Canaveral Port Authority and Disney Cruise Line Reach New 20-Year Agreement for Expanded Cruise Operations and Arrival of New Disney Ships

5/22/2019

Port Canaveral will be homeport for two of
Disney Cruise Line’s new class vessels


Rendering of Cruise Terminal 8 Upgrade
Rendering of upgraded Disney Cruise Terminal 8 at Port Canaveral
(Canaveral Port Authority)
 
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (May 22, 2019) – The Canaveral Port Authority and Disney Cruise Line have reached a new 20-year agreement to expand operations and make Port Canaveral home for two of Disney Cruise Line’s three new ships.
 
The new operating agreement will begin June 1, 2019, and replaces an existing Marine Terminal Agreement set to expire on December 31, 2027. It provides a 20-year primary term with two additional five-year renewals. Initially, the call guarantee remains at 150 calls, but increases to 180 calls in 2023 and up to 216 calls in 2024 through the remainder of the 20-year term.
 
“For decades we have worked with Disney Cruise Line building a partnership based on our mutual commitment to excellence. We are tremendously proud of our joint success and looking ahead at growing an even more exciting future with Disney Cruise Line and Port Canaveral as the homeport for its newest class of vessels,” said Canaveral Port Authority Port Director and CEO Capt. John Murray.
 
The terms of the new agreement continue Disney’s exclusive operation from Cruise Terminal 8, in addition to providing preferential use of the Port’s Cruise Terminal 10 for a third homeport vessel.  The planned waterside and landside improvements to Cruise Terminal 8 and Cruise Terminal 10 will accommodate the growth of Disney’s fleet of cruise ships. The new ships are expected to be delivered in 2021, 2022 and 2023, with two of them homeporting in Port Canaveral for at least their first five years of operation.

“Port Canaveral was the inaugural homeport for our first ship and has served as a gateway for magical cruise vacations ever since,” said Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Cruise Line. “We value our longstanding relationship with Port Canaveral and look forward to expanding our presence there as we introduce new ships and new family cruise experiences.”
 
Rendering of Cruise Terminal 8 Upgrade 2
                                   Rendering of upgraded Disney Cruise Terminal 8 at Port Canaveral
 (Canaveral Port Authority)

The agreement between Disney Cruise Line and Port Canaveral continues a relationship that began with negotiations in 1994 to build the first Disney cruise terminal at Port Canaveral.  All four of Disney’s cruise ships in its existing fleet made Port Canaveral their home port when they debuted.  The cruise line’s two biggest ships, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, are currently homeported at Port Canaveral year-round, while the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder rotate home ports.
 
Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the terms of the new agreement at the regularly scheduled Commissioners’ meeting on Wednesday, May 22, 2019.
 
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About Port Canaveral   
Led by the elected five-member Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners and Port Director and CEO, Captain John Murray, Port Canaveral is one of the world's most dynamic and exciting ports. A world-class gateway for cruises, cargo, recreation and logistics, as well as a gateway to new frontiers in space, Port Canaveral hosts nearly 5 million revenue cruise passengers through its state-of-the-art terminals and 6 million tons of cargo annually, including bulk, break-bulk, project, and containerized. The Port is strategically located to service all Florida markets, as well as the Southeastern United States. In addition to world class cruise facilities and diverse cargo operations, Port Canaveral offers more recreational opportunities than all other Florida deep-water seaports combined. For more information, visit www.PortCanaveral.com


MEDIA CONTACT:
For Canaveral Port Authority
Diane Luensmann
Tel: (321) 394-3420 | Cell: (321) 431-1104