I have really enjoyed my time on Disney Cruise Line, so I wanted to see where all they sail. I thought they use to sail to Bermuda, but I hadn't seen any sailings going there for quite a while, so I decided to do some research.
I found that I was indeed correct, Disney Cruise Line (DCL) has sailed to Bermuda in the past, but those voyages are currently on a temporary hiatus.
Historically, Disney offered limited, highly popular 5 and 6 night Bermuda itineraries departing from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York City during the autumn months (primarily October and November). The last time a Disney ship (the Disney Dream) made this run was in the fall of 2023.
Several factors explain why Disney isn't currently sailing to Bermuda, along with what the future looks like for their return:
So why did Disney pause Bermuda sailings? I found several factors that have come into play here.
1. Expired Port Contract in New York: To sail to Bermuda, Disney needs a Northeast homeport. Their multi-year agreement with the Port of New York expired after the 2023 season and has not yet been formally renewed.
2. Focus on New Private Destinations: Disney has concentrated its fleet’s capacity on its powerhouse Florida ports (Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale) to funnel guests to their incredibly popular private Bahamian destinations: the classic Castaway Cay and the new Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
3. Weather and Seasonality: The Atlantic crossing from New York to Bermuda in the fall can be notoriously rough. Because Disney runs a family-focused cruise line, highly unpredictable autumn weather and rocky sea days on the Atlantic are less ideal for traveling with young children.
Are There Plans to Return?
As of Disney's current official schedule—which stretches through Summer 2027—there are no Bermuda or New York departures on the books.
However, there is a very strong chance they will return in the future due to these reasons:
- A Massive Fleet Expansion: Disney is currently in the middle of the largest fleet expansion in its history. With several new ships launching over the next few years. Disney will soon have the ship capacity to spare. They won't need to keep all their ships tied to Florida and can afford to send a ship back to New York for seasonal sailings.
- Port Rumors: Industry insiders and travel agents have noted that Disney ships (like the Disney Magic, Disney Dream, and Disney Treasure) recently popped back up on New York harbor port schedules and filter options. This has sparked heavy speculation that Disney is actively negotiating a Northeast comeback, potentially for Fall 2027 or Fall 2028.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Fairytales and Fitness is a personal blog authored and edited by us, Meranda and Lacey. The thoughts expressed here represent only our own and are not meant to be taken as professional advice. Please note that our thoughts and opinions change from time to time. We consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind in an ever changing society. Any thoughts and opinions expressed within our out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those we may express today. Some links may contain affiliate links. Some links are just to pages we'd like to share.