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

[happycamper47]

The industry is just not moving in that direction. DCL would be way behind the other lines in terms of revenue, and their fleet is much smaller than the others, so they're not at any risk of building too big for the ports they serve. You'll notice that even mega ships like the Star Princess are serving Alaska now, and the MSC Euribia in Norway. These are ~180,000 GT ships. "Small" for the industry now means Disney Wish / Triton-class size.

HAL does fine with smaller ships, so does Celebrity, DCL doesn't have to go MEGA to compete

 

[peder]

HAL does fine with smaller ships, so does Celebrity, DCL doesn't have to go MEGA to compete

I think they do have to go with mega ships, actually. Holland America has nothing to do on board. DCL and HAL are largely not vying for the same customers. And there simply isn't enough room with the smaller ships to add premium attractions.

That said, you can make a mega ship without putting 8,000 people on it, that's certainly possible. You could remove one or two decks of cabins to reduce capacity, but you're still going to have a long boat with a wide beam. DCL is looking at the types of attractions Royal is launching on Icon, and they know their customers are going to expect multiple big experiences aboard.

I expect the future ships will be more like a modernized version of the Disney Adventure (I say "modernized" here because even though it's a brand new ship, the Adventure is based off a fairly old ship design at this point), and the Adventure is going to have a rollercoaster onboard in addition to an AquaMouse type of watercoaster! I think the new ships might even have more to offer in that regard.

 

[OKW Lover]

DCL is looking at the types of attractions Royal is launching on Icon, and they know their customers are going to expect multiple big experiences aboard.

Seriously hope this isn't the case. Royal is destroying the ambiance of being at sea. They are basically turning into another Carnival ship.

 

[Dug720]

expect the future ships will be more like a modernized version of the Disney Adventure (I say "modernized" here because even though it's a brand new ship, the Adventure is based off a fairly old ship design at this point), and the Adventure is going to have a rollercoaster onboard in addition to an AquaMouse type of watercoaster! I think the new ships might even have more to offer in that regard.

You realize the majority of that ship was already in existence before Disney bought it? And it was designed for a completely different market than the US. Disney just put lipstick on it.

Just looking at the responses I've seen, there is clearly a market for smaller Disney ships. I really hope they don't go the behemoth of the seas route for THEIR new builds.

 

[Dug720]

Seriously hope this isn't the case. Royal is destroying the ambiance of being at sea. They are basically turning into another Carnival ship.

And when you're stuck inside on one of their behemoths because it's cold (or inclement weather) and all the outdoor things are useless, you feel every single one of those people.

I've never spent more time in my cabin than I did on Anthem of the Seas this past February. It's WAY smaller than Icon class, and I couldn't take walking around the ship when everyone was forced indoors by weather on IT! I cannot imagine adding 2000+ more people!

 

[happycamper47]

I think they do have to go with mega ships, actually. Holland America has nothing to do on board. DCL and HAL are largely not vying for the same customers. And there simply isn't enough room with the smaller ships to add premium attractions.

That said, you can make a mega ship without putting 8,000 people on it, that's certainly possible. You could remove one or two decks of cabins to reduce capacity, but you're still going to have a long boat with a wide beam. DCL is looking at the types of attractions Royal is launching on Icon, and they know their customers are going to expect multiple big experiences aboard.

I expect the future ships will be more like a modernized version of the Disney Adventure (I say "modernized" here because even though it's a brand new ship, the Adventure is based off a fairly old ship design at this point), and the Adventure is going to have a rollercoaster onboard in addition to an AquaMouse type of watercoaster! I think the new ships might even have more to offer in that regard.

Those attractions are too much weather dependent. Also DCL would have to drastically change it's price point, or go with all the freebies, to fill a mega ship.

 

[peder]

Just looking at the responses I've seen, there is clearly a market for smaller Disney ships. I really hope they don't go the behemoth of the seas route for THEIR new builds.

Respectfully, every single cruise message board says the same thing, and then they all book the largest mega ships in droves. What consumers say vs how they book shows this clearly. The Disney Wish commands a price premium over the Magic and Wonder. More people like the big ships, and this is clear across multiple cruise lines. This will continue until the market finds the upper limit of what customers are looking for, and there is no indication we've hit that point yet.

 

[peder]

Those attractions are too much weather dependent. Also DCL would have to drastically change it's price point, or go with all the freebies, to fill a mega ship.

Alternatively, they'll mostly sail in the Caribbean and other areas where weather is less of a factor. They have two private islands, which means they can support a large Caribbean fleet while still offering all ships at least one stop at a private island. The private islands are a big aspect of the industry at the moment, with less of an emphasis on sailing to new destinations.

 

[Cfabar1]

Does the Magic really go for less? We book Family Verandahs, and they seem to be pretty comparably priced on the magic vs. the wish. Dream seems to be cheaper for the same itineraries.

 

[happycamper47]

The Disney Wish commands a price premium over the Magic and Wonder.

Then why is an AK cruise on the Wonder $2,000 more than a Caribbean on the Treasure in July of 25.

 

[LAS2AMS]

HAL does fine with smaller ships, so does Celebrity, DCL doesn't have to go MEGA to compete

Carnival Corp has already said it would not be ordering any additional smaller ships, so any new ships for HAL would be larger. Of course, HAL’s aging consumer base is literally dying off and the brand will likely sunset at some point. It’s almost fully integrated with Princess behind the scenes.

Celebrity’s newest ships are Wish sized so even it’s moved on from smaller.

 

[peder]

Seriously hope this isn't the case. Royal is destroying the ambiance of being at sea. They are basically turning into another Carnival ship.

I'm slightly more optimistic about this. Disney added a fake funnel to the Disney Adventure just to retain more of their traditional oceanliner look.

But isn't Disney already a "loud" ship? My experience on the Wish was the funnelvision going all the time, absolute pandemonium at the pools and the buffet, disruptive entertainment spectacles during dinner... it was hardly a relaxing escape to the sea.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Then why is an AK cruise on the Wonder $2,000 more than a Caribbean on the Treasure in July of 25.

It’s called an “outlier.”

1) It’s 9 days instead of 7.
2) That’s a special cruise that always gets a premium.

 

[happycamper47]

It’s called an “outlier.”

1) It’s 9 days instead of 7.
2) That’s a special cruise that always gets a premium.

The 7 night Wonder (7/1-7/8) Verandah is $9,374 the Treasure (7/12-7/19) is $7,358 and the 7/5-7/12 is $8,000.

 

[LAS2AMS]

The 7 night Wonder (7/1-7/8) Verandah is $9,374 the Treasure (7/12-7/19) is $7,358

You’re aware that the Magic and Wonder have few balconies, making the initial upgrade pricey? As more balconies on the Treasure are booked, the price will climb.

 

[happycamper47]

You’re aware that the Magic and Wonder have few balconies, making the upgrade pricy?

Yes, they are actually our preferred ships, but my point is, the itinerary is more of a control for price than the ship itself.

 

[Dug720]

Respectfully, every single cruise message board says the same thing, and then they all book the largest mega ships in droves. What consumers say vs how they book shows this clearly. The Disney Wish commands a price premium over the Magic and Wonder. More people like the big ships, and this is clear across multiple cruise lines. This will continue until the market finds the upper limit of what customers are looking for, and there is no indication we've hit that point yet.

Nope. I have no intention of going on Triton Class. The only reason I was booked on the Wish was because my BFF is getting married on her the cruise after Thanksgiving because that fit the extended family's time schedule (I had to cancel because my rent increased too much).

I tried Anthem of the Seas and confirmed that behemoth class and larger is NOT for me.

 

[MalvernPa]

I would say there's 0 chance of this. All 4 will be larger than the Wish and most likely 200,000+ GT.

Does Meyer Werft have a ship size limitation with River Ems Conveyance?

 

[LAS2AMS]

Yes, they are actually our preferred ships, but my point is, the itinerary is more of a control for price than the ship itself.

In general, the Magic and Wonder sell for substantially less than the rest of the fleet. Obviously there will be exceptions.

Your control is flawed. You’re trying to compare peak summer a year away that has been on sale for awhile. All peak summer cruises will have high advance purchases. Because the Wonder has a limited number of balconies, it’s going to progress faster toward a higher fare bucket. Eventually things will likely even out.

For the past few years, the 7-night cruises on the Wonder to Alaska & the Mexican Riviera, as well as the 7-night cruises on the Magic from Galveston/NO and San Juan have been - by far - the lowest priced per night cruises on DCL (sans the repositioning Atlantic and Pacific cruises). The Australian itineraries would have them beat but I’m not including that. There’s only a few exceptions (such as the extended Alaska and the 10-night Caribbean).

 

[crazy4wdw]

Plaza de Coco Ofrenda on the Treasure:

https://wdwnt.com/2024/08/first-look-plaza-de-coco-ofrenda-dcl-treasure/