News, Analysis and Reviews of the Disney Entertainment Business
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The 208,000-gross-ton Global Dream has been under construction in Germany since 2018, and was being built for Genting Hong Kong (Dream Cruises), which filed for bankruptcy, forcing a court-ordered sale of its assets, including the Global Dream. According to Disney, they were then able to acquire the ship “at a favorable price.”
Source: Disney Cruise Line website
The Global Dream’s capacity is about 9,000 passengers, but Disney Cruise Line plans for a maximum capacity of about 6,000 guests along with 2,300 crew members. Current Disney ships clock in at 4,000 guests or under, with the newest ship, Disney Wish (2022), at 1,254 staterooms for a 4,000-passenger capacity and 1,555 person crew. Disney Magic (1998), the first ship in the fleet, was only 875 staterooms with a 2,713-passenger capacity and 950 person crew. The Disney Wonder (1999) had the same capacity as Disney Magic, and both the Disney Dream (2011) and Disney Fantasy (2012) have 1,250 staterooms for a 4,000-passenger capacity and 1,458 person crew.
The Meyer Werft shipyard in Wismar, Germany, which built the Disney Wish, Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream, will continue construction on the Global Dream, which will be renamed as part of Disney’s fleet. While the Global Dream is slated to take to the high seas in 2025, Disney is also expecting to receive delivery of the Disney Treasure in 2024. The Treasure is the sister ship to the recently launched Disney Wish. A third Trident Class ship for Disney’s fleet will head to the water in 2025 under a yet-to-be announced name, before bringing the Global Dream to the team.
Global Dream will be based outside the United States, but its itinerary has not yet been announced. However, Disney Cruise Line plans to bring the ship to “new global destinations.” Disney has also indicated that the new ship will run on green methanol, one of the first in the cruise industry to use the low-emission fuel.
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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.
One thing can be said about the current travel season: It changes by the day! Consider what’s happening with Disney Cruise Line.
Last month, when Disney launched its test sailing with volunteer passengers in order to comply with (the then-current) CDC simulated voyage Conditional Sailing guidelines, it was with hope that they could return to sailing without the required level of vaccinated passengers. Being a “Disney” entity, whose clientele consists of legions of families with younglings under the age of 12 who are not eligible for vaccines, the CDC threshold of a 95% vaccination rate without the simulated voyage would potentially have been difficult for Disney to achieve.
Today, however, Disney Cruise Line announced changes to their rules. Vaccinations will now be required for Disney Cruise Line passengers beginning September 3. The new guidelines are predominantly based on a change to the entry requirements from The Bahamas, where Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is located.
According to Disney’s announcement today, “For sailings to The Bahamas beginning September 3, 2021 until November 1, 2021, The Bahamas will require that all passengers ages 12 and older be fully vaccinated in order for a ship to be allowed entry into any of its cruise ports, including private islands like Disney Castaway Cay.”
In additional information on the Disney Cruise Line website, all passengers ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated to board the ship. Guests who choose not to provide proof of vaccination will not be permitted to board. Guests must provide proof of vaccination by uploading their vaccination card to the Safe Passage by Inspire website. (The CDC considers people to be fully vaccinated 14 days after their final dose has been administered, so guests should take that timing into consideration when planning their itineraries.)
According to the Cruise Line, “Guests under the age of 12 must still provide proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken between 5 days and 24 hours prior to the sail date by uploading their test results to the Safe Passage by Inspire website. They will also be required to undergo a second PCR COVID-19 test administered by Inspire Diagnostics at the terminal prior to boarding.”
For those guests who cannot comply with the new regulations, they may modify their sail date or cancel their sailing without any Disney-imposed cancellation fees by contacting the reservations team at (866) 325-6685 or (407) 566-7797 by September 3, 2021.
A complete list of the new requirements and details can be found on Disney Cruise Lines’ “Know Before You Go” page, which will continue to update information as conditions change.
Additional details on specific ships include:
Disney Fantasy:
• The September 4, 2021, Disney Fantasy sailing has been cancelled.
• Beginning August 25, 2021, guests can book 4-night cruises scheduled to take place after September 11, 2021, from Port Canaveral, Florida, to Disney’s Castaway Cay on the Disney Fantasy.
• If you were scheduled for a seven-night Disney Fantasy voyage departing Sept. 11, Sept. 18, Sept. 25 or Oct. 2: Your cruise will automatically transition to the new four-night itineraries, with the same departure dates. (Contact your travel agency or Disney Cruise Line for the complete list of refunds, credits, and adjustments that will be made for affected guests who choose not to sail on the shorter cruise, or who may already be paid in full and need refunds for the shorter journey.)
• 7-night voyages onboard the Disney Fantasy are tentatively set for October, and Disney will release additional information on those sailings shortly.
Disney Dream:
• The Disney Dream is offering 3- and 4-night trips from Port Canaveral to Castaway Cay in The Bahamas.
Disney Magic and Disney Wonder:
• Exclusive to UK residents, the Disney Magic is offering short voyages in the United Kingdom for a limited time.
With the Disney Dream’s return to the high seas came the opportunity for guests to see the changes that were made to the Cruise Line’s art-deco-inspired terminal at Port Canaveral. An extended covered walkway for arrivals, expanded terminal entrance, and a new passenger bridge were among the upgrades awaiting this summer’s passengers.
Without a doubt, Cruise Line passengers will be exposed to numerous, and potentially last-minute, changes to their adventures as Disney begins its phased return approach to sailing, and as COVID conditions change. Check back to the Disney Cruise Line’s website often for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
Put your cruise wear away for now, Disney Fans. Disney Cruise Line is among the companies who have postponed additional May sailings as COVID continues to stymie the return to the open seas. They have cancelled all sailings departing through May 2021.
In a challenge of one-step-forward, two-steps-back, Disney has seen some of their parks, including Hong Kong, adding back missing days and extending hours, while other sectors of their business, including cruises, have taken another hit.
From Port Canaveral: The Disney Fantasy will not sail until at least June 2, and the Disney Dream is not expected to sail until after June 4.
From Other Ports: The Disney Magic’s European season tours are docked until at least August 10, “given the likelihood of international borders remaining closed for an extended period of time.” The Disney Wonder’s Alaska cruises are also impacted, since they operate through Canadian departures, and Canada’s ports are closed until February 28, 2022 for ships with more than 100 passengers. Disney cautions, “We are evaluating various options for the Disney Wonder’s scheduled season in Alaska. Once a decision is made, we will reach out to Guests booked on these sailings.”
The Disney Fantasy, due to set sail July 22-31 on a longer cruise, has also temporarily docked that itinerary. “Based on the conditional sail order provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Disney Cruise Line must cancel sailings longer than 7 nights,” according to today’s advisory.
Disney Cruise Line is contacting passengers impacted by these changes. Guests booked on affected sailings with paid in full reservations can choose a cruise credit to be used for a future sailing or a full refund. Guests who are not yet paid in full will automatically receive a refund.
You can also contact your travel agent for assistance with rebookings and refunds.
As this is a continually and quickly evolving situation, be sure to check the Disney Cruise Line’s website for the most up-to-date changes.
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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
