Where will the new Disney ships go?

[J9sling]

Maybe this question has been asked before but I was wondering if there are plans in place regarding departure ports for the new ships Disney is introducing to their fleet. I have been reading the RCCL boards for a while since we were cruising on the Mariner and have heard that the Mariner is leaving Port Canaveral in early 2009. There are no announcements made as of yet what will replace the Mariner (speculation is a Freedom class ... one that has the splash park and Flowrider). It got me wondering what Disney's plans are for the future.

 

Anyone have the scoop?

[gatour]

No official announcements, and even if they have an internal plan they could change between now and then.

 

My thoughts are that when the first ship comes online it will take over either the Magic or Wonder's schedule, with the replaced ship being sent to the West Coast. I am leaning that it would take over Magic's seven day run as that is the industry norm.

[gatour]

No official announcements, and even if they have an internal plan they could change between now and then.

 

My thoughts are that when the first ship comes online it will take over either the Magic or Wonder's schedule, with the replaced ship being sent to the West Coast. I am leaning that it would take over Magic's seven day run as that is the industry norm.

[cruiserbryce]

I think a lot of it hinges on how the Medit. cruises go this summer

[waterrats]

I think the ships would stay on the East Coast. I think that maybe Disney would move one of the ships over to Tampa. Disney will still want families to make a Disney land and sea vacation so keeping the ships close to home will help families do just that.

[metrowon]

Magic has done the milage trips for years, Magic starts the easy 3/4 day Bahamian cruises. Wonder to West coast for summers only, or Alaskan? Could be a new one does an around the world? Maybe a couple trans Atlantic? Who really cares? One thing is certain, we will have more options. As was qouted in the Srarface Movie, "THE World is Yours." Let's cruise! Metrowon

[Capt_BJ]

On another board it was passed that what the current DCL Captains are saying is that the new ships will use Port Canaveral with the existing ships moving to different ports.....

 

in other words: to be determined

[rainbowfish1969]

I so much more like DL and would love to do a land and sea there. Alaska would be incredible too

[Rudi610]

... on my part. But I would bet money that the first new ship will replace one of the current ships at Port Canaveral with either the Wonder or Magic going to California. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that both of the new ships are both post-Panamax, which means they cannot fit through the Panama Canal. So I would guess (not betting yet on this one) that the second new ship will also home port out of Port Canaveral with the other Wonder/Magic heading to California. This would put the 2 older ships on the west coast, and the 2 newer ones in Florida. Lots on scenarios can happen here. In California, both older ships can do the combination 3/4 night or 7 night Mexican Riviera cruises in winter with one of the ships heading to Alaska in summer. Or . . . one of the newer ships heads to Europe in summer and one of the older ships comes back through the canal and shares the 3/4 night and 7 night caribbean cruises with the remaining newer ship (leaving one of the older ships on the west coast). The older ship would then go back to the west coast when the other ship returns from Europe. Some much can happen. One of the 4 ships could also do SE Asia cruises to tie in with Hong Kong and Tokyo Disneys.

 

See how carried away I can get?

[tinkerme1]

Here is some of the info on the Disney ships:

 

"Disney Announces Expansion of Successful Cruise Business

Two New Ships will More than Double Passenger Capacity

 

 

The Walt Disney Company plans to expand its successful cruise business by adding two new ocean liners, President and CEO Bob Iger announced today. Scheduled to launch in 2011 and 2012, the ships will more than double the passenger capacity for Disney Cruise Line® to meet the sustained demand for Disney's family cruise vacations.

 

The new 122,000-ton cruise liners will be two decks taller than the existing 83,000-ton ships, the Disney Magic® and the Disney Wonder®. Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms. Specific design plans and itineraries for the yet-unnamed ships are still in development and will be unveiled at a later date."

[Julia_E]

Hi,

 

The Mexican Riviera would be my first idea and I agree that it depends on the Med cruises' success this summer. Alaska is a great idea and maybe they will do a 10 day Southern Caribbean out of Pt. Canaveral with a few Panama Canal cruises, too.

 

It will be interesting to see what Disney does with these new ships.

 

Best Regards,

Julia

Blog: spasandadventures.wordpress.com

[lvsatman]

Best guess, the Magic will be relocated to the West Coast. This would allow them to sail to Mexico in the Winter out of L.A., and then sail Alaska in the Summer out of Seattle. They would then have the option of doing a couple 14-day Hawaii trips also.

[honeydog714]

on our last cruise we were told at the castaway club party it would be alaska :)

[cruiserbryce]

I would think that Alaska is a possibility...a ship going back and forth between Mex and Alaska would be great...but still too early to know for sure...I know that ay have been the info given to you but I cant imagine that castmember has all the info needed to be giving out those details

[crazydude]

I'm guessing the Medt. But I'm hoping they do use them for southern Caribbean cruises. Hawaii perhaps (leaving from Vancouver)?

[Duane T]

Maybe this question has been asked before but I was wondering if there are plans in place regarding departure ports for the new ships Disney is introducing to their fleet. I have been reading the RCCL boards for a while since we were cruising on the Mariner and have heard that the Mariner is leaving Port Canaveral in early 2009. There are no announcements made as of yet what will replace the Mariner (speculation is a Freedom class ... one that has the splash park and Flowrider). It got me wondering what Disney's plans are for the future.

 

Anyone have the scoop?

 

I just came back from the Mediterranean on Disney's Cruise Ship Magic. I asked several people (Captain, Cruise Director) if they could shed any light on where the new ships are going and when they are going to offer another Mediterranean cruise.

 

All the answers I got were nothing final has been announced but certainly send in any suggestions on the survey at the end of the cruise.

 

I called Disney Cruise over the weekend and got a similar answer as when I was on the ship. Another blog mentioned that wherever a Disney Resort exists (Paris, Japan, Hong Kong) would be part of future cruises.

 

I'm really looking forward for their next ports of destination in Europe or Asia!

[logan1_2000]

On another board it was passed that what the current DCL Captains are saying is that the new ships will use Port Canaveral with the existing ships moving to different ports.....

 

in other words: to be determined

 

I passed that around on DIS Board after returning from the Wonder cruise May 27-31, 2007. Capt. John on that cruise, at the Castaway Club reception, stated that the new ships would be home ported at Port Canaveral and that the two current ships would be permanently re-located at that time, to home ports that have not yet been determined. Capt. John mentioned the most obvious possiblities, though he said he was just speculating, but the west coast, europe, possible season cruises to Alaska, or even southern caribeean out of san juan. these were his guesses, but he sounded very factual that regardless of where the new home port(s) might be, the 2 new ships would home port in Port Canaveral, in proximity to WDW and Castaway Cay.

[NancyIL]

We loved our Alaska cruise last month, and I'm sure a Disney ship going there would be very attractive to many families. However, given the crowds that are already in Alaska each summer, I think the last thing the port towns need is another cruise ship.

[rrfsteve]

The Wonder is the main money maker right now, so it makes sense that they put a higher capacity, new ship on that route. I am assuming they will use the other new ship for the Magics current run.

 

Due to the over usage of the magic, I see her being re-located to LA. The wonder - which has much less ware (and a brand new Prop) would be used for varied cruises (like the experiments they have been doing with the magic).

[toodycat]

I received a survey from DCL a while back asking where else I would like their ships to sail. My choices were Europe and Alaska, but who knows what everyone else wrote? For a third choice, I would love a cruise that left out of NY and went to Canada. A southern Caribbean itinerary would also be great.

[CP3o]

Will Castaway Cay be able to handle the bigger ships? I think CocoCay couldn't handle RCL Freedom so they had to set up in Haiti. I prefer private islands like Castaway Cay and CocoCay.

[TheTexasKid]

Will Castaway Cay be able to handle the bigger ships? I think CocoCay couldn't handle RCL Freedom so they had to set up in Haiti. I prefer private islands like Castaway Cay and CocoCay.

 

That is a good question, and one I think that has yet to be asked. Does anybody have an answer for the question?

 

I know as little about where the new ships are going to go, as most people. But, like alot of people my guess is that one of the older ships will be based on the West Coast, if for no other reason than a tie-in to Disneyland and because cruises to the Mexican Riviera have proven so popular so far.

 

I would also like to see one of the ships cruise out of Puerto Rico, if only during part of the year, to extend Disney Cruise Line's reach in the Caribbean.

And cruises to Alaska, Bermuda, and northern Europe would also be nice.

[Ellanora]

This is a complete and utter guess, but just for the heck of it:

 

Either the Wonder will move to the West Coast for 3-4 day cruises OR the Magic will move to Tampa for 7 day cruises. Whichever one doesn't move will stay in Port Canaveral for 3-4 night cruises. One of the new ships will go in Port Canaveral for 7 night cruises and the other will go to the Mediterranean full time.

 

Like I said, complete guess. Although it wouldn't surprise me if at some point in the future, all of the ports above host Disney ships at the same time.

[gatour]

Will Castaway Cay be able to handle the bigger ships? I think CocoCay couldn't handle RCL Freedom so they had to set up in Haiti. I prefer private islands like Castaway Cay and CocoCay.

 

RCCL has had the Haiti "setup" for years and years. They have periodically cancelled stops due to local unrest.

[CP3o]

They put a lot of money into building that dock for CC, I can't imagine them abandoning it the more I think about it. (Which is what would happen if it couldn't accomidate the larger ships and the smaller ships go elsewhere b/c they fit thru Panama canal.) CocoCay (RCL island) wasn't big enough for Freedom but was big enough for Voyager class ships so maybe we can assume CC will be able to handle the larger Disney ship. I think DCL new ships will still be a little smaller than RCL Voyager class.