Disney Cruise Line to launch ‘staycation’ UK sailings this summer

Guests must stay onboard the ship for the entirety of the cruise

Cruises will take place onboard Disney Magic (Disney Cruise Line)

Disney Cruise Line is the latest operator to announce it will be offering “staycation” sailings in the UK this summer.

These domestic cruises will run over two to four nights, with round-trip sailings departing from London Tilbury, Newcastle, Liverpool and Southampton.

However, passengers will not be permitted off the ship at any point during the cruise.

For those content to stay afloat, entertainment will come in the form of live shows and meet and greets with favourite Disney characters, such as Anna, Olaf and Elsa from Frozen, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Disney princesses and Marvel superheroes.

Sailings will be onboard the Disney Magic liner, which has pools, waterslides and seven separate dining options to choose from, including Rapunzel’s Royal Table, a “dining adventure” inspired by the film Tangled.

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Itineraries are expected to go on sale in April, after the government clarifies whether the next stage of the roadmap involving travel will go ahead as planned.

It is currently hoped that domestic cruising, along with foreign holidays and the reopening of all tourist accommodation in England, will get the green light for a 17 May restart.

Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney Cruise Line, said: “Our teams are bringing tremendous ingenuity and fun to these new cruises, tailoring them with care to the times we are living in, yet filling them with everything you’d expect from Disney, from great service and entertainment to immersive dining experiences and magic for the whole family.”

The cruise line is implementing a number of measures to reduce the risk of coronavirus infections spreading onboard, including Covid testing, face coverings, reduced capacity, social distancing and enhanced cleaning.

Disney follows in the footsteps of P&O Cruises, which announced it would make a series of three- and four-night “voyages to nowhere” – with no ports of call – from June. Instead, the captain will try to set a course for sunny weather.

However, only fully vaccinated travellers will be welcome onboard.

P&O Cruises says only people who have received both Covid-19 jabs, and waited a further week, will be allowed onboard the first voyages the company plans to operate since April last year.