It's been almost 10 years since I last cruised with Disney Cruise Line, so not surprisingly I've found one or two things have changed since boarding Disney Wonder yesterday.
There is now a big screen by the Goofy pool, a much bigger gym and flat-screen TVs and wi-fi in the cabins - a huge change as actually there wasn't any wi-fi at all on the ship back in 2000. OK, so that last one probably doesn't excite too many people but it's great for me while blogging.
Far more interesting, though, is that soft drinks are now included in the cruise price - almost. They are free with dinner and there are soda stations on deck nine in the Beachside Blanket Buffet and by the pools, where you can help yourself to Coke, Sprite, water, fruit punches and the like. I am told by my daughter that they are also free in Aloft, the teen club in one of the stacks at the top of the ship.
In fact, the only time you have to pay for fizzy pop is if you order it from a bar or room service.
Given Disney is supposed to be the ultimate in family cruising, it is a very welcome development for anyone travelling with kids (although I noticed there were more adults than kids flocking around the soda station today!).
Other family-friendly ships have soda packages - you buy one and get free drinks for the duration of the cruise - but they can put a £35 or so hole in the budget (especially now the pound is so weak). Not a fortune maybe, but multiply that by two or three for a family and it starts to hurt.
Now all I need is for alcohol to be included. But I suspect that is just a Disney Dream!
Jane Archer
