Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line
FormerlyDisney Vacation Cruises
Devonson Cruise Company, Limited
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryTourism
FoundedMay 3, 1995 (May 3, 1995)
Headquarters
Celebration, Florida
,
United States
Number of locations
3
Areas served
Key people
Thomas Mazloum (President, Disney Signature Experiences)
ServicesCruise line
OwnerThe Walt Disney Company
ParentDisney Signature Experiences
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
Footnotes / references

House Flag

Disney Cruise Line is a cruise line operation that is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The company was incorporated in 1996 as Magical Cruise Company Limited, through its first vessel Disney Magic,[1] and is domiciled in London, England, with their operational headquarters located in Celebration, Florida.[2]

Disney Cruise Line currently operates five ships: Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish.[3][4] Three ships will join the fleet in 2024 and 2025. The next ones are announced to be named Disney Treasure and Disney Adventure.[5] Disney Cruise Line owns Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas designed as an exclusive port of call for Disney's ships.[6] A second private destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, a 700-acre property on the southern end of Eleuthera, Bahamas will open on June 6, 2024.[7][8][9] Disney Cruise Line operates two Disney Cruise Line Terminals in Florida.

The cruise line has experienced some growth over the past several years. In 2011, the company held a 1.95 percent market share[10] and by 2015, Disney Cruise Lines had 2.8 percent of the worldwide cruise market by passenger and 2.4 percent by revenue.[11] In 2018, Disney Cruise Lines declined to 2.3 percent of the worldwide cruise market by passenger and 2.2 percent by revenue.[12] In 2021, the market share is 2.2 percent by passenger and 2.7 percent by revenue.

The line pioneered the rotational dining concept, by which guests rotate with their waiting staff through three different main dining rooms.[13]

Background

In 1985, Premier Cruise Line became Disney's licensed partner cruise line. This allowed Disney characters on their ships and combined cruise, hotel, and theme park packages. In 1993, Premier ended their relationship with Disney and signed a new one with Warner Brothers, utilizing the Looney Tunes characters. Premier continued to offer Disney Land and Sea packages while adding Universal Studios as an option. Thus Disney approached both Carnival and Royal Caribbean cruise lines to replace Premier as an exclusive sea partner.[14]

History

When Disney's negotiations with two major cruise lines, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, did not produce results, Disney had cruise ship designs drawn up by February 1994. Meanwhile, Walt Disney Travel Company started signing up other cruise lines to offer Disney hotels and resort packages.[15] In May 1994, Disney announced that they intended to start cruise line operations in 1998. Arthur Rodney was selected to serve as the first president of the cruise line[16] tentatively called Disney Vacation Cruises.[17]

In 1995, Disney Cruise Line commissioned Disney Magic and Disney Wonder from Fincantieri in Italy.[13] The cruise line was incorporated as Devonson Cruise Company, Limited in February 1996, in the United Kingdom, and was renamed Magical Cruise Company Limited in October 1996.[18] The cruise line cost as much as a theme park to start up.[19] In 1996, Magical Cruise Company purchased Gorda Cay as the line's private island. The company spent $25 million over 18 months on the island and renamed it Castaway Cay.[13]

The Disney Magic's first cruise was originally scheduled for March 1998 but was postponed twice.[20] The Disney Wonder was scheduled for December 1998.[21] On July 30, 1998, with the first voyage of Magic, the Disney Cruise Line was operational.[13] A 10-year contract was signed with Port Canaveral for its home terminal.[22] With the August 1999, resignation of Rodney as cruise line president, the senior operating officer Matt Ouimet was named as his replacement in July.[23] In 2002, the line added seven-day cruises and western Caribbean cruises.[24]

In May 2005, Disney Magic moved its port for the summer cruise season to the Port of Los Angeles. This was temporary for the company's 50th-anniversary celebration of Disneyland and as a test for California expansion. The transfer cruise sold out quicker than expected. Bookings from first-time Disney cruisers were up for these cruises by at least 60%. While Disney had wanted additional ships, shipbuilding costs had increased by at least 33% since it built its first two ships.[22] The Disney Magic was transferred to the Mediterranean for an extended stay in 2007.[25] In 2007, Disney announced the building of two new cruise ships.[26] Disney Dream set sail in January 2011, followed closely by Disney Fantasy in 2012.[3][27][28] Meyer Werft shipyard, based in Papenburg, Germany, built the new ships.[13]

New Vacation Operation unit

In February 2009, Tom McAlpin left the Disney Cruise Line presidency and was replaced by Karl Holz as president of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations.[29] In early 2009, Disney and Canaveral Port Authority extended their agreement to 2022 with expansion to the terminal to handle the new class of ships. A re-posting of the Disney Magic to Europe in 2010, adding DCL's first North European cruises with Mediterranean cruises.[25]

With the arrival of Disney Dream in 2011, Disney Wonder was relocated to Los Angeles.[30] With the arrival of Disney Fantasy in 2012, Disney Magic was relocated to New York City in May 2012 for only the Summer season, before relocating to Galveston, Texas.[31]

In late 2012, Disney Wonder began sailing cruises out of Miami, Florida.[32] In 2013, the Disney Magic relocated to Barcelona, Spain[33] and the Disney Wonder relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia,[34] for the summer season. In autumn 2013, the Magic and the Wonder returned to the United States but switched home ports, with the Magic leaving out of Miami and the Wonder leaving out of Galveston.[33] In January 2014, the Wonder took over for the Magic in Miami and the Magic joined the Dream and Fantasy in Port Canaveral, placing all four ships in the state of Florida for the first time. Since then, the Magic and the Wonder have again switched places.[2]

At the February 2016 Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards, three of Disney's ships won 11 category awards.[35] The company ordered three ships of a new class of ship, Triton, in 2016 and 2017.[36] At the company annual meeting in March 2016, Walt Disney Company Chairman Bob Iger announced the first two new ships of the new line which are planned to be built larger than the previous two ships. The first ship joined the line in 2022, with the second expected in 2024.[35] In July 2017, Bob Chapek, President of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, announced at the D23 Expo that a seventh unnamed ship would join the fleet.[4]

In 2016, the cruise line was looking to buy Egg Island, Eleuthera, the Bahamas, as another destination for the additional cruise ships. However, opposition from nearby island residents and potential damage to the islands' reefs stopped plans.[37]

In April 2017, it was announced that Karl Holz would retire as president of Disney Cruise Line in February 2018. Anthony Connelly assumed the role of president in October 2017.[38] The Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners in January 2019 approved work for Disney's Terminal 8 and adjacent Terminal 10, which would handle more ships when the new class arrived.[39]

With the October 2017 cruise of Disney Magic from New York to the Bahamas, the cruise line held its first Marvel Day at Sea.[40] In October 2018, the cruise line began showing Disney at Sea with D23, a 30-minute entertainment news show that covers the many Disney subsidiaries with input from D23, starting with the Disney Wonder ship.[41]

Disney Signature Experiences unit

Soon after a March 2018 conglomerate reorganized the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment division, Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations were renamed Disney Signature Experiences along with a new president, Jeff Vahle.[42]

Disney Cruise Line purchased in early March 2019 another Bahamas destination, the Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point property on the island of Eleuthera from the Bahamian Government. The cruise line was looking for another Bahamas location since the announcement of the third ship expansion in 2016.[43]

In February 2020, Disney Wonder moved its home port to New Orleans.[44] From March 14 until July 2021, Disney Cruise Line ships suspended operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[45] Sailings resumed in the form of "Staycation Cruises", closed loop cruises of 2 to 4 nights from the United Kingdom ports of Liverpool, Southampton, Newcastle, and Tilbury for London.[46]

Fleet

Disney Magic at Port of Venice
Disney Magic at Port of Venice

Disney Cruise Line currently operates five ships, with three more set to join in the coming years. All of Disney Cruise Line's ships are officially registered in Nassau, Bahamas.[47]

Disney Cruise Line Terminals

Port Canaveral

Disney Cruise Line Terminal
Disney Cruise Line Terminal as seen from the Disney Wonder.
LocalePort Canaveral
Official nameCruise Terminal 8
OwnerCanaveral Port Authority
OperatorDisney Cruise Line
Characteristics
History
A Disney Cruise Line bus which takes guest to and from Terminal 8 from Orlando International Airport; as well as around Walt Disney World.

Port Canaveral's Cruise Terminal 8 is located in Port Canaveral in Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States.[48] It is used to transport passengers on and off of the Disney Cruise Line ships. This port has seen the departure of the Disney Magic, the Disney Wonder, the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy, and the Disney Wish.[49]

The terminal is a large building owned by Port Canaveral, and operated by Disney Cruise Line. At 70,000 square feet (6,500 m2), this massive building includes the base for Disney Cruise Line check-in, security, and boarding.[50] The terminal was designed loosely on the old Ocean Terminal in Southampton.[13]

Disney Cruise Line has negotiated with the Port Canaveral port authority in early 2009, extending their contract until 2022. As part of this contract, the port authority expanded and upgraded the dock in order to accommodate the new ships (both of which will be home-ported there), the terminal will be enlarged to accommodate more passengers and luggage, and a parking garage was built.

In June 2018, Port Canaveral officials approved pursuing a study about how to best upgrade Disney's Terminal 8 and other nearby terminals. With the Disney fleet expected to expand from four to seven ships, Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray stated that, without expansion, "we'll have more activity than Terminal 8 can handle."[51] The Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners in January 2019 approved work for Disney's Terminal 8 and adjacent Terminal 10, which would handle more ships when the new class arrives. The upgrades would allow Disney to base three ships year round at the port.[39]

Port Everglades

Disney Cruise Line Terminal
Disney Cruise Line Terminal before Disney renovation.
LocalePort Everglades
Official nameCruise Terminal 4
OwnerBroward County
OperatorDisney Cruise Line
Characteristics
History

In April 2022, it was approved by the Broward County Commission that Port Everglades' Cruise Terminal 4 would be transformed into a second homeport for Disney Cruise Line, alongside Disney's original homeport.[52] This marked the first time that Disney Cruise Line sailed from Port Everglades. This port began embarking guests on November 20, 2023.[53][54] Disney Dream is currently homeported at Port Everglades.[55]

The terminal is owned by Broward County and operated by Disney Cruise Line. The building is 104,162 square feet (9,677.0 m2) and includes passenger check-in, security, and boarding, as well as a 1,818-space parking garage. The terminal's exterior design is based on Disney's original homeport, while the interior features a Finding Nemo theme.[54]

Disney Cruise Line has negotiated with Broward County for a contract agreement of 15 years with options for three 5-year extensions. The agreement also includes one ship to be homeported year-round as well as a second seasonal ship in 2025.[56]

Disney's Castaway Cay

Disney's Castaway Cay, or simply Castaway Cay, is a private island in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located near Great Abaco Island and was formerly known as Gorda Cay. In 1997, The Walt Disney Company purchased a 99-year land lease (through 2096) for the cay from the Bahamian government, giving the company substantial control over the island.

Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, or simply Lookout Cay, is a private peninsula in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships. It is located in the south-eastern region of Bannerman Town, Eleuthera. In March 2019, The Walt Disney Company purchased the peninsula from the Bahamian government, giving the company control over the area.

References

  1. ↑ "Magical Cruise Company Limited: Private Company Information". Investing.businessweek.com. May 25, 2012. Archived from the original on September 18, 2010. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Orben, Bill. "Disney to base 3 ships at Port Canaveral for 2014". Orlando Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on December 7, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Disney Fantasy". Cruise Critic. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
  4. 1 2 Bevil, Dewayne. "Coming to Disney World: Tron, Guardians of the Galaxy ride, 'Star Wars' hotel". OrlandoSentinel.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Just announced! Adventure calls as Peter Pan reveals the name of the next ship to join the Disney Cruise Line fleet". Twitter. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
  6. ↑ "The Kingdom on the Sea". Time. August 10, 1998. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012.
  7. ↑ Disney Cruise Line Destinations June 2024 Lighthouse Point
  8. ↑ Peros, Evily Giannopoulos (March 9, 2023). "New Disney Cruise Line Island Destination at Lighthouse Point in The Bahamas to Welcome Guests in Summer 2024". disneyparks. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  9. ↑ McKenzie, Natario (March 10, 2021). "Disney's Lighthouse Point development slated for early 2024 opening after pandemic delay". Eyewitness News. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  10. ↑ "2011 World Wide Cruise Market Share". Cruise Market Watch. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  11. ↑ "2015 World Wide Market Share". Cruise Market Watch. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016.
  12. ↑ "2018 World Wide Market Share". Cruise Market Watch.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Saunders, Aaron (October 1, 2013). Giants of the Seas: The Ships that Transformed Modern Cruising. Seaforth Publishing. pp. 76–78, 179. ISBN 978-1848321724. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  14. ↑ Fritscher, Lisa. "How Disney Cruises Started". USA Today. Gannett. Demand Media. Archived from the original on October 19, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  15. ↑ Dezern, Craig (February 20, 1994). "Disney Contemplating Creation Of Cruise Line". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Company News; Disney to Start its Own Cruise Line by 1998". The New York Times. May 4, 1994. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Disney Cruises Now Official". Cruise Industry News. May 18, 1994. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Magical Cruise Company Limited". companieshouse.gov.uk. Companies House (United Kingdom Government). Archived from the original on April 26, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  19. ↑ Shenot, Christine (April 7, 1996). "Disney To Make Mark On Cruising". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  20. ↑ Alesandro, Jody. (October 4, 1998). "Fall and Winter Cruises; A Family-Size Mouseboat". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2009.
  21. ↑ Iovine, Julie V. (January 16, 1997). "Now It's Heigh-Ho, Off to Sea We Go". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  22. 1 2 Jackson, Jerry W. (June 13, 2005). "Disney ship line on cruise control". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  23. ↑ "New Disney Cruise Line President". Cruise Industry News. July 16, 1999. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  24. ↑ Aronson, Tara (September 25, 2002). "Disney Magic grows up". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on March 28, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  25. 1 2 Schmidt, Chuck (April 4, 2009). "Disney Cruise Line: A good idea gets better". Staten Island Advance. Staten Island Media Group. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Disney cruise line: Disney to spread cruise ships around the world". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2010. With a larger new ship arriving at Port Canaveral in 2011, Disney Cruise Line sent the Disney Wonder to the West Coast and the Disney Magic to Europe
  27. ↑ "Disney Dream cruise ship to launch in 2011". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on November 17, 2009. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
  28. ↑ "Disney Dream cruise ship begins to take shape". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
  29. ↑ Garcia, Jason (February 14, 2009). "Familiar Face Takes Disney Cruise Line Helm: Karl Holz". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  30. ↑ Jason Garcia (March 30, 2009). "Disney will homeport a ship in Los Angeles". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
  31. ↑ Bissett, Kevin (January 31, 2012). "Cruise passengers turning to Eastern Canada for new thrills". The Star. Toronto. Archived from the original on February 3, 2012.
  32. ↑ Gale, Kevin (January 13, 2012). "Disney Wonder expected at Port of Miami". Archived from the original on January 15, 2012.
  33. 1 2 Sloan, Gene (September 24, 2012). "Disney kicks off first cruises from Texas". USA Today (USA Today Travel). Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  34. ↑ "Disney Cruise Line Unveils New Itineraries and Ports for 2013". Disney Cruise Line (Press release). January 24, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  35. 1 2 Hetter, Katia (March 4, 2016). "Disney to add two cruise ships". CNN. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  36. ↑ Tribou, Richard (January 22, 2019). "Port Canaveral documents label new cruise ship Disney Triton". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  37. ↑ Staletovich, Jenny (July 22, 2016). "Disney backs off cruise port on pristine Bahamas island". Miami Herald. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  38. ↑ "Anthony Connelly to Take Top Spot at Disney Cruise Line". Cruise Industry News. April 7, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  39. 1 2 Tribou, Richard (January 23, 2019). "Port Canaveral officials approve pursuing $46.5 million of work to refurb Disney Cruise Line terminals". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  40. ↑ "Disney Cruise Line announces Marvel Day at Sea on select 2017 Disney Magic sailings". Attractions Magazine. October 21, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  41. ↑ Tuttle, Brittani (October 16, 2018). "Disney Cruise Line debuts new live news show, 'Disney at Sea with D23'". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  42. ↑ Tribou, Richard (April 20, 2018). "New president named for Disney Cruise Line, Vacation Club and more". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  43. ↑ Tribou, Richard (March 11, 2019). "Disney Cruise Line completes land purchase, enters agreement for second Bahamas destination". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  44. ↑ Sangalang, Jennifer; Berma, Dave (September 27, 2018). "Disney Cruise Line unveils cruises, destinations in 2020: Hawaii, New Orleans, Caribbean". Florida Today. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  45. ↑ Barnes, Brooks (March 12, 2020). "Disney Parks and Cruise Line Will Close in Response to Coronavirus". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  46. ↑ "BREAKING: "Disney Magic at Sea" UK-Only Disney Cruise Line Itinerary Confirmed". WDW News Today. March 26, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  47. ↑ "Inquiry call over vanished cruise woman". BBC. October 30, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
  48. ↑ "Port Canaveral Cruise Terminals". Cruisecanaveral. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  49. ↑ "Port Canaveral 2014 Interactive Cruise Guide". Port Canaveral. p. 28. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Cruising Terminals". Port Canaveral. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  51. ↑ "Port Canaveral plans: More Disney cruise ships and upgrade to Disney cruise terminal". Florida Today. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  52. ↑ "Broward Approves Disney Terminal Design Contract at Port Everglades". www.porteverglades.net. April 5, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  53. ↑ "Port Everglades: New Lines, New Ships and a New Terminal". Cruise Industry News. November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  54. 1 2 "Terminal 4". www.porteverglades.net. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  55. ↑ "2023 Fall Itineraries". disneycruise.disney.go.com. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  56. ↑ "Cruise line announces new community investments in Junior Achievement of South Florida and Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County". www.porteverglades.net. November 13, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
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