Disney Cruise Line has been the premier cruise line experience since 1998, and now Travel + Leisure‘s World’s Best Awards has named the Disney Cruise Line the Best Large-Ship Ocean Cruise Line.
The mission at Travel + Leisure is to inform and inspire passionate travelers. This is done through the celebration of travel and by providing service and inspiration at every point of a journey. This ranges from trip ideas to specific logistics. Travel + Leisure covers small towns and big cities, hidden gems and tried-and-true destinations, beaches and lakes, mountains and valleys, national parks and outdoor adventures, road trips and cruises, fine-dining experiences and secret hole-in-the-wall establishments, and everything in between.
In its 31st year, the World’s Best Awards continue to be a reflection of the extraordinary experiences that trusted readers of Travel + Leisure crave. In this year’s survey, more than 661,000 votes were cast. These were on city and island escapes, safari outfitters, airlines, and hotels around the world. Some winners have consistently ranked in the awards for more than two decades. Others caught attention for the first time.
The origins of Disney running a cruise ship started in 1985 when Premier Cruise Line became Disney’s licensed cruise partner. This allowed Disney characters to appear aboard its ships and enabled combined cruise, hotel, and theme park vacation packages. The partnership ended in 1993, when Premier entered a new agreement with Warner Bros. and adopted the use of Looney Tunes characters. By early 1995, Disney had commissioned preliminary cruise ship designs and announced plans to launch a proprietary cruise operation by 1998.
The Disney Magic was christened on July 30, 1998, followed by the Disney Wonder on October 1, 1999, even though the ship had been operating since August 1999.
As of 2026, Disney Cruise Line operates eight ships: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, Disney Treasure, Disney Destiny, and Disney Adventure. The cruise line operates two private destinations in the Bahamas used exclusively by Disney ships: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
According to Travel + Leisure, Disney Cruise Line is a legendary brand that knows just how to wow families and multi-gen groups, whether through its varied entertainment options or its top-tier food. With a growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships, five additional ships are on order and are expected to enter service by 2031. Disney Cruise Line received a score of 86.79 to win this award.
Earlier this week, Disney Cruise Line released a teaser video of their newest ship, Disney Believe, with more information to be released in October.
What do you think about this award for Disney Cruise Line? Are you a reader of Travel + Leisure magazine? Let us know in the comments.
