In this installment of The Vault, we are sailing back to the early days of Disney Cruise Line with a look at a spiral bound travel log which is part informational, part journal, part scrapbook. A while back, Instagram user, dcl1998openingcrew posted a few images of his copy back in May. Randomly, we spotted one for bid on eBay and to my surprise, I was the only bidder!
The travel log begins with a magical introduction and table of contents.
The table of contents does not reference page numbers, but the travel log is broken down into various sections with tabbed dividers which are referenced by name on this page.
Maps
The maps section of the Disney Cruise Line Travel Log includes route map.
Remember, this was 1998, the Magic was only sailing from Port Canaveral to Nassau and Castaway Cay generalized maps of Nassau, and Castaway Cay.
Additionally, there is a check list page for suggestions on items to take ashore. Oh how times have changed.
Ship Info
The ship info section of the Disney Cruise Line Travel Log offers ship facts, ship information, fun facts, ship highlights, and a ship directory.
Children
The children section of the Disney Cruise Line Travel Log offers a travel log of sorts in the form of a fill-in record or prompts for the start of your journal to help remember key points of the cruise. The sections is rounded out with a nautical glossy, nautical knots, some games and a further reading list of books to look for once back on dry land.
Reading List
Ok, I am breaking out the last page of the previous section so I can add in some Amazon affiliate links to the books referenced.
Your sea adventures doesn’t have to end once you’ve reached the shore. Pick up one of the books listed below.
For Young Readers
- The Little Mermaid – Hans Christian Andersen
- Look Inside the Ocean: A Poke & Look Learning Book – Laura Cream and Patrizia Malfatti
- A Pirate’s Life For Me! A Day Aboard a Pirate Ship – Julie Thompson and Brownie MacIntosh (with Audio CD)
- The Rainbow Fish – Marcus Pfister
- Ship of Dream – Dean Morrissey
- The Sign of a the Sea Horse – Graeme Base
- The Ultimate Ocean Book: A Unique Introduction to the World Under Water in Fabulous, Full- Color Pop-Ups – Maria Mudd-Ruth, Virge Kask, and Beverly E Benner
- The Water Babies – Charles Kingsley
For Young Adults
- Captains Courageous – Rudyard Kipling
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – Jules Verne
- Moby Dick – Herman Melville
- The Ocean World – Jacques Yves Cousteau
- Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson
- Under the Sea – The Nature Company Discoveries Library
Journal
The next section of the travel log contains journal pages with a page that repeats every 3 pages offering a line to fill in the date and weather.
Photographs
The photographs section of the Disney Cruise Line Travel Log offers a number of pages to paste photos of various areas and activities you may encounter during the cruise. Each page is different with a new photo prompt.
Special
The final section of the Disney Cruise Line Travel Log is labeled special. Why special, because it sounds so much better than miscellaneous. In these final pages, you will find seasonal star charts, 16 blank note taking pages, and 5 address pages with lines for name, address, phone, and email address. Join me in raising your hand if you too had an email address in 1998!
The final page includes the solution to the Rebus found in the kids section along with a pocket on the back cover to store some additional papers or postcards. There is also an elastic band to help keep the the travel journal closed.
I am continually on the look out for fun and unique items like this share in future installments of The Vault, if you have anything unique to share drop me an email.
If they only had this now, These are wonderful souvenirs or remembrances of your cruises! I guess it would cost too much to print them now but we would buy one. No doubt due to all the itineries they have now it would not be profitable or so is my guess.
This is super cool, and seeing this is like opening a vault from the past!