Info about new ships..

[natsmom125]

We just returned from a wonderful trip to WDW.

We arrived early Sunday and rode the monorail and buses around to all the
resorts looking at the beautiful Christmas decorations.

As we were walking through one of the resorts, DD saw a scale model of
The Magic. Of course we stopped to admire her and the CM's manning
the desk were very friendly.

I started talking with one of them and he asked all the usual questions, have you ever been on the cruise, how often, how did you like it, etc, etc. I answered all the questions and told him that I was on the DIS BOARDS and I got a lot of information from there.

He mis-understood what I said and he said "Well, if you're on the
board, then you know about the two new ships being planned." I said, "Oh sure....I know about that." And he said, "Yeah, going to Hawaii and Alaska".
I said "Oh boy, that's going to be fantastic isn't it?" I told him it was nice talking to him and that I needed to go find my family and left.

Of course, I have no idea about any of this and I can't believe he thought I was on the Disney or DCL Board....we were in jeans, sweatshirts and DD's jeans of course, had holes in the knees!!!!!

Just wanted to tell y'all what he told me.....I don't think it'll be anytime soon...but...that's what he told me......

Phyllis

 

[wltdsnyfan]

We just returned from a wonderful trip to WDW.

We arrived early Sunday and rode the monorail and buses around to all the
resorts looking at the beautiful Christmas decorations.

As we were walking through one of the resorts, DD saw a scale model of
The Magic. Of course we stopped to admire her and the CM's manning
the desk were very friendly.

I started talking with one of them and he asked all the usual questions, have you ever been on the cruise, how often, how did you like it, etc, etc. I answered all the questions and told him that I was on the DIS BOARDS and I got a lot of information from there.

He mis-understood what I said and he said "Well, if you're on the
board, then you know about the two new ships being planned." I said, "Oh sure....I know about that." And he said, "Yeah, going to Hawaii and Alaska".
I said "Oh boy, that's going to be fantastic isn't it?" I told him it was nice talking to him and that I needed to go find my family and left.

Of course, I have no idea about any of this and I can't believe he thought I was on the Disney or DCL Board....we were in jeans, sweatshirts and DD's jeans of course, had holes in the knees!!!!!

Just wanted to tell y'all what he told me.....I don't think it'll be anytime soon...but...that's what he told me......

Phyllis

I love it!! Now that is the way to get information Thanks for sharing the story.

 

[GenieDana]

Here we go again...

 

[captaincrash]

LOL....!

Can I git started? I'd rather have them sail a ship through a "rotation" that quasi links with DL Paris, HK and the one in Japan. IE, schedule a ship to sail ports in the regions nearest to these parks so we can have an excuse for traveling these far off places!

Alaska and Hawaii are ... so close to the USA?! But I guess that is all part of the appeal to their primary market. Heck, I'm one to talk about the far off ports as our travel budget barely enables consideration of traveling to these far off regions to explore.

Oh well... no harm in a little day dreaming, eh?

 

[ivanova]

Don't get excited....the ships have been "planned" for quite awhile, but nowhere near being built.

 

[pyramid2000]

Thanks for the info natsmom125. Many people hear many things from many sources. Eventually someones source will be right!

 

[Dreamer04]

Alaska, Alaska, Alaska

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Don't get excited....the ships have been "planned" for quite awhile, but nowhere near being built.

True.

In this case, the plans go back to 2001. However, until there's a contact with a shipyard, the plans are just drawings (or, more likely, computer files).

I hope DCL will announce a fleet expansion within a year or two, but I'm not holding my breath. Some day, we might read about a billion dollar contract for two new 90,000 GRT ships. This is an opportunity for Bob Iger to add some real revenue and profit growth to The Walt Disney Company — but at the cost of a huge investment.

There's also a possibility that the plans will just keep gathering dust, and DCL will remain a 2-ship cruise line.

See the thread, WOW!!! 3rd Ship.

 

[ivanova]

Even if they signed a contract today, we wouldn't see the ship until 2008 or 2009 ... that's how far out Fincantieri is these days. They just signed a 4 ship contract with Carnival Corp:

Christmas came early for Carnival Corp. this year. The cruise line conglomerate signed a $2 billion, four-ship construction deal with the Fincantieri shipyards in Italy (with an option for two additional vessels). One ship each will go to Carnival Cruise Line (an OSSN supplier member!), Costa, Holland America, and Princess Cruises (with the ship options set for Carnival and Holland America).

Holland America's new 2,044-passenger ship (due in 2008) will become the line's largest vessel. The same holds true for the 3,608-passenger ship planned for Carnival (due in 2009). Meanwhile, Princess will get a 3,100-passenger ship that's a sister to the "Emerald Princess" in 2008, and Costa will get a 3,004-passengers ship in 2009.

So unless DCL uses a different ship yard than the one that built the Wonder & the Magic (Fincantieri) we're looking at 3-4 years from the point a contract is signed....

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Even if they signed a contract today, we wouldn't see the ship until 2008 or 2009 ... that's how far out Fincantieri is these days. They just signed a 4 ship contract with Carnival Corp:

So unless DCL uses a different ship yard than the one that built the Wonder & the Magic (Fincantieri) we're looking at 3-4 years from the point a contract is signed....

Good point.

And even if Disney uses another shipyard (which is certainly possible), we're still looking a similar timeframe. The actual construction can be a little as 18 months, but it's likely to be much longer than that before construction could actually begin. And until there's a contract, the clock doesn't start.

For a list of cruise ship contracts, options, and letters of intent, see http://www.coltoncompany.com/shipbldg/worldsbldg/cruise/cruisebuilding.htm — notice that some of the deliveries aren't until 2010. And notice that Disney is conspicuously absent from the list.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

All very interesting.
It's just me, but I hope that Hawaii and/or Alaska are in the future for DCL. What a phenomenal way to see some beautiful US locations!

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

LOL....!

Can I git started? I'd rather have them sail a ship through a "rotation" that quasi links with DL Paris, HK and the one in Japan. IE, schedule a ship to sail ports in the regions nearest to these parks so we can have an excuse for traveling these far off places!

Being a huge Japanese culture buff (and one who has dreamt of a trip there for years), I would love this kinda thing more than words can express before I'm fully awake this morning. I must say, however, that the cost of getting to Japan is far out of reach for the "average Disney tourist". A family of 4 costs nearly $3,000 just in airfare to Japan. Having the cruise go from the US to Japan is very time consuming, so I don't think that's really an option either.

I've also read recently that HK Disney isn't all that spectacular. The mainland Chinese are a completely different culture and I've heard reports of people sleeping on the benches, dropping food everywhere (even Disney wonderful CMs can't keep up with the mess), and even allowing their children to relieve themselves in the grass out in the open. This was from a Japanese news source and the Japanese are nearly OCD in their cleanliness so it may have been slightly exaggerated, but I admit it has me less inclined to go.

Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea on the other hand have me wishing I could go tomorrow! I've heard incredible things about both places and plan on making my way there sometime in the next 3-5years after DH & I fully learn the language.

They might be able to tie a UK/Disneyland Paris cruise up somehow, but I don't know what kind of restrictions there are for cruise ships in the English channel. It is nice to dream though, isn't it?

 

[996turbos]

Does anyone else find it a bit much that a desk clerk was so "in the know" about new cruise ships? I'm sure there are plans somewhere for Disney to take over all sorts of tourist venues. I just wouldn't get to excited about a hotel clerks info. Now my wife works in Disney reservations(18 years with the company) and she said......oppps someones at the door. Be right back......sorry folks that was the Disney police. I was told to knock it off and that loose lips means no ships. Just take MY word for it she knows some neat stuff too!

 

[GSCM_DisneyScout]

Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea on the other hand have me wishing I could go tomorrow! I've heard incredible things about both places and plan on making my way there sometime in the next 3-5years after DH & I fully learn the language.

My DH was stationed in Japan for three years and we went with him! We were there when DisneySea opened and did get a chance to go. It was wonderful! We actually went to Tokyo Disneyland twice and DisneySea once. It is REALLY easy to get around without knowing the language. Trust me, I'm NOT fluent in Japanese, but I had taken a few courses. Face characters are often non-Japanese with English as their primary language. We were just about swamped a few times by characters wanting to talk in English for a while. Most of the shows have mirror things you can look into to see the subtitles for what they are saying, or it's in English to begin with. The one thing we weren't able to do was the tour of Cinderella's castle because that is only in Japanese.

Another thing that is different there are the parades. They don't let people stand during the parades. Everyone must sit and there are even stands that sell little mats to sit on during the parades. Lines are LONG, but they do use Fastpass, which helps.

I would LOVE to go back and see it all again. It would be great for them to have a cruise in that area. Actually, I'm just happy that the Tokyo DisneySea Hotel MiraCosta is now in The Disney Collection with DVC points. ;-D

Kim

 

[natsmom125]

I didn't mean to start a controversy here....or get a debate started over....

who knows more than who about what....

all I was doing was repeating what was told to me.

I'm a big girl and I've been around a long time and I know that rumors and
heresay constantly runs through these boards. And if new ships are ever
built, it will be a long time. I just wanted to share what I heard. I don't know how people find out what they find out, or why this person chose to share this with me..I really don't care..but the next piece of information I hear...from a DCL cast member or anyone...will NOT be posted on this board.

Phyllis

 

[ceejay13]

natsmom125-I for one was glad to see your comments. I think it proves that no one really knows for sure what is in the future. I sure hope the CM you spoke to was right and we will be able to see Alaska and Hawaii cruising with the Mouse. It certainly seemed like they had heard something concrete.

 

[pyramid2000]

I don't know how people find out what they find out, or why this person chose to share this with me..I really don't care..but the next piece of information I hear...from a DCL cast member or anyone...will NOT be posted on this board.

Don't let anyone stop you from posting what you hear!! I for one take any info someone hears and store it in my little head as one of many possibilities. I think your interaction with the CM was pretty neat !! I don't think anyone thinks you took this CM's word as golden, but that you were just "passing along a little tidbit"!!

 

[anty30]

Hawaii would be so awesome. Where do you think they would sail from? I have never been there, but our family really wants to go and DCL would be the perfect excuse.

 

[JeannieH]

Sorry to pour water on your info, but no CM would be permitted to divulge information such as this, especially to DisBoarders. Too many stories get distorted.

 

[llyolf]

before you get too discouraged... Thanks... what a funny story.. maybe I'll try that one from now on... "Yeah.. I'm on THE BOARD!" if it's Alaska and/or Hawaii... I'm there!! just not both in the same cruise...

Thanks,
Paul