Disney’s Destiny cruise ship prepares to sail

the Disney The fleet is expanding again.

Later this month, Disney’s Destiny cruise ship will make its maiden voyage from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, officially becoming the seventh ship in the company’s lineup.

The plane, which is 221 feet high and 1,119 feet long, can carry 4,000 passengers and 1,555 crew members. In its inaugural season, the ship will offer four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Western Caribbean, including visits to one or both of the company’s island destinations, Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Like other Disney cruise ships, the new ship features dining, curated lounges and premium live entertainment on board. Disney’s portfolio of intellectual property has been the bedrock of its theme parks since the first location opened its doors, and that translates to its cruise line as well.

The Destiny features a theme of heroes and villains. Black Panther is the featured character inside Destiny’s Grand Hall, a prominent gathering space on the ship, but guests will also be able to interact with iconic Disney villains and anti-heroes like Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, and Dr. Facilier, Captain Jack Sparrow, and Loki.

Destiny sets sail at a time of rapid growth for The Walt Disney Company’s Experiences division, which includes theme parks, resorts and the cruise line. The company, which had not launched a new ship in a decade before Disney Wish debuted in mid-2022, added the Disney Treasure ship last year and is scheduled to have 13 ships sailing by 2031.

“We are seeing the largest expansion in our history,” Josh D’Amaro, president of Disney Experiences, told CNBC. “I think Destiny will be just another example of how we can once again continue to push the envelope on what the cruise experience can be.”

In fiscal 2024, the Experiences division generated record revenues and profits, with revenues rising 5% for the full year to $34.15 billion and operating income rising 4% to $9.27 billion. As of the fiscal third quarter of 2025, Disney expects its Experiences segment to see 8% growth in operating income for the current fiscal year. The company announces its earnings on Thursday.

The Experiences segment was Disney’s second-highest revenue driver last year after the Entertainment division, which reached $41.19 billion in fiscal 2024. However, the Entertainment segment’s operating profits were smaller, at just $3.92 billion.

Disney has become a leader in family cruises, despite the relatively small number of ships. Its fleet size of just seven ships is dwarfed by the largest cruise lines: Carnival, which has more than 100 ships; Royal Caribbean, with nearly 70; And Norwegian Cruise Line, which has more than 30.

Disney is slightly more expensive than Carnival and Royal Caribbean for the base price, but if guests choose to upgrade to larger cabins or add dining packages or experiences to their itineraries on the major cruise lines, prices may be similar.

Disney’s Destiny offers four-night cruises starting at about $2,300 for two adult guests and about $4,000 for a family of four. Five-night cruises start at $2,900 for two adults and $4,700 for a family of four. These prices can increase if travelers choose premium rooms, book cruises tied to Halloween or Christmas, or choose seven-night cruises on the Destiny ship.

Like other space cruise ships, Disney Destiny features upscale restaurants, pools, spas and children’s playrooms, but the company is incorporating storytelling into the mix.

Additionally, Disney accommodates diners using “rotating dining” on its cruise ships. Passengers do not eat in one large dining hall, as dinner is scheduled in advance at themed restaurants. Disney also rotates restaurant staff to follow each group of passengers to their specific restaurant. As a result, guests have the same servers, bussers and restaurant managers throughout their trip, and the waitstaff gets to know the guests and their preferences.

Among the themed dining halls aboard Destiny is Pride Lands, a feast for the Lion King, which invites guests to dine on a menu with authentic African flavors while musicians take to the stage to retell Simba’s story from cub to king.

At Worlds of Marvel, families will listen to a mix of hit songs and test their superhero knowledge while dining. Rocket and Groot from “Guardians of the Galaxy” will be featured in an on-screen story that will be revealed during the meal. The list contains references to in-universe locations such as Wakanda and the fictional Eastern European country of Sokovia as well as New York, the Avengers’ home base.

Built in 1923, the dining hall, named after the founding year of the Walt Disney Company, celebrates Disney’s animation heritage. This setting features more than 1,000 drawings, props and other tools of the animation trade, including artwork from “Hercules,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Big Hero 6” and “Wreck-It Ralph.” The menu at 1923 is inspired by the blend of cultural flavors found throughout California, including Asian, European and South American influences.

Guests looking for quick bites and snacks will have a number of other dining options including Café Megara and Café Merida as well as Edna Á La Mode Sweets, a dessert offering featuring gelato, ice cream, cake, sweets and other specialty dishes based on super-suit designer Edna Mode from the movie “The Incredibles.”

For many, Disney cruises are a family affair. Therefore, the company has allocated spaces for all age groups.

It’s Small World Nursery offers babysitting services for children ages 6 months to 3 years, while older kids can head to Disney’s Oceaneer Club, which features several immersive spaces themed around Marvel superheroes, Disney princesses, Star Wars, Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

A two-story venue called Saga hosts shows and interactive events like “Match Your Mate” and “Family Time Game Show,” as well as Edge, a space for tweens to make friends and play games, and Vibe for 14- to 17-year-olds to watch movies, listen to music and hang out.

The Walt Disney Theater will be home to a Broadway-style production of “Hercules,” a show featuring innovative puppetry and state-of-the-art effects.

Each cruise will also include live showings of “Frozen, a Musical Spectacular” and “Disney Seas the Adventure.” There will also be a Pirates Rockin’ Parlay, a nighttime extravaganza featuring a live rock band, fireworks, an “Incredibles”-themed sports area and free movie screenings that you can watch at the Wonderland and Never Land Cinemas.

Similar to Wish and the Treasure, Destiny also has a Toy Story-themed area that includes a swimming pool, wading pool, and family waterslide. There is also a modified version of the AquaMouse coaster called “Sing a Silly Song”.

Disney has also designed websites intended for adults only.

Located away from the bustling family activities, Quiet Cove Hotel features an infinity pool, a poolside bar and a café. Senses Spa offers spa and beauty treatments, while Senses Fitness is an exercise and wellness facility.

Disney Destiny Hotel also features De Vil Piano Lounge, a luxurious spot for contemporary cocktails, and Sanctum Lounge, a lounge inspired by Doctor Strange from the Marvel universe.

“We continue to acquire intellectual property or franchises, not only from the big screen, but from our theme parks as well,” D’Amaro said. “We did that with the ‘Haunted Mansion’ on our last ship, and the ‘Haunted Mansion’ will be back on the Destiny ship this time as well. But you’ll also see the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ lounge, for example, which is very cool, and I think our guests will respond exceptionally well to it.”

This is the second time Disney has brought its theme park IP to its cruise line. The Haunted Mansion Parlor debuted at Disney Treasure last year, and there will be a similar lounge area featuring ghostly design elements and spooky cocktails aboard Destiny.

There’s also Cask & Cannon, an eclectic but cozy bar inspired by the “Pirates of the Caribbean” attraction. This is the first time that a Pirates of the Caribbean movie has been brought on board a Disney ship in this capacity. The destination will feature themed drinks and decorations.

The launch of Disney Destiny will be quickly followed by the first voyage of Disney Adventure, which will serve Singapore beginning in March 2026. Additional ships will launch between 2027 and 2031, bringing the Disney cruise fleet to 13 ships.

“From a business perspective, the Disney Cruise Line is very important, not only to the Disney Experiences business, but also to The Walt Disney Company,” D’Amaro said. “This is a great brand ambassador for us. So, being able to take all the stories we have to tell and present them around the world with assets that move is very powerful for us.”

D’Amaro noted that this sector has seen double-digit returns on its cruise ships and continues to generate high occupancy and strong future bookings.

But Disney’s cruise line isn’t the only part of the company’s experiences business that’s expanding. There are construction plans all over the world for Disney theme parks and resorts.

“We are in the middle of turbocharging the Disney Experiences segment at The Walt Disney Company,” D’Amaro said. “So, it’s a really special time for this part of the business. We now have more projects underway than ever before in the company’s history.”

Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, is seeing its largest expansion ever at the Magic Kingdom with the addition of a villain-themed land and a “Cars” area being added in Frontierland. “Monsters Company.” The land is coming to Hollywood Studios and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is being repurposed to feature the movie “The Muppets.” At Animal Kingdom, the company is adding “Encanto” and “Indiana Jones” attractions.

On the West Coast at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, California Adventure Park’s Avengers Campus will be expanded to include two additional rides. The company is also adding an “Avatar” zone and the first-ever “Coco” attraction.

On the international level, the company is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for its seventh entertainment resort in Abu Dhabi. Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland and Tokyo Disney are all getting new attractions based on the popular IP.

“We have a lot of stories to tell, and it happens all over the world,” D’Amaro said. “Each of our destinations is undergoing a major transformation, adding new capacity, adding new stories, and adding new ports.”