Disney Cruise Line is temporarily extending final payment until 60 days prior to sailing for guests booked in unrestricted stateroom categories for sailings through June 30, 2021. This means guests who have not yet reached their final payment due date can wait until up to 60 days prior to sailing to pay for their cruise vacation. Guests must pay in full before being allowed to book cruise activities within their Castaway Club booking window. In addition, Disney Cruise Line temporarily relaxed its cruise cancellation fee schedule for sailings through June 30, 2021, as described below.

One to Five Night Cruises, Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms: Guests who cancel 60 days or more prior to sailing, there is no cancellation fee. Guests who cancel between 45 and 59 days prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is their deposit. For guests who cancel 30 to 44 days prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 50 percent of vacation price per guest. For guests who cancel 15 to 29 days prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 75 percent of vacation price per guest. For guests who cancel 14 days or less prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 100 percent of vacation price per guest.

Cruises Six Nights or More Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms: Guests who cancel 60 days or more prior to sailing, there is no cancellation fee. Guests who cancel between 56 to 59 days prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is their deposit. For guests who cancel 30 to 55 days prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 50 percent of vacation price per guest. For guests who cancel 15 to 29 days prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 75 percent of vacation price per guest. For guests who cancel 14 days or less prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 100 percent of vacation price per guest.

Suites and Concierge Staterooms: Guests who cancel 60 days or more prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is their deposit. Guests who cancel between 56 to 59 days prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 50 percent of vacation price per guest. For guests who cancel 30 to 55 days prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 75 percent of vacation price per guest. For guests who cancel 29 days or less prior to sailing, the cancellation fee is 100 percent of vacation price per guest.

Categories with Restrictions: Reservations for Inside, Outside or Verandah Categories with Restrictions remain nonrefundable and nontransferable.

These temporary changes are in addition to Disney Cruise Lines’ Cruise Date Flexibility Option that already allows guests the flexibility to change their sail date up to 15 days prior to departure for any cruise booked by Dec. 31, 2020 for scheduled sailings on or before June 30, 2021. For more information, visit www.DisneyCruise.com.

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SOURCE: Insider Travel Report (Alan Fine, Dec. 3, 2020); Photo Credit: Janice Neves

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Following CLIA’s announcement last week of a voluntary suspension of cruise operations from U.S. ports until Sept. 15, Disney Cruise Line announced an extension of their cruise suspension for Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy sailings through the same date. In light of these cancellations, Disney Cruise Line is offering guests who have paid their reservation in full the choice of a 125 percent future cruise credit to be used for a future sailing prior to March 31, 2022, or a full refund. Also, Disney removed previously available July, August, September and one October sailing to prevent further bookings. The following cruises have officially been canceled. 

Disney Dream Cancelations: Friday, July 31, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, 4-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, 4-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Monday, Aug. 17, 2020, 4-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, 4-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020, 4-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, 4-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; and Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, 4-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral. 

Disney Fantasy Cancelations: Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, 7-Night, Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral; Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, 7-Night, Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral; Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, 7-Night, Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral; Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, 4-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral; Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, 5-Night, Western Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral; and Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, 7-Night, Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral. 

Noting that Disney Dream is scheduled for dry dock in October, the next bookable sailings are Disney Magic, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, 5-Night, Bermuda Cruise from New York; Disney Wonder, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, 5-Night, Baja Cruise from San Diego; Disney Dream, Sunday, November 1, 2020, 7-Night, Eastern Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral; and Disney Fantasy, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, 3-Night, Bahamian Cruise from Port Canaveral. 

By Alan Fine, Insider Travel Report, 6.22.20

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Disney Cruise Line has announced plans to build three additional cruise ships and has entered into a memorandum of agreement with the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

The three new ships will be powered by LNG and, at approximately 144,000 gross tons and 1,250 guest staterooms, will be slightly larger than the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. Expected delivery dates for the new vessels have not yet been made public.

Disney Cruise Line currently has a fleet of four ships – the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. Three 135,000gt LNG-fuelled ships are already under construction at Meyer Werft and scheduled for completion in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The first of these, Disney Wish, is scheduled for delivery in late 2021 and is expected to set sail beginning in January 2022.

The cruise line's vessels sail around the world on itineraries to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Hawaii, Alaska and Europe, among others. The homeport for Disney Cruise Line remains Port Canaveral, Florida, where it has its own specially designed cruise terminal.

By Maritime Executive
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CELEBRATION, Fla. (June 6, 2019) – In fall 2020, Disney Cruise Line will enchant guests of all ages with Halloween and winter holiday celebrations on sailings departing from New York, California, Texas and Florida. The 2020 fall season offers a range of itineraries that will visit a variety of tropical locales, with most sailings featuring that extra-special Disney holiday sparkle.

Halloween on the High Seas returns to Disney Cruise Line in September and October 2020 with spooky good times for the entire family. On select sailings across the fleet, guests are treated to a “mouse-querade” costume party, lively entertainment, ghoulish food and beverage delights, trick-or-treating, seasonal kids’ activities, a villainous party just for adults and a ghostly ship takeover with elaborate décor and a magical pumpkin tree.

From early November through December, the Disney Cruise Line fleet is decked from bow-to-stern with holiday cheer and entertainment during Very Merrytime Cruises. Holiday adventures are unwrapped for the whole family with merry parties, a tree lighting ceremony, festive activities, special food and beverage surprises, favorite characters in their finest holiday attire, a winter wonderland ball with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a flurry of “Frozen” snowfall.

Bookings open to the public June 13, 2019. More details on 2020 itineraries can be found on the Ports and Itineraries for 2020 page of disneycruise.com.

Sailings to Bermuda and Canada from New York

The Disney Magic returns to New York in October for sailings to Bermuda and Canada, all featuring Halloween on the High Seas. Three five-night cruises offer two days in Bermuda, giving guests extra time to indulge in the island’s famous pink-sand beaches, abundant water activities, stylish shopping and distinctive blend of British and Caribbean culture.

One five-night cruise will visit Canada’s charming seaport cities including Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada’s oldest incorporated city, which is home to outdoor activities and an impressive natural phenomenon called the “reversing falls rapids.” Guests on this sailing will also visit Halifax, the provincial capital of Nova Scotia. Rich in maritime history, Nova Scotia boasts Victorian-style public gardens and one of the world’s largest natural harbors.

Baja and Mexican Riviera Voyages from California        

The Disney Wonder sets sail from San Diego in September, with Halloween on the High Seas cruises to Baja and the Mexican Riviera. Baja itineraries of two, three, four and five nights highlight the region’s famous beaches and water activities with calls on Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico. One seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise, with additional stops in Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, completes the southern California sailings. On Nov. 6, the Disney Wonder departs San Diego for a 14-night Panama Canal crossing.

Bahamas and Caribbean Cruises from Texas     

From late November through December, the Disney Wonder will make Galveston, Texas, its homeport for Very Merrytime Cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas, with four-, five-, six- and seven-night sailings. Caribbean itineraries include stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico and Grand Cayman. Bahamian cruises feature stops at Nassau, Bahamas and Key West, Florida, as well as Disney’s private island Castaway Cay.

Tropical Island Vacations from Florida

In fall 2020, the Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream will sail to the Bahamas and Caribbean from Port Canaveral, Florida. Halloween on the High Seas and Very Merrytime Cruises will delight guests on most sailings.

The Disney Fantasy will sail Caribbean and Bahamian itineraries ranging from three to eight nights, and the Disney Dream will sail three- and four-night Bahamian cruises to Nassau, Bahamas and Castaway Cay. Each of these cruises includes a day of fun in the sun on Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests.

To learn more about Disney Cruise Line or to book a vacation, visit disneycruise.com, call Disney Cruise Line at 888-325-2500 or contact a travel agent.

(Gerry Barker is a freelance travel writer who has covered the cruise industry for 10 years, formerly with The Palm Beach Post. He and his wife Pam maintain a Cruise Blog on NorthPalmBeachLife.com)

Disney Cruise Line has moved forward with development of a second Bahamas destination.

The Lighthouse Point property on the island of Eleuthera has been purchased by Disney and the government has entered into an agreement with Disney to develop the property, according to a statement made this weekend by Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis,

"The government of the Bahamas is satisfied that it made the best decision in the interest of the Bahamian people, a sustainable future for the people of Central and South Eleuthera and the economic development of the country,” Minnis said in the statement. “The implementation of this project supports the government’s plan of expanding the economy of our country and economic opportunities for our people by promoting development in the Family Islands.”

The statement said Disney’s development of the 700-acre property will amount to an investment of between $250 million and $400 million.

“We are pleased to have finalized an agreement with the government of the Bahamas that will enable us to create new and sustainable economic opportunities for the people of Eleuthera while celebrating the natural beauty and culture of this special place with our guests,” said Disney Cruise Line president Jeff Vahle. “Over the past few months, we’ve spent time in Eleuthera exploring its unique sites and culture, continuing to build relationships with current and future business owners who have an interest in working with us and supporting philanthropic initiatives that benefit children and families.

“We have also been focused on the field work necessary for completing a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and management plan. We expect to complete this work over the next few months in close consultation with the government.”

As part of the deal, Disney is to donate 190 acres of the land including the southernmost tip of the island to the government to become a national park. The donated land has a value of $6.29 million, according to the prime minister’s statement.

The cruise line has operated a private island Castaway Cay since 1998 but will be growing from a four-ship fleet to seven by 2023, so has been pursuing a second private Bahamas destination to support that fleet. Last October, the Bahamas National Economic Council approved Disney’s development plan for the location despite some objections from a vocal environmental group.

The Heads of Agreement says Disney will employ at least 120 Bahamians during construction, and maintain an 80 percent Bahamian workforce as long as they are qualified for the labor needed. After it opens, Disney will employ as many as 150 permanent jobs with health benefits.

The agreement also dictates Disney Cruise Line will provide training for entrepreneurial opportunities for its Bahamian employees.

Once open, the Lighthouse Point destination must allow Bahamian vendors for items like T-shirts and souvenirs as well as other goods and services, plus give Bahamian owners priority for port adventures when ships are in port and employ Bahamian entertainers.

Envisioned to be similar to how Disney’s Aulani resort in Hawaii incorporates local culture, the cruise line will theme the destination with Bahamas inspiration, not only in design, but experiences.

The property will also be open to Bahamas residents, and not segregated to just cruise line visitors.

The Heads of Agreement also stipulates Disney will make some altruistic efforts with the island’s residents, especially focusing on children and families, such as assisting with schools, improving medical facilities and enhancing cultural sites.

Before construction can begin, the government will complete and must approve an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan, according to the statement.

Also part of the deal is an increase of ship visits to the ports of Nassau and Freeport. The agreement calls for a 30 percent to 40 percent increase to the 2018 numbers.

While deployment of the new ships has yet to be revealed, Port Canaveral officials have stated that they expect at least two of the three new ships to be based initially at the port. Every Disney Cruise Line ship has made Port Canaveral its home port. The two latest, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy sail year-round from the port with Disney Magic and Disney Wonder making seasonal trips.

The cruise line also sails the Caribbean including stops in the Bahamas from Miami, Galveston and will add New Orleans to the mix in 2020. Seventy-five percent of all of Disney’s cruises currently make stops in the Bahamas.

Previous statements from Disney Cruise Line have said the plan for Lighthouse Point would see similar traffic as Castaway Cay, between three and five weekly visits from cruise ships year-round. Plans call for Lighthouse Point to be up and running between 2021 and 2023, in the same window as the arrival of all three of its new ships.

By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel
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The summer of 2020 is going to mean big things for Disney Cruise Line, which has announced a lineup of cruises that highlights a variety of destinations around the world, including a return to Greece and five first-time ports of call in Europe.

Disney’s return to Greece comes after a five-year hiatus, and three voyages will call in the country, one 12-night sailing and two nine-night sailings from Rome that include stops in Piraeus, the gateway to Athens; Katakolon, near ancient Olympia; and the islands of Santorini, Mykonos and Crete.  While at crete you can avail car services at Rental Center Crete.

Each of these itineraries combines Greece with other notable stops, such as Messina, Italy, which available on two of the sailings and gives guests the chance to visit landmarks in Sicily such as Mount Etna and the Piazza del Duomo.

Disney is also returning to Dubrovnik after a five-year hiatus and has added new ports of call in Europe include Gdynia, Poland; Nordfjordeid, Norway; Plymouth, England; and Zeebrugge, Belgium.

This new collection of destinations is part of Disney Magic’s grand tour of Europe, taking place in the summer of 2020. The season begins with sailings in the Mediterranean and Greek Isles and then heads to Northern Europe in the late summer to cruise the Baltic, British Isles and Norwegian fjords.

Alaska With Disney

The Disney Wonder will explore Alaska in 2020, sailing seven-night itineraries that depart from Vancouver, Canada, and call in Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point and Dawes Glacier.

Sailing the Caribbean and the Bahamas

The Disney Fantasy will sail seven-night eastern and western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral and embark on a variety of itineraries to the Caribbean and Bahamas throughout the summer of 2020, including five- and nine-night Caribbean sailings, along with three-, four- and five-night Bahamian cruises, three of which feature two stops at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

Onboard, guests have the chance to enjoy Disney entertainment, which includes themed dining spaces, Broadway-style shows and more, while also immersing them in the charming island cultures of tropical destinations throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Adventures by Disney Guided Experiences

In the summer of 2020, guests can also enhance their cruise experience with packages from tour operator Adventures by Disney in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe and the Mediterranean.

Adventure Guides provide dedicated service both onboard and in port. Guests have access to specially curated excursions, interactive activities and off-the-beaten-path adventures. On the ship, guests enjoy unique experiences and premium amenities exclusive to Adventures by Disney guests, such as an intimate talkback session with Walt Disney Theatre cast members followed by a behind-the-scenes costume and prop activity.

Guests can also take advantage of pre-cruise vacations in Rome, London, Barcelona and Copenhagen with Adventures by Disney. The two- to three-night packages feature include unique experiences in iconic cities, such as a private, after-hours visit to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel in Rome and activities like flamenco dancing, mosaic making and preparing local cuisine immerse families in the culture of each region.

Bookings for these Adventures by Disney offerings and for cruises open to the public on March 7, 2019.

By Janeen Christoff, Travel Pulse
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Will Disney Cruise Line’s next ship be named Disney Triton?

That’s the name documents on terminal construction at Port Canaveral are using. The name appears on a construction rendering while the words “Triton class” of ships also appears on part of the agenda for the Canaveral Port Authority commission meeting set for Wednesday.

The commission will be asked to approve negotiation of contracts for both landside and waterside improvements to Terminals 8 and 10, with an expected total cost of more than $46 million. Terminal 8 is where Disney Cruise Line currently operates, but is expected to use both terminals by the time its first new ship arrives to the port in 2021. Port officials have previously stated at least one of two sister ships that are coming online in 2022 and 2023 will also call Port Canaveral home.

Port CEO John Murray has stated Disney plans to keep three ships year-round at Port Canaveral. Currently, only Dream and Fantasy sail year-round with the older Disney Magic and Wonder shifting among Port Canaveral, Miami, Galveston and New Orleans as well as sailing to Alaska and Europe. As part of the planned growth, the port and Disney have been working on a redesign of Disney’s dedicated terminal, but also expanding into use of Terminal 10, which will be shared with Norwegian Cruise Line.

It’s on a design specification rendering for that terminal that the name Disney Triton appears. The agenda for the commission meeting also refers to the “Triton class” of ships in documentation about the background of the search for firms to contract with for terminal construction.

One other piece of information in the document are some details on the new ship’s size, showing it to be 1,119.19 feet in length, 127.95 feet in width and to have a maximum draft of 28.22 feet. Using those numbers, the new class of ships would be very similar in size to Dream and Fantasy. For comparison, Disney Dream is 1,115 feet in length, 121 feet wide and has a draft of 28 feet, according to the cruise line’s fact sheet.

To date, scant details about the new class of ships have been revealed, other than they will be powered by liquefied natural gas, be 140,000 gross tons, which is slightly larger than the 130,000 gross tons of Dream and Fantasy, but will have the same number of staterooms: 1,250. One rendering for the new ship shows a water ride feature that Disney officials have said would be different than the AquaDuck water coaster that’s on Dream and Fantasy.

Scott Sanders, who wrote about the use of the name Triton in the documents on his website disneycruiselineblog.com, which is not affiliated with the cruise line, said that he thinks the name is probably not the final one for the first new ship.

“I really think this its just an internal project name for the new class of ships,” Sanders said. “It does not fit Disney's established nomenclature for ship names.” But Sanders said he thinks Triton makes a logical project name, since the character King Triton is featured in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” has a restaurant on board Disney Wonder and the fact that Triton, the Greek God, is the messenger of the seas.

“What I believe is the ultimate reason for the use of Triton as the project name is combination of the above and the fact he yields a trident. The trident ties in well with three new ships of the same class.”

Cruise lines often refer to a new class of ships under a separate project name before final ship names are revealed. “While I do like the name Disney Triton, I feel it is too much of a departure from the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy,” Sanders said. “They still have words like adventure, amaze, believe, enchantment, journey, imagine, and so on to toss around before making a final decision on names for the next three ships.”

By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel
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Looks like Mickey Mouse was on to something.

Disney's first four-day cruise from New Orleans sold out to the public in just one hour, proving just how loyal and excited Disney fans get about new experiences.

The Sun Herald reported Monday that the trailblazing package sold out at lightning speed just a few weeks before.

“You wouldn’t believe the people that jumped on that. It sold out in one hour. The whole cruise,” Brenda Walker, a Cruise Planners franchise owner and American Express Travel rep, told the Herald, of the February 2020 trip. “It just shows you how eager people are to cruise local.”

In late September, Disney Cruises confirmed to Fox News that the line will open a new home port in New Orleans and house the aptly named “Disney Wonder” ship, which will travel to various Caribbean and Bahamian destinations.

The cruise line will also make a “highly anticipated return” to the Hawaiian Islands in early 2020. Trips to Puerto Rico are also slated to sail for a limited time as well.

According to the Herald, in the words of Walker, competitor cruise lines are following Disney’s lead and “testing the waters” with trips out of the Big Easy. Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean will be launching cruises from New Orleans in the next few months, too.

By Janine Puhak, Fox News
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Disney Cruise Line’s planned growth in the next five years includes a new destination in the Bahamas, and the country’s government is set to make a decision this week on whether or not to move forward.

The location is a 700-acre privately owned property on the southern end of the island of Eleuthera called Lighthouse Point. Eleuthera is a long, thin island east of Nassau and farther south than Disney’s existing private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

In the weeks leading up to an expected Tuesday Cabinet vote, Disney has been making its pitch to government officials as well as engaging the island’s population while opponents have made a play for the government keeping the land from Disney, and instead turning it into a national park.

“We appreciate the warm welcome we have received from so many in Eleuthera,” said Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Signature Experiences that includes Disney Cruise Line. “We have approached this project with a focus on protecting and sustaining the natural beauty of this historic location, creating quality economic opportunities for Bahamians and celebrating the culture of the Bahamas. We will continue to talk with and listen to the government and people of the Bahamas as we share our proposal for welcoming guests and Bahamians alike to this special place.”

Vahle, who also oversees other vacation options in the Disney portfolio including its Hawaiian resort Aulani, wrote an op-ed piece for several Bahamas publications explaining the company’s stance and addressing the concerns of those opposed.

In it, Vahle recounted a recent visit he made to the island and a discussion he had with residents.“The crowd grew, and there were lots of questions about the project Disney would like to bring to the island. I am sure there were a few skeptics about our true intentions, especially given what some people and groups are saying. Skeptics or not, people talked, and they stopped to listen,” Vahle wrote.  The op-ed played up the benefits of its existing relationship with the Bahamas including that it employs 150 at Castaway Cay, and wages are 50 percent higher than the average national wage. The new resort, Vahle wrote, would add another 120-150 jobs.

A lot of the op-ed took on environmental concerns, pointing out that Disney’s plans would have much less of an impact than previous plans for the location.

“While the previously approved development for this property included plans for hundreds of homes, condominiums, villas, a hotel, and 140-slip marina constructed in the salt ponds, what Disney wants to do is different. Very different. In fact, our development is designed to have as little impact as possible on the natural environment,” Vahle wrote. That includes Disney giving 170 of the 700 acres back to the Bahamas for conservation and preserving another 100 acres of salt ponds on the property. Vahle said that 20 percent is tagged for development, but that includes low-density use like beach chairs and umbrellas.

Also not on the development planning board is touching the very southern tip of the property, which Vahle said would be off-limits to Disney visitors as well. He also outlined environmental mitigation efforts such as the use of solar power and constructing an open-trestle pier, which is different than the pier used as Castaway Cay. An open-trestle pier doesn’t block ocean currents as much and would not require much dredging, Vahle said.

“From an environmental perspective, we are absolutely committed to doing the right thing – and would never risk the natural beauty of Eleuthera or our long-standing commitment in this space by doing otherwise,” Vahle wrote.

One of the earlier concerns voiced by some opponents was whether or not Bahamians could venture onto the property as a leisure destination. The cruise line has stated that indeed the property will be open to more than just cruise line guests. This is the same approach Disney has for parts of Aulani in Hawaii.

If approved, the Lighthouse Point development would follow the Aulani template to some degree, using Bahamas history and culture to inspire its design.  The cruise line is set to grow by three ships from 2021-2023 with this second Bahamas destination aiming for an opening in that three-year window.  While deployment of the new ships has yet to be revealed, Port Canaveral officials have stated that they expect at least two of the three new ships to be based initially at the port. Every Disney Cruise Line ship has made Port Canaveral its home port. The two latest, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy sail year-round from the port with Disney Magic and Disney Wonder making seasonal trips.

The cruise line also sails the Caribbean including stops in the Bahamas from Miami, Galveston and will add New Orleans to the mix in 2020. Seventy-five percent of all of Disney’s cruises make stops in the Bahamas.  The plan for Lighthouse Point would see similar traffic as Castaway Cay, between three and five weekly visits from cruise ships year-round.  That would also mean an increase of visits by the line to Nassau, which is often combined with private island stops, especially on the short three- and four-night itineraries.

“Simply put, we want to work with the Bahamas to create an international destination that protects and sustains the natural beauty of this historic location; that creates quality jobs and opportunity for Bahamians; that celebrates the culture, and that strengthens the community in Eleuthera,” Vahle wrote.

By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel
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CELEBRATION, Fla., Sept. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In early 2020, Disney Cruise Line will offer families even more ways to explore the world together with the addition of a brand-new home port in New Orleans and a highly anticipated return to the Hawaiian Islands. Disney Cruise Line will also return to Puerto Rico for a limited time and continue guest-favorite itineraries to tropical destinations from Florida and California.

Bookings open to the public on Oct. 4, 2018. More details on 2020 itineraries can be found on the Ports and Itineraries for 2020 page of disneycruise.com.

First-time Home Port in New Orleans

In 2020, the Disney Wonder will embark on a variety of Caribbean and Bahamian cruises from New Orleans – the first time Disney Cruise Line will have a home port in Louisiana. Not only will this provide families from the region with the magic of having a Disney ship in their own backyard, but it will also draw families from farther away to discover this incredible city before they set sail.

Before or after their Disney cruise, guests can venture into the city to savor the distinct flavors of famous New Orleans cuisine, visit family-friendly museums and parks, and revel in the sweet melodies of world-renowned jazz music. Travelers will delight in the Southern charm of this new home port, and Disney fans will find magic around every corner as they recognize the iconic sights and sounds that inspired the beloved animated film "The Princess and the Frog."

The Disney Wonder will embark on six cruises during this limited-time season from New Orleans, including four-, six- and seven-night Western Caribbean sailings; a seven-night Bahamian cruise; and a 14-night Panama Canal voyage, departing Feb. 7 through March 6.

Long-Awaited Return to Hawaii

After a five-year hiatus, the Disney Wonder will return to Hawaii in early 2020 for two special cruises: a nine-night voyage to Honolulu from Vancouver, Canada, on April 29, and a 10-night sailing back to Vancouver on May 8.

During these dream vacations, guests will discover the breathtaking beauty of the Hawaiian Islands, including the famous beaches of Waikiki on Oahu; the views from high atop the summit of Haleakala Crater on Maui; the lush tropical gardens and waterfalls of Kauai; and the diverse natural wonders of Hawaii Island.

Popular Itineraries from Puerto Rico and California

The Disney Wonder continues its standout season with returns to popular home ports on both coasts. First, the ship sets sail for the Southern Caribbean during two seven-night voyages departing Jan. 19 and 26 from San Juan, Puerto Rico, followed by a five-night Bahamian cruise. Then beginning on March 20, the ship embarks on seven sailings to Baja and the Mexican Riviera, ranging in length from two to seven nights, from San Diego, California.

Unforgettable Tropical Getaways from Florida

Disney Cruise Line will have three ships sailing to the Bahamas and Caribbean from Florida in early 2020, and every cruise includes a day of fun in the sun on Disney's private Bahamian island reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests, Castaway Cay.

From Miami, the Disney Magic will sail three-, four- and five-night Bahamian cruises and five-night Western Caribbean cruises. From Port Canaveral, the Disney Fantasy will sail seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, plus two special sailings at six- and eight-nights each.  From Port Canaveral, the Disney Dream will sail three- and four-night Bahamian cruises to Nassau and Castaway Cay. With a variety of options from Florida, guests can choose the vacation that provides something for everyone in the family, combining the adventure and relaxation of tropical destinations, the ease and indulgence of an ocean cruise, and the world-class entertainment and service of a Disney vacation.

By Disney Cruise Line
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The southern point of the Bahamian island of Eleuthera is a postcard-perfect paradise with white-sand beaches, limestone bluffs and turquoise-blue waters.

Disney Cruise Line, part of the Walt Disney Co. entertainment empire, wants to buy 746 acres at the southern end of the 110-mile-long island to develop a cruise port with a pier, shops, a marina, restaurants and walkways through a nearby forest and around salt ponds.

But a local nonprofit group, with the support of Bahamian environmentalists, has put forward a competing plan that it says will create more jobs and keep more tourism revenue on the island, home to about 11,000 residents.

The rival plans have split locals into feuding camps who argue over the best way to combat high unemployment on the long, thin island 50 miles east of Nassau and part of a collection known by Bahamians as the Family Islands.

A town hall meeting organized by locals on the island in August degraded into yelling, interruptions and accusations. Locals have accused each other of being either in the pocket of Mickey Mouse or mysterious foreign interests who back a rival plan to Disney’s port project.

“I am extremely distressed to hear and feel the animosity in South Eleuthera,” said Sam Duncombe, president of an environmental group ReEarth in the Bahamas. “I have a friend that says this issue has ripped Eleuthera apart.”

In the cruise industry, Florida-based Disney Cruise Line is a relatively small operator, with only four ships. In contrast, the world’s biggest cruise line, Carnival Cruise Line, sails 26 ships.

Disney Cruise Line has plans to add three new ships in 2021, 2022 and 2023 — part of a growth surge in the worldwide cruise line business, which has enjoyed favorable seas lately. A total of 26.7 million passengers sailed on global cruise lines in 2017, up 6.3% from the previous year.

Disney Cruise Line already operates a private Bahamian island called Castaway Cay — about 60 miles north of Eleuthera — and the new port would help draw return cruise passengers who are looking for new vacation spots to visit. Already, 40% of all Disney cruises visit islands in the Bahamas exclusively.

“We have approached this project with a focus on protecting and sustaining the natural beauty of this historic location, creating quality jobs and economic opportunities for Bahamians, and celebrating the unique culture of the Family Islands,” Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Cruise Line, said in a statement in response to The Times’ request for an interview.

Disney hadn’t organized town-hall hearings or launched a public campaign in support of its project until this week when Vahle published an op-ed article that appeared in several Bahamian newspapers, promising that its project would preserve more of the land than some previous proposals by others that called for hundreds of homes, condominiums, hotels and a 140-slip marina.

Disney has already signed an agreement to purchase the land from a private international developer — estimated by locals to be priced at more than $25 million — but must still get approval from the commonwealth’s government before the property changes hands and the port is developed.

But officials from a local nonprofit organization, which has been trying for years to have the southern tip of the island designated a national park, worry that the Disney project will block local access to the beaches and a historic lighthouse on the southern point.

Shaun Ingraham, chief executive of the nonprofit One Eleuthera Foundation, said most of the revenue generated under Disney’s plan would go to the cruise line, with only a small amount of jobs and tax revenues staying on the island. The group developed its own plan in 2010 to preserve the land as a park with tourism attractions.

Tourists who take the cruise ship to the island for a day-long visit may spend less than $100 each, Ingraham said, while those who spend a few days in a hotel or a condo on the island will spend up to $2,000 each.

“What we are saying is, if it is left open and put in a trust for the Bahamian people, all of the dividends go back to the community,” he said.

One Eleuthera’s 2010 plan suggests a range of ideas for the land, including developments with restaurants, shops and small condo hotel projects, and devoting the property mostly to outdoor tourism enterprises such as canoe rentals, a dive center and horseback tours.

Ingraham said his group is interested in buying the land to pursue its goals. “We are prepared to pay whatever the market value is,” he said.

A fact sheet distributed by Disney Cruise Line says the Disney proposal would create up to 150 jobs, would give locals access to the property and turn over 170 acres of the land to the government for conservation. In addition, 100 acres of salt ponds would be preserved, the Disney fact sheet says.

Edgar Seligman, a Bahamian lawyer who founded an organic farm on Eleuthera, said he opposes the Disney plan because he worries about the environmental effects of the project. But tensions are high on the island because both sides are suspicious about the true intentions of their opponents, Seligman said.

The board of the One Eleuthera Foundation includes Bahamian business leaders, farmers and wealthy U.S. philanthropists, including Shelby White, the widow of Leon Levy, a hedge fund pioneer who founded OppenheimerFunds Inc.

If the One Eleuthera Foundation gets the opportunity to develop one of its plans on the southern tip of Eleuthera, Ingraham said, the money needed to buy the land would come primarily from philanthropists such as White.

Seligman described a public meeting last month hosted by One Eleuthera Foundation and the Bahamas National Trust, a preservation group. The event got ugly, he said, when “a rebel-rousing mob of about six or seven people showed up” to ask questions and suggest the One Eleuthera Foundation plan was backed by unknown foreign interests.

Some locals who support the Disney project say Disney’s cruise port on the island of Castaway Cay has shown that Disney can operate a profitable tourist attraction that generates revenue and jobs for locals.

“Disney has proven its case,” said Bernadette Sweeting, a government worker who was born and raised on South Eleuthera. “Castaway Cay has pumped money into this economy.”

Sweeting said Eleuthera resident have waited too long for economic development at the southern end of the island, and the One Eleuthera Foundation idea has been talked about for nearly a decade with little action.

“If you wanted to do that, you should have done that a long time ago,” she said of the One Eleuthera Foundation.

By Hugo Martin, LA Times
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Disney Cruise Line announced this morning that it would return to Hawaii in 2020 after a five-year hiatus.

The Disney Wonder will return to Hawaii in early 2020 for a nine-night voyage to Honolulu from Vancouver, Canada, on April 29, and a 10-night sailing back to Vancouver on May 8.

The cruises through the Hawaiian Islands, which feature tour opportunities to Waikiki beaches on Oahu, the Haleakala Crater on Maui, Kauai’s tropical gardens and waterfalls and Hawaii island’s natural wonders.

That’s good news considering cruise ship visitors to Hawaii dropped nearly 7 percent year-to-date through August, which only brought 66,755 visitors on 38 ships as opposed to 150,092 visitors on 43 ships.

In August, arrivals by air to board cruise ships dropped nearly 8 percent and total cruise visitors, including arrivals by cruise ships and by air to board cruise ships, dropped 27 percent to 9,286 compared to a year ago.

By Allison Schaefers, Star Advertiser
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With three massive new ships joining the current fleet of four vessels, Disney Cruise Line is quickly becoming a major competitor in the cruise industry. Now they’re about to make one of their most significant moves yet. New government documents confirm Disney’s interest in year-round sailings and ultimately a new permeant custom-built terminal at PortMiami. The new terminal would sit next door to Royal Caribbean’s headquarters, serving as a daily reminder for Royal Caribbean leadership that Disney is a now a major competitor. 

The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners recently reviewed documents that confirm Disney Cruise Line has been in talks with the county and PortMiami to update their current preferential berthing agreement which expires end of this month. The deal expands Disney’s preferential berthing agreement to allow for Disney to bring more ships to the port, with two ships planning to call the port home in the coming years. 

Currently, Disney Cruise Line only offers seasonal service at PortMiami. The new agreement would see an additional 50,000 passengers per year pass through PortMiami over the next four years. Things get interesting in 2023 where Disney states in plans to increase the annual passenger estimates from 150,000 to 360,000. This increase is due to both the year-round offerings and the additional ship at the port. 

Also found in the agreement is mention of the timeline around a possible new terminal with negations scheduled to take place over the next eighteen months. The new terminal would be able to fit all four of the current DCL ships. With two of the three new ships already committed to Port Canaveral, it looks like at least one of the current Port Canaveral ships may move to PortMiami. DCL has already confirmed plans to add more ships to Port Canaveral with an agreement to use Terminal 10, which is designed to host multiple cruise lines. Plans call for both Disney and Norwegian ships to use the terminal. 

In Miami, the agreement grants Disney first right to negotiate the use of the proposed new terminal. That agreement could allow for other cruise lines to use the terminal, similar to the Terminal 10 at Port Canaveral, but all indications seem to point to Disney wanting to help build a terminal most suited to their specific brand similar to PortMiami terminals in the works for Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. 

The Royal Caribbean terminal, nicknamed the “Crown of Miami,” is a bold 170,000 sq. ft. art like structure that is currently under construction. A Norwegian Cruise Line terminal was recently approved. That project calls for an airy, wave-like LEED Silver certified structure designed by internationally renowned Miami design firm Bermello Ajamil and Partners though with its free-flowing form and stark white color could easily be mistaken for a Zaha Hadid design. 

Disney will likely also look to build a signature terminal at the highly visible port, a move that will help legitimize the still young cruise line as one of the leading competitors in the industry. 

Other plans at PortMiami include the remodeling of Terminal C, which is used by multiple cruise lines, and millions in upgrades to other terminals, including replacing more than two dozen passenger loading bridges. 

By Ken Storey, Orlando Weekly
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Disney has officially returned to the British Virgin Islands.

The cruise line’s Disney Fantasy ship was its first to make its return to the BVI this week.

Passengers were welcomed by customer service representatives, and greeted with welcome drinks and a small parade that showcased BVI culture.

“We were so happy to see Disney Fantasy berthed at our pier once again and their over 3,600 passengers and 1,531 crew members on ground enjoying our cruise and shopping facility and the destination,” said Vance Lewis, Interim CEO of Tortola Pier Park. “Our partner cruise lines and Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) has worked tirelessly with us over the past months ensuring the quick recovery of our islands and Disney Fantasy being back here is yet another showing of their commitment to the BVI and our cruise product.”

“We welcome Disney back with open arms and look forward to the full return of all the cruise lines to our beautiful shores,” he said.

Fifty-four stores stood open at Tortola Pier Park, including Diamonds International, Little Switzerland and Del Sol/Cariloha, as well as a variety of other stores.

With 75 percent of the stores now open, management and tenants of Tortola Pier Park continue to work together to attain a 100 percent operational status by the end of the year, just a year following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

By Dana Niland, Caribbean Journal
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Disney Cruise Line is changing its final payment and cancellation policy for bookings starting on Sept. 11, 2018.

After that date, final payment for all guests in standard rooms on sailings of one- to five-nights will be due 90 days prior to arrival. Prior, Disney allowed those guests up until 75 days before arrival to make final payment.

Those guests will now be charged cancellations fees starting at 89 days (guests will lose their deposit). At 44 days to sailing guests will lose half of their payment, at 29 days guests will lose 75 percent, and at 14 days or less guests will lose 100 percent.

For those in standard rooms on sailings six nights or more, payment will now be due 120 days prior to arrival. Disney previously required it 90 days in advance for sailings between five and nine nights.

Guests on those sailings will also see their cancellation policy change—those cancelling 56 days or more outside of their sailing will lose their deposit; those cancelling between 55 and 30 days outside will lose 50 percent of their fare; those cancelling between 29 and 15 days will lose 75 percent of their fare; and those cancelling two weeks or less outside will lose 100 percent of their fare.

Suite guests

For suite and concierge guests on sailings of one to five nights, the final payment due date will remain at 120 days to arrival. For those on sailings six nights or more, the final payment is now due 150 days prior to arrival.

Specific final payment and cancellation policies have been eliminated for holiday sailings – sailings that include Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day or July 4th.   

For reservations made prior to Sept. 11, 2018, the final payment and cancellation fees assessed will be based on the information listed on the original confirmation unless the sailing date or vacation package is modified.

By Daniel McCarthy, Travel Market Report
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Port Canaveral officials expect Disney Cruise Line to increase its presence at Brevard County's seaport, as the company expands its four-ship worldwide fleet to seven.

To get ready, port commissioners on Wednesday unanimously approved moving forward with a study of how to upgrade Disney's Cruise Terminal 8 and the nearby Cruise Terminal 10, a terminal that now is used primarily by Norwegian Cruise Line.

Disney's two largest ships — the 4,000-passenger Dream and Fantasy — currently are based at Port Canaveral year-round. In recent years, one of its smaller ships — either the 2,700-passenger Magic or Wonder — also has been based at Port Canaveral during the winter sailing season, then moves to another port at other times of the year.

But with Disney planning to add new ships in 2021, 2022 and 2023, Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray told port commissioners that the port needs to be ready to host one of those new ships.

Disney's "intention, longer-term, is to add another full-time vessel to the port, home-ported," Murray told port commissioners. "So we'll have more activity than Terminal 8 can handle."

Port Canaveral is an attractive cruise port for Disney because it is the closest port to the Walt Disney World theme park complex in the Orlando area. Many Disney Cruise Line passengers combine their cruises with a visit to Disney World.

Disney's Cruise Terminal 8 at the port is Port Canaveral's smallest and oldest major terminal.

"Their terminal hasn't had a significant upgrade since 1998," Murray said. "With the newer ships, there is a desire to refresh the facility, and bring it up to current standards."

Cruise Terminal 10 comes into play as well, Murray said, because, in the future, Disney is likely to regularly have two ships in port on the same day, necessitating the need for two ship berths.

Disney Cruise Line in March 2016 announced plans to add two ships to its four-ship fleet — one in 2021, the other in 2023. In July 2017, Disney announced plans for a third new ship that will go into service in 2022.

Disney has not announced where those ships will be based.

Disney is one of Port Canaveral's four major cruise lines. The others are Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.

Bill Crowe, the port's senior director of facilities, construction and engineering, said port officials are "obviously, very excited" about the project and the anticipated expansion of Disney's presence.

"Disney is a great partner to work with," Crowe said. "They're a great partner for the port, and they do things 'the Disney way,' so we're really excited to be a part of that."

Port commissioners on Wednesday approved a purchase order authorizing Bermello Ajamil & Partners Inc. of Miami to prepare the feasibility study costing up to $190,542, related to upgrades to Cruise Terminals 8 and 10. C&S Engineers and RS&H Engineers also will work on the project.

The study will include cost estimates for the project.

Crowe said the study will take two to three months.

Crowe said one challenge will be how to make Terminal 10 look like a Disney terminal when a Disney ship is docked there and look like a Norwegian terminal when a Norwegian ship is docked there. 

Crowe said that likely will be accomplished through use of LED display monitors that can be modified quickly.

Crowe said Port Canaveral and Disney Cruise Line officials plan to meet later this week to further discuss the cruise terminal project. The port and Disney started preliminary discussions of this project about three months ago, he said.

"They're very hands-on, obviously," Crowe said. "We welcome that."

By Dave Berman, Florida Today
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This fall, Disney Cruise Line will offer Halloween-themed events and activities, special decorations, unique menu items in the restaurants, and themed parties on its cruise ships.

In 2018, Halloween on the High Seas takes place on most voyages aboard the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Wonder and Disney Magic from September through October.

This Halloween celebration includes themed parties, live entertainment and special décor, including The Pumpkin Tree, which transforms throughout the cruise.

Other special experiences include:

• “Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party”, a celebration with games, dancing and Halloween candy. Famous Disney characters, wearing special Halloween costumes just for the occasion, will join guests for this costume party.

• “A Nightmare Before Christmas—Sing and Scream”, an interactive movie experience where guests are part of the action, followed by a meet-and-greet with Jack Skellington and Sally.

• “Haunted Stories of the Sea”, where the cruisers gather under the stars to hear tales of the sea told by a “mysterious” sea captain storyteller.

• “Creepy Cabaret”, Halloween-themed music performed live in the atrium by a band of costumed musicians.

• “Halloween Isn’t Just For Kids:” For adults, the nighttime entertainment district becomes the setting for a costume contest and a "Villainous Takeover" on the dance floor.

• “Spooky Movies:” To get guests into the spirit of the season, Halloween-themed movies will be shown on Funnel Vision by the family pool and in staterooms.

• “Ghoulish Delights:” Disney Cruise Line chefs will offer special items for Halloween, including chocolate cake with pumpkin filling, spider cakes, and “Spooky Juice.”

To celebrate Halloween, the Disney Dream sails three- and four-night Bahamian cruises departing September 3 to October 29; the Disney Fantasy sails seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises departing September 1 to October 27; the Disney Wonder sails two-, four- and five-night Baja cruises, a seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise and a 14-night Panama Canal cruise departing September 14 to October 19; and the Disney Magic sails four- and seven-night Canada cruises and five- and six-night Bermuda cruises departing September 20 to October 29.  

By Travel Agent Central
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As Disney Cruise Line prepares to grow its fleet from four to seven ships, a report out of the Bahamas confirms the line is interested in developing a second private destination there.

Nassau-based news site Tribune242.com said Kim Prunty, vice president of communications for Disney Signature Experiences, which includes the cruise line, confirmed the company’s interest in still finding a second home for its ships in the Bahamas, although would not confirm the exact location of where Disney has its eye on. The report, though, was based on speculation about land on a peninsula called Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera.

Eleuthera is a long, thin island west of Nassau and farther south than Disney’s existing private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.

Scott Sanders who runs DisneyCruiseLineBlog.com, a fan site not affiliated with the line, said rumors about Disney seeking a second destination in the Bahamas have been around for some time, and this speculative news isn’t a surprise.

“I did not believe Disney would just give up on a second location with new ships on the horizon,” Sanders said.

He says that pursuing the 700-acre peninsular destinaton instead of a private island has its benefits including being able to emply local residents without having to ferry them, and any construction project could use local crews and equipment with road access to the rest of the island as well as the fact that Eleuthera has three airports.

Disney’s fleet will welcome its first new ship in 2021 with two more coming in 2022 and 2023. The line says that they will be 140,000 gross tons, which is slightly larger than the 130,000 gross tons of Dream and Fantasy, but will have the same number of staterooms: 1,250.

Sanders said with a growing fleet that could see more traffic between Florida and the Bahamas, a second destination would benefit the line.

“Castaway Cay has been a busy stop when the four ships were sailing from Florida ports,” Sanders said. “Add ships five, six and seven to the mix and you’d have a scheduling problem. I do not anticipate all seven ships simultaneously deployed to the same region, but even with five ships in the area that could take a toll on Castaway Cay.”

Some of the needed relief to support the existing destination includes construction and refurbishment that is usually not in action when a visiting ship is in port.

“Castaway needs non-ship days to allow the island crew to maintain the island to Disney’s standards which guests have come to expect after nearly 20 years,” he said.

Castaway Cay is 1,000 acres, but less than 100 of it is developed. The line leased the island from the Bahamas in 1997 and it was the first private Bahamas destination with a dock to allow for mass debarkation of passengers. Other cruise lines have similar private islands in the works, or big plans to expand existing ones.

“Castaway Cay does offer the tranquility of a relaxing island retreat, but it is falling behind in terms of amenities when you compare to rival Royal Caribbean and their plans for Coco Cay.” Sanders said.

So while there’s still space for Disney to expand Castaway Cay, a new Bahamas destination could allow for faster development, keeping Disney Cruise Line competitive with other Florida-based cruise lines.

By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel
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Recent structural reorganization at the Walt Disney Co. has created a new umbrella for Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club and Adventures by Disney along with a new president.

Jeff Vahle has been named president of the new entity, Disney Signature Experiences, which oversees the cruise line, the vacation time-share operation, the travel guide company as well as Disney’s Hawaii resort Aulani.

Vahle takes over for Anthony Connelly, who was President, New Vacation Operations and Disney Cruise Line, since last fall when he took over the role long held by Karl Holz after Holz’s retirement. Disney didn’t announce the reason for Connelly’s departure and now Vahle, a 28-year veteran of the company takes on the role that will see the cruise line grow from four to seven ships in the next six years.

“There is tremendous opportunity to deliver magical Disney vacation experiences in new and exciting ways,” said Bob Chapek, chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products in a press release. “Jeff is a talented leader with a strong track record of success and I’m excited to see what he and the team will accomplish together.”

Disney Cruise Line currently sails four ships: the smaller 2,713-passenger sister ships Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, which debuted in 1998 and 1999, and the larger 4,000-passenger vessels Dream and Fantasy, which began sailing in 2011 and 2012.

The cruise line’s forthcoming ships are due in 2021, 2022 and 2023. They will be the largest in the fleet at 140,000 gross tons, slightly larger than the 130,000 gross tons of Dream and Fantasy, but will have the same number of staterooms: 1,250. The new ships will also be powered by liquefied natural gas, which is the cleanest fuel the cruise industry has begun to embrace as more stringent maritime emission laws begin to take effect.

Vahle also heads up Disney Vacation Club, the vacation-ownership program that had 14 resorts including several at Walt Disney World and Aulani in Hawaii. A proposed 15th property, Disney’s Riviera Resort adjacent the Caribbean Beach Resort at Walt Disney World would open in fall 2019.

Adventures by Disney is Disney’s guided travel company that includes the popular river cruise offerings in Europe among close to 40 itineraries across 30 countries. Vahle’s role also puts him over sales at Golden Oak, a luxury home community at Walt Disney World Resort.

“Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to be part of an incredible team that makes magic for millions of guests every day at Disney destinations around the world,” said Vahle in a press release. “I look forward to leading this creative, dedicated and hardworking team as we build on the success of these businesses during this unprecedented era of growth and innovation.”

Vahle, a graduate of Auburn University and Rollins College started at Disney in 1990 and will maintain his current role overseeing the Global Facilities Operations and Sourcing and Procurement teams. He also serves as chairman of the board of directors for Give Kids the World in Central Florida.

By Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel
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It was no fairy-tale vacation.  A mom says she was kicked off a Disney cruise by armed guards — for being too pregnant to go on the trip.

Emily Jackson, 22, was all set to embark on a family vacation with her husband, two kids, parents and siblings and was waiting for her room keys aboard the boat in Miami on Thursday, when Disney staff approached her, KMOV reported.

They told Jackson she couldn’t be on the boat because she was 25 weeks pregnant — one week past the House of Mouse’s policy, she said.  Jackson had flown from St. Louis for the family vacation. She said her doctor had given her permission to travel and that she hadn’t heard about Disney’s policy.  Her father tried to see if there was any way the family could still take their long-anticipated trip — and that’s when things got ugly.

Video that Jackson posted to her YouTube vlog “The Jackson Hive” shows an armed guard telling the mom to “Wait outside. Step outside” as he leads the family to a door.

The guard scared her two kids, smirking and laughing as he ushered them out while toting an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, Jackson said.  “It was just terrible. They had the guy with a gun following us, they had the K9 unit,” she told the station.

Jackson and her family — including two kids under the age of 2 — had to wait outside in the heat for almost two hours while crews tried to find their luggage, she says in the video.

A Disney spokesperson said the family at had least nine pieces of luggage — some of which had already made it on board — and that it took a while to find their suitcases.  Footage from another video about the ordeal shows the family sporting custom-made “Keep calm and enjoy your Disney vacation” shirts.  “I felt so bad because I felt like it was my fault that everybody couldn’t go,” Jackson says in the footage.  Jackson said her issue isn’t with the policy but “how they treated us after that point.”

“I’m mad because of how they treated me and my children … The fact that they felt they needed AR-15s to escort us out.”

The guards at the port are Miami-Dade cops and are outfitted in police force uniforms that include the semi-automatic rifles, a Disney spokesperson said.  The officers are “responsible for security at the port and handled the situation as they felt appropriate given the guest’s actions,” Disney Cruise Line spokesperson Cynthia Martinez said in a statement.

“While we understand the guests’ disappointment with not being able to board the ship, for health and safety reasons, our policy does not allow women who have reached the 24th week of pregnancy to travel,” Martinez said, adding that this policy is in line with that of other cruise lines.

Jackson said Disney offered to reimburse their tickets for the cruise but not their flights to and from St. Louis.

By Tamar Lapin, New York Post
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