17 June 2025, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Wismar: The cruise ship “Disney Adventure” is moored at the outfitting quay of the TKMS shipyard. After around seven years of construction, one of the world’s largest cruise ships was pulled out of the shipbuilding hall on 19.04.2025. The coronavirus-related insolvency of the MV shipyard group in 2022 had significantly delayed the construction of the approximately 340-metre-long ship. The US shipping company Disney Cruise Line took over the ship from the insolvency estate and is having it built by the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg, Lower Saxony. The ship is scheduled to be in service for the Disney Group in Southeast Asia from the end of 2025. Photo: Jens Büttner/dpa (Photo by Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images)
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
The Disney Adventure, Disney Cruise Line’s first cruise ship to homeport in Singapore, has been delayed. The maiden voyage will now take place on March 12, 2026, instead of the originally announced date of December 15, 2025. The new launch date impacts nearly two dozen sailings. Disney Cruise Line purchased the partially built ship in 2022 from the now-defunct Dream Cruises.
“As we work on the final touches to bring the Disney Adventure to our guests, we’ve encountered unexpected delays in the shipbuilding process,” said Joe Schott, President of Disney Signature Experiences, in a press release. “To ensure the experience we deliver reflects our commitment to excellence, we’ve made the decision to adjust our timeline. We know this may be disappointing to our guests, and we’re working directly with them to offer flexible rebooking options and uphold the trust they place in us.”
With the delay of the maiden voyage, Disney has announced rebooking options for those whose cruise dates have been impacted. For those booked on the maiden voyage, they will automatically be booked on the new maiden voyage on March 10, 2026, at 50 percent off. Those who were booked on the original maiden voyage but cannot make the new date will get a full refund and will be offered 50 percent off a future Disney Cruise Line sailing, as long as the new sailing is booked by March 31, 2026, and the cruise must depart on or before March 31, 2027.
Cruisers who were booked on other impacted sailings will automatically get a full refund, plus 50 percent off a future Disney Cruise Line sailing. The new sailing must be booked by March 31, 2026, and the cruise must depart on or before March 31, 2027.
Where is the Disney Adventure now?
03 September 2025, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Mukran: The lettering “Disney Adventure – Nassau” can be seen on the cruise ship “Disney Adventure”, which was built in the Wismar shipyard in the port of Mukran on the island of Rügen. After around seven years of construction, one of the world’s largest cruise ships starts its test voyages. The US shipping company Disney Cruise Line took over the ship from the insolvency estate and is having it built by the Meyer shipyard in Papenburg, Lower Saxony. The ship will be in service for the Disney Group in Southeast Asia from the end of 2025. Photo: Stefan Sauer/dpa (Photo by Stefan Sauer/picture alliance via Getty Images)
dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
The Disney Adventure is being built at MV Werften Shipyard in Wismar, Germany. The ship completed its sea trials and returned to the shipyard for more work. Disney has made it clear that the delays are not due to the vessel not being safe for travelers and are unrelated to recent sea trials; rather, the work being done is ensuring the ship is in pristine condition and features Disney’s high levels of guest service onboard.
The ship will be the largest in Disney Cruise Line’s current fleet, with an occupancy of about 6,700 passengers. Onboard, new dining and entertainment venues will bring Disney’s stories and characters to life in new ways, including a show featuring the Duffy and Friends characters and multiple onboard attractions, including a roller coaster.
Currently, sailings through January 4, 2027, are available to book, and additional dates in 2027 will be released in March 2026.
Strong demand for Disney Cruise Line
The Disney cruise ship Fantasy arrives at Port Canaveral, Fla., on March 7, 2012. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Tribune News Service via Getty Images
On a recent earnings call, Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, mentioned bookings for the Disney Adventure were high, with the first two quarters of operation selling out quickly. He also called the ship a floating ambassador for Disney, as it sails to a part of the world Disney Cruise Line has never been to before.
“When we went to the market and started selling trips on this ship, [they] were extremely robust, sold out very, very quickly over, I think, the first two quarters of operation. This will give us an opportunity to basically sail or float the Disney brand in all of its glory into a region that we think has huge Disney brand affinity, and it creates a huge opportunity for us,” said Iger on the earnings call.
Even though the Disney Adventure is now delayed, the Disney Destiny, Disney Cruise Line’s third Wish-class ship, is still on track for its maiden voyage on November 20, 2025, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/megandubois/2025/09/12/disney-cruise-lines-first-asia-based-cruise-ship-delayed-until-march/
