This article comes from the Dallas Morning News. While going to DisneyWorld and the Bahamas is great to be able to check out and explore this far off ports of call would be amazing.

The cruise line will send one of its two ships, the Disney Magic, to Europe for a five-month season this year, with 10- and 11-night cruises in the Mediterranean and 12-night trips in northern Europe. I was one of four American writers invited to accompany the Disney team as they previewed and fine-tuned their shore excursions, which Disney calls port adventures.

It’s no small feat trying to make unfamiliar and exotic destinations family-friendly without sacrificing authenticity or watering down the experiences until they resemble make-believe.

David Duffy, the cruise line’s creative director, said the unfamiliar destinations provide new opportunities for Disney. “These are places that have tapped into a more mature audience, so it’s exciting to be the first to go in and really address the family needs of travelers.”

Duffy pointed to the treasure hunt at Sidi Bou Said as an example of the effort to help guests navigate exotic locales.

Like other cruise lines, Disney contracts with local tour operators to run its shore excursions, but Disney has a more hands-on approach to the process than most.

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