Update December 21, 2010: The Maiden Voyage of the Disney Fantasy has shifted from April 7, 2012 to March 31, 2012 because Disney Cruise Line will take possession of the ship earlier than originally planned. The March 31st Maiden Voyage will be a Western Caribbean itinerary.
October 18, 2010: The Disney Dream has yet to take its maiden voyage, and we’re already looking towards the future. Today, Disney Cruise Line released a few details on itineraries for 2012 including the launch date of the new Disney Fantasy. Last year at this time, excitement was stirred by Disney’s announcement that the Disney Wonder would sail for the first time to Alaska in 2011 – oh, and a new ship called the Disney Dream. Well the big news in 2012 is again the launch of a new ship – the Disney Fantasy on April 7, 2012 (now March 31, 2012), but there’s no word yet on some of the special destinations previously rumored such as a ship based in New York City or cruises to Hawaii. Booking for the early 2012 cruise season opens Wednesday, October 20, 2010. Continue after the break for details of the new Disney Fantasy.
Disney describes the Disney Fantasy as a sister ship to the Disney Dream, and will have many of the same amenities as the Dream including the new AquaDuck water coaster that generated so much excitement among potential cruisers. With the Inaugural sailing April 7, 2012 (now March 31, 2012), the Disney Fantasy will take over the Magic’s 7-Night Eastern and Western Caribbean Cruises beginning with a Western Caribbean cruise (including stops in Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Castaway Cay). Another Western Caribbean Cruise will occur on April 14, 2012 and then the schedule will alternate with Eastern Caribbean Cruises (with stops in St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Castaway Cay) until the end of August.
Disney has not yet announced the itinerary for the Fantasy after August 2012, and only says “additional details and itinerary information will be released at a later date.”
The Disney Dream will continue 3 and 4 night Bahama cruises out of Port Canaveral as well as 5 Night Bahamian sailings with two stops at the very popular Castaway Cay.
From its new home port in Los Angeles, California the Disney Wonder will offer cruises to the Mexican Riviera from January – April, 2012 including stops in Puerta Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas.
At this time, Disney has not yet confirmed the Wonder will relocate north to Vancouver, Canada to offer a second summer season of cruises to Alaska.
Until the Disney Fantasy sets sail, the Disney Magic will offer 7-Night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises (with a stop in Key West not Costa Maya) for first quarter until April, 2012. The initial sailing will be a Western Caribbean cruise on January 7, 2012, and alternating with Eastern Caribbean cruises until the end of March. Disney has released no further information on the itinerary of the Magic past March 24, 2012, and no word yet on whether a third season of European cruises will take place.
So there’s still a lot of questions surrounding the 2012 Disney Cruise Line season. Will the Wonder continue with Alaska sailings? Can we expect to see a ship based in New York City? Will we be able to cruise to Aulani, the new Disney Vacation Club Property in Hawaii? Will there be a chance to sail the Mediterranean or other European ports of call? All we can say is stay tuned to the DIS and DIS Unplugged for information from Disney Cruise Line as we get it.
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