Disney Cruise Line Announces Plans to Build Two New Ships

[maria-fan-22]

Found this press release through a friend of mine who works at ABC news. She said that the news sources are not posting it until tomorrow so that it is more credible. I can't wait!

Disney Cruise Line Announces Plans to Build Two New Ships

CELEBRATION, Florida (April 2, 2013) - With the major success of the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, Disney Cruise Line President, Karl Holz, announced today that two new ships are in the works and that talks with possible ship yards have begun. The two currently unnamed ships are expected to be approximately 110,000 GRT a piece, slightly smaller than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy at 124,000 GRT a piece.

"The final designs are still unknown and will only be finalized once a shipyard is chosen," said Holz. Holz also alluded to the popularity of the Aquaduck and stated that a smaller version of the popular water coaster will most likely be part of the design. Other popular items mentioned were the Virtual Portholes and Enchanted Art.

The new ships are expected to have a maximum capacity of about 3,000 passengers with about 1,200 Crew Members each. "Though we have a design in mind, we are still changing it so we can build a ship full of imagination, one our guests will truly love, " said Holz, "Ideas keep coming to the table, and we keep thinking about new concepts in technology and design that will dazzle future cruisers.

Disney Cruise Line does not plan on releasing any specific design details until a shipyard has been chosen. Fincantieri Shipyards, the builders of the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, and Meyer Werft, the builders of the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, are just two of the shipyards in discussions with Disney Cruise Line regarding the new ships. Bernard Meyer had this to say, "Though no plans have been finalized with Disney Cruise Line, we welcome any opportunity to work with such a wonderful company again."

The Senior Vice President of Operations, Tom Wolber, said that he believes this expansion of the fleet is a strong move for the company and the approval from The Walt Disney Company, Disney Cruise Line's parent company, is a strong indication of their trust in our product and our continued success. "With these ships we hope to expand our market beyond North America and Europe," he said, "New itineraries are on our horizon and we believe our guests will be pleased."

The ships are expected to be delivered in 2018 and 2019. There are no current plans for the home port of these vessels. Port Canaveral is home to the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy which sail 3,4,5-night Bahamian cruises and 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises respectively. The Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, currently home-ported in Galveston, Texas and Miami, Florida respectively, are ambassador ships that travel all over the world to locations in Canada, Alaska, Mexico, and Europe.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a Disney Cruise Line vacation, guests can contact their travel agent, visit disneycruise.com or call Disney Cruise Line at (888) DCL-2500. Travel agents can call Disney Cruise Line at (888) 325-2500 or visit disneytravelagents.com.

 

[caribbeandreaming]

I hope this isn't an April Fools joke!

ETA: If not, then I'm super excited!! I would love to see some newer ships smaller than the Dream class. I wonder if these are planned to replace the Magic and Wonder, or if they will have 6 ships in service?

 

[DillWaters]

If true, they are smart to wait until tomorrow to post it. Nobody would believe any press release coming out today.

 

[OrcaPotter]

I don't believe any announcements made on April Fools.

 

[Tiger926]

My first thought was that this is a joke as well.

Took forever to build Dream and Fantasy, so why would they rush into it now? Just finished the Fantasyland expansion, Avatarland @ AK is supposedly underway, new DVC @ Grand Floridian and new Downtown Disney coming. That is a lot of Disney activity, so not sure about this one either?

Will be interesting to see if it's actually true, Tiger

 

[Susiesark]

Why are they building more when they can't fill the current ships? If it is true, I hope they will keep a ship on the west coast.

 

[Silverfox97]

With it being April Fools day, I am skeptical. However, someone brought up filling the ships. I doubt every cruise line fills all their ships at every given sailing. I would imagine there is a certain capacity they have to maintain to break even and then a threshold that puts them into the profit column. I think they could easily build 2 more ships and station them in other regions like other cruise lines do - ex West coast, or NY in the summer and San Juan in the winter; places like that. They may need to adjust their price point at some point also.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[owensjro]

Why are they building more when they can't fill the current ships? If it is true, I hope they will keep a ship on the west coast.

New markets I imagine.

Perhaps something like this...
Asia - Wonder
West Coast - New ship
PC - Fantasy and Dream
Europe - Magic
Galveston/NY - New ship

They've tried enough itineraries now to be able to run more ships and as someone else pointed out filling the ships is not necessary to turn a profit (well, it shouldn't be...if it is they are doing it wrong!).

Jim

 

[mmouse37]

While I would love to believe it I am skeptical until I read an official press release and since it is April Fools Day I am not believing it....yet.

I did find this thread from the rumors boards from 2011.....

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2765605

MJ

 

[bitlerzx4]

if its true ... then its awesome news.

 

[pls3399]

This is not true my aunt in marine and technical operations laughed when I showed her this

 

[texasgirl73]

Last year the April Fools thread was about a Disney Amusement Park Ship. Got the same reaction. I'm betting next year on April 1st, there will be news about new ships as well.....and so on, and so on......

 

[tictoc]

I do not know if this is true or not, but I do know they are having far fewer challenges filling ships. Ships will never be full off season, and discounts will always be offered. The parks face the same thing and they offer free dining and other deals as well. It is not surprising that the ships have to offer discounts. however, you never see the 'last minute deals' for 200.00 on DCL that you see on other lines. I have a friend that cruise 4-5 times a year on last minute deals and pays under $1000.00 per person for all five combined!

It is the same in all businesses. For example, retail stores make much more money in December than they do in February.

There was a real article in recent news that Disney made marked improvement in the parks bottom line profits due to the two new ships. Considering the length of time it will take to build the ships combined with the interest in additioanl ports, I do not think it is too far fetched that there will be some new ship building going on soon...

 

[mca]

If true

Has anyone noticed their launch date of 2018 and 2019 mark the 20th anniversary of the Magic and Wonder. Those ships will be getting tired at that point and replacements would make sense.

The older ships would serve smaller markets like Asia, Alaska and maybe a Hawaii based cruise under a US flag.

 

[Beermam42]

What planet are you on. April Fools.

 

[jdb in AZ]

If true

Has anyone noticed their launch date of 2018 and 2019 mark the 20th anniversary of the Magic and Wonder. Those ships will be getting tired at that point and replacements would make sense.

The older ships would serve smaller markets like Asia, Alaska and maybe a Hawaii based cruise under a US flag.

For a ship to be under a U.S. flag, it has to have been built state-side. None of the DCL ships would qualify.

 

[maria-fan-22]

Alright, so this WAS in fact an april fools day joke.

However! Lets make this fun an discuss the things we would like to see in a newbuild...

 

[TXDCLfan]

Alright, so this WAS in fact an april fools day joke.

However! Lets make this fun an discuss the things we would like to see in a newbuild...

Nice job

 

[cwdefouw]

That they will build additional ships is not so far-fetched. With the high occupancy levels they are currently seeing and the continually rising prices semingly having no effect on occupancy. I can pretty positively say that they have to be considering more ships, that would only make good business sense. They were very happy with Meyer Werft, so I would expect them to go back to them for more new builds if possible, however MW's build books are full for at least the next three years building Norwegian and Royal Caribbean ships. So even if Disney gets in line now, the earliest they could take delivery of a new ship would be about 2016-2018. They may not announce anything for a while yet, but I would bet a pretty good sum of Disney Dollars, that we will see a legitimate announcement like this within the next year or two.

 

[Rogillio]

Why are they building more when they can't fill the current ships? If it is true, I hope they will keep a ship on the west coast.

Where does the notion come from that they 'can't fill the current ships'? Try sailing during the peak (non-school days) and see how full the ships are. DCL's primary market is "families with school-age kids" and that means spring break, summer and holidays the ships are full.

My guess is one or more of the ships will stay in the Far East. There is a tremendous market there for "The Mouse" and lots of money too. I just spent a month in Singapore and the money there is amazing. Singapore has the highest per capita income of any country in the world.