I Toured All of Disney’s Newest Cruise Ships — Here’s How to Choose

The newest Disney cruise ships have a lot in common, but they also have key differences that can leave vacation goers confused about which to book. I’ve seen tons of questions on social media from families asking how to decide which cruise line is right for them. I’m lucky to have been on each myself, and can safely say they’re all amazing, but if you’re struggling to finalize your plans, there are some things to consider.

For context, I sailed on the Disney Wish last year with my family (including two kids) on a regular sail, then toured the Disney Treasure for a full-day media event ahead of its maiden voyage in late 2024. Then, most recently, I sailed on a preview of the Disney Destiny with my family. I’m lucky to have experienced all three in little more than a year, so my comparison memories are still sharp.

Before digging into the details, I recommended determining what attributes to the trip matter most to you and your family, such as:

• Theming and décor: Is your family super into Pixar, obsessed with Marvel, or all about Star Wars?

• Restaurants and lounges: Have a family of foodies, or do you have some picky eaters on your hands? Do you want some adult-only dining options?

• Live shows: The Broadway-style shows are a huge attraction of Disney cruising — if you’re looking for a specific show or title, that may skew your choice.

• Characters: Does your little one love the Monsters Inc. crew? You’re sure to spot the classic cast of characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy) on all ships, but some have unique appearances, too.

• Cruise length and ports: Logistics, logistics. Where you’re looking to embark and how long you want to be gone will narrow down your cruise choices.

Here’s more on how to choose the best Disney cruise for you based on these factors.

First, What’s the Same on All Three Ships

The Disney Wish, Treasure and Destiny are all part of the same ship class. The Wish debuted in 2022, followed by the Treasure in 2024 and the Destiny in 2025. All three share the same size and overall layout, the same number of staterooms, same kids’ clubs, same recreation areas and the same number of dining locations and theaters.

Dining

Two of the three rotational dining restaurants are the same across all ships: 1923, inspired by the golden age of Hollywood (and the year The Walt Disney Company was founded), and Worlds of Marvel, an interactive superhero dining experience. Marceline Market (the buffet) and Mickey & Friends Festival of Foods (the pool deck food court) are also identical on all three. Adult-only restaurants Palo Steakhouse and Enchanté are found on all three as well.

Kids’ Clubs

The kids’ clubs are the same on every ship, including It’s a Small World Nursery, The Oceaneer Club for ages 3–10, Edge for ages 11–14 and Vibe for ages 14–17.

Pools and Waterslides

Each ship has seven small family pools staggered across the upper decks, plus a Toy Story-themed splash pad and waterslide for younger passengers. All three lines also include AquaMouse, a water ride that starts with an on-screen experience and circles part of the ship through a tube.

Recreation and Entertainment

All ships include the Hero Zone indoor sports complex, as well as the Walt Disney Theater where you’ll see three Broadway-style productions (one of which is Disney Seas the Adventure, shown across all three ships). Each ship also has two movie theaters — Never Land Cinema and Wonderland Cinema — which show Disney films, especially newer ones that are in high demand.

Every sailing includes Pirate Night, complete with themed dining, guests who dress up in costume, and two different deck shows, the later of which ends with fireworks at sea.

Given all of these similarities, your overall experience will feel familiar no matter which ship you choose.

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Now, What’s Different

Below is where the differences really begin to show.

Themes and Décor

Theming isn’t the main focus of the cruise, but it does play a major role in the atmosphere. You’ll see it most clearly in the Grand Hall, stateroom décor, and some restaurants and shows.

• Disney Wish: Enchantment. The Wish leans into an enchanted aesthetic with lots of princess touches. The Grand Hall is Cinderella-themed—even the chandelier is designed to resemble her gown from above. The staterooms feature décor from films included Cinderella, Frozen, Moana, The Little Mermaid, Princess & The Frog and Sleeping Beauty. It’s the most princess-forward of the three, but it’s subtle enough that you don’t need to be a princess fan to sail on it.

• Disney Treasure: Adventure. The Grand Hall on the Treasure cruise line is based on Aladdin, and the staterooms are inspired by Aladdin, Pocahontas, Encanto, Up, Finding Nemo, and Luca. It comes across as a blend of classic Disney franchises with newer hits and adventurous, park-inspired touches—particularly in the restaurants.

• Disney Destiny: Heroes & Villains. Destiny’s theme focuses on the stories of heroes and villains. The Grand Hall is inspired by Black Panther, and staterooms highlight Hercules, Mulan, Raya & The Last Dragon, Brave, Big Hero 6, and The Incredibles. Although my daughters are princess-obsessed, my family ended up loving the theming on our recent trip because it often made things more entertaining, and it introduced them to new Disney stories.

Restaurants and Lounges

While the physical layout of the dining venues is the same on each ship, the themes and menus differ.

Rotational Dining

Your serving team travels with you each night as you rotate through 1923, Worlds of Marvel and the following:

• Wish: Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, which features Nordic-inspired cuisine with a live show from Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and others. The theme centers on Anna and Kristoff’s engagement party.

• Treasure: Plaza de Coco, a Mexican-inspired dining experience with live performances from Miguel and his family.

• Destiny: Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King offers African cuisine with a storytelling performance through Simba’s life.

Of the three, Arendelle was the most memorable for my family thanks to the immersive experience (who doesn’t want to be at Anna and Elsa’s engagement party?), but I thought Plaza de Coco had the most appealing menu.

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Multi-Purpose Lounge (near the Grand Hall)

This lounge is family-friendly during the day with scheduled activities, then switches to an adult-only space at night.

• Wish: The Bayou is Princess & The Frog-themed with New Orleans-style floral décor and of course, incredible beignets.

• Treasure: Skipper Society is inspired by the Jungle Cruise attraction.

• Destiny: The Sanctum is Doctor Strange-themed, with vibes that Disney described as “magic and mystery.”

Piano Bar

Each cruise line has a piano bar just across from the lounge, but the fun, themed cocktails vary:

• Wish: Nightingale’s. Themed to Cinderella’s “Sing Sweet Nightingale” with bubble-inspired décor. (It’s the song she sings when she’s cleaning the floors, hence the bubble theme!)

• Treasure: Scat Cat Lounge. The bar is inspired by The Aristocats and with a jazz vibe.

• Destiny: De Vil’s. This bar is themed to Cruella de Vil and her red, white and black-spotted fashion. It was one of the busiest bars on my sailing.

Immersive Lounge

An adults-only themed bar that transports you to a different world:

• Wish: Hyperspace Lounge is Star Wars-themed with space views from “windows” that make it look like you’re flying through different galaxies.

• Treasure and Destiny: Haunted Mansion Parlor. This is a fan-favorite lounge with portraits that come to life, ghost reflections in the mirror and bartenders that stay in character with dry, dark humor.

Sports Bar

For anyone in your crew who wants to watch the games with a crisp, draft beer:

• Wish: Keg & Compass is inspired by a sailor’s map room.

• Treasure: Periscope Pub is inspired by 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and makes you feel like you’re in a submarine.

• Destiny: Cask & Cannon has a pirate theme, which sort of reminds me of Magic Kingdom’s new The Beak & Barrel lounge.

Dessert Shop

Each line has a themed sweet shops (for an added cost) near the buffet, with ice cream, cupcakes, candy, and other desserts:

• Wish: Joyful Sweets is based on Inside Out, with life-size emotion characters and ‘memory’ spheres from the movie.

• Treasure: Jumbeaux’s Sweets is inspired by Zootopia — also with life-size characters.

• Destiny: Edna A La Mode Sweets is inspired by The Incredibles.

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Live Shows

The shows on all of the cruises can’t be missed and are truly part of the sailing experience:

• Wish features Aladdin and The Little Mermaid.

• Treasure features Beauty and the Beast and The Tale of Moana (which is widely considered the best show on any of these three ships).

• Destiny features Frozen and Hercules (the live gospel music was a crowd pleaser in this show).

Characters

While no characters are guaranteed to be on the ship, there’s a strong chance you’ll come across these friends on all three ships: Mickey & Friends (including Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Chip,and Dale); princesses, such as Belle, Tiana, Rapunzel and Moana; Marvel heroes, including Spider-Man and Ant-Man, and Star Wars appearances such as Chewbacca.

Then, each ship also leans into its theme:

• Wish: More princess appearances, especially Cinderella

• Treasure: Characters tied to adventure stories, such as Aladdin and Jasmine

• Destiny: More mischievous characters, including Loki, Cruella de Vil, Dr. Facilier, and Stitch

Cruise Length and Ports

To me, these important logistics are the biggest differentiators to help you choose between the three:

• Disney Wish: Sails 3–4 night itineraries from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas, including Nassau, Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

• Disney Treasure: Sails 7-night itineraries from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean and Bahamas with stops at a Disney private island.

• Disney Destiny: Sails 3-7 night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale, visiting the Caribbean and Bahamas, including Disney’s private islands.

Bottom Line: How to Choose the Best Disney Cruise

• Choose the Disney Wish if: Your family loves princesses, wants a shorter 3-4 night sailing, or prefers departing from Port Canaveral to combine the cruise with a Walt Disney World trip. Star Wars fans also get the unique Hyperspace Lounge.

• Choose the Disney Treasure if: You want a week-long cruise with a wider range of Disney-owned franchises. This ship also has the most influence from Disney Park attractions, including Jungle Cruise and Haunted Mansion Parlor. Plus, the Moana show alone is a selling point.

• Choose the Disney Destiny if: You’re drawn to the heroes & villains theme and enjoy more dramatic storytelling. While still offering princess moments, Destiny seems to appeal to a more universal crowd, with lots of unique character interactions and flexible itinerary lengths from Fort Lauderdale.

Personally, my family felt the Disney Wish was the best fit for us. Our 4-night itinerary was perfect, we combined it with a Walt Disney World visit, and we loved the Cinderella theming and the Frozen dining experience. That said, another family’s priorities may point them toward Treasure or Destiny. The good news is you truly can’t go wrong. The experiences are remarkably similar, and each ship offers its own memorable experience.

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