Disney buys world’s biggest cruise ship - saved from scrap (2025)

Disney buys world’s biggest cruise ship - saved from scrap (1)

Global Dream II was destined to be scrapped (Image: Getty)

Global Dream II, the world’s biggest cruise ship, has been purchased by Disney after 10 months on the market. The incredible ship was abandoned in January 2022.

The mammoth ship is built to carry a whopping 9,000 passengers over 20 decks of luxury facilities.

The ship was designed with an outdoor waterpark and a cinema but has never left the dock after the company that built it went bust.

German-Hong Kong company, MV Werften, was abandoned after the company filed for bankruptcy in January 2022.

Disney confirmed it had bought the doomed vessel for a “favourable price” but did not reveal how much.

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Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said: “Disney cruise ships provide the unique opportunity to bring Disney magic to fans no matter where they are, and the addition of this ship will make a Disney Cruise Line vacation accessible to more families than ever before.”

The company said it had plans to “reimagine” the giant vessel before it joins Disney Cruise Line in 2025.

A huge project, the Global Dream II reportedly cost over £1.5billion to build and would have been the world’s biggest cruise ship by passenger numbers.

The ship had been intended to be scrapped for parts after the company went bankrupt with some set to be used for military vessels.

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    One of the issues with Global Dream II is that it was built for an Asian market and may need its cabin, deck and propulsion systems changed to operate in Europe or North America.

    Disney Cruise Line is one of the world’s top cruise companies and is especially popular with families.

    Royal Caribbean is set to launch the world’s biggest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, in January 2024.

    The huge ship will overtake another Royal Caribbean vessel, Wonder of the Seas, which was launched earlier this year.

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    Disney buys world’s biggest cruise ship - saved from scrap (6)

    Disney said it planned to "reimagine" the ship (Image: Getty)

    Disney’s move may be a surprise to some cruise experts who believe that mega cruise ships could be going out of fashion.

    Recently several top destinations have crackdowned on the size of cruise ships allowed in port and introduced limits on the number of passengers allowed to disembark.

    Venice has banned cruise ships from its lagoon while a top port in Maine, USA is set to bring in tight limits on the number of passengers allowed each day.

    Rules such as these often force the biggest ships to dock outside the main port and then use buses or trains to bring passengers in.

    Disney buys world’s biggest cruise ship - saved from scrap (10)

    The ship's previous owners went bankrupt in January 2022 (Image: Getty)

    Earlier this month, Dr Claire Weedon, principal lecturer in tourism and marketing at the University of Brighton, told Express.co.uk she thought smaller ships would become more particular.

    She said: “I think cruise ships are going to get smaller and the ships will probably divide into mass market and more sustainable options.

    “Smaller ships, maybe 1,500 people maximum, they’ll be able to get into a lot more destinations.”

    However she added that the larger ships will still be able to dock in larger freight style ports and may find ways to get around the issue.

    Disney buys world’s biggest cruise ship - saved from scrap (2025)

    FAQs

    Disney buys world’s biggest cruise ship - saved from scrap? ›

    Disney has bought the world's biggest cruise ship, saving it from the rubbish heap. The ship was destined to be sold for scrap. Global Dream II, the world's biggest cruise ship, has been purchased by Disney after 10 months on the market. The incredible ship was abandoned in January 2022.

    Did Disney buy the world's largest cruise ship? ›

    Disney bought it from liquidators for the brand and plans to have it ready to sail by 2025. The ship was designed by Dream Cruises to appeal specifically to Asian family travelers. It will be one of the world's largest cruise vessels when completed.

    Is the world's biggest cruise ship scrap? ›

    The world's biggest cruise ship has been bought by Disney after 10 months on the market, saving it from being sold for scrap. The 9,000-passenger, 20-deck vessel, Global Dream II, was designed with an outdoor waterpark and a plush cinema, but has never left the dock.

    Why are cruise ships sold for scrap? ›

    Cruise lines began shedding older tonnage, scrapping ships well before the end of their service life in a bid to dramatically reduce operating costs. Victims of pandemic cost-cutting included nearly every one of Carnival's Fantasy-class ships (only Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise remain).

    What happens when a cruise ship is scrapped? ›

    What happens to all the scrapped material? The steel plates are melted and refashioned into reinforcing bars for roads and other construction. There is a large secondary market where fittings such as toilets, chairs, lighting, panelling and other ship components are sold.

    What is the number 1 biggest cruise ship? ›

    1. Royal Caribbean International – Icon of the Seas: 248,663 gross tonnes. Weighing 248,663 gross tonnes and measuring 365 metres (1,1967 feet), the Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. Christened on 23 January 2024, the Icon has a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew across 20 decks ...

    How much bigger is the Disney cruise ship than the Titanic? ›

    The icon of the seas is five times bigger. and heavier than the Titanic, weighing 250,800 tons, while the Titanic weighed 50,210 tons, it measures an impressive 1,188 feet in length. and 138 feet in width. With a total of 20 decks, the icon of the seas boasts 2,744 state rooms.

    Where do scrapped cruise ships go? ›

    Decommissioned ships are almost always sent to one of two scrapyards. The largest is Alang, located in India's Gulf of Khambhat, which recycles more than half of the world's decommissioned cruise ships. The second largest is Aliaga in Turkey.

    Where does all the waste from cruise ships go? ›

    Cruise ships are not legally allowed to dump trash in the oceans. Garbage is to be separated as effectively as possible. Some cruise lines have begun recycling their plastic, cardboard, and glass, which is sorted and stored until they reach the next port to offload.

    How much is a scrapped ship worth? ›

    Averaged across bulkers, tankers and container ships, the Subcontinent scrap price has reached highs not seen since 2007. From 1 January to 31 December 2021, the average value increased from US$400/LDT to US$610/LDT, representing a growth of 53%.

    Is it illegal to throw things off a cruise ship? ›

    Guests are liable for any illegal dumping or pollution of any kind, including discharge of any item into the ocean and/or waterways.

    What do they do with old retired cruise ships? ›

    What do Cruise Lines do with their ships after they are decommissioned? Generally they are either sold to other cruise lines to serve in second and third lives. Or they are sold for scrap to shipbreakers.

    Who owns the world's largest Cruise Line? ›

    Carnival Corporation & plc/Carnival UK is the world's largest cruise company and operates over 100 ships across 9 cruise lines (Carnival Cruise, Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, P&O Australia, P&O, Cunard, Costa Cruises and Aida (mainly German market).

    How much did Disney pay for The Global Dream? ›

    According to the German business news site Capital, Disney reportedly paid only $41 million for the still-unfinished Global Dream ship, which was around 75% finished while construction was underway at MV Werften in Wismar, Germany.

    How much did Disney pay for the new cruise ship? ›

    Named the Disney Adventure, the 208,000-ton ship is one of the world's biggest cruise liners. Disney reportedly bought it for just $44 million in 2022 after its previous owner, Hong Kong-based Genting Cruise Lines, fell into administration.

    How much did the world's largest cruise cost? ›

    5)According to Royal Caribbean's website, the tickets for this voyage range from $1,723 to $2,639 per person. The cruise was first revealed in October 2022 and lodged the single largest booking day and the highest volume booking week in Royal Caribbean's then 53-year history, according to the company.

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