New Cruise Rumors

[lizardman]

From http://www.screamscape.com/html/walt_disney_world.html
Disney Cruise Line - (3/5/04) The latest Disney Cruise Line rumors suggest that Disney may be planning on adding two new ships instead of just one. Sources confirm that the new ship(s) would be of a different design and be “Panamax” size so they will be able to use the Panama Canal. The earliest these ships could join the fleet would be sometime in 2006.
(3/3/04) If your planning on taking a trip on the Disney Cruise Line in Summer 2005, you might want to book that trip now because one of the two ships (Disney Magic) has been pulled from active duty in that time period. Rumors from California indiate that it will be sent to California for the summer as part of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary. Meanwhile Screamscape sources have confirmed to us that Disney does indeed have at least one new ship in development. More details as we find out.

I thought everybody might be interested in this rumor I read.

 

[Scratch42]

We are all waiting for CONCRETE EVIDENCE!LOL

Thanks for posting!

Scratch

 

[floridaminnie]

From the mouth of the ship Captain this past March, they already have plans drawn for three different ships.

It would now just be a matter of finding a shipyard and choosing which design now.

 

[Jeanny]

same rumors we've been hearing about... now when will the real announcement be made??? Hopefully soon.

 

[DVC4US]

I have a question. I didn't know the current ships cannot go through the Panama Canal. If this is true, do you really think a relocation of the Magic to the west coast is realistic?

LeiLani

 

[Hygiene99]

Dvc4us , they can go threw the canal now.. both the Wonder and the Magic ...they were built so that they can go threw the canal.....

 

[LAMPSKIES]

On our 11/30 Eastern sailing we were told by a CM that they WERE going to build a ship.....they were just waitng for the value of the U.S. currency to go up. In order for a ship to go thru the Panama Canal there is a per foot charge. Most ships are smaller that sail that cruise.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Just checked the Panama Canal site and the max width for a vessel going thru is 32.2 meters......the Magic is 32.25.

 

[jrabbit]

I've always heard that the Magic and Wonder are just under the max size to fit through the cannal.

32.2 meters = 105 feet 7.68 inches
32.25 meter = 105 feet 9.72 inches

So LAMPSKIES if you are correct the Magic is 2.04 inches to wide to fit. Now there's an engineering screw up (well I heard Paul Harvey a few days ago talk about a bridge being built someplace where the ends aren't matching up by 6 inches or so.)

 

[Hygiene99]

I still think that the Magic and the Wonder will fit in the Canal
from what i have heard from DCl .... I could be wrong but ithink i heard at one of the talks on the ship that yes they will fit....

why build a ship that is just a couple in inches to big....... to fit...
sound like they intended for them to fit....

 

[jel0511]

I just checked the Panama Canal Website and the locks are 110 meters wide, with a maximum ship width of 32.31 meters, which is 106 ft. The Magic is listed at 106 ft in the DCL brochure I have, but LAMPSKIES dimemsions are probably more accurate. Here is the website I found the information, click on Dimensions, and then there is a smaller button for mazimum ship dimensions.

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/general/howitworks/index.html

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

I find it hard to believe that the ships are not Panamax compliant, since everything I've read about them says that they were specificallty built to Panamax specifications.

I was under the impression (although I don't have a brouchure handy), that the Magic and Wonder were 964 ft. long, 105 ft. wide, with a draft of around 25 ft., all of which would fit in a canal lock.

 

[tecdavidt]

Just a thought, if the ship won't fit throught the canal, how will they get it to CA for the summer of '05--go all the way around South America? Maybe this is what is holding up the announcement? Kathy

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by tecdavidt
Just a thought, if the ship won't fit throught the canal, how will they get it to CA for the summer of '05--go all the way around South America? Maybe this is what is holding up the announcement? Kathy

This is not an issue. The Magic and Wonder are built within Panamax standards. I wouldn't worry about any rounding errors in this thread.

When cruise lines build ships that exceed the dimensions that filt in the locks of the Panama Canal, they are significantly larger.

 

[PhotoLisa]

We just came back from the 2/21 cruise on the Magic and the Captain said during the Castaway Club Reception that rumors of new ships is untrue.

What gives?

Was I hearing things?

Lisa

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally posted by PhotoLisa
What gives?

The rumors are true. And the rumors are not true.

Yes, there are plans for one or more additional ships. DCL put together a team of Imagineers, marine architects, and business planners several years ago. They designed a new class of DCL ship. DCL has discussed it with the press, and DCL captains have discussed it at Navigator Series sessions.

No, there is no new DCL ship under construction at any shipyard in the world. Public corporations can't keep half billion contractual obligations secret. It remains to be seen whether Disney goes ahead with a contract. It's true that the exchange rate between the U.S. Dollar and the Euro is unfavorable at this time, but that hasn't stopped other cruise lines from ordering ships.

 

[lneeley]

We went through the PC last year on RCCL Radiance, which was 962 feet long, beam of 105.6 and draft of 26.7. We had about 14 inches on either side of the ship and could touch the walls. The DCL ships are 964 feet long, beam of 106 and draft of 25. They WILL FIT THROUGH THE CANAL.

And, if they are going to reposition, I am going to go on that cruise. The PC is a wonderful experience!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Following up my previous post with some comments about the rumors of exciting, new itineraries for the Disney Magic in summer 2005...

The rumors are true. And the rumors are still just rumors.

Yes. DCL has said there will brand new itineraries for the Disney Magic in summer 2005.

No. There has been no announcment about repositioning the Disney Magic to Southern California in summer 2005. According to http://www.miceage.com/ (where Al Lutz has genuine inside sources), the press event for the Disneyland's 50th anniversary anouncements will be May 5, 2004. Back in October 2003, Al published that the press event is expected to include the announcment that the Disney Magic will temporarily operate out of Southern California.

I'm going to patient unitl May 5.

 

[CAMICKEY]

I'm on the May 8th Western Cruise which will be perfect to re-book another cruise if it is announced on the 5th. Can't wait - Mike

 

[fredms]

THe amount of time I spend on the DIS Boards discussing two ships imagine three or four? I'll never sleep, never work, I'll just DIS all day long!