New Disney Ships: News, Rumors, Speculation.....and Names!

[truck1]

Was just looking at MW webpage.Spectrum has floated out, and is expected to transit within a week or so. All the hulls so far have at least first steel cut.Next major announcement from MW should be DCL Triton1 first steel. Once that announcement is made, whether thru DCL or MW, we can figure out a ball park inaugural. Should be about 18 months from the time that first piece is cut. Iona (710 ) is taking the space of the vacated blocks from Encore as there loaded. Once Iona starts to load the drydock,Id guess in about 3 months, the last Quantum class ship will take Ionas place on the side of the dock, as the Triton 1 blocks are built and prepped to move.

MW build list order

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

MW build list order

Interesting. So if I'm reading the build list correctly, we could see bookings open up for the first new ship during the 2021 Winter release later this year. Does that seem right?

 

[RedSox68]

Interesting. So if I'm reading the build list correctly, we could see bookings open up for the first new ship during the 2021 Winter release later this year. Does that seem right?

Ewww, I can't WAIT to see those prices

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

Ewww, I can't WAIT to see those prices

No kidding. I have no intentions of booking. It's really more of a sick curiosity.

 

[truck1]

Interesting. So if I'm reading the build list correctly, we could see bookings open up for the first new ship during the 2021 Winter release later this year. Does that seem right?

I would expect that the maiden would be a separate announcement and opening day for 3 reasons. 1,is Im pretty much taking a SWAG at when the new ships will debut based on past history and build order. The other is that Port Canaveral made the statement of seeing a new DCL ship as early as Nov 21. Plus Disney will want to hype this as much as they can, so they'll most likely keep it separate. Now, this could be a simple misprint, or simple mix up as both Dream class ships floated out in Oct 10 and 11. Their maidens were Feb of 11 for the Dream and March 12 for the Fantasy. So, based on past precedence, assuming that DCL keeps to the early calendar year debuts, float out should be Octish of 20. Which puts them on track for a Feb/March debut. I have to look, but I would guess we should hear something possibly at D23.If not, possibly May or June of this year.Now, if the true dates are Nov 21, then I would guess and say first steel would be around May of 20.

 

[Quellman]

Was just looking at MW webpage.Spectrum has floated out, and is expected to transit within a week or so. All the hulls so far have at least first steel cut.Next major announcement from MW should be DCL Triton1 first steel. Once that announcement is made, whether thru DCL or MW, we can figure out a ball park inaugural. Should be about 18 months from the time that first piece is cut. Iona (710 ) is taking the space of the vacated blocks from Encore as there loaded. Once Iona starts to load the drydock,Id guess in about 3 months, the last Quantum class ship will take Ionas place on the side of the dock, as the Triton 1 blocks are built and prepped to move.

MW build list order

I saw the press release that "the Spectrum of the Seas has left the dock, the floating part for the Norwegian Encore, which is due for completion in autumn 2019, will be maneuvered back into the free covered building dock II for further construction work."

I wouldn't guess that they plan on providing many details at D23. They'll be toting all the changes coming to EPOCT and Magic Kingdom still. Probably the new night time shows. My speculation is the next ship announcement would be part of the keel laying or end of fiscal year to help stocks.

 

[truck1]

I saw the press release that "the Spectrum of the Seas has left the dock, the floating part for the Norwegian Encore, which is due for completion in autumn 2019, will be maneuvered back into the free covered building dock II for further construction work."

I wouldn't guess that they plan on providing many details at D23. They'll be toting all the changes coming to EPOCT and Magic Kingdom still. Probably the new night time shows. My speculation is the next ship announcement would be part of the keel laying or end of fiscal year to help stocks.

I don't think they'll say much about the ships either. Maybe a expected first steel cut date and name announcement at that time. (when they cut the first steel. Its a big deal for cruise lines.Its like breaking ground ) I do agree that they don't want to detract from other projects but they may not have a choice. The 1 big unknown is timing. If its an early debut,then itll be this year for the announcement. Later, it will be some time next year.

 

[darnheather]

Has it been discussed that once all the ships are out there will be no more Panama Canal cruises? I discussed this with several people on the WBPC and only one person seemed to think DCL made money on that itinerary. I honestly think the Wonder will be full time on the West Coast.

 

[truck1]

Has it been discussed that once all the ships are out there will be no more Panama Canal cruises? I discussed this with several people on the WBPC and only one person seemed to think DCL made money on that itinerary. I honestly think the Wonder will be full time on the West Coast.

The wonder has several East Coast commitments over the next few years. Both New Orleans and Galveston come to Mind. So at least for the foreseeable future the wonder will be doing canal crossings both ways

 

[ivanp91]

The wonder has several East Coast commitments over the next few years. Both New Orleans and Galveston come to Mind. So at least for the foreseeable future the wonder will be doing canal crossings both ways

Do the contracts specifically state that the Wonder will be dedicated to these ports, though? I had a quick read through the recent Galveston announcement, and all I seemed to pick up on was it's a 10-year berthing agreement with the option to extend, not that there's an exact ship that's been contracted to do it. Much like the recent Miami contract stipulates that the ships based there will have a minimum capacity of what equates to the Magic/Wonder - obviously meaning any ship in the DCL fleet could fill the role.

 

[RedSox68]

Has it been discussed that once all the ships are out there will be no more Panama Canal cruises? I discussed this with several people on the WBPC and only one person seemed to think DCL made money on that itinerary. I honestly think the Wonder will be full time on the West Coast.

That would be a shame -- we had a blast on our PC from LA in 2005. They could, however, do what a lot of other lines do now -- half day cruise into the canal and then a turnaround. Many don't go all the way through anymore.

I just hope (and hope and wish and hope) that they don't end up with the same old itineraries and just shifting the ships around. I would love to see them plant a ship in a few new ports -- even Asia, more out of NYC or even Baltimore, and maybe a permanent home on the West Coast for one.

 

[truck1]

Do the contracts specifically state that the Wonder will be dedicated to these ports, though? I had a quick read through the recent Galveston announcement, and all I seemed to pick up on was it's a 10-year berthing agreement with the option to extend, not that there's an exact ship that's been contracted to do it. Much like the recent Miami contract stipulates that the ships based there will have a minimum capacity of what equates to the Magic/Wonder - obviously meaning any ship in the DCL fleet could fill the role.

No specific names. But the way the ships work out, most likely it would be the Wonder doing 1 of the 2, with the Magic getting the other. At least 2 of the new ships are going to PC, the remaining to Miami, with the Dream class being split between Miami and PC.

Usually when a port signs an agreement with a line, its for a minimum number of sailings. So if say a line plans 3/4s and 7s, that would be a min of 156 sailings per year, as that's where the port makes its money from. They may also mention a specific size, depending on the port, so that accommodations are available to handle the ship. Oasis of the Seas for example, couldn't go to NY harbor, but may fit in Brooklyn, due to her size. Shed stick too far out in the channel and be a navigation hazard. Its also for fee based reasons. Based on a 2500 passenger ship, the port says well charge you x amount for each of theses services. So even if the Dream goes to Galveston for a trip, its already in writing how much per passenger they would pay.

Theoretically yes it could be any ship, but with NOLA now on the radar, with Galveston, the Magic class would be the most likely candidates for those 2 ports.

 

[darnheather]

The wonder has several East Coast commitments over the next few years. Both New Orleans and Galveston come to Mind. So at least for the foreseeable future the wonder will be doing canal crossings both ways

Well we have several years until all the ships are out but I know that DCL makes money on those short trips back and forth on the coast and doesn't make it on the canal.

 

[JWG]

The canal is expensive for ships to pass through. And they're charged by weight apparently. So, the fuller the ship the more it costs to send through. I've heard they send the Wonder through at about 2/3rds capacity for this reason. If true I'd love the panama canal cruise for that reason alone.

 

[darnheather]

The canal is expensive for ships to pass through. And they're charged by weight apparently. So, the fuller the ship the more it costs to send through. I've heard they send the Wonder through at about 2/3rds capacity for this reason. If true I'd love the panama canal cruise for that reason alone.

They don't send it through at 2/3 capacity for that reason, it books up without children. People aren't the heaviest part of the ship. The most expensive part of that sailing is fuel: approximately 1.5-2 million dollars.

 

[jdb in AZ]

DCL also pays a premium to sail through the locks during the daylight hours. When we were on the Wonder a few years ago, DCL had to pay some $450,000 to use the Canal. Haven't heard what the Panamax charges.

 

[cgolf]

Is anyone going to do a build thread? I know over on CC they have a couple of folks that seem to have some good contacts at the shipyards. Is there anyone here that has the ability to do this?

 

[RAD]

On latest WBPC, Puckett said that DCL wouldn't tell him the transit toll but using public formulas estimated around $585,000 which included a 10% surcharge so DCL could have a scheduled transit time.

 

[Intr3pid]

I expect two ships to be in Alaska in the summer once all 7 are in operation. Even if one ship stays permanently on the west coast, the other will sail back. Disney makes at least 2x the revenue on the Alaskan cruises than it does on the summer cruises on the east coast. And - since the shoulder season everywhere is low on revenue - the two PC cruises are well worth getting those juicy Alaskan premiums.

 

[Intr3pid]

At least 2 of the new ships are going to PC, the remaining to Miami, with the Dream class being split between Miami and PC.

Usually when a port signs an agreement with a line, its for a minimum number of sailings.

Miami currently has no plans to supply LNG to cruise ships. The LNG bunkering at sea is still in infancy, so the year-round Miami ship will most likely be a Dream class. A second ship will also sail from Miami in the winter - most likely one of the classics or another Dream class.

PC will get two of the three new ships for year-round sailings. The third new ship will probably sail from a number of ports, incl. seasonally from PC. It may spend the summer in Europe - all of Barcelona, Hamburg, and Rotterdam have excellent LNG infrastructure.

The new agreements with the ports are for a minimum number of passenger movements - not sailings. In Miami, Disney is guaranteeing 360,000 movements. If it goes ahead with 4- and 5-day Dream class itineraries year round, it will move ~280,000 passengers annually with one ship. The second seasonal ship for three months will get you the remainder.