On June 26th, Disney announced that the first Disney cruise ship in Asia, the Disney Adventure, will be operational in the fourth quarter of 2025, with Singapore as its home port. As soon as the news came out, Disney fans were instantly boiling. According to Ctrip data, 24 hours after the release of relevant news, the search volume for "Disney Cruise" increased by 285% month on month, and many users flocked to the "Disney Cruise" activity page to view adventure ship related information and appointments as soon as possible.
The Disney Cruise Line began in 1998 and is a luxury cruise tour service operated independently by Disney Company. Now, Disney Cruise has five cruise ships under its umbrella, namely Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wish. Another three cruise ships will soon be put into operation - Disney Treasure, Disney Destiny, and Disney Adventure. The new member of the Disney Adventure cruise ship has a capacity of 208000 tons and can accommodate approximately 6700 guests and 2500 crew members, making it currently the largest Disney cruise ship in terms of tonnage.
Previously, several Disney cruise ships were mainly operated from Miami and San Juan in the United States, Vancouver in Canada, and other places as their home ports. Asian tourists who wanted to take these cruise ships had to fly over ten thousand miles. As the first cruise ship under the Disney brand to enter the Asian market, the Disney Adventure will operate two weekly voyages, three nights and four nights, with Singapore as its home port. It is expected to start official operation in the fourth quarter of 2025, and the first voyage will start ticketing in the fourth quarter of this year. To facilitate users to learn about cruise related ticketing information in a timely manner, Ctrip will open a Disney hotline in July to provide Q&A.
With the unique brand advantages of Disney IP and years of experience in theme park management, Disney Cruise is known as the "ceiling of parent-child cruise travel". On Disney cruise ships, immersive experiences are everywhere: not only can you stay in Disney themed rooms, play at water parks, meet your beloved Disney friends, but you can also watch exciting live performances and taste unique Disney cuisine; Children can experience unique children's clubs, while adults can enjoy luxurious spa treatments and explore exclusive shopping experiences.
Due to its relaxed, comfortable, and worry free characteristics, cruise travel has always been favored by tourists, especially suitable for family trips. According to data from Ctrip, the number of cruise orders on the platform has skyrocketed since the beginning of this year, with a year-on-year increase of 554%, making it one of the fastest-growing tourism products after the epidemic. At present, the 80s generation, who have a mix of old and young, have become the backbone of purchasing cruise products, accounting for 40% of the total order volume.
Starting from February 9th this year, China and Singapore will waive each other's visas, greatly facilitating mutual visits by tourists from both countries. Singapore has risen to fifth place among outbound travel countries, with a 105% increase in search volume compared to last year. After the implementation of the visa free policy, taking a cruise to Singapore will also become a "go as you please" trip, with an increase in order volume of 108%. Cruise tonnage, software and hardware facilities, entertainment activities, catering and shopping have become the key factors for consumers to choose cruise tourism. "Large tonnage cruise ships offer more stable navigation and a better riding experience. You can enjoy a buffet on the cruise ship, solving the problem of eating for the whole family." Ms. Liang, who often signs up for the cruise line for the whole family, said that the entertainment facilities and activities on the cruise ship are also very rich. The elderly can play cards and watch performances, and the children have a dedicated amusement park. The middle-aged generation can travel in a "lying flat" style.
In order to meet the needs of different tourists, cruise travel has expanded from hardware facilities to service experience in recent years, including building large entertainment venues such as opera houses, water parks, and ski resorts on board, providing luxurious dining experiences with Michelin star rated cuisine, etc. The entry of Disney Cruise into Asia this time has brought consumers new travel choices and will also bring a new round of opportunities and challenges to the cruise travel industry.