Disney Cruise Line signalled further expansion over the weekend by revealing plans for a third new ship.
The US entertainment giant’s cruise ship fleet will have nearly doubled in size when the trio of new vessels enter service by 2023.
The line announced a deal last year with German shipyard Meyer Werft for two new ships. At 135,000 tons, they will be slightly larger than the newest Disney Cruise Line ships Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.
The 2,500-passenger new builds planned for 2012 and 2023 are to be joined by a third vessel due for completion in 2022.
All ship names, design plans and itineraries are still in development, with each of the ships expected to have their own “unique experiences”.
The three new 1,250-cabin ships will be powered by clean-burning liquefied natural gas.
Disney Cruise Line started operating in 1998 and now runs a fleet of four ships.
The company said: “Disney Cruise Line’s new ships will usher in the next generation of innovative cruise experiences designed especially for families that will transform the art-of-cruising and take guests on adventures in a way never dreamed of before.”
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Bob Chapek said: “We decided two ships wouldn’t be enough to hold all of the exciting new experiences we have been dreaming up to take family cruise vacations to a whole new level with immersive Disney storytelling, world-class family entertainment, and imaginative innovations that are fantastically fun and uniquely Disney.”