Disney Cruise Line Announces Delay of Disney Wish Debut Sailing

Late yesterday, Disney Cruise Line announced it had made the decision to push the 2022 debut of its new ship, Disney Wish, to later this summer.

It was scheduled to make its first sailing on June 9, but that date has been pushed back to July 14, 2022.

Disney Cruise Line says the date move is due to delays at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenberg, Germany, where the ship has been under construction since 2020.

This isn’t the first date push for the ship, which was originally supposed to debut last month. It was first scheduled to sail last month, but that was postponed to this summer due to the pandemic.

The Disney Wish was first announced at the 2019 D23 Expo. It’s keel laying ceremony was held in April 2021.

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The six-week push means the first 12 sailings planned have been canceled. DCL is working with guests to rebook for other dates or offer refunds, and is offering impacted cruisers a 50% discount on a future cruise departing by December 31, 2023.

“We know how much our guests are looking forward to sailing on the Disney Wish, and we understand the disappointment and inconvenience this will cause,” said cruise line President Thomas Mazloum in a press release. “We treasure the relationship we have with those who sail and make memories with us, and we will work closely with those affected to welcome them aboard in the future.”

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The inaugural season of the Disney Wish will consist of three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas including stops at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. This route was formerly handled by the Disney Dream, which will now sail out of Miami.

Among its offerings will be the AquaMouse water attraction, “Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure” dinner show, entertainment such as the Broadway-style, “Disney The Little Mermaid,” new clubs for kids and teens, the Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge, and the the Worlds of Marvel restaurant with interactive show “Avengers: Quantum Encounter.”

The Disney Wish is the first of three new ships for the line with its yet-to-be-named sister vessels due in 2024 and 2025, as of now. The ships will run on liquefied natural gas, which is a cleaner burning fuel than the diesel most ships use now.

Were you on a sailing impacted by the new date push? Let us know in the comments.