Can Disney Really Match Carnival Corporation
Disney is no longer just a company offering theme parks and a few films.
The are determined to become a big player in the cruise industry.
Already having two ships, Disney Cruise Line recently submitted plans to more than double in size with an order for two new 1,250-cabin ships.
The new buildsdue to enter service in 2011 and 2012 and at 122,000 tons, will be larger than the line's current ships, Disney Wonder and Magic (each 83,000 tons).
So can Disney really match Carnival Corporation in the battle for customers? Well with such a brand name, the answer is yes, they probably can.
So how will Disney operate in the future? Well, from the original Disney theme parks in the States, they have expanded into Europe and Japan, proving that the product works.
With regard to the Cruise Line, they are due to operate in Europe for the first time this summer, out of Barcelona in Northern Spain.
If this is successful, then perhaps one of the larger new ships may well operate in Europe.
However Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has already stated that the new, soon to be built, third Freedom class ship, Independence of the Seas, will cruise out of Southampton in 2008 with Navigator of the Seas Joining Voyager of the Seas in, you have guessed it, Barcelona.
This does look like Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are using their product to close the door on Disney, before it really gets started in Europe.
Therefore in reality the two new ships will probably cruise out of the States, probably Florida.
This could mean that one of either Disney Wonder or Magic, will stay cruising in Europe and one from San Francisco maybe, to link up vacations with the theme park.
However, I wonder if one will undergo a refit and end up cruising out of Japan, the product works there and the opposition does not have the cabin number power of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
The are determined to become a big player in the cruise industry.
Already having two ships, Disney Cruise Line recently submitted plans to more than double in size with an order for two new 1,250-cabin ships.
The new buildsdue to enter service in 2011 and 2012 and at 122,000 tons, will be larger than the line's current ships, Disney Wonder and Magic (each 83,000 tons).
So can Disney really match Carnival Corporation in the battle for customers? Well with such a brand name, the answer is yes, they probably can.
So how will Disney operate in the future? Well, from the original Disney theme parks in the States, they have expanded into Europe and Japan, proving that the product works.
With regard to the Cruise Line, they are due to operate in Europe for the first time this summer, out of Barcelona in Northern Spain.
If this is successful, then perhaps one of the larger new ships may well operate in Europe.
However Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has already stated that the new, soon to be built, third Freedom class ship, Independence of the Seas, will cruise out of Southampton in 2008 with Navigator of the Seas Joining Voyager of the Seas in, you have guessed it, Barcelona.
This does look like Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines are using their product to close the door on Disney, before it really gets started in Europe.
Therefore in reality the two new ships will probably cruise out of the States, probably Florida.
This could mean that one of either Disney Wonder or Magic, will stay cruising in Europe and one from San Francisco maybe, to link up vacations with the theme park.
However, I wonder if one will undergo a refit and end up cruising out of Japan, the product works there and the opposition does not have the cabin number power of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
Source...