Not all Disney cruise ships are created equal.
Some are absolute fan favourites. Others quietly leave people a little underwhelmed. And if you are picking the wrong one, you could be missing out on the magic you are paying so much for.
Every Disney ship has its own vibe, its own layout and its own surprises. A tiny detail can turn one sailing into an unforgettable trip… or just an okay one.
So which Disney ships do cruisers actually love the most, and which ones fall short?
How I Gathered the Data
I have not sailed on every Disney Cruise Line ship, and even if I had, it wouldn’t be fair for me to decide the ranking of all the ships based on my experiences.
So instead, I turned to the experts – the thousands of people who’ve cruised on a Disney ship before. What fairer way is there to rank the ships than on the overall experience of all the past guests who left a review?
Disney currently has seven ships in its fleet, but I’m only ranking six of them here. The newest ship, Disney Destiny, only made its maiden voyage in November 2025, so there isn’t enough public review data available yet to include it in a meaningful way. Once there are more reviews, I’ll update this ranking to include her, too.
I’ve researched all six Disney ships on three of the biggest cruise ship review websites there are – Cruise Critic, Cruiseline.com and TripAdvisor.
Each one has an average score out of 5 for their reviews. So I’ve taken the averages of those scores to put the ships in order from best to worst, based on public opinion.
Let me tell you – I was shocked to see which ship came in sixth place!
However, before we get to that, let me clarify what ‘worst’ means. ‘Worst ship’ does not mean ‘bad ship’. The Disney ship that came bottom of this list still has a very respectable score of 3.7 out of 5. So it isn’t a terrible ship, and most people still have an amazing time.
The Best Disney Cruise Ship is Disney Wonder
According to customer reviews, the best Disney cruise ship is the Disney Wonder, although it has a very similar average review score to Disney Fantasy. All of the Disney cruise ships are popular, but Disney Wonder is marginally preferred.
Here’s the list of all six ships.
The Best Disney Cruise Ships By Reviews
1. Disney Wonder
The top ship in the Disney fleet, according to customer reviews, is the Disney Wonder. She was the second ship to launch for Disney Cruise Line back in 1999, and whilst she may be smaller than the newer ships, that is part of her charm.
Like her sister ship Disney Magic, she delivers the classic Disney experience brilliantly, with excellent dining, lively entertainment and a layout that feels easy and relaxed to get around. Many guests actually prefer the more intimate feel, saying it makes the ship feel warmer and less hectic than the mega ships.
Some reviews do mention that she feels more old-school in places, with a few quirks like occasional vibration or areas that look a little more lived-in. Disney Magic has had more visible upgrades, which makes Wonder feel slightly more traditional by comparison. But for most cruisers, that barely matters.
What really stands out in the reviews is how much people love the atmosphere on board. Families rave about the kids’ clubs, character meet-and-greets and daytime activities, while adults often comment on how relaxed and friendly the ship feels. For many, Disney Wonder captures the heart of what a Disney cruise is all about, which is exactly why she has come out on top.
2. Disney Fantasy
Disney Fantasy is the sister ship to Disney Dream, launching a year later in 2012. The ships aren’t identical twins, although they are almost identical sizes. Disney Fantasy is better for longer seven-night cruises, while Disney Dream primarily offers three- and four-night sailings.
Disney Fantasy’s exclusive experience is Pixar Day at Sea. Again, this is only available on limited cruises, but if you’ve got a Pixar fan in your cruising group, then consider this ship for your cruise. You’ll be able to sing, dance and play with all your favourite characters from that studio.
It’s also the ship that has the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique – the famous shop from the theme parks that transforms kids into princesses, knights and pirates.
Reading the reviews, guests love the entertainment and the facilities. Negative reviews for Disney Fantasy are a little odd – there are a lot criticising how the ship is aimed at kids more than adults. Perhaps because the ship focuses on longer itineraries, adults assume there will be more for them?
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3. Disney Dream
Previously in the top spot, Disney Dream has now been pipped to the post by both Disney Wonder and Disney Fantasy, although its actual review score doesn’t leave it far behind.
Disney Dream launched in 2011 as the first of the Dream Class. She was around 50% bigger than the cruise line’s two prior ships, meaning she had more space to pack in exciting experiences.
Disney Dream is also the ship that hosts Marvel at Sea, an experience where guests can meet up to 30 Marvel characters on their cruise. It’s only on limited sailings but is exclusive to Disney Dream, so bear that in mind if you have a Marvel fan in the family.
The reviews for Disney Dream are overwhelmingly positive, especially about the quality of the entertainment, the variety of things to do and the amazing crew.
Negatives tend to focus on the ship feeling a little crowded – a lot has been packed in. Some guests feel cramped in the cabins too, but remember there’s no need to spend too much time in your room with so much ship to explore.
4. Disney Magic
Disney Magic is the oldest ship in the fleet for Disney Cruise Lines, but she has been really well-maintained. In reading through the customer reviews of the ship, I only saw a couple of minor comments about the ship looking tired and worn, and most people didn’t even mention it.
Instead, people remember the good things – and there are a lot. Reviewers love the classic feel of the ship, including elements such as the Promenade Deck, which you can stroll around. There are also more modern additions, including the AquaDunk water slide.
The entertainment and the food get a lot of positive comments, as do the crew across the entire ship.
Waiters on Disney Magic, in particular, get a lot of praise for how they care for their guests on rotational dining and remember their preferences every night. It’s a common theme across Disney cruises, though.
Other minor negatives beyond the wear of the ship include the pool being quite small. A lot of the bad reviews are around health protocols during COVID-19, which are no longer relevant.
5. Disney Treasure
Disney Treasure is the newest ship to join this list, having only entered service in December 2024, so this is her very first time being included in the rankings. Right now she comes in 5th out of the six ships, which might sound low for such a shiny new ship, but there’s an important reason for that.
Because Treasure is so new, there are far fewer reviews compared to the older ships. That means even a small number of negative reviews can pull her average score down more than it would on a ship that has thousands of ratings. As more people sail on her, it will be really interesting to see how her ranking changes.
Treasure is a Wish-class ship, which means she’s packed with immersive theming, bold design and lots of Disney storytelling built into the spaces. From the moment you step into the Grand Hall, everything is designed to feel adventurous and magical, with beautifully themed lounges, family-friendly areas and plenty to explore.
Reviews are full of praise for how stunning the ship looks, with many guests loving the atmosphere, the kids’ clubs and the overall sense of fun. Families especially seem to enjoy how much there is to do, and the ship definitely delivers that classic Disney wow factor.
That said, not all feedback has been glowing. Some guests mention that the dining feels a bit repetitive, and a few say certain public areas can feel crowded. Others have pointed out that some spaces did not quite live up to expectations for a brand-new ship, especially when compared with the older vessels that have had years of refinements.
For now, Disney Treasure sits in the lower half of the rankings, but with such a small pool of reviews behind her, this really feels like a ship that could move up the list as more cruisers have their say.
6. Disney Wish
The Disney Wish was the newest of the Disney cruise ships, before the Disney Treasure recently launched, and she is absolutely stunning.
She is packed with a lot of exciting features, including the first Disney attraction at sea, the AquaMouse. This takes the ‘water coaster’ idea of the earlier ships and adds better theming plus a story.
And yet, here the ship is at the bottom of the list!
Let’s start with the positives. Despite the amazing attractions, it’s actually the crew that get the most mentions in reviews. Guests love just how hard they work to offer that Disney experience. On newer ships there can be issues with service and crew standards, but the feedback for the team on Disney Wish is unanimously positive.
Other positive comments mention the quality of the food and the entertainment.
Passengers say that issues are caused due to bottlenecks and split restaurants, which cause crowds and long delays. For an expensive ship that has been significantly hyped, there seems to be a lot of frustration at these flaws, which will be hard to correct. Other reviews mention the cabins feeling smaller and having limited storage space.
Suggested read: How To Avoid The Crowds On A Cruise (My Quiet Sea Day Itinerary)
The Scores
Here are the individual scores for each ship, ranked in order from highest to lowest based on their average review score.
| Ship | Cruise Critic | Cruise Line | Trip Advisor | Average |
| Disney Wonder | 4.0 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.30 |
| Disney Fantasy | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.27 |
| Disney Dream | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.23 |
| Disney Magic | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.17 |
| Disney Treasure | 3.1 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.10 |
| Disney Wish | 3.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.70 |
What really stands out from these numbers is just how close the top four ships are! Disney Wonder, Fantasy, Dream and Magic are all clustered within a tiny range of scores, which means there is no clear runaway winner.
Disney Dream, which previously held the number one spot, is still right up there, and the small changes in ranking mostly come down to how the different review sites score ships. TripAdvisor, in particular, only allows broad ratings like 3, 3.5, 4 or 4.5, rather than fine increments, so a single half-star shift there can move a ship up or down more than it would on other platforms.
The table also highlights how Disney Treasure’s lower score on one site has pulled her average down despite strong reviews elsewhere, while Disney Wish is the only ship that consistently sits behind the rest.
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Choosing the Best Disney Cruise Ship for You
Choosing the right Disney ship isn’t as simple as picking the one with the best review scores.
The ships have a lot of similarities, but also some differences. Comparing the features of the Disney ships is important to make sure you have the best experience.
You should also consider the itineraries – finding the right ship is as much about where she cruises as the ship itself.
The Bottom Line
Every Disney Cruise Line ship has a bit of that Disney magic. Choosing which one is best for you will come down to marginal things.
You might have specific Disney cruise waterslides you want to try, or your kid (or partner) may be a huge Star Wars or Marvel fan. Perhaps you really want to visit one of Disney’s private islands, Castaway Cay or Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Suggested read: Castaway Cay Vs Lookout Cay: Which Is Best?
Just make sure to check out the features each ship has and the itineraries on offer, and you’ll be sure to have an amazing time on your Disney cruise.
Related Posts:
- Disney Treasure Vs. Disney Wish: 6 Key Differences
- Disney Cruise Ships: Newest To Oldest
- Disney Cruise Line Ships Compared By Size and Age
