True or False? New DCL Ship in 2007??

[missmulan]

Has anyone heard this rumor? Are they adding a third ship?

 

[KidDurango]

The word is that the ship is designed and ready to go into production, but the Dollar to Euro exchange rate is just too unfavorable to actually start productiion. Considering the Dollar's current seemingly unending slide, I don't see a ship in the near future. Once the contract is signed, it will take 2 to 3 years to produce.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

KidDurango is right. A DCL fleet expansion has been in the works for years. But the critical step -- contracting with a shipyard to build one or two new ships -- has never happened.

At Q&A sessions on the ships, the ships' officers have given various reasons, such as 9/11 and the exchange rate with the Euro. Meanwhile, other cruise lines have taken delivery of many new ships and have placed orders for still more ships. The U.S. Dollar keeps getting weaker in relation to the Euro. And Disney spent billions to buy the Fox Family (now ABC Family) Network, but Disney has been unwilling to spend less than $1 billion on two new ships.

 

[Doctor P]

If the West Coast cruises are a success and the market research pans out, I wager that they will build the new ship by 2007 to be able to serve the West Coast market and/or Alaska.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

If the West Coast cruises are a success and the market research pans out, I wager that they will build the new ship by 2007 to be able to serve the West Coast market and/or Alaska.

I'd have to agree with this.

 

[tap & dap]

On our last cruise we were told they would actually build 2 new ships, not just one when the go ahead was given.

 

[JimB.]

Gee.

Any thought to using an American shipyard??

Betcha' Newport News shipbuilding would like to have a go at it.

 

[rolyjp]

But do they have the expertise to build such a ship, not to mention the actual cost of building it in the US?

 

[JimB.]

But do they have the expertise to build such a ship

They build the Navy's aircraft carriers. I think they are the only "large hull capable" yard in the USA.

the actual cost of building it in the US?

And that is the key. I'm sure it is, on the average, cheaper to build overseas.


Probably some tax advantages too....................

 

[disaddiction828]

Philadelphia naval port wouldnt be to bad. Mainly they have built a few cruise ships before

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Philadelphia naval port wouldnt be to bad. Mainly they have built a few cruise ships before

When was that? And what were the ships named?

 

[Sarangel]

It's worth remembering that the Brass will be making some sort of announcement from the Disney Magic on 7/17/05 (they're holding her in port that day)... I'd venture to guess that if there's going to be a new ship that's when we'll hear about it.

Sarangel

 

[All_Ears]

I heard that is it called The Dream and it is 1/3 Bigger than the Magic.

 

[plutospup]

The plans supposedly call for a Panamax ship - same length/width, but with additional decks.

 

[jazstar87]

The AMerican shipyard are very pricey, the only cruise company i know that has one is royal caribbean. The only good thing about building a ship in the u.s. is that you don't have to go to another coutry before going back to the u.s. You can stay in the U.S.
Example:
i went on an alaska cruise with princess. Their ships are made in japan but after we went to alaska's ports we had to go to victoria, b.c. before coming back to settle(departing port) it was very nice but we got there at 5 and we left at 10 so we really didn't enjoy it. It was kinda of a waste.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The AMerican shipyard are very pricey, the only cruise company i know that has one is royal caribbean. The only good thing about building a ship in the u.s. is that you don't have to go to another coutry before going back to the u.s. You can stay in the U.S

Royal Caribbean does not have any US-built ships. NCL will soon have two US-flagged ships operating in Hawaii, even though one of those of those ships is completely European-built and the other is only partially US-built. (NCL seems to be good at influencing the US Congress.) NCL also owns two very old US-built ships that are not currently in use, but which may see service again some day.

To operate cruises that go only to US ports, a ship must be US-flagged, not just US-built. Among other things, that means that the cruise line must have a US crew and must comply with US labor laws -- which is expensive. Also, the first US-flagged NCL ship in Hawaii suffered from terrible customer service, when NCL was unable to assemble a qualified US crew willing to put up with the demands of working on a cruise ship.

Princess has two recent ships built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The rest of the Princess fleet was built in European shipyards. I don't know if any shipyeards in Japan are still in the cruise ship building business.