Disney Wonder

Disney Wonder docked at Castaway Cay.
Career
Name:	Disney Wonder
Owner:	Disney Cruise Line
Operator:	Disney Cruise Line
Port of registry:	Nassau,  Bahamas[1]
Route:	Mexican Rivera, Alaska
Builder:	Fincantieri Marghera shipyard, Italy[2]
Maiden voyage:	August 1999
In service:	1999-present
Status:	In active service as of 2011
General characteristics
Type:	Cruise ship
Tonnage:	83,000 gross register tons (GRT)[2]
Length:	964 ft (294 m)[2]
Beam:	106 ft (32 m)[2]
Draft:	25.3 ft (7.7 m)[2]
Decks:	11
Speed:	Cruising 21.5-knot (39.8 km/h), maximum 24 kn (44 km/h)[2]
Capacity:	2,400 passengers
Crew:	945

Disney Wonder is the second cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line; it was launched in 1999. It is nearly identical in construction to its sister ship, Disney Magic. Both ships have 11 public decks, can accommodate 2,400 passengers in 875 staterooms, and have a crew of approximately 950. Activities on board are separated into areas for children, teenagers, and adults. Wonder has three main restaurants (Tritons, Animator's Palett, Parrot Cay), one specialty restaurant (Palo), and three public pools. The ship's horn sounds the first seven notes of "When You Wish Upon A Star".^[3]

Disney Wonder in Puerto Vallarta.

Disney Wonder currently sails week-long Mexican Rivera cruises out of Los Angeles from October to April, calling Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas, and also sails Alaska cruises out of Vancouver in 2011, and out of Seattle for 2012, from months May to September, calling Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau. The Seattle voyages scheduled in 2012 will make an additional stop at Victoria on the last night of each voyage to satisfy the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886.^[4]

Disney Wonder's Captain is Guus Verhulst; her "godmother" is Tinkerbell.^[3]

History

Disney Wonder had its first voyage from the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy, stopping in Southampton, U.K., arriving in Port Canaveral, Florida two weeks later.^{[citation needed]} Its maiden voyage was a four-night Bahamian cruise that commenced on August 15, 1999.

Disney Wonder originally sailed three- and four-night cruises to The Bahamas. In 2011, the Disney Dream took over these itineraries and Wonder was repositioned to the Pacific Coast. On March 22, 2011 while on a Mexican Riviera cruise, a Disney Wonder cast member, 24 year old Rebecca Coriam, went missing from the ship.^{[citation needed]} During an August 8th, 2011 port of call in Juneau, one of Wonder's passengers, a 67 year old man kayaking near Spuhn Island in Fritz Cove, was found dead.^[5]

Recreation

The Disney Wonder's aquatic layout consists of 3 pool areas. The Mickey Pool is designed for kids from 3 months to 3 years and has a depth of 1.5 ft, with two hot-tub like 'ears' and a winding enclosed slide. The Goofy Pool is designed for families. In addition to the pool, it has two whirlpool spas. It also consist of a state-of-the-art 24-by-14 foot LED Jumbo Screen referred to by Disney as "Funnelvision" due to its location on the rear of one of the ship's funnels. The Quiet Cove Pool is designed for adults 18 or older.

For the athletically minded, there is the Wide World of sports, where you can play basketball, soccer, volleyball, ping pong and more. This area contains a net enclosed basketball court (sheltered from the wind by a large glass screen -- it is located on the second highest deck at the bow of the ship) and other sports accouterments.

For the kids (3-10) there are a few choices -- the Oceaneers club, and the Oceaneers lab. The club provides a slide, multiple TV's (with Disney shows, naturally), dress up clothing, and tons of counseler-led activities. The lab provides video games, computers, cooking classes, and TV time geared towards the older end of that age bracket. Your child is tagged with an RFID badge when you sign them up -- and then you can drop them off to play when ever they (or you) choose. Only registered people can take them out -- and then, only with a password. The current cost for not returning the badge is $US50. If your child needs your attention, the counselers can send you a message to your stateroom phone (WavePhone) which will work in most areas of the ship.

References

1. ^ Asklander, Micke. "M/S Disney Wonder (1999)" (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/disney_wonder_1999.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-12. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Ship Facts". Disney Cruise Line. http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/dcl/en_US/onboard/about/listing?name=ShipFactsListingPage. Retrieved 2008-07-23. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Disney Wonder facts - Disney Cruise Line website
4. ^ Jason Garcia (2009-03-30). "Disney will homeport a ship in Los Angeles". Orlando Sentinel. http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2009/03/disney-will-homeport-a-ship-in-los-angeles.html. Retrieved 2009-03-30. 
5. ^ "Kayaking tourist found dead". Anchorage Daily News. Associated Press. August 8, 2011. http://www.adn.com/2011/08/08/2006210/kayaking-tourist-found-dead.html. Retrieved 2011-08-09. 

External links

• Disney Wonder from the company's website

Media related to Disney Wonder (ship, 1999) at Wikimedia Commons