Disney Cruise Line are building another new cruise ship!

The past weekend saw thousands of Disney fans descend upon the Anaheim Convention Center for the D23 Expo. Nicknamed as “The Ultimate Disney Fan Event”, the biennial event is renowned for when The Walt Disney Company announce a host of new attractions, experiences and movies for the next few years. During the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts presentation on Saturday Afternoon, Bob Chapek – Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts surprised fans with the announcement that Disney Cruise Line are building another new cruise ship!

There are currently four ships in the DCL fleet, the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. The msot recent ship launched in 2012. Last year Disney Cruise Line announced plans to build two new cruise ships which would be delivered in 2021 and 2023; which was fantastic news for the cruise industry and DCL fans like myself, With six ships, the cruise line are able to offer more guests the opportunity to sail with Disney to even more destinations around the world. The seventh ship is scheduled to be delivered in 2022 and will be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

In a statement, Chapek said “We’ve decided two ships wouldn’t be enough to hold all of the exciting new experiences we have been dreaming up to take family cruise vacations to a whole new level with immersive Disney storytelling, world-class family entertainment, and imaginative innovations that are fantastically fun and uniquely Disney“.

I’ve had the opportunity to sail with Disney Cruise Line on two occasions over the past few years. Once of the Disney Magic (their first ship which launched in 1998), and also on the Disney Dream which launched in 2011. I enjoyed my time on board both of the ships for very different reasons. The Disney Magic for it’s art-deco inspired interior and traditional elements, and the Disney Dream for it’s use of modern technology to enhance the cruising experience. Think Magical Portholes for inside staterooms and the famous AquaDuck attraction. I can only imagine what exciting features will be found aboard the three new Disney Cruise Line vessels! Any guesses what might be on board?!

According to the press release, each of the new ships are expected to have their own unique experiences and will be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Weighing in at approximately 135,000 gross tons and holding 1,250 guest staterooms, the three ships will be the largest in the Disney Cruise Line fleet.

Well, this certainly was a surprising but well-received announcement from Disney Cruise Line during the D23 Expo. Can we just fast forward to 2021 now so we can step on board please?