NYK to Expand Cruise Business Operating Japanese Disney Cruise Ship
Japan’s NYK Line will be expanding its cruise ship operations as part of a new agreement with Oriental Land Co., the operator of the Disney theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort. The companies entered into a partnership agreement for the operation of a Disney-themed cruise ship to be launched in Japan.
Oriental Land reported in July 2024 that it planned to build a cruise ship with the Walt Disney Corporation for the Japanese market that would be operated as part of the Disney Cruise Line. The company said it would invest up to $2.2 billion for the development of the Japanese cruise operation. The cruise ship was ordered from Germany’s Meyer Werft as the fourth member of the Disney Wish class (144,000 gross tons). The ship will be tailored to the Japanese market and run shorter duration cruises from Tokyo.
Under the terms of the new agreement, Oriental Land and the NYK Group will work together toward Oriental Land’s goal of providing family entertainment cruise experiences. They look to combine the OLC Group’s expertise in offering immersive settings and excellent hospitality, which has been developed through its well-established theme park and hotel operations, and the NYK Group’s cruise operations and shipping experience. Oriental Land, which opened the first Disney theme park in Tokyo in 1983, will use its experience along with Disney while NYK will provide the ship operation and management experience.
The new Disney cruise ship is a further expansion of NYK’s cruise operations which are soon to include two Japanese cruise ships. NYK has been operating Asuka Cruises currently with the Asuka II (former Crystal Harmony) and this summer will add a new cruise ship Asuka III. The new cruise ship was recently floated out at the Meyer Werft yard in Papenburg, Germany, and is currently completing outfitting. Historically, NYK operated a single cruise ship marketed only in Japan.
Disney Cruise Line has announced an aggressive expansion plan to grow its fleet. The company started cruise operations in 1998 with the first of two cruise ships built by Fincantieri. It expanded with two cruise ships built by Meter Werft and in 2022 started its next phase of growth with the Disney Wish, the first of three 4,000-passenger LNG-fueled cruise ships also being built by Meyer Werft. The second cruise ship, Disney Treasure, entered service in December 2024 and the third, Disney Destiny, is due for delivery in 2025. The company said in its earning report that the Disney Treasure was “off to a spectacular start.” They reported strong bookings for the sixth cruise ship of the fleet.
The success of the cruise line prompted Disney in August 2024 to announce an order for four more cruise ships all to be built by Meyer Werft. The company recently detailed that it will add a fourth ship in the Wish class and then will launch a new class of smaller cruise ships with three ships each approximately 100,000 gross tons and with accommodations for approximately 3,000 passengers. They will be delivered in 2029, 2030, and 2031.
Disney Cruise Line is also launching operations this year from Singapore. The company is completing the construction of the former Global Dream acquired incomplete after the bankruptcy of MV Werften and Genting Hong Kong. The ship is being completed as the Disney Adventure (208,000 gross tons) for year-round short cruises from Singapore.
The Japanese Disney-branded cruise ship is expected to begin operations by 2029. In addition, the Disney Cruise Line will have 12 cruise ships by 2031.