Disney Cruise Line might be setting the standard for magical adventures at sea today – but not too long ago another cruise company was sailing under the Disney flag.

Today, Disney Cruise Line is known for immersive entertainment, Broadway-style shows, rotational dining, and family-friendly vacations at sea. But before Disney ever launched its own fleet, it partnered with another cruise company to bring Disney magic to the ocean.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Big Red Boat became the official cruise line of Walt Disney World, introducing Disney characters, land-and-sea vacation packages, and family-focused experiences years before the Disney Magic ever set sail. While the partnership lasted less than a decade, it helped lay the foundation for what would eventually become Disney Cruise Line.

What Was the Big Red Boat?

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

If you were a ‘90s kid, odds are you might remember the Big Red Boat from a series of advertisements back in the first half of the decade. That’s because the Big Red Boat actively targeted kids (well, families with kids) as part of its partnership with Walt Disney World.

Back in the late 1980s and 1990s, Premier Cruise Lines was a cruise line headquartered in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Founded by two cruise ship veterans, Premier Cruise Lines had a relatively small lineup of cruise ships – one of which, the Oceanic, was called the Big Red Boat.

The Big Red Boat was so named thanks to its bold color scheme. The bottom half of the vessel was painted a bold red, making it stand out from other cruise ships of its era. It had room for more than 1,200 passengers and stretched 782 feet long. A former ocean liner, the Big Red Boat was revamped into a mass-market cruise ship, designed just for vacationing families.

In 1985, Premier Cruise Lines and Disney entered into an agreement, and the Big Red Boat became the official cruise line of Walt Disney World.

That partnership is likely why most of us recall the Big Red Boat. But in reality, Premier Cruise Lines did a lot more for Disney than simply offering themed sailings. The company actually gave then-Disney CEO Michel Eisner ideas that would shape the future Disney Cruise Line.

How the Big Red Boat Changed Family Cruising

Premier Cruise Lines may not be part of the cruise industry today, but its impact on it is undeniable. Back in the 1980s when Premier first came onto the scene, cruises were considerably less family-friendly than they are now. 

While other cruise lines of the time did allow children on board, much of the entertainment was geared towards adults. Premier Cruise Lines and the Big Red Boat did things differently – here, kids were welcomed with open arms. 

In fact, Premier Cruise Lines made its niche multigenerational family vacations. It was particularly popular among older generations, and many grandparents sailing with their children and grandchildren chose this cruise line over Royal Caribbean and Carnival. 

Premier and the Big Red Boat focused mainly on 3- and 4-night sailings throughout the Caribbean (sound familiar, Disney cruise enthusiasts?). 

Once onboard the ship, adults could enjoy cabarets, casinos, nightclubs, theaters, lounges and bars, health clubs, and pools and hot tubs. Kids had their own exclusive areas, including a kids’ recreation center, a Teen Nite Club, a video arcade, and kid-specific pools. To make the experience even more special, Premier offered four age-specific programs of activities for kids to play with their peers.

For example, here’s a look at what each age group could enjoy while sailing:

• First Mates, or kids ages 2 to 4 years old, had their own club with a kiddie pool, slides, play equipment, and counselors who led activities.
• Kids Call was dedicated to kids ages 5 to 7 years old and offered treasure hunts, educational programs, toys and games, and all of the same spaces in the First Mates’ club.
• Star Cruises, or kids ages 8 to 12 years old, could enjoy a scavenger hunt, other games, and even video game-themed challenges and sports.
• Teen Cruises, or kids ages 13 and up, could access the Teen Nite Club, enjoy water sports, and even snorkel on port days.

Why the Big Red Boat Was Ahead of Its Time

In addition to offering kid-exclusive activities and spaces, Premier Cruise Lines and the Big Red Boat also designed their ships for families. Everything across the ship was meant to accommodate parties of three to seven people – in fact, Premier even offered the first-ever single-parent cruise rates in the industry.

The staterooms, for example, were designed for families with four to five beds. Guests could even book “Kid’s Quarters,” a second stateroom solely for kids that was offered at a cheaper rate.

Plenty of themed family fun was also included with the cost of a cruise on the Big Red Boat. Port days included typical island activities like snorkeling, sailing, and hanging out on the beach, but it also included themed events like a Buccaneer Bash (complete with Junkanoo musicians, fire-eaters, and dancers). Nighttime entertainment onboard the ship included concerts, comedians, and magicians.

And when it came to food, the Big Red Boat offered “Cruisine,” or a vast variety of fine foods. Most interesting, though, was the themed dining onboard. Each night of sailing included different themed dinners, like French Night, Italian Night, America the Beautiful Night, and Caribbean Night. And yes, there were always special kid-friendly menus available for the youngest cruisers. 

When Disney Partnered With the Big Red Boat

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If any of these family-friendly cruise details sound familiar, you’re certainly not alone. While the partnership between Disney and the Big Red Boat was relatively short-lived, lasting only from 1985 to 1993, it’s clear Disney learned quite a bit from Premier Cruise Lines.

When Premier Cruise Lines partnered with Walt Disney World, the licensing agreement generated a few cool perks:

• The Big Red Boat offered 7-night land and sea vacations 
• Premier could use Disney characters on its ships (including the Big Red Boat)

So, guests interested in Disney vacations could experience Disney characters (and kid-friendly fun) at sea onboard the Big Red Boat and extend their vacation to Disney World all in a single week. It was the perfect multi-day solution.

But here’s a fun fact: The Big Red Boat actually wasn’t the first cruise line Disney partnered with. Inspired by Disney World’s partnership to build the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, the company tested the waters with a one-cruise partnership with Norwegian Caribbean Lines in November 1984.

During that initial “Disney cruise,” Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy appeared on the S.S. Norway and interacted with passengers. All of the ship’s usual entertainment was also swapped out for Disney-themed alternatives, like a live-action show based on Pirates of the Caribbean, an EPCOT International Night, and an evening fireworks display.

After that successful standalone cruise, Disney teamed up with Premier Cruise Lines and Eastern Airlines (which, back in 1984 was “The Official Airline of Walt Disney World”) to provide airfare down to Central Florida and “Disney Week” on the S.S. Royale.

These “float tests” were such a hit with guests that in 1985, Premier Cruise Lines solidified its partnership with Disney and became the official cruise line of Walt Disney World. Those joint land-and-sea vacation packages became a hit, bundled with a stay at either a Disney World Resort or a Good Neighbor hotel, plus airfare. 

And Premier Cruise Lines and its Big Red Boat began hosting regular “Disney cruises” starring Disney characters. Though the characters appeared somewhat sparingly, the mere addition of Disney theming made the sailings a hit – more than 60,000 passengers set sail on the Big Red Boat during 1985 alone thanks to Disney’s involvement.

How the Big Red Boat Led to Disney Cruise Line

Photo by Jaysen White

In the early 1990s, the partnership between Premier Cruise Lines and Disney came to an end. Sources are mixed on whether the partnership officially ended in 1992 or 1993, but one thing is certain: Disney had bigger plans and wanted a bigger piece of the cruising pie.

It turned out that after seeing the success of Disney characters on the Big Red Boat and getting a crash course in family-friendly cruises from Premier, Disney was ready to step out on its own. Just a few years later in 1995, Disney Cruise Line made its official debut. Disney Cruise Line then introduced its own vessel, the Disney Magic, hitting the seats for its maiden voyage in 1998.

Today, Disney’s cruise ventures have grown substantially – and Premier Cruise Lines is no more. But the Disney Cruise Line fleet isn’t slowing down any time soon, with an expected total of 13 ships by 2031.

Even though the experience looked very different from today’s Disney Cruise Line, the Big Red Boat proved that families wanted Disney experiences beyond the theme parks, a lesson that helped shape one of Disney’s fastest-growing vacation businesses.