Pirates aboard the Disney ships

[Jason]

Disney Cruise Line continues to reinvest in its Port Canaveral-based ships, the Wonder and the Magic.

Captain Hook and his buccaneers await passengers on Disney Magic. The pirates debut on Disney Wonder in January. Photo by The Walt Disney Co.

In an attempt to offer more attractions geared to teens, the company has launched Pirates In the Caribbean, a special deck party, on the Disney Magic. In January, the company will offer the pirate-themed deck party on the Disney Wonder as well, Disney Cruise Line publicist Christi Erwin said Monday.

"The unique thing is Pirates In the Caribbean takes the traditional deck party to a new level," Erwin said. "There’s not just music and dancing. There are special effects." The attraction is a tie-in to the 2003 Disney film "Pirates of the Caribbean."

Disney Cruise Line, which has made significant investment in the ships, continues to upgrade offerings to guests, Erwin said.

"It’s all part of what the guest wants," Erwin said. "Every cruise guest fill out the comment card, and one of the things they’re looking for is new forms of entertainment. Pirates In the Caribbean is not only just a deck party, but an entire experience that starts in the dining room, with a whole new menu."

On the dinner menu for Pirates In the Caribbean is Blackbeard’s jumbo crab cake, Caribbean-style spicy vegetable gumbo soup, The Black Pearl’s oven-roasted beef tenderloin and a dessert of floating island of tropical fruit treasures.

Disney Cruise Line completed significant renovations to the Disney Wonder cruise ship in mid-October, adding three new age-specific venues that appeal to the varied interests of adults and teenagers. The company upgraded interior and exterior areas of the ship.

The enhancements to the Wonder conclude a series of investments made by Disney Cruise Line. Its sister ship, the Magic, underwent renovations a year ago.

Erwin would not disclose the cost of the renovations, nor would she discuss the possibility of adding another ship.

Disney Magic cruises for seven-night trips alternating between the Eastern and Western Caribbean. The Disney Wonder offers three- and four-night trips through the Bahamas.

The Magic will start 12 seven-night consecutive sailings from the Port of Los Angeles on May 28 that will cruise through the Mexican Riviera, stopping at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

BY DONNA BALANCIA, FLORIDA TODAY