Disney Cruise Line Christens Disney Destiny at Port Everglades

Disney Cruise Line christened its newest ship, Disney Destiny, during an evening ceremony at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, officially welcoming the vessel into the fleet ahead of its first guest sailing on Nov. 20, 2025.

The 144,000-gross-ton Disney Destiny is the cruise line’s first ship built around a unified “Heroes and Villains” theme and the third vessel in the Wish class. It will sail year-round from Port Everglades, adding a seventh ship to Disney Cruise Line’s lineup.

Christening night in Fort Lauderdale

The christening featured a waterfront production with live music and large-scale show elements, including projections cast onto the ship and drone effects. Performances included pop-rock arrangements tied to Disney properties, including Hercules, The Lion King, Frozen, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Marvel’s Black Panther.

Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, connected the ship’s debut to the company’s broader entertainment history, saying, “For more than 100 years, we have entertained our fans in new and innovative ways, connecting them to the Disney stories they love.” He added that Disney Cruise Line ships function as “brand ambassadors” and said Disney Destiny is making “its own extraordinary entry into our growing fleet.”

Joe Schott, President of Disney Signature Experiences, credited the teams behind the newbuild, saying Disney Cruise Line and Disney Imagineers “have invested years of their expertise, creativity and dedication into this beautiful ship,” adding, “They have created something truly spectacular.”

Broadway performer Susan Egan served as godmother of Disney Destiny and delivered the traditional blessing as part of the champagne christening moment. Egan voiced Megara in Disney’s Hercules and originated the role of Belle in Broadway’s Beauty and the Beast.

From European handover to Florida milestones

Disney Destiny was built by MEYER WERFT and handed over to Disney Cruise Line in Eemshaven, the Netherlands. The ship departed for North America on Oct. 20, 2025, beginning a transatlantic crossing of more than 5,000 nautical miles as Disney prepared the vessel for service.

Bernd Eikens, CEO of MEYER WERFT, described the delivery as a milestone in the shipyard’s relationship with the cruise line, saying, “We are delighted to deliver the DISNEY DESTINY to Disney Cruise Line today.” He called the handover “the latest milestone” in the companies’ long-running partnership.

Before arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Disney Destiny made a high-profile stop at Port Canaveral on Nov. 2, 2025, arriving shortly after sunset. The visit included a plaque exchange with port officials and a traditional maritime welcome marking a ship’s first call.

As the ship approached Port Canaveral, onlookers heard a multi-song horn performance that lasted more than seven minutes as the vessel passed Jetty Park and continued toward the terminals. The horn included an exclusive arrangement of “Go the Distance,” connected to the onboard stage production Disney Hercules, along with other recognizable themes such as “When You Wish Upon a Star,” “It’s a Small World,” “Hakuna Matata,” “Be Our Guest,” “Cruella de Vil,” “Yo-Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me),” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman.”

More than 250 cast members took part in the Port Canaveral welcome, including an appearance by “Hero Minnie.” While Port Canaveral hosts sister ships Disney Wish and Disney Treasure, Disney Destiny’s announced homeport is Port Everglades.

Ship specifications and the “Heroes and Villains” concept

Disney Destiny is a Wish-class ship in the 144,000-gross-ton range and part of Disney Cruise Line’s LNG-powered newbuild program. Reported measurements include a length of 1,119 feet (340 metres), with capacity figures cited at about 4,000 passengers and approximately 1,555 crew members.

Across venues, dining, and entertainment, the ship’s “Heroes and Villains” theme draws from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Disney Parks stories. Publicly shared design highlights include a Grand Hall featuring Black Panther imagery and character-centered spaces that Disney has positioned as new concepts for its fleet.

Dining, lounges, and headline entertainment

Disney has promoted Disney Destiny as a ship with programming built around recognizable characters and storylines, including new entertainment created for the vessel and themed food-and-beverage venues.

• Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King, a dinner experience themed to The Lion King that combines cuisine with live musical performances retelling Simba’s story.
• Disney Hercules, a Broadway-style stage show developed for the ship that incorporates puppetry, effects, and reimagined versions of familiar songs.
• De Vil’s, a piano lounge themed to Cruella de Vil, positioned as part of the ship’s villains-forward nightlife offering.
• The Sanctum, a lounge inspired by Doctor Strange that extends Marvel theming into the ship’s bar and lounge lineup.
• Edna à La Mode Sweets, a confectionery concept tied to Edna Mode from The Incredibles.

Other dining venues highlighted for Disney Destiny include 1923, which references Disney’s animation roots, and Worlds of Marvel, which Disney has said will feature interactive storytelling alongside menu inspirations tied to locations such as Wakanda and Sokovia.

Early deployment from Port Everglades

Disney Destiny’s first guest sailing is scheduled for Nov. 20, 2025, departing from Port Everglades. The inaugural cruise is set as a four-night itinerary that includes visits to Disney’s two private island destinations in The Bahamas: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

After the maiden voyage, the ship is scheduled to operate primarily four- and five-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, with select sailings including calls such as Nassau and Cozumel. Disney has also listed longer itineraries in 2026, including week-long sailings with stops that include San Juan, St. Maarten, Grand Cayman, Falmouth (Jamaica), and Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic), as well as a December 2026 itinerary scheduled to include a holiday theme and multiple calls to Castaway Cay.

Student outreach tied to the ship’s debut

Alongside the ship’s launch activities, Disney Cruise Line introduced Discover Your Destiny, an educational outreach initiative developed with local organizations in Florida and The Bahamas. Disney has described the program as a way to expose students to creative and technical roles in theater and entertainment through interactive experiences and engagement with Disney professionals.

The company has positioned the initiative as a companion effort to the ship’s entertainment focus, linking the vessel’s debut to arts education and career awareness in communities connected to Disney’s Florida and Bahamas operations.

How Disney Destiny fits into a larger growth plan

Disney Destiny joins Disney Wish and Disney Treasure as the third ship in the Wish class, bringing Disney Cruise Line’s fleet to seven ships. Disney has outlined continued growth to 13 ships by 2031, including the Disney Adventure scheduled to begin service from Singapore in March 2026.

The company has also referenced further additions in subsequent years, including another Wish-class ship expected in 2027 and new ships planned for 2029. Disney has also partnered with Oriental Land Co., Ltd. on a Disney-branded cruise venture planned for Japan, with operations targeted for 2029.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is Disney Destiny homeported at Port Canaveral?

No. Disney Destiny made a milestone visit to Port Canaveral on Nov. 2, 2025, but its announced homeport is Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

When is Disney Destiny’s maiden voyage, and where does it sail?

Disney Destiny’s maiden voyage is scheduled for Nov. 20, 2025, departing from Port Everglades. The inaugural sailing is a four-night itinerary that includes visits to Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney’s two private island destinations in The Bahamas.

What is the theme of Disney Destiny, and what makes it different from earlier ships?

Disney Destiny is Disney Cruise Line’s first ship built around a unified “Heroes and Villains” theme drawing from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Disney Parks stories. Disney has highlighted new concepts across dining, lounges, and entertainment, including Disney Hercules, Pride Lands: Feast of the Lion King, De Vil’s, and The Sanctum.

What is Discover Your Destiny?

Discover Your Destiny is a Disney Cruise Line outreach program in Florida and The Bahamas developed with local organizations. Disney has said it is designed to introduce students to creative and technical careers in theater and entertainment through interactive experiences and engagement with Disney professionals.

How can I book a cruise on Disney Destiny?

Bookings for Disney Destiny’s voyages can be made through the Disney Cruise Line website or via authorized travel agents. The source material cited example starting prices of approximately $2,300 for two adults for a four-night cruise, with five-night itineraries starting at $2,900.

With the christening complete and final preparations continuing in South Florida, Disney Destiny’s next major milestone is its Nov. 20, 2025 debut from Port Everglades, launching a schedule focused on short Bahamas and Caribbean cruises alongside select longer sailings in 2026.