Disney and Oriental Land Co. Partner to Launch Disney Cruise Line in Japan by 2029
Disney and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. have signed an agreement to bring a year-round Disney cruise operation to Japan, with a new ship expected to begin sailing by early 2029. The vessel -- a sister ship to the Disney Wish -- will be built at Meyer Werft in Germany and registered permanently in Japan, operated by OLC as an extension of its 40-year Tokyo Disney Resort relationship with Disney. Details on itineraries and onboard programming will follow at a later date.
Disney and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (OLC) have signed an agreement to bring a year-round Disney cruise operation to Japan, with sailings expected to begin by early 2029. OLC -- the company that owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort -- will build and operate the new Disney-branded cruise business under license, extending a partnership with Disney that spans more than four decades.
Key Details
- Partners: The Walt Disney Company and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. (OLC)
- Expected Launch: Early 2029
- Ship Type: Sister ship to the Disney Wish
- Shipyard: Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany
- Ship Specs: Approx. 140,000 gross tons, approx. 1,250 staterooms, LNG-powered
- Home Base: Registered and based in Japan year-round
- More Info: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com
A 40-Year Relationship Expands to the Seas
Oriental Land Co., Ltd. has operated Tokyo Disney Resort -- comprising Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea -- since its opening in 1983, making it one of Disney's longest-running and most successful international licensing relationships. The new cruise agreement marks the first time OLC's Disney partnership will extend beyond theme park and resort operations into cruise vacations.
Under the terms of the agreement, OLC will build and operate the ship, with imaginative design work handled by Walt Disney Imagineering. The ship is structurally a sister to the Disney Wish and will incorporate many of that ship's popular venues and experiences, adapted with modifications tailored to Japanese guests.
Ship Specifications and Design
Construction will take place at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, the same yard that has built multiple Disney Cruise Line vessels. The ship will be approximately 140,000 gross tons and accommodate roughly 1,250 staterooms. It will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), consistent with Disney Cruise Line's ongoing commitment to more sustainable propulsion systems. Once operational, the ship will be registered and homeported in Japan year-round.
What This Means for Disney Cruise Fans in Japan
The agreement opens Disney cruise vacations to Japanese guests on a permanent, locally based basis for the first time -- no international embarkation required. For existing Disney Cruise Line guests globally, it signals continued fleet expansion, with this Japan-based ship joining a pipeline that already includes the Disney Destiny and the Disney Adventure. Itinerary details, pricing, and onboard programming specific to the Japan operation have not yet been announced. Updates will be published by Disney Cruise Line ahead of the 2029 launch target.