Disney to launch 9th cruise ship to reach 'some of our biggest fans'
Disney Cruise Line is expanding its sailings out of Asia, announcing that its ninth ship will set sail from Tokyo by early 2029.
Disney made the announcement Tuesday. The new ship will be a "sister ship to the popular Disney Wish" and will be constructed at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, according to a press release. Its name has not yet been revealed.
The new agreement between Disney and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (OLC) is an "evolution" of a 40-year relationship between the two, as OLC owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort. It is part of a 10-year, $60 billion expansion of Disney's theme parks and cruise business.
"To set sail from Japan will make Disney vacations at sea more accessible to Japanese guests, who we know are some of our biggest fans," Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney Signature Experiences, told reporters during a press conference, according to Reuters.
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The Tokyo-based ship is expected to be about 140,000 gross tons powered by liquefied natural gas and have about 1,250 staterooms, with a maximum capacity of 4,000 passengers. It is expected to bring in about 100 billion yen ($621.77 million) in annual sales within several years of launch, OLC said.
Disney continues to target families in the cruise market.
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"Forty percent of the people on those ships today will say, 'The only reason I'm on a cruise ship today is because Disney's here,'" Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, told Reuters in a recent interview.
Details about the maiden voyage, itineraries and on board experiences will be released at a later day, Disney said.
Disney Cruise Line started in 1998 and currently sails to destinations in the Bahamas, Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, with a fleet of five ships - the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish.
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Three more ships are expected by the end of 2025.
Just last month, Disney announced it would be setting sail from Singapore next year with the Disney Adventure.
Reuters contributed to this report.