The happiest cruise on Earth? A Disney adventure with kids on the high seas

Last week, I decided it was time to grow up and experience my first-ever cruise with kids. Of course, I have seen offspring on ships before, but they were never my problem.

So, when I received an invitation from Disney Cruise Line, I asked if I could borrow my niece and nephew, aka the niblings, aged 15 and 12 respectively. My brother and his wife needed no convincing.

The legal step in "cruise-napping" someone else's children is to fill in an official form: Authorisation for Minor to Travel Without a Parent or Legal Guardian. Presented at check-in, it designated me to have "custody and control" of Tara and Finn, "to have access to all information and make all decisions". I felt like a Disney villain.

Everything went smoothly until we entered our cabin and hit the first hitch. Unlike other ships, Disney Wonder's queen beds cannot be separated into two twins. If I wanted my own bed, it would be the fold-out sofa. No Disney princess treatment for me.

The only parental advice I was given was the kids are "food motivated", so the next stop was the self-serve Eye Scream station. We were motivated at least five times a day.

As this was their first cruise, I led the kids to the top deck to witness sailing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge - a tight squeeze for one of the tallest vessels to dock at White Bay - and take selfies as we passed the Opera House.

Bluey and Bingo were also onboard for the first time, before the Sail-A-Wave party introduced Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald and Daisy to the stage.

The best shows were held past my bedtime, at 10.15pm. These outdoor productions were sensational, especially Marvel Heroes Unite, where Spider-Man ziplined across the deck and Loki appeared in the crowd. Compared to the movies, Finn declared this live entertainment "better than CGI".

Disney is the only cruise line allowed to shoot fireworks off the side of the ship, which added another level of excitement on two nights at sea.

But it was the simple things that thrilled most people. More adults than children were wearing mouse ears, and grandparents seemed the most nostalgic. As the cruise director, Jimmy, said: "There's a magic to Disney, like when Minnie interacts with a shy child and they suddenly light up, or you see Goofy coming down the corridor."

The only downside was a moment of seasickness after I foolishly stopped dishing out Travacalm. Or we could blame the buffet breakfast, two lunches and unlimited soft drinks and ice-creams.

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The first dog-friendly cruise is set to sail in November, carrying up to 250 pets and 2000 human passengers. The Tails of the Sea Cruise from Florida to Mexico offers activities such as dog shows and puppy massages. Cabin balconies will have "relief areas", maintained by pet butlers.

Previously, only Cunard's Queen Mary 2 welcomed pets; it allows a few dogs (and cats) to be housed on a separate deck with kennels on its Transatlantic crossings.

Royal Caribbean also has a Chief Dog Officer, a golden retriever called Rover, who participates in meet-and-greets with passengers on Icon of the Seas. His new colleague, Sailor, will join Star of the Seas in August.