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The debut of the Dream seems to have kicked off a wave of Disney cruise news. Last week Disney website Stitch Kingdom announced that three brand new ports of departure have been added to the Disney cruise lineup for 2012: New York, Seattle, and Galveston, TX. Bookings for cruises launching from these new locations started on April 8.
This news comes on the heels of the announcement of yet another cruise ship: the Disney Fantasy. Setting off on its maiden voyage in March 2012, the Disney Fantasy is the sister ship to the Dream.
I haven’t posted a preview of the Fantasy because it’s designed very much like the Dream, right down to innovations like the Aqua Duct. The biggest difference mentioned so far is that the design of the Fantasy follows 20th century architecture, a nod to the origins of cruise liners (and following a current popular theme at Disney, it seems).
One of the reasons for the added cruise locations is that next year the Disney Fantasy will be displacing the Magic from its long-held home at Port Canaveral. The Magic will then start setting off from harbors in New York and Galveston.
The Disney Magic starts its new schedule in New York. It will sail 20 cruises from New York; eight-night cruises to the Bahamas, five-night cruises up the New England coast, and two-night cruises exploring the Atlantic Ocean. Stops along the Bahamas cruise include Castaway Cay, Nassau, and Disney World. The northern-bound cruise ports at the Canadian cities of Halifax and New Brunswick, with trips including a visit to Canada’s oldest farmer’s market.
After spending the summer up north, the Magic then moves down to Texas in September. It will complete 12 seven-night cruises to the Western Caribbean. Many of the stops along the way, however, will include Mexican cities like Costa Maya and Cozumel, with the ultimate destination of Grand Cayman.
Those who are fans of tropical trips aboard the Disney Magic shouldn’t worry; the ship isn’t taking the next year off. Before the Fantasy’s early 2012 launch the Magic will continue to complete its week-long Caribbean cruises and four-and-five night Bahaman cruises.
The ship having perhaps one of the busiest years in 2012, however, is the Disney Wonder. It’s launching on three different long trips out of two ports next year. First comes the new leaving point of Seattle.
From that city the Wonder will embark on a total of 14 week-long cruises up the Pacific Coast into Alaska and Canada. It will hit the Alaskan cities of Tracy Arm, Skagway, and Juneau, and wrap up in Victoria, British Columbia.
The Disney Wonder will also offer an additional cruise from its current port of Los Angeles: a trip to Hawaii. The Wonder will stop on the islands of Maui, Oahu, and Kauai, and also call on Ensenada, Mexico. That makes the tour sound quick, but actually it’s a 15-night cruise. In addition, the Wonder will continue its original purpose in Los Angeles and make week-long journeys to Mexico.
For booking information, lists of the dates of each cruise, and details on rates, check out the official Disney Cruise website’s 2012 Itinerary.
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*(This image by quinnums is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.)
