New Disney Cruise Ship

[KYCruiseCrazy]

http://www.cruiseships.fsnet.co.uk/Ships on Order.htm
this link will show the most up to date list of cruise ships on order. if and when DCL orders a new ship this is where it will show up at. so save it to your favorites

 

[2disneycruzrs]

I sailed recently and had a sales manager at my table. The understanding I received was the master plan is for 13 ships when it's all said and done.

Everyone is correct about the Euro issue. There is a $200 million difference between the budget and the rate of the Euro, and Disney is not going to build until it comes down. The third ship's designs are essentially finished. There are some differences but I believe overall, the ship is similar to what we know now. The main differences are the ship is 40 feet longer, narrower, and there's one more deck (and one just devoted to kids areas). The current ships are at the max standards for passing through the Panama Canal, so the new one is just a tad narrower to keep with this ability.

The likely scenario is that the Magic would be moved to the West Coast since she is a proven ship. The new ship would then either assume the current Magic or Wonder itinerary. No definites have been announced but it is believed that the West Coast swing would be announced in conjunction with celebration plans if possible. They also haven't decided where to base on the West Coast...whether San Diego or LA. They are exploring seasonal itineraries (i.e. Baja in winter, AK in summer).

The current future itinerary questions on the end-of-cruise survey asked your interest level in: California/Baja, Alaska, Bermuda, and Mexican Riviera. They had specific lengths, but I can't locate my notes regarding this right now.

Hope some of this helps.

 

[tstobb]

Originally posted by 2disneycruzrs
The main differences are the ship is 40 feet longer, narrower, and there's one more deck (and one just devoted to kids areas). The current ships are at the max standards for passing through the Panama Canal, so the new one is just a tad narrower to keep with this ability.

Actually, they can't go longer (well, 1 foot) and still be "panamax" - 965 feet is the length limit and the 2 current ships are 964 feet long.

 

[trishy]

Beachball,

Us west coasters keep updated by using MiceAge. There have been many "sightings" of Matt visiting different port locations which has been fueling the rumor-mill BIG TIME out here. Interesting stuff. Check there in addition to the Cruise site above.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by 2disneycruzrs
Everyone is correct about the Euro issue.

Yep. It seems to come down to a continuing unwillingness to make the large capital investment for one or two new ships. Disney didn't make the investment back when the exchange rate was more favorable. The current Dollar-to-Euro exchange rate makes the cost even higher. Yet, other cruise lines are ordering new ships from European shipyards.

Originally posted by 2disneycruzrs
The likely scenario is that the Magic would be moved to the West Coast since she is a proven ship. The new ship would then either assume the current Magic or Wonder itinerary. No definites have been announced but it is believed that the West Coast swing would be announced in conjunction with celebration plans if possible. They also haven't decided where to base on the West Coast...whether San Diego or LA. They are exploring seasonal itineraries (i.e. Baja in winter, AK in summer).

There was an interesting thread back in May of this year, "Why won't Disney build another cruise ship?," in which there was discussion about whether or not the current DCL ships would ever be used for Alaska. MarkRG wrote that he heard at a Captain's Roundtable on the Magic, "Neither the Magic or Wonder are under consideration of a West Coast reposition for one plain fact, neither ship is capable of operating in cold weather properly."

I questioned the line that, "neither ship is capable." After all, other cruise lines operate Alaska cruises with ships that have similar configurations to the Magic and Wonder. And summer in Alaska really isn't "cold weather."

But MarkRG really did raise a valid issue. DCL may not want to operate Alaska cruises with a ship that is clearly less suitable for Alaska than the best competing ships, such as RCCL's Radiance of the Seas. The Radiance of Seas has a retractable glass dome over the pool; there is extensive use of glass in public areas so that passengers can enjoy the dramatic views. The Radiance-class ships were designed this way; the current DCL ships were not.

I still think that Alaska cruises on the Magic or Wonder are a possibility. But I also believe that MarkRG accurately reported what he heard at the Captain's Roundtable. If the decision-makers at DCL agree with the command crew of the Magic, then the only way we'll see DCL Alaska cruises would be with a new ship that was designed with Alaska in mind.

 

[saturday97]

I'm still holding out for the Magic to reposition to Europe-- that was my dream cruise!

 

[ivanova]

well supposedly hubby found a website that showed the Magical Crusice Company Ltd currently with a ship being built somewhere in Italy ... I'll have to see if he can find it again ... as for when they'd announce, if it is related to DL's 50th celebration, the announcement about the upcoming celebration is tentatively set for Feb 2004 so if they are going to announce one of the ships moving in 2005 to the west coast as part of the celebration, it should be public in Feb 2004 (although a couple of DL managers seem to believe it's gonna happen).

 

[Ellay]

Please don't be greedy with your ships, spread the magic - I think we should have two Disney cruise ships in Europe - one to do the western end of the Mediterranean, including the Canaries, Madeira and Casablanca, and one to do eastern Europe - Greece and its islands, Alexandria, etc. - history buff's dream come true. Then, of course, there's always the Baltic - maybe we should have three?

 

[polkadotladybug]

Well - for what it's worth - when I mentioned to an online friend that I was going on another Disney Cruise - she mentioned that they could actually see them working on another Disney Ship in their port (her hubby is military so I guess they are near the ports) - she lives in Portsmouth, Virginia. THis was in the past week or two that she mentioned that to me.

 

[KevinC]

When we took our second cruise on the Magic,12-01, at the Captains party, my brother in law asked about additional ships. Short verson was that they would like a ship to link up to each of the parks..ie Paris & cruise the Med. I believe that's why the Magic was scheduled to cruise the Med but was cancelled. Disneyland the Mexican coast...etc.
I would think it probably is in the works.

 

[christinou]

Paris, is quite far away from the med, it really would not be feasible tp do both......

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Well - for what it's worth - when I mentioned to an online friend that I was going on another Disney Cruise - she mentioned that they could actually see them working on another Disney Ship in their port (her hubby is military so I guess they are near the ports) - she lives in Portsmouth, Virginia. THis was in the past week or two that she mentioned that to me.

Carol,

Sounds like your friend saw the Disney Magic in Dry-Dock in Newport News, VA ship yards back in September (Portsmouth, Newport News, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, they are all in the same general area).

 

[WIcruizer]

First, I don't think two new ships is much of a rumor. It's just a matter of WHEN they will be built, not "if." And the master plan for 10-13 ships (I can't believe a cruise line would ever have 13 ships due to superstition.) is just that...a master plan. Do you realize how many theme parks were once in the master plan???

But what if DCL did have 10 ships?? Some of us have focused on locale, but to me theming is more important. DCL could really cater to families with real young children, and have an even bigger children's area and pool, etc. with menus, activities, excursions designed for families with young children. They could have a ship that is more friendly to teens to and pre-teens....A ship for empty-nesters....A ship with more of a "party" atmosphere with a casino.

Think about it...each ship would have a unique theme and EVERYTHING about the ship would revolve around that. Ports, menus, excursions, activities, layout, shows...you could go on and on if you let your mind wander.

 

[WebmasterPenny]

Originally posted by christinou
Paris, is quite far away from the med, it really would not be feasible tp do both......

Actually, it would only be about 36 hours to sail to the south of Spain (and the entrance to the Med, though there is nothing to stop them stopping at Portugal en-route) so no different to any other 'Day at Sea' scenario. Where it could dock in the region though is something else - don't know if there is somewhere suitable or not.

 

[tailfethrs]

OK not saying where I've heard it, but yes there is a 3rd ship (Discovery), and it should be done very soon. Most likely working the West Coast for at least part of the year.

 

[ThreeCircles]

A quick check at the U.S. Trademark & Patent Office web site doesn't show "Discovery" registered by Disney in relation to the Disney Cruise Line or any other branch of the company.

Both "Magic" and "Wonder" were filed in March of 1996, two years before the ships sailed.

I would think that if a ship were near completion Disney would already have the name trademarked for protection.

(Of course, I suppose they could be filing under a subsidiary name or such.)

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by tailfethrs
OK not saying where I've heard it, but yes there is a 3rd ship (Discovery), and it should be done very soon. Most likely working the West Coast for at least part of the year.

Are you saying they're building the ship in secret?

There are only a half dozen or so shipyards that build giant cruise ships. It would be very difficult to build a Panamax sized ship without anyone noticing, and without any word of it leaking to the international business press.

A cruise line can do their planning and negotiations in secret. And there can even be a short lag between the contract signing and the public announcement. But after that, it's a not a secret.

On top of everything else, U.S. corporations have legal obligations to disclose such major capital expenditures to shareholders and to the government.

 

[WIcruizer]

Very well said by the last two posters. This thread is an absolute text book study on how rumors become "fact." Everyone is an expert, knows somebody who knows something, has "inside" information, etc.

I'm sure everyone is excited, and new ship(s) will be coming at some point. But PLEASE, whether it's this topic or others be sure to differentiate between opinion and facts. Most people don't see these forums every day, and it's not fair to them when you pass off rumors as facts.

 

[tailfethrs]

Sorry I think i just opened my BIG mouth and spoke when I shouldn't have. Trying to remove foot from mouth while watching Stitch.

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

Originally posted by tailfethrs
Sorry I think i just opened my BIG mouth and spoke when I shouldn't have. Trying to remove foot from mouth while watching Stitch.

Does this mean that you completely made this up, or is there really a phantom shipyard somewhere that is building this ship, and you shouldn't have said anything.....?

Horace H. pretty much summed up what I wanted to say. To go a bit further, if the ship "should be done very soon," then it would have already been through sea trials. So, assuming that the ship was built without the industry knowing about it, they would have had to do sea trials somewhere. Someone was likely to have noticed an 80,000 ton ship coming or going.