Disney Destiny began sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in November 2025, and offers cruises between three and seven nights to the Bahamas, Western and Eastern Caribbean, including visits to the private island resorts of Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay.
The 4,000-passenger ship has a “heroes and villains” theme, but it isn’t aimed only at children; the young-at-heart will appreciate Destiny’s adult-only restaurants, bars and entertainment, too.
Overall score 8/10
Style and Character 8/10
From the Spider-Man figure at the stern to the face of Minnie Mouse on the bow, Destiny’s décor honours Disney favourites alongside names from Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar. Pride of place in The Grand Hall – the impressive central atrium – is a statue of Marvel’s Black Panther. Around the ship, signs and other art nouveau touches pay homage to the golden age of ocean liners.
Disney’s seventh ship – it joins sisters Wish and Treasure and forerunners Dream, Fantasy, Magic and Wonder – will be dwarfed in 2026 by the arrival of Disney Adventure in Singapore, which will be able to accommodate 6,700 guests.
Disney Destiny is the seventh cruise ship from Disney Cruise Line – Disney
Cabins 8/10
Out of the 1,246 cabins on board, 70 per cent have balconies. I stayed in a deluxe family oceanview stateroom – the bathroom and toilet are separate, each with a sink. Children can sleep on a large sofa or a bed pulled from the ceiling. Small bedside tables have sockets, USB-C ports, lamps and reading lights.
Behind the bed is a decorative frieze based on the heroes and villains theme. There’s also a fridge that pulls out horizontally from the desk. You won’t find any in-cabin tea or coffee facilities, and water isn’t supplied either, although it is available (for free) at drink stations around the ship.
Nearly three quarters of Disney Destiny’s cabins have a balcony
Food and Drink 7/10
Disney has a system of rotational dining, with customers eating at three restaurants on different nights but keeping the same waiters. New on Destiny is Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King, where performers present Simba’s story while diners choose from an African-themed menu. My roasted prime rib of beef – with cheddar-loaded baked potato, black garlic broccolini, honey-glazed carrots, veal jus and horseradish – was huge but tender.
My favourite new spot was The Cask & Cannon pub, where I enjoyed a pint of Walk The Plank stout with a skull-and-crossbones drawn into the foam. Also debuting on Destiny are The Sanctum bar and De Vil’s piano lounge, alongside the returning favourite of the Haunted Mansion Parlor.
De Vil’s piano lounge is a new addition to Disney Destiny – Steven Diaz, Disney
Adults can eat in the Palo Steakhouse – where, for one brunch, I had outstanding eggs Benedict followed by lasagne – or at the French venue Enchanté, both served by The Rose bar. One evening, I swerved the restaurants and grabbed a plate of barbecue brisket, smoked chicken, pulled pork and sweet potato fries from Mickey’s Smokestack, one of the fast-food kiosks on deck. Other easy food options include 24-hour room service, casual dining, two cafés and the Edna Á La Mode Sweets shop.
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Service and Facilities 8/10
As you might expect, the Disney crew, especially the entertainment and serving staff, are upbeat, cheerful and ready to engage.
The key feature of the ship is the 760ft-long water ride AquaMouse that soaked me as I was propelled on a tidal wave around a circuit of tubes on a plastic dinghy, high above the top deck. Toddlers and young children have a water park based on Toy Story, while seven pools add to the choice of aquatic fun.
An over-18s area called Quiet Cove has an infinity pool, bar and café, but adults can also escape to the Senses Spa, Untangled Salon or Hook’s Barbery, which has a hidden bar. One thing you won’t find on a Disney ship is a casino.
There’s a 760ft-long water ride, AquaMouse, on board – Disney
Entertainment and Excursions 9/10
It wouldn’t be Disney without spectacular family entertainment, led on this ship by a Broadway-style musical production of the film Hercules. Other shows are based on the modern hit Frozen and a more traditional cast of Minnie, Mickey and other familiar faces.
Elsewhere on the ship, heroes and villains interact with passengers in The Grand Hall and game shows are hosted in a two-storey venue called Saga.
Every cruise includes a pirate party on deck against a backdrop of fireworks at sea. Classic and current films are shown at the Wonderland and Never Land cinemas. Shore excursions include a $49 banana boat ride at Castaway Cay, a $119 horseback swim in Jamaica and $139 to go river-tubing at a lagoon in Costa Maya, Mexico.
Value for Money 7/10
Wi-Fi is available in two packages – basic internet and streaming. Costs vary by cruise, but it’s safe to allow roughly $26 a day to connect up to four devices, rising to $42 a day for the superior broadband. Optional gratuities are charged at $16 per person per day, including infants and children. Drinks are available in beer, wine and bottled water packages – for example, seven bottles of premium wine cost $388 (plus an 18 per cent added gratuity).
Access for guests with disabilities?
Destiny has 36 cabins for passengers with mobility and/or hearing impairments, with another 56 specifically to accommodate auditory issues, where features include a light panel that signals the doorbell, phone calls and emergency alarms. Accessible rooms have wide doorways, ramped bathroom thresholds and panic buttons. American Sign Language interpreters sail on some cruises.
Family-friendly?
A hundred times, yes – it’s hard to think of a cruise line better geared to families. From babysitting for six-month-olds to games and movies for teens aged up to 17, Disney Destiny has a range of excellent kids’ clubs, as well as offering the chance for young fans to meet their favourite characters.
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About our expert
Dave Monk
A journalist for all of his career, Dave has sailed more than 100 voyages on 43 cruise lines – ranging from four-person boats to the biggest passenger ships in the world.
Telegraph Travel cruise expert, Dave Monk
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