Damon Smith is all at sea with Mickey, Minnie and friends on board the Disney Magic for the cruise ship’s inaugural UK summer staycation

Steam cyclones off the gently rippling surface of a 40-degree whirlpool spa like clouds of freshly-spun candy floss and my muscles surrender to the kneading jets of water.

As I recline, my view of the adults-only Quiet Cove on the Disney Magic cruise liner suddenly falls into shadow.

A six-foot bloodhound and pointer mixed breed with honeyed fur is waving at me. playfully motioning me to make room in my swirling oasis.

Just then, a horn signal comprising the first notes of When You Wish Upon A Star startles Pluto and – not for the first time on my Disney Magic At Sea staycation cruise – full-throated laughter gurgles from my body.

International theme parks and resorts are currently off-limits due to Covid-related travel restrictions so these family-oriented two or three-night cruises exclusive to UK residents bring immersive Disney storytelling and entertainment to waters around London Tilbury or Newcastle upon Tyne until early October.

Adults must submit proof of full vaccination (seven days after the final dose as defined by the NHS) while under 18s require proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test result costing £79 through Disney Cruise Line’s third-party partner. A further negative test result from a self-administered nasal swab at the port grants admission.

Hand sanitisers discreetly proliferate and face coverings are mandatory indoors for guests aged 11 and older except when eating and drinking. To promote physical distancing, maximum occupancy of 2,700 passengers has been significantly reduced.

As a cruise debutant, I’m pleasantly surprised by a spacious stateroom with private veranda, which can snugly sleep four. Some 70 percent of staterooms have ocean views and most have split bathrooms – a bath/shower and sink separate from a second sink and toilet.

Busy daily programmes of activities, accessible via the free-to-download Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, include bingo, quizzes, karaoke and a violinist performing Disney songs.

Meet and greets are replaced with “appear and wave” sessions where princesses, Disney characters and Marvel superheroes enjoy socially distanced encounters and pose for masked selfies.

The 40-foot-wide proscenium stage of the 977-seat Walt Disney Theatre boasts Art Deco and Art Nouveau design flourishes and hosts two performances daily of Tangled: The Musical, a 70-minute adaptation of the animation exclusive to the Disney Magic.

Meanwhile, the 278-seat Buena Vista Theatre screens the latest blockbusters and classic animations including Black Widow, Cruella and Jungle Cruise.

Outside, where masks can be removed, Elsa, Anna and chums belt out Frozen songs in the aptly-named Freezing The Night Away celebration, which culminates in a swirling snowstorm.

The Oceaneer Club, for children aged three to 12, hosts storytelling and character interactions in themed areas including Andy’s Room from Toy Story with a Slinky Dog slide and the Marvel Super Hero Academy dominated by a life-size Iron Man.

Nearby, the Oceaneer Lab invites imaginative tykes to escape to Never Land aboard Captain Hook’s pirate ship with a hands-on arts-and-crafts studio, animation station and video games.

Disney operates a unique dining system on its liners, rotating guests through signature-themed restaurants at two nightly seatings.

Oversized palettes balanced on giant paintbrush columns are a masterful design feature of Animator’s Palate, which harnesses Tinker Bell’s pixie dust to transform a cavernous dining room festooned with static black and white hand-drawn animations into a colour-saturated multimedia spectacle. Angus beef tenderloin dusted in ginger Teriyaki, served on a bed of molten wasabi mashed potatoes, is a particular highlight.

Rapunzel’s Royal Table is a participatory Tangled-themed dinner theatre hosted by the impish Snuggly Duckling Thugs with woodland decor and a hand-carved Pascal the chameleon concealed in decorative carpentry.

Princess Rapunzel and Flynn Rider’s swoonsome duet I See The Light is garnished with a procession of lanterns around the dining room. An appetiser of Ahi tuna tartare served with a sesame wonton crisp and sweet chilli mayonnaise is buoyant on taste buds.

With the exception of Palo speciality dining, exclusively for adults with a formal dress code, all meals are included in the price. Soft drinks are complimentary with meals but additional charges apply for beer, wine and bottled water..

Sloshing water abounds to whoops of delight in Goofy’s Pool, which welcomes families to a splash zone of pouring paint cans and a double-looping Twist ’n’ Spout waterslide. The loudest screams are reserved for AquaDunk. The floor of this 212-feet long waterslide falls always like a trapdoor, sending guests along a translucent tube that curves tantalisingly over the side of the ship.

Having fun can be exhausting so the Senses Spa & Salon provides a perfect retreat and hosts a gym with treadmills looking out to sea. A 50-minute Swedish massage (£94) is deliciously soothing. I’m sure my masseuse credits her handiwork for the contented grin as I recall Pluto in the whirlpool spa. However, in the aromatically scented moment, it’s unabashed puppy love.

How to plan your trip

Disney Cruise Line (disneycruise.co.uk; 0800 171 2317) offers two or three-night UK staycations sailing on Disney Magic from London Tilbury or Newcastle upon Tyne from £2,392 for two adults and two children (ages 3-12) sharing a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom including full board meals, inclusive entertainment, taxes, fees and port charges. Price based on September 17, 2021 departure for a three-night staycation from London Tilbury. Costs for additional services and experiences on board and Covid testing apply.