Disney cruise ship arrives in Australia for the first time

Cruise ship Disney Wonder sailed into Sydney Harbour on Friday morning ahead of its inaugural Australian season.

It’s the first Disney ship to cruise Australian waters since the entertainment company established its own cruise line in 1998.

From Saturday, the 2713-passenger vessel will commence a number of sailings from ports on Australia’s eastern seaboard.

Disney Wonder at Sydney’s White Bay Cruise Terminal on Friday.Credit: Rhett Wyman

Cruises ranging from two to six nights will depart from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland, starting with a four-night round-trip cruise from Sydney.

Speaking ahead of the inaugural Australia cruise, President of Disney Signature Experiences Thomas Mazloum said fans in Australia and New Zealand can expect an upgraded version of previous Disney cruises, with sailings focused solely on the “at sea” experience.

“We’ve enhanced an already great experience by adding extra touches and stories for our friends here in Australia and New Zealand, so you’ll see an extra layer of characters and encounters,” Mazloum said.

Meet Captain Mickey Mouse and Captain Minnie Mouse.

While Australian sailings won’t resemble Disney’s North American itineraries – which famously include trips to Disney’s private island in the Bahamas – they will offer an easy way for fans in the region to access Disney without having to hop on a plane to visit one of its theme parks overseas, said Mazloum.

“You’re going to see all these [Disney] stories come alive so immensely during the sea days. It’s really about bringing Disney to your own backyard,” he said.

As well as Captain Mickey Mouse and Captain Minnie Mouse, passengers will get the chance to rub shoulders with characters from the Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars films.

Younger guests can play in a multi-level replica of Andy’s Room from Toy Story, or train like their favourite superheroes at the Marvel Super Hero Academy.

In the AquaLab water park, families can stroll between pop jets, geysers and bubblers.

The Disney Wonder features 875 staterooms and 11 decks of restaurants and recreation spaces decorated in the art nouveau style, including adults-only zones, multiple pools, a water park with a double-looping waterslide and a theatre for staging Broadway-style productions including Frozen: A Musical Spectacular and Disney Dreams, a musical showcase inspired by the classic films Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Cinderella and Aladdin.

Onboard dining options include the Disney Wonder exclusive Tiana’s Place, a New Orleans-themed restaurant inspired by Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, and Animator’s Palate, an interactive dining experience centred on Disney animations.

The theatre stages Broadway-style shows, including Disney Dream.

Disney Wonder was the second ship to join the Disney fleet, entering service in 1999. It’s had a number of upgrades since, including a session in dry dock in Victoria, Canada prior to its voyage to Australia, which Mazloum confirmed included some environmental upgrades such as the installation of a new lubrication system to the ship’s hull for fuel-efficiency.

Disney’s Australia and New Zealand sailings were announced last year, initially as a limited offering, but following significant demand the cruise line added a second season, with cruises from October 2024 to February 2025.

Sales for the entertainment company’s second cruise season, which include sailings with ports of call at Hobart in Tasmania, Eden in NSW and Noumea in New Caledonia, have been off to a strong start, according to Mazloum.

Disney Wonder stateroom prices start from $1486 per two guests for a two-night cruise.

Disney Cruise Line won’t be the only newcomer to the Australian cruise scene, with Virgin Voyages and Scenic also deploying ships in the region for the first time in what’s shaping up to be a bumper cruise season.

About 70 ships from 27 different cruise companies will sail Australian waters for the 2023-24 season, with the number of ships set to exceed pre-pandemic levels.