A Greek Hero at Sea and a 'Poisoned' Cocktail: 10 Best Features of Disney's Brand New Destiny Cruise Ship (Exclusive Preview) Lindsay KimbleNovember 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM 0 Disney Cruise Line The Disney Destiny Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, the Destiny, will begin sailing on Nov. 20 PEOPLE was invited aboard the ship for a threeday preview cruise, including the ship's official christening Some of the best features of the ship include a Haunted Mansionthemed bar, a Star Wars kids space and the new Hercules show A new destiny awaits Disney fans.
- - A Greek Hero at Sea and a 'Poisoned' Cocktail: 10 Best Features of Disney's Brand New Destiny Cruise Ship (Exclusive Preview)
Lindsay KimbleNovember 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM
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Disney Cruise Line
The Disney Destiny -
Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, the Destiny, will begin sailing on Nov. 20
PEOPLE was invited aboard the ship for a three-day preview cruise, including the ship's official christening
Some of the best features of the ship include a Haunted Mansion-themed bar, a Star Wars kids space and the new Hercules show
A new destiny awaits Disney fans.
Disney Cruise Line's seventh vessel, the Destiny, will make its maiden voyage on Nov. 20, but PEOPLE had an exclusive first look at (well, ride aboard) the 221 feet tall and 1,119 feet long ship.
The ship was celebrated with a special, drone-filled christening ceremony led by the Destiny's godmother, Hercules' voice actress Susan Egan, on Nov. 10, before disembarking from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. This inaugural sailing allowed reporters, like myself, to get a peek at all the offerings of this new boat.
Like all of Disney's cruise experiences, there's sun up to sun down activities for every age —we're talking hourly trivia, character appearances, live music and signature drinks.
With a jam-packed three-day schedule, its hard to narrow down which offerings stand out. Here's this editors' take on the 10 can't-miss, must see, Easter egg-erific, best things aboard the Disney Destiny.
Get "poisoned" at the Haunted Mansion Parlor.
It's always spooky season aboard the Disney Destiny. The ship is home to Disney's second Haunted Mansion Parlor (the first is located on the Treasure), a cocktail bar that's serving up much more than drinks.
The Haunted Mansion's recognizable purple wallpaper outfits the bar, as do cobwebs and various ocean-themed relics of a romance gone awry. Because, of course, there's a "story to tell" through these highball glasses, Haunted Mansion Parlor server Cassie Mae de la Cruz tells PEOPLE.
At the story's heart is a boat captain and his bride-to-be. Explains de la Cruz, "They are about to get married, but they disappear and nobody knows what happened to them. Inside the parlor, there's hidden clues — and you can figure out what happened."
Easter egg-loving Disney nerds (like myself) will appreciate the staff members' uniform details, including a bat-shaped bow-tie, and the use of a bell when Madam Leota appears.
Disney
The Haunted Mansion Parlor
The cocktails are, of course, on theme. While you can grab a glass of red or a vodka soda, it's the unique offerings that are not to be missed. De la Cruz's favorite (and now, mine) is called the Chilling Challenge: My Way. It comes in a small wooden box — when opened, smoke pours out.
"It's more a presentation than a drink," de la Cruz says. "When I put the box there, I tell the guest, 'You can open the box now' and when they open, there's smoke inside with the drink. When they try their drink, I tell them, 'I've fooled you, there's poison inside that drink.' They love it. "
Don't worry, you'll make it out of the bar alive — and with a death certificate in hand. Laughs de la Cruz, "Our cocktails are to die for."
Watch Hercules hit the high seas (and the high notes).
Hunkules — er, Hercules — has officially taken the stage in the Atlantic ocean.
Corey J. Bradford transforms into the Greek hero for the Destiny's one-hour staging of the 1997 animated film.
In addition to some very impressive puppets (yes, the six-headed hydra comes to life without the help of a digital screen), "you're getting riffs, you're getting runs," Bradford tells PEOPLE.
Disney
Corey J. Bradford in Hercules on the Disney Destiny
The beloved songbook from the film gets new life for this production: "They wanted to keep it current to make sure we highlight the musical stylings of R&B, of gospel, of jazz music."
"The music of this show, it's fantastic — some of the best music that Disney has in its canon," says Bradford, whose version of "Go the Distance" can't be missed.
Get entertained by a Dalmatian-spotted grand piano.
Disney
De Vil's piano lounge aboard the Disney Destiny
The world was such a wholesome place until ... I walked into De Vil's.
The bar-hopping options aboard the Disney Destiny are many, though De Vil's evokes a much different vibe, specifically, the "over-the-top and marvelous" personality of its namesake, Cruella De Vil.
The piano bar leans into the Cruella aesthetic, continuing the ship's overall hero and villain tributes.
The nightly live piano is can't miss, but — as with much of the ship — so are the "hidden Easter eggs," Sara Pepper, senior creative producer with Disney Imagineering, tells PEOPLE. "Our props team actually recreated the vampire phone [from 101 Dalmatians] that you see behind the bar," she teases.
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The bar's true showstopper, though, is the piano itself — a white grand piano, completely covered with black Dalmatian spots
"Our graphic designers actually create the graphic so you're seeing the ink spots on here," explains Pepper, "then that design is put into something called a wrap and we wrap the piano."
Chart a course to some strong drinks under Jack Sparrow's map.
Where's all the rum gone? To Cask and Cannon, another themed lounge aboard the ship.
Cask and Cannon has pub grub with a Caribbean twist, paying homage to Disney Parks' signature attraction, the Pirates of the Caribbean.
While there's an entire menu of rum to pick from, it's, again, the design details from above and below that wowed me.
Disney
Cask & Cannon lounge on the Disney Destiny
"One of my favorite details of the space is definitely the map on the ceiling," Beth Burkhardt, manager of interior design at Walt Disney Engineering, tells PEOPLE. "We went to the archives at Walt Disney imagineering in California and we looked at the [late animator] Marc Davis sketches that influenced the very first attractions in California. So you'll see those original sketches on the ceiling."
Continues Burkhardt, "A fun Easter egg within it is we have our [private] islands in there and also seven kinds of pirate ships, as this is our seventh ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet."
Diners (and drinkers) should also look alongside the bar, where there's drawers of treasure maps, all named after "different scenes in our attractions."
Visit with a porg in 'Star Wars': Cargo Bay.
While this Star Wars fan is certainly not under age 12, I was able to sneak into the Destiny's Oceaneer kids club to check out the Star Wars: Cargo Bay play area. The galaxy becomes accessible with this interactive play space.
Kent Phillips/Disney
Star Wars: Cargo Bay in the Oceaneer Club
There's buttons and screens and all the fun tech to help children as young as 3 join the Resistance, but also animatronic space creatures anyone would enjoy. I was particularly excited to spot a little cage containing a too-cute Porg.
Parents sailing aboard the Destiny will generally love the Oceaneer Club, where kids can be dropped off for any part of the day. While there, counselors lead them through activities in a variety of themed spaces. My girl mom heart wanted to stay and hang in the three, themed Disney princess rooms — a craft space with Rapunzel's friend Pascal, a reading room for Princess Belle and space for Anna and Elsa.
Get ruthlessly bullied by Deadpool.
Wade Wilson is showing Disney Destiny cruisers — and, honestly, the company — no mercy in the ship's adults-only comedy show, With Great Power: A Marvel Comedy Show.
The show, hosted by the ship's "storytellers" Zayah and Gamble, shares highlights of MCU history. Deadpool pops up via video, and roasts the "room full of Disney adults" (guilty as charged).
No more spoilers, but the segment is fun. The entire Marvel show is hosted in the ship's Saga space, inspired by Black Panther. During the day, family activities like crafts are held in the two-floor theatre, but at night its offerings are more adult-focused.
Live like Tony Stark in the two-floor Tower Suite.
Marvel has a prominent place aboard the Destiny — the MCU's superhero and villain characters are key parts of the overall storyline. So, of course, Iron Man has taken residence aboard the ship.
The Tower Suite accommodations are located within the ship's forward funnel, and made for a truly unforgettable vacation experience. Just kidding — I didn't stay in the two-story, 4-bedroom suite while on the Destiny, but I did get to visit.
The suite can host eight guests, and includes a library, two masters with king-sized beds, soaking tubs and a full dining area — all in nearly 2,000 square feet of living space.
Kent Phillips/Disney
The Disney Destiny Tower Suite
There's a spiral staircase, a wet bar, walk-in closets — and Iron Man's mask.
"We have concierge available for the Destiny Tower Suite," Lisa Pickett, hotel director aboard the Disney Destiny, tells PEOPLE. "With the concierge, of course, comes access to the concierge lounge and sun deck where our guests can relax and enjoy a cocktail or food and beverage. ... We can order from any of our restaurants on board and they can have dinner in their own dining room and we serve that to them as well."
All that Iron Man luxury comes with a price tag, of course: $38,000 for four adults on some sailings.
Nosh on a French menu prepared by a Michelin-Star chef.
Chef Arnaud Lallement, who has thrice been awarded a Michelin star, has crafted a gourmet French menu and experience aboard the Destiny that would impress even frequent fine diners.
Chris Sista/Disney
Echanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement
Wait staff at Echanté is knowledgable and worldly as they drop off carefully executed courses like petrossian caviar and wagyu beef. Our meal — prepared by Chef Arnaud, himself — included elegant champagne pairings and a dessert presentation complete with white gloves.
It's Disney, so, of course, there's a character nod even in the upscale, adults-only restaurant space: Lumiére, of Beauty and the Beast, peeks out from one of the wall sconces as you approach Echanté's grand chandelier in the lobby.
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Transport yourself to the African savanna with a 'Lion King'-themed dining experience.
Cruisers can get dinner and a show on the savanna at the ship's Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King experience. As I dined on peri-peri shrimp and pan-seared corvina paired with yam puré and Shiraz-braised oxtail, to boot, performers regaled us with the story of Simba.
Disney
Disney's Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King restaurant
Fans of the 1994 classic will be pleased to hear "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata" accompanied by traditional African instruments. Of course, Scar's ominous song "Be Prepared" is included (the ship's theme is heroes and villains, after all).
While I loved the dance performance to "Can You Feel the Love" tonight, the winning feature, for me, was the creamsicle cheesecake (the orange segment glaze was, literally, chef's kiss).
Get out of your comfort zone for unique character interactions.
Disney Cruise Line
Dr. Facilier's parlor experience aboard the Destiny
Littlest cruisers will, of course, be excited to meet Mickey, Minnie and pals, but most of the adults aboard the Destiny's preview sailing were relishing the ship's more rare meet-and-greets.
Among them? A chance to delve into some voodoo with The Princess Frog's Dr. Facilier in his parlor space; a slightly unhinged visit from Cruella De Vil to her so-named jazz lounge; a Grand Hall takeover by Loki; and Jack Sparrow's swashbuckling presence on Disney Cruise Line's signature Pirate Night.
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Published: November 15, 2025 at 01:36AM on Source: MORNING MAG
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