Disney Cruise Line Reveals New Details About Its Expanding Fleet

Disney recently announced at its fan expo, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, that it will expand its cruise fleet to 13 ships by 2031. Disney Cruise Line has now revealed it will be building a fourth Wish-class ship, a sister ship to the Wish, Treasure and Destiny, plus three smaller ships to join the current fleet.

The four new ships will join Disney’s currently sailing vessels including the Disney Treasure, which set sail on its maiden voyage on December 21, 2024. The Treasure will be followed by the Disney Destiny and Disney Adventure, which will take to the high seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Singapore, respectively in late 2025.

The unnamed Wish-class ship will be 144,000 gross tons and powered by liquified natural gas. It will have the capacity for 4,000 passengers and debut in 2027. The smaller ships will come in 2029, 2030, and 2031. They will be about 100,000 gross tons and have the capacity for 3,000 guests. The three ships will be part of a new class of ships that are about 20 percent larger than Disney’s original two ships, the Disney Magic and Wonder, though smaller than the Dream or Wish-class ships. The four new ships are under contract with Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany.

“As we expand our fleet, it is important that we continue to provide a variety of experiences for our guests. Families enjoy the diversity of vacations we offer, from our classic vessels to our Wish-class ships. They also expect to explore a broad range of destinations, including those that prefer to host smaller ships,” said Thomas Mazloum, president, New Experiences Portfolio & Disney Signature Experiences in a press release. “At the same time, we are focused on implementing new technology and designs that align with our longstanding commitment to the environment.”

New small ships are going green

Along with an all-new design, the three small ships will be able to use a variety of fuels like hydrotreated vegetable oil and renewable methanol. And as new fuel types become available, the vessels can be adaptable to use additional fuel options.

Compared to other cruise ships of like sizes, the small ships will be some of the lightest in the industry. This equates to fuel savings and energy efficiency thanks to optimized operations and next-generation power and propulsion systems. The ships will also be able to shut down engines in port to use shore power to run the onboard systems.

“Our team of Disney Imagineers is dreaming up this new class of ships to be as fuel and energy-efficient as possible, and our guests will see the difference – from a more hydrodynamic design to lighter materials and energy-efficient technology throughout the ships,” said Philip Gennotte, Portfolio Project Management Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering in a release. “We’re very proud to continue to support Disney’s broader environmental goals, now and into the future.”

The new class will align with The Walt Disney Company’s 2030 environmental goals, which include zero waste to landfills by 2030 and eliminating single-use plastics on wholly-owned cruise ships by 2025.

New destinations to visit

With the expanded fleet, guests onboard the new ships can expect to visit new destinations. Starting this year, Disney Cruise Line will homeport in Singapore for the first time with the launch of the Disney Adventure. Disney has also announced a cruise ship being built in partnership with Tokyo Disneyland’s operating partner, Oriental Land Co. Ltd., which will home port in Japan.

Disney Cruise Line’s new 3,000 passenger ships will also allow the cruise line to take travelers to more destinations around the world, including those that only host smaller ships.

Disney Cruise Line’s route to expansion

During an interview with Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, he detailed to me why Disney Cruise Line is expanding at such a rapid pace. The fleet’s expansion is driven by the brand’s loyal fans. “We introduced the cruise line in 1998 and we essentially created the family cruising space. And we know that because four in every 10 guests that cruise with us today, they say the only reason they’re cruising at all is because Disney is in the space,” he explains.

Disney Cruise Line is still considered a small player in the cruise industry. In November 2024, it represented 2.5% of the total cruise market, and just 5% of the cruise market coming out of Florida and the Caribbean. These numbers are likely to change in the coming years as Disney brings its fleet from six ships to 13.