Typical History of European One-Way Cruises

[kappaman14]

Hoping someone can help with this. I see that currently there are three one-way cruises in Europe (all on the Fantasy):

• May 31, 2025: Barcelona to Civitavecchia (7 night)
• July 24, 2025: Barcelona to Southampton (7 night)
• June 30, 2025: Civitavecchia to Barcelona (12 night)

Is there a track record for these sailings? My question comes from wanting to plan a European bookend trip: fly to location A and visit, then take a point to point cruise to location B, then visit location B. I'd like to understand what locations Disney typically uses and when they typically cycle their boats.

Thanks!

 

[o&smom]

Not quite sure that I understand your question. Disney usually has a few “one way” cruises in Europe each summer. Disney does not change up their itineraries much, but do every once in a while. The Dream has been doing the Europe cruises the last few years. The Fantasy will be there in 2025 for a dry dock at the end of the season. No one knows what ship will return for 2026. The good news is that Disney releases new cruises way before you could book flights, so you will have plenty of time to look at what is being offered and plan accordingly.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Hoping someone can help with this. I see that currently there are three one-way cruises in Europe (all on the Fantasy):

• May 31, 2025: Barcelona to Civitavecchia (7 night)
• July 24, 2025: Barcelona to Southampton (7 night)
• June 30, 2025: Civitavecchia to Barcelona (12 night)

Is there a track record for these sailings? My question comes from wanting to plan a European bookend trip: fly to location A and visit, then take a point to point cruise to location B, then visit location B. I'd like to understand what locations Disney typically uses and when they typically cycle their boats.

Thanks!

Disney have been sending a ship for the summer season for many years. The ship leaves Florida sometime in May and returns sometime in October.

The European summer season has two locations

1. Mediterranean
2. Northern Europe

Since about 2019 the ship goes first to Mediterranean, then repositions to Northern Europe.

The Magic was in Europe for a number of years. Then in 2022 Disney sent The Dream and in 2025 it will be The Fantasy. Disney use the opportunity of the ships being in Europe to dry dock at the European shipyards, so thats why they have been rotating between The Magic, The Dream and Fantasy .

The Mediterranean cruises home port in Barcelona Spain or Civitavecchia Italy. They do both round trips from each port and one way from each port.

The Northern Europe cruises home port in Southampton or Dover England and Copenhagen, Denmark. They do both round trips from each port and one way from each port.

 

[holula]

It looks like the Dream will be going to Europe in 2026, she’s the only ship on the East coast who isn’t scheduled through May.

 

[kappaman14]

Not quite sure that I understand your question. Disney usually has a few “one way” cruises in Europe each summer. Disney does not change up their itineraries much, but do every once in a while. The Dream has been doing the Europe cruises the last few years. The Fantasy will be there in 2025 for a dry dock at the end of the season. No one knows what ship will return for 2026. The good news is that Disney releases new cruises way before you could book flights, so you will have plenty of time to look at what is being offered and plan accordingly.

Thanks for the reply. I was/am trying to get a sense of typical timing. For example, is it pretty typical that a one way cruise from Barcelona to Civitavecchia happens the last week in May, because then they do six weeks of Italian cruises? Would it be fair to assume that the Fantasy/Dream would be doing a similar rotation of European cruises in 2026?

I would also wonder if they'd put a second ship in Europe. Feels like they keep stacking ships in the Bahamas/Caribbean. As the Treasure & Destiny sail, perhaps they can justify a second ship in the Mediterranean?

 

[kappaman14]

Disney have been sending a ship for the summer season for many years. The ship leaves Florida sometime in May and returns sometime in October.

The European summer season has two locations

1. Mediterranean
2. Northern Europe

Since about 2019 the ship goes first to Mediterranean, then repositions to Northern Europe.

The Magic was in Europe for a number of years. Then in 2022 Disney sent The Dream and in 2025 it will be The Fantasy. Disney use the opportunity of the ships being in Europe to dry dock at the European shipyards, so thats why they have been rotating between The Magic, The Dream and Fantasy .

The Mediterranean cruises home port in Barcelona Spain or Civitavecchia Italy. They do both round trips from each port and one way from each port.

The Northern Europe cruises home port in Southampton or Dover England and Copenhagen, Denmark. They do both round trips from each port and one way from each port.

This was very helpful - exactly the content I wanted to understand. Thank you!

 

[hg2002]

I would also wonder if they'd put a second ship in Europe. Feels like they keep stacking ships in the Bahamas/Caribbean. As the Treasure & Destiny sail, perhaps they can justify a second ship in the Mediterranean?

It would be great to have 1 ship in the Med & 1 up in Northern Europe for the summer season, however, I think it would be unlikely that Disney puts a second ship in Europe because of port agreements. They must put 3 year-round ships in Port Canaveral, and 1 year-round ship in Fort Lauderdale. And with the Magic & Wonder scheduled on the West Coast in up until April/May, that only leaves 1 ship free to go to Europe (for atleast the 2026 season).

 

[auntlynne]

I wouldn’t predict any future cruises based out of Barcelona. Unless a cruise line has solid contracts to port there, they may choose to go elsewhere. This is due to increasing opposition in locations to cruises.

Not to say it won’t happen.

 

[auntlynne]

Here’s 2024

 

[auntlynne]

And 2025 (what you know already)

 

[auntlynne]

2023, on the Dream. Booking opened April 2022

May 7th, 2023 - 13-Night Eastbound Transatlantic Cruise from Miami (Ponta Delgada (Azores), Lisbon, Cádiz, Málaga, Cartagena) > Barcelona

May 20th, 2023 - 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona (Toulon, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Palma de Mallorca)

May 27th, 2023 - 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona (Cannes, Livorno, Naples, Civitavecchia)

June 3rd, 2023 - 9-Night Mediterranean w/ Greek Isles Repo Cruise from Barcelona to Civitavecchia

June 12th, 2023 - 8-Night Mediterranean Cruise w/ Greek Isles from Civitavecchia (Naples, Mykonos, Piraeus, Santorini, Chania)

June 20th, 2023 - 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise w/ Greek Isles from Civitavecchia (Naples, Mykonos, Santorini, Chania)

June 27th, 2023 - 11-Night Mediterranean Repo Cruise w/ Greek Isles from Civitavecchia to Barcelona (Messina, Piraeus, Santorini, Mykonos, Naples, Livorno, Toulon)

July 8th, 2023 - 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona (Cannes, Livorno, Naples, Civitavecchia)

July 15th, 2023 - 7-Night Western Europe Repo Cruise from Barcelona to Southampton (Cádiz, Lisbon, Vigo, Le Havre)

July 22nd, 2023 - 10-Night Iceland, Norway, and France Cruise from Southampton to Copenhagen (Cherbourg, Reykjavik, Isafjordur, Akureyri, Alesund)

August 1st, 2023 - 7-Night Northern Europe Cruise from Copenhagen (Copenhagen, Kiel, Nynashamn, Fredericia, Oslo)

August 8th, 2023 - 11-Night Northern Europe Repo Cruise from Copenhagen to Southampton (Kiel, Nynashamn, Fredericia, Skagen, Oslo, Amsterdam, Zeebrugge)

August 19th, 2023 - 7-Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise from Southampton (Amsterdam, Skjolden, Nordfjordeid, Sandnes)

August 26th, 2023 - 4-Night France Cruise from Southampton (La Rochelle)

August 30th, 2023 - 4-Night Spain Cruise from Southampton (Bilbao)

September 3rd, 2023 - 7-Night Northern Europe and Norwegian Fjords Cruise from Southampton (Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Oslo, Sandnes)

September 10th, 2023 - 7-Night British Isles Cruise from Southampton (Belfast, Greenock, Liverpool, Ringaskiddy, Portland)

 

[auntlynne]

2022, Magic. Booking opened May 2021.

May 8th, 2022 - 13-Night Eastbound Transatlantic Cruise from Miami to Barcelona (Ponta Delgada, Lisbon, Cadiz, Malaga, Cartagena)

May 21st, 2022 - 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise (Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Cannes) Barcelona

May 28th, 2022 - 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise (Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Villefranche) Barcelona

June 4th, 2022 - 6-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona to Civitavecchia (Villefranche, Genoa, Livorno, Naples)

June 10th, 2022 - 8-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia (Messina, Santorini, Piraeus, Mykonos, Naples)

June 18th, 2022 - 9-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia (Dubrovnik, Kefalonia, Chania, Piraeus, Santorini, Naples)

June 27th, 2022 - 9-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia (Katakolon, Heraklion, Santorini, Piraeus, Mykonos, Naples)

July 6th, 2022 - 12-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia to Barcelona (Palermo, Santorini, Piraeus, Mykonos, Naples, Livorno, Villefranche, Marseilles)

July 18th, 2022 - 5-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona (Cannes, Civitavecchia, Livorno)

July 23rd, 2022 - 7-Night Western Europe Cruise from Barcelona to Dover (Cartagena, Porto, La Coruña, Bilbao)

July 30th, 2022 - 11-Night Northern Europe Cruise from Dover to Copenhagen (Amsterdam, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Nynashamn, Riga)

August 10th, 2022 - 7-Night Northern Europe Cruise from Copenhagen (Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm)

August 17th, 2022 - 11-Night Norway, Iceland, and Scotland Cruise from Copenhagen to Dover (Olden, Maloy, Reykjavik, Reykjavik, Kirkwall, Invergordon)

August 28th, 2022 - 7-Night Northern Europe Cruise from Dover (Amsterdam, Warnemünde, Copenhagen, Oslo)

September 4th, 2022 -7-Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise from Dover (Alesund, Nordfjordeid, Eidfjord, Stavanger)

September 11th, 2022 - 7-Night British Isles Cruise from Dover ( Portland, Cobh, Liverpool, Belfast, Greenock)

 

[auntlynne]

The 2022 and 2023 info comes from this forum in posts by @AquaDame. They were listed under Opening Day Prices.

 

[auntlynne]

MAGIC

May 9th 2021 - 13-Night Eastbound Transatlantic Cruise from Miami Ending in Barcelona (Ponte Delgada, Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Cartagena)

May 22nd 2021 - 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona (Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Toulon)

May 29th 2021 - 6-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona (Cannes, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Salerno)

June 4th 2021 - 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona to Civitavecchia (Cannes, Ajaccio, Genoa, Livorno, Naples)

June 11th 2021 - 8-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia (Messina, Santorini, Piraeus, Mykonos, Naples)

June 19th 2021 - 8-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia (Kefalonia, Mykonos, Piraeus, Santorini, Naples)

June 27th 2021 - 9-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia (Dubrovnik, Katakolon, Mykonos, Piraeus, Santorini, Naples)

July 6th 2021 - 11-Night Mediterranean with Greek Isles Cruise from Civitavecchia to Barcelona (Messina, Santorini, Mykonos, Piraeus, Naples, Olbia, La Spezia, Toulon)

July 17th 2021 - 6-Night Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona (Villefranche, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples

July 23rd 2021 - 7-Night Western Europe Cruise from Barcelona to Dover (Cartagena, Vigo, La Havre, Portland)

July 30th 2021 - 11-Night Norwegian Fjords and Iceland Cruise from Dover Ending in Copenhagen (Kirkwall, Reykjavik, Reykjavik, Akureyri, Alesund, Eidfjord, Kristiansand)

August 10th 2021 - 8-Night Northern Europe Cruise from Copenhagen (Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Visby, Stockholm)

August 18th 2021 - 10-Night Northern Europe Cruise from Copenhagen Ending in Dover (Tallinn, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Fredericia)

August 28th 2021 - 7-Night Northern Europe Cruise from Dover (Oslo, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Amsterdam)

September 4th 2021 - 7-Night Norwegian Fjords Cruise from Dover (Alesund, Stavanger, Eidfjord, Amsterdam)

September 11th 2021 - 7-Night British Isles Cruise from Dover (Greenock, Dublin, Liverpool, Cobh, Portland)

I don’t think these even happened. But they were the plans for Summer 2021. These dates were released Feb 2020.

 

[auntlynne]

There does seem to be a pattern, as you suspected.

And I imagine they could be similar in 2026, depending on acceptance of cruise ships in various ports (not just the embarkation and disembarkation ones) and wars.

I don’t expect to see an additional Disney ship doing the European itineraries. While they did move from the smaller Magic to the Dream class, I don’t know if that was more for the newer ship or the higher guest capacity.

 

[JM_97]

I think a big reason they stopped sending the Magic to Europe was her age. She did those transatlantic sailings each and every year and it probably took a toll on the engines and other mechanical parts.

The Fantasy is going over there in '25, mostly because she is due for dry dock. I believe the Dream will return in '26 and after that will be the designated ship for the European summer season.

 

[LAS2AMS]

I think a big reason they stopped sending the Magic to Europe was her age. She did those transatlantic sailings each and every year and it probably took a toll on the engines and other mechanical parts.

The Fantasy is going over there in '25, mostly because she is due for dry dock. I believe the Dream will return in '26 and after that will be the designated ship for the European summer season.

More likely, it’s because DCL’s fleet grew, giving it the opportunity to send a Dream-class ship. The Dream-class ships are larger, have lower per cabin costs, more upsell opportunities (two restaurants, more retail, larger spa, more lounges, etc.) and far more balconies. From a passenger perspective, it’s a far more desirable ship. Put simply: the Dream will make a lot more money than the Magic.

The Magic/ Wonder are among the last cruise ships built (in the entire industry) without an emphasis on balconies. They’re also among the last in service amongst the mainstream cruise lines. Both ships are in their twilight years and will likely have shorter service lives than the Dream-class.

 

[kappaman14]

There does seem to be a pattern, as you suspected.

And I imagine they could be similar in 2026, depending on acceptance of cruise ships in various ports (not just the embarkation and disembarkation ones) and wars.

I don’t expect to see an additional Disney ship doing the European itineraries. While they did move from the smaller Magic to the Dream class, I don’t know if that was more for the newer ship or the higher guest capacity.

Excellent, thanks for all this detail!