Disney Cruise Line Moves New Ship Launches to 2029 and 2030

Disney has provided more clarity about when its next wave of cruise ships will launch. A report from early 2025 indicated that three unnamed vessels from a new class would debut one per year from 2029 through 2031. Today’s news reveals a more compressed timeline. DCL’s 11th and 12th ships will now launch in 2029, while Ship 13 debuts in 2030.

Disney will unveil a third ship in 2029, a Wish-class vessel being built for the Oriental Land Company, the owner and operator of Tokyo Disney Resort. The ship will be based in Japan and operated by OLC.

For now, none of these ships has a name. Disney is referring to the three new-class vessels as Ship 11, Ship 12, and Ship 13. Japan’s is simply listed as the “OLC Ship.”

Disney Cruise Line’s lineup

Here’s where I create a list of every current and future Disney cruise ship. It’s as much for me as it is for you. I’ll be referring back to this article often over the next four years.

With a capacity of 3,000 passengers, Ships 11 through 13 will be smaller than Disney’s Dream- and Wish-class vessels, which can accommodate up to 4,000 passengers. By comparison, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder can hold 2,713 guests. The Disney Adventure is the fleet’s outlier, accommodating as many as 6,700.

In addition to being smaller, the unnamed ships are being designed to be more fuel-efficient. Instead of relying on liquefied natural gas, they will be capable of running on several fuels, including hydrotreated vegetable oil and renewable methanol. Their engines will also be adaptable to future fuel options, while a battery system will help support the main engines.

While in port, the ships will be able to shut down their engines and connect to shore power to keep their onboard systems running.

We’re excited about the smaller ships. We’ve sailed on the Disney Wonder, Disney Wish, and the massive Harmony of the Seas. We prefer the smaller vessels, especially when it comes to Disney’s ships. It’s much easier to find a spot on Castaway Cay when you’re not competing with 1,300 extra people.

We might learn more about Disney’s new ship class at the upcoming D23 Expo. But with the Believe still being a relative unknown, it might get all the DCL love at the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase.