After years of building anticipation, Disney Wish is being handed over to Disney Cruise Line. The vessel made the transit from Eemshaven, the Netherlands, where the final outfitting was carried out, to Bremerhaven, Germany, where she arrived today around 5 AM local time.
Disney Wish launch date had been scheduled to be June 9, so it is rather fitting that the official handover from the shipyard to the cruise line takes place today. Next month the vessel will sail on her first official cruise from her new homeport, Port Canaveral.
Disney Wish Officially Handed Over
After what has been a busy and long-anticipated couple of years, Disney Cruise Line has finally taken ownership of its newest cruise ship, Disney Wish.
The vessel arrived in Bremerhaven, Germany, around 5 AM this morning on June 9, coming from Eemshaven in the Netherlands, where she underwent final outfitting.
June 9 was the original date that Disney Cruise Line intended to send Disney Wish on her maiden voyage; however, some delays in the build prevented that from happening.
After the official handover has been concluded, Disney Wish will prepare for her maiden crossing of the Atlantic Ocean as she sets sail towards her new homeport, Port Canaveral.
“The construction of such complex and large units is an extreme challenge in today’s world. Against this background, we are very pleased that we were able to hand over the Disney Wish with its many innovations for an immersive passenger experience with many loving details and numerous environmentally friendly solutions to the shipping company today,” said Managing Director Jan Meyer.
From Bremerhaven, Disney Wish will sail along the coast of the Netherlands, through the English Channel, and make a call in the Azores on June 13. The LNG-powered, 144,000 gross ton cruise ship will arrive in her new homeport on June 20, between 4 AM and 7 AM at terminals 8 and 10.
After completing its maiden voyage, which starts July 14, Disney Wish will sail three- and four-night itineraries from Port Canaveral to Nassau in the Bahamas and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.
“In a great team effort together with our partner companies, the classification and the crew on board, we have succeeded in completing the Disney Wish in the best possible way and letting the typical Disney magic move in on board,” says project manager Henning Stellermann.
Disney’s fleet of ships now counts five cruise ships
The arrival of Disney Wish means Disney’s fleet of cruise ships has now grown to include five ships. This number will increase again with two sister ships to Disney Wish scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025. Disney Cruise Line first announced the Triton-class of cruise ships in 2016.
Construction for the first of three LNG-powered cruise ships started in March 2020, at the onset of the pandemic. Despite Disney ordering the ships in 2016, the keel was not laid down until April 8, 2021.
This delay was mainly due to the effects of COVID-19 in Germany and the effects on global supply chains. Earlier this year, the launch date was pushed back from June 9 to July 14, 2022, due to shipyard delays.
Not Just Another Cruise Ship
Disney Wish is not just another cruise ship. She is one of the most highly-anticipated ships to be launched this year. A lot of this has to do with the marketing campaign Disney Cruise Line developed for the vessel. Over the last years, the cruise line has done its best to slowly reveal details of its newest cruise ship.
One of the highlights onboard will be the 230-meter-long Aqua Mouse water slide. In addition, there is a “Toy Story Splash Zone” for children on the pool deck with six pools, including a water slide, a smoothie bar, and a restaurant.
Other new additions to the Disney fleet are an adults-only area, where adults can have a relaxing day by the pool, go to the Spa or hairdressers, or visit one of the bars and pubs.
Laura Cabo, Walt Disney Imagineering: “With the Disney Wish, we wanted to design an experience that allows our grown-up guests to relax, recharge and reconnect in unique ways that only Disney Cruise Line can create. Not only did we infuse more storytelling and enchantment into the adult-exclusive venues, but we added more variety and made them more accessible than ever before. This ship has truly been designed with adults’ vacation needs in mind.”
Disney Wish also houses the first suite directly in a smokestack. The “Wish Tower Suite” extends over two floors and has a living area of around 180 square meters, offering space for up to eight guests. The suite is located in the forward funnel, which merely serves an aesthetic purpose.
