Captain Minnie Brings Sailing to New Generation

With the help of Disney Cruise Line, Minnie Mouse is inspiring a whole new generation of young women to get involved in the maritime industry. Stepping out of Mickey’s legendary and iconic shadow, Captain Minnie is now at the helm of Disney Cruise Line’s lineup of new youth programs.

By funding scholarships and offering a series of activities focused on empowering girls and young women to pursue an education and career in the cruising industry, Disney Cruise Line is making the high seas more accessible and appealing to the little Minnies in your family.

Minnie Mouse of the Disney Magic. Photo: Adriana Ooms – Dreamstime.com

Children traveling aboard all Disney Cruise Line ships will see Captain Minnie Mouse exploring the vessel and spreading her passion for cruising and the maritime industry as a whole. Avid cruisers and Disney fans may notice Captain Minnie Mouse is an all-new look for the famous mouse. You’ll spot Captain Minnie in her functional white pants and bold red jacket venturing around the ship — a clear stand-out from her dress-clad alter ego you’ll also see around the ship.

While at Sea

The youngest travelers onboard will find Captain Minnie Mouse popping up in several all-new youth activities later this year. The new programs help future female captains in the practice of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). STEM activities not only teach young female travelers the interesting, but challenging aspects of a voyage, but also essential skills for any maritime industry hopeful. With a slew of hands-on activities offered aboard all Disney ships, located at the Oceaneer Lab, girls can have fun while learning and walk away from the family vacation with more than memories — and you can revel in the fact the kids actually learned something over summer break. 

While on Land

Captain Minnie Mouse isn’t just sequestered to her work on the ship, she also visits children at some of Disney Cruise Line’s ports of call. Captain Minnie will meet interested children at local communities and teach them all about her positivity, can-do qualities and the value in believing in yourself. A real-life female Disney Cruise Line officer will join Minnie on her land trek and share personal experiences and fun stories with children on land, as well as at sea. 

Show Me the Money!

One incentive that sets this program apart and makes the industry seem much more accessible as a career path, Disney Cruise Line will sponsor four scholarships this year at the LJM Maritime Academy in the Bahamas. The scholarships will go to female cadets specifically seeking a career as a shipboard leader or captain. Each scholarship, one for each vessel, will include tuition for a three-year program, which is two years at the academy and one year of service on an actual Disney ship.

Learn more here!