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Another new ship? Disney Cruise Line will add a ninth vessel to its fleet in 2029

July 09, 2024
•
3 min read
Disney-OLC Japan Announcement (1)
Another new ship? Disney Cruise Line will add a ninth vessel to its fleet in 2029
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As if four new ships over the span of four years weren't enough, Disney announced Tuesday that it plans to launch yet another new cruise ship in early 2029 — this time in partnership with Oriental Land Company, which operates Disney's Japan-based theme parks and resorts.

The still unnamed new ship will be based in Tokyo and offer short sailings that Disney fans should be able to easily combine with a theme park vacation at Tokyo Disney.

The construction of the Tokyo-based ship is part of a 10-year, $60 billion expansion of Disney's theme parks and cruise business. Oriental Land Company will build and operate the Disney-branded cruise business in Japan.

Modeled after Disney Wish, the ship will be Disney's ninth vessel and is expected to carry 4,000 passengers. The ship will be designed with Japanese guests in mind and will mainly operate short sailings year-round from Tokyo.

Construction on the new ship is expected to begin at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, in 2025.

After a decade of no growth, Disney will now more than double its fleet within a few years with the introduction of this ship. After Disney Fantasy launched in 2012, the four-ship cruise line did not increase in size until 2022 when the line debuted its next new ship, Disney Wish. Sisters Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny are set to launch in 2024 and 2026, respectively, and the Singapore-based Disney Adventure will debut in Asia in 2025.

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Disney's other new investments in Asia include a massive expansion at Tokyo DisneySea, its ocean-themed amusement park in Japan. The theme park recently opened Fantasy Springs, which recreates the worlds of "Frozen," "Tangled" and "Peter Pan." Additionally, in late 2023, the first-ever World of Frozen opened at Hong Kong Disneyland, and a "Zootopia" experience debuted in Shanghai Disneyland. Just last month, Disney also announced an expansion of Marvel-themed offerings for Hong Kong Disneyland.

More details about Disney's Tokyo-based ship will be revealed at a later date.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Featured image by DISNEY CRUISE LINE
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Apply for American ExpressĀ® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
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Best for dining at restaurants
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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

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  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.