The captain of the Disney Treasure is Voyager Minnie, a version of the character specially costumed for the cruise ship.
Disney
The Disney fleet is expanding.
Next month, the Disney Treasure cruise ship will make its maiden voyage from Port Canaveral, Florida, to the Caribbean, officially becoming the sixth ship in the company's lineup.
The Treasure, which is 67 meters high and 350 meters long, can carry 4,000 passengers and 1,555 crew members. Like Disney's other cruise ships, the Treasure features themed dining, curated lounges and premium live entertainment on board.
As the Treasure departs, Disney also begins its own journey. The company, which had not launched a new ship for a decade before the Disney Wish debut in mid-2022, is entering an era of rapid expansion.
Disney's fleet is set to double by 2031, with two ships arriving in 2025 – the Disney Destiny and the Disney Adventure – followed by four additional Disney-branded ships and a partnership with Oriental Land Company to bring Disney's cruise vacations to Japan.
“Disney Cruise Line is experiencing an unprecedented period of growth,” said Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney's portfolio of new and signature Disney experiences. “The demand we're seeing right now for Disney Cruise Line is very strong. We're a premium brand, occupancy rates are high and, frankly, the business is doing very well.”
The Disney Treasure cruise ship.
Disney
Disney cruises are part of the company's experiences division, alongside parks, resorts and consumer products. According to the company's earnings report on Thursday, the division posted record sales and profits for fiscal 2024, with full-year revenue up 5% to $34.15 billion and operating income up 4% to $9.27 billion .
The experiences segment was the second-highest revenue driver for Disney last year, behind the entertainment division, which reached $41.18 billion in fiscal 2024. However, operating profits from the entertainment segment were smaller, at just $3.92 billion.
Full-year experience revenue growth was the strongest among Disney divisions, and the company expects experiences earnings growth of 6% to 8% in fiscal 2025.
Disney has become a leader in family cruising, despite its relatively small number of ships. For comparison, the three largest cruise lines are Carnivalwith more than 100 ships, Royal Caribbeanwith more than 40, and Norwegian cruise linewith about 30.
Disney is considered slightly more expensive than Carnival and Royal Caribbean in terms of base prices, but if guests choose to upgrade to larger cabins or add food packages or experiences to their itineraries, prices are quite comparable.
Disney's Treasure offers seven-night cruises from $4,277 for two guests and $6,994 for a family of four. These prices increase as travelers select cruises associated with Halloween or Christmas.
A guest room on the Disney Treasure cruise ship.
Disney
What sets Disney apart is its innovations in cruising and its focus on storytelling, said Gavin Doyle, founder of MickeyVisit.com.
“Disney redefined the sailing space when they entered, and that was in the way they designed the ships in a guest-centric way, serving the people on board, as well as the beloved characters and intellectual properties they can incorporate,” he said. .
Doyle noted that Disney accommodates diners using “rotational dining” on its cruise ships. Passengers don't eat in one big dining room; they are scheduled to dine at various themed restaurants. Disney also rotates restaurant staff to follow each group of passengers to their scheduled restaurant. This means guests have the same servers, busboys and restaurant managers throughout their entire trip, and the wait staff gets to know the guests – and their preferences.
“They are able to deliver this level of customer service that feels like magic,” Doyle said.
Immersive dining
While there are traditional amenities aboard the Treasure that are must-haves on cruise lines – luxurious restaurants, pools, spas and children's playrooms – Disney has integrated storytelling into these services to take them to the next level for guests.
The dinner restaurants are immersive and offer live entertainment. Plaza de Coco, the first theatrical dining experience themed around the 2017 film “Coco,” invites guests to gather at Mariachi Plaza for a celebratory meal and music.
Plaza de Coco, named after the Disney and Pixar film “Coco,” is one of several themed restaurants on the Treasure cruise ship.
Disney
Meanwhile, at Worlds of Marvel, guests will experience two different shows, one called “Avengers: Quantum Encounter” and the other “Marvel Celebration of Heroes: Groot Remix.”
The high-tech location features a number of screens that guests can tune into during their meal to experience the heroic adventures.
Worlds of Marvel, a restaurant on Disney's cruise ship Treasure that is inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Disney
There's also 1923, a restaurant named after the founding year of Walt Disney Animation Studios. This location is a bit more subdued and luxurious. It features a collection of exploration-themed artwork from modern and classic animated films.
Inspired by the ice cream parlor in Disney's “Zootopia,” Jumbeaux's Sweets is a gelato and candy shop on the Disney's Treasure cruise ship.
Disney
In addition to the three main family restaurants, the Treasure has a number of places for casual dining and for a quick bite during the trip. Those with a sweet tooth can visit Jumbeaux's Sweets, based on the ice cream parlor from Disney's 'Zootopia'.
The Treasure also features a number of exclusive dining options for adults, for those traveling without children or looking for a night out.
Palo Steakhouse and Enchante are upscale restaurants inspired by 'Beauty and the Beast' and offer gourmet Italian and French menus. The Rose, a chic lounge at the entrance to the two restaurants, offers pre-dinner aperitifs and after-dinner cocktails.
Bringing the parks to the open sea
The Disney Treasure marks the first time Disney has brought intellectual property from its parks to one of its ships.
The Haunted Mansion Parlor is a bar that features spooky design elements from the famous attraction, as well as spirits, mocktails and zero-proof drinks.
The Haunted Mansion Parlor is an adults-only bar on the Treasure cruise ship, inspired by the Disney theme parks attraction.
Disney
“Walt Disney World has been around for 50 years,” Mazloum said. “Disneyland even longer. Many of our guests have grown up coming to our parks over the years and over time you have these iconic attractions and experiences… Our Imagineers, and I have to give them a lot of credit, came up with the idea.”
“We were literally thrilled with that idea, and even more thrilled with the reception we received,” he added.
Another favorite park property coming to the Treasure is Jungle Cruise. Skipper Society is a place where you can enjoy themed cocktails and light snacks surrounded by camp-style furnishings.
Inspired by the Jungle Cruise attraction at Disney's theme parks, Skipper Society is one of several adults-only bars on the Treasure cruise ship.
Disney
Other adults-only spots include Scat Cat Lounge, based on “The Aristocats,” and Periscope Pub, based on “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”
Fun for multiple generations
Of course, for many, Disney cruises are a family affair.
“People often say they are designed with families in mind, which is absolutely correct,” Mazloum said. “I would go a step further and say that they are truly designed for multi-generational use so that everyone can enjoy their experiences.”
According to the Cruise Lines International Association, cruises are a top choice for multi-generational travel, with a third of families sailing with at least two generations. Another 28% of cruise travelers board with three to five generations, the organization said in its annual State of the Cruise Industry Report published in April.
Disney has special areas for each age group. A Small World daycare center, it offers babysitting services for children aged six months to three years, while older children can go to Disney's Oceaneer Club, which features several immersive areas.
Families can also attend “Disney the Tale of Moana” in the Walt Disney Theater aboard the Treasure. The Broadway-style production features a huge Te Ka puppet and introduces an all-new song called “Warrior Face.” The stage also features “Disney Seas the Adventure” and “Beauty and the Beast.”
In addition, it will feature the Treasure Hero Zone and the Wonderland and Never Land Cinemas, popular spaces from the Disney Wish. Hero Zone is a sports and recreation venue with game show-style competitions and physical challenges, while cinemas are luxury screening rooms showing first-run films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm.
Like the Wish, the Treasure also has a Toy Story themed area, including a children's pool, wading pool and a family water slide. There is also a modified version of Wish's AquaMouse water coaster called 'Curse of the Golden Egg'.
A water roller coaster called AquaMouse: Curse of the Golden Egg, inspired by the Mickey Mouse animated shorts, on Disney's cruise ship Treasure.
Disney