TICKETS for a voyage on board Walt Disney’s first Asia-based cruise ship go on sale next week, as the entertainment giant takes advantage of a tourism boom in Singapore to realise ambitious goals for its cruise business.
Bookings for the Disney Adventure will open to the general public on Dec 10, a full year before the ship makes her maiden voyage from Singapore. However, early bookings started earlier in the week for Disney’s cruise loyalty members.
“The ship is set to be a game-changer,” said Sarah Fox, regional general manager for South-east Asia at Disney Cruise Line. “Every aspect of the ship has been thoughtfully crafted”.
Singapore is hoping the new ship will help cement its place as a tourist beacon in South-east Asia and reinvigorate its post-Covid recovery. The number of visitors to Singapore in the third quarter rose 14 per cent compared to the same time last year to 4.4 million, according to government data, on track for the most annual arrivals since 2019.
The Disney Adventure, by far the company’s largest cruise ship, is scheduled to set sail from Singapore on Dec 15, 2025. It can hold around 6,700 passengers and measures 208,000 gross tonnes, about 44 per cent larger than the Disney Treasure, which starts service this month in the US.
The ship will be homeported in Singapore for at least five years. Jacqueline Ng, director of the Singapore Tourism Board’s cruise development group, expects the cruise to attract several million local and foreign passengers during that time. Singapore last year saw a record two million cruise passengers, over half of whom were from overseas.
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There is already strong demand for the cruise, according to Edmund Ong, Trip.com’s Singapore general manager. Traffic to the booking platform’s cruise page jumped more than 50 per cent when the prices were released and sign-ups for the cruise’s wait list climbed 60 per cent in November compared to October.
Disney is also positioning itself to take advantage of the post-Covid 19 rebound in global travel. It plans to double spending on its parks and cruise lines over the next decade. The company aims to expand its current fleet of five cruise ships to 13 by 2031.
Unlike Disney’s other cruise ships, the Adventure was not built by the company. The theme park operator acquired it for a hugely discounted 40 million euros (S$56.8 million) from Genting Hong Kong after it filed for bankruptcy in 2022, according to reports in Germany, where the ship was built. It has seven themed areas based on Disney, Pixar and Marvel films and will feature rides, live stage shows, restaurants and shops similar to one of the company’s theme parks.
Although Mickey Mouse is still a fan favourite, Marvel superheroes such as Spider-Man and Iron Man resonated strongly with focus groups in Asia, according to Disney’s Fox. The upper deck of the ship was transformed into a Marvel-themed area with three attractions, including a 250-metre Iron Man-themed rollercoaster – a first for a Disney cruise and the world’s longest on a ship. A live stage show featuring Marvel superheroes and villains will also be added.
The dining options aboard will largely feature Asian cuisines, ranging from Indian, to Japanese to bubble tea.
Guests can opt for stays of between three and five nights, which start from around US$1,564 for two adults on the maiden voyage, while a three-night cruise for a family of four in an ocean-view room costs around US$3,400. For those looking for a further upgrade, two Frozen-themed suites are available. BLOOMBERG
