There are those who can afford a deluxe cabin with a balcony view for an entire two week cruise, and then there are the rest of us who still want to enjoy the high seas without completely raiding our savings accounts.

In 2009 Disney Cruise Lines introduced a new product, the Magical Portholes, which allows cruisers to sail with a view without forking out the extra dollars.

How it works: using high-definition cameras on the exterior of the ship, Disney feeds video to wall-mounted framed monitors that have the appearance of a porthole.

Camera positions correspond with stateroom locations – port or starboard, from bow to steam.

As well as giving the illusion of looking out the window, the portholes provide entertainment for younger cruisers when random Disney characters make brief appearances.

Tangled’s Rapunzel may swing past, Toy Story’s Mr Potato Head could give a quick wave or Flounder and Scuttle from the Little Mermaid fly by with a ‘dingle hopper’.

The Magical Portholes are available on two Disney Cruise ships; the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy.