New Disney cruise ship to set sail from Singapore from 2025

[pjacobi]

Remeber not to bring chewing gum to Singapore:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum_sales_ban_in_Singapore


-Paul

 

[Darren1969]

Well, add another 2-3 days to get back to Shanghai. And now you're looking at three days in port and 8-10 days at sea. And you probably want a second day in Tokyo since there are two parks there.

I'm skeptical that Disney can sell such a cruise to many people. They have very few cruises that long and almost all of them are repositioning cruises (transatlantic, transpacific, Panama Canal). The Hawaiian cruises and one or two European cruises each year are exceptions.

I'd love to be wrong about this, though!

True. Do it as 2x one-way would be logical. Pricy but logical.
Rest of the time, around Thailand, Indonesia/Bali, Cambodia or Vietnam.
Getting to Singapore form anywhere is Asia is really simple with plenty of choice in airlines. Marketed and priced correctly, it could do well.

 

[Flossbolna]

Out of curiousity, do you have a link? I can't find any such references. Most reports seem to say that Disney hasn't announced anything at all regarding a potential casino.

I wouldn't be surprised either way, although I find the pearl-clutching about casinos a little bit strange. I understand the smoking issue (Celebrity addresses that by having exclusively smoke-free casinos), but the Bingo odds are sooooo much more of a rip-off than any game that is in a normal casino. It's a bit of a weird disconnect that many Americans consider bingo to be family-friendly. (I should note that I say this as someone that likes bingo.)

Several German media reported that the Casino will go. For example: https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/global-dream-disney-mv-werften-rettung-1.5697560 (one of Germany's major serious newspapers, think New York Times)
https://www.lkz.de/lokales_artikel,...rft-in-wismar-mittelfristig-_arid,710692.html
(local newspaper from the area where ship is being built, here the wording indirectly refers to what was announced)

 

[Kwami]

Getting to Singapore form anywhere is Asia is really simple with plenty of choice in airlines.

Yeah, but getting there from here is really painful. It involves a 4-hour train journey and then the longest flight in the world!

 

[AquaDame]

You can gamble without having a purpose built space for it. Mah Jong for example.

I don't see them offering an all three parks cruise... its too far, too much fuel, too expensive, and too niche. They could incorporate some parks as an optional excursion, sure, but I wouldn't get my hopes up more than say both parks in China on one and another that does TDLR.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It's interesting that a lot of people are coming at it like Americans will be largely the intended audience. I wouldn't make this assumption.

 

[AquaDame]

It's interesting that a lot of people are coming at it like Americans will be largely the intended audience. I wouldn't make this assumption.

I agree. This one is not meant for us. They don't care how hard it is to get to from New York, or that Americans want to see the various parks in one go. They've said multiple times this is a way to hit a NEW market.

 

[holula]

It's interesting that a lot of people are coming at it like Americans will be largely the intended audience. I wouldn't make this assumption.

I agree completely. I think it will be marketed to Asians.

They might have a couple of cruises per year aimed more at international guests and going to the parks, but I do think itll be mostly short cruises.

 

[RoseGold]

I can't imagine a cruise operating out of Asia without a casino. It's got to have a casino.

 

[Flossbolna]

I can't imagine a cruise operating out of Asia without a casino. It's got to have a casino.

Well, they also operated their first cruise ships without a nursery and opened Disneyland Paris without serving wine with dinner at the park. Disney has a history of making blunders like that (not sure if the casino thing is one or not) and then correcting course quickly.

 

[OpieDoodle]

I 100% agree this cruise is not intended to be marketed at their current customer base. I am sure they're assuming some will come out there but their goal is a new market completely and to tap into new potential.

On a ship this large I wouldn't be opposed to a casino, especially a non-smoking one. Casinos aren't really that hard to avoid on smaller cruise ships. Smoking is frustrating as you can smell it around but the casino itself why would I care what other people are doing with their money? Everything on the ship doesn't have to appeal to every person.

I am bummed this is flushing my dream of going on every ship down the drain. I'd eventually love to do a cruise like that but that's a long term goal. Maybe eventually it'll move to other ports in the future.

The cool thing about big mega ships is there is so much to do that often you won't notice the larger volume of people because they're spread throughout the ship.

Idk I'm interested to see what comes of this. I will not even consider it until the ship has been sailing a year or two probably so I can watch some vlogs.

 

[Kwami]

I agree. This one is not meant for us. They don't care how hard it is to get to from New York, or that Americans want to see the various parks in one go. They've said multiple times this is a way to hit a NEW market.

Disney can market to whoever they want. But, I care about how hard it is to get there from NY because, well, I'm me. Why would I care how hard it is to get to Singapore from Shanghai? I'm not in Shanghai. I have nothing to say about that.

And by the way, Disney is Disney. Smoking is big in Japan, but you know where it isn't? Tokyo Disneyland. Not outside, not in lines, and not in restaurants. You have to go to designated smoking areas, just like at Disney World.

Disney wants to maintain their family-friendly image. Casinos aren't necessary and don't fit on a Disney ship. I'm sure that plenty of Asian customers, perhaps even all Asian customers, can go on a cruise without a casino. Disney doesn't get customers by doing what everyone else does. They get customers because they're Disney. The new ship will have rotational dining, kids clubs, stage shows, characters, and higher prices than other lines. It doesn't need a casino.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

But, I care about how hard it is to get there from NY because, well, I'm me. Why would I care how hard it is to get to Singapore from Shanghai? I'm not in Shanghai. I have nothing to say about that.

I think the PP was meaning Disney isn't concerning themselves with how hard it is for an American to get there. That was part of why I made the comment I did. Having a home based for an extended period of time there signals to me they are not trying to go after the American market. It's not realistic in the least to fill up your ship that has several thousand in capacity with people who realistically cannot afford both in time and money to get there.

The new ship will have rotational dining, kids clubs, stage shows, characters, and higher prices than other lines.

I'm sure it will have a good amount of those but they will also be looking at what is needed and wanted there. Culture in Asia isn't the same as it is here so I could see a focus on what works better there in terms of age ranges, etc. But these features are things that can probably shift as the ship shifts depending on if it leaves Asia or not.

It doesn't need a casino.

I'm sure they've done their market research on this. A casino would probably be a plus but I know they also will be thinking about what do they do with the ship after the 5 year collab is over with, keep it in Asia or transition it elsewhere. I don't think they are as concerned about image there as people on the DIS think they are in terms of a casino though.

Tokyo Disneyland. Not outside, not in lines, and not in restaurants. You have to go to designated smoking areas, just like at Disney World.

Just to clarify though Tokyo Disneyland isn't owned nor operated by Disney, Oriental Trading Company does and pays Disney for the licensing. So a lot of rules have the potential to be different. There is no actual "capital relationship" between the two companies.

Additionally Universal Studios Japan "Smoking is prohibited inside attractions, restaurants, and shops, as well as while walking or waiting for an attraction. Smoking is only permitted in locations with ashtrays. This applies also to electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Please refrain from smoking outside of smoking areas, even if you have brought a portable ashtray."

So it's not just Disney being Disney, I think it's just theme parks attempting to reduce smoking due to changes in consumer bases and attitudes towards smoking.

 

[OpieDoodle]

On this topic of how concerned Disney is with the American market being able to get to Singapore. I know the American market is the large majority of DCL client base currently but I wonder what percentage of the American market is filling the ships when they go to Europe or Australia. My assumption is the majority of the European sailings have majority of folks that live "across the pond", while I am positive there are still some of the American clientele but I wonder how much of the break down is it. Like is the American market a significant impact on the European sailings.

I'd imagine Disney is not expecting this new ship to be filled with the American market at all. I'm sure some will come but most I bet will not. Its geared towards the new market they're expanding to.

 

[Kwami]

I'd imagine Disney is not expecting this new ship to be filled with the American market at all. I'm sure some will come but most I bet will not. Its geared towards the new market they're expanding to.

I don't think anyone is questioning that, really.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'll add that Australians in addition to the Asian market might be on Disney's radar. I have no clue if there really are a lot of Australians interested in a Disney cruise in enough numbers but I do know from the FB pages were on for Seabourn Cruise Line the Asian and Oceania area is quite big for them, lot of them do those cruise routes from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia (where one of the ships is at right now), etc and actually a lot of Australian and New Zealand routes. Seabourn is a way different market than Disney but just using my knowledge from the FB pages I'm on where Americans are actually in smaller numbers compared to Australians and UK residents so you get to learn a bit of their travel patterns.

 

[auntlynne]

 

[SIN Cruiser]

Remeber not to bring chewing gum to Singapore:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum_sales_ban_in_Singapore


-Paul

You can bring it in to Singapore, but cannot sell it.

I am so looking forward to 2025!

 

[Amunet]

Hey guys, anthropology person here doing my dissertation about globalization in Japan.
Everyone has a point. There is more to the world than North America but the world also wants some aspects of North American culture, like Disney.
All non-US parks are built to have the same as the US as a base. In this case, the Disney ship will have what is on normal Disney ships. But, just as any foreign business, they will need to accommodate the local population, like how Tokyo Disney doesn't have a 'Main St. USA' (didn't really get the same response from the Japanese population when it was first built). So more smoking areas may well be an option and maybe even more gambling options but Disney will keep to their values the best they can.
Alcohol is in MK but only at the table service, not drunken people wandering about (lol like in Epcot). Disney accommodated local (modern) preferences but still tried to keep true to the Disney values.

The article says that they hope the ship can be a tourist attraction on its own, which makes me believe that South Asia/Asia as a whole would be more interested in the Disney experience as-is. None of the Asian Disney parks have casinos in them and they are still popular.
I don't expect a lack of a casino would be an issue, really. Though, based on my earlier statement, I also wouldn't be surprised if Disney included a small casino or more gambling options to be more attractive for local interests

 

[holula]

On this topic of how concerned Disney is with the American market being able to get to Singapore. I know the American market is the large majority of DCL client base currently but I wonder what percentage of the American market is filling the ships when they go to Europe or Australia. My assumption is the majority of the European sailings have majority of folks that live "across the pond", while I am positive there are still some of the American clientele but I wonder how much of the break down is it. Like is the American market a significant impact on the European sailings.

There are still a lot of Americans on the European sailings. On the fjords cruise last year it was pretty much evenly split between Brits and Americans with a handful of other nationalities.

The cruise before which I think was the Northern Europe they said there was more Brits than Americans for the first time sailing from the UK.