Disney Adventure to Remain in Singapore For 2026-27

Disney Adventure to Remain in Singapore For 2026-27

The Disney Adventure will continue to offer short cruises from Singapore as part of Disney Cruise Line’s recently announced 2026-27 deployment.

According to the company’s website, the 6,000-guest vessel will operate a series of three- and four-night cruises during this timeframe.

With no ports of call, the itineraries feature two and three days at sea, respectively, before returning to Singapore.

Nearly 30 new sailings are currently scheduled to take place between October 2026 and January 2027.

Currently under construction at MV Werften in Germany, the Disney Adventure is scheduled to enter service later this year.

As the largest ship ever built for Disney Cruise Line, the 208,000-ton vessel was designed to serve the Asian market.

After departing Germany, the ship is scheduled to deadhead to Singapore ahead of welcoming its first paying guests on December 15, 2025.

During the 2025-26 season, the Disney Adventure will sail from its homeport in Southeast Asia for a series of three- and four-night cruises to nowhere.

The itineraries feature only days at sea and will continue to be offered during the summer of 2026 as well.

Originally ordered as Dream Cruises’ Global Dream, the vessel was acquired by Disney Cruise Line after its operator ceased operations in 2022.

In addition to the Disney Adventure in Singapore, Disney’s 2026-27 season will include itineraries in the Caribbean and on the West Coast.

The deployment is highlighted by capacity increases in Texas and California, with the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic offering more cruises from San Diego.

In Galveston, the Disney Magic is set to offer an extended season that includes itineraries to the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Three ships are scheduled to sail from Port Canaveral during the season: the Disney Treasure, the Disney Wish and the Disney Fantasy.

The Disney Destiny and the Disney Dream will offer cruises from Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades.

Disney to Leave Australia and New Zealand Market After 2025-26 Season

Disney to Leave Australia and New Zealand Market After 2025-26 Season

Disney Cruise Line is leaving the Australia and New Zealand market after the 2025-26 season, the company confirmed in a statement.

“The Disney Adventure’s maiden sailings from Singapore in December 2025 will launch a magical expansion into the Asia-Pacific region,” the company said.

“As part of this growth, we will be repositioning the Disney Wonder to another part of the world following its 2025-26 season in Australia and New Zealand,” Disney continued.

The company did not reveal alternative deployment plans for the vessel, which is scheduled to spend the summer of 2026 sailing in Alaska.

“While the Disney Wonder will not return to Australia and New Zealand for the 2026-27 season, we want to reassure you that sailings from this region remain a strong consideration for future itineraries,” Disney noted.

“The response from guests during our local seasons has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are looking forward to a fantastic upcoming season starting on Oct. 19, 2025.”

Disney Cruise Line debuted in the Australia and New Zealand market in the 2023-24 season with the Disney Wonder. The 1999-built vessel later returned to the region for a second season in 2024-25.

As part of its farewell deployment in the South Pacific, the Disney Wonder is set to offer short cruises departing from Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

After starting in late October, the season runs through early February and includes three- to five-night itineraries to Eden, Hobart, Wellington and Christchurch.

In December, the 1,750-guest ship is also scheduled to offer a special ten-night cruise that sails from Sydney to Auckland.

The longer itinerary features visits to Fjordland National Park, Napier, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch.

Taking over Disney’s operations in the Asia-Pacific region, the Disney Adventure is set to offer short cruises to nowhere in Southeast Asia.

Currently in the final stages of construction in Germany, the 208,000-ton ship will sail from Singapore on a year-round basis.

Disney Wonder Returns to Alaska for Summer Season

Disney Wonder Returns to Alaska for Summer Season

The Disney Wonder recently arrived back in Vancouver, Canada, to kick off its 2025 summer season in Alaska.

After completing a spring deployment on the West Coast, the 1999-built ship returned to its homeport in British Columbia on May 12, 2025.

Sailing roundtrip cruises from Canada Place, the Disney Wonder is now offering five- to nine-night cruises that visit Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.

Some of the sailings also feature visits to additional ports, such as Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Victoria.

Upon completing its summer season in Alaska, the Disney Wonder is scheduled to return to the South Pacific for cruises in Australia.

Before arriving in Sydney in late October, the 1,750-guest ship offers repositioning cruises that sail to Hawaii, American Samoa, Fiji and New Caledonia.

Disney Cruise Line’s summer deployment for 2025 also includes itineraries in Europe, North America and the Caribbean.

While the Disney Fantasy debuted in Europe earlier this month, four other ships are sailing from U.S. ports.

After entering service in late 2024, the Disney Treasure continues to offer a series of seven-night cruises to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral.

The Disney Wish and the Disney Magic also operate out of Disney’s homeport near Orlando, while the Disney Dream offers short cruises from Fort Lauderdale.

Itineraries are highlighted by visits to the company’s private island destinations in the Bahamas: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Disney is now getting ready to welcome two new ships to its fleet later this year, the Disney Destiny and the Disney Adventure.

Both new vessels are currently in the final stages of construction at shipyards in Germany.

While the Destiny is set to join the company’s fleet in the Caribbean, the Adventure marks the brand’s debut in Southeast Asia with cruises from Singapore.

Disney Cruise Line: Two Ships in Alaska for 2026

Disney Cruise Line: Two Ships in Alaska for 2026

Disney Cruise Line unveiled summer 2026, exploring Alaska, Europe, The Bahamas and the Caribbean.

The Disney Magic and Disney Wonder will sail seven-night voyages to Alaska from Vancouver, visiting ports like Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, along with Dawes Glacier. The Disney Magic will also make stops at Icy Strait Point. It will mark the first time two Disney ships have been deployed to Alaska.

The Disney Dream will debut in Cagliari, Italy, marking the first time Disney Cruise Line visits this destination. The ship will then travel to various European ports across Italy, Greece, Croatia and Malta, among others. It will start the summer with a transatlantic crossing from Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona and then offer seven- to twelve-night Mediterranean cruises. The Disney Dream will also sail from Southampton, UK, to Northern Europe and the Norwegian Fjords.

The Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish will sail from Port Canaveral, Florida to The Bahamas and the Caribbean, including stops at Disney’s private retreats, Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay. The Disney Treasure will offer seven-night Caribbean cruises with stops at destinations such as Tortola, Falmouth and Cozumel.

The Disney Destiny, launching in November 2025, will depart from Fort Lauderdale on four- and five-night cruises to The Bahamas and the Western Caribbean, including stops at Disney’s private islands.

Finally, the Disney Adventure will launch in December 2025, offering three- and four-night itineraries from Singapore starting in April 2026. Guests will experience Marvel-themed attractions, exclusive entertainment and a variety of dining options.

 

Disney: Adventure, Heritage and Families

Disney: Adventure, Heritage and Families

What sets Disney Cruise Line apart is the fact that it is an entertainment company first and then an experienced business that is also in the cruise business, according to Sharon Siskie, senior vice president and general manager.

“Entertainment is a big component,” she told Cruise Industry News aboard the Disney Treasure. “We have a big commitment to bringing stories to life.

“When it relates to the individual ships, we have a little bit of a different story to tell aboard all of them,” she added.

The bottom line, according to Siskie, is that guests will have a Disney-quality cruise experience.

“While we focus on some level of differentiation between each ship with new shows and new spaces, we also focus on the elements that are consistent and constant across the fleet.”

With Marvel, Star Wars and Pixar stories and characters onboard, thinking about Disney over time, people still love the traditional classics, Siskie added, referring to the “Fab Five” that includes Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

“For the younger audiences, the new characters may be more relevant and we have diversity within the ranks of the characters. All of our characters have a special place and role to play in the mosaic of the character interactions and experiences that we have.”

The ships are designed with families in mind with staterooms that have split bathrooms and plenty of storage space. But everyone in a family should feel it is designed just for them, Siskie said.

“When you think about it, we are designed with kids in mind, but if I am a mom, I should feel it is designed for me too.”

She explained how the family market can be geographically dispersed, it can be within the U.S. and out of Florida ports, or on a global scale, and the very definition of families can be different. There can be multigenerational families, with grandparents bringing kids and grandkids. Or there can be couples without kids who are also families just defined a little bit differently.

“It goes back to the point of spaces that they feel are designed just for them,” she added.

“It is more a mindset than a demographic. If you have a passion for creativity and fun and enjoy fantasies getting away from the real world, you may just want a touch of that. It is like when you step into the Grand Hall (atrium aboard the Disney Treasure), you feel like you have stepped into a very unique kind of immersive space and experience.

“When you overlay the service and the details with the design and the approach to how we deliver it with our crew, it is a combination of all these factors that sets us apart.

“And how we can contribute to the greater Disney company in terms of the experiences we deliver and really be what we call a brand deposit, that’s what we try to do,” she said.

“We know how to run this business and we know how to run it very well, and the economics are very strong.”

Growing the cruise line makes a lot of sense for Disney, Siskie said.

“First of all, we have more demand than we have supply today, and by a pretty wide margin. We know there is a lot of interest in Disney’s cruises. So that allows us to think about expanding the footprint for Disney experiences globally.”

With seven more ships coming, she admitted there are many decisions to be made about future deployment.

Keel Laid for New Disney Treasure at Meyer Werft

Keel Laid for New Disney Treasure at Meyer Werft

Disney Cruise Line reached a significant milestone in the construction of its next ship, the Disney Treasure, with the keel laying ceremony at Meyer Werft shipyard.

The ship is scheduled to enter service in 2024.

The ceremony, which follows maritime tradition and brings good fortune, was celebrated with the placement of a newly-minted coin under the keel of the ship, according to a statement.

The commemorative coin used in the ceremony featured an etching of Captain Minnie Mouse donning a new look that embodies the ship’s adventure motif. The theme of adventure, inspired by Walt Disney’s love of exploration, will pave the way for captivating onboard experiences that immerse guests in some of the company’s most legendary stories.

Two Cruise Ships Plug Into San Diego’s Shore Power

Two Cruise Ships Plug Into San Diego’s Shore Power

The Port of San Diego announced that on Friday, for the first time, two cruise ships can now simultaneously use shore power in San Diego rather than running their diesel engines while at berth.

Previously, only one cruise vessel could plug in. On Friday, the Disney Wonder and the Insignia from Oceania Cruises were the first two cruise vessels to use shore power at the same time in San Diego.

The port said in a statement that it is committed to being a good neighbour. Having two shore power outlets at the cruise ship terminals will result in at least a 90 per cent overall reduction of harmful pollutants (while the ships are docked) such as Nitrous Oxides (NOx) and Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The Port is also meeting California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations that require essentially all cruise ships calling on California ports to use shore power beginning January 1, 2023.

Doubling shore power at the cruise terminals is among many electrification efforts underway in support of the Port’s Maritime Clean Air Strategy (MCAS), the most ambitious clean air strategy of its kind in the state, and likely in the entire country, the port said.

The MCAS and its “Health Equity for All” vision represents the Port’s commitment to environmental justice, specifically cleaner air for everyone who lives, works, and plays on and around San Diego Bay.

First Look at Disney Wish at Meyer Werft

First Look at Disney Wish at Meyer Werft

The new Disney Wish has left the covered building hall at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany.

The new Disney Cruise Line ship will be powered by LNG when she debuts at Port Canaveral this summer into revenue service.

The Wish is part of a three-ship new build lineup from Disney, with more ships expected in 2023 and 2025 from Meyer Werft.

They will join the company's existing fleet of Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. 

Disney Wish Delivery Pushed Back Six Weeks

The introduction of the new Disney Wish has been pushed back six weeks, with the company citing delays at Meyer Werft.

"The shipyard has notified us that despite their very best efforts, they will need more time to finish our ship in part due to the pandemic and particularly the arrival of the Omicron variant in Germany at a critical point in the process," said a letter sent to guests from Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney Cruise Line.

The new maiden voyage date is July 14, 2022. The company is said to be reaching out to booked guests to help them reschedule.

While it's true, we are shifting the timing a bit our teams are making incredible strides. This ship is going to be everything, Absolutely everything we envisioned, a majestic new member of our family, complementing our other ships while bringing to life incredible new spaces, experiences and entertainment," Malzoum said in a video sent to booked passengers.

"During my visits to the shipyard, I've been absolutely amazed by the innovation and ingenuity our teams are bringing to their work. The future is bright indeed. And you will see a whole new dimension of Disney magic when the Disney Wish launches.," he said.

Disney Cruise Line’s Float Debuts at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Disney Cruise Line’s ship float – named the Magic Meets the Sea – has debuted in New York City as part of the 95th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 25.

The float was inspired by the Disney Wish, which sets sail in summer 2022.

The Magic Meets the Sea’s participation in the parade was accompanied by a special performance by actor and singer-songwriter Jordan Fisher.

The float featured 15 Disney characters that represent the stories and experiences on the Disney Wish – including Captain Minnie Mouse who adorns the ship’s bow, Princess Tiana who's part of an interactive adventure aboard the ship, Aladdin and Jasmine whose story has been reimagined into a stage show onboard, and Cinderella whose bronze statue will stand in the Grand Hall.

The Magic Meets the Sea featured design elements including a Mickey Mouse-inspired colour palette, towering red funnels and a filigree motif along the hull.

San Diego to Welcome Ships and Passengers Back

The Port of San Diego will welcome the return of cruise lines and cruise passengers on Friday, October 1, when the Disney Wonder and Grand Princess will be the first sailings out of San Diego since spring 2020. The Disney Wonder is setting sail for a four-day cruise beginning in San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and back. The Grand Princess sailing will begin in Los Angeles on September 30 and stop in San Diego on October 1 on its way to Ensenada and back to Los Angeles.

The port said it currently anticipates more than 100 cruise calls through May 2022. Those calls will primarily be from Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Disney Cruise Line.

According to a prepared statement, health and safety is a top priority. To safely resume cruising, the port said it is working with the cruise lines, along with various other local, state, and federal agencies to put extra precautions in place to minimize community spread of and exposure to COVID-19.

In conjunction with the cruise lines, precautions include that all crew members and eligible guests must be fully vaccinated (currently ages 12 and up; in special and rare cases, medical exemptions may be allowed, but Celebrity, Holland America, and Princess must maintain that at least 95% of all guests are vaccinated; Disney Cruise Line will be testing all guests on embarkation days).

All unvaccinated guests must provide negative PCR test results between three days and 24 hours before embarkation day. All persons must complete a health screening form to declare they have been vaccinated, are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, and had a recent negative COVID-19 test result (if pre-testing was required by the cruise line).

All persons must wear a face covering while inside the cruise ship terminal.

Whenever possible while in the cruise terminals, all persons are strongly encouraged to social distance from other persons, not in their own travelling party.

To prevent an influx of passengers and to help ensure social distancing, the cruise lines have implemented a passenger appointment system for check-in/screening times.

The port will be fully cleaning and disinfecting the terminals immediately following each embarkation and disembarkation, plexiglass partitions have been installed in some areas, and hand sanitiser will be available throughout the terminals.

San Diego is California’s third busiest cruise port behind Long Beach and Los Angeles. And, according to the port, each homeported cruise has an economic impact of $2 million. While a single in-transit call (one stop on the cruise itinerary) generates a total impact to the region of nearly $600,000.

 

Disney Gets Approval for 'Test Cruise' with Volunteers

Disney Cruise Line will conduct a test and simulation cruise for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with volunteer guests aboard the 2010-built Disney Dream out of Port Canaveral for a two-night cruise.

Disney follows Royal Caribbean International as the second cruise line to get CDC approval for the test cruise option, which will lead to letting a ship operating with non-vaccinated passengers under health and safety protocols. 

For cruise lines opting to require 98 per cent of guests and 95 per cent of the crew to be vaccinated for COVID-19, there is no test cruise requirement and fewer regulations. However, some brands appear to be set to have some ships go through CDC certification to have more non-vaccinated guests to target family travel.

In a letter sent out Thomas Mazloum, President of Disney Signature Experiences announced the news in a letter.

"We now have the green light to conduct our two-night simulation cruise aboard the Disney Dream from June 29 to July 1, sailing from Port Canaveral. The ship will sail with volunteer passengers and test our newly developed health and safety protocols, which have been meticulously tailored to the current public health environment. All of these protocols are essential to cruising responsibly, and Disney Cruise Line couldn’t be more committed to making vacation dreams come true as it prioritizes the wellbeing of all who step aboard our ships," Mazloum wrote.

"Today, as we move closer to restarting our U.S. cruises, I want to spotlight the tremendous resilience and positivity of the team. Your collaboration and continued enthusiasm throughout the pandemic have been nothing short of amazing, as we’ve researched, drafted, revised and refined our comprehensive roadmap for cruising again. It has been no small feat – and I’m extremely proud of everyone."

Disney Confirms Summer 2021 Magic Staycation Sailings in the UK

Disney Cruise Line has become the latest cruise operator to confirm UK home sailings in summer 2021. According to a press release, United Kingdom residents will be able to sail on the brand-new Disney Magic at Sea "staycation" sailings from UK ports this summer for a limited time.

Featuring enchanted entertainment and with multiple layers of health and safety measures, the Disney Magic cruise ship plans to sail mostly two- and three-night voyages, as well as limited four-night sailings round-trip from London Tilbury, Newcastle, Liverpool and Southampton.

"Our teams are bringing tremendous ingenuity and fun to these new cruises, tailoring them with care to the times we are living in, yet filling them with everything you'd expect from Disney, from great service and entertainment to immersive dining experiences and magic for the whole family," said Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney Cruise Line.

Guests will remain aboard the Disney Magic throughout the sailing and will enjoy a cruise experience with world-class accommodations, dazzling entertainment and a variety of included dining options. Children and adults alike will delight in spaces created just for them, including family pools and waterslides, whimsical kids clubs, and adult-only retreats such as a secluded pool and spa, a lively entertainment district and a fine-dining restaurant.

According to the press release, favourite Disney stories, characters and entertainment will come to life during these special Disney Magic at Sea cruises, including a celebration with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their pals, a Frozen flurry of fun with Anna, Elsa and Olaf, and an epic encounter with Marvel's greatest Super Heroes.

Guests will cherish special moments with beloved Disney friends, from capturing physically distanced photos with Captain Mickey, to enjoying a royal promenade with Disney Princesses or seeing favourite Toy Story pals. West End-quality stage shows will captivate guests of all ages in the elegant Walt Disney Theatre.

Disney Cruise Line said it was implementing multiple layers of health and safety measures considering guidance from the UK government, health authorities and medical experts. This includes COVID-19 testing, health screenings, face coverings, reduced guest capacity, physical distancing and enhanced cleaning.

The cruise line added that the Disney Magic at Sea staycation itineraries are expected to go on sale in April 2021 for summer 2021 sailings, pending the issuance of UK government guidelines and authorizations. 

Disney Delays Launch Dates of 2 Ships by 2 Years

Disney Wish postponed.

Disney Cruise Line will be postponing the launch of its sixth and seventh ships from 2022 and 2023 to 2024 and 2025, respectively.

This was announced by CEO Bob Chapek during the question and answer part of the Nov. 12 financial results conference call.

Chapek blamed the delay on having to go through and adapt to “quite thorough” latest CDC guidelines.

“They really entail some really high hurdles in terms of not only testing by the potential guests that we host on the ships but also a process that has to happen in order to certify our first sailings,” he said. “Those will necessarily result in delays beyond what we had hoped in terms of getting our ships back in service and making magic for our guests.”

Chapek also reminded that the launch of the Disney Wish, the cruise line’s fifth ship, was postponed from the end of 2021 to summer 2022.

Pandemic-related issues at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany were cited as the reason for the six-month delay back in mid-October when it was first announced.

Chapek added that the cruise line sees a “very, very strong demand” for its new cruise ships.

“We hope and expect that the world will back to normal by then, and anticipate having a fine time trying to fill up the demand of those ships. And we think there's going to be so much pent-up demand that we don't expect to have many issues given the love that our guests have for Disney Cruise Lines,” Chapek said.

New Disney Wish Set to Debut in Summer 2022

Disneys Tangled Rapunzel painting the stern of the New Disney Wish cruise ship.

Disney Cruise Line has announced the Disney Wish will debut later than expected, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and confirming the ship will enter service in summer 2022.

"Originally planned to sail in early 2022, the Disney Wish is now scheduled for its maiden voyage in summer 2022 due to pandemic-related delays at the Meyer-Werft shipyard in Germany," the company announced.

"As previously announced, the Disney Wish will be powered by liquified natural gas or LNG, one of the cleanest-burning fuels available. At approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, the ship will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy."

  

Disney Wonder on Her Way To Dry dock

The Disney Wonder in an previous dry dock.

 Taking advantage of the downtime in operations, Disney Cruise Line is performing routine regulatory class work and upgrades on its fleet, according to sources familiar with the work.

The Disney Wonder, built in 1999, is on her way to a dry dock in Brest, France and was in Ponta Delgada in the Azores for a technical stop last week where she took on fuel having sailed from Port Canaveral.

Disney has not released information on the details of the dry dock projects.

The Wonder, meanwhile, has seen sailings through Dec. 15 cancelled.

The ship is scheduled to sail her winter season of short cruises from Galveston before a short stint in New Orleans. Next spring, the ship is based in San Diego prior to her 2021 summer season in Alaska.

Disney CEO Confident on Cruise; New Ships Could Be Delayed

Speaking on the company's second-quarter earnings call, Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek was bullish on the future of Disney Cruise Line but admitted cruises may be among the company's last businesses to come back online.

"And in terms of the cruise ship business, we agree that that will probably be the last of our travel-oriented businesses to come back online," Chapek said.

"Interestingly enough long term all of our data and our research shows that our guests will be just as interested in cruising with us long term. Obviously not in the next few months but much more resilient than any of the competitive businesses because of that love for Disney and assurance that they feel, that they trust our business to act in a responsible way to help to the extent possible protect them against some of the woes that have plagued the industry since COVID has hit."

Disney Cruise Line operates four ships: the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy.

The brand has three more ships on order for introductions in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The company is also anticipating delays to its newbuild schedule, according to an SEC filing.

"The company has credit facilities to finance three new cruise ships, which were to be delivered in 2021, 2022 and 2023 although delays are now expected as a result of the COVID-19 impact on the shipyard," Disney stated.

Disney Cruise Line's fifth: Disney Wish

The Disney Wish's stern will feature Rapunzel.

Disney Cruise Line's fifth ship will be called the Disney Wish. At its D23 Expo on Sunday, Disney revealed the name of the ship as well as renderings of its stern design and atrium. 

Disney described the three-story atrium as "bright and airy, inspired by the beauty of an enchanted fairytale."

The stern design features Rapunzel with a paintbrush in hand, suspended by her enchanted blond hair. Her sidekick chameleon, Pascal, holds the easel while Rapunzel paints.

"Spirited, smart, curious and -- above all -- adventurous, Rapunzel embodies the wish and desire to see and experience the world," Disney said.

The Disney Wish is scheduled to enter service in January 2022.

The Disney Wish's three-story atrium will be inspired by an enchanted fairytale.

"There couldn't be a better name for our incredible new ship because making wishes come true is part of the Disney DNA and is at the heart of so many of our cherished stories," said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

The Wish will be powered by liquefied natural gas. At approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, it will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

Also at D23, Disney revealed new information about Lighthouse Point, its second private destination in the Bahamas, located on the island of Eleuthera.

Disney said Joe Rohde, whose work includes the design of Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando and the Aulani resort Hawaii, has taken a cultural tour of the Bahamas to meet with local artists and cultural experts. 

"The Lighthouse Point site is so beautiful and so full of nature that we want to preserve this and use our designs to call attention to the extraordinary quality of the place itself -- a place of natural beauty with a rich and fascinating cultural tradition," Rohde said. "We will be directly involved in conservation efforts to preserve and protect the environment that creates this beauty, and we will be working with artists of every kind, much like we did with Aulani in Hawaii, to create a unique destination that is rooted in Bahamian culture and imbued with Disney magic."

Disney said Lighthouse Point guests can look forward to an island experience that celebrates nature and the spirit and culture of the Bahamas.

Disney Cruise Line completed its purchase of Lighthouse Point earlier this year, committing to develop less than 20% of the property and build an open-trestle pier that eliminates the need to dredge a ship channel.

Construction at Lighthouse Point will begin after an environmental impact assessment and environmental management plan are reviewed and accepted by the government of the Bahamas, Disney said. The company said construction could begin in 2020 with completion in late 2022 or 2023.

14 Cruise Ships Received a Perfect 100 Health Score

PHOTO: Disney Fantasy by Disney Cruise Line. (photo via Marina113 / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus)

According to the CDC, 14 cruise ships earned a perfect health score during their surprise inspections in the last year.

The ships can be found among 10 different cruise lines and include Celebrity Summit, Rhapsody of the Seas, Norwegian Gem, Disney Wonder, Seabourn Quest, Viking Star, Auroa, Disney Fantasy, Noordam, Sea Princess, Disney Dream, Amsterdam, AIDAVITA and Emerald Princess.

All cruise ships that sail to or from the U.S. must undergo a surprise health inspection by the VSP or Vessel Sanitation Program.

Everything from the medical facilities to the swimming pools, portable water systems, child centres, rooms, ventilation systems and common areas of the ship are inspected.

There are 44 items on the VSP’s checklist, so to get a score of 100, the cruise ship had to receive perfect scores on every single item.

Alternatively, a score of 85 or below is considered failing which occurred with the following ships: Ocean Insignia, Ocean Dream, Silver Spirit, Safari Endeavor and Le Boreal.

Galveston Enters Into 10 Year Agreement With Disney Cruise Line

The Port of Galveston announced today that it has finalized a new agreement with Disney Cruise Line extending preferential berthing agreement rights at the Port for an additional 10 years with an option to renew for two additional five year periods effective November 1, 2018, according to a statement. 

The new agreement outlines plans for a shared cruise terminal that will accommodate a ship equal to or larger than the Disney Magic and Wonder class of vessel.

Additionally, it is projected that over the first five years of the potential 20-year agreement, Disney will nearly double its sailings, the port said. 

“September 22, 2012, marked the first time ever that a Disney Cruise Line ship set sail from the State of Texas with the maiden voyage of Disney Wonder. The Port has been seasonal homeport to both Disney Wonder and Disney Magic ever since. We are thrilled to be able to continue to give Texas and the southwest region of the United States the opportunity to experience Disney cruise vacations from their own backyard,” said Port of Galveston CEO/Port Director, Rodger Rees. “We are proud to be one of the few selected homeports for Disney Cruise Line.”

“Our guests have loved visiting Galveston and setting sail from this historic port to the western Caribbean, Key West and the Bahamas,” said Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Signature Experiences and Disney Cruise Line. “As we plan to expand our fleet and introduce new experiences and entertainment aboard our ships, we couldn’t be more excited to extend our commitment with the Port of Galveston.”