The company signed a letter of intent with Meyer Werft shipyard, based in Papenburg, Germany, to negotiate a contract to build the 122,000-ton new cruise liners, which will be two decks taller than the existing 83,000-ton ships, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder. Each ship will have 1,250 staterooms. Specific design plans and itineraries for the yet-unnamed ships are still in development and will be unveiled at a later date.

"Since our maiden voyage in 1998, Disney Cruise Line has been a huge success for our guests and for our shareholders alike," Iger said. "It has brought our unparalleled family vacation experience to the high seas, and has also generated high margins and double digit returns on invested capital. We're excited to announce the expansion of our fleet, which is a logical next step in what is a real growth business for us."

Disney Cruise Line established the family market within the cruise industry when the business launched in 1998. The first two ships were purpose built for families to reconnect and recharge while creating vacation memories that will last a lifetime. From a theater featuring live musical spectaculars to a luxurious spa for adults and nearly an entire deck dedicated to children's activities, the ships offer something for every member of the family. Disney Cruise Line continues to grow by attracting passengers who say they would not have cruised if it hadn't been for the Disney brand.

"Focusing on families has been smart business for us," said Jay Rasulo, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "More than 95 percent of Disney Cruise Line guests rate their cruise experience as excellent or very good. Families know they can trust us to provide a quality, immersive Disney experience. As a result, Disney Cruise Line continually sets sail with the highest load factors in the industry of nearly 150 percent."

Similar to the original Disney Cruise Line ships, the new ships will be a modern interpretation of classic ocean liners of the 1930s. Disney Imagineers drew their inspiration from the original trans-Atlantic ships that featured a dramatic black hull with two funnels and porthole windows. The profile of the ships, with its gentle curves at the stern combined with sleek angles at the bow, are reminiscent of the art deco designs of the era. To add whimsy to the classic design, the Disney ships have the same exterior color palette as Mickey Mouse with black, white, red and yellow. The new ships will feature elegant, detailed Disney scrollwork at the bow and will evoke images of the glamour of the golden age of cruising.

Tom McAlpin, the President of Disney Cruise Line, said, "This is an exciting time for Disney Cruise Line, and we are looking forward to working with Meyer Werft to blend our innovation and creativity with their fine craftsmanship. Meyer Werft has a long tradition of building magnificent ships. We are confident that the result will be ships that take the immersive Disney family-focused cruise experience to an entirely new level."

New itineraries

Disney Cruise Line, which traditionally offers 3-, 4- and 7-night Caribbean cruises, has also enjoyed strong demand for new itineraries. Trips to the Mediterranean and to the West Coast have recently set booking records within the company and booked 30-50 percent faster than the existing itineraries at higher prices.

"With a larger fleet, we'll have greater flexibility to offer a variety of itineraries," Rasulo said. "This is a business that our guests love, and we're pleased to give them more options to explore the world with Disney with two new ships."

I am not sure that I think they look quite as nice as the current sisters, but probably better than most post panamax ships I have seen the designs of.

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Originally posted by Ernst:
Very interesting. Two large retro ships built by Meyer - maybe an alternative to QM2?

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I do wish Disney would raise the height of the funnels. That is my only complaint. Otherwise these are stunning ships, better looking and proportioned than QM2 and just about every other newbuild IMO.

[ 02-23-2007: Message edited by: joe at travelpage ]

[ 02-23-2007: Message edited by: CGT ]

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Originally posted by Thad:
Two little images on the Disney Site.

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Originally posted by shipsnorway:
To me it seems like Meyer Werft architects have had a say in the design of the new Disney ships... the curved glass windows above the bridge - AidaDiva-much?

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I would say it's the other way around - the exterior of AIDAdiva looks like one of the (present) Disney ships.

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Originally posted by Ernst:

I would say it's the other way around - the exterior of AIDAdiva looks like one of the (present) Disney ships.

Whereas the yard is involved in the design porcess it is not necessarily a 'Meyer' features.

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Which design features on the Disney Magic/Wonder do you see on the AidaDiva?

Anyway, I wonder who designed those vessels. I don't think Disney has a full team of naval designers like Carnival Corp or RCI (or they wouldn't have a lot to do). It may be the yard which designed those ships according to Disney specified needs, or it may be an independant firm specialized in this kind of jobs.

That said, from what I've seen, they don't look bad at all.

[ 02-23-2007: Message edited by: Pascal ]

These ships are very similar to the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic, however as the design of these latters is nice, it does not matter. As the new ones will be longer, they could look great. In addition they could provide new itinararies. Hope northern europe and mediterranean sea.

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Originally posted by Linerdan:
Just above the bridge and forward of the mast , it appears to look like a arched glass dome? , could this be some sort of grand stair case or something to help mimic the Atlantic style of yesteryear?.

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My guess is that this will be over an extensive spa area, same location as on the first two ships. Or it could also cover a lido restaurant area, located forward on many ships.

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Originally posted by shipsnorway:

Which design features on the Disney Magic/Wonder do you see on the AidaDiva?

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Originally posted by Pascal:

Anyway, I wonder who designed those vessels. I don't think Disney has a full team of naval designers like Carnival Corp or RCI (or they wouldn't have a lot to do). It may be the yard which designed those ships according to Disney specified needs, or it may be an independant firm specialized in this kind of jobs.

[ 02-23-2007: Message edited by: Pascal ]

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There are usually many different people (designer etc.) working on the design of a ship. e.g. Tillberg was involved in the Disney ships see here - Partner Ship Design was involved in the Aida design - see here. (bad example as they at least do not state to be responsible for the exterior - nevertheless)

From the outside it is difficult to tell who did what - and also what has been done by the design departement of the yard, cruise line etc.
So it's impossible to associate design features like the bridge arrangement of the Disney/new Aida ships with a yard.

[ 02-23-2007: Message edited by: Ernst ]