Disney Cruise Line's new ship class
Disney Cruise Line has revealed the first details of a new three-ship class scheduled to begin entering service in 2029.
The 105,000-gross-tonne vessels will be built by Meyer Werft in Germany, with deliveries planned across 2029 and 2030, and capacity for up to 3,000 passengers each.
Disney Cruise Line presented an initial rendering of the new class during its D23 Expo, offering the first indication of the exterior design planned for the vessels.
The ships will retain elements associated with Disney Cruise Line’s existing fleet, including a black and gold hull and two funnels, while incorporating features that distinguish them from the larger Wish-class vessels.
Among the most prominent elements shown in the initial design is a three-deck- glass lobby area positioned amidships. Further details of the ships’ onboard venues, accommodation, and attractions have yet to be announced.
The new class will also incorporate an optimised hull and lightweight construction intended to improve energy efficiency. Disney said the vessels are being designed to “capture the magic of the ocean” according to a release, with additional features due to be revealed as development progresses.
“From sketches and finished drawings, thinking ahead and creating new attractions for months and years to come, we keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things,” Disney said.
At 105,000 gross tonnes, the new vessels will be smaller than Disney Cruise Line’s recent newbuilds, including the 140,000-gross-tonne Wish-class ships. Their planned capacity of up to 3,000 passengers will also place them between different generations of vessels currently operating or under development for the cruise line.
The three-ship order forms part of a wider expansion of Disney Cruise Line’s fleet that will continue before the new class enters service.
The next addition is scheduled to be Disney Believe, currently under construction at Meyer Werft and due to enter service in 2027. The 140,000-gross-tonne vessel will be the fourth ship in the Wish class.
A fifth Wish-class vessel is scheduled for delivery in early 2029. The yet-to-be-named ship will accommodate approximately 2,500 passengers and will operate in Japan through Disney’s partnership with Oriental Land Company.
The Japan-based vessel will become the first Disney Cruise Line ship to operate from the country and will expand the brand’s presence in Asia.
The subsequent arrival of the new 105,000-gross-tonne class will continue Disney Cruise Line’s fleet expansion through the end of the decade. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2029, with the remaining two following in 2030.
Disney has not yet disclosed the ships’ names, deployment plans, or detailed onboard offerings.
Disney Cruise Line’s new ship class
- Number of ships: 3
- Shipyard: Meyer Werft, Germany
- Gross tonnage: 105,000
- Passenger capacity: Up to 3,000
- Deliveries: 2029 and 2030
- Exterior features: Black and gold hull, two funnels, and three-deck-high glass area amidships
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