The Walt Disney Company announced on Aug. 10 local time that its Disney Cruise Line will add four new cruise ships to its fleet between 2027 and 2031, a move that will bring its total number of cruise ships to 13. Shipyard information and order information was not announced by Disney.
The announcement was made at the Horizons: The Disney Experience showcase, where Disney said the ship names, designs and itineraries are still being worked on.
Disney Cruise Line currently has five cruise ships in operation, with another four under construction in Germany. As early as September 19, 2023, Disney, for its part, said it planned to nearly double its investment in its theme park and cruise business to $60 billion over 10 years. And again on August 12, 2024, Disney detailed plans for the construction of four new cruise ships as well as plans for six new theme parks aimed at expanding its resort business at its biannual D23 fan convention.
This expansion plan aims to enhance its competitiveness in the cruise market and meet the growing travel demand. The move is expected to further cement Disney’s leadership position in family cruise travel while creating new revenue growth for the company.
According to Cruise Market Watch statistics, the global ocean cruise industry is expected to total $66.2 billion in 2024 and carry 30.1 million passengers annually. In addition, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) also predicts that global cruise capacity will continue to grow from 2023-2028, with the global cruise tourism market reaching 31.5 million visitors in 2023, 39.5 million by 2027, and more than 40 million cruise tourists worldwide by 2028.
The announcement by Disney to add four new cruise ships is a demonstration of its confidence in the future development of the tourism industry, and confirms the importance it attaches to its theme parks and cruise business. However, the exact implementation details and the impact on the company’s financial position need to be further observed by investors and market analysts.