For 24 years, Disney Cruise Line consisted of a fleet of only four ships. Remarkably, two of those debuted only 12 years ago. So, for nearly half its existence, Disney Cruise Line was primarily just two ships.
That’s what makes a series of recent announcements all the more stunning. During the D23 Expo, Disney Cruise Line revealed that it will add even more ships over the next seven years! Here’s what just happened.
Disney Cruise Line Started Slowly
Disney Cruise Line started as a follow-up to an existing idea. A cruise company licensed the Disney name brand and hosted sailings using beloved Disney characters. After a time, Disney executives recognized that they could do it better than a small cruise company.
So, Disney Cruise Line began in 1996, with the Disney Magic embarking on its maiden voyage in 1998. In 1999, the Disney Wonder became the second ship in the fledgling fleet, and it remained a set of two until 2011.
In that year, the Disney Dream set sail, followed 14 months later by the Disney Fantasy. From 2012 until June 2022, those were the only four Disney Cruise Line ships.
Fans passionately debated which was the best. However, management noted that DCL needed more inventory. The maximum occupancy of 13,400 across the fleet wasn’t enough to match the demand.
Disney commissioned three new ships, the so-called Triton class, to establish new standards at Disney. Before that happened, fate intervened when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred.
This global health crisis absolutely devastated the cruise industry, with many headlines wondering whether it’d ever recover. With the benefit of hindsight, those worries appear laughable. In fact, Disney gained from the temporary setback.
Disney Cruise Line Expanded Slowly
The first of those three Triton class ships, the Disney Wish, took much longer to construct than initially projected. Disney originally announced the project in 2016 and published plans in 2018.
DCl selected a German shipyard, Meyer Werft, to build the Wish. That decision provided an unexpected opportunity. DCL and Meyer Werft officials grew close during the pandemic, as they were in close communication at a time when most of the cruise industry had shut down.
When a different cruise company went bankrupt, Meyer Werft informed Disney that a luxury cruise ship was available at a discounted price. Disney purchased this vessel for $43 million. It had an estimated value of roughly $2 billion at the time. That’s like having a 98 percent discount coupon for a cruise ship.
In 2025, the Disney Adventure will set sail on its maiden voyage. With a home port in Singapore, one of the world’s richest countries, it will primarily target the Southern Asian cruise market.
In North America, the Disney Treasure will embark on its first cruise on December 21st, 2024. Over the next two years, DCL will add as many cruise ships as it had during the previous dozen years.
Then, in November 2025, the final of three announced Triton class ships, the Disney Destiny, will join the fleet. At that point, DCL will operate eight cruise ships, doubling the total from June 2022.
Disney Cruise Line Will Expand Quickly Now
You can already recognize how quickly DCL is expanding. Most cruise companies wouldn’t dare increase from four to eight ships in just three years. Disney is adopting this approach because it has identified the cruise industry as one of its best opportunities.
So has the Oriental Land Company (OLC). The company that owns and operates Tokyo Disneyland recently made a deal with Disney Cruise Line for a Japanese port. This Disney-branded cruise ship will set sail in 2029.
Remarkably, at D23, DCL just announced the commissioning of four more ships! DCL will add these new vessels to the fleet between 2027 and 2031. So, from now through the end of 2031, Disney Cruise Line will expand in size from its current five ships to 13. Here are the specifics:
- Disney Magic – 1998
- Disney Wonder – 1999
- Disney Dream – 2011
- Disney Fantasy – 2012
- Disney Wish – 2022
- Disney Treasure – December 2024
- Disney Destiny – November 2025
- Disney Adventure – TBA 2025
- Disney OLC Cruise Ship – TBA 2029
- Disney Cruise Ship 1 – TBA 2027-2031
- Disney Cruise Ship 2 – TBA 2027-2031
- Disney Cruise Ship 3 – TBA 2027-2031
- Disney Cruise Ship 4 – TBA 2027-2031
So, if you’re a DVC member who has never taken a Disney cruise, the odds are good that you’ll consider one later. Disney is going to spend the next seven years persuading you to try! We knew that Disney expansion was coming to all aspects of Disney Experiences, but I don’t think anybody expected DCL to expand this much this fast.
Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro explained the decision at D23. “The demand on our existing cruise fleet is very, very high. So, we know there’s a big opportunity here to invest aggressively in incremental cruise ships.”
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