In a bit of surprise-to-no-one news, it was announced that the Disney Cruise Line will be postponing departures through the end of February 2021.
The cruise line’s four ships (Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy) have been docked since early 2020 due to the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. There were no specific outbreaks associated with any Disney cruise prior to closing them down. However, in March and April of 2020 the news was inundated with stories of rival cruise lines struggling with large outbreaks aboard some of their largest ships. While unrelated to Disney, the negative news stories surrounding the cruising industry has undoubtably created a larger public relations hurdle for them to overcome as we enter the pandemic recovery phase of mid-2021.
If your reservation was cancelled Disney will offer you the option of refunding your trip or receiving a credit for a future Disney Cruise vacation.
There is no official date set for the Disney Cruise Line to return to regular rotation. The United States Centers for Disease Control has established strict guidelines for any cruise line stopping in or working with the United States. The guidelines, some of the strictest of any industry, will push any reopening deep into 2021.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek reported to investors in early November that they are seeing solid booking trends for Disney cruises set in late 2021 and 2022. The cruise division of The Walt Disney Company has become one of their biggest money makers and has consistently garnered extreme praise from customers.
Disney is eager to get these ships sailing again, but consumer skepticism and government regulations will undoubtably push any post-Covid maiden voyage deep into the recovery. Until then The DisInsider will be covering all of the news regarding the Disney Cruise Line, so keep your ship docked here for all of the latest.
