Disney's CEO Michael Eisner was quite clear during the planning process for Disney Cruise Lines when he said: "I don't want a floating milk-box." What Disney execs did want were ships that resembled the luxurious ocean liners of the 1920's and they got just that. From the outside, the Wonder is one sleek ship, with an elongated dark blue hull, two matching red funnels and yellow insignias encircling the ship (Mickey's colors). The inside features an elegant art nouveau decor with plenty of subtle nods to the mouse that started it all, from the etched in pewter characters bordering the atrium, to the hidden micro-mini Mickeys in Palo's china pattern. Perhaps what this ship does best though is prove that "elegant" and "family friendly" don't have to be mutually exclusive.

Disney's ships are designed to offer something for everyone from honeymooners to multigenerational family groups. Adults have numerous places to call their own, and since there are so many kids on board (and adults watching them), the Quiet Cove Pool, Vista Spa and Route 66 entertainment district never seem to be to crowded.

But the family offerings are what set this ship apart from the pack. While many cruise lines offer excellent children's programs, Disney offers all that plus plenty of options suitable for a family to enjoy together, from kite-making workshops to game shows and evening stage shows.

The Wonder looks brand-new thanks to its October 2004 dry-dock (a two-week period of refurbishment). Carpets and wood decking were replaced, furniture reupholstered, and three new areas were added to the ship Cove Cafe, Diversions, and Aloft. Cove Cafe is an adults-only coffee bar, located next to the Quiet Cove pool. It's a great space for relaxing on comfortable couches, watching TV, checking e-mail, or reading one of the many magazines on the shelves. Sports enthusiasts now have the English sports pub styled Diversions, located in the Wonder's "entertainment district." The former ESPN Skybox (in the forward funnel of the ship) was transformed into a new space for teens called Aloft. In addition to the public space changes, cabins received new, better quality, mattresses, thicker towels (including bath sheets), and sateen bed linens.

On this trip, I traveled with my husband and two sons, ages 2 and 7. Since both boys were within a few months of a birthday that would allow them to participate in a different level of the children's programs, their ages proved ideal for testing the flexibility of Disney's age-specific groupings. I have to admit I wasn't sure if our boys would appreciate the vast array of Disney offerings since they (especially my younger one) have not seen many of the movies referenced on the ship, or have ever visited Disney World. I need not have worried. At trip's end, my 2-year-old boy came home so enamored with the princesses that he insisted on purchasing the Pull-Ups bearing their pictures. In fact, as I write this, my little boy is sleeping, content in the knowledge that he has Snow White on his bottom ... much to the amusement of his older brother.

Disney's Wonder alternates three- and four-night Bahamas itineraries. Both make calls to Disney's private island Castaway Cay and Nassau, Bahamas. The four-night allows for a much-needed day at sea to enjoy all of the ship's offerings.

Public rooms

Disney has designed their ships a bit differently from the other major lines. For example, you won't find a casino or a library on board, but there is an innovative space called Studio Sea that hosts family friendly dance parties and hilarious game shows. In addition, Disney tucks most of their bars and lounges together in one specially designed "entertainment district" (Route 66 on Wonder), which is off the beaten path, compared to other lines which locate them right off the main thoroughfares.

You'll know you've discovered Route 66 when you see clouds on the ceiling and highway barriers along the wall. Here you can "walk" from Chicago to California and pass plenty of old-fashioned billboards along the route, as well as places to play. Wave Bands has a stage set like a juke box with speakers on each end and record memorabilia in the see-through floors and framed above the cozy semi-circle booths. Cadillac Lounge (the bar is the hood of a Cadillac) is the resident piano bar; and Diversions replaces ESPN Skybox as the place to go for sports, featuring plasma televisions, large comfortable chairs throughout and beautiful sports themed paintings.

Decks 3, 4 and 5 are home to the majority of public spaces as well as the three-deck-high atrium lobby, which houses a colorful fiberglass chandelier that looks like glass lit from within. It is also home to character appearances each evening, pin trading and, just around the corner, the guest service and shore excursion desks. Also just around the corner from the atrium is Promenade Lounge, a peaceful area with ocean views, board games and several internet-access stations (75 cents per minute, with a minimum of five minutes).

The Walt Disney Theatre is the ship's showcase theater where you can watch Broadway-caliber musicals and Vegas-style reviews from the comfort of rocking cherry wood armchairs. The Buena Vista Theatre is a modernized interpretation of an old-style movie house, where photos from the premieres of Pinocchio and Sleeping Beauty are mixed in with movie posters of current Disney releases.

Just before the entrance to the Walt Disney Theatre are two large shops. Mickey's Mates carries everything from stuffed plush animals (like Chip, Dale and Captain Mickey) to Mickey meltaway chocolates, assorted character items, plus a variety of top-quality Disney frames. Treasure Ketch, across the hall, is the place to go for clothing, jewelry, unique Christmas ornaments, and an exclusive Waterford Crystal Disney ship.

Even the artwork is entertaining. Be sure to check out the whimsical series of 26 illustrations hanging on Deck 5 (portside), one for each letter of the nautical alphabet. It is here that you'll learn that "S" (Scuttlebutt), is a sailor's slang term for a rumor. And, our kids' favorite "P" (poop deck) is the deck of a ship that is the farthest aft and the highest. For photography enthusiasts, be sure to look for the series of photographs displayed on Deck 5 (portside, taken by a crew member of Wonder's first dry-dock. They were so stunning she was asked to send them to the corporate office, after which they were purchased and put on display.

Outdoor adult areas include Signals Bar facing the Quiet Cove pool, decorated in nautical flags. It was indeed quiet, with soft music playing in the background and plenty of chairs to choose from. For your own private hideaway, Deck 7's Aft Overlook is frequently overlooked. Here you can enjoy water views and silence, unless the captain is there officiating a wedding.

Trivia tidbit: On most cruise ships there are 10 - 12 different carpet patterns; on Disney ships there are over 100. The reason? Themes and navigation. For example, the carpets bordered in red symbolize entertainment areas, whereas each restaurant's carpet is tied into its theme, like Beach Blanket Buffet's carpet of polka dot and checkerboard "beach blankets" strewn about. In addition, each deck of the ship has a different carpet inlay near the elevator banks to help guests more easily identify various decks.

Entertainment

The premiere entertainment facility is the Walt Disney Theatre. This venue has comfortable seating, unobstructed views from almost anywhere, and is home to some of the best production shows I've seen at sea. Our favorite was "The Golden Mickeys" an amalgam of song, dance, animated film, and special effects starring Disney's most famous and infamous characters. The pre-show was equally entertaining as guests approached the theatre along a red carpet complete with paparazzi of the friendliest kind and a roving reporter conducting live "celebrity" interviews that were being broadcast on giant video screens inside the theatre. And then we loved the message of the musical; what parent wouldn't love a show that shows kids that heroes don't have to be big and strong they can be anyone who tries to do the right thing as long as they just keep on trying. Other productions include "Disney Dreams," a bedtime story featuring Peter Pan, Cinderella, and assorted other characters, plus the vaudevillian style "Hercules The Muse-ical."

For interactive entertainment head to Studio Sea, where you can partake in scavenger hunts, family karaoke and game shows like "Walk the Plank," where parent/child teams compete for prizes (or just avoid walking the plank). Buena Vista Theatre features current Disney releases throughout the day typically G-rated fare and adult-oriented movies from its subsidiary film studios in the evening.

Along Route 66, a variety of games are hosted in Diversions from "Who's the Boss" (a battle of the sexes) to sports trivia contests with questions like "What professional sport did Wilt Chamberlain play after basketball?" We'll give you a clue: Beach volleyball. Piano and vocal favorites can be found in The Cadillac Lounge. Wave Bands is home to everything from adult cabaret to 70's and 80's dance parties.

Disney has outdoor entertainment covered with a few deck parties per cruise. They begin with the sail-away party when Mickey and gang bound out on to the stage near Goofy's Pool for a funky rendition of M-I-C-K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E, before getting everyone to count down the ship's departure. By this point you'll have heard the first of many "When You Wish Upon a Star" jingles instead of the typical ship's horn blast.

Despite all of the elaborate entertainment, one of the biggest highlights of the cruise for young children is the character appearances. While I rarely saw them roaming about the decks as I'd envisioned from Disney's ads we could check the digital display board in the atrium for a listing of appearances. Many children arrived each evening decked out as Minnie Mouse, Belle or Cinderella, others in their favorite Disney jammies, all anxiously awaiting a chance to get an autograph or picture with their favorite character.

Fitness and Recreation

The pool area consists of three age-specific swimming pools and a 200-foot-long Mickey Mouse-themed water slide. The frequently crowded Mickey's Pool is for the younger set, offering a large shallow pool with Mickey's silhouette in the bottom and two huge rubber inner tubes (the ears) serving as warm shallow tubs for toddlers (one with sprinklers). Family-friendly Goofy's Pool (in between the funnels) is four-feet deep, with two whirlpools adjacent, and right in front of the main outdoor stage. Quiet Cove (forward) is the adults-only pool and is definitely quiet compared to the rest of the pool deck. The area is surrounded by two large hot tubs, an outdoor bar, and the adult-only Cafe Cove where you can get frozen coffee drinks to sip by the pool. Deck 10 has additional lounge seating overlooking the various pools as well as a basketball court and volleyball area.

Deck 4 promenade is the place for running (three laps equal one mile), or relaxing on cushioned lounge chairs that you won't find up on the pool deck. The area is far from the crowds and, aside from shuffleboard on the starboard side and an occasional jogger, is perfectly peaceful enough to listen to the waves.

The Vista Spa & Salon offers an assortment of relaxing massages, facials, and self-improvement treatments ranging in price from $15 to well over $200. For $15 you can buy a day pass to the spa's "tropical rain forest" a circular Tuscan-themed (co-ed) aromatherapy area with a fountain in the center, and steam rooms, dry saunas and tropical rain showers off to the sides. Sleep-deprived parents might enjoy the unusual Chakra Balancing Capsule 25 minutes of rest in this aromatherapy space-age capsule is supposed to be worth two hours of sleep ($45).

The spa also includes a modestly sized fitness room that is well equipped with Cybex weight machines, cycles, balance balls, mats (although space is extremely limited for their use), and seven treadmills that overlook the bridge and have televisions above. The front desk provides headsets (gratis) for you to use while listening to the televisions. In addition, yoga, Pilates and cardio kick boxing classes are offered in the exercise studio.

The women's locker room offers a nice alternative to getting ready in the somewhat cramped cabin bathrooms. There is a large vanity area, plump comfortable lounge chairs and two spacious semi-circle shaped showers one with a "rain" type shower head.

We include a description of Castaway Cay, Disney's private island, here, because it really is a land-based extension of the ship's fitness and recreation options. Castaway Cay is an island paradise of crystal clear waters where banana yellow and soft purple beach umbrellas dot the horseshoe-shaped family beach. It is near this beach that you can rent snorkeling gear and assorted rafts and tubes at pretty reasonable prices. If you're lucky, you'll be able to nab one of the six hammocks strung up in the trees not far behind the She Shells shop. Unfortunately, it seems people claim them early in the morning and then rarely return. If you want to be on the family beach, but away from the crowds, head around the path toward Heads Up Bar, on the other side of the horseshoe from where the ship docks.

It's easy to get around the island; trams from the dock to various points on the island run continuously throughout the day. Island highlights include the beach barbecue; biking along paved (and sandy) trails to a tranquil overlook from the northwest side of the island; snorkeling out just a few hundred feet to see sunken treasures; relaxing (sans children) at Serenity Bay, the adults only beach; and having a massage in one of the open-air cabanas overlooking the ocean. I never thought I'd say a bathroom is a highlight, but these are some of the nicest, and cleanest, beach restrooms I've ever seen.

Trivia tidbit: Castaway Cay is home to just over 20 lifeguards. They live on the island full-time, working three days per week as lifeguards and three more as maintenance workers maintaining bicycles, the retail "huts" and assorted other island amenities. On the seventh day they rest, which is one more day off than their shipboard compatriots receive.

Family

Disney's greatest advantage is the abundance of choices you have for spending time together as a family, as well as spending it apart in age-specific activities.

As for the children's programs, Disney offers programming for babies as young as 12 weeks old right on up through teens, with a few advantages like pagers for parents (with text-messaging so pre-teens and teens can let parents know where they'll be), continuation of program activities on Castaway Cay and flexible age groupings. For example, since our almost 3-year-old is potty-trained (and fine playing with older children), we were able to register him in the Oceaneer Club where he could be with his brother a good portion of the time. In addition, our older son, who was a few weeks shy of his eighth birthday, had the choice of registering for the Oceaneer Club's activities, or with the older (8- to 12-year-olds) Oceaneer Lab. The flexibility was a boon to us the night we went to Palo because our younger son would have been upset about being left alone had they not allowed his brother to stay with him.

Flounder's Reef Nursery
Flounder's Reef (one of just a few nurseries at sea) is designed for babies and toddlers (ages 12 weeks up to 3 years old) with Little Mermaid-themed bubble murals, popular toys from Hasbro and plenty of your typical infant swings and bouncy chairs. Head to the nursery as soon as you board and decide what time slots you'd like. They go quickly. The fee is $6 per hour ($5 per hour for each additional child), and you must cancel four hours in advance if you decide not to bring your child. The ratio of counselors to children is 1 to 4 for infants and 1 to 6 for toddlers.

Oceaneer Club (Ages 3 - 7)
A separate schedule of events is planned for ages 3 - 4 and 5 - 7 with some overlap during the day. Activities vary from The Jr. Chef Experience, where kids get to make their own chocolate chip cookies, to Animation Antics, where they learn to draw their favorite Disney characters or make up new ones. Peter Pan fans can learn to drink tea with Wendy Darling as she tells tales of her pixie-dust adventures. Plus there is plenty of run-around time on the enormous indoor pirate ship, complete with slides, tunnels, and climbing areas.

Oceaneer Lab (Ages 8 - 12)
As is the case with Oceaneer Club, the Lab plans for ages 8-9 and 10-12, with some overlap. In addition to bridge tours, "Pajamarama" pizza parties, computer and Playstation2 time, and movie outings, the Lab offers big kids a chance to perform amazing feats of strength using basic physics, including immobilizing others with one finger, and removing a tablecloth from the dinner table without disturbing the dishes (part of Hercules' Feats of Strength program). In Goofy's Files, young sleuths learn about the world of forensics as they try to identify people by viewing hair, clothing fibers, fingerprints and handwriting samples.

Aloft (Ages 13 - 17)
This brand new area for teens is a cross between a college dorm and a coffee shop with lots of overstuffed couches and chairs. Located in the forward (faux) funnel on Deck 11, Aloft includes the latest video games, MP3 listening stations, board games and magazines, plus a bar that dispenses soft drinks and smoothies. In addition, there are several planned activities tailored to younger teens, along with events for the entire group, like the Funnel Fusion Dance Party.

Hint: Pick up a copy of "Disney Sea University" at any of the kid's areas for a full schedule of events each day of the cruise. Other than Flounder's Reef Nursery, there is no charge for the programs.

Fellow passengers

The vast majority of fellow passengers are families and multi-generational reunions due to the extensive children, teen and family programming. However, you'll also find a sprinkling of honeymooners and couples without children who appreciate the oversized staterooms, underutilized adult-only areas and Disney details.

Dress

Resort casual is the dress of the day in all areas of the ship. In the evenings, a jacket for men and a dress or pantsuit for women is recommended at Triton's and Palos; smart casual is appropriate for Animator's Palate and Parrot Cay (i.e. no shorts, jeans, or tank tops).

Hint: Pick one night during the cruise to have everyone in the family dress for picture taking the night of the Golden Mickey's is a great choice. I realized toward the end of the cruise that I could have ordered holiday photo cards from one of the numerous pictures that were taken of us, and had them ready before we departed. It would have made for a unique card (and eliminated the need to get it done once we returned!).

Gratuity

Disney suggests gratuities for three-night sailings as follows: Dining Room Server, $11; assistant server, $8; stateroom attendant, $10.75. For four-night cruises budget $14.75 for your dining room server, $10.75 for your assistant server and $14.50 for your stateroom attendant. Prices are per person per day.