Adventures Away!

Once on board a Disney Cruise Line ship, there are certain formalities that must be handled: finding your stateroom, making a reservation for dining at Palo, the mandatory safety drill and of course, consuming enormous quantities of shrimp at Beach Blanket Buffet (Topsiders on Disney Magic). Once all those important things are out of the way, it's time to party!

To kick off the cruise, everyone packs onto Decks 9 and 10 for the "Adventures Away!" Sail-Away Celebration. It's a huge party, hosted by Disney Crew Members and complete with streamers and Disney Characters. The action takes place on stage, in the crowd and on the giant Ariel-Vision screen attached to the forward funnel (at other times, the screen shows Disney movies and TV shows). They even pull a floor covering over the Goofy Pool at Midship, creating even more room for all the revelers.

Once the party's done, it's time to relax and let the Captain take the wheel as you enjoy one of the best vacations of your life. Take a stroll, participate in a class, enjoy the spa, watch a movie... there's so much to do on board. If swimming is your thing, and you just can't wait for Castaway Cay, dive into one of the three main pools on the ship.

The Quiet Cove Pool is set aside exclusively for adults. At Midship is the Goofy Pool for families, and then there's the Mickey Pool for the little ones. The Mickey Pool even has a water slide for the adventurous and a shallow splash area for infants and toddlers.

What many Guests don't realize is there's actually a fourth pool on the ship. On Deck 5 Forward is a pool reserved exclusively for Disney Crew Members. The crew on the ship work contracts which are typically several months long, followed by a period of shore leave lasting several weeks. The crew is also incredibly diverse, with representatives from more than 50 countries on board, and the service they provide their Guests is incredible even by Disney's high standards.

Admittedly, a Disney Cruise Line vacation is a favorite getaway for me and my family. There's so much to love about the ship, the destinations and the entire experience, and there's absolutely nothing like the feeling of being on the top deck as the ship leaves port and hearing that magical horn blow "When You Wish Upon a Star." It gives me goosebumps every time.