Disney Cruise Line Acquires Unfinished Global Dream; Ship to be Based Outside of U.S.
(9:00 a.m. EST) -- Disney Cruise Line is set to expand its fleet with the acquisition of an unfinished ship that was originally commissioned by Genting Hong Kong before that company filed for bankruptcy.
No details were shared about the total cost of the acquisition, as Disney Cruise Line only went as far as saying that it was able to secure the ship "at a favorable price and within the capital expenditure guidance The Walt Disney Company provided on its recent earnings call."
The 208,000-gross-ton ship -- previously known as Global Dream -- will resume construction at the former MV Werften shipyard in Wismar, Germany. The shipyard is now under the management of Meyer Werft, the Papenburg-based company that built Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish.
The new vessel will be renamed at a later date and is expected to join Disney's fleet in 2025.
It will also become Disney Cruise Line's first ship to homeport outside of the United States, although the company has not yet revealed where. Genting Hong Kong's original plans were to homeport the ship in Asia.
“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,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.
Disney will also modify the ship's original passenger capacity plans. Under Genting, Global Dream was slated to accommodate 9,000 passengers. Disney expects that its new ship will accommodate approximately 6,000 passengers with around 2,300 crew members.
The new ship is also set to become one of the first in the cruise industry to be fueled by green methanol, one of the lowest emission fuels available. The exterior of the ship will feature Disney Cruise Line's Mickey Mouse-inspired colors, along with the signature red funnels present across the fleet.
Disney Cruise Line added that more details about the maiden voyage, itineraries and onboard experiences for the unnamed ship will be announced at a later date.
Earlier this year, Disney Cruise Line welcomed its fifth ship, Disney Wish. A sixth ship -- Disney Treasure -- is currently under construction and is expected to join the fleet in 2024.