Disney Ships Head to U.S.

Apr 30, 2011

With the launch of the 2,500-passenger Disney Dream this year and the Disney Fantasy debuting in 2012, Disney Cruise Line is able to homeport in a number of strong markets, placing ships in New York; Galveston, Texas; Seattle; Los Angeles; and Port Canaveral, Fla., in 2012. With no ships deployed in Europe next year, the company is bringing its cruises to its North American customer base alleviating rising air costs for families.

"In 2012, we're making it easier than ever for families to enjoy a Disney Cruise Line vacation by offering cruises from a variety of regional homeports," said president Karl Holz. "Guests can now enjoy a magical, one-of-a-kind Disney cruise experience with the convenience of departures from their own backyard."

New York
Beginning May 25, 2012, the Disney Magic will sail 20 cruises from New York, including eight-night cruises to the Bahamas and five-night cruises up the New England coast to Canada plus two-night cruises to give a sampling of the Disney experience. Holz said Disney Magic will sail from Manhattan's Pier 88 or 90, depending on the date.

Seth Pinsky, president of the New York City Economic Development Corp., said New York hosted nearly 585,000 passengers in 2010, a 31 percent increase over the year before, with nearly $150 million in direct spending, a 54 percent rise.

"Disney is going to help us build on this success with an additional 45,000 passengers, an estimated $11 million in direct spending and publicity for the city that can't be matched," he said.

The eight Bahamas cruises, sailing late May through late August, will include a day at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay; a call in Nassau, Bahamas; and a call in Port Canaveral, which includes a one-day Walt Disney World Park Hopper ticket and roundtrip transportation between the ship and the resort for each guest, with rates starting at $1,240.

The nine, five-night cruises up the New England coast from mid-June to mid-September will call at Halifax, Nova
Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick, with fares starting at $715.

The three, two-night cruises (June 15, July 13 and Aug. 10) out of New York are priced from $370.

Until she is repositioned to New York, the Magic will sail out of Port Canaveral on seven-night Caribbean itineraries and four- and five-night Bahamas cruises.

Galveston
Starting Sept. 22, 2012, the Disney Magic will sail 12, seven-night cruises from Galveston to the Western Caribbean. Ports of call include Grand Cayman and Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel, plus three nights at sea, scheduled from late September to early December. Rates start at $840.

Seattle
From May 28, 2012, the Disney Wonder will sail 14, seven-night cruises from Seattle to Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, Alaska, and Victoria, B.C., with a day at sea. Rates start at $917.

Los Angeles
Disney Wonder is scheduled to continue sailing seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises from the Port of Los Angeles for the majority of the year -- throughout winter, spring and fall, with pricing from $707. Additionally, the Wonder will sail four new seven-night Pacific Coast cruises from Los Angeles (departing Sept. 16, Sept. 23, Sept. 30 and Oct. 7, 2012), calling on San Francisco, San Diego and Ensenada, Mexico, from $770. For the first time, on April 29, the Wonder will offer a special 15-night cruise to Hawaii from Los Angeles, visiting Hilo; Kahului, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; and Ensenada, Mexico, priced from $1,800.

Port Canaveral
The Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream will continue to sail a variety of Caribbean and Bahamian itineraries departing from Port Canaveral. The Fantasy will depart on her maiden voyage March 31, 2012, and will sail out of Port Canaveral on seven-night Caribbean itineraries -- alternating Eastern (St. Maarten and St. Thomas) and Western (Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel). Special Eastern Caribbean sailings in November and December 2012 will call in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. All Disney Fantasy itineraries include a stop at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Rates for the seven-night Caribbean cruise itineraries on the Fantasy start at $959.

The Dream will offer three-, four- and five-night cruises from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas and Disney's private island, Castaway Cay. Five-night itineraries include two stops at Castaway Cay, with fares from $471.

Although all itineraries for 2012 are homebased in U.S. ports, that doesn't mean that Europe has been eliminated from the line's plans, according to Holz, who said the company is not ruling out a European season in 2013.