Chapek Feels Positive On The Return of Disney Cruise Lines But Says New Ships May Be Delayed
This was a big week for Disney news as CEO Bob Chapek held his quarterly earnings report after taking over as the head of Walt Disney Company when Bob Iger stepped down earlier this year.
Though we’ve already spoken quite a bit here at MickeyBlog about the company’s plans on re-opening the theme parks little has been said about Disney Cruise Line, which was hard hit by the shutdown and is facing a lack of consumer confidence after COVID-19outbreaks on other Cruise Lines’ ships dominated the news cycle.
However, speaking during the 2nd quarter earnings call this week Chapek was, what Cruise Ship Industry News referred to as “bullish” about the future of Disney Cruise line meaning it may take longer for it to bounce back than the theme parks.
“And in terms of the cruise ship business, we agree that that will probably be the last of our travel-oriented businesses to come back online,” Chapek said.
However, Chapek did inject a bit of optimism into his predictions regarding the future of DCL:
“Interestingly enough long term all of our data and our research shows that our guests will be just as interested in cruising with us long term. Obviously not in the next few months but much more resilient than any of the competitive businesses because of that love for Disney and assurance that they feel, that they trust our business to act in a responsible way to help to the extent possible protect them against some of the woes that have plagued the industry since COVID has hit.”
It should be noted that Disney currently has four ships in its fleet, the Dream, Fantasy, Magic and Wonder.
Disney Cruise Line is also building three additional ships that were set to be completed in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Wish will be the first ship completed. It was expected to be delivered in 2021 and to begin sailing in 2022. However, Chapek said the timeline may need to be adjusted. “The company has credit facilities to finance three new cruise ships, which were to be delivered in 2021, 2022 and 2023 although delays are now expected as a result of the COVID-19 impact on the shipyard,” Chapek stated.
This is a story that we’ll be following closely here at MickeyBlog. Readers are encouraged to keep following along for the latest Disney Cruise Line news and updates!
Thinking about a visit to Disney Cruise? Itineraries are currently available to book through September 2021. Getting started is easy! Simply fill out our form below to get your FREE, no-obligation quote from MickeyTravels
Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to assist you with everything from finding your perfect sailing and stateroom to helping you plan lots of special touches to make your time at sea truly magical. Best of all my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025 via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook
Source: Cruise Industry News