Disney Cruise Line introduced the acquisition of {a partially} accomplished new ship that can be part of the DCL fleet and sail to new international locations. Disney will work with Meyer Werft to finish the cruise ship beforehand referred to as the Global Dream in Wismar, Germany. In this put up, we share particulars and transient commentary about DCL including yet one more ship to its rising roster.
According to Disney Cruise Line, the Global Dream ship shall be renamed with sure options reimagined underneath the experience of Walt Disney Imagineers. The reimagined Global Dream is predicted to set sail in 2025.
“Our cruise ships give us the unique opportunity to bring Disney magic to fans no matter where they are, and the addition of this ship will make a Disney Cruise Line vacation accessible to more families than ever before,” mentioned Josh D’Amaro, chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.
The new ship shall be based mostly exterior the United States, based on Disney Cruise Line. The reimagined Global Dream will characteristic typical DCL experiences together with themed-entertainment, eating, and visitor service that set Disney Cruise Line aside. The exterior shall be adorned within the iconic, Mickey Mouse-inspired colours of the fleet, full with signature pink funnels.
The 208,000-gross-ton ship is predicted to be among the many first within the cruise {industry} to be fueled by inexperienced methanol, one of many lowest emission fuels obtainable. Disney Cruise Line expects the passenger capability to be roughly 6,000 plus round 2,300 crew members.
Construction on reimagining the Global Dream shall be accomplished on the former MV Werften shipyard in Wismar, Germany, underneath the administration of Meyer Werft, the Papenburg-based firm that constructed the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish. The Global Dream’s earlier proprietor filed for chapter earlier than finishing the vessel, and rumors have been swirling since then that Disney was in negotiations to buy the partially-completed ship.
According to the corporate’s press launch, this enabled Disney Cruise Line to safe it at a positive value and inside the capital expenditure steerage the Walt Disney Company supplied on its latest earnings name. (This element is definitely in DCL’s press launch–I’ve by no means seen one thing like this from Disney directed in direction of a consumer-facing viewers.) The venture additionally secures employment for lots of of former MV Werften staff and can present alternatives for quite a few maritime {industry} suppliers within the area.
More particulars concerning the maiden voyage, itineraries and onboard experiences shall be introduced at a later date. Currently, the Disney Cruise Line fleet sails to locations within the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii and the South Pacific. Disney Cruise Line not too long ago introduced first-ever holidays for company in Australia and New Zealand starting in late 2023.
When the development on the Global Dream stopped in early 2022, the 208,000 GT Global Dream was roughly 75% completed, with intentions of setting sail this yr. The cruise ship measures 342 meters (1,122 toes) in size, and is to be the sixth largest cruise ship on the earth when completed. (Suffice to say, the Global Dream is considerably bigger than the present DCL fleet.)
The Global Dream cruise ship was designed to hold as much as 9,000 passengers in sure configurations. According to German media, the ship was to have 2,500 cabins, permitting it to sail with roughly 5,000 passengers with the {industry} normal of two per cabin. However, its complete capability may accommodate virtually double that quantity. It’s unclear how DCL will reconfigure rooms to succeed in its 6,000 passenger quantity within the press launch.
The ship was initially supposed for the Asian market, and was supposed for Genting Hong Kong earlier than that firm went bankrupt in January of this yr. That’s the biggest Asian cruise operator, and meant the tip of operations for Dream Cruises, Star Cruises, and Crystal Cruises. Since then, each Dream and Crystal Cruises have resumed operations underneath new possession.
As the Global Dream was initially supposed for the Asian market, and was particularly constructed to sail inside Asia, it was slated to have various options and facilities aimed toward that viewers. It’s unclear what, if something, Disney Cruise Line will change concerning the Global Dream’s structure or lineup of facilities. The most notable of those is the world’s longest curler coaster at sea.
The Global Dream is the biggest cruise ship to ever be constructed by passenger quantity, nevertheless it has sat untouched within the shipyard in Germany since January of this yr. Originally, it was anticipated to have problem discovering a purchaser exterior the Asia market and there have been rumors that it could be offered for scrap metallic. (Seriously–a neighborhood politician mentioned this to German media: “It is a very different picture psychologically if this large ship is finished in Wismar than if it were towed out there and scrapped somewhere in the world.”)
The Disney Cruise Line fleet at the moment consists of the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish (which debuted this yr). The sixth ship within the Disney Cruise Line fleet, the Disney Treasure, will set sail in 2024. Disney Cruise Line’s fleet will finally develop to eight cruise ships with the acquisition of the Global Dream and one other Triton Class cruise ship on the way in which, which doesn’t look like impacted by the acquisition of the Global Dream (presumably as a result of it’s already been contracted-for?).
In phrases of commentary, I don’t have a lot so as to add. My experience is rather more restricted on the subject of the cruise {industry}, so I don’t actually need to step exterior my consolation zone and opine in ways in which may very well be “wrong.” I’ll say that this looks as if loads of enlargement for Disney Cruise Line unexpectedly, and with out seeing the precise market urge for food for extra of its ships. (It’s one factor to have surveys and inner projections about client demand and model energy–it’s one other totally to decide to constructing ships.)
From that perspective, the strategy to DCL fleet enlargement doesn’t appear in step with Disney’s regular methodical decision-making course of. I believed that earlier than with the announcement of the three new ships unexpectedly, and this solely reinforces that in a very massive manner. Perceptions of cruising may change with youthful generations, and there appears to be an incredible quantity of industry-wide enlargement occurring in response to Baby Boomer demand–however that viewers received’t be the first demographic for cruising for much longer.
This isn’t the conventional dialog about pent-up demand or a possible recession. I additionally don’t suppose it’s notably related that the Disney Wish has already been providing reductions, as the present local weather remains to be very removed from regular for cruising. What’s taking place proper now and even within the subsequent 2-3 years doesn’t actually matter. These ships are coming on-line a couple of years from now and are being constructed for many years. It’s long run developments, demographics, and industry-wide competitors (and notion of cruising) that actually issues. Near-term circumstances are nothing greater than noise.
But once more, I don’t know a lot concerning the cruise enterprise and its future. This may very well be completely off-base, and cruising may grow to be extra well-liked than ever with Millennials and youthful generations. Regardless, it appears the {industry} has entered a section of less-than measured progress with no excessive diploma of certainty what the panorama (or seascape?) will appear like a decade from now.
As for the ship itself, it’s fairly massive and appears at odds with the present Disney Cruise Line product. However, if it’s supposed to sail solely in Asia and have little-to-no overlap with the present DCL ships, that may probably not matter. While we followers are likely to fixate on these items, the sensible actuality is that the overwhelming majority of customers by no means see what’s exterior of their dwelling market.
To that time, Shanghai Disneyland is very totally different from the everyday citadel park, nevertheless it’s unusual to see comparisons between Walt Disney World and Shanghai Disneyland (in contrast to the Disneyland v. WDW debate, which is neverending) as a result of few followers have skilled each. In the actual world, they merely aren’t competing–and even complementary–merchandise.
Outside of the .0001% of tremendous followers, most customers won’t expertise each. The similar logic possible applies to the Global Dream as in comparison with the Disney Wish and different present cruise ships. Then once more, I believe the Disney Wish is already the Shanghai Disneyland of DCL, so it’ll be fascinating to see simply how a lot the reimagined Global Dream deviates from the acquainted method of Disney Cruise Line.
Regardless of all this, Disney’s acquisition of the Global Dream is extremely fascinating to me. It looks as if a transfer that’s atypical of the corporate, and rather more aggressive than what we’ve seen lately from the Parks & Resorts section. That’s not essentially a superb or unhealthy factor by itself–all of it relies upon upon the underlying rationale of the choice and execution thereof. It’ll be actually fascinating to look at how this performs out, each within the subsequent few years with the reimagining of the Global Dream, and within the long-term with Disney Cruise Line as an entire. We’ll hold you posted!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider Disney Cruise Line buying the partially-completed Global Dream ship? Think this can be a good addition to the fleet or at-odds with the present ships? Confident that Imagineering can rework this right into a ‘Distinctly Disney’ (Cruise Line) ship, or suppose it’ll stand out from the remaining? Thoughts on DCL’s plans for progress and enlargement? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions? Hearing suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!