“Magic is still on the horizon” – Disney Cruise Line’s parting words for Australia

• Disney Cruise Line is officially leaving Australia today, as Disney Wonder sails out of Sydney Harbour.
• The ship will sail out of Alaska and then the Caribbean.
• It’s expected that Aussies are going to make the journey to Singapore, to sail on the new Disney Adventure, which arrives in March.

Today, Disney Wonder leaves Sydney Harbour to head for the USA, just as she has for the previous three cruise seasons. The difference is, this time she won’t be coming back.

Last year Disney confirmed that it would be ceasing to homeport in Australian waters for the foreseeable future, and the day has now arrived, with Disney Wonder set to make its way to Honolulu, and then to Vancouver, where it will sail a range of Alaskan itineraries, and then head to the Caribbean at the end of the year.

Disney Cruise Line put out a message in Cruise Weekly, thanking trade members for their support over the last few years.

The statement read: “After three special seasons of sailings, it’s a fond farewell to our Aussie and Kiwi friends. On behalf of the Disney Cruise Line team and our crew members onboard Disney Wonder, we extend our heartfelt thank you to you, our travel agents and trade partners, for being a key part of the magic. Thanks to you, thousands of Australian and New Zealander families have made memories to last a lifetime, and we are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support.

“Magic is still on the horizon – with exciting Disney cruise destinations around the world, full of new discoveries and adventures. Disney Adventure will set sail from Singapore on March 10, and we can’t wait for all the enchantment she will bring to our growing fleet.

“We look forward to welcoming your clients aboard Disney Cruise Line soon.”

Disney’s message appears to be that they hope Aussie diehard fans won’t give up on Disney, and will rather seek to sail with Disney in other parts of the world, namely Singapore, where Disney Adventure will soon arrive.

While Disney’s Australia stint might not have worked out exactly how some would have hoped, plenty of joy was brought to cruisers along the way, who had been waiting for the chance to experience Disney’s magic on their doorstep.

It already appears that Disney Adventure will be a popular option for Aussie travellers, with Singapore only being a reasonable flight away and Disney Adventure’s prices being lower than what Aussies have been paying for Disney Wonder.

The arrival of Disney Adventure likely also motivated Disney’s decision as the large new ship should be able to catch the Australian market as well, with room for more than 6000 passengers on board. Disney will be hoping to bring plenty of Aussies and Kiwis on the new ship.

While the cruise line’s arrival in Australia generated a lot of excitement, with high prices clashing with a rising cost of living, a difficult regulatory environment that has seen other cruise lines leave as well and Disney’s relatively small fleet meaning there were opportunities for Wonder elsewhere, a longer stay for Disney in Australia wasn’t meant to be for the moment.

Disney Adventure has faced some delays, but now is set to start sailing out of Singapore from March 10, and will sail three to four-night cruises out of Singapore.

A three-night cruise starts from $2711 total for a four-guest cabin, with prices generally sitting around 25 – 40% lower than those of Disney Wonder. Return flights to Singapore are about $800 from Sydney or Melbourne, and Singapore is also a great base to launch into further travel.

While it’s sad to see Disney go, the arrival of Adventure at least means that Aussies can take some solace in the

fact that a Disney holiday isn’t too far away.

For more go here.