Disney reveals new cruise ship designs and fleet categories

Disney has unveiled plans for a new ship fleet category, in addition to revealing the theme for its next Wish class cruise vessel.

The cruise line is currently working on its fourth Wish class ship, Disney Believe, which is due to launch next year.

The cruise ship will join sister ships Disney Wish, Treasure and Destiny.

Each Wish class vessel has its own theme, with a statue in the Grand Hall and characters on the bow and stern

Speaking at the D23 fan convention in California, Claire Weiss, at senior creative director at the brand, revealed that Disney Believe will feature Moana as the Grand Hall icon.

An image of Tinker Bell will decorate the bow of the ship alongside silhouettes of Peter Pan, Wendy and Captain Hook.

Guests will also find Toy Story legends Woody and Buzz Lightyear on the stern of the ship.

The duo from Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story films will appear to etch the ship’s name across the back of the vessel with large yellow crayons.

Ms Weiss said: “This ship celebrates belief in magic, family, the power of nature, and belief in yourself.

“All the stories we tell onboard will be tied together by the core Disney notion of believing in something fantastical.”

Once Believe launches, the cruise line will focus on “a new story at sea,” Ms Weiss said, with the launch of three new ships in a brand-new class starting from 2029.

This will take the total fleet size to 13.

The new class will be positioned in size between Disney’s classic ships and its more modern vessels.

Ms Weiss said: “These new ships are right in the middle of our classic ships and our newer ones. That gives us some amazing opportunities to visit new places and reach brand new audiences we haven’t before.”

This means they will be bigger than Disney Wonder, which has a gross tonnage of 84,130 and caters for 2,713 guests but smaller than the Disney Wish, which is 144,000 gross tonnes and has a 4,000 passenger capacity.

It marks a busy period for Disney Cruise Line.

Its latest Wish class ship, Disney Destiny launched in December 2025 and Asia-focused Disney Adventure hit the water earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Disney Wish will depart from the UK for the first time next summer.

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