Does Disney Cruise Line Have Plans to Purchase Abandoned Cruise Ship?

[happycamper47]

The only change they mention is a second, smoke-free casino. Disney's ship won't have casinos.

My point was it wasn't originally built to be used in the US the same as the ship DCL just bought. The article was attached to show the source for that information.

 

[jujubiee4]

Does anyone have any inkling what the itinerary may be? Will it strictly stay in Asia?

 

[tvguy]

The Wish passenger count is 4,000. 5,555 includes crew. Golden Dream will be 6,000 passengers, so 50% more than the Wish.

And that is a design change that Disney is making, because the Golden Dream was designed to carry 9,000 passengers. So Disney is reconfiguring it and reducing the design capacity by 3,000 passengers.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Does anyone have any inkling what the itinerary may be? Will it strictly stay in Asia?

I would love to see it in Asia (or India!) so we can take our kids on more exotic Disney cruises, but the fact that they are spending a billion to redesign it suggests (to me) that they plan to focus on the US market (or at least passengers who already have a strong sense of Disney).

It’s a lot of berths to fill, even at reduced capacity, and I suspect they did not think they could keep it full sailing out of a homeport outside North America. But as I understand it, the Triton class ships all have to stay in the Florida area for now because is their unique fuel needs. I’m wondering if it will be geared toward the west coast, maybe as a Disneyland trip add on?

 

[Scalemaster34]

I would love to see it in Asia (or India!) so we can take our kids on more exotic Disney cruises, but the fact that they are spending a billion to redesign it suggests (to me) that they plan to focus on the US market (or at least passengers who already have a strong sense of Disney).

It’s a lot of berths to fill, even at reduced capacity, and I suspect they did not think they could keep it full sailing out of a homeport outside North America. But as I understand it, the Triton class ships all have to stay in the Florida area for now because is their unique fuel needs. I’m wondering if it will be geared toward the west coast, maybe as a Disneyland trip add on?

How many ports offer Green Methanol?

I don't know how port operators figure out what "new" fuel they should invest in LNG, forms of Methanol, Hydrogen, or renewable Diesel...?

 

[Kwami]

How many ports offer Green Methanol?

Green methanol is just methanol. It's "green" because of how it's produced.

(And it's not very green.)

 

[Flossbolna]

It’s a lot of berths to fill, even at reduced capacity, and I suspect they did not think they could keep it full sailing out of a homeport outside North America.

Loads of cruise ships have a 6000 passenger capacity: the Oasis class and Icon class from Royal Caribbean, the Carnival Celebration and Marci Gras, ships from MSC and Aida (which is German subsidiary only aiming at German speaking cruisers). So I don’t think it’s a question of being able to fill a ship on the North American market. If Aida can fill two such huge ships with Germans, DCL should be able to do this on the much bigger market in North America, too.

 

[happycamper47]

Loads of cruise ships have a 6000 passenger capacity: the Oasis class and Icon class from Royal Caribbean, the Carnival Celebration and Marci Gras, ships from MSC and Aida (which is German subsidiary only aiming at German speaking cruisers). So I don’t think it’s a question of being able to fill a ship on the North American market. If Aida can fill two such huge ships with Germans, DCL should be able to do this on the much bigger market in North America, too.

But pricing is normally.lower than DCL and all have casinos. I have had people say they avoid DCL since there is no casino.

 

[Tenkawa]

But pricing is normally.lower than DCL and all have casinos. I have had people say they avoid DCL since there is no casino.

and I love DCL because no casino.

 

[happycamper47]

and I love DCL because no casino.

Us too!

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Loads of cruise ships have a 6000 passenger capacity: the Oasis class and Icon class from Royal Caribbean, the Carnival Celebration and Marci Gras, ships from MSC and Aida (which is German subsidiary only aiming at German speaking cruisers). So I don’t think it’s a question of being able to fill a ship on the North American market. If Aida can fill two such huge ships with Germans, DCL should be able to do this on the much bigger market in North America, too.

I am generally agreeing with you. I was saying it’s easier to fill in North America than in Asia or Europe, etc.—especially if you’re trying to charge DCL prices to English speaking Disney fans.

 

[JM_97]

I am generally agreeing with you. I was saying it’s easier to fill in North America than in Asia or Europe, etc.—especially if you’re trying to charge DCL prices to English speaking Disney fans.

That's why I don't fully believe this ship will only be in Asia.

 

[jrapps]

And that is a design change that Disney is making, because the Golden Dream was designed to carry 9,000 passengers. So Disney is reconfiguring it and reducing the design capacity by 3,000 passengers.

They really aren't having to do any reconfiguration to lower the capacity to 6,000. At 2,500 rooms, the ship already had less staterooms than an Oasis-class ship (Oasis has 2,800 rooms, capacity 5,600) The original owners calculated a "max capacity" assuming most rooms were full with 4 people (3.6 people per room to be exact). DCL sets it max capacity much lower...for comparison, the Wish has 1254 staterooms but a "Max capacity" of only 4,000 passengers (3.2 people per room).

They COULD be reducing the number of rooms, but they probably don't NEED to unless they are trying to recover space for other needs.

I’m wondering if it will be geared toward the west coast, maybe as a Disneyland trip add on?

Seriously doubt it. The cruising market on that coast is meager, largely because all cruises have to go to Mexico (Or Canada') There just simply aren't enough international destinations within sailing distance of that coast to satisfy the Merchant Marine Act. From FL, a ship can visit any of over a dozen foreign ports on a 7 day cruise. Many cruise lines have tried and failed to get a serious cruise business going on the West coast. They send them there seasonally, but a ship this size would not be possible...plus how would they get it there? Panama Canal not really an option.

 

[jrapps]

I am generally agreeing with you. I was saying it’s easier to fill in North America than in Asia or Europe, etc.—especially if you’re trying to charge DCL prices to English speaking Disney fans.

That's why I don't fully believe this ship will only be in Asia.

I agree with this as well.

I do believe Disney is building the ship with the intent to homeport internationally...they ship was built originally for Asia, and they even admitted this we their plan in the announcement when they bought it, saying ot was for new markets overseas.

I also 1000% believe DCL is intending to make the ship ready to sail in North America, possibly seasonally or for an extended period of time. They aren't stupid...they have seen other cruise lines build ships for Asia, and had to pivot to an American market for one reason or another (Pandemic, economic, Political, etc). I wont be surprised to see this ship sail from FL at some point in the future, even if it isn't a permanent homeport.

 

[tvguy]

Seriously doubt it. The cruising market on that coast is meager, largely because all cruises have to go to Mexico (Or Canada') There just simply aren't enough international destinations within sailing distance of that coast to satisfy the Merchant Marine Act. From FL, a ship can visit any of over a dozen foreign ports on a 7 day cruise. Many cruise lines have tried and failed to get a serious cruise business going on the West coast. They send them there seasonally, but a ship this size would not be possible...plus how would they get it there? Panama Canal not really an option.

Certainly not as busy as Florida ports, but RCCL alone offers 150 west coast cruises a year. That, IMHO is far from meager.
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/west-coast-cruises

 

[jrapps]

Certainly not as busy as Florida ports, but RCCL alone offers 150 west coast cruises a year. That, IMHO is far from meager.
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/west-coast-cruises

In the grand scheme of the word of cruising, that is meager. TAMPA has more cruises annually than Los Angeles. Tampa is the 4th busiest in FL and 29th busiest in the world. Seattle is 31st. LA is 55th!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_busiest_cruise_ports_by_passengers

Sorry, but that is meager.

 

[JM_97]

I agree with this as well.

I do believe Disney is building the ship with the intent to homeport internationally...they ship was built originally for Asia, and they even admitted this we their plan in the announcement when they bought it, saying ot was for new markets overseas.

I also 1000% believe DCL is intending to make the ship ready to sail in North America, possibly seasonally or for an extended period of time. They aren't stupid...they have seen other cruise lines build ships for Asia, and had to pivot to an American market for one reason or another (Pandemic, economic, Political, etc). I wont be surprised to see this ship sail from FL at some point in the future, even if it isn't a permanent homeport.

If that's the case then Disney might have two seasonal ships for Mexico, since it doesn't really make sense to move the Wonder back to the Atlantic. Once the Wonder goes to Alaska for the summer, the new ship could sail Mexico until the Wonder's Alaska season is over.

 

[tvguy]

In the grand scheme of the word of cruising, that is meager. TAMPA has more cruises annually than Los Angeles. Tampa is the 4th busiest in FL and 29th busiest in the world. Seattle is 31st. LA is 55th!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_busiest_cruise_ports_by_passengers

Sorry, but that is meager.

Robust enough that cruise lines keeping moving ships to the West Coast for part of the year.
Juneau is 28. Ketchikan is 35 Vancouver is 40. Victoria is 48

 

[RAD]

Robust enough that cruise lines keeping moving ships to the West Coast for part of the year.

How much is that because they need to get ships there for Alaska cruises?

 

[tvguy]

How much is that because they need to get ships there for Alaska cruises?

Many, yes. That is the West Coast.