Disney Cruises unique holiday fun

[Jason]

With a first-ever 10-night holiday cruise, a private island transformed into a 'winter wonderland' and two Disney cruise ships full of holiday magic, Disney Cruise Line has a pixie- dusted celebration lined up for all December cruise vacations this season.

Beginning at Disney's private cruise terminal at Port Canaveral, Fla., festive holiday decor and Disney characters dressed in their season's best await all who board a Magical Holiday sailing. On board the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, guests find the ships decked with boughs of holly and filled with holiday-themed entertainment and activities for the entire family.

On Board:

Complete with 25 Christmas trees, 25,000 Christmas tree lights, 1,260 feet of garland and 3,600 yards of ribbon, Magical Holidays activities, entertainment and dining continue the magic at sea with:

A nearly three-deck-tall tree-lighting ceremony in the atrium lobby, where "snow" magically falls

A Christmas Day visit from Santa Goofy, with surprises for all the kids

Special family time, when families join together to design and decorate their own gingerbread houses

A Disney Cruise Line rendition of "T'was the Night Before Christmas" with a reading by Mrs. Claus and caroling by the main stage performers

Traditional holiday feasts in Disney's three themed dining rooms

Multiple faith and inter-denominational holiday services

A ship-wide party to ring in 2005 and a New Year's Day tailgate party

At Castaway Cay

Additionally, Disney's private island paradise, Castaway Cay, located in the Bahamas, is literally a magical wonderland, where a new themed decor package has transformed the sandy island into a "snowy" holiday hideaway.

At a balmy 73 degrees, the forecast calls for snow flurries, ideal for Mr. and Mrs. Snowman (with shell noses and tropical shirts) who greet guests as they step off the gangway onto the island. Guests will also find a 40-foot tall tropical Christmas tree, carolers and a sleigh full of presents in the middle of this Bahamian paradise. Disney characters, dressed in holiday island styles, sign autographs and pose for photos to the beat of holiday tunes while the island's tram that transports guests across the 1,000-acre island has been decorated to resemble a reindeer, complete with antlers and tail.

Rates, Dates & Itineraries:

Three-night cruises depart every Thursday (Dec. 2 ,9, 16, 23 & 30), while four-night cruises depart every Sunday (Dec. 5, 12, 19 & 26) with calls at Nassau, Bahamas and Castaway Cay. Rates start at $409 and $509, respectively. Seven-night cruise vacations depart every Saturday (Dec. 4, 11 & 28) and start at $829, alternating between a western Caribbean itinerary with calls at Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Castaway Cay and an eastern Caribbean itinerary with calls at St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay. Disney's first-ever 10-night cruise vacation departs Saturday, Dec. 18 with rates starting at $1899.

Disney Cruise Line specifically designed its ships with areas and activities that appeal to the unique vacation needs of every member of the family. As a result, its vacations offer guests an unbelievable cruise experience not found anywhere else. During the summer of 2005, Disney Cruise Line will offer its first-ever seven-night cruises to the Mexican Riviera departing from the Port of Los Angeles. With a pre- or post-stay at the Disneyland Resort, guests can combine the fun and excitement of the Disneyland Resort with the enchantment of a Disney cruise. The repositioning of the Disney Magic to southern California also includes two 14-night Panama Canal cruises, nicely blending exotic ports of call with leisurely days at sea.