Captain Minnie Mouse Hops on Disney Cruise Lines With a New Look
The Disney brand can play a big part in inspiring children when it comes to their future. Now, classic Disney icon Minnie Mouse will be taking on a new role to encourage girls and young women to pursue careers in the cruise industry — and, for the first time ever, it involves a pair of pants.
Minnie Mouse will be serving as Captain Minnie Mouse both on and off Disney Cruise Lines. Besides sporting her new dress-free red and white uniform (she does retain a skirt option), Minnie will be making appearances on each Disney ship to teach girls and young women about careers in the maritime industry, beginning this month.
According to the World Economic Forum, just 2% of seafarers and only about one third of shore-based maritime positions are held by women, making it incredibly important for girls to see themselves in positions that they're fully capable of landing.
But Minnie Mouse isn't just creating awareness for these positions. Disney is also offering four scholarships to the LJM Maritime Academy in the Bahamas for girls and young women aspiring to be captains and shipboard leaders. The scholarships include two years of study at the academy and one year of service aboard a Disney ship.
Captain Minnie Mouse will lead a STEM-based (science, technology, engineering and math) maritime-themed activity for youth in Disney's Oceaneer Lab, where young people can put their skills to the test.
On the shore, Captain Minnie Mouse will make appearances at homeports and ports of call, where she'll be accompanied by a woman Disney Cruise Line officer or crew member to further the conversation about opportunities for women in the maritime industry.
Minnie's new look also comes with a brand new line of merchandise, whose tagline is "You Can Call Me Captain." The line includes inspiring messaging for girls and young women.
For more, read TPG Family Editor Summer Hull's review of the Disney Cruise Line's Dream ship.
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