Magic and fun in the Caribbean: what is the experience like on board a Disney cruise

Although the storms of the economy, the exchange rate and inflation hit pockets and dent plans, Orlando and the Disney parks (

) continue to be a

who -not without imagination and a lot of effort- celebrate there 15th birthday or looking to fulfill the dream of photographing children or grandchildren with Mickey, the most famous mouse in the world.

The getaway, always unforgettable, can be repeated years later and is usually accompanied by a few

in Miami, to compensate the elderly with a few days off.

But few know of an ideal option to prolong the magic Magic Kingdom, Epcot or Hollywood Studios without giving up those necessary days of relaxation.

The formula?

Get on one of the

that Disney sends over the warm waters of the

.

Everything is ready: a bus from the company will take care of the family transfer from Orlando to the

-next to the NASA rocket launch base, over the Atlantic- and a team of always smiling receptionists will speed up the procedures for embark on the fabulous

, one of the four cruises that the firm has touring the world for now.

Two more are about to be launched from Venetian shipyards to feed the fleet.

is crossed into another dimension

: while dozens of crew members applaud the announcement of each arriving family, the view is lost upwards, to the sides and everywhere before the stimuli of a huge room that, with different settings and proposals, it extends for hundreds of meters and several floors.

Disney Fantasy, the cruise that brings the magic of the mouse and his friends to the Bahamas and Puerto Rico.

The trip will then unfold into different proposals, all unmissable: first you have to get to know and enjoy the ship, eat something at the buffet to be able to tour the pool and the

that meander on the upper deck, choose the deck chairs to look at the departure from the port or accommodate them in front of the giant screen that shows hits from the Disney factory all day long.

By the way: the Fantasy also has a

to be able to see the

that are still in commercial theaters, with several performances every day.

But let's continue touring the cruise, while the youngest children are already walking in mesh enjoying water games and slides with specialized personnel to take care of them, or they signed up in the

, from babies to teenagers, to be amazed by games and settings that reproduce the most famous movies, or compete in tournaments of "superheroes" against "villains" in foosball or Playstation games.

Outside, under the soft salty breeze, a

is one of the favorites of families, who can also participate in trivia contests about cartoons and Disney characters, or simply indulge in reading or photography: each corner offers scenery tempting.

The Disney Fantasy does not only have surprises for the boys.

More and more

choose these cruises to celebrate bachelorette parties -Clarín shared the trip with several very entertaining groups-, to recreate the old illusion that Mickey and Donald were close to us as adults, or simply to enjoy a week of peace, visits and joy while food, lodging and transportation remain in the hands of others.

Because the cruise has

- the boys can cross them, but they must continue long with their noise and excitement.

In another area on the upper floors there is an incredible

with the latest machines and teachers for learning and training, together with

that is one of the best in the entire ship: three different types of sauna with a fun menu of scenic showers, relax and the possibility is to experience massages and beauty treatments for women and men.

Spacious cabins, shops to buy gifts, clothes, sunscreen or even high-end jewelry and watches follow one another between bars, living rooms and environments with permanent live music, to take a breather while the boys are still outside playing shuffleboard, or running through the corridors and stairs turned into detectives who must unravel a mystery using their cell phones in front of some interactive paintings that are hidden among the decoration of the walls throughout the entire ship.

A "floating park" for adults and children

Disney Cruises, a surprising option to complete your visit to the Orlando parks.

The mainland is left behind, and the Disney Fantasy is already sailing the sea towards the island of Puerto Rico, whose capital San Juan will be one of the three stops on the journey.

Sailing south parallel to the Florida coast, the first stop will be in another of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean;

the port of

, one of the British Virgin Islands.

There you can enjoy

, or take one of the exciting excursions to caves and painted caverns hidden between reefs and golden sands, the same ones where the pirates of the 17th and 18th centuries hid their treasures and ambushed Spanish ships.

The next day, yes, the cruise will dock in

, whose enormous colonial center leaves any visitor breathless, among castles, walls, canyons, and small stone streets that line the hills of the old city.

A couple of bridges away stands today's ultra-modern city, with skyscrapers, parks, and branches of all the American stores. 

Two days later, and already heading north, the last of the Fantasy stops will be at the indescribable

, the private island that Disney has in the Bahamas to entertain its cruise passengers.

For eight hours, a few meters from the pier where the luxurious ship docks, passengers can take their towels to live a

, snorkel with clouds of goldfish, ride a bicycle and jump down curly water slides.

Lunch is arranged in two large dining rooms with a

, and it is difficult to imagine a better farewell to the adventure that began there in Orlando.

But not so fast!

The trip is not over yet, and there is still the best part to tell, what distinguishes this cruise from any other: the

.

Because we did a quick overflight of the ship and its facilities, but the key to that trip is not in other hands than Mickey's, his friends and the imagination of his visitors, of course.

In every corner of the ship, at times and stations notified to all crew members, dozens of

Disney movies will wait for children and adults to have their picture taken, sign the inevitable autograph book and seal an unrepeatable memory with fire.

All the princesses from the films are waiting there -Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Mullan and more-, Sullivan and his partner Mike Wazowski from Monster Inc, the Incredibles family and their friend Frozone, Remy and Linguini from Ratatouille or Joy and Sadness, the embodied feelings of the movie Inside Out.

There will also be

, which the passengers will have to taste in different restaurants each day.

There will be unforgettable visits, dancing and one of the most fascinating gifts of the trip, when the drawings that young and old draw on the sheet that they will find on their table come to life on the dining room screens.

Truly amazing.

If the children are entertained or tired, or your trip is as a couple, with your parents or your brothers, you should choose one night to visit the

, whose name is inspired by the oars of the romantic Venetian gondoliers.

At their intimate tables, true artists of cuisine and history will await you, since each dish will arrive after advice adjusted to your requests and with the story of that specialty and each of its ingredients.

A true gift to be made on board.

The Ultimate Gift: Pixar Day at Sea

There is still one more rabbit in the Disney Fantasy galley, strategically planned in the middle of the trip: the

, a unique immersion in the universe and the Pixar movies that Disney has been preparing for three years for its trips around Caribbean.

Starting early in the morning,

"owners" of the franchise, since the smash hit Toy Story- will be available in different places on the ship, and surprises will be revealed throughout the day, with a full-length closing. orchestra on the main deck, converted into an open-air theater and illuminated by a salvo of fireworks on the high seas that will take your breath away.

Disney Cruises, an incredible option to complete your visit to the Orlando parks.

One of his latest surprises is Pixar Day at Sea.

We said theater, and we almost forgot another of the obligatory stops on the cruise:

-or afternoon, for those who have dinner at 20:30- a

.

From the incredible magician Eric Jones to musicals worthy of Broadway, with a highlight that must be attended no matter what: Frozen, in a performance that pales any forecast.

As a family, as a couple or with the grandchildren;

If you have already been to the parks and want to experience

with the safety and quality that are its trademark and without worrying about suitcases, schedules or meals, the mouse cruises open a door to another range.

Whoever opens it will not look back. 

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