Jess at Sea

My seventh contract with Disney Cruise Line brought me right back to where I felt most at home – onboard the beautiful Disney Wish. This marked my third contract in a row on this stunning ship, and by now, it truly felt like my home. I had found my rhythm with the familiar 3- and 4-night Bahamas sailings, surrounded by close friends, magical work, and a ship I adored. Life was good.

Contract Log

Contract: 7
Year: 2023
Ship: Disney Wish
Countries Visited: United States – Bahamas

Kicking Off with Disney Magic at Animal Kingdom

What better way to start a new contract than with a cheeky morning at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Thanks to an early arrival from the travel team (#blessed), I kicked off contract #7 with a pre-embarkation visit to Animal Kingdom.

There’s something so grounding about starting a new chapter with some park magic – jet lag cured by Kilimanjaro Safaris? Yes, please.

The Big News: I’m Joining the Disney Treasure Opening Team! ⚓🚢

One of the biggest moments of this contract? Finding out I’d been selected for the opening team of the brand-new Disney Treasure! Opening a new Disney Cruise Line ship had always been a dream – and it was finally happening.

To top it off, I was invited to the Disney Treasure Media Reveal event, where I met Voyager Minnie (truly an icon) and got a first look at what’s to come. The excitement was unreal – and I couldn’t wait to be part of history.

VoluntEARS Magic: Giving Back Through Art

This contract, I joined a heartwarming VoluntEARS event celebrating the release of Disney’s Wish – painting canvases for children’s hospitals. It was such a joyful and meaningful day, filled with color, laughter, and a reminder that Disney magic extends far beyond the parks and ships.

Growth Onboard: Disney Leadership Essentials 🎓✨

Another standout moment? Completing the Disney Leadership Essentials program. The course gave me practical tools and powerful perspectives to grow as a leader – both onboard and in life. And yes, the graduation ceremony featured Captain Mickey himself presenting our certificates. Iconic!

Halloween on the High Seas + A Festive Farewell 🎃🎄

This contract spanned both Halloween and the start of the holiday season, which made everything extra magical. I dressed up as popcorn for the crew Halloween party (no regrets lol), helped run the trick-or-treating event for the Guests, and danced the night away during the Mickey’s Mousequerade Deck Party.

As Christmas approached, the Disney Wish transformed into a floating winter wonderland. The golden Christmas tree, twinkling lights, and festive magic made for the coziest and most heartwarming farewell to my time onboard.

Favorite Moments from Disney Wish Contract #7:

• 🦁 Morning safari at Animal Kingdom before embarkation
• 🚢 Attending the Disney Treasure media reveal (and meeting Voyager Minnie!)
• 🎨 VoluntEARS art project for children’s hospitals
• 🎃 Halloween onboard — trick-or-treating and popcorn costume fun
• 🎓 Completing Disney Leadership Essentials + graduation with Captain Mickey
• 🧀 Flaming cheese feast in Nassau (naturally)
• ☀️ Quick Hollywood Studios park day
• 🎄 Experiencing the Disney Wish all decked out for Christmas

Saying Goodbye to the Disney Wish

After three unforgettable contracts, this was my final voyage aboard the Disney Wish (at least for now). It was hard to say goodbye to a ship that had brought me so many memories – incredible friendships, professional milestones, and more personal growth than I could have imagined.

But the journey wasn’t over. The following year would take me to three new Disney ships, including the once-in-a-lifetime experience of helping launch the Disney Treasure!

Read about my first contract working on a cruise ship here!

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Disclaimer: Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line I’ve worked for, so I can’t speak of the experience with other cruise lines. All opinions in this post are my own and not affiliated with Disney in any way.

🚢 More Ship Life Posts

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