Disney Destiny Eastern Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 2: June 28, 2026

Today marks our first full day aboard the Disney Destiny, and it didn’t go to waste. With the sun rising over the sea, we made our way around the southern tip of Eleuthera Island, home to Disney’s Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. It was a beautiful morning and offered a gorgeous view of the island as we pulled into the dock.

There was plenty of time to grab some breakfast as passengers awaited the call to go ashore at 9:00 AM, with a full day of frolicking on the pink sand beaches ahead until the all-aboard time of 5:15 PM. For us, though, it was an opportunity to enjoy some tranquil exploration of the ship as, clutch those pearls, we stayed aboard all day, never stepping foot off the ship.

Don’t worry, I did an in-depth look at Lookout Cay on our last visit.  

Disney Destiny Concierge Lounge & Sun Deck

We touched on the concierge stateroom in yesterday’s review. While that left me a bit underwhelmed by the decor, the lounge and sundeck more than make up for it. And, admittedly, I’m no interior designer. I couldn’t tell you the difference between Art Deco, Modern, Progressive, or Feng Shui. It’s likely they just went with a different style that doesn’t suit my eye as much as the other classes.

Today, we’ll dive into some of the other key aspects of staying concierge on the Disney Destiny. While it shares many of the same perks as the Magic and Dream Class ships, the Wish Class kicked things up a notch. Today, we focused on exploring, taking advantage of most of the ship being ashore.

Let’s start with the Concierge Lounge itself. As you’ll see in the video below, it is stunning. With a Marvel theme present but not obnoxious, there is an abundance of seating areas to relax and enjoy a beverage and snack. The first thing you’ll notice is the Avengers symbol etched into the glass door. Upon entering, you’ll find the Infinity Stones shining brightly next to the staircase leading up to the sundeck.

Before you find a spot to relax, take a walk past the snack counter, which rotates selections throughout the day. Unlike the Dream and Magic Class ships, this counter is not self-serve, as attendants are always present to fill your plate with the desired goodies. This area is also home to what is quite possibly the most important piece of equipment aboard the Disney Destiny: the espresso machines! It’s equipped with not one, but three throughout the lounge. They’re preprogrammed with all the essential espresso, latte, cappuccino, Americano, and hot chocolate beverages to get your day going strong. Flavored syrups and powdered toppings are also available to make the perfect blend.

Continuing into the lounge itself, you’ll pass the host stand, where there is always someone waiting to greet you and attend to any needs you may have. The lounge offers a multitude of seating arrangements, from high-top tables along the outer walls to couches and coffee tables. The most popular seats are all the way forward along the windows, looking out over the seas ahead. If you want to enjoy some warm Caribbean air, you can exit to the outdoor seating area to find cushioned deck chairs and coffee tables.

There is also a full-service bar which, like the rest of the fleet, offers complimentary cocktails each day from 5 PM to 10 PM. It’s a great time to grab a glass of Cloudem, or your beverage of choice, before heading off to dinner or the show. This is the first time we’ve enjoyed our choice of all three flavors of Cloudem, as there is generally one single option aboard each ship due to supply issues.

The lounge is open 24 hours for you to relax. However, it is only staffed for service between 7 AM and 10 PM. This is one of the differences from the Magic and Dream, though, as those lounges are only open during staffed hours.

While the outside seating from the lounge is a nice start, it’s really just a tease of what the Concierge Sundeck has to offer. Located on Deck 13 forward, it can be accessed from three points: the stairs leading up from the lounge outdoor seating area, the winding staircase in the lounge across from the host station, or directly from the stateroom corridors on Deck 13. Restrooms are also located for your convenience in the hallway leading from the staterooms.

The sundeck offers plenty of options for a comfortable spot in the sun or shade. Padded chairs, chaise lounges, padded lounge chairs, and round rattan seating offer both comfort and style. With panoramic views over the bow, your eyes don’t know where to look first.

As you make your way around the deck, you’ll notice not one, but two hot tubs. Connecting them is a tiled sitting pool. While only 6 inches deep at your ankles, it’s a refreshing way to cool off as water gently cascades down your back.

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Towels are available for drying off, and complimentary sunscreen can be found around the deck if you need to reapply some added protection.

With soft instrumental melodies playing Disney tunes, it’s quite easy to get lost in the tranquility. Before you know it, you’re staring off into the horizon as the calmness takes over.

Did I mention that there is a bar as well? Staffed during sea days, you don’t have to walk far to get that daiquiri or piña colada, as it’s mere steps away. In what is possibly the best addition, on the end of the bar sits a slushie machine. Self-serve, you have a choice between Raspberry and Dole Whip flavors all day, every day. Yes, you read that correctly, DOLE WHIP! While not the cult classic soft serve that was made popular in the parks, this smoothie whets the appetite perfectly.

I have no doubt much of my week will be spent using this as my “office.”

You can see in these videos that, in comparison to the lounges and sundecks on the Magic and Dream Class ships, the Wish Class is much larger. Let’s break down some of the numbers.

The Magic and Dream Class ships, after recent dry dock updates, have 44 concierge staterooms, while the Wish Class features 76. Obviously, more guest capacity requires more room to accommodate them in the lounge. They decided to go big or go home and not only doubled but nearly tripled the size of the lounge. With all concierge staterooms occupied, our current sailing has 255 concierge guests out of the 3,800 total onboard. Don’t hurt yourself, it’s about 6.7%. That seems right in line with the average being 6.5% to 7.0%.

Of course, that also leads to larger staffing sizes. The older ships each typically have a staff of 3 hosts and 4 bartenders. The new class has grown to 5 hosts and 5 bartenders/servers. There are additional servers who strictly man the snack counter and, during peak hours, assist with bussing tables.

I will say there are a few pros and cons to this. Of course, in order to continue providing the level of service that Disney is known for, they need to keep the ratio of cast members to guests consistent. The only downside is that it makes it a little harder to get to know them all as well in the short time we have together. As I’ve stated, the Magic hosts of Diogo, Alys, and Evie, along with bartenders Luka, Raymond, Marie, and Zak, have become extensions of the family in our time with them. I guess we’ll just have to return to the Destiny soon to grow our family here!

Imagineering the Disney Ships

With the majority of passengers exploring Lookout Cay, we took advantage of the solitude. The line for the AquaMouse was walk-on, so we threw our suits on and the kid and I did a few laps. With no line, we didn’t even have to get out of the raft between rides, which the old knees were very appreciative of!

Once we dried off and had some quick bites in the lounge for lunch, we went off to roam the interior of the ship. While I was grabbing a few photos of Cafe Merida on Deck 5, a cast member, Yoyo, mentioned he was about to start a tour of the ship detailing the designs and themes of the interiors. As this is a tour we have enjoyed doing on past sailings, we had already bookmarked it for later in the week. Once Yoyo mentioned he had only three guests signed up for this particular time slot, he welcomed us to join what was sure to be a more intimate pilgrimage. As this is traditionally reserved for guests 18+, we asked if Becca would be able to join since all her new friends were ashore. He approved and, at the conclusion of the tour, congratulated her on being the first one under 18 to take it in the history of the Destiny.

I’m not going to share every tidbit he pointed out to us, you’ll have to book a sailing to get that, but I’ll hit some of the highlights along the way, along with a photo gallery of just a sampling of what you’ll see onboard.

Before we got going, we had a few minutes to wait for the other guests to join us. It turned out that two of them were the older couple from Match Your Mate the previous evening. We chatted for a few minutes and exchanged congratulations on our shared anniversary date, even if three decades apart.

Once all were accounted for, Yoyo, from Trinidad and Tobago, started off by introducing himself and reviewing his 20-plus years working for Disney Cruise Line and having worked on nearly all of the ships in the fleet thus far.

Yoyo got things rolling right where we met, with Cafe Merida. Located just off the Grand Hall on Deck 5, this small cafe counter is, of course, themed after the heroine of Brave. Here are a few of the details he pointed out:

• The carpet is a replica of the family tartan.
• Bulbs dangling above the bar represent the will-o’-the-wisps that guided Merida through the forest.
• A plate of scones, which magically turned her three brothers into bear cubs, is resting on the bar top.
• The light fixtures in the hall also depict carvings of them in bear form.
• The bar top itself is in the shape of Merida’s bow, although it was difficult to take a picture at the proper angle to show it.
• Her bow is prominently displayed above a painting behind the bar.

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Located directly below on Deck 4 is Cafe Megara, in honor of Meg from Hercules. There are many similar details and color schemes that reflect her story. See how many you can spot!

Moving through the halls and to the elevator banks, Yoyo explained how the forward and aft sections each represent either heroes or villains. The aft section represents heroes, while the forward section represents villains. The carpets and color palettes follow these aspects, as you’ll see Sorcerer Mickey in the aft elevators and Maleficent, in dragon form, on the forward decks.

As he pointed out various paintings adorning the corridors, Yoyo told us about the artwork budget for the ship. It was a whopping infinite. As in, they didn’t have any set boundaries! He explained that much of the framed art we passed was on loan from various Disney production studios, and a few were original pieces of animation used to create the films we all know and love. Other pieces were commissioned specifically for the Destiny by prominent artists and craftsmen.

Along the way, Yoyo pointed out one of those “once you see it, you can’t unsee it” things. If you look around the ship, you’ll notice that many of the ceiling can lights have red stickers by them. They seem rather out of place, and it makes you wonder if someone was just randomly putting stickers around the ship. He even mentioned that during the ramp-up to opening the ship, he was assisting with setting up in the Pride Lands restaurant and began to remove some of these stickers, assuming they were used to hang plastic sheets.

He was informed that they, in fact, mark which lights are on the emergency system in the event of a power loss. Sure enough, the more I walk around, the more I notice them everywhere, even in the elevators!

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The Grand Hall on Disney Destiny

While the Dream and Magic Class ships refer to their signature area as the Main Atrium, it was determined that moniker simply wouldn’t do justice to what they had in mind for the Wish Class. It was deemed that nothing short of “grand” would do. Thus, I welcome you to the Grand Hall.

Home to a small stage used for shows and character meet-and-greets, the Grand Hall also features the Grand Staircase that leads to Decks 4 and 5, and, of course, the ship’s signature statue. For the Heroes and Villains theme, the leader of Wakanda, Black Panther, was chosen as the gatekeeper to the Destiny. The artwork and color schemes used around the area represent Wakanda, with a vibranium chandelier overhead.

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This is immersive, literally from ceiling to floor, as the carpet includes panthers encircling the majestic center.

We covered a lot more ground throughout the duration of the tour, but I’ll save some for the inclusion of specific areas later in the week.

Broadway Stars Series

I thoroughly enjoyed the Broadway Stars series last month on the Magic and was excited to see another rendition of this presented on the Destiny. This week featured the talents of Michael Maliakel and Zach Bencal. Between them, they have performed over 3,500 shows of Aladdin, both on Broadway and in touring productions, with Michael playing the title character while Zach originated a new presence on the stage: Babkak. Babkak was a bit of a sidekick role that filled in for the absence of Abu.

During this show, they delighted the audience with a variety of Disney tunes. With a few duets mixed in with alternating solos, it was incredible from start to finish. The set list was:

• Out There, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Zach
• Her Voice, The Little Mermaid, Michael
• Got Your Back, Aladdin, Duet
• Poor Unfortunate Souls, The Little Mermaid, Zach
• Gaston, Beauty and the Beast, Duet
• If I Can’t Love Her, Beauty and the Beast, Michael
• Strangers Like Me, Tarzan, Zach
• Proud of Your Boy, Aladdin, Michael
• Friend Like Me, Aladdin, Duet

Each rendition was incredible. I’ll admit I was a little apprehensive when Zach began Poor Unfortunate Souls. Of course, Ursula is a female character, and that particular number is about as iconic as it comes. My fears were quickly put to ease as Zach seamlessly transformed into the Sea Witch. If you closed your eyes, you would swear she was standing right in front of you. He made his way off the stage and through the audience as he crooned with charisma that just dripped off the mic. When the final note drifted off, it received every bit of the recognition he was due. Just wow!

The overall talent and range of both of these gentlemen was inspiring, as you could envision them anywhere from a Broadway stage to a lounge act worthy of Bing Crosby and Danny Kay.

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Dinner at 1923 on Disney Destiny

1923 Dinner Menu

1923 leans into California cool, serving up a menu inspired by the Golden State’s blend of Asian, European, and South American flavors. With fresh, produce-forward dishes and Napa Valley wines to match, it’s a polished, West Coast–style dinner that feels both creative and comfortably familiar. Updated for 2026!

Available on: Disney Destiny, Disney Treasure, Disney Wish

Bread Service +

Date and Olive Bread

Honey Butter Dip

Appetizers +

Alameda Porcini Spiced Ahi Tuna

Pickled lotus root, oyster mushroom, black sesame brittle, wasabi and yuzu mayonnaise

Hyperion Four-Cheese Tri-Color Tortelloni

Meyer lemon, artichoke, sun-dried tomato, baby spinach

Burrata Mozzarella Cheese and Prosciutto di Parma

Crisp cranberry and sunflower seed phyllo, charred blood orange

Kingswell Duck Confit Pastilla

Dates, apricot, ginger, red pepper, saffron, black raspberry jam

Fennel, Bartlett Pear and Tatsoi Salad

Manchego cheese, walnuts, sherry dressing

Split Napa Baby Romaine Lettuce

Caesar dressing, heirloom grape tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano, ciabatta garlic croutons

Pulled Guinea Hen Corn Chowder

Yukon gold potato, cilantro, smoked bacon

Roasted Roma Tomato Soup

Sourdough purple basil crostini

Entrées +

Tortiglioni Pasta

Prosecco cream, pancetta, shallots, cremini mushrooms, lemon-thyme

Seared Verlasso Salmon Filet

Californian wild honey parsnip purée, orange fennel essence, sautéed black garlic rapini

Riverside Roasted Green Circle Chicken

Leek rondels, Brussels sprouts, Yukon potato fondant, Honeycrisp apple chutney, Cabernet Sauvignon reduction

Moroccan-Spiced Roasted Kabocha and Butternut Squash

Zaalouk, garbanzo, cinnamon brown rice, couscous, cilantro, arugula, pita, harissa dairy free yogurt

Italian Flat Parsley and Rosemary-crusted Rack of Lamb

Dauphinoise potato, roasted petite turnip, carrot and zucchini, Zinfandel rosemary sauce

1923 Peppered Filet Mignon

Buttered long green beans, smoked bacon, crushed fingerling potato hash, pink pepper café au lait

Buena Vista Soft Shell Tacos

Coconut oil quinoa, poblano, sweet bell pepper, salsa fresca, feta cheese, pickled red onions, cashew cream

Los Feliz Lobster Salad

Baby Bibb, endive lettuce, avocado, jicama, celery, purple potato, tostones, black beans, grape tomatoes, cilantro, lime

Grilled Grain-fed Sirloin Steak

Oven baked potato, asparagus

Roasted Breast of Chicken

Lemon-sumac red quinoa tabbouleh, roasted baby carrots

Oven Baked Filet of Salmon

Steamed jasmine rice, bok choy

Dessert +

Churros Calientes

Sugar spice churros, dulce de leche

Flourless Orange Almond Cake

Guava gel, lychee yogurt crème

Atwater Fuji Apple Cheesecake

Sweet dough shell, caramelized apples, cinnamon cheesecake, rolled oat crumble

Ice Cream Sundae +

Hollywood Hills Hot Chocolate Fudge Sundae

Vanilla ice cream, fudge brownie bites, fresh whipped cream, glazed cherry

Signature Dessert +

Burbank Blueberry-Lemon Bavarian Cream

Ecuador vanilla bean, lemon rocks, dried raspberry meringue

No Sugar Added +

Coconut Tapioca Pudding

Strawberry-lime salsa, matcha crumble

Our dinner tonight was located on the Roy Disney side of 1923. As the dedicated “fine dining” venue of the MDR rotation, it’s not as hectic as the Pride Lands. There is no show to distract you, and the decor is more understated. Each section features sketches and renditions from different Disney movies. There are plenty of display cases to browse as you enjoy dinner.

This menu is the same across all 1923 venues on the newer ships. This evening’s selections included Burrata Mozzarella Cheese and Prosciutto di Parma, Kingswell Duck Confit Pastilla, Roasted Roma Tomato Soup, Roasted Breast of Chicken, and, of course, the 1923 Peppered Filet Mignon.

The duck confit wasn’t as good as the last time. It was a little heavier on the herb seasonings than usual. Not horrible, just not as good as the last few times I’ve had it. The soup was just the opposite, though, as it was better than I remembered, with a hearty tomato flavor that only lacked a grilled cheese accompaniment.

It’s hard to beat filet mignon, and this was delightful.

For desserts, we each selected something different: Churros Calientes, Burbank Blueberry-Lemon Bavarian Cream, and Hollywood Hills Hot Chocolate Fudge Sundae. I actually had to look back at my review from the Treasure to remember if I liked the Blueberry-Lemon Bavarian Cream, as it’s not something I would usually gravitate toward. Turns out I liked it then, and still did. It was a nice, light finish to the meal with subtle notes of lemon.

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Nothing on the Navigator list jumped out at me, so we spent a little time in the lounge and wandering the ship before calling it a night.

Thanks for checking in for another day aboard the Disney Destiny. Unfortunately, we ran into some technical hiccups with the site and had to do some repairs. Technology is great, when it works. With any luck, we’ll get caught up a bit on the next few installments!

Disney Destiny Day 2 Daily Program

Personal Day-By-Day Disney Destiny Caribbean Cruise Review: