Disney Magic

Last updated

Disney Magic logo.svg
DisneyMagicArgostoli.jpg
Disney Magic docked at Argostoli Kefalonia, Greece
History
Civil Ensign of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas
NameDisney Magic
Owner The Walt Disney Company
Operator Disney Cruise Line
Port of registry Nassau, Civil Ensign of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas
Ordered1996
Builder Fincantieri Marghera, Italy [1]
CostUS$400 million
Yard number5989
Laid downOctober 31, 1996
LaunchedMay 13, 1997
Sponsored byPatricia Disney
ChristenedSeptember 16, 1998
CompletedJune 30, 1998
Maiden voyageJuly 30, 1998 [1]
In service1998–present
Identification IMO number:  9126807
StatusIn service
General characteristics
Class and typeMagic-class (Disney) [1]
Type Cruise Ship
Tonnage83,338  GT [1]
Length984 ft (300 m) [1]
Beam106 ft (32 m)
Draft25.3 ft (7.7 m)
Decks11
Installed power43,000 kW (57,600 hp)
PropulsionDiesel-Electric; *5 ×  Sulzer 16ZAV40S; two shafts
Speed
  • Cruising 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph),
  • Maximum 23.5 knots (43.5 km/h; 27.0 mph)
Capacity1,750 passengers (double occupancy) 2,713 passengers (maximum)
Crew945

Disney Magic is a cruise ship owned and operated by Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. [2] She is the line's first vessel, later followed by the Disney Wonder , Disney Dream , Disney Fantasy , Disney Wish , and Disney Treasure . She has 11 public decks, can accommodate 2,700 passengers in 875 staterooms, [1] and has a crew of approximately 950. The interior of Disney Magic is decorated in the Art Deco style.

Contents

The ship has 20 bright yellow lifeboats which, along with the black, red, and white colors of the ship itself, match the colors of Mickey Mouse. This change from the standard safety orange took a waiver of international maritime rules. [3] As with other Disney cruise ships, the ship's horn blast plays a snippet of "When You Wish Upon a Star". [4] Disney Magic's "godmother" is Patricia Disney, former wife of Walt Disney's nephew, Roy E. Disney. [5]

History

Disney Magic departing Port Canaveral DisneyMagicdepartsCanaveral.JPG
Disney Magic departing Port Canaveral

Planning and construction

Disney had cruise ship designs drawn up by February 1994. [6] Disney Cruise Line in 1995 ordered Disney Magic and Disney Wonder from Fincantieri in Italy. The ship was built in two halves with the bow built at Fincatieri's Ancona shipyard and the stern at their Marghera shipyard. [7] [8] [9] [10]

The planned maiden voyage was for March 12, 1998. [1] In January 1997, the first ticket for Magic's first trip was raffled off on Lifetime channel, while ticket sales would begin in September 1997. [3] Delays on the construction of MS Rotterdam kept additional workers from the Magic. Thus, by November 1997, the cruise line initially rescheduled the ship's initial voyage to April 30, 1998. However, further delays from suppliers and poor weather conditions at Fincantieri pushed back the maiden voyage even further by a few months. The bow was towed to the Marghera shipyard where the halves were joined. [1]

Itineraries

With livery and design evocative of the RMS Queen Mary, [11] Disney Magic set sail on her maiden voyage on July 30, 1998, out of her home port, Port Canaveral in Florida. [1] The ship's initial cruises were to Nassau, Bahamas with a stop at Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Cay over three to four nights. [5]

Originally, from 2000, Disney Magic had been undertaking weekly cruises to Castaway Cay and the Caribbean islands out of Port Canaveral. [12] [13]

In May 2005, Disney Magic was dispatched to the West Coast as part of Disneyland's 50th Anniversary celebrations and as a test for California expansion. The transfer cruise sold out quicker than expected. Bookings from first time Disney cruisers were up for these cruises by at least 60%. [14]

In May 2007, Disney Magic started her inaugural Mediterranean cruises out of Barcelona, Spain. At the end of the summer, she returned to her home port of Port Canaveral. [5] In the summer of 2008, Disney Magic was moved to Los Angeles once again. [15] The ship returned to Barcelona in 2010 for another summer of Mediterranean cruises, as well as several northern European cruises before again returning to Port Canaveral in September. [5]

In May 2012, Disney Magic was relocated to New York City, where she sailed 8-night cruises to the Bahamas, New England, and Canada. In September, she was relocated to Galveston, Texas for the remainder of the year and offered 4-night Caribbean cruises, 6, 7, and 8-night Western Caribbean cruises, and 8-night Bahamian cruises. [16] In June 2013, Disney Magic was re-positioned to Barcelona for the summer. [17]

Disney Magic was put in for an overhaul at Navantia shipyard, Cadiz, Spain. [18] In October 2013, Disney Cruise Line completed renovations to the ship, [19] including updates to the ship's cabins, lounges, restaurants and spa and introduced new features including; "Marvel's Avengers Academy", a play area based on Marvel's Avengers characters, the AquaDunk and the AquaLab, consisting of a pool and waterslide. [20] The short-lived Carioca's restaurant replaced Parrot Cay, which would later be replaced with Rapunzel's Royal Table in 2018. Club Disney Junior replaced the Mickey Mouse Club and other changes were made. [21]

In 2010, Disney Magic sailed Disney Cruise Lines' inaugural Northern Europe itineraries, homeported in the port of Dover, 70 miles from London, England. She sailed to Norway, the British Isles, and the Baltic Sea during her brief three-month season. With the October 6, 2017 cruise from New York to the Bahamas, Disney Cruise Line held its first Marvel Day at Sea. [22]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney Magic was anchored in Dover, England on and off from May 2020 and was due to stay until at least August 2021. [23] At that time, she sailed a series of "staycation cruises" (no port visits or excursions, subject to restrictions) exclusively in the United Kingdom. [24] [25] UK cruises concluded on October 4, 2021, when Disney Magic repositioned to Miami, Florida and commenced cruises to the Bahamas. Then, in the summer of 2022, she returned to Europe for European cruises before returning to the US for the fall.

The Magic at port in Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada Disney Magic Baie-Comeau.jpg
The Magic at port in Baie-Comeau, Quebec, Canada

In May 2023, Disney Magic completed a three-week dry dock maintenance period in the Bahamas, followed by trials and operations from San Juan, Puerto Rico, serving the Southern Caribbean and ABC itineraries.

Recreation

Entertainment

Entertainment on Disney Magic includes live Broadway-style shows with many Disney characters at the Walt Disney Theater, the Buena Vista movie theater, which features both Disney films and first-run movies, several night clubs and lounges, several pools, and many Disney-themed parties and celebrations, including a Sail-Away Celebration, Pirate Night, and sometimes a Marvel or Star Wars Day at Sea.

On the ship's forward funnel, there is a 24-by-14 foot LED screen known as the Funnel Vision, due to its location on the rear of one of the ship's funnels, where guests can watch various movies and shows either from the deck or from inside Goofy's Pool.

Shows from the Walt Disney Theatre may include: All Aboard, Let The Magic Begin, Twice Charmed: A Twist on the Cinderella Story, Tangled the Musical , Disney Dreams: An Enchanted Classic, [26] and A Final Farewell Show.[ citation needed ] Former shows included Villains Tonight!, which was replaced by Tangled. [26]

Dining

Disney Cruise line is known for pioneering the rotational dining setup, in which guests and their wait staff rotate through three differently themed restaurants throughout their cruise. The Disney Magic's restaurants include Lumiere's (serving primarily French Cuisine), Rapunzel's Royal Table (serving German-inspired food), and Animator's Palate (which is present on three of the other Disney cruise ships). Additionally, the upscale, adults-only restaurant Palo, situated at the rear of the ship, requires a separate reservation and serves high-end Italian cuisine.

Youth Clubs

The ship features a nursery, Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, Edge, and Vibe for kids entertainment. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney Cruise Line</span> Cruise line operation, subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company

Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line operation that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Limited, through its first vessel Disney Magic, and is domiciled in London, England, with their operational headquarters located in Celebration, Florida. Disney Cruise Line operates five ships: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish. Three ships will join the fleet in 2024 and 2025: Disney Treasure, Disney Destiny, and Disney Adventure. Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas, is exclusively operated by Disney Cruise Line and is designed as an exclusive port of call for Disney's ships. A second private destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, a 700-acre property on the southern end of Eleuthera, Bahamas opened on June 6, 2024. Disney Cruise Line operates two Disney Cruise Line Terminals in Florida.

<i>Disney Wonder</i> Cruise ship built in 1999

Disney Wonder is a 25 year old cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line. It was the second ship to join the Disney fleet on entering service in 1999. Disney Wonder is of the same class as Disney Magic. The other three ships in the fleet are the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish. The interior of Disney Wonder is decorated in the Art Nouveau style, in contrast to her sister ship, Disney Magic which is decorated in the Art Deco style. Both ships have 11 public decks, can accommodate 2,400 passengers in 875 staterooms, and have a crew of approximately 950. Disney Wonder was built in the year following completion of Disney Magic. As of 2015, Disney Wonder sails various North American itineraries on a seasonal basis. From early September to late October 2016, the ship underwent dry dock in Cadiz, Spain, where she was given many new dining, entertainment, and accommodation enhancements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castaway Cay</span> Private island in the Bahamas

Disney's Castaway Cay, or simply Castaway Cay, is a private island in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located near Great Abaco Island and was formerly known as Gorda Cay. In 1997, The Walt Disney Company purchased a 99-year land lease for the cay from the Bahamian government, giving the company substantial control over the island.

<i>Norwegian Sun</i> Sun-class cruise ship launched in 2000

Norwegian Sun is a Sun-class cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. She entered service in 2001 in a dual christening ceremony at the Port of Miami with Norwegian Star. She was constructed at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany.

<i>Carnival Glory</i> Cruise ship built in 2003

Carnival Glory is a Conquest-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. She is the second of five Conquest-class cruise ships. As of March 2023, she operates out of Port Canaveral.

<i>Carnival Radiance</i> Destiny-class cruise ship

Carnival Radiance is a Destiny-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Ordered by Carnival in 1997, the 101,509 GT vessel was the third Destiny-class cruise ship to join the fleet after her debut in 2000 and became one of the largest cruise ships of her era. In 2021, she was renamed Carnival Radiance after a US$200 million refit was completed in October and she commenced service under her new name in December.

<i>Carnival Freedom</i> Conquest-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Freedom is a Conquest-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. She is the 22nd operating vessel in the fleet, and the last of the Conquest-class ships. The ship was built as part of a four-ship deal with Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard and was launched in Venice, Italy on April 28, 2006. She was delivered to Carnival on February 28, 2007.

<i>Carnival Dream</i> Cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Dream is a cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. She is the lead ship of her namesake class, which includes Carnival Magic, Carnival Breeze, and Costa Diadema. Built by Fincantieri at its Monfalcone shipyard in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy, she was floated out on October 24, 2008, and christened by Marcia Gay Harden.

<i>Carnival Magic</i> 2011 Dream-class cruise ship

Carnival Magic is a Dream-class cruise ship which entered service on 1 May 2011. The ship was named and christened in Venice by her godmother Lindsey Wilkerson Alsup, a former patient and current employee at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

<i>Disney Dream</i> Cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line

Disney Dream is a cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, which is part of The Walt Disney Company's Disney Experiences division. She is the third ship of the overall fleet and the first of the Dream class, and was followed by a sister ship, the Disney Fantasy.

<i>Disney Fantasy</i> Cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line

Disney Fantasy is a cruise ship owned and operated by Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Entering service in 2012, she is the second ship of the Dream-class, and the line's fourth vessel overall; the other four ships of the company fleet are the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Wish. Her sister ship, Disney Dream, was launched in 2011.

<i>Norwegian Breakaway</i> Cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Breakaway is a cruise ship of Norwegian Cruise Line. It, along with Norwegian Getaway, are the first two ships in "Project Breakaway" ordered by Norwegian Cruise Line. They were named through a public contest - a contestant submitted the name Norwegian Breakaway, which was announced on 14 September 2011.

<i>Carnival Venezia</i> Cruise ship

Carnival Venezia is a Vista-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. Originally intended to serve the Chinese market, she debuted as Costa Venezia for sister brand Costa Cruises in Shanghai on 18 May 2019. At 135,225 gross tonnage (GT) and with a capacity of 4,208 passengers, she became the largest ship commissioned for the Costa fleet upon her delivery.

<i>Wonder of the Seas</i> Oasis-class cruise ship

Wonder of the Seas is a cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International. She was completed in 2022 in the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire France, the fifth in Royal Caribbean's Oasis class of cruise ships. At 235,600 GT, she was the largest cruise ship by gross tonnage, until she was surpassed in 2024 by the Icon-class cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, also owned by Royal Caribbean International.

<i>Mardi Gras</i> (2020 ship) Excellence-class cruise ship

Mardi Gras is an Excellence-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. She is Carnival's lead vessel of the fleet's Excel-class, a subclass of the Excellence class, and was built by Finnish shipbuilder Meyer Turku in Turku, Finland. She also has often been incorrectly referred to as Carnival Mardi Gras, though Carnival has specified that her name does not include the "Carnival" prefix, a first since the Fantasy-class vessels originally omitted "Carnival" in their names upon their debuts. Mardi Gras has been subject to numerous delays in her construction, delivery, and debut amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on tourism. First scheduled for a summer 2020 delivery and debut, she was delivered to Carnival on 18 December 2020. After her debut was postponed on numerous occasions, Mardi Gras began operating weekly sailings on 31 July 2021.

<i>Disney Wish</i> Cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line

Disney Wish is the fifth cruise ship owned and operated by Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. She is the largest ship in the fleet and the first of the Wish-class. She entered service in June 2022 and will be followed by her sister ships the Disney Treasure in 2024 and the Disney Destiny in 2025. The other four ships in the fleet are the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy. The Disney Adventure will join the fleet in 2025.

<i>Disney Treasure</i> Cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line

M.S Disney Treasure is the upcoming sixth cruise ship owned and operated by Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, due to enter service on December 21, 2024. Her sister ship, Disney Wish, was launched in 2022. Disney Treasure is the second ship of the Wish-class. She will enter service on December 21, 2024, and will be followed by Disney Destiny on November 20, 2025. She will sail Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries. The other five ships in the entire fleet are the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish. The Disney Adventure will join the fleet on December 15, 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point</span> Private peninsula in the Bahamas

Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, or simply Lookout Cay, is a private peninsula in The Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located in the south-eastern region of Bannerman Town, South Eleuthera. In March 2019, The Walt Disney Company purchased the peninsula from the Bahamian government, giving the company control over the area.

<i>Disney Destiny</i> Cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line

Disney Destiny is an upcoming seventh cruise ship owned and operated by Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, due to enter service on November 20, 2025. The first of Destiny's sister ships, the Disney Wish, was launched in June 2022, with the second ship, Disney Treasure, set to launch in December 2024. The other four ships in the entire fleet are the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy. The Disney Adventure will join the fleet on December 15, 2025.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Saunders, Aaron (October 1, 2013). Giants of the Seas: The Ships that Transformed Modern Cruising. Seaforth Publishing. pp. 76–78, 179. ISBN   978-1848321724 . Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Disney Magic - Disney". Cruisecritic.com. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  3. 1 2 Iovine, Julie V. (January 16, 1997). "Now It's Heigh-Ho, Off to Sea We Go - New York Times". The New York Times . Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  4. ↑ Aronson, Tara (September 25, 2002). "Disney Magic grows up". csmonitor.com. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Nefer, Barb. "Disney Cruise Line History". USA Today. Gannett. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  6. ↑ Dezern, Craig (February 20, 1994). "Disney Contemplating Creation Of Cruise Line". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Fincantieri | Disney Wonder". www.fincantieri.com.
  8. ↑ "Where Do Disney Cruise Line Ships Come From? | The Kingdom Insider". March 23, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Archives: Disney Magic Float Out at Fincantieri - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". Cruise Industry News.
  10. ↑ @HistoryAtDisney (January 18, 2018). "Disney Magic Construction, Disney Cruise Line. The Magic was famously built in two halves at separate ship yards in Italy. Once both halves were completed they were floated to one another and welded together. In case you were wondering. They fit perfectly" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ "Now it's heigh-ho, off to sea we go," Ocala Star Banner (newspaper), 1997-01-26, Section D pg8
  12. ↑ "Disney Cruises To Be Longer". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. December 26, 1999. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  13. ↑ McDowell, Edwin (October 15, 2000). "Sea Changes The Latest Trends: More Ships Bring Bigger Discounts". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  14. ↑ Jackson, Jerry W. (June 13, 2005). "Disney ship line on cruise control". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  15. ↑ Jason Garcia (March 30, 2009). "Disney will homeport a ship in Los Angeles". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
  16. ↑ "Disney to Galveston and Canada/New England in 2012". Cruise Industry News. April 5, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  17. ↑ Sloan, Gene (September 24, 2012). "Disney kicks off first cruises from Texas". USA Today Travel. USA Today. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  18. ↑ Tribou, Richard (October 26, 2016). "Upgraded Disney Wonder headed back to the U.S." Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  19. ↑ Lomer-Camarena, Kyara (September 28, 2014). "South Florida Parenting". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  20. ↑ Sloan, Gene (April 26, 2013). "Disney Magic to get a major makeover". USA Today. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  21. ↑ Tribou, Richard. "'Tangled' restaurant to replace Carioca's on Disney Magic". dailypress.com. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Disney Cruise Line announces Marvel Day at Sea on select 2017 Disney Magic sailings". Attractions Magazine. October 21, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  23. ↑ Wright, Joe (February 27, 2021). "Disney Magic set to continue long stay in Dover after cruise schedule postponed until August". Archived from the original on February 27, 2021.
  24. ↑ Wallace, Katie (April 16, 2021). "BREAKING: Disney Magic At Sea Dates Revealed!". The Kingdom Insider. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  25. ↑ "BREAKING: "Disney Magic at Sea" UK-Only Disney Cruise Line Itinerary Confirmed". WDW News Today. March 26, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  26. 1 2 Tribou, Richard (November 15, 2015). "'Tangled' takes center stage aboard Disney Magic". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Youth Clubs". disneycruise.disney.go.com.
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