The Disney Adventure cruise ship docked at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore sets off  on its first public sailing on March 10. Photo: The Straits Times

SINGAPORE – As early as 9 am on March 10, hours before Asia’s first Disney cruise set off on its maiden voyage, excited passengers started streaming into the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore.

Among the first groups to check in for Disney Adventure’s inaugural public sailing were Japanese husband and wife Takuya and Manami Murao, who flew in from their hometown of Osaka, Japan, on March 8. This is the couple’s first time in Singapore and on a Disney cruise.

“This sailing is actually a delayed honeymoon for us. We got married six years ago, but because of COVID-19, we could not travel at the time. So, this maiden voyage feels very special to us,” said Mr Murao, 36, who works in the steel industry.

By late morning, scores of passengers had arrived to check in, with the earliest group allowed to board at 11 am. The cruise set sail at about 5.45 pm on March 10.

Passengers dressed up as Disney characters at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore for Disney Adventure’s maiden voyage. Photo: The Straits Times

Spotted among the crowd were passengers dressed as Disney characters such as Belle from Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Many others donned Disney-themed attire – from Mickey ears headbands to printed T-shirts and hats – and carried totes with numerous character plush toy keychains.

Disney Adventure is Disney Cruise Line’s eighth and largest ship. It can take up to 6,700 passengers and has 20 decks with seven themed areas. It will not call at any port during its inaugural four-day journey.

Its maiden sailing comes about three years after the announcement that the cruise would make Singapore its home port for at least five years.

Singaporean Joanna Leng, 35, had rebooked herself and her fiancé on the first public sailing after the original maiden sailing on December 15, 2025, was rescheduled due to shipbuilding delays. The couple, who are Disney fans, got engaged at Tokyo DisneySea in October 2025.

“It has been more than a year since we made our booking for this sailing, so we are very, very excited,” said Ms Leng, an events operations supervisor. “I will definitely want to catch all the shows on Disney Adventure, especially the exclusive Duffy and Friends show.”

Designed with an Asian audience in mind, the ship will offer a number of firsts, such as the Duffy And The Friend Ship live show, starring all seven characters from the franchise, which is popular at Asian Disney theme parks.

Room doors decorated by guests on board the Disney Adventure cruise ship on March 6. Photo: The Straits Times

Enthusiasm for the maiden sailing was also evident in the practice of “pixie dusting”, where passengers exchange Disney-themed gifts. Items are often left outside the doors to guest rooms in baskets or hanging racks for anyone to take, or traded in person between guests.

Mr and Mrs Murao, the husband and wife from Osaka, prepared around 100 small gifts, including custom name tags, Japanese sweets, and origami, for fellow passengers on this sailing.

“We want to share a bit of happiness with other guests. It took some time to decide what to prepare, but once we started making everything, it did not take too long – maybe around three hours in total,” said Mrs Murao, 37, a homemaker.

Ms Leng also prepared stickers, pouches, and luggage tags, which took her around two months to design and find a vendor to make.

Ms Janelle Buxton, 57, and her husband arrived in Singapore from the Gold Coast in Australia on March 7. They are looking forward to exploring the ship and decorating their room door with Disney magnets.

“We are looking forward to seeing how different this ship will be in size and layout compared to the others we have been on, especially the rides on the top deck,” said Ms Buxton, who works in the staff services department at a theme park in Australia. “We have cruised twice on the Disney Wonder in Australia, with no port stops, and loved it. There is more time to enjoy what the ship has to offer.”

Disney Cruise Line plans to expand its fleet from the current eight ships to 13 by 2031. In 2024, the cruise line announced that a new ship is scheduled to set sail from Tokyo in 2029.

Mr Joe Schott, president of Disney Signature Experiences, said around 90 per cent of the bookings for Disney Adventure are new to Disney Cruise Line.

“Singapore is one of the most well-travelled and dynamic places in the world and seemed like a natural extension of the Disney brand,” he said. “For many, it will be the first time they have had the opportunity to see such a grand expression of Disney physically.”

Ms Tracy Wilson, senior vice-president and general manager of Disney Cruise Line operations, also observed that travelling by cruise with multi-generational families is popular among Asian passengers. The ship has, therefore, been designed with more common spaces and family play areas, she said.

Ms Leng said: “I have been watching Disney shows for as long as I can remember and just falling in love with its stories, and now I finally have my own adult money to fulfil my Disney needs. I do not think the four days on this ship will be enough.”

Originally published by The Straits Times