Disney Cruise Line Reveals a 3rd New Ship is Planned By 2023

During Saturday’s D23 Expo Parks & Resorts presentation, Bob Chapek, Chairman Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, revealed that Disney Cruise Line will be building 3 new ships, not just 2 which were previously announced by Bob Iger in 2016. The ship announced today, will be ship #6, the middle sister, if you will, as it was announced to be launching in 2022. Once all three new ships launch, the DCL fleet will feature 7 ships.

DCL D23 Expo 2017 Fleet Expansion Graphic

The ship names and design plans are still in development, according to the Disney Parks Blog article, with each of the ships expected to have their own unique experiences. The three new sister ships will be powered by clean-burning liquefied natural gas and be the same size – approximately 135,000 gross tons with about 1,250 guest staterooms planned – which is slightly larger than the Dream class.

BOB CHAPEK

BOB CHAPEK

BOB CHAPEK (CHAIRMAN, DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS)

“We decided two ships wouldn’t be enough to hold all of the exciting new experiences we have been dreaming up to take family cruise vacations to a whole new level with immersive Disney storytelling, world-class family entertainment, and imaginative innovations that are fantastically fun and uniquely Disney,” Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said.

31 Replies to “Disney Cruise Line Reveals a 3rd New Ship is Planned By 2023”

  1. steven

    It’s crazy here at D23 and that’s was an awesome announcement on the extra cruise ship to be built!!!

    Reply
  2. Ed

    I believe that the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder will be approaching 25 years old or more – not exactly sure. But at what age does one retire or scrap a ship? So in reality the fleet may not be 7 ships for very long?

    Reply
      1. Ron

        Both have had reimagining recently, so I would expect them to be in service for a while. My guess is Magic and Wonder will service overseas and Alaska. Heard some rumors of sailings to Asia….

        Reply
    1. Dennis C

      Each of the major cruise lines have vessels in their fleets as old and older. Many of the ships that have been retired from their fleets are in service with other divisions or cruise lines. They’re designed to operate at least 50 years.

      Reply
    2. Angella Turner

      Every so many years they “reimagine” the ships. So they don’t scrap them. They refurbish them. And I’m pretty sure the Wonder has already been refurbished at least once or twice already

      Reply
    3. Arthur K. kittelsen

      That question as alot to do with how they are maintained. In the case of Disney they keep their ships in very good shape, both public areas and appearance, but mechanical as well…..You can expect the classics to go to 35 or 40 years with out much trouble. There is actually some cruise ships in their 50 and 60’s still operating, including the S.S. Stockholm from the Andra Doria collision.

      Reply
  3. steven

    Disney is always looking towards the future and I think that’s 1 reason why they are doing 3 ships rather than 2 ships because of the Magic and Wonder age. I feel it would be a good time to invest in the shipyards because they will be working none stop to build the 3 ships then you have Royal turning out ships every year. Disney is doing what’s best and even though they are 1 of the smallest cruise lines they are almost at full capacity for each cruise. It will be sad when they retire the Wonder and Magic but let’s all guess what the new names will be…. I’m thinking Wish,Imagination and impossible.

    Reply
  4. james

    I suspect, Magic (1998) and Wounder (1999) will each be taken off line as a new ship enters service and receive a complete over haul/ modernization. Ensuring DCL will be able to use the ships for the full 50 year design life. I suspect there will also be advertisements centered on Grandma taking the now extended family on the same ship that she took her children on. Maybe even flashbacks to being in the same room.

    If there is one thing Disney does well at, it is selling nostalgia. Think of how many people line up for hours just to ride Dumbo and It’s a Small World at WDW.

    Reply
  5. Nicholas Paul

    Concierge Crew on all four ships have told us that the new ship names are Imagination and Wishes, and that they will be part of the “Imagination Class.”

    Reply
        1. Dave F

          Three new figureheads…Figment, Tinkerbell and Capt Jack. (How can you have a cruise line that is in the Caribbean without using a Pirate of the Caribbean)

          Reply
  6. Steven

    I hope with 3 new ships that one of the DCL ships will be permanently sailing out of Port of Los Angeles. It would be great to have a Disneyland Resort vacation and then a Disney bus take guests to the Disney Cruise ship. I’m sorry, but San Diego is a bit far to travel from Disneyland.

    Reply
    1. Ariel

      My family just finished the Panama Canal crossing last week.We all wished we can do it over again.I was talking to an officer on board and mentioned why not Port of Los Angeles.The reason was SD is closer to Mexico less fuel for them to use.He also mentioned that port of LA is so busy.

      Reply
  7. Phil

    I was a little surprised that the newly announced third ship has a completion date in between the two that were already announced. One would think it would be further into the future. Maybe Meyer-Werft had an open slot for production?

    Reply
  8. Psac

    I’m very happy that they’re keeping the cabin count at/near the 1250 of the Dream and Fantasy. The 2000+ cabins of the NCL/RCCL megaliners make those ships completely unmanageable. It really makes a huge difference, and will help keep the Disney quality!

    I also hope they keep one in the NY market for more of the year, if not full time.

    Reply
  9. John

    My Future DCL Departure Ports Predictions:

    Disney Magic: Miami / Puerto Rico
    Disney Wonder: California / Alaskia
    Disney Dream: Galveston (year round) [Port of Galveston and DCL build a new terminal 3 – DCL Cruise terminal]
    Disney Fantasy: NY/Europe
    Disney Imagination: PC
    Disney Wishes PC
    Disney (unnamed) Asia / Australia

    Let me know what you think!

    Reply
    1. Denny C

      If they do place a ship in New York the Magic seems a more likely candidate, splitting its time between New York and Europe. The Wonder out of Galveston for the winter months after it completes its season in Alaska seems a good fit. I suspect that the Dream will be joined by a second ship for shorter 3 and 4 day itineraries out of Port Canaveral with a third dedicated to longer itineraries. Miami could find itself hosting a Disney ship year round. As for the 7th ship, if not a another domestic port like Port Everglades, the Asian market seems the most likely candidate.

      I’m not sure if Disney would leave a ship on the West Coast. The other cruise lines have a limited presence out there.

      Reply
      1. John

        Thanks for your feedback. I like to read what others are thinking about future home ports.
        Here is my thoughts and opinions:

        1. I do agree that the magic may home port from NY and Europe. Reason being the ship size needed to accomplish the current itineraries in Europe.

        2. I do see the Wonder sailing year round out of the west coast (winter) and Alaska (summer) are very popular itineraries…Also, To my knowledge the Wonder’s hull is the only current ship in the fleet built to withstand the Icy waters of the North Pacific.

        3. Dream out Galveston year round…. Galveston has become one of the largest cruise departure ports in the US with the ships sailing at or near maximum capacity based on conversions with employees at RCCL, Carnival and Disney. I do also know that Galveston is looking in to building a third cruise terminal based of articles I have read after they completed the terminal 2 expansion.

        Mainly the year scenario makes sense to me is because you have some of the largest cities ( Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio) within driving distance to the port.

        4. It is possible DCL would sail year round out of Miami, but I personally don’t think it make good business sense with Disney Parks. Let face it, with all the updates coming to WDW that will be completed by the time the ships are on line, the focus will be to getting people to WDW as it has always been. With a large ship in Miami year round that would take would be guests to Miami which mean Disney loses an opportunity for pre and post cruise stays at WDW. That is why I see DCL alternating between Miami and Puerto Rico.

        5. With Disney Parks in China and Japan it makes perfect sense to put a ship there. I do believe it will be one of the new ones, because it will have to have the amenities that would reflect the culture of that part of the world.

        Reply
        1. Psac

          The biggest downside to the existing ships in Asia would be no casino. It may be hard to succeed in that market without one. Maybe the 2022 ship will be Asia-dedicated with an actual casino on board?

          Reply
  10. Dave F

    Does this mean there are plans to expand Castaway Cay? I’ve done the Island on the Dream and Wonder and have to say the day was more enjoyable on the Wonder for the simple reason it was less crowded. Bringing a bigger ship to the Island is going to be too crowded.

    Reply
      1. Dave F

        As a replacement Island or as a Second Island option? Our favorite port is always Castaway Cay. If I wanted to spend time in Nassau, I’d book the Atlantis.

        Reply
  11. steven

    Your correct Scott Disney is looking at a 2nd island, Disney has some lease for 99 years with the bahamas about castaway. I feel they will put 1 new ship in Port Canavel and send the Dream to California.They won’t port another ship in Miami as its to close to Port Canaveral. They might put a ship in Texas,California and in China

    Reply

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