Disney Cruise Line Announces Summer 2016 Itineraries (May – September)

Disney Cruise Line announced a new batch of itineraries this morning filled with European Magic as well as the traditional sailings to Alaska, the Caribbean and The Bahamas. Disney Cruise Line will be sailing to 15 different European counties in 2016. A 12-Night British Isles Cruise will include majestic England, romantic France, an beautiful Ireland. A couple of repositioning, 12-Night Northern European sailings from Dover and Copenhagen will include Iceland, breathtaking Norway. Additionally, the Disney Magic will return the Mediterranean and Greece. There is even an itinerary that includes both.

The Disney Wonder will be returning to Alaska with sailings from Vancouver while the Dream and Fantasy will contiue to sail a varienty of Bahamaian and Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral in what is being touted as the most magical years ever for Disney Cruise Line.

Today’s release extended the available sail dates into August 2016 for the Magic & Wonder and through September 2016 for the Dream & Fantasy. These new sail dates will allow guest to plan vacations more than one year out, s well as take advantage of opening day pricing for some of of the unique European sailings they may have been intriguing from the 2015 summer schedule.

Disney Magic Summer 2016 Sailings

The Disney Magic will start May 2016 with two additional Caribbean Sailings from Port Canaveral before embarking on a 14-night Transatlantic cruise to Dover, England.

Port Canaveral Sailings

Once in Dover, the Disney Magic will sail to the Norwegian Fjords and the British Isles. The 12-Night Sailing to Iceland and Norway is a repositioning cruise to Copenhagen.

Dover Sailings (May – June)

The Magic will arrive in Copenhagen for a Norwegian Fjord cruise followed by a 7-night Northern European sailing. The Disney Magic will depart Copenhagen mid-July on another 12-Night Iceland and Norway repositioning cruise back to Dover.

Copenhagen

The Disney Magic will only be back in Dover to embark on a 7-night repositioning cruise to Barcelona.

Dover Sailing (July)

Upon arriving in Barcelona on August 1st, the Magic will sail a special 12-Night Mediterranean & Greece cruise followed by three 7-Night Mediterranean cruises.

Barcelona Sailings

 

Disney Wonder Summer 2016 Sailings

The Disney Wonder will kick off summer on May 1st with the same 14-Night Westbound Panama Canal cruise as this year that ends in San Diego, California.

Miami Sailings

San Diego will serve as a brief stop over for the Disney Wonder in mid-May 2016. She will sail one 3-night Getaway Cruise then head north on a 5-night repositioning cruise to Vancouver.

San Diego Sailings

Once in Vancouver, the Disney Wonder will sail her regular 7-Night Alaskan itinerary through mid-August.

Vancouver Sailings

It is uncertain what the Disney Wonder will so the remainder of the summer, but previous indications point to a re-imagination.

Disney Dream Summer 2016 Sailings

The Disney Dream will spend the summer months alternating between three and four-night Bahamian sailings. Unlike in 2015, there are no 5-night sailings with two-stops at Castaway Cay.

Port Canaveral

Disney Fantasy Summer 2016 Sailings

The Disney Fantasy will spend the Summer of 2016 sailing alternating 7-Night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Port Canaveral

Summer 2016 Onboard Booking Blockout Dates

Travel on a Dream posted the sail dates that DCL has excluded from the Onboard Booking promotion. Remember, these dates are subject to change and additional sailings may be blocked out. The sailings are as follows:

Disney Magic

Disney Wonder

Disney Dream

Updated 2015 – 2016 Itinerary Brochure

For those interested in a brochure, Disney Cruise Line published an updated 2015-2016 Sail Dates & Itineraries booklet. Click the image below to download the brochure as a PDF.

DCL Itinerary Brochure March 2015 2015 2016 Summer Dates Cover

Below is the copy of the press release that you can read verbatim at hundreds of other websites.

New ports in Scotland, England, Ireland and France join other popular destinations for the summer season

CELEBRATION, Fla. (March 24, 2015) – In 2016, Disney Cruise Line is sailing its first British Isles itinerary, visiting Scotland, England, Ireland and France. Throughout the summer of 2016, Disney Cruise Line also will return to Norway, Iceland and ports of call in more than 15 European countries.

In addition to the tour of Europe with limited engagements in the Baltic, Norwegian Fjords, Iceland, British Isles, Greek Isles and the Mediterranean, Disney Cruise Line will revisit favorite destinations elsewhere around the globe including Alaska, the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Bookings for the new itineraries open to the public on March 26, 2015. More details can be found on the Itineraries and Ports for 2016 page of disneycruise.com.

New British Isles

On June 5, 2016, Disney Cruise Line will sail from Dover, England on its very first British Isles itinerary. The 12-night cruise on the Disney Magic will sail to Invergordon, Kirkwall and Greenock (Glasgow), Scotland; Newcastle and Liverpool, England; Dublin, Ireland; Le Havre (Paris), France; and Guernsey; one of the Channel Islands. All of these, except Kirkwall, are first-time ports of call for Disney Cruise Line.

On this itinerary, guests can explore the majestic beauty of Scotland, experience Highland culture, sample traditional cuisine and spirits, and discover the country’s iconic castles. Elsewhere on the itinerary, guests will experience the merry, cosmopolitan city of Dublin, the culturally rich and romantic Paris, the birthplace of the Beatles and the British Invasion in Liverpool, and the charming countryside of Guernsey.

New Iceland and Norway

Disney Cruise Line guests can explore the natural wonders of Iceland with two new 12-night Disney Magic sailings. Each itinerary includes two days in Reykjavik and a stop in Akureyri, Iceland; Bergen, Norway; and Kirkwall, Scotland. Departing from Dover, England and concluding in Copenhagen, Denmark, the June 17 cruise also visits Stavanger, Norway and Newcastle, England. The July 13 cruise departing from Copenhagen, Denmark and concluding in Dover, England also visits Oslo and Kristiansand, Norway and Invergordon, Scotland.

On this itinerary, three days in Iceland provides time to explore the country’s rich natural wonders such as volcanoes, lava fields, glaciers and thermal springs. In Norway, guests are immersed in the splendor and charm of the country with exciting ports steeped in Viking history.

New Norwegian Fjords from Dover

For the first time, Disney Cruise Line will sail from Dover, England on a seven-night cruise to the majestic Norwegian fjords. Departing on May 29, the Disney Magic will visit Stavanger, Alesund, Geiranger and Bergen, Norway.

In Norway, Disney Cruise Line guests will discover breathtaking natural wonders such as magnificent mountain ranges, massive glaciers and majestic fjords. The enchanting Scandinavian culture of the region comes to life through local attractions, stunning architecture, storybook villages and historic city centers.

More Summer 2016 Itineraries

During the summer of 2016, the Disney Magic will return to favorite destinations in northern Europe, the Greek Isles and the Mediterranean with a variety of seven-night and longer sailings.

From May through August 2016, the Disney Wonder will return to Alaska, sailing from Vancouver, Canada to Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan.

In 2016, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy will sail from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas and Caribbean on a variety of itineraries. All of these cruises include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Although the dates were announced today, booking will not being until March 25. On Wednesday, Platinum & Gold Castaway Club members will be able to call in or have their travel agents book sailings. On Thursday, March 26th Silver Castaway Club members as well as first time cruisers will be able to book. I mentioned this yesterday, but it is worth repeating… Please do not try calling today to book; this will just clog up the phone lines and bog down the reservation cast members. There may be people attempting to book an available cruise vacation today.

68 Replies to “Disney Cruise Line Announces Summer 2016 Itineraries (May – September)”

      1. Marni

        Don’t we usually have a range of pricing for the new itineraries when they release new cruises? Also, it appears no. Lockout dates. True?

        Reply
    1. C

      Waiting for dream , wonder or fantasy to sail Greek isles or eu! Or Iceland etc!
      Tried Disney magic in Fl. – Caribbean
      Wana try the other newer & more fab Disney ships & sailings

      Reply
      1. LeoM

        We have LOVED every European Disney Magic cruise we’ve sailed – next summer we finally get to try the Baltic. ‘I heartily endorse this…’ ship as Art Linkletter might have said. And she was just given another round of refurbishment so it’s hard to find ‘newer’. And once the Panama Canal upgrade is finished and the Wonder is finally refurbed there is no telling where she will go.

        But as for the Dream and the Fantasy I doubt they will ever go ‘Transatlantic’. Also, their comparatively large size restricts them to ports able to handle larger vessels.

        Reply
    1. Lien

      Sadly doesn’t look like it. I was hoping to book one looks like it’s time to go back to the drawing board 🙁

      Reply
  1. Dennis C

    First visit ever to Boston. Too bad they won’t be sailing out of Boston for the summer. A far less lucrative port it would seem.

    Reply
    1. Marnix

      If DCL follows the same timing they did last year these will be announced around the end of May. Up to and including the New Year’s Cruises.

      Reply
  2. Joel

    Starting to get a bit frustrated after several years now of “new” itineraries being simply a new addition to European cruise ports or some minor tweaks in the Caribbean. Also, the changes seem to be for only a few cruises each year, which just doesn’t work for those who can only take their vacation at a certain time.. I’m really hoping to see a ship based in Boston/NY/Baltimore one of these summers doing Bermuda cruises, or a regular Hawaii cruise replacing Europe for an entire Summer season once multiple ships can make it through the Panama canal.

    Reply
    1. Leo McLaughlin

      We had friends who took one of the Bermuda sailings out of New York in 2012. While they liked the idea of a ‘no fly’ cruise they found the days at sea too cold and the days on land too few. Though as someone else mentioned, I’m sure the bigger reason is the higher fares for summer cruises in Europe.

      That said, I think they should sail the Magic out of NY for 1-3 weeks after Easter and before summer. And I would REALLY like to see the Wonder take a 3 week break from Alaska and go to Hawaii during summer vacation. Ah, well.

      Reply
  3. Diane

    Thank you for pulling all this great information into one area. It is quite challenging to figure out the sailings by ship. Great Job. Very useful information. I appreciate your effort in pulling it all together.

    Reply
  4. Ann Hoff

    Scott, you do such an amazing job of keeping us informed! Thank you for all the time and effort you put into this blog. Disney should give you a free trip!

    Reply
  5. Janet

    I think Scott should be in charge of DCL’s website. He understands how to clearly present the pertinent information. Disney’s site, not so much! Thanks, Scott. This saved me a ton of time searching Disney’s site.

    Reply
  6. Matthew

    Thanks Scott! Great work here.

    I see Disney has posted a 2016 WBTA for the Magic ending in San Juan. I am curious if the dates will be right after the last 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise?

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      Matthew, This has been on the website and as it was the sailing from 2014. It is possible the Magic could repeat the Southern Caribbean sailings in the Fall of 2016. I checked the St Maarten port calendar and the Magic does not resume calls in the Fall until November 2016.

      Reply
  7. Bel

    Bummer … was looking for October / November 2016 dates??? Any ideas when I should be looking for them to be released.

    Reply
  8. Tammy

    Gold and Platinum can call in to reserve on Wednesday, but chances are you’ll get a busy signal. If you do manage to connect, high probability you’ll get disconnected partway through the ACD queue. Over 200 redials (my phone counts them…), connected 5 times and have been disconnected 5 times before reaching an agent.

    Reply
  9. Kelly

    When will the information with prices be available online? We’ve only been on 1 Disney cruise before. So. Anxious. To. Book.

    Reply
  10. James

    I was hoping for sailings out of the upper east coast. It is not very magical to start and end a vacation with the TSA.

    Reply
  11. Laura

    Thank you much for the updates! I book trips for Disney and this website has been super informative for people asking opinions and specifics. I really appreciate all the hard work!!

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      Online is easier if you are just booking a new sailing. Today (3/25/15) is call in only for Gold & Platinum Castaway Club members. Online booking will go live tomorrow (3/26) morning. In the past, this has been between 6AM and 8AM before phone lines open.

      Reply
  12. Leo McLaughlin

    Started calling at 8:00 and got busy signal, redialled til 8:35, still on hold at 9:30, finally got through at 10:32. But…very happy as my onboard ‘temporary’ back to back booking is now a pair of European cruises!

    Reply
  13. Kelly

    So I was finally able to see the dates/prices online today and I am disappointed. If I were to book the Western Caribbean for June of this year, it is actually almost $300 cheaper than in 2016 (same itinerary, same week, same room type). I thought they used a tier pricing that would make it cheaper to book as soon as possible. It seems like planning ahead will cost you more money. Do you know why this would be? We’ve only been on one Disney cruise before so I’m not hip to all the inside goings-on.

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      DCL knows people like to plan in advance. Thus price higher on opening day and discount closer to sail date if needed to fill passenger quota. They are also dipping into deeper pockets which is the case even at the shoreside destinations like Disneyland/Walt Disney World. They may price one group out, but they know there is a population out there with deeper pockets that will also spend more up front for the fare and even more once onboard. Same would apply to a WDW vacation.

      Reply
    2. Leo McLaughlin

      Disney tries to match price to demand – sometimes they succeed and sometimes they fail (spectacularly). To see the other side of that coin look at the current prices for the ‘Baltic’ cruises in July 2015 – I assure you they were nowhere near that price initially.

      Reply
  14. Robert Yetman

    Don’t see anything for the Wonder after the 15 August 2016 cruise, including September. Drydock & rehab for several weeks?

    Reply
    1. Leo McLaughlin

      As Scott mentioned in earlier posts the Wonder is due for rehab this fall. At the same time, Disney is playing a waiting game with her smaller ships trying to time passages around the planned widening of the Panama Canal.

      Personally I’m hoping for a Vancouver to Honolulu cruise on August 22nd – I would LOVE for there to be a DCL Hawaiian cruise I can go on before my kids graduate high school.

      Reply
  15. Spencer

    We booked the 12 night Med & Greek Isles. Higher price than I was hoping, but in line with what I was expecting. What was a bit surprising was the huge gap between category prices… We’ll book a flight and a half to Europe with the money saved going on an inside stateroom.

    Reply
  16. Mary Robinson

    Scott,
    You mentioned earlier that the Magic will not be in St. Maarten in the fall of 2016 until November. Have you done any research on what might be the itinerary for the 2016 WBTA? We want to book that cruise when it opens for booking in May but in the meantime, we are so curious about the length and itinerary of the cruise that we can’t stand it 🙂

    Reply
  17. Danni

    Scott, thank you for all the updates, it is invaluable.
    I assume that now prices have gone up we cannot expect to see a decrease?

    Reply
    1. LeoM

      For the summer European cruises I would expect not. Or at least not until you hit the 120 day window – the price of an 11B on the 11-Night North Norwegian Fjords and Iceland Cruise on Disney Magic this summer is slightly off its peak. That said, the price for a 9A continues to climb.

      The only cruises for which I’ve seen prices go down before the 120 day mark are those in the Caribbean during the ‘off’ weeks from mid-Jan to early-March not near President’s week. But your mileage may vary.

      Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      I do not expect at 2016 Hawaii cruise. The Wonder is due for an extended Dry Dock in the fall and could eat into the time available to sail on the west coast. Then again, I could be wrong.

      Reply
  18. Tiffany Keeton

    Do you anticipate a Southern Caribbean from San Juan for Oct 2016? We did that in 2014 and it was wonderful! Would do it again in a heartbeat!

    Reply
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      We shall find out before the end of the month if DCL keeps to their recent itinerary announcement pattern. Have you considered the 2016 Southerns on the Wonder?

      Reply
  19. Tiffany Keeton

    Yes, we have considered the Southerns on the Wonder but I hate to pull the kids from school. However, if they aren’t offered in the fall 2016, during fall break, we may do that. It’s a great itinerary that is vastly different from the Eastern and Western ones.

    Reply
  20. Yusimit Barrios

    I would love to go on the Panamal Cruise on Wonder.. Unfortunately the only available dates are while the kids are at school – is there any plans to have this option open for June/July? Living in Miami the Caribbean is pretty boring and the Alaskan cruise is the same amount for a family of four for one week as it is for the two weeks in the Panamal Cruise.

    Reply
    1. LeoM

      Sadly, almost certainly not – the Panama Cruise is the Wonder’s repositioning cruise that only takes place after the West Coast itineraries are no longer feasible due to weather. Disney’s Alaska cruises are very successful for them – when I looked at the end of July only one of the August cruises had ANY availability (for a room for 4).

      My dream is for Disney to offer the Hawaiian voyages before Labor day instead of early September so I can take the kids. But I don’t see that happening either.

      Reply
  21. Kara Weber

    Do you know if they are going to bring back the Hawaii voyage ? I have called and they said up to 2017 there will be no Hawaii , but will it ever happen ?

    Reply

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