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3 new ships (not 2!)


moki'smommy
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From what I've read, it's not a bad idea to avoid the first sailing of any new ship from any company as well as the first sailing or two out of dry dock. It doesn't always have to do with new staff issues.

Absolutely true. And on that maiden voyage, some of our issues were mechanical and structural while other were CM related. The good thing is that I wrote a long letter to DCL after that cruise--told them that if they just wanted to know they had an unhappy customer, stop at the first paragraph. If they wanted details of what was wrong, keep reading. I received a VERY nice letter over the signature of the cruise line president along with a generous discount on any cruise in the next 18 months. We waited almost the entire 18 months before cruising again; everything that had been an issue before had been resolved. I didn't go thru a check list, but our impression was that this was a great cruise. In fact, the first night in bed we discussed the fact that the only thing wrong was that it was too short (4 nights). Before the end of the cruise, the CD announced the start of 7 night cruises! Yeah, they got us hooked.

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As long as they don't build them too tall so they can't fit under the bridge of the Americas...

 

 

 

Our tampa city planner didn't think that one through either. The skyway bridge is so short and doesn't have a bridge that opens up that none of the large cruise ships can come through. They've lost a ton of money for the city for this reason. IMHO.

 

 

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The Dream class can go though the new locks....Since the 3 new vessels will only be about 5' date='000 m/t bigger.........They should also be able to go though the new locks.

 

AKK[/quote']

 

Since the "ducktails" have been added to both Magic and Wonder, they no longer fit in the old locks. Wonder was the first cruise ship to use the new locks when headed to the west coast this year. The new locks can handle ships up to 1,200 feet long.

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Ability to go thru the old locks was one of the considerations in the size of the Magic and Wonder when they were built. They were 1 foot short of the maximum permitted size at that time. Of course, the ship must fit in three dimensions...but I can't imagine DCL being so short sighted as to not consider this in the design.

 

The delay in the opening of the new locks was a major reason the upgrading of the Wonder was postponed.

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Love to see a itinerary that runs from Hawaii to Australia could stop at all the island like Bora Bora, Fiji Vanuatu , New Caladonia. Could be a nice long 14 nighter.

 

 

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Love to see a itinerary that runs from Hawaii to Australia could stop at all the island like Bora Bora, Fiji Vanuatu , New Caladonia. Could be a nice long 14 nighter.

 

 

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That cruise would sell out on day 1.

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This is going to be a lot of changes with the DCL fleet with a total of 7 vessls. The present 4 vessels are already *Green* ships with most things state of the art/environmentally friendly. Something like all of the items used on the vessels from food waste to paper and cans' date=' only 8 % goes ashore as waste. The rest is all set up to be recycled.

 

The big change with the 3 new ships is DCL is making the next step in environmentally with the propulsion fuel being liquid natural gas..........about the cleanest thing around for ships. I am also glad DCL did not go to the size of the monster vessels out there now.............I just don't like the look or feel of these things!. I also found it interesting the D 23 people were making a big deal about all kinds of new stuff on the 3 new vessels and new adventures, It should be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

The classics are in pretty good shape and not likely to be retired by Disney for 10 or 15 years. My own thoughts is that one classic will go to South American and the other to Europe full time One of the Dream or the new class going to the far east.

 

In any case it will be fun to watch this all unfold.

 

 

AKK[/quote']

 

I was hoping you or one of the other nautical experts would chime in. For us laymen, could you briefly explain the difference in the propulsion systems from what is currently used? Thanks.

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While DCL does many things in an environmentally friendly manner, their big problem currently is their fuel. The only ship that consistently scores an A or A- regardless of the scoring agency is the Wonder...and that was required to cruise in Alaska. The Magic scored an F in air pollution and the newer ships a C. There are issues with how they power the ships while in port as well...my limited understanding is that some ships can basically "plug in" to shoreside power and run cleaner while the Magic has to continue to use it's internal systems. Most lines have ships that score very high and ships typically older ships that don't do as well. At least DCL has not been found to deliberately do anything to harm the environment (avoiding the laws, like some cruise lines were caught doing).

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Several thoughts:

1. Disney indicates 7 ships, so in the near term retirement seems unlikely. As someone indicated - 10 to 15 years;

2. While Disney has no presence in South America, they have many passengers from that region. Cruising there may makes sense. Expands the market.

3. A common theme is "Asia". Couple that with the occasional South Pacific itinerary. For DCL, these are new cruise markets, with a new base of passengers who are willing to pay premiums for the kinds of experiences Disney creates. I do not see price compression at DCL.

Lots of opinions in these threads. I would love to see lower prices but I don't see that happening. I never give DCL high marks on value as they need to know their loyal passenger base is price sensitive at some point.

 

 

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This is going to be a lot of changes with the DCL fleet with a total of 7 vessls. The present 4 vessels are already *Green* ships with most things state of the art/environmentally friendly. Something like all of the items used on the vessels from food waste to paper and cans' date=' only 8 % goes ashore as waste. The rest is all set up to be recycled.

 

The big change with the 3 new ships is DCL is making the next step in environmentally with the propulsion fuel being liquid natural gas..........about the cleanest thing around for ships. I am also glad DCL did not go to the size of the monster vessels out there now.............I just don't like the look or feel of these things!. I also found it interesting the D 23 people were making a big deal about all kinds of new stuff on the 3 new vessels and new adventures, It should be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

The classics are in pretty good shape and not likely to be retired by Disney for 10 or 15 years. My own thoughts is that one classic will go to South American and the other to Europe full time One of the Dream or the new class going to the far east.

 

In any case it will be fun to watch this all unfold.

 

 

AKK[/quote']

 

if we get one of the classics permanently near us, we'll be in seventh heaven...

right now DCL has a very short european cruise season making it very difficult to find a time to cruise with them (not to mention the high prices on the med/european cruises)......

on the other hand, if they have a ship permanently on this side of the ocean, i'll lose my bucket list dream of a DCL TA.... ;)

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I was hoping you or one of the other nautical experts would chime in. For us laymen, could you briefly explain the difference in the propulsion systems from what is currently used? Thanks.

 

I agree. For me, the mechanical side of the ship is more interesting than the hospitality side.

 

There is a green background graphic on a page from a blog that gives some stats on the Wonder. The graphic lists the Wonder running on a combination of diesel and bunker oil for the 2016 Westbound Panama Canal cruise. I think that diesel (cleaner, more expensive) is for use while in port, and bunker oil (less clean, less expensive) is used while at sea. On the canal cruise, the ratio of diesel to bunker oil on the Wonder was about 1:100.

 

If a new ship is designed to use liquid natural gas, would that be for use only in port (with diesel/bunker oil for use at sea) or all propulsion? In other words, is this about being "green" in port or at all times? I'm not trying to judge whether anyone is truly advocating for the environment. I am just genuinely interested on how these ships operate.

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I agree. For me, the mechanical side of the ship is more interesting than the hospitality side.

 

There is a green background graphic on a page from a blog that gives some stats on the Wonder. The graphic lists the Wonder running on a combination of diesel and bunker oil for the 2016 Westbound Panama Canal cruise. I think that diesel (cleaner, more expensive) is for use while in port, and bunker oil (less clean, less expensive) is used while at sea. On the canal cruise, the ratio of diesel to bunker oil on the Wonder was about 1:100.

 

If a new ship is designed to use liquid natural gas, would that be for use only in port (with diesel/bunker oil for use at sea) or all propulsion? In other words, is this about being "green" in port or at all times? I'm not trying to judge whether anyone is truly advocating for the environment. I am just genuinely interested on how these ships operate.

The situation that they get into is that certain areas of the world and some ports have imposed more stringent standards--if the ships don't meet the standards, they can't cruise or dock in those areas.

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There's going to be massive amounts of speculation about the new ships, where they'll be based, the disposition of the rest of the fleet, but when it comes down to it, it is utterly pointless to make any guesses until the first of the new ships sets sail, in 4 years, then 5 years for the next and 6 years for the final ship. Until then all we can do is wait and see what DCL decides. There's so many factors involved that will have a bearing on what they're going to do with the new ships, I'm sure they already have a long term plan in place, but as Disney does, they always allow for changes. There could be many factors that predicate where they'll finally locate the fleet, political climate in various countries (including the U.S.), economic changes that could send the industry into a tail spin, and of course cost of operating in many ports or countries could be too prohibitive for DCL to even consider them. Sure it's great to wish for itineraries in many new and exciting places but DCL has to stay conscious of their bottom line and to their shareholders about responsible operations. I'm not so much worried about where the ships go as I am about getting more information about the design, features, venues and of course the construction of the ships (from a behind the scenes standpoint) Learning about the ships as they're built might give an indication about their intended use and destinations. Anyway this is just my opinion about the issue.

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There's going to be massive amounts of speculation about the new ships, where they'll be based, the disposition of the rest of the fleet, but when it comes down to it, it is utterly pointless to make any guesses until the first of the new ships sets sail, in 4 years, then 5 years for the next and 6 years for the final ship. Until then all we can do is wait and see what DCL decides. There's so many factors involved that will have a bearing on what they're going to do with the new ships, I'm sure they already have a long term plan in place, but as Disney does, they always allow for changes. There could be many factors that predicate where they'll finally locate the fleet, political climate in various countries (including the U.S.), economic changes that could send the industry into a tail spin, and of course cost of operating in many ports or countries could be too prohibitive for DCL to even consider them. Sure it's great to wish for itineraries in many new and exciting places but DCL has to stay conscious of their bottom line and to their shareholders about responsible operations. I'm not so much worried about where the ships go as I am about getting more information about the design, features, venues and of course the construction of the ships (from a behind the scenes standpoint) Learning about the ships as they're built might give an indication about their intended use and destinations. Anyway this is just my opinion about the issue.

 

 

 

There are too many serious people in this world. I enjoy speculating where they will go. It's called daydreaming. That's how Disney got his start in the first place. With dreaming, no?

 

 

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There's going to be massive amounts of speculation about the new ships, where they'll be based, the disposition of the rest of the fleet, but when it comes down to it, it is utterly pointless to make any guesses until the first of the new ships sets sail, in 4 years, then 5 years for the next and 6 years for the final ship. Until then all we can do is wait and see what DCL decides. There's so many factors involved that will have a bearing on what they're going to do with the new ships, I'm sure they already have a long term plan in place, but as Disney does, they always allow for changes. There could be many factors that predicate where they'll finally locate the fleet, political climate in various countries (including the U.S.), economic changes that could send the industry into a tail spin, and of course cost of operating in many ports or countries could be too prohibitive for DCL to even consider them. Sure it's great to wish for itineraries in many new and exciting places but DCL has to stay conscious of their bottom line and to their shareholders about responsible operations. I'm not so much worried about where the ships go as I am about getting more information about the design, features, venues and of course the construction of the ships (from a behind the scenes standpoint) Learning about the ships as they're built might give an indication about their intended use and destinations. Anyway this is just my opinion about the issue.

You are totally correct that DCL has a plan and probably a couple alternate possibilities ready. However, they do monitor some of the boards and they do take guest feedback into account...whether that feedback is on the boards, on the evaluations at the end of the cruise, on line survey forms, or in other communications with guest relations. They asked questions about Alaska and Med cruises for years on the feedback form before those cruises became reality. It doesn't hurt to put in words what people would like to see, whether it is "just wishing" or whether it is a form of direct communication. It isn't all that different than the Imagineers' Blue Sky sessions--any idea can be voiced and none is wrong or shot down. Essentially put it out there and see if anything sticks.

 

No, I don't really believe that DCL will change their plans based on what they see on internet forums...but they might be presented with some options that they hadn't placed on their "front burner."

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There's going to be massive amounts of speculation about the new ships, where they'll be based, the disposition of the rest of the fleet, but when it comes down to it, it is utterly pointless to make any guesses until the first of the new ships sets sail, in 4 years, then 5 years for the next and 6 years for the final ship. Until then all we can do is wait and see what DCL decides. There's so many factors involved that will have a bearing on what they're going to do with the new ships, I'm sure they already have a long term plan in place, but as Disney does, they always allow for changes. There could be many factors that predicate where they'll finally locate the fleet, political climate in various countries (including the U.S.), economic changes that could send the industry into a tail spin, and of course cost of operating in many ports or countries could be too prohibitive for DCL to even consider them. Sure it's great to wish for itineraries in many new and exciting places but DCL has to stay conscious of their bottom line and to their shareholders about responsible operations. I'm not so much worried about where the ships go as I am about getting more information about the design, features, venues and of course the construction of the ships (from a behind the scenes standpoint) Learning about the ships as they're built might give an indication about their intended use and destinations. Anyway this is just my opinion about the issue.

My sentiments exactly. Thank you! :cool:

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  • 2 weeks later...

We just got off a Disney Cruise and they said the new ships would be about 3% bigger than the Dream and Fantasy, but with the same room number. Also, said the three new ships would be significantly different looking than the other ships, and that each of the new ships would be very different from the other new ships (whatever that means).

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...and that each of the new ships would be very different from the other new ships (whatever that means).

 

I would take that to mean that the three new ships won't be "carbon copies" of each other like Magic/Wonder and Dream/Fantasy are essentially two sets of twins. It will be interesting to see what the differences might be, if what you were told is factual.

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I wouldn't be surprised if it means one of the ships will be designed and built specifically for the Asian market. Disney, and so many other companies, have been "all in" on China - which I believe will prove to be a big mistake over time.

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The size and cabin information agrees with the DCL announcement. As to the design, etc., even though the Magic and Wonder started out very similar, thru the years there have been changes made based on the locations where the Wonder would be cruising (more enclosed areas for Alaska), and more recently to resemble the Fantasy. At the Dream's first dry dock, she underwent changes to make her more like the Fantasy--adding Satellite Falls, etc.

 

As to the rest, if the past is any guide, DCL will periodically publish "teasers" as the launch of the new ships near.

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I would expect to see DCL send the Classics in for a long dry dock/ rehab as each of the new ships come online, to ensure they can get the entire 40 year life span and to stagger how many rooms they need to fill.

 

The rehab would also make the existing customer base want to sale the Classics as well to see the changes.

 

Disney is also the king as selling nostalgia, so I would expect to see that angle in advertising the Classic ships. Something like, You watched your kids filled with joy on their first cruise Disney Cruise, relive that joy all over again with your grandkids. Maybe even show pics of them entering cabin number XYZ 20 years ago and show them entering it all over again.

 

Or updating the "Disney Souvenir" commercial to get another grandkid.

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The only clue that is out there is in the photo of 6 vessels, showing 2 of the 3 new ones on the left, in a cloud. You can of course see they have the classic DCL design. However if you take a really good/ close look, you see a short additional upper deck over the forward part of the super structure/ Bridge. The limited size could account for part/most of 5,000 extra tonnage.

 

 

AKK

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The only clue that is out there is in the photo of 6 vessels' date=' showing 2 of the 3 new ones on the left, in a cloud. You can of course see they have the classic DCL design. However if you take a really good/ close look, you see a short additional upper deck over the forward part of the super structure/ Bridge. The limited size could account for part/most of 5,000 extra tonnage.

 

 

AKK[/quote']

Of course this drawing could have been done before the announcement of the third new ship......and obviously, it is either an altered photo or an artist's drawing since the new ships aren't ready for photos, even in clouds.

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Of course this drawing could have been done before the announcement of the third new ship......and obviously' date=' it is either an altered photo or an artist's drawing since the new ships aren't ready for photos, even in clouds.[/quote']

 

 

Hi Mokis Mommy,

 

This photo came out when the announced the 2 new ships, so it was before the third was decided on.

 

The reason I think it is quite possibly this is what the new ships may look like, is if they were just looking to get 6 ships in the photo, they could have just added 2 more of the Dream class. However they went out of their way to add that extra deck, which generally fits the additional 5,000 tons of vessel.

 

In any case.........time will tell.........I would think we should be getting good info in about a year.

 

AKK

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It’s truly a very exciting time for Disney Cruise Line! I love these two photos that Disney has previously shared on the Disney Parks Blog. As Walt Disney said' date=' “Around here we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious... and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

[img']https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170816/e6faa96ab9711d141cbb1e5f9ba952d0.jpg[/img]ec9a5e156b675993bf8607188184c2bf.jpg

 

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