Disney Cruise Line - Australia

[KeithS]

Hi folks - not sure if anyone still reads this forum, but in case you do - I thought I'd share some interesting news.

For a long time, I've regularly checked the ASIC and ABR websites looking for Disney name registrations. I've been doing this for years specifically to see whether they would register Magical Cruise Company Limited - the parent entity of the Disney Cruise Line.

For years nothing has appeared, but this week when I searched - it has finally been registered in Australia! They've also registered the business name Disney Cruise Line with ASIC. This was all done in the last few weeks.

ASIC Record
https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/Regis ... b7ihryu_56

ABN Record
https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?abn=45849102907

So it looks almost certain that Disney are now planning to undertake cruises from Australia once the conditions are right. They needed to register the business and the business name to undertake paid operations here - prior to this, advertising for DCL was undertaken by the Walt Disney Company (Australia).

So let the speculation begin - with the Wish coming on line to replace the Dream in the Caribbean, and the Dream heading to Europe this year, it may free up the Magic to do summer cruises in Australia. It won't happen this year as the schedule has been released right up to September 2023 - but maybe during our summer over 2023-24 we might see a Disney ship in our waters...it will be interesting to see.

[KeithS]

Looks like this story has been picked up by a few Disney news websites and youtube channels - no credit to us of course, but we had it first!

[calisota]

Looks like this story has been picked up by a few Disney news websites and youtube channels - no credit to us of course, but we had it first!

Well, that is interesting. Still not sure I'd do a cruise having seen the other side of the whole thing but I'm still interested in knowing details just in case.

My question is whether Australian's (apart from fans) are up for a disneyfied cruise and all it entails.

Greg

[DisneyKaren]

Sounds great, however I'm still concerned about sea-sickness and the images over the past 2 days of the Coral Princess off Brisbane in 6.5m waves causing the pool to splash huge waves isn't helping. One passenger captioned their photo - who wants to surf; uhm not me

Keith I'm not sure if I should be worried that your idea of fun is web surfing ASIC

[ajp]

I cannot tell you the last time I visited the forum. I noticed this story recently and the associated speculation - well done on leading the charge Keith. Someone noted they had also registered for GST. I think you’re right that Summer 23/24 would be the earliest we will see anything, I wonder if D23 will be when they announce something, assuming it comes to fruition of course.

I think we’ll be surprised at the amount of interest it will have, assuming they control their pricing. The market is screaming for this I reckon because there really is a gap in the family friendly cruising sector here. We’ll be jumping at the chance to cruise out of the heads with the sounds of Disney horns echoing across the Harbour.

[calisota]

Sounds great, however I'm still concerned about sea-sickness and the images over the past 2 days of the Coral Princess off Brisbane in 6.5m waves causing the pool to splash huge waves isn't helping. One passenger captioned their photo - who wants to surf; uhm not me

Trust me...that's the only fun time to be on a cruise ship. Just walking down a hallway becomes a whole new experience, not to mention literally being thrown out of your bunk bed because your cabin is usually below the waterline.

Greg

[KeithS]

I wonder if D23 will be when they announce something

I can almost guarantee it - I pretty much know the dates of the Sydney cruises already - they'll be beginning late Oct-Nov 2023 (possibly the 27-28 Oct 2023) and going through to Feb 2024 using a mixture of both the Overseas Passenger Terminal and White Bay Cruise Terminal. Let's just wait for the D23 announcement though for confirmation...

[ajp]

It’s confirmed!

[KeithS]

Yep! So let the bookings begin

We're looking at the Hawaii to Sydney trip - and then maybe the Christmas Cruise - we'll see.

I'd figured out the dates months ago as the Ports NSW publish a spreadsheet of all the upcoming ship movements in and out of Sydney up to 2025 (they have to be booked a long time in advance for obvious reasons - can't have too many ships in the dock at once). There was a bunch of "Unnamed Vessel" and "Unnamed Cruise Line" rows in the spreadsheet starting 27 Oct 2023 through to February 2024. When Disney Cruise Line published their late 2023 schedule a few months ago but left the Disney Wonder out of that schedule - it was pretty much a fait accompli that the unnamed vessel and cruise line un the NSW spreadsheet were Disney. It was good to see it all come true though - there was still a little nagging doubt that I may have been wrong LOL.

[KeithS]

So tomorrow is the day a lot of people will have access to book the Australian cruises as that is the day Castaway Club Silver Members will have access. I'm going to log on in the morning and see what's available. I've heard whispers that there sales have been good from the Platinum, Club33 and Gold members, but I've also heard opposite rumours due to the high cost, so it'll be interesting to see how things really are and what's available tomorrow.

[calisota]

So tomorrow is the day a lot of people will have access to book the Australian cruises as that is the day Castaway Club Silver Members will have access. I'm going to log on in the morning and see what's available. I've heard whispers that there sales have been good from the Platinum, Club33 and Gold members, but I've also heard opposite rumours due to the high cost, so it'll be interesting to see how things really are and what's available tomorrow.

So how did it go? When is your cruise?

Greg

[KeithS]

I got on the club cruise okay - the day I logged in, there were no delays and processing was quick.

The next day however when the general booking commenced, there was all sorts of drama due to the demand from Australia + the Hurricane in Orlando causing issues. They had to stop all future cruise sales for a while so that people in the US who were sailing in the coming days could rebook their cruises impacted by the hurricane. Bookings for Australia reopened the next day and seem to have sold really well. For a while, it looked like a complete sell out, but I notice today most of the cruises and categories are available again, so I suspect people made multiple holds through different travel agents to try and get the best room/deal and now those holds have come off, freeing up a lot of berths.

I'd still like to try for a repositioning cruise to or from Hawaii, but I think they might sell out with Platinum and Gold members before we get a chance.

[calisota]

The weather seems to be playing havoc all over the place. My parents have been telling me about the amount of rain on the Gold Coast and here in Chiang Mai this morning the river has burst its banks and has flooded a large chunk of the city. Luckily I'm in a slightly higher area and on the third floor.

Do you think that cruises from/to/around Australia are going to be largely Australian passengers or will it attract a large percentage of Americans?


Greg

[KeithS]

Do you think that cruises from/to/around Australia are going to be largely Australian passengers or will it attract a large percentage of Americans?

Unfortunately I think it'll be mostly Australian

Certainly Americans are likely to dominate the repositioning cruises - Hawaii-Sydney and return, but the summer cruises are marketed and priced for Australians. That is - they are pretty expensive. Cruises out of the US are cheaper, but we'd have to pay airfare to get there, so these Australian cruises are relatively cheap for us to go on if you want to go on a Disney cruise. For US people, they'd be very expensive for what you get and they'd need airfare to get here. So yes, mainly Australians I suspect.

[calisota]

Unfortunately I think it'll be mostly Australian

That may come as a shock to crew who are used to getting tipped.


Greg