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Disney has unveiled plans to add four new ships to their cruise lines, almost trebling its fleet by 2031.
The announcement was made at D23, the Disney annual convention event in Anaheim, California, by Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences. At the event it was also revealed that six new themed lands and areas dedicated to some of the company’s most-loved characters will be developed in Disney parks across the world.
The fleet will be expanded between 2027 and 2031, and once these vessels are built, Disney fans will be able to choose from 13 different experiences, all delivering entertainment, dining and guest services in even more areas of the globe.
The Walt Disney Company already has five ships in its fleet, and four more were already in development before the announcement.
“Disney Cruise Line is consistently the top-rated cruise line for families because it offers something for everyone. Expanding our fleet gives more people, in more parts of the world, the opportunity to experience a vacation at sea like only Disney can provide,” D’Amaro said at D23.
The Disney Cruise Line is regarded by the company as one of their strongest growing businesses, having produced strong returns on capital investment, having a high level of guest satisfaction ratings and also being subject to constant demand, the Walt Disney Company said.
Thomas Mazloum, president of the New Experiences Portfolio and Disney Signature Experiences, said: “Our growing fleet will further strengthen Disney Cruise Line’s position as a leader in family cruising.”
The news of expansion comes only weeks after other major Disney Cruise news was announced, including Disney and Oriental Land Co., Ltd entering an agreement in July to deliver a year-round Disney cruise to Japan expected to start in 2029.
Disney also announced some of their ships will make their maiden voyages in 2025, such as the Disney Adventure ship and Disney Destiny, which will feature the all-new Broadway-style stage show, ‘Disney Hercules’ which will debut onboard the Destiny.
At D23, fans also got a glimpse of a new rendering of ‘Disney The Tale of Moana,’ a new stage show which will premiere on the Disney Treasure later this year.
The show will include a fifteen-foot-tall puppet of Te Kā, Moana’s lava-wielding foe, the largest ever produced for a Disney Cruise Line show.
Disney Adventure will be the seventh launch by Disney Cruises, after Disney Treasure later this year, and the largest by far, with space for 6,700 guests and 2,500 crew.
With a gross tonnage of 208,000, Disney Adventure will be about 44 per cent larger than the line’s current biggest cruise ship, Disney Wish.
Setting sail from Singapore in 2025, the new super liner marks Disney Cruise’s first foray into Asia, calling Singapore’s Marina Bay Cruise Centre its home port.
While Dinsey aficionados wait to hear what the ship names, designs, and itineraries will be for the four newly announced ships, they can also look forward to the major extensions to the Disney parks, with areas and attractions dedicated to The Avengers, The Lion King and Frozen to name a few.
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