The Disney Cruise Line Lost $325 Million Last Year
The Disney Cruise Line had a tough year last year as the industry continued to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Disney’s figures, the cruise line lost $325.8 million, the second-worst result in its 26-year history.
While the net number shows that the cruise line industry continued to struggle following the COVID-19 pandemic, there were also signs of recovery.
Signs of Recovery
Disney Cruise Line’s revenue rose by 1100% year over year, showing that demand was in fact returning. Despite increasing revenue by 11-fold, however, the final number was still a far cry from the $1.6 billion in annual revenue that the cruise line netted in 2019.
With the increase in demand last year, the Disney Cruise Line doubled its staff to 6,221 and increased pay to $104.1 million. That number was a 67.8% increase.
While Disney has prided itself in how quickly its theme park business bounced back following the pandemic, the same cannot be said for the Disney Cruise Line. The fleet of five ships did not resume sailing until the summer of 2021, and even then only did so in phases.
While the Disney Cruise Line’s recovery may have gone slower than some at Disney would hope, clear skies seem to be on the horizon.
Demand and Occupancy On The Rise
According to the company’s financial statements, “all of the company’s cruise ships have resumed sailing, with occupancy continuing to increase as demand for travel rebounds.”
Additionally, the report states, “as the cruise industry continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an increase in occupancy levels…to 96% as of March 2023.”
A Clear Horizon
In order to increase demand, Disney recently rolled out a new ship in June of last year — the Disney Wish.
The vessel has 1,254 rooms and features an innovative waterside that tells a story about Mickey Mouse while riders shoot past screens.
Between the Disney Wish and the announcement that the Disney Cruise Line will launch its first-ever South Pacific itineraries, it seems that everything is now full steam ahead.
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