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As early as 9am on 10 March, excited passengers were already streaming into the Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore
They arrived hours before Asia's first Disney cruise set off on its maiden voyage.
Takuya and Manami Murao, a husband-and-wife duo from Osaka, Japan, arrived in Singapore on 8 March
The couple was among the first to check in for the Disney Adventure's inaugural public sailing.
"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 Takuya, 36, who works in the steel industry.
This is the couple's first time in Singapore and their first time sailing on a Disney cruise. By late morning, scores of passengers had arrived to check in, with the earliest group allowed to board at 11am.
The cruise eventually set sail at about 5.45pm on 10 March
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 showed up in Disney-themed outfits <3
From Mickey-ears headbands to printed T-shirts and hats, some even carried tote bags filled with character plush toy keychains.
The Disney Adventure is Disney Cruise Line's eighth and largest ship. It can carry up to 6,700 passengers and features 20 decks with seven themed areas. The ship 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 will make Singapore its home port for at least five years.
Joanna Leng, 35, and her fiancé have been counting down to this trip
Dressed in Disney-themed attire and carrying their own little stash of themed goodies, the couple was ready to make the most of the maiden sailing. 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 Leng, an events operations supervisor.
"I will definitely want to catch all the shows on the Disney Adventure, especially the exclusive Duffy and Friends show."
The Disney Adventure was designed with Asian guests in mind
Among its firsts is the Duffy And The Friend Ship live show, starring all seven characters that fans know and love at Asian Disney theme parks.
Excitement for the maiden sailing was also clear through the tradition of "pixie dusting", where passengers exchange Disney-themed gifts. Items are often left outside guest room doors in baskets or hanging racks for anyone to take, or traded in person between guests.
Takuya and Manami, the couple from Osaka, prepared around 100 small gifts for fellow passengers on this sailing
These included custom name tags, Japanese sweets, and origami.
"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 total," said Mrs Murao, 37, a homemaker.
Leng also prepared stickers, pouches and luggage tags, which took her around two months to design and find a vendor to produce.
Janelle Buxton, 57, and her husband arrived in Singapore from the Gold Coast in Australia on 7 March
They are looking forward to exploring the ship and decorating their room door with Disney magnets.
"We are looking forward to how different this ship will be in size and layout to the others we have been on, especially the rides on the top deck," said 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 also announced that a new ship is scheduled to set sail from Tokyo in 2029. Joe Schott, president of Disney Signature Experiences, said around 90% of bookings for the Disney Adventure are from guests who are new to a Disney Cruise Line experience.
"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."
Tracy Wilson, senior vice-president and general manager of Disney Cruise Line operations, also observed that cruising as multi-generational families is especially popular among Asian passengers. The ship has therefore been designed with more common spaces and family play areas, she said.
Leng added: "I have been watching Disney shows for as long as I can remember and just falling in love with its stories until now, when 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."
This article originally appeared on the The Straits Times, with rights to be republished on SAYS.
