923.
During any given sailing, passengers rotate between the dining rooms. In other words, instead of dining in the same restaurant every night, Disney's rotational system ensures that everyone gets to experience each unique venue while keeping the same servers, who follow you from restaurant to restaurant.
Unlike lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival, which have flexible dining options, Disney's dinner experience is more rigid, with guests locked into an early or late dining time for the entire duration of their sailing.
That said, I've found that this structure creates a more personalized experience, as your dining team learns your preferences. Plus, dinner is more than just a meal — it's always something to look forward to!
Overall, my fiancée and I were pleased with the food aboard Disney Destiny. The poolside dining options were surprisingly delicious. In fact, we couldn't get enough of the build-your-own tacos at Donald's Cantina — easily surpassing venues like Royal Caribbean's El Loco Fresh and Carnival's BlueIguana Cantina.
Even the barbecue from Mickey's Smokestack BBQ was worth writing home about (I'm still dreaming about the cornbread months later...)!
All that to say, Disney really hit it out of the park with the dining options at Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods. Most afternoons, we didn't even bother going to the buffet because we preferred the freshly prepared options by the pool.
That said, the buffet was our go-to spot for breakfast. Generally speaking, I prefer a lighter breakfast at home, usually something along the lines of fruit and Greek yogurt with chia seeds.
However, there's something about being on a Disney cruise that changes things, and I can't fathom starting my day without a Mickey Mouse-shaped waffle — bonus points if it's a churro waffle!
At night, we primarily dined in the rotational dining rooms, although we did splurge on the specialty Palo Steakhouse, but more on that in a second.
As mentioned earlier, the three rotational dining rooms on Destiny are Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King, Worlds of Marvel, and 1923. We were scheduled to eat in 1923, followed by two nights in Worlds of Marvel, and ending the sailing with Pride Lands. However, because we wanted to try Palo, we skipped 1923.
Honestly, we didn't have a bad meal in any of the dining rooms. The only hiccup we ran into was that my prime rib in Pride Lands was served a bit undercooked, but my server ensured it was corrected and brought out a replacement cooked to a perfect medium.
In fact, most of the food was better than expected. My fiancée was such a huge fan of the dill and Meyer lemon-marinated shrimp from Worlds of Marvel that she ordered a second plate before her entrée was served.
That said, the biggest disappointments were the desserts. There was one night when nothing really spoke to me, so I asked if I could get a Mickey ice cream bar. Another night, my fiancée said she'd prefer to pay for a treat from Edna À La Mode Sweets.
Without a doubt, the highlight of our dining experience on Disney Destiny was Palo Steakhouse. Although pricey at $55 per person for the prix fixe menu, the three-course specialty meal was worth every penny. I'd even argue it was one of the best I've ever had at sea!
Everything, from the fried calamari to the crisp romaine salad, perfectly cooked steak, pennette pasta, and tiramisu, exceeded our expectations and helped us understand why Palo is such a sought-after restaurant. Our server was also incredible, and we gave him an extra tip for his help guiding us through the meal, ensuring we made the most of the experience.
Disney Destiny shows + activities
There's so much to do aboard Disney Destiny that it's hard to cross everything off your must-do list on a short four or five-night cruise.
During our cruise, we made the most of our sea days and evenings, attending the three musical productions in the theater, heading up to the top deck for fireworks, watching classic Disney movies, and meeting infamous villains at character meet-and-greets.
Other shows and events aboard Disney Destiny include:
- Disney Hercules
- Frozen, A Musical Spectacular
- Disney Seas the Adventure
- With Great Power: A Marvel Comedy Show
- Pirate Night
- Character interactions
- De Vil's Piano Lounge
- Zayah & Gamble Storytelling
- Cruella's Wretched Runway fashion show
- Sounds of Wakanda
- Wonderland Cinema and Never Land Cinema
Like any other Disney ship, the entertainment is one of the vessel's selling points. Hercules is a stage musical inspired by the animated classic that brings the story of Hercules to life with impressive choreography, powerful vocals, and unbelievable props. Plus, it's exclusively shown on the Disney Destiny, unlike Frozen and Disney Seas the Adventure.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to experience everything onboard, including the adults-only piano and comedy shows. If either is on your must-see list, you will want to arrive early. Guests were always gathering outside De Vil's at least an hour before the show, and since the venue is so small, the space filled up quickly.
If you are overwhelmed by everything available on Disney Destiny, the best place to start is the Navigator App. Every Disney ship offers a daily schedule, conveniently available in the mobile app. This feature gives a detailed breakdown of restaurant hours, the activities schedule, and more.
Speaking of, there are so many fun amenities and activities offered on Disney Destiny, ranging from the Rainforest Room thermal spa to the AquaMouse water coaster, the Haunted Mansion Parlor, Toy Story Splash Zone, and more.
Since we splurged on passes to the thermal spa, we spent quite a lot of time relaxing on the hot stone lounges and taking advantage of the private sun deck, which we preferred over the tiny Quiet Cove area at the aft of the ship.
I visited the thermal suite each day of my four-night sailing and loved rotating between the hamman and sauna rooms. The former, with its strong eucalyptus aroma, helped clear my sinuses, while the sauna's dry heat relaxed my tense muscles.
Aboard Disney Destiny, my favorite part of the Rainforest Room was the outdoor lounge area. This peaceful oasis, with two hot tubs and plenty of seating, quickly became my go-to spot on the ship, whether first thing in the morning or after spending all day on the beach at Castaway Cay.
I also enjoyed lounging on the top deck and watching Disney and Pixar films on the big funnel vision screen, including The Princess and the Frog and Encanto.
We decided to stay on board while the ship was docked at Lookout Cay and took advantage of the quieter areas. One of the biggest perks was getting to ride AquaMouse with no wait. In fact, we got to ride three times in a row without getting out of the inner tube!
After our low-key days, we enjoyed the entertainment, activities, and lounges. The Haunted Mansion Parlor was easily our favorite, and it was easy to get lost in the immersive details of the bar.
On this sailing, we also got to experience the full scope of Pirate Night, which was exciting after the outdoor show was cancelled on my last Disney cruise due to inclement weather.
I'd highly, highly, highly recommend planning a fun outfit ahead of time, as families, couples, and friends embraced the pirate theme — myself included.
The main event is the late-night deck party, where Captain Jack Sparrow makes a dramatic appearance before the fireworks light up the sky. Pro tip: claim your spot on the top decks at least 45 minutes ahead of time, and don't forget to check the Navigator App to see all the fun themed events going on throughout the night.
My honest Disney Destiny cruise review: Is the ship worth it?
Having been an avid Disney Cruise Line fan for over two decades, I was excited to finally sail on a Wish Class ship and see why these modern vessels are so popular.
For starters, there's no denying that Disney Destiny is a beautiful (I mean beautiful) cruise ship. You truly feel as though you're staying at a deluxe resort like the Grand Floridian or Riviera.
Plus, there's a little something for everyone. Adults will appreciate the curated, dedicated spaces just for them, ranging from the thermal suite to the lounges (which are kid-free after 9:00 p.m.!) and Quiet Cove sun deck.
On the other hand, the ship is very much designed with families and children. As such, a lot of the entertainment, activities, and programming are centered around younger guests.
That said, Disney does an impressive job of creating experiences that appeal to all ages. From the nostalgic details to the Broadway-style shows and themed spaces, it's just as easy for those young at heart to enjoy the magic, too.
In my opinion, one of the biggest cons about sailing aboard the Disney Destiny is the cost. Compared to other major cruise lines, Disney Cruise Line fares are typically higher, especially when you add in extras like specialty dining, spa treatments, and onboard shopping.
For example, when all was said and done, my five-night trip (including a one-night pre-cruise stay) came to nearly $5,600 for two people.
For me, the magic was worth every penny. After more than 20 years of sailing with Disney, Disney Destiny managed to capture that feeling of magic and nostalgia while offering a more modern, elevated cruise experience, which is something no other competitor comes close to doing.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
