Breaking News: Disney Cruise Line Has Officially Cancelled July Sailings
by Melissa Roden·May 14, 2021
Here at MickeyBlog HQ, we sort of had a feeling that this announcement was imminent but today Disney made it official.
Disney Cruise Line just announced the suspension of sailings through until the end of July.
Image Credit: Disney Cruise Line
According to an official statement from Disney Cruise Line, because the CDC has just changed its COVID-19 guidelines, Disney felt that it needed to refine their protocols in order to ensure a gradual return to service in the US.
With this in mind Disney Cruise Line is cancelling all Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy sailings through July 2021 and all Disney Wonder sailings through July 12, 2021.
Image Credit: Disney
Guests That Have Paid In Full
All guests impacted by these cancellations who have paid their reservations in full will receive a 125% future cruise credit which can be used for future sailings through September 30, 2022. Alternatively you can request a refund. According to Disney the 125% will be automatically added to the accounts of those with current Disney Cruise Line reservations during the impacted dates.
Take To The Seas With Disney Cruise Line For A Magical Adventure
Venture forth with Disney Cruise Line to faraway lands. Visit the sunny Caribbean, home to the famous Jack Sparrow, or head off to the fairy tale lands of Europe to visit Elsa and Anna. Disney effortlessly blends family friendly with elegance for an extraordinary experience. Let the kids take full advantage of Disneys Oceaneer Club while the adults enjoy the tranquil spa. Try to see if you can spot all the hidden Mickeys onboard, and dont be surprised if some of your favorite characters show up to help. Plus receive a Costco Shop Card, courtesy of Costco Travel, with every sailing.
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Disney Cruise Line News
Uniquely Disney
The Disney ships are painted in Mickey Mouse-inspired colors black hull, white superstructure, yellow trim and two giant red funnels, each with the Disney Cruise Line Mickey Mouse logo.
Disney Cruise Line was the first cruise line to have yellow lifeboats, instead of the traditional regulation orange. Disney was granted special permission from the U.S. Coast Guard to paint the lifeboats yellow, to keep with the special color theming of the ship.
The Disney Magic was built in two halves one hundred miles apart! Part of the ship was constructed in Ancona, Italy then towed 100 miles to meet the stern in Marghera to be perfectly joined and welded together.
Disney Cruise Line ships use the iconic first seven notes of the When You Wish Upon a Star song melody as their horn signals.
Disney ships are the only cruise ships to have five captains the ships captain, Captain Mickey, Captain Minnie, Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow.
Measuring 964 feet in length, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder are each longer than Main Street U.S.A at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. At 1,115 feet, the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream are longer than the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and longer than the height of New York Citys famous Chrysler Building.
The anchor on the Disney Magic weighs 28,200 pounds about the same as three full-grown elephants.
Guest Experience
Dining
Beef 5,000 pounds Wine and Champagne 2,700 bottles
Castaway Cay
New Disney Cruise Ship Rumors
New Disney Private Island?
With the announcement of three new ships, DCL will be increasing its fleet from four to seven total ships on the seas.
This will put extra stress and demand on the crowning experience of Disney’s Caribbean itineraries: Castaway Cay.
As such, Disney has been rumored to be scouring the Bahamas in search of “new Castaway Cay” to purchase. This would add a new Disney private island as a destination where its expanded fleet can take its passengers for a magical beach diversion.
Disney Cruise Line has officially put forth a proposal to develop the area of Lighthouse Point, Eleuthera in the Bahamas Initially, there was a group that actively campaigned against the development of Lighthouse Point.
DCL’s proposal to develop 746-acres to build a cruise port was tentatively approved in October 2018.
Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Cruise Line, said Disney looks “forward to working with government and the people of the Bahamas to create new economic opportunities while preserving the natural beauty of Lighthouse Point.”
New Disney Port in Bahamas?
Instead of constructing a new private island, Disney Cruise Line appears to have decided to purchase expansive property on an existing Bahamian island, Lighthouse Point on Eleuthera, to build a new “escape experience” similar to Castaway Cay.
Advantages to building directly on a populated Bahamas island over a private island include:
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Why A Disney Cruise
Ill admit, Ive wanted to do a Disney Cruise for a very long time. For one thing, I happen to be a card-carrying Disney fan .
Theres also the fact that Disney Cruise Line is unlike anything else out there on the market. And its not just the ability to completely immerse yourself in all things Disney which for some folks could actually be a little bit nightmarish but theres the actual onboard experience, too, from how dining is handled to the legendary service which Disney is known for around the world.
So why now? It was a perfect storm of events telling me the time was right. I did Disney-centric interview for the podcast which sort of put the idea in my head again.
Once I did a little research and found a decently-priced sailing that would do two days at Castaway Cay, the lines much-raved-about private island, it was a no-brainer. This itinerary is one of those that normally sells out super fast during normal times.
Disney Cruise Lines Castaway Cay
Obviously, because Ive never done a Disney cruise, Ive also never been to Castaway Cay, so the opportunity to not only visit but spend two days exploring was really appealing.
After researching prices and seeing what sailing worked best, I called my travel agent and told her the sailing, room category, and what time I wanted to dine.
Ive also spent hours on Scotts Disney Cruise Line Blog to figure out the basics.
Within 30 minutes, I had my cabin assignment and was ready to begin the pre-cruise paperwork.
Check Out What These Influencers Had To Say About A Disney Cruise Line Vacation
by Holly Ramey·December 1, 2021
Just a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to sail on a 4-night Very Merrytime cruise aboard the Disney Dream and had a more than magical time! But, I wasnt the only one who recently cruised with Disney Cruise Line as these influencers just recently shared what they loved about their Disney Cruise they also just disembarked.
Like all Disney Cruise Line vacations, these influencers were treated to amazing entertainment, themed dining, fireworks at sea, special character appearances, and even adults-only areas.
Since it was a Very Merrytime sailing, these influencers were also treated to story time with Mrs. Claus, festive holiday decorations, characters all dressed up for the holidays, carolers, and even Santa Claus!
Lets check out what they had to say!
Instagram user, , absolutely loved the surprise appearance by Captain Mickey and Captain Mickey!
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She also loved snorkeling during the Dreams stop at Disneys Castaway Cay.
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I love how Instagram user, , highlights some of the adults-only areas aboard the Disney Dream. When I did my adults-only cruise a few weeks ago, I absolutely fell in love with Pink! and my massage on Serenity Beach of Castaway Cay was what dreams are made of!
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Just Released Early 2023 Itineraries And Departures:
In early 2023, Disney Cruise Line will return to top tropical destinations in the Bahamas â including Disneys private island, Castaway Cay â as well as the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera, delighting guests of all ages with one-of-a-kind vacations at sea. A variety of enchanting itineraries will set sail coast-to-coast from U.S. home ports including Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida New Orleans Galveston, Texas and San Diego.
Baja and Mexican Riviera
Embark on a sun-splashed getaway to Mexico on a 3-, 4-, 5- or 7-night cruise departing from San Diego, CA. Dock in coastal towns that may include Cabo San Lucas, Ensenada, Mazatlán or Puerto Vallarta.
The Caribbean
Feel the warm breezes of the Caribbean transport you from one tropical destination to another on a 4-, 5-, 6-, or 7-night cruise from Port Canaveral or Miami, FL, Galveston, TX or New Orleans. Ports of call may include Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Tortola, Costa Maya, Jamaica, Puerto Rico or Disney Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island paradise.
The Bahamas
Soak up the laid-back pleasures of island life on a 3-, 4-, or 5-night cruise. Also, enjoy an 8-night cruise to Bermuda stopping in King’s Wharf. All cruises depart from Port Canaveral or Miami, FL. Your journey drops anchor in tropical ports of call that may include Nassau, King’s Wharf and Disney Castaway Cay, DCL’s private island in The Bahamas.
Disney Cruise Line Delays Test Cruise Over Covid
It looks like Disney Cruise Line’s return to service will take a little while longer.
Disney announced on Monday its first scheduled test cruise has been postponed due to concerns surrounding test results.
DCL will not start a test cruise it had scheduled on the Disney Dream due to Covid-19 test results considered positive by the CDC.
Disney Dream was scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral on June 29 on a 2-night cruise with about 300 volunteer employees onboard. Instead, the simulated voyage will be rescheduled for next month.
A few weeks ago, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had given the Disney Dream permission to conduct a test cruise between June 29 and July 1.
Disney Dream is the second cruise ship to cancel its scheduled test cruise due to Covid-19 onboard, following Odyssey of the Seas test cruises being pushed back a few weeks.
Thus far, only Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas has successfully completed a test cruise.
Test cruises are required by the CDC if a cruise ship will not reach 95% of its cruise passengers being fully vaccinated .
Disney and Royal Caribbean rely on many families to sail, and since children cannot be vaccinated, the test cruises are necessary since less than 95% of the passengers will be vaccinated.
Each cruise ship needs to conduct test cruises in order to receive approval by the CDC.
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Disney Cruise Line Delays Test Sail From Port Canaveral
Disney Cruise Line had to delay plans to perform a test sailing of Disney Dream from Port Canaveral because of COVID-19 test results.
The ship was set to perform a two-night sailing leaving Tuesday as part of the lines efforts to receive a conditional sailing certificate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
An official statement from the cruise line said because of inconsistent test results submitted before sailing, it will have to push the attempt to a later date.
We are delaying our simulation cruise due to a small number of inconsistent COVID-19 test results, which are considered positive by the CDC, according to the statement. The rigorous health and safety protocols we have in place helped us identify the situation, though the test results were ultimately negative.
Its not the first time a cruise line had to delay because of COVID testing results. Royal Caribbean was planning to sail its new ship Odyssey of the Seas from Port Everglades on July 3, but had to reschedule to the end of July after several of its crew received positive COVID-19 tests earlier in June.
Crews from several lines including Disney received vaccinations in Port Canaveral, and plans for most are to sail with 100% vaccinated crew.
But since there is no vaccine even available for children under the age of 12, lines like Disney would not have been able to meet the CDCs threshold.
Expectations For Disney Cruise Line
Like I said at the start, Ive been looking forward to doing a Disney Cruise for a long time. This will, of course, be a little different than what a Disney sailing would be like pre-COVID.
For example, one of the things long associated with Disney whether its the parks or cruises is character interactions. Ill actually be interested to see how they handle that on the ships, especially with masking and social distancing requirements in place.
This kind of up-close and personal experience cant really be offered under the current circumstances.
The Disney website says that guests are required to wear masks indoors, except when in their staterooms or actively eating, drinking or taking a photo .
Another thing Im interested in is what its like to experience a Disney Cruise as an adults who is traveling without children.
In the past, Ive received questions from people wondering if they would feel out of place on a Disney cruise ship if they were traveling solo or as an adult couple without kids. Guess were about to find out together, right?
This being my first Disney cruise, everything is going to be new to me.
Im ready for an adventure and glad youve decided to tag along.
Check out my next trip report from this cruise: Day 1 Pier Testing, Embarkation, and A Sweet Upgrade.
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Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
Original Update: The UK-based cruise line has announced an extension on cancelled cruises just like many other cruise operators. However, the cruise line has not announced a return date and is keeping it open.
Update 1: Fred Olsen has now announced some return dates for its ships towards the end of the year and into 2021.
Update 2: A lot has been going on with the British-based cruise line with two new ships purchased from Holland America Line and new return dates.
Update 3: The cruise line has decided to cancel cruises into 2021 due to the ongoing uncertainty around the world.
Update 4: Fred Olsen Cruises has announced more specific return dates for three cruise ships starting from the end of Spring 2021.
Update 5: In the latest cancellation update, the cruise line removed specific return dates for each ship and now expects all its vessels to start resuming sailings up until the end of June 2021. However, Braemar will remain on hold for much longer until Spring 2022.
Update 6: Fred Olsen will follow several other UK-based cruise operators by offering residents UK domestic sailings to nowhere. Borealis will be the first ship to start from Liverpool on July 5. She will then be followed by Balmoral and Bolette out of different homeports.
- Cruises Resume: End of June/Early July 2021
- UK Domestic Cruises Resume:
What To Know As Disney Cruise Line Targets Aug 9 Restart In The Us
Disney Cruise Line will resume sailing from Florida on the Disney Dream beginning Aug. 9, 2021.
The 2,500-passenger vessel will sail a series of four- and three-night Bahamian voyages from Port Canaveral with two stops at Castaway Cay, and has dropped Nassau for the time being.
Meanwhile, come end of August, the Dreams sister ship, the Disney Fantasy, will still be sailing its simulated cruises, of which there will be two.
On Aug. 26, the ship will sail a three-night Bahamian test cruise from Port Canaveral, visiting Nassau and Castaway Cay and on Aug. 29, the Fantasy will embark on a four-night Western Caribbean cruise visiting Cozumel and Castaway Cay.
The Disney Fantasy is expected to start its revenue voyages on Sept. 4 from Port Canaveral, sailing seven-night itineraries with visits to Tortola, St. Thomas and Disneys Castaway Cay.
While Disney will not be requiring proof of vaccination for its sailings out of Florida, non-vaccinated passengers will be subjected to a pre-embarkation PCR test and a $65 antigen test at the port .
Additionally, non-vaccinated guests over 12 years old sailing from Florida before Dec. 31, 2021, will have to provide proof of a valid travel insurance policy.
Guests aged two and older will be required to wear a face covering on the ship and at terminals, except for some designated areas and situations .
The Disney Cruise Line Navigator mobile app can be used by guests to help with communication with crew and virtual queueing.
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Disney Cruise Line Orders Lng
Disney Cruise Line, a unit of the US-based Walt Disney Company, has ordered three ships powered by liquefied natural gas at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.
Disney Cruise Line last year ordered two cruise ships at Meyer Werft as part of its expansion plans.
The company said on Saturday it added another vessel to the order revealing that all of the ships will be powered by LNG.
The new delivery is scheduled for 2022, with the two previously announced ships due in 2021 and 2023.
All ship names, design plans and itineraries are still in development, with each of the ships expected to have their own unique experiences, according to Disney Cruise Line.
The three ships will be the same size approximately 135,000 gross tons with about 1,250 guest staterooms planned which is slightly larger than the newest Disney Cruise Line ships, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.
Disney Cruise Line did not reveal the price of the ships.
We decided two ships wouldnt be enough to hold all of the exciting new experiences we have been dreaming up to take family cruise vacations to a whole new level with immersive Disney storytelling, world-class family entertainment, and imaginative innovations that are fantastically fun and uniquely Disney, Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said.