Disney Cruise Line is an American
cruise lineA cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain,...
company owned and operated by
Walt Disney Parks and ResortsWalt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
, a division of
The Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
and is headquartered in
Celebration, FloridaCelebration is a census-designated place and a master-planned community in Osceola County, Florida, United States, located near Walt Disney World Resort and originally developed by The Walt Disney Company...
. The business is run by President
Karl HolzKarl L. Holz is the current President for Disney Cruise Line as of February 14, 2009. Holz was moved back to his former role as part of the corporate merger of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations...
. Disney Cruise Line operates the
Disney Cruise Line TerminalThe Disney Cruise Line Terminal or Port Canaveral's terminal 8, is located in Port Canaveral in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. It is used to transport passengers on and off of the Disney Cruise Line ships the Disney Magic, the Disney Wonder, the Disney Dream, and soon the Disney Fantasy.The port,...
, which homeports the
Disney MagicThe Disney Magic is a cruise ship operated by the Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Its sister, the Disney Wonder, was launched in 1999....
and the
Disney DreamDisney Dream is the third cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company, which entered service in 2011. The Disney Dream currently sails 3-, 4-, and 5-day itineraries to The Bahamas. The Captain of Disney Dream is Tom Forberg...
. The
Disney WonderDisney Wonder is the second cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line; it was launched in 1999. It is nearly identical in construction to its sister ship, Disney Magic. Both ships have 11 public decks, can accommodate 2,400 passengers in 875 staterooms, and have a crew of approximately 950. ...
is homeported in Los Angeles. In 2012, it is estimated Disney Cruise Lines will own nearly 3% share of the worldwide cruise market.
Overview
Disney Cruise Line was created in 1995 when the company commissioned its two ships at
FincantieriFincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. is a shipbuilding company based in Trieste, Italy. It was formed in 1959 and is the largest shipbuilder in the Mediterranean, and one of the largest in Europe...
in
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, ending an arrangement with
Premier Cruise LinePremier Cruise Line a subsidiary of Premier Cruises, was a cruise line that was headquartered in Cape Canaveral, Florida. It was at one time licensed as the official cruise line of Walt Disney World and used the trademark "The Big Red Boat" based on the color scheme of some of its ships...
for the maritime segment of its vacation packages. Disney had contracted Premier Cruise Line to provide cruise vacations in the 1980s, also sailing from Port Canaveral. The ships were similarly marketed as family vacations and featured costumed Disney Characters.
The
Disney Magic began operation July 30, 1998. The
Disney Wonder began operation August 15, 1999. The ships each contain 900 staterooms and are not identical in their design, with a lot of variations in interior design, restaurants and entertainment venues. Both contain areas designed exclusively for various age groups, including children, teenagers, and adults. Current routes are Alaska, Bahamas, Caribbean, Europe, and the Mexican Rivera.
Disney Cruise Line currently operates three ships, the
Disney MagicThe Disney Magic is a cruise ship operated by the Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Its sister, the Disney Wonder, was launched in 1999....
, the
Disney WonderDisney Wonder is the second cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line; it was launched in 1999. It is nearly identical in construction to its sister ship, Disney Magic. Both ships have 11 public decks, can accommodate 2,400 passengers in 875 staterooms, and have a crew of approximately 950. ...
, and the
Disney DreamDisney Dream is the third cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company, which entered service in 2011. The Disney Dream currently sails 3-, 4-, and 5-day itineraries to The Bahamas. The Captain of Disney Dream is Tom Forberg...
. A fourth ship, the
Disney FantasyThe Disney Fantasy is an upcoming cruise ship for the Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company. The Disney Fantasy will be the fourth ship in the cruise line when it enters service in 2012.-History:...
is scheduled to sail in 2012. Disney also owns
Castaway Cay'Castaway Cay' is a private island in the Bahamas which serves as an exclusive port for the Disney Cruise Line ships Disney Wonder, Disney Magic, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy. It is located near Great Abaco Island, and was formerly known as Gorda Cay...
, a private island in the Bahamas designed as an exclusive port of call for Disney's ships.
In 2007, Disney announced the creation of two new cruise ships. The two vessels,
Disney DreamDisney Dream is the third cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company, which entered service in 2011. The Disney Dream currently sails 3-, 4-, and 5-day itineraries to The Bahamas. The Captain of Disney Dream is Tom Forberg...
and
Disney FantasyThe Disney Fantasy is an upcoming cruise ship for the Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company. The Disney Fantasy will be the fourth ship in the cruise line when it enters service in 2012.-History:...
were ordered to help to expand the cruise line's fleet.
Disney DreamDisney Dream is the third cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company, which entered service in 2011. The Disney Dream currently sails 3-, 4-, and 5-day itineraries to The Bahamas. The Captain of Disney Dream is Tom Forberg...
set sail in 2011, while
Disney FantasyThe Disney Fantasy is an upcoming cruise ship for the Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company. The Disney Fantasy will be the fourth ship in the cruise line when it enters service in 2012.-History:...
is expected to set sail in 2012 . Disney also has the contract options with
Meyer WerftThe Meyer Werft is one of the remaining large German shipyards, headquartered in Papenburg. Since 1997, it has been part of the Meyer Neptun Group together with Neptun Werft in Rostock.-History:...
to build 2 additional "Dream Class" ships.
The ships are the first in the industry to be designed and built from the keel up as family cruise liners, with the goal of accommodating parents and children. Unlike most ships of their type, they do not include casinos. Disney ships also feature ship's horns which play the opening seven-note theme
When You Wish Upon a Star"When You Wish upon a Star" is a song written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Walt Disney's 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio. The original version of the song was sung by Cliff Edwards in the character of Jiminy Cricket, and is heard over the opening credits and again in the final scene of the...
from Disney's
PinocchioPinocchio is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the story The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It is the second film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, and it was made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was released to theaters by...
, in addition to the traditional horn.
The Disney Cruise Line offers a variety of destinations including; Europe, Panama Canal, Caribbean, Alaska & Pacific Coast, Bahamas, Mexican Riviera, and Transatlantic destinations.
Current
| Ship |
Passenger capacity |
Entered service |
Homeport |
Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage...
|
Notes |
Disney MagicThe Disney Magic is a cruise ship operated by the Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Its sister, the Disney Wonder, was launched in 1999....
|
2,400 |
1998 |
Port Canaveral |
|
The Disney Magic and its stern were built in two different countries and were then welded together. |
Disney WonderDisney Wonder is the second cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line; it was launched in 1999. It is nearly identical in construction to its sister ship, Disney Magic. Both ships have 11 public decks, can accommodate 2,400 passengers in 875 staterooms, and have a crew of approximately 950. ...
|
2,400 |
1999 |
Los Angeles |
|
The Disney Wonder is currently based at the Port of Los Angeles and in 2012 Seattle. |
| Disney Dream Disney Dream is the third cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company, which entered service in 2011. The Disney Dream currently sails 3-, 4-, and 5-day itineraries to The Bahamas. The Captain of Disney Dream is Tom Forberg...
|
4,000 |
2011 |
Port Canaveral |
|
Maiden Voyage was on Jan. 26, 2011 |
Future
Disney Cruise Lines announced on February 22, 2007 that two new ships were to be added in 2011 and 2012 (One being
Disney DreamDisney Dream is the third cruise ship operated by Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company, which entered service in 2011. The Disney Dream currently sails 3-, 4-, and 5-day itineraries to The Bahamas. The Captain of Disney Dream is Tom Forberg...
, which entered service in 2011). The ships are being built by
Meyer WerftThe Meyer Werft is one of the remaining large German shipyards, headquartered in Papenburg. Since 1997, it has been part of the Meyer Neptun Group together with Neptun Werft in Rostock.-History:...
shipyard, based in
PapenburgPapenburg is a city in the district of Emsland in Lower Saxony, Germany, situated at the river Ems. It is known for its large shipyard, the Meyer-Werft, which specializes in building cruise liners.-Districts:...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
; the first steel cut, made in March 2009, was for a portion of the scrollwork that will decorate the exterior of the vessels. Later that same month, the ships were officially named:
Disney Dream and
Disney Fantasy. They will be 330 m (1,082.7 ft) long and 37 m (121.4 ft) wide. These newest 128,000-ton ships will be 2 decks taller than the
Disney Magic and
Disney Wonder and will have 1,250 staterooms each.
Disney Cruise Line has negotiated with the Port Canaveral port authority and has extended their contract for 15 more years, through 2022. As part of this contract, the port authority will expand and upgrade 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 finally a parking garage will be built by 2011.
Both new ships are planned to depart from Port Canaveral until at least 2014. With the arrival of the
Disney Dream in 2011, the
Disney Wonder has been relocated to Los Angeles. The arrangement will be for two years, with a potential extension for three additional years. Additionally, the
Disney MagicThe Disney Magic is a cruise ship operated by the Disney Cruise Line, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Its sister, the Disney Wonder, was launched in 1999....
will be assigned to Galveston,
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, starting in September 2012. As Well as
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
,
New YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
after.
| Ship |
Passenger capacity |
Projected to enter service |
To Be Homeported |
Gross Tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage...
|
Notes |
| Disney Fantasy The Disney Fantasy is an upcoming cruise ship for the Disney Cruise Line, part of The Walt Disney Company. The Disney Fantasy will be the fourth ship in the cruise line when it enters service in 2012.-History:...
|
4,000 |
2012 |
Port Canaveral |
|
Maiden Voyage on March 31, 2012 |
Current
| Position |
Name |
Notes |
| President of Disney Cruise Line |
Karl Holz Karl L. Holz is the current President for Disney Cruise Line as of February 14, 2009. Holz was moved back to his former role as part of the corporate merger of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations...
|
|
| Senior Vice President of Operations |
Tom Wolber |
Ozer Balli |
|
| Manager of Island Recreation and Shore Excursions |
Larry Stauffer |
|
| Director of Marine and Security Operations |
Russel Daya |
|
| Vice President of Marine and Technical Operations |
Bert Swets |
|
| Director of Purchasing and Logistics |
Tony Wills |
|
Former
| Position |
Name |
Notes |
| President of Disney Cruise Line 2004-2009 |
Tom McAlpin Thomas Michael McAlpin is the former president of Disney Cruise Line. McAlpin resigned in 2009 “to pursue other interests”. McAlpin was with the company for 13 years and was replaced by former President of New Vacation Operations, Karl Holz...
|
|
| President of Disney Cruise Line 2003-2004 |
Karl Holz Karl L. Holz is the current President for Disney Cruise Line as of February 14, 2009. Holz was moved back to his former role as part of the corporate merger of Disney Cruise Line and New Vacation Operations...
|
|
| President of Disney Cruise Line 1999-2003 |
Matt Ouimet Matt Ouimet is the president of Cedar Fair Entertainment, a publicly-traded company that owns 11 amusement parks in the U.S. and Canada.Cedar Fair's board named him president in June. Ouimet is scheduled to take over as the chief executive officer in 2012, when the current CEO, Richard "Dick"...
|
|
| President of Disney Cruise Line 1994-1999 |
Arthur Rodney Arthur 'Art' Rodney is the Former President of Disney Cruise Line. He left the company in 1999 and was replaced by Matt Ouimet. During his Disney Career, Arthur Rodney was in charge of the development, construction, and operations of both the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder.He began his career...
|
|
| Senior Vice President of Operations |
Tom McAlpin Thomas Michael McAlpin is the former president of Disney Cruise Line. McAlpin resigned in 2009 “to pursue other interests”. McAlpin was with the company for 13 years and was replaced by former President of New Vacation Operations, Karl Holz...
|
|
External links