Emma Willis reveals why she and Matt Willis went on a Disney cruise around the Caribbean – and left the children at home

As a child, if your parents said to you, “We’re going on a Disney cruise,” you would probably assume that you were going.

So it’s no wonder that Emma and Matt Willis” Disney-committed ‘children, Isabelle, 15, ACE, 12 and eight-year-old Trixie, were’ so crazy ‘when this happened to them in March, only for them to discover that it was a trip for adults alone and they stayed with Nanny and Grandpa instead.

“They were certainly not happy with it, especially when we told them it was around the Caribbean,” says Emma, ​​49, in an exclusive interview with MailOnline. “They were from:” How can you go without us? ‘

“It was just that Matt and I had never been to a cruise before – and had been talking about it for a while – and we were offered it during the term, so we couldn’t get the children out of school.”

The TV presenter continues: ‘I love nothing more than my children who are with me when the school holidays come – I am not one of these parents who cannot wait until they go back, I want them to be away for longer, and if I leave, I usually want them with me.

“But I think it is really important that you remember where your family started, and that was two of you, so we always try to remember that and do things only we two of us to recent, so it was really nice when that was offered.”

In the beginning, Emma admits that she and Matt were skeptical about starting the new ship of Disney Cruise Line, the Disney fantasia, without the children – who were once only in Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando with the children in tow rope.

She says: “We would never go to the Disney parks without them, so we were a bit like:” Is it strange because it is being cared for for children? “

‘But then, when we arrived there, it looks really like when you go to the parks.

‘There are many adults who have just grown up with Disney and still like it and don’t feel that they should be there with children to justify why they are there.

Emma was also surprised by how much was offered for adults on the Disney fantasy, from which they could fully benefit, because ‘there was no busy what the children wanted to do’ during their break.

She says: ‘They have a designated, only adult section, with a really great, fine, Italian restaurant and various bars, as well as quiz evenings that were really fun.

‘There is also a cinema and two theaters, where they set up musicals. We watched Frozen at Frozen, which was brilliant.

“There is also a spa that was really fantastic!”

But although Emma and Matt enjoyed all the facilities on board for adults, they also embraced their inner children.

“You can’t help it because it’s Pure Disney,” she says. ‘From the moment you walk on the ship, they announce your name on a whole tunnel of people, and it is somewhat embarrassing, but you have to embrace it completely and go with the magic and pleasure.

‘The characters are everywhere – while the ship draws to this amazing private island, you will suddenly see Donald through the other side of the boat duck.

‘There are mickey waffles on the buffet every morning, and when you go to the coffee shop, the coffee art is always a different Disney character.

‘Then above, on the upper deck where the swimming pool is, they have a waterdia and a huge plasma screen at the end of the shit that always plays a film.

“So even if you are on a lounger, you look at Moana or something!”

One of Emma’s favorite moments of their vacation was Pirate Night, where guests are accompanied by Captain Hook and Smee by Peter Pan.

She says: ‘If I don’t have the children with me, it’s like Matt goes into that role, and he gets really naughty, which was usually really fun, and Pirate Night was brilliant.

“Matt was completely in the spirit and did a full pirate costume.

“He looked better than Captain Hook, and seeing him having fun, always makes me pleasure, and it was great for us to be able to do that in that area and not having an evening clock because of the children.”

Although they really enjoy their time without the children, Emma and Matt are planning to go on their next Disney cruise as a family.

“I have no choice because they are so angry!” She laughs.

And they don’t have to travel too far when they go this summer, while the Disney Cruise sails from Southampton, in Europe from August.

For more information about 2025 and 2026, visit Summer Routes www.disneycruise.com.