Disney Cruise Line offers first glimpse at new ship planned for 2025

Disney Cruise Line fans, get ready to sail on ... Disney Destiny.

That'll be the name of the third vessel in the line's new Wish Class of ships, Disney revealed Wednesday.

The 144,000-ton vessel will be a sister to the 20-month-old Disney Wish and the soon-to-debut Disney Treasure — the line's first new ships in more than a decade.

Disney also is planning a fourth new ship called Disney Adventure to debut in 2025. The brand bought that vessel partially finished from another company that went out of business and is finishing it with Disney touches.

Together, the development and launch of the four new ships marks the biggest expansion in Disney Cruise Line's 26-year history. Until the debut of Disney Wish, the line operated just four vessels.

A ship of heroes and villains

In addition to announcing a name for the third Wish Class ship, Disney on Wednesday revealed that the vessel will have a "heroes and villains" theme that "draws on the legacy of beloved Disney stories, characters and theme park attractions."

In a press announcement, Disney said the ship's designers were "inspired by the dynamic duality of every great Disney story, where opposing forces of light and dark drive characters to rise to their purpose."

The press announcement offered few details of the venues that would be on the ship but said passengers would "encounter heroes and villains alike" from such well-known Disney animation films as "The Lion King," "Hercules" and "One Hundred and One Dalmatians."

So maybe we'll be seeing Simba and Scar in some form on the vessel, and no doubt Cruella de Vil.

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Disney on Wednesday also unveiled the first renderings of the exterior of the new ship and the filigree artwork that passengers will see on its bow. Filigree artwork on the bow is a tradition for all Disney cruise ships.

The illustration on the bow will depict Minnie Mouse "striking a valiant pose in a heroic ensemble, her cape waving majestically in the sea breeze as she boldly leads guests toward their vacation destinies," the line said.

"The Disney Destiny will celebrate our most legendary Disney stories and characters, bringing them to life in new and exciting ways exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests," Sharon Siskie, the line's senior vice president and general manager, said in a statement accompanying the announcement.

"As we continue to expand our fleet, the Disney Destiny will further strengthen our position as a leader in family cruising as we offer even more ways for families to experience Disney magic and world-class service at sea," Siskie added.

The announcements came as the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, which is building the vessel, held a keel-laying ceremony to mark the official start of its construction.

The Wish Class ships have been designed with 1,258 cabins that can hold 2,508 passengers at double occupancy. With every pulldown bunk and pullout sofa filled, their total capacity rises to 4,000 passengers.

Disney Destiny is not yet open for bookings, and the date for its maiden voyage has not yet been set.

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