A?major makeover?of one of Disney’s four cruise ships, the Disney Magic, is running slightly behind schedule, prompting Disney today to postpone the vessel’s return to service by five days.
Disney says a five-night cruise out of Miami on the Disney Magic scheduled for Sunday has been canceled. The ship’s first sailing since an unprecedented, five-week overhaul in dry dock is now set for Oct. 25.
“We encountered challenging weather conditions that made the necessary work impossible to complete in time for the first cruise,” Disney Cruise Line spokeswoman Rena Langley tells USA TODAY. “Clearly, we want the ship to be perfect when we welcome guests aboard.”
The makeover of the Disney Magic began last month in a dry dock in Cadiz, Spain and was scheduled to be completed this week as the ship crossed the Atlantic from Cadiz to Florida without passengers.
Passengers on the canceled sailing will receive a full refund as well as reimbursement of airline change fees. In addition, passengers also are being offered a complimentary sailing on the Disney Magic between now and May, 2014. Alternately, passengers can choose a 35% discount on any future Disney cruise in the Bahamas or Caribbean, taken within two years and excluding holiday sail dates.
The makeover of the Disney Magic is one of the most comprehensive of any cruise ship in recent years and includes a complete revamping of deck-top areas, restaurants, children’s clubs and more.
The changes to the 1,754-passenger vessel include the removal of its iconic Mickey Pool, being replaced by a new watery fun zone for kids, and the addition of what’s billed as one of the most thrilling water slides ever on a cruise ship.