Disney said it would build another four new cruise ships between 2027 and 2031, joining its current fleet of five and four on order, and bringing its fleet count to 13 ships.
The news came during the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase and the company said that the ship names, designs, and itineraries were still in development.
A formal announcement is expected shortly.
The Disney Magic and Wonder, the line’s two initial newbuilds, joined the fleet in 1998 and 1999, respectively, and were built at Fincantieri in Italy.
Subsequent ships were all built at Meyer Werft in Germany, and the company’s upcoming orderbook is being handled by the German yard.
The line’s most recent new cruise ship, the 2,500-guest Disney Wish, launched service in 2022. The Disney Treasure is next, sailing later this year.
The Allure of the Seas is set for a $100 million upgrade in April 2025, Royal Caribbean International announced in a press release.
The refurbishment, which is part of the company’s Royal Amplified refit program, will see the creation of new venues and features onboard.
For a complete picture of the drydock market, see the 2024 Drydock and Refurb Report by Cruise Industry News.
According to Royal Caribbean, after the update, the Allure of the Seas will offer more than 35 ways to dine and drink, as well as new bars, a new water park and upgraded pool decks.
The 2010-built vessel will also see the creation of new suites, as well as Royal Caribbean’s signature Ultimate Abyss slide.
The refurbishment will be completed ahead of the ship’s summer program in the Western Mediterranean, the company added.
Between April and October 2025, the newly amplified ship is scheduled to offer seven-night cruises to Spain, Italy and France.
“From the new Icon and Utopia of the Seas to now the more than $100 million transformation of Allure of the Seas, we’ve upped the ante threefold on the different ways vacationers can get away and make memories with Royal Caribbean,” said Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer, Royal Caribbean International.
“Allure will be reimagined with the best of Royal Caribbean and what travellers love. Between new favourites, like the Pesky Parrot tiki bar, and experiences that unlock core memories time and time again, from an incredible pool deck to an unmatched combination of thrills and ways to chill, Allure will have even more of everything that makes it standout favourite,” he added.
First introduced in 2018, the Royal Amplified program included significant refurbishments onboard Voyager-, Freedom- and Oasis-class ships.
After debuting its new features in Europe, the Allure of the Seas is set to return to the United States in November 2025 for a series of six- to eight-night cruises to the Caribbean departing from Fort Lauderdale.
MSC Magnifica is anchored in the Firth of Forth just under the Forth Railway Bridge for more Images of Magnifica follow the link.https://flic.kr/s/aHsm7BUfg3
MSC Cruises is set to reduce fleetwide emissions by up to 15 per cent in 2026 by implementing a new itinerary planning optimization tool, OptiCruise, according to a press release.
Developed in collaboration with OPTIMeasy, the new mathematical model reportedly analyzes various factors influencing the planning of MSC Cruises’ itineraries. The goal is to achieve maximum efficiency while maintaining or enhancing guest satisfaction, the company stated.
The MSC Bellissima was selected to test the prototype technology over 12 months while sailing between 17 ports in the Mediterranean Sea.
Michele Francioni, chief energy transition officer at MSC Cruises, said: “We have identified and developed this new technology to optimize the decision-making process of itinerary planning to further reduce emissions across our fleet from 2026.
“The OPTIMeasy team calculates that the average fuel savings made, and emissions reduced by using OptiCruise are in the range of 10-15 per cent which is a significant step forward in our ambition to achieve our net zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050 for our marine operations.”
According to the company, voyage planning in the global cruise industry has traditionally focused on the appeal of ship destinations to potential holidaymakers.
OptiCruise aims to expand this approach by incorporating a range of factors that affect itinerary efficiency. These include the sequencing of port calls, departure and arrival times, a ship’s speed, destination attractiveness, shore excursions and operational costs such as fuel, port charges and food provisions.
The tool’s algorithms analyze this data to identify optimized itineraries that maintain guest appeal while enhancing energy efficiency.
MSC Cruises’ strategy to reach net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 for its marine operations centres on three key areas: ship and engine technology, operational efficiency and renewable fuels. OptiCruise falls under the operational efficiency category, aiming to enhance energy consumption through increased digitalization.
OptiCruise was developed under the European Union’s Project CHEK, which explores low-carbon shipping technologies and innovative designs.
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