An all new video appeared on inselvideo’s YouTube channel today showing progress on what is being reported as the Disney Wish’s engine room module at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock, Germany. According to the video description, the engine room is built at this particular shipyard.
Disney has chosen to remain silent when it comes to the Disney Wish during this pandemic. This is unfortunate because I think it is safe to say we could all use something to look forward to in a few years.
Disney Cruise Line has commissioned MEYER WERFT with the construction of three new ships, and the Disney Wish will be delivered in late-2021. The Disney Wish will be the first vessel in the Disney fleet to feature an eco-friendly LNG drive system.
MEYER WERFT built two cruise ships for Disney Cruise Line in 2010 and 2011, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. They became the largest ocean liners ever built in Germany at the time of their completion. And the three vessels in the Triton Class will be even bigger. The 135,000 GT Disney Wish will have 1250 guest cabins.
In late-March, inselvideo shared video of the first blocks of the Disney Wish arriving at the shipyard.
That would be good news, sterling from the construction site. I prefer smaller ships as proportionnally shared space seems less crowded
” Build it and they will come”
Disney has not been entirely silent. They described Cruise Ship Credit Facilities in their Quarterly Report to the SEC, filed on May 5, 2020. They main takeaway is the ships are delayed. Here is the exact quote:
“Cruise Ship Credit Facilities
The Company has credit facilities to finance three new cruise ships, which were to be delivered in 2021, 2022 and 2023 although delays are now expected as a result of the COVID-19 impact on the shipyard. The financings may be used for up to 80% of the contract price of the cruise ships. Under the agreements, $1.0 billion in financing is available beginning in April 2021, $1.1 billion is available beginning in May 2022 and $1.1 billion is available beginning in April 2023. Each tranche of financing may be utilized for a period of 18 months from the initial availability date. If utilized, the interest rates will be fixed at 3.48%, 3.72% and 3.74%, respectively, and the loans and interest will be payable semi-annually over a 12-year period from the borrowing date. Early repayment is permitted subject to cancellation fees.”
From a Disney Parks Blog PR/marketing side, they have been quiet. A SEC filing statement on the financing isn’t going to get people excited for a new ship.
Hoping there will be a Disney+ documentary on the behind the scenes making of!
When Disney added the third ship I expected it would replace Wonder who has not aged as gracefully as Magic.
With all that has gone on due to COVID I am wondering if demand will drop enough that they retire both Wonder and Magic.
Some will be ready to cruise again as soon as they can. But the real question is how many folks will only cruise again after a vaccine is available and how many won’t be ready to cruise again for years (if ever) even with a vaccine?
Magic and Wonder are sized for some itineraries larger ships could not do (Alaska, Panama cruise, Norway fjords etc.).
Moreover I suspect larger ships would struggle to fill for some pricier destinations.
That said you would be surprised by the number of people who are booking. It is true that the 125% incentive played a role, but it did not deter customers to book even expensive Alaska or Europe trips.
What hasn’t aged gracefully on the Wonder? I was on it for 14 nights in the WBPC in 2019 and didn’t find it much different then we did when we cruise it in 2005.
I was told by one of the captains (don’t remember which) on one of my 5 Panama Canal transits that the issue with both Magic and Wonder is that their discharges no longer comply with a host of environmental regulations in place across the world (particularly in the fjords of northern Europe and ALASKA). As more locations attempt to protect their people from the negative impact of waste discharges, the cost of retrofitting ships needs to be weighed against demand. And that was pre-covid. It will be interesting to see if the environmental policies are loosened to encourage tourist dollars.
Oh but she has. If anything, she has aged better as still closer to her original design. No aquadunk bolted on and just the closing of secret area of deck 7 aft. 🙂
Have you been on the Wonder in the last 8 months? She is in way better shape than Magic after her last dry dock in September 2019
Sorry, but that id balloney! Vancouver named the Wonder the most environmentally friendly ship across all cruise lines in 2019! Whomever that captain (?) was gave you a load of crud
30 year Alaskan and the info was corroborated by the retired head of the states “cruise ship waste water discharge program”. DCL is the worlds leader in a filthy industry… meaning they are the most respected and pollute the least, which is very good. That fact lives simultaneously with old engines whose discharge cannot be further refined to meet current regulations. Disney actually cares about this and I expect the older boats will be retired.
Really? Engine discharge? Retired “boats”? Not a clue!!!