Dare to compare: Should you sail Disney from Australia or Singapore?

• Disney Adventure, by far Disney’s biggest ship, has floated out for the first time in Wismar, Germany.
• With the ship set to sail from Asia in December this year, Aussies are debating whether to sail locally with Disney, or head over to Singapore to try the new ship.
• Here’s a breakdown of some of the pros and cons of each ship.

Disney’s biggest ship yet, Disney Adventure, has floated out for the first time in Wismar, Germany. The ship will become one of the largest in the world, trailing only the mega ships of Royal Caribbean’s Icon and Oasis classes, as well as MSC Cruises World Class.

The ship will sail out of Singapore, with sailing set to begin from later this year and there are sailing dates available right through until September 2026. This creates an interesting picture for Disney Cruises in Australia, given that this gigantic new Disney ship will be just a short flight away for Australians. 

This also comes at a time where Disney Wonder, which sails in Australia, had to cut its prices to see out last season, likely due to reduced demand.

Disney is still yet to announce or confirm its 26/27 season in Australia, however, Disney Wonder is already scheduled for another cruise season at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Sydney. There is some hope that we could see a new Disney ship on our shores, with Disney Magic also yet to be assigned a destination for the Aussie cruise season dates.

The gigantic size of Disney Adventure isn’t about to become the new normal for Disney; in fact, the cruise line is going to pivot towards building smaller ships. 

In good news, this will mean Aussies will have the option of sailing locally on Disney Wonder or a potential different ship in the future, as well as the option of just a quick flight to Singapore, where they can experience Disney Adventure as well.

If you’re an Aussie looking to get on a Disney cruise, here are some things to consider when opting between Disney Wonder and Disney Adventure to help you make your choice as to which Disney ship you’ll choose for your next family vacation. 

Reasons to sail on Disney Wonder

• Convenience: The easiest reason to opt for a sailing on Disney Wonder is simply because it’s easier and more local. She offers sailings out of Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland and Melbourne, meaning she’s only a short flight or drive away for many Australians, and you can cut the hassle of an international trip to Singapore from your plans.
• Destinations: While on a Disney Cruise, the ship is generally the main attraction, Disney Wonder cruises do also sail to beautiful ports around Australia and beyond, such as the South Pacific, Eden, Hobart and plenty more. This means there’s plenty of opportunity to get off the ship and adventure out in the world as well. However, Disney Adventure only sails cruises to nowhere, meaning the ship is the only attraction. If you’re looking for more balance to your holiday, Disney Wonder could be the move. 
• A more intimate experience: While any experience on a large cruise ship with thousands of people might not necessarily be considered ‘intimate’, Disney Wonder will have considerably less guests onboard than Disney Adventure. Therefore if the chaos of a huge megaship sounds like too much to you, maybe opt for Disney Wonder instead. 

Reasons to sail on Disney Adventure

• Bigger and better entertainment: The sheer size and scale of Disney Adventure means that it will have entertainment offerings that exceed Wonder, or any other Disney ship. The ship will have all kind of new shows like the Captain Jack Sparrow and the Siren Queen show, the Duffy and The Friend Ship Show, a Marvel Style studio where guests can transform into their favourite Marvel characters and lots more. If your main goal is to see as much Disney magic as possible, it’ll be hard to beat Disney Adventure.
• Try out a megaship: Similar to the innovative Icon of the Seas, Disney Wonder will have a neighbourhood system. This means distinctly different areas of the ship will be set up to feel like you’re exploring different neighbourhoods. For example, you can enjoy your sail-away party in the Disney Imagination Garden, but then move on to enjoy some food at the Disney Discovery Reef, which will have a whole different feel. The seven areas in total each have a totally different vibe and feel, offering guests the megaship experience, which can’t really be found in Australia. 
• Soak up Singapore: If you’ve never been to Singapore before or are looking to go back, a cruise on Disney Adventure is a great excuse to enjoy more of the country, or even surrounding countries, as well as just the ship. Singapore is a great family destination, or even a great cruise hub if you’re looking to jump on another cruise that will take you out to other parts of the region. 

Could you actually save money by cruising in Singapore?

A previous Cruise Passenger investigation, revealed that while one would assume that adding a flight to Singapore and hotel stay to your trip would mean you end up excessively more out of pocket, the results were actually quite surprising. 

Perhaps, the biggest barrier over the short term is that Disney Adventure cruises are selling fast and many are already sold out for some or all cabin categories. 

As the breakdown showed, the cheaper fares on Disney Adventure, combined with the relatively cheaper general cost of Singapore versus Sydney, mean that for a family in Sydney, a Disney cruise out of Singapore will come out to more or less the same price as a cruise out of Sydney.

Furthermore, for families in Adelaide or Perth, they can even save thousands by offering to cruise out of Singapore instead. Therefore, while price might seem like a barrier to Aussies looking to cruise on Disney Adventure, this won’t always be the case. Rather, an assessment of the two ships and their respective itineraries will better serve you in determining where to take your next Disney cruise.

View the full price breakdown below, calculated for a family of four.

For a family of four living in Sydney

Sydney cruise holiday cost – $2712 x 4 = $10,848 

In this case, the family would not need further flights or a hotel. 

• Singapore cruise cost – $1739 x 4 = $6995
• Return flights  to Singapore – $800 x 4 = $3200
• One day of hotel and activities in Singapore – $550

Total cost of Singapore cruise holiday = $10,745

Conclusion: Unbelievably, even Sydneysiders would find the price expensive in comparison to a fly-cruise holiday to Singapore on Disney Adventure instead. 

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For a family of four in Adelaide

• Sydney cruise cost – $2712 x 4 = $10,848 
• Return flights to Sydney – 400 x 4 = $1600 
• One day of hotel and activities in Sydney – $942 

Total cost of Sydney cruise holiday = $13,390 

• Singapore cruise cost – $1739 x 4 = $6995
• Return flights to Singapore – 850 x 4 = $3600
• One day of hotel and activities in Singapore = $550 

Total cost of Singapore cruise holiday = $11,145

Conclusion: A family travelling out of Adelaide would save over $2000 in total by making the journey to Singapore, rather than Sydney. 

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For a family of four in Perth

• Sydney cruise cost – $2712 x 4 = $10,848 
• Return flights to Sydney – $700 x 4 = $2800
• One day of hotel and activities in Sydney – $942

Total cost of Sydney cruise holiday = $14,590 

• Singapore cruise cost – $1739 x 4 = $6995
• Return flights to Singapore – $500 x 4 = $2000
• One day of hotel and activities in Singapore = $550 

Total cost of Singapore cruise holiday = $9495 

Conclusion: Unsurprisingly given Western Australia’s closer proximity to Singapore and reduced flight time, large savings of around $5000 could be made by opting for the Singapore option rather than the cruise out of Sydney.