Cruise Passenger readers always have plenty to say about what’s going on in Australian cruise, and in the broader cruise community. In Your Say, Cruise Passenger looks at the issues our readers are writing to us about on our blogs, posts and newsletters.
- Disney Cruise Line has officially left Australia and we watched Disney Wonder sail 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.
Disney Wonder has left 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.”
What cruisers are saying?
Plenty of cruisers and Cruise Passenger readers chimed in to share their experiences of Disney in Australia.
Bob Goveia said: “We sailed on the Wonder from Honolulu to Sydney on the last west-sailing Trans-Pacific cruise. It was absolutely amazing! The ship and cast were incredible. Worth every penny. We had the trip of a lifetime.”
Manda Lockett shared a similarly positive experience: “I went with friends and it’s was the most amazing magical cruise I have ever been on. The food was incredible, the service was awesome and the shows were spectacular… everyday was magical and I cannot wait to board a Disney ship again!”
Theresa Jensen added to the well wishes: “We loved the cruise, even though it was short we had the best time thank you Disney for the opportunity to experience the fun, I will you again from another destination. Thank you to all the staff who made it even more magical and relaxing. Safe travels home Disney Wonder.”
Passengers like Fi Rodrick mentioned that they loved their cruise so much that they’ll look to head to Singapore to cruise on Disney Adventure.
There were also some comments from passengers that did note what many believe was the core reason for Disney’s time in Australia coming to an end.
Sean Steele said: “Poor itineraries. High costs for the poor itineraries. Could fly to LA and go to Disneyland spending the same amount as a five-night Disney cruise in an interior cabin.
“Yes. you’re paying for the Disney experience, but it still needs to be value for money and they just weren’t.
Ben Handlin added: “Looked at cruising on Disney, saw the prices and decided not. Took a cruise to Tasmania in November and it was half the price Disney were charging and a day longer than Disney.”
Byrce Whitfield added his own story on pricing.
“We sailed three nights in December 2024. It was a great experience, kids loved it especially, but the value for money just wasn’t there. Way too expensive!
We had a 9 night cruise in 2025, with soda packages (and my family of 4 had 2 connecting staterooms) with Royal Caribbean for less than the 3 night Disney cruise cost.
“There might be a market in America for people willing to pay the Disney premium, but when a week long cruise starts costing the same as a trip to one of the Asian Disneyland resorts or even LA, they’re charging too much!”
Will Aussies head to Singapore?
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 thefact that a Disney holiday isn’t too far away.
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Sad to see Disney Wonder depart Sydney for the last time, but grateful for the memories these past seasons brought to Aussie and Kiwi families. Huge thanks to the crew.