As someone whose childhood did not involve a lot of Disney, those Mickey ears are a constant source of amazement.

It starts on the coach ride to the port of Barcelona, when a collective shriek goes up as soon as they appear in sight.

Disney certainly knows a thing or two about what children like, and the big black ears take pride of place on the top deck of the revamped Disney Magic, the elegant ship on which we are to spend a week cruising the Mediterranean.

I admit to a little trepidation, travelling on my own with two youngsters, but "the magic" of the experience, and consideration for the logistics of cruising as a family are plain from the moment we step aboard.

There are staff everywhere, intent on engaging with the children, but my youngsters are keen on some lunch before a deck party to celebrate our departure from dock - an energetic affair complete with Mickey and his mates and lots of enthusiastic dancing and singing. Even the confetti that rains down is in the shape of the, by now ubiquitous, ears.

Back in the day, I stayed in some nice hotels and I can reliably report that the cabins are lovely. Designed specifically for families, they are spacious and well-appointed.

But the real excitement is up by the pools, where the deck's been ripped up and replaced with new water play areas and the AquaDunk, a three-storey slide with a near vertical launch through a translucent tube that extends 20ft over the side of the ship.

Most of the restaurants have had a makeover, and it is the ship's food that is the real revelation. While Disney may not have always made this a priority at their parks, dining on board is a real pleasure.

The kids' clubs, grouped into age groups with staff on hand to facilitate activities, are a focus of the refurbishment, with Marvel's Avengers Academy providing an area where children can "unleash their inner superheroes".

Adjacent to Marvel's is Andy's Room, where stars of the Disney-Pixar Toy Story trilogy include a larger-than-life Mr Potato Head, a giant version of the piggy bank Hamm and a Slinky Dog slide.

Next door is Pixie Hollow, home to Tinker Bell and her friends, where younger kids can immerse themselves in art and craft activities.

While the children are honing their new talents, a refurbished spa offers adults the chance to relaxe, while the new Chill Spa provides treatments for teens.

Despite the full days followed by dinner, and on one occasion a spot of rock'n'roll dancing with 50 or so other toddlers, the absolute highlight for my children was the evening show.

The performance on the final night, the West End-standard Disney Dreams about a young girl desperate not to lose her imagination, featured Tinker Bell lighting up the theatre with fireworks and some cracking song and dance routines.

As my daughter breathlessly said on her return home: "Tinker Bell was there and she lit up the whole ship. She magicked the whole ship."