As we get closer to the Disney Adventure cruise’s maiden voyage from Singapore on Dec 15, the cruise line has been teasing us with new updates.
This time around, it’s a sneak peek of the ship’s culinary lineup.
Disney Cruise Line shared in a press release on Aug 21 that there will be a food and beverage collection comprising more than 20 dining and lounge venues, which will offer a variety of cuisines and beverages inspired by international flavours and Disney classics.
This includes table-service restaurants, buffet spreads, quick-service eateries, speciality cafes, grab-and-go options, premium restaurants and lounges, as well as 24-hour complimentary room service. Most of these dining experiences are included in the cruise fare.
AsiaOne had the opportunity to get a taste of some of these offerings during a media event on Tuesday (Aug 26). Do note that the food images in this article do not reflect the actual presentation and portion sizes of the dishes onboard as it was a tasting menu.
As a massive Disney fan who scrambled to book the cruise when slots were released last December, I’m pleased to say that the food left me hankering for more — here is what I sampled.
Disney Cruise Line classics
Cruisers can look forward to Disney Cruise Line culinary classics, with many of these available in dining venues that are included in the cruise fare.
One much-loved Disney Cruise Line signature concept coming to the Disney Adventure is rotational dining. All cruisers will get to experience three of the six family-friendly, rotational dining restaurants — Navigator’s Club, Hollywood Spotlight Club, Animator’s Palate, Animator’s Table, Enchanted Summer Restaurant and Pixar Market Restaurant.
Each evening, guests will enjoy a multi-course menu as they rotate between uniquely themed dining rooms, allowing them to have a new experience each night onboard the ship.
The highlight of the rotational dining concept is the personalised, high-touch service from dedicated servers, who will accompany guests each night and learn their dining preferences.
These pre-assigned dinner tracks will also be timed to allow guests to enjoy both dinner and evening entertainment shows at the Walt Disney Theatre.
This is great news for guests like me as on previous cruises I’ve been on, the evenings were always a mad rush where I had to rush through my meal just so I could be on time for the shows.
At Navigator’s Club and Hollywood Spotlight Club, diners will be accompanied by some of Disney’s most beloved characters — Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck — who will mingle with guests during the meal service.
From Navigator’s Club, we tried the Duck Confit, a delicious pastry packed with pulled duck confit, filo, saffron, cinnamon and blackberries.
A highlight for me and my dining companions was the Miso Glazed Chilean Seabass from Hollywood Spotlight Club. The texture of the fish was fantastic and I loved how it was paired with baby napa kimchi.
Over at Animator’s Palate and Animator’s Table, guests will celebrate the art and artistry of Disney and Pixar animated films, such as the The Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo.
To make the dinner experience even more special, guests can contribute drawings of their own and these will be brought to life in an animated finale.
A menu highlight would be the classic Mickey Chocolate Tarte at Animator’s Table, a decadent dessert shaped just like the popular Disney character.
And finally, at Enchanted Summer Restaurant and Pixar Market Restaurant, cruisers will explore spaces inspired by some of the stories and characters from Disney and Pixar.
Enchanted Summer Restaurant will be fashioned as a cosy village dining hall similar to the ones in Disney Animation’s Tangled and Frozen with two dining rooms — Maximus and Olaf.
In the Maximus dining room, guests will feel as if they’ve stepped into a colourful, hand-painted rendition of Tangled, while the Olaf dining room will be inspired by a summer snow day celebration in the kingdom of Arendelle.
From Enchanted Summer Restaurant, diners can look forward to the zesty Lemon Thai Basil Tart, which features lemon curd, basil ganache and swiss meringue.
On the other hand, the Pixar Market Restaurant will be a celebration of Pixar films, with each dining area capturing the spirit of the studio’s beloved films such as Inside Out, Monsters University, Turning Red and The Incredibles.
Innovative dishes to expect here include Pixar Market Restaurant’s Goan Pork Belly, a sinfully good dish consisting of crispy pork belly paired with cornmeal, baby kailan and zinfandel jus.
The Enchanted Summer Restaurant and Pixar Market Restaurant will also be where guests can enjoy breakfast and lunch buffet spreads.
Apart from the rotational and buffet dining options, there are also two premium dining experiences that are available for an additional fee.
One of such is Palo Trattoria, an elegant, upscale restaurant offering exquisite Italian fare paired with panoramic ocean views and is exclusively for adults on board.
From the menu, we got to indulge in the Pure Blood Sanchoku Wagyu Striploin with Pink Peppercorn and Broccolini.
I’m really fussy when it comes to steak but I’m pleased to say that the decadent Wagyu striploin had an excellent fat to meat ratio and was executed well.
Guests with special dietary requirements, don’t worry, Disney Cruise Line has not forgotten about you.
Vegetarian, vegan, Jain meals will be provided onboard, as well as dishes with Halal-certified meats and allergen-related meals. These will be provided at no additional charge to guests.
Vegetarians can enjoy a variety of options from Mowgli’s Eatery, a quick-service restaurant inspired by The Jungle Book, as well as Cosmic Kebabs, a quick-service eatery honouring Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan), the first Muslim-American super hero in the Marvel universe.
From Cosmic Kebabs, we sampled the Falafel, a delicious snack made from beet, hummus, buckwheat, feta and watermelon radish.
A celebration of Asian flavours
With the Disney Adventure homeporting in Singapore, it isn’t surprising that the ship will have several Asian-inspired meals.
I’ve been on several cruises in my lifetime and while I’ve had my fair share of good food onboard these ships, the Asian selection has always been lacking.
So my tastebuds were pleasantly surprised by the offerings available on Disney Adventure.
I tried the Laksa Lemak, which will be available at Animator’s Palate and was easily one of my favourite dishes of the night.
This elevated version of the popular Singapore dish featured prawns, scallops, fishcake, tau pok and noodles drenched in a creamy and spicy coconut-based broth.
Over at Mowgli’s Eatery, guests will be treated to an array of aromatic Indian dishes.
I got to sample the restaurant’s Bread Curd Fire Roll – Dahi Ke Sholay, which featured a cashew butter toast with dates and coriander chutney.
My dining companions and I agreed that this was one of the more interesting dishes we had and we loved the variety of textures and flavours that were packed into it.
Another eatery that will have Asian dishes is Gramma Tala’s Kitchen, which was inspired by the film Moana.
Cruisers looking for a more luxurious meal experience can check out the second premium dining location, Mike and Sulley’s, which will have omakase meals, teppanyaki, sushi, sashimi and Japanese steakhouse options. Similar to Palo Trattoria, meals here are available for an additional fee
From Mike and Sulley’s, we got to try the luxurious Taraba Kani Chawanmushi, which featured premium ingredients like tempura Alaska crab and Yanagi Matsutake mushroom.
You’ll never go thirsty onboard
Onboard Disney Adventure, guests can enjoy a variety of house beverages like soft drinks, coffee and teas that are included in their cruise fare.
They can also top-up for premium or optional experiences such as speciality alcoholic cocktails, zero-proof cocktails, as well as premium drinks from Baccha Coffee and TWG.
One of the best drinks I had during the dining experience was called Mirror Mirror. This will be available at Spellbound Lounge, which is inspired by the Evil Queen from Disney Animation’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
This zero-proof cocktail was very easy to drink and is made with non-alcoholic gin, oolong tea, coconut water and pandan syrup.
Another must-try drink at Spellbound Lounge is The Queen cocktail, which includes grape and lime juices, vodka and champagne.
My second favourite drink is the Teatime Tini, which can be found at the Garden in Disney Imagination Garden, which is located at the heart of the ship and is one of the seven themed zones on Disney Adventure.
The refreshing cocktail has elements like fresh lime juice, green tea, pandan syrup and elderflower liqueur.
From Palo Cafe, which is inspired by the seaside Italian town of Portorosso from the Pixar film Luca, I indulged in the very unique Olio & Pepe cocktail made with gin, olive oil and black pepper.
Other bars and lounges to check out onboard Disney Adventure include Tiana’s Bayou Lounge, Market Bar, Taverna Portorosso and Buccaneer Bar.
Some non-alcoholic drinks I didn’t get to try (but am very excited for) are the bubble teas from Bewitching Boba and Brews. That’s right, bubble tea, one of Singaporeans’ all-time favourite drinks, will be available on the high seas!
Additionally, in a first for the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Disney Adventure will house Bacha Coffee and TWG Tea.
Guests can savour their coffee in an elegant Bacha Coffee Room inspired by the world of Aladdin, while tea from TWG Tea will be available in a Beauty and the Beast-themed room.
Apart from that, cruisers can get their Bacha Coffee and TWG Tea fix at all restaurants, spas, lounges, in concierge and staterooms across the ship.
There’s also the Takeaway Tea experience and tea-infused gourmet delicacies, including handcrafted macarons and patisseries.
Want to bring a piece of TWG Tea and Baccha Coffee home? Guests can purchase packaged coffees, gift boxes, accessories, as well as several Disney Adventure exclusive items.
More sailing dates added
Disney Adventure, which is part of a collaboration between Disney Cruise Line and the Singapore Tourism Board, will be ported at Marina Bay Cruise Centre for at least five years and is Disney Cruise Line’s first Asia-based cruise.
The ship will have three- and four-night itineraries without making any stops. It’ll feature seven themed areas, each showcasing popular characters from movies such as Toy Story, Big Hero 6 and The Jungle Book.
New sailing dates between October and December 2026 have been released for the Disney Adventure. Guests will be able to book their trip directly via the website disneycruise.com/adventure, the contact centre, or their preferred travel agent.
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melissateo@asiaone.com
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