The Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany built the two most recent ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy. Disney plans to keep those workers busy through at least 2023 with orders for not two new ships, as was announced in March of 2016, but three. Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, announced plans at the D23 Expo to add a seventh ship to Disney Cruise Line’s award-winning fleet. One more ship means Disney will be able to bring more guests to more magical destinations.
“We decided two ships wouldn’t be enough to hold all of the exciting new experiences we have been dreaming up to take family cruise vacations to a whole new level with immersive Disney storytelling, world-class family entertainment, and imaginative innovations that are fantastically fun and uniquely Disney,” Chapek said. “By the time all three new ships are sailing, we’ll have nearly doubled the size of our existing fleet.”
The first two new ships will keep their scheduled completion dates of 2021 and 2023. The seventh ship will be built at the same shipyard and is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
All ship names, design plans and itineraries are still in development, with each of the ships expected to have their own unique experiences. The three new ships will be powered by clean-burning liquefied natural gas and be the same size – approximately 135,000 gross tons with about 1,250 guest staterooms planned – which is slightly larger than the Disney Dream class of ships.
Since first setting sail in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has provided a quintessential family cruise vacation experience that combines the magic of Disney with the wonder of exploring different parts of the world. Guests step aboard majestic and beautiful ocean liners to enjoy legendary Disney entertainment, exquisite dining, spacious and well-appointed staterooms and magnificent public spaces.
With the launch of the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy in 2011 and 2012, the company introduced several firsts for the industry, including a water coaster at sea (AquaDuck) and virtual portholes in interior staterooms (Magical Portholes) that provide real-time views of the sea as well as sightings of animated Disney characters. With a legacy of revolutionary design, Disney Cruise Line’s new ships will usher in the next generation of innovative cruise experiences designed especially for families that will transform the art-of-cruising and take guests on adventures in a way never dreamed of before.
If you would like more information on booking at cruise aboard any Disney Cruise Line ship, please send an email to Pixie Vacations authorized Disney travel agent Stacey Frost ([email protected]), call (407) 454-1477 or fill out this form for complimentary travel planning. Your use of this free service to book your travel will help support The Disney Blog. Thank you.
My one problem with the Disney ships is that with one rare one-time thing, none of them leave from Bayonne, NJ or even the ports in NYC. Which means if you want to sail on Disney and don’t live in Florida (we don’t) you have to not only pay for airline tickets for the family…but the hassles of going through airports…twice.
Are you listening Disney????? There are huge numbers of people who sail on Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, etc. out of the ports here in the east…NJ and NYC…..but adding the cost of air fare means not going as often …so we choose the other cruise lines. We once went on a Disney ship and loved it but the other ships have nice amenities, too…and are just a car ride away from home. Hope Disney will wake up and plan their ships leaving at a local place for the many families here…who would use them!~
They do have sailings out of NYC. The problem is, they are in the fall when kids are in school.
I am hoping a ship will get a home port of NYC once the new ones are built (even if one of the older ones relocates up here)
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