Disney Acquires Unfinished Genting ship

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• ALL CRUISE LINES (1543 SHIPS)
• More From Our Brands
• P&O Cruises and Cunard threaten to fire and rehire more than 900 UK staff
• Disney Cruise Line’s Seventh Ship Previously Known as GLOBAL DREAM to be Named ‘Disney Adventure’
• Disney Cruise Line Acquires Unfinished Global Dream Cruise Ship
• One Year Later, Here’s What Happened to Genting Cruise Lines’ Ships

At 208,000 tons they would have been jointly the sixth largest cruise ships by size, just behind Royal Caribbean’s five Oasis-class ships. What was meant to be one of the world’s largest cruise ships is being prepared for its maiden voyage – to a scrapyard. The new ship, to be based outside the United States, will feature innovative Disney experiences along with the dazzling entertainment, world-class dining and legendary guest service that set Disney Cruise Line apart. The exterior will be adorned in the iconic, Mickey Mouse-inspired colors of the fleet, complete with signature red funnels. Technologies implemented in the staterooms also include Bluetooth cabin door locks, touch-screen control panel, smartphone-control of different en-suite functions (mood lighting, air-conditioning, etc). Disney Cruise Line will soon own one of the world's largest cruise ships — in what could be a play at breaking into the fast-growing Asian travel market.

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The roughly 6,000-passenger ship will be renamed and based outside of the U.S., sailing to new destinations for the cruise line, although Disney did not say where. Disney Cruise Line will add another ship to its fleet after acquiring the partially built Global Dream, a megaship  abandoned due to bankruptcy. The ship is only 75% complete though, Disney is projected to spend more than $900 million finishing the ship. Captain Mickey and team will have to add in DCL’s famous level of detail and rework some of the top-deck features that weren’t targeting Disney’s typical audience of passengers.

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If these numbers remain accurate after finishing the vessel for Disney’s specifications, the new ship could easily become the largest ship in the world according to passenger capacity. Construction of the ship will be completed at the former MV Werften shipyard in Wismar, Germany, under the management of Meyer Werft, the company that build the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish. A Japanese consortium made up of coastal shipping company Imoto Lines and marine software company Marindows is launching a government-backed effort to develop a next-generation containership. Plans call not only for the vessel to address decarbonization with the ability to operate emissions-free, but also to address the emerging challenges due to the lack of seafarers in Japan.

Update on Disney's Massive 208000 Gross Ton Cruise Ship - Cruise Hive

Update on Disney's Massive 208000 Gross Ton Cruise Ship.

Posted: Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

P&O Cruises and Cunard threaten to fire and rehire more than 900 UK staff

The vessel’s sale, which began with three potential buyers, has now attracted a “significant number” of interested parties, including investors who are keen on it as part of a larger purchase that includes operator Dream Cruises, Mr Morgen told Bloomberg News. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don’t cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. The line said more details about the ship's itineraries and onboard experiences would be announced at a later date. The three cruise lines were owned by Asia-based Genting Hong Kong, which went out of business.

No details were shared about the total cost of the acquisition, as Disney Cruise Line only went as far as saying that it was able to secure the ship "at a favorable price and within the capital expenditure guidance The Walt Disney Company provided on its recent earnings call." Billionaire Lim Kok Thay, Genting Hong Kong’s recently resigned chairman and chief executive, expressed early interest in purchasing the ship, said Mr Morgen. In March 2023, Disney Cruise Line signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Singapore Tourism Board for homeporting the ship in Singapore (at Marina Bay Cruise Centre) for at least 5 years, starting in 2025 (through 2030). The ship's new name (Disney Adventure) was officially announced on September 9, 2023.

Disney Cruise Line’s Seventh Ship Previously Known as GLOBAL DREAM to be Named ‘Disney Adventure’

Both sites will be needed to manufacture the 204,000 gross ton Global Class ship, the largest to be built in Germany. GLOBAL DREAM, the flagship of the Global series was originally set to leave the MV WERFTEN Wismar shipyard in 2021. There was a second sister ship under construction as well, but that was sold for scrap. Disney Cruise Line officially announced the acquisition of the partially completed GLOBAL DREAM cruise ship yesterday and provided a single early conceptual rendering of the exterior. No matter what happens to the ship, it will be a better fate than befell its sibling.

Disney Cruise Line confirms it has purchased the 208,000 gross ton Global Dream cruise ship which will join its fleet in 2025. The Global Dream is one of many ships reabsorbed elsewhere in the cruise industry due to the financial woes of Genting Hong Kong. After the collapse of Crystal Cruises, a former Genting Hong Kong company, the Crystal Endeavour expedition ship was acquired by Silversea Cruises.

Who Will Disney's Converted Global Dream Cruise Ship Be For?

With a target launch of of 2025, a lot of time is available to make expansive modifications. These may include substantial alterations to the ship’s cabins if they are to sport the same family-friendly configurations Disney is known for, namely split bathrooms with a tub/shower and sink in one compartment and a toilet and sink in the other. Production will take place in parallel in Wismar and Rostock, with final assembly to be carried out in the Wismar yard. Previously serving as Genting’s smallest cruise ship, the 32-cabin ship was used for charters and upscale cruises in Southeast Asia. Previously operated by Star Cruises, the 1993-built cruise ship is now being dismantled at the Alang Shipbreaking Yard. Formerly operated by Dream Cruises, the Explorer Dream is set to restart service for Resorts World Cruises in Hong Kong in March.

The liquidator for the shipyard had been seeking a buyer for the cruise ship preferring a company that would complete the ship in Germany to also provide employment for the workers of the closed shipyard in Wismar. Disney had emerged as the front-runner in October after a group led by Stena dropped out. Disney reports under the terms of the acquisition it has agreed to complete the ship, which will be renamed, at the Wismar shipyard with Meyer Werft supervising the project. Employees of the former MV Werften will be offered work that would keep them employed until Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) begins operations at the site in 2024. TKS had previously agreed with the liquidators that the yard facilities could be used to complete the cruise ship.

The shipowner GHK also has an order for a second (Global-class) unit set for delivery in 2021. By passenger capacity (9500 max plus 2200 crew, or total as originally designed/total 2350 staterooms), GHK's GLOBAL-Class represented the world's largest cruise liners ever built. The entertainment conglomerate announced earlier this week that it had purchased Global Dream, the sister ship of what was expected to be the world’s largest cruise ship before it was scrapped because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Disney will now finish building the infamous boat’s sibling, with a goal of completing construction by 2025.

Her sister ship, also under construction but not nearly as completely finished, is to be scrapped. Speculation not only included the idea of another line purchasing the vessel, but also that the ship might have been scrapped before it was ever completed. Now, the finishing will be completed according to Disney Cruise Line’s specifications. The ship will have capacity for approximately 6,000 guests and will come methanol-ready. Originally ordered for Genting’s Dream Cruises and under construction in Germany at MV Werften, Disney bought the ship in a half-finished state following Genting’s demise in 2022.

It also said the vessel, which will be renamed, would be based outside of the United States. It’s also worth noting that the Walt Disney Company umbrella has experienced a massive executive shakeup lately, with former CEO Bob Iger being brought back to replace Bob Chapek. Whether this development will affect these “new” ship plans for Disney Cruise Line is still to be seen. Reports indicate it was likely the price that swayed Disney to acquire the ship -- once valued at 1.8 billion Euros -- for a staggering discount of only 40 million Euros. Disney Cruise Line is scheduled to embark on a new adventure in Asia with its upcoming ship -- the appropriately named Disney Adventure. Keeping its original name, the vessel is now in service for its new operators – who are tied to the former owners of Dream Cruises – in Southeast Asia.

After being sold to local scrappers, the vessel arrived at the Aliaga Ship Breaking Yard in May 2022. One of Star Cruises original vessels, the former cruise ferry ended its cruising career at the Alang Ship Breaking Yard in India. The travel conglomerate also acquired the Crystal Cruises and the Crystal Serenity and plans to relaunch the traditional luxury brand in 2023. With a new name and innovative Disney experiences, the 205,000-ton ship is expected to sail outside the United States. Global Dream had an initial construction price of 1.6 billion Euros ($1.66 billion USD) and is already 75% complete. With Genting falling under earlier this year, the Global Dream has become an attractive option for Disney as it was able to secure the new vessel at a bargain price, though the final price of the purchase has not been revealed.

Previously operated by Star Cruises, the 1988-built cruise ship was serving as a floating hotel at the MV Werften – a Genting-owned shipyard in Germany – since 2018. One year after the collapse of Genting Cruise Lines, most of its former fleet has now met its destiny. While most of the vessels were sold for further service, other ships ended up being scrapped and one is still waiting for a decision on its future.