Fly from MacArthur Airport to board new Disney Destiny-themed cruise

Captain Jack Sparrow won’t be giving orders, but Cruella de Vil will certainly be taking them — for colorful cocktails in her polka-dot piano lounge — aboard Disney Destiny, the new cruise ship taking its maiden voyage out of Fort Lauderdale in November.

The two Disney icons   will be among the vast cast of characters, both nice and, well, not so nice, entertaining guests on the new four- and five-night cruises (Nov. 24-28) bound for Disney isles in the Bahamas and Western Caribbean.

With nonstop flights leaving daily to Fort Lauderdale from Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, Long Islanders can chart a direct course to a whole new world of shows, meet-and-greets and special appearances aboard the 4,000 passenger vessel. Unlike its sister ships, Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, Disney Destiny takes a new tack celebrating baddies you can hiss at — Sleeping Beauty’s Maleficent, Captain Hook and antihero Loki — while you root for Groot, Spider-Man and Black Panther.

"The whole ship is based on heroes and villains, so it’s the first [Disney] cruise ship to incorporate villains," said Tori Tomasheski, of Glen Head, co-owner with Ellen Volpe, of Garden City, of Long Island-based ET Family Travel.

Tomasheski said Disney Destiny incorporates features from Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, while introducing "new and exciting spaces that we’ve never seen before."

"There are going to be some unique character interactions," Volpe said of the new cruise, adding, "you can meet some of your favorites from Disney, Pixar and Marvel."

One of those unique features pays homage to the fictional webspinner with a sculpture of Marvel’s Spider-Man and his Spider-Bots decorating a ship’s stern for the first time in Disney Cruise Line history, according to a company statement.

Here’s what else is new and different aboard the House of Mouse’s newest Caribbean adventure.

Black Panther in the Grand Hall

"The Grand Hall is always unique to each Disney ship," Tomasheski said.

Disney Destiny’s Grand Hall is a gathering space and living theater where heroes and villains from across the Disneyverse interact with guests. Inspired by the "rich lore, distinctive iconography and vibrant palette of Marvel Studios’ "Black Panther" films, according to Disney, a statue of Black Panther is prominently displayed should you desire a selfie with Wakanda’s king and protector.

The Black Panther theme continues at Saga, a two-story, state-of-the-art entertainment venue with Wakanda-influenced architecture and a lineup of interactive fun such as "Match Your Mate" and the "Family Time Game Show." If you’re in the mood for a Broadway-style extravaganza, the Walt Disney Theatre presents "Frozen, A Musical Spectacular" and "Disney Seas the Adventure," an original production featuring CaptainMinnie Mouse, Goofy and other Disney and Pixar characters.

What’s new for kids

Bringing the little ones? Babysitting is available for children ages 6 months to 3 years. Children ages 3 to 10 can explore Disney's Oceaneer Club with immersive spaces themed to Marvel superheroes, Disney princesses, "Star Wars" heroes, Disney Imagineers and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Tots can cool off with parents in a splashy water attraction based on Pixar's "Toy Story."

In the upper deck's water park, seven pools are spread across tiered levels lined with lounge chairs.

The centerpiece is AquaMouse, a waterride up Villain Mountain with Mickey and Minnie, who sing a silly song to "some of the most fearsome villains of Disney Animation lore," according to a press statement.

For teens and tweens

At Edge, ages 11 to 13 can hang out with other tweens and play games in a bright, colorful New York City loft-style hangout. At Vibe, another urban-like gathering place, ages 14 to 17 can watch movies and play games.

For grown-ups

If you crave a cocktail, the choices are both creative and rich in character. At De Vil’s piano lounge, "inspired by that whole Cruella de Vil vibe," Tomasheski said, sip a mixed drink, wine or bubbly ensconced in a black, white and red Hollywood Regency-aesthetic.

The pub scene also ventures into the multiverse with The Sanctum, serving up cocktails, spirits and coffee in the first lounge inspired by Marvel's Doctor Strange. Need something straight from the barrel? Captain Jack Sparrow's Caribbean buccaneers will pull a cork for you at the Cask and Cannon sports bar.

Spirits are also on tap at the Haunted Mansion Parlor, a bar concept borrowed from Disney Treasure, yet, like its templates in Disney theme parks, "always changing while you’re in there," Tomasheski said.

Hungry yet?

Pride Lands: Feast of The Lion King roars in with a new dining concept featuring live musicians and storytellers performing iconic moments  from Simba's storied franchise. If superheroes are more to your taste,  grab a bite at Worlds of Marvel while watching an on-screen story starring Rocket and Groot from Marvel Studios ' "Guardians of the Galaxy" films. Then learn the origin stories of all the characters you've met — the good, the bad, and the silly — at "1923," an exhibition area named for the founding year of The Walt Disney Company. On display are more than 1,000 drawings, props, animation memorabilia from "Hercules," "Sleeping Beauty," "Big Hero 6," "Wreck-It Ralph" and other popular titles.