Next Disney cruise ships will be called Dream, Fantasy

[mercedes]

It's official: The next two Disney cruise ships will be called the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

Disney CEO Robert Iger announced the names today at the company's annual shareholder meeting in Oakland, Calif., noting that construction of the vessels began just last week at a shipyard in Germany.

Ordered in 2007, when the cruise industry was booming, the 2,500-passenger ships are scheduled to debut in 2011 and 2012, respectively, in an expansion that will more than double the small line's passenger capacity. At 128,000 tons, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy will be nearly 50% larger than the line's two existing 1,750-passenger ships, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder.

Disney isn't the first line to hit on the names for a ship. Carnival already has vessels named Dream and Fantasy, and MSC Cruises has a ship called the Fantasia.

Disney played a critical role in creating the family market within the cruise industry when it debuted its first two ships in 1998 and 1999, but it has gone a decade without a new vessel. The early ships were purpose built for families and boasted such innovative features as an entire deck dedicated to children's activities and an adults-only entertainment area for parents who wanted some alone time.

Disney has said the new ships, like the older ships, will offer a modern interpretation of classic ocean liners of the 1930s.

[lindasuelucas]

hope to take grand kids on these...

[JimBenhood]

This is a very great news and sounds like a complete excitement and thrilling destination and it is a new entry in the beautiful cruise line of Disney Cruises and the name is too excited and we will remain in the feel of the fantasy until we got the chance to get board in this cruise and feel the real pleasure and thrilling journey with all the fun and excitement of a pleasure journey on board.