October 8, 2026 — Disney Cruise Line will homeport its next ship, Disney Believe, at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, with a maiden voyage on December 18, 2027. Bookings open to the general public on October 19, 2026.
The line, part of The Walt Disney Company, announced the homeport, first sailing and onboard venues in a livestreamed show on October 7. Disney Believe is the fourth ship in the Wish class, after Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, and is being built at Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany. Disney’s release gives no passenger capacity or tonnage, and trade reports differ on both. A delivery date is TBA.
Key dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Castaway Club early booking begins (Pearl level first) | October 12, 2026 |
| Platinum, Gold and Silver Castaway Club | October 13, 14 and 15, 2026 |
| Disney Vacation Club members and Adventure Insiders | October 16, 2026 |
| General public bookings open | October 19, 2026 |
| Maiden voyage from Port Everglades | December 18, 2027 |
| Inaugural season published through | May 1, 2028 |
The general on-sale date and maiden voyage date come from Disney’s release. The loyalty-tier dates come from The Disney Cruise Line Blog, an independent fan site.
Itineraries
The inaugural season is made up of four- and five-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean. Every sailing calls at one or both of Disney’s private destinations, Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. The Disney Cruise Line Blog lists these patterns and cautions that port order will not be confirmed until October 12:
- Maiden voyage, December 18, 2027: five nights to Castaway Cay, Nassau and Lookout Cay, with one day at sea.
- Five-night Bahamas: the same three calls, departing roughly every two weeks from January 10 to May 1, 2028.
- Five-night Western Caribbean: Cozumel and Castaway Cay with two sea days, from December 31, 2027 through April 8, 2028.
- Four-night Bahamas: several combinations of Nassau, Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay, starting December 23 and December 27, 2027.
Fares are TBA. Disney Destiny also sails from Port Everglades, and none of the coverage reported a change to another ship’s deployment.
What is on board
The headline is a stage version of “Encanto,” which Disney calls the first musical adaptation of the film. “Tangled: The Musical” and “Disney Seas the Adventure” round out the theater lineup. A new dinner-and-show restaurant, Oaken’s Table: A Frozen Family Feast, joins the returning 1923 and Worlds of Marvel. The Grand Hall takes a “Moana” theme. New lounges include Sea Notes, a “Little Mermaid” piano bar, and Gazelle, a “Zootopia” venue that is family-friendly by day and adults-only at night. The AquaMouse water ride returns, and 70 percent of staterooms have a verandah.
What it means for airline travelers
- Airports: Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International (FLL) is next door to Port Everglades. Miami (MIA) and Palm Beach (PBI) are workable alternates if FLL flights are full.
- The maiden voyage is a holiday-week trip. December 18, 2027 falls in peak Florida travel season, when standby seats are scarce. Plan to arrive at least a day early, and earlier if you are non-revving a family.
- Maiden voyage terms are strict. The Disney Cruise Line Blog reports a 10 percent non-refundable deposit, no date changes and no combining with other offers or discounts. Treat it as a full-commitment booking, and do not count on a reduced industry rate for this sailing.
- Short cruises suit non-rev schedules. Four- and five-night sailings from a three-airport region give standby travelers more room to recover from a missed flight than a one-airport homeport.
- Book early if you want it. Castaway Club members get a full week’s head start, so popular dates may thin out before October 19.
Sources
- Disney Experiences — Disney Believe to Debut World’s First ‘Encanto’ Musical, All-New ‘Frozen’ Family Feast and More in December 2027
- The Disney Cruise Line Blog — Disney Cruise Line Announces Inaugural Disney Believe Itineraries (December 2027 – May 2028)
- The Disney Cruise Line Blog — Disney Believe Maiden Voyage Announced for December 18, 2027 Sailing from Fort Lauderdale
- Cruise Industry News — Disney Believe to Sail from Port Everglades
- Seatrade Cruise News — ‘Encanto’ headlines Disney Believe, to sail from Port Everglades
- Travel Weekly — Disney Cruise Line reveals details of its next ship
- Cruise Hive — Disney Believe Homeport, Debut Date, and New Venues Revealed
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