Disney’s cruise line is going big in Asia.
This month, the company’s eighth and largest ship, the Disney Adventure, will embark on its maiden voyage, carrying passengers on three- and four-night journeys at sea from its berth in Singapore.
The vessel accommodates a whopping 6,700 passengers, around two-thirds more capacity than Disney’s Wish class ships, which include the Disney Wish, the Disney Treasure and the Disney Destiny. The Adventure can also carry around 2,500 crew members, about 1,000 more than on the Wish class ships.
“It takes a village to be able to support the type of service that we’re known for,” Joe Schott, president of Disney Signature Experiences, told CNBC.
The Disney Adventure sets sail at a time of rapid expansion for Disney’s cruise line. It is one of six vessels set to join the fleet by 2031. It’s also emblematic of the company’s global aspirations, which coincides with a sharp decline in international visitors venturing to the United States.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse pose in front of the Disney Adventure.
Disney
While tourism grew worldwide last year, the United States was the only major destination to see a drop in foreign visitors, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Overall, international travel to the U.S. fell 6%, the organization found. That decline continued into 2026, as January’s numbers were down 4.8% compared with the same month a year prior.
Travel bans, visa fees and invasive searches at ports of entry are all contributing to international travelers leaving the United States off their travel itineraries, according to the WTTC. Trade frictions, geopolitical unease and safety concerns have also contributed to the drop in demand for travel stateside, travel experts told CNBC.
Still, Disney’s domestic theme parks drive around two-thirds of revenue in its experiences division, which includes parks, cruises, resorts and consumer products. International destinations account for around one-fifth of revenue.
Expanding its fleet to new ports allows Disney to entice guests that may not have otherwise been able to venture to its theme parks or get on board one of its cruise ships. And Asia is a rapidly growing market.
A whole new market
Disney is no stranger to the Asian market. It already has a strong footprint of theme parks and resorts in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
“We have a really strong presence already up in the the northern part of Asia,” Schott said. “But, I think as you think about the southeast part of Asia, we don’t really have a physical presence. So, this is a great way to really be able to connect a whole lot of people that haven’t had the opportunity to do a physical Disney experience before.”
The cruise industry, in particular, in Asia has been in a state of rapid growth in the wake of the pandemic. In 2024, the region accounted for 2.6 million cruise passengers, a 13% increase from the previous year, according to data from the Cruise Lines International Association.
“Prior to 2024 we were really seeing a rise in the disposable income and the income levels of Southeast Asian travelers,” said Dulani Porter, executive vice president and partner at Spark, a creative agency that works with hospitality and tourism brands. “And so it was a very, very important market for any international tourism organization.”
That’s where the Disney Adventure comes in.
Initially destined to be a floating casino, the ship went up for sale part way through its construction when its parent company, Genting Hong Kong, went bankrupt in 2022. Disney swooped in and bought it.
“I think this was a great opportunity, because if we hadn’t acquired the ship the way we did, we wouldn’t be going into this market as soon as we are,” said Bruce Vaughn, president and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Imagineering. “And that’s a great thing.”
Previously, all of Disney’s cruise ships have left from domestic ports in Florida before traveling to international destinations. In the case of the Adventure, the ship is the destination. Stationed in Singapore, the vessel will voyage entirely at sea, with no port calls.
And Disney says demand is already there. Disney’s cruises are already 80% booked for fiscal 2026, Schott said.
A ‘brand ambassador’
The Disney Adventure’s size isn’t the only thing that sets it apart from the rest of the fleet. The ship has been tailored for consumers in Asia.
“Since the ship is going to be dedicated to Singapore and that market, we also wanted to make sure that we address what we thought would be unique to them,” said Vaughn.
This came in the form of selecting franchises and characters that are popular in the region, designing entertainment and relaxation areas catered to local tastes and providing a diverse selection of menus across its restaurants.
“We’re looking forward to servicing a brand-new audience,” Schott said. “In that respect, the ship is a brand ambassador.”
Guests on board the Adventure will be immersed in Disney’s more than 100 years of storytelling with character meet-and-greets as well as themed shopping and entertainment areas.
Situated in the middle of the ship is a deck designed to look like a street from San Fransokyo, the fictional city in “Big Hero 6.” The area is home to arcade games inspired by the movie, a replica of the Lucky Cat Cafe owned and operated by Aunt Cass as well as four movie theaters and dedicated tween and teen spaces.
A view of San Fransokyo street aboard the Disney Adventure.
Disney
The street also features the first-ever Duffy and Friends store at sea and a National Geographic shop. Disney executives told CNBC that these brands are incredibly popular with consumers in the region.
Duffy the Disney Bear is a character that was developed initially for a merchandise line at Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs, but gained attention when it was brought to Tokyo a few years later. In the last two decades, Duffy has been joined by seven other stuffed animal friends and has become one of the bestselling merchandise lines for the company.
In 2023, Disney reported the character generated $500 million in sales annually.
Disney characters in traditional Han costumes perform on the stage during a special edition of “Enjoying the Moon with Duffy and Friends” event celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Shanghai Disney Resort on September 17, 2024 in Shanghai, China.
Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images
In designing the Disney Adventure, the company was also conscious of local traditions. For many in Asia, vacations aren’t just for a nuclear family, but for extended family and even large groups of friends.
“I think one of the biggest distinctions that I’m seeing with South Asian cultures [is] travel really is about spending more time together,” Porter said. “Not to generalize, but North American cruisers will choose cruising because the kids can go do their thing and the parents can go do their thing, all contained into a ship.
“For Asian travelers, that is a very meaningful time spent together, where the grandparents and the kids and the parents and the grandparents, everybody is really trying to maximize all of that time together,” she said.
Both Vaughn and Schott detailed layers of experiences available to cruise guests that cater to different age ranges, both kids and kids at heart.
There’s Marvel Landing on the upper deck of the ship that features a rollercoaster, a spinning attraction and car-chase ride all inspired by Earth’s mightiest heroes. In the same area is a sundeck, infinity pool and a bar.
Wayfinder Bay is an open-air area with amphitheater-like seating that doubles as a performance venue. And there’s D Lounge, which features a number of private karaoke rooms.
“We’ve had to think about that quite extensively in our parks in the region … multigenerational travel is just part of the formula,” said Schott.
Also part of the formula is Disney’s dining experience.
Aboard the Disney Adventure, guests will have an eclectic selection of food and beverages to try, with an emphasis on flavors that are popular in the region.
The Disney Adventure will have burgers and classic American fare at Stitch’s Ohana Grill, bubble teas at the Ursula-inspired Bewitching Boba and Brews, as well as pitas and kebabs at the Ms. Marvel-inspired Cosmic Kebabs.
There will also be Indian cuisine at Mowgli’s Eatery and Polynesian-inspired fare at Gramma Tala’s Kitchen.
Rotational dining is also featured on the cruise ship, a staple of Disney’s service.
While passengers have the option to grab quick-service meals and snacks throughout the ship, several of its restaurants are included in a prescheduled dining plan. Guests have reservations for each of these themed restaurants and rotate through them during their cruise.
Disney rotates the restaurant staff, too, to follow each group of passengers to their scheduled restaurant. As a result, guests have the same servers, busboys and restaurant managers throughout their trip, and the waitstaff gets to know the guests — and their preferences.
“I think at the end of the day, this entry into the market needs to be a really strong one for us,” Schott said. “So we’re looking forward to really being able to deliver the Disney-level of service at an extraordinary level.”
