Disney Destiny cruise ship preparing to set sail

of disney The fleet is expanding again.

Later this month, cruise ship Disney Destiny will make its maiden voyage from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, officially becoming the seventh ship in the company’s lineup.

Destiny is 221 feet tall and 1,119 feet long and can carry 4,000 passengers and 1,555 crew members. In its inaugural season, the ship will offer four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean, including visits to one or both of the company’s island destinations, Disney’s Castaway Cay and Disney’s Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

Like all Disney cruise ships, this new ship features themed dining, select lounges, and premium live onboard entertainment. Disney’s portfolio of intellectual property has been the foundation of its theme parks since the first location opened, and that is reflected in its cruise line as well.

The Destiny is about heroes and villains. While Black Panther is the featured character at Destiny’s Grand Hall, the ship’s prominent gathering space, guests will also be able to interact with iconic Disney villains and anti-heroes such as Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, Dr. Facilier, Captain Jack Sparrow and Loki.

Destiny set sail at a time of rapid growth for the Walt Disney Company’s experiential division, which includes theme parks, resorts and cruise lines. The company added Disney Treasure last year, after not launching a new ship in a decade until Disney Wish debuted in mid-2022, and plans to operate 13 ships by 2031.

“We’re experiencing our largest expansion in history,” Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, told CNBC. “Destiny is another example of how we are once again pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the cruise experience.”

In fiscal 2024, the Experience segment posted record sales and profits, with full-year sales up 5% to $34.15 billion and operating income up 4% to $9.27 billion. As of the third quarter of fiscal 2025, Disney expected operating income for its Experiences segment to increase 8% this year. The company will announce its financial results on Thursday.

The Experiences division was Disney’s second-highest revenue-generating division last year after the Entertainment division, with sales of $41.19 billion in fiscal 2024. However, the entertainment division’s operating profit was smaller, at just $3.92 billion.

Disney has become a leader in the family cruising category, despite having a relatively small fleet of ships. Its fleet size of just seven ships dwarfs Carnival, the largest cruise company with more than 100 ships. Royal Caribbean has nearly 70 locations. There are over 30 Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Disney’s base fares are believed to be slightly higher than Carnival and Royal Caribbean, but prices can be similar if guests upgrade to larger cabins or add dining packages or experiences to their itineraries on major cruise lines.

Disney Destiny offers four-night cruises starting at about $2,300 for two adults and $4,000 for a family of four. Five-night cruises start at $2,900 for two adults and $4,700 for a family of four. These prices can increase if travelers choose premium rooms, book cruises related to Halloween or Christmas, or book certain seven-night cruises on Destiny.

Like other cruise ships in the universe, Disney Destiny features fine dining, a pool, a spa, and a game room for kids, but the company is injecting storytelling into it.

Additionally, Disney offers “rotating dining” for dinner on cruise ships. Rather than eating in one large dining hall, passengers are pre-scheduled to dine at a variety of themed restaurants. Disney also has rotating restaurant staff to follow each group of passengers to their scheduled restaurants. As a result, guests have the same servers, busboys, and restaurant managers throughout their trip, allowing waitstaff to get to know the guests and their preferences.

Inside Destiny’s themed dining hall is Pride Lands, a Lion King feast where guests can enjoy a menu of authentic African flavors while live musicians take to the stage to re-enact the story of Simba from cub to king.

At World of Marvel, families can listen to a mix of hits and test their superhero knowledge while eating. Rocket and Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy appear in an on-screen story that unfolds during the meal. The menu pays homage to locations in the universe, including Wakanda, the fictional Eastern European nation of Sokovia, and New York, home of the Avengers.

Named after the year the Walt Disney Company was founded, the 1923 Dining Hall celebrates the legacy of Disney animation. The setting features more than 1,000 drawings, props and other tools from the animation industry, including artwork from “Hercules,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Big Hero 6” and “Shrink-It Ralph.” 1923’s menu draws inspiration from the fusion of cultural flavors found throughout California, including Asian, European, and South American influences.

For those looking for a quick meal or snack, there are many other dining options, including Café Megara and Café Merida, and Edna a la Mode Sweets, a confectionery shop modeled after Edna Mode, the super suit designer from the film The Incredibles, offering gelato, ice cream, cookies and candy.

For many people, a Disney cruise is a family affair. That’s why the company has dedicated spaces for all age groups.

It’s a Small World nursery offers babysitting services for children ages 6 months to 3 years, and older children can visit Disney’s Oceania Club, which features several immersive spaces themed around Marvel superheroes, Disney princesses, Star Wars, and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

The two-story venue, called Saga, will host interactive shows and events such as “Match Your Mate” and “Family Time Game Show.” There’s also Edge, a space for teens to make friends and play games, and Vibe, a space for people ages 14 to 17 to watch movies, listen to music, and hang out.

The Walt Disney Theater will be home to the Broadway-style production of Hercules, a show featuring innovative puppetry and cutting-edge effects.

Each cruise also includes live performances of Frozen: The Musical Spectacular and DisneySea: The Adventure. There will also be the Pirates Rockin’ Parley Party, a nighttime spectacle featuring a live rock band and fireworks, an “Incredibles” themed sports area, and unlimited free movie screenings at Wonderland Cinema and Neverland Cinema.

Like Wishes and the Treasure, Destiny also features Toy Story-themed areas, including a splash pool, wading pool, and family waterslide. There’s also an improved version of the AquaMouse water coaster called “Sing a Silly Song.”

Disney also designs places just for adults.

Quiet Cove is secluded from the buzz of family activity and features an infinity pool, poolside bar and cafe. Senses Spa offers spa and beauty treatments, while Senses Fitness offers exercise and wellness facilities.

Disney Destiny also features De Ville’s Piano Lounge, a luxurious space with trendy cocktails, and Sanctum, a lounge inspired by the Marvel Universe’s Doctor Strange.

“We continue to acquire intellectual property and franchises not only from the big screen, but also from theme parks,” D’Amaro said. “We did that with the Haunted Mansion on our last ship, and this time we’re bringing the Haunted Mansion back to Destiny. But we’ll also have, for example, a Pirates of the Caribbean lounge. It’s really gorgeous and I think guests will respond really well.”

This is the second time Disney has brought theme park IP to its cruise line. The Haunted Mansion Parlor debuted at Disney Treasures last year, and a similar lounge area featuring ghostly design elements and spooky cocktails is coming to Destiny.

There’s also Cask & Cannon, an eclectic yet cozy pub inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. This is the first time “Pirates of the Caribbean” has been brought on a Disney ship in this way. Destinations will feature themed drinks and decorations.

Following the launch of Disney Destiny, Disney Adventure will begin its maiden voyage and is scheduled to enter Singapore from March 2026. Additional ships will enter service between 2027 and 2031, bringing the Disney Cruise fleet to 13 ships.

“From a business perspective, the Disney Cruise Line is extremely important not only to the Disney Experiences division, but also to the Walt Disney Company,” D’Amaro said. “This is a huge brand ambassador for us. So being able to bring all the stories we have to tell to the world with moving assets is really powerful for us.”

D’Amaro noted that the segment has been generating double-digit revenue on cruise ships and continues to generate high occupancy and strong future bookings.

But Disney’s cruise lines aren’t the only ones expanding with the company’s experience business. Construction plans for Disney theme parks and resorts are underway all over the world.

“We are in the process of further strengthening the Disney Experiences division of The Walt Disney Company,” D’Amaro said. “So it’s a really special time for this part of the business. We have more projects underway right now than ever before in the company’s history.”

At the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, the Magic Kingdom will undergo its largest expansion ever, adding a villain-themed land and adding a “Cars” area to Frontierland. Monsters, Inc. Land is coming to Hollywood Studios, and the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is being rethemed to feature “The Muppets.” The company will add “Encanto” and “Indiana Jones” attractions to Animal Kingdom.

Avengers Campus at California Adventure Park on the west coast of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, is expanding with the addition of two more rides. The company will also add an “Avatar” area and the first “Coco” attraction.

Overseas, the company plans to break ground on its seventh theme park resort in Abu Dhabi. Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland are all introducing new attractions based on popular IP.

“We still have so many stories to tell. It’s happening all over the world,” D’Amaro said. “Each of our destinations is undergoing major transformation, adding new capacity, adding new stories and adding new ports.”