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.
Carnival Corporation announced it has signed an agreement with Meyer Werft shipyard for a fifth Excel Class cruise ship for its Carnival Cruise Line brand, set to be delivered in 2028.
This announcement confirms the addition of the 11th Excel Class ship to the corporation’s fleet across four brands, with Carnival Cruise Line operating the fifth vessel. This follows a February announcement for a newbuild for Carnival with a 2027 delivery date.
“Carnival’s Excel-class fleet will soon be a quintet of these very popular ships that provide outstanding guest amenities and tremendous operating efficiencies,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
“Since the introduction of Mardi Gras in 2021 and the subsequent expansion with Carnival Celebration in 2022 and Carnival Jubilee in 2023, these Excel-class ships are driving excitement, demand, and strong guest satisfaction ratings. With the arrival of Carnival Firenze in April, we are completing the addition of five ships to our fleet in less than 20 months, and then we will pivot to another phase of growth with these two Excel ships.”
Like its sister ships, the new vessel will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and designed to carry over 6,400 guests and 1,800 crew.
“This new order continues to balance our commitment to growth with our responsible capital approach to utilize strong free cash flow over the next several years to strategically improve our balance sheet, significantly reduce our leverage levels and continue to transfer value from debt holders to shareholders,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation.
“Carnival Cruise Line continues to perform at an outstanding level, and we are focused on adding capacity across the company where it aligns with demand and our position in the marketplace,” added Weinstein.
This measured capacity growth strategy will result in our adding one to two ships per year beginning in 2027, and we will be identifying additional fleet plans over the coming months for our cruise lines to meet capacity demand and improve execution across all aspects of our operation, with the benefit of yielding higher return on invested capital.”
“We are proud of the role the Excel Class from Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku has played in contributing to the success of Carnival Corporation for many years now. We look forward to continuing this success story together,” said Bernd Eikens, CEO of Meyer Group.
Saga has confirmed its looking into potential partnerships for its ocean cruises business based on reports in British media.
“We are looking at how we can offer more cruises to more guests in the future,” Saga Cruises CEO Nigel Blanks said in a statement shared on social media.
“This comes on the back of exceptional demand for our boutique ocean cruise offer,” he continued noting that the Spirit of Discovery and the Spirit of Adventure are operating “close to capacity.”
“With this in mind, we have been looking into the possibility of entering a partnership arrangement for our ocean cruise business as the best way to support further growth,” Blanks said.
The move would also create value for the company’s shareholders, he noted, pointing out to Saga’s “unique business, with a strong brand and committed team.”
“We are still in the early stages of the process of exploring opportunities,” Blanks said, noting that transactions of this nature “usually take months rather than days or weeks.”
According to Sky News, the debt-challenged tour operator was working with advisers and also considered selling its two cruise vessels or offloading the entire business under a licensing arrangement.
After initially entering the cruise business with second-hand vessels, Saga Cruises took delivery of two new cruise ships in 2019 and 2020.
Sailing from different ports in the United Kingdom on a year-round basis, the Spirit of Discovery and the Spirit of Adventure were built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.
Designed to offer a boutique cruise experience, the 55,000-ton sister ships can accommodate up to 999 guests in double occupancy.
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