Disney’s Ultra-Large Cruise Ship Makes U.S. Stop on Delivery Run to Asia
The ultra-large Disney Adventure (208,108 gross tons) is making a brief appearance in the United States during its delivery run to Asia. The cruise ship pulled into Port Canaveral, Florida, on January 15 for a reported 12-day stopover before she resumes the trip, which will ultimately arrive in Singapore, her year-round homeport.
Acquired by Disney in November 2022 from the bankrupt MV Werften shipbuilding, the ship was completed by Meyer Werft and reconfigured for the Disney brand. The company, according to unconfirmed reports in the German media, acquired the cruise ship for €40 million along with the commitment to complete the construction in Germany. The company reconfigured cabins, redid public spaces, including removing the designs for a large casino, and redid dining and other amenities to reflect the Disney style. Unconfirmed media reports said Disney had budgeted €1 billion, but the final product cost approximately €1.8 billion.
The ship was being built by the German shipyard, which was part of the Genting Hong Kong group and was to have been called Global Dream. She was reportedly designed to carry as many as 9,000 passengers and would have been based in Asia.
Disney says the passenger capacity for the ship is approximately 6,700. It is 341 meters (1,122 feet) in length with a beam of 46 meters (151 feet). The ship was completed at 208,108 gross tons, making Disney only the third cruise line, following Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises, to have ships over the 200,000 gross ton threshold. The ship is more than 40 percent larger than Disney’s current largest ships in the Disney Wish class.
Disney Adventure docked in Florida on a stopover on its way to Asia (Port Canaveral)
The ship was outfitted with seven themed areas (Disney Imagination Garden, Toy Story Place, San Fransokyo Street, Town Square, Wayfinder Bay, Disney Discovery Reef, and Marvel Landing). The line kept elements such as the Genting design for the largest roller coaster at sea, while adding immersive experiences. Mechanically, the ship is reported to be methanol-ready, but a Disney spokesperson said they did not anticipate green methanol would be available in Singapore. They said the vessel will operate on a mix of sustainable and low-emission fuels, such as HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil).
Delivery of the ship had been delayed after the first sea trials, which began after she departed from Wismar, Germany, on September 1. She went to Bremerhaven for additional outfitting before undertaking a second series of sea trials. Delivery was completed on December 13, and she departed Germany on January 4 for the Atlantic crossing with a brief stop in Freeport, Bahamas, on January 14.
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The ship arrived in Port Canaveral around dawn on January 15, and the port says she is scheduled to depart on January 27. The delivery trip will continue with a transit of the Panama Canal, a stop in Los Angeles, and then Tokyo. The maiden voyage from Singapore is scheduled for March 10. The line has made a long-term commitment to Singapore and initially will be operating 3- and 4-day cruises to nowhere.
Introduction of the Disney Adventure follows the launch in December 2025 of the Disney Destiny in Florida. It is part of the company’s multi-year expansion plan for the cruise line, which began operations in 1998. A fourth ship of the Disney Wish class is under construction at Meyer Werft in Germany for delivery next year. The line plans to reach 13 ships, having also ordered a new class of three smaller cruise ships due to start delivery in 2029 from Meyer. Disney and the operator of the Tokyo Disney Resort, Oriental Land Co., have also reached an agreement for Oriental Land to build another ship based on the Wish class for operations in Japan. That ship is also expected to launch in 2029.