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Disney Just Bought the World’s 7th-Largest Cruise Ship, the 1,122-Foot ‘Global Dream’

The vessel's original shipbuilder halted construction earlier this year after declaring bankruptcy..

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Disney just bought a ship as big as one of its blockbuster movies.

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No amenities have been announced yet, but the company said the ship will feature “innovative Disney experiences along with the dazzling entertainment, world-class dining and legendary guest service that set Disney Cruise Line apart.” The ship, which will be based outside of the US, will also be one of the first fueled by low-emission green ethanol.

The finished boat will have room for 6,000 passengers and around 2,300 crew members. That would make it smaller than its sister was expected to be— Global Dream II was supposed to have room for 9,000 passengers—but the 208,000-gross-ton boat will still be the world’s seventh largest and the largest in Disney’s fleet. The conglomerate did not reveal how much it paid for the Global Dream , other than to say it was secured at a “favorable price.”

“Our cruise ships give us 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,” Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said in a statement.

Bryan Hood is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. Before joining the magazine, he worked for the New York Post, Artinfo and New York magazine, where he covered everything from celebrity gossip to…

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Global Dream

• Shipyard MV Werften
• Length 342.00 m
• Beam 58.00 m
• Tons 208,000 gt
• Cabins 2350
• Passengers 4700
• Crew/Pax ratio
• Currency CNY
• Language English
• Flag Germany

The Global Dream is the first of two Global class passenger ships built for Dream Cruises. When it was delivered, it was the largest cruise ship ever designed and built in Germany. This state-of-the-art ship features the latest hardware and technology. The Global class ships use artificial intelligence and robots for many customer-oriented services. Onboard amenities include the industry's most spacious cabins and most luxurious suites, the first theme park afloat with the world's longest roller coaster, the largest cinema at sea as well as voice and facial recognition technology, self-guided mobile assistants and much more. You can enjoy an authentic on-board experience with Asian hospitality, authentic Chinese cuisine and the largest variety of Asian and international restaurants. Giorgia Lombardo

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Set to be the world's biggest cruise ship, the 'Global Dream' is now seeking a buyer

The vessel, which sits unfinished in a german shipyard, reportedly cost $1.8bn to build.

19 February, 2022

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Interior view: Dream Cruises’ Global Dream

Peter Foster of Genting Cruise Lines tells Jon Ingleton why Dream Cruises’ newest ship will wow guests

Peter Foster, senior vice president of hotel operations and newbuild hotel design at Genting Cruise Lines, tells Jon Ingleton why Dream Cruises’ newest ship will wow guests

By Jon Ingleton | 07 September 2020

Dream Cruises caters for every passenger demographic but what will make Global Dream an appealing vacation choice for everyone when she debuts in 2021?

Global Dream’s universal appeal will be that she’s a convenient vacation option. Cruises provide a hassle-free way to travel where guests don’t need to pack and unpack, change hotels, catch connections or worry about organising activities for the family. Global Dream will truly be a floating integrated resort where our guests will have access to everything that they would want for a perfect holiday, such as a wide array of food and beverage options, entertainment and leisure activities (often included in the cruise fare), as well as shore excursions and duty free shopping. However, we want to cater for the multi-generational market, which is a booming segment in Asia, largely because of the cultural emphasis on unity and family. This family-centric view has led to an increasing number of people being open to sharing cruises with their loved ones.

In addition to an extensive variety of facilities and venues, we’ll provide onboard programmes and activities that will appeal to all family members – from young children to adults who are young at heart. For example, Dream Cruises offers Little Dreamers Academy, our signature programme which is tailor-made for children aged two to 12 years old, as well as Ageless Dreamers, our popular programme for senior travellers. We also have a variety of services for everyone in between, including Asian and Western spas, entertainment and leisure options, duty-free shopping and much more.

Global Dream will have various zones. Was there a formula you used to work out how much deck space to allocate to each one?

When planning our dining outlets, we assume that we will accommodate all guests in two seatings per meal. However, we design other spaces more organically to maximise their use and to create a sense of ‘hustle and bustle’ that appeals to our market. We are not looking to create overly formal spaces, rather our goal is to provide our guests with a sense of fun through a casual and relaxed atmosphere. All our zones are multifunctional and are designed to encourage our guests to move from one area to another, providing a seamless cruise entertainment experience.

Which internal teams collaborated in the design of the deck spaces?

The safety and security of our guests and crew is our top priority, so we make sure that our spaces are not only functional and user friendly, but that they also adhere to the highest possible safety and health standards. Consequently, several different teams and departments have been integral in the design of our public spaces onboard Global Dream to ensure we meet all the different needs of our guests. They include the marine operations, hotel operations, food and beverage, front office, entertainment, logistics, shore excursions, embarkation and port operations teams.

Global Dream’s top deck will be epic. What was the central focus of the design brief that everyone was working towards?

Our goal with Global Dream is to create a floating entertainment city where we can bring to life our ultimate vision of an integrated resort at sea. Our priority is to provide our guests with a vacation experience where the destinations are not the only highlights of the cruise – we want the ship to be a destination herself. As the saying goes, getting there is half the fun!

The ship will also have luxury facilities for premium passengers. What personality and style are you hoping to create for this area?

Imagine your ideal resort hideaway. The Palace is a luxurious ‘ship within a ship’ enclave that is available on all Dream Cruises ships and features exclusive suites and private facilities like a swimming pool, a spa, a gym and dining venues. Like on our other ships, intuition and indulgence will be at the heart of The Palace’s sumptuous accommodations onboard Global Dream. The plush interiors and smart features have been designed to enable us to keep both friends and families effortlessly comfortable and create a sense of home away from home – or to allow us to take guests on a thematic journey. The luxurious essence of The Palace will be further embodied by the meticulous, personalised service of a team of Dream Butlers who will be on hand to cater to guests’ every whim. This will ensure guests experience a smooth sailing and go home with memories to treasure.

What are your favourite areas on deck?

Apart from housing the longest roller coaster at sea, Global Dream will feature several fun and exhilarating rides for both children and adults. I would recommend our new zip line which will glide over our ship’s internal ‘canyon’ (Dream Avenue). This will truly be a thrill for adventure seekers.

This article was first published in the 2020 issue of Cruise & Ferry Interiors . All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.

Subscribe to Cruise & Ferry Interiors for FREE here to get the next issue delivered directly to your inbox or your door.

Tags: Dream Cruises     Genting Cruise Lines     Global Dream

Jon Ingleton

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New Dream Cruises Ship Named Global Dream

• August 28, 2019

Genting Cruise Lines today officially announced that the first Global-Class vessel will carry the name Global Dream and is set to enter service in early 2021 from MV Werften. 

The news came at IBTM China, the nation’s largest business travel and MICE show, in Beijing. Building on the successful debuts of Genting Dream, World Dream and Explorer Dream, the Global Class vessel — Global Dream will enter into service in early 2021 to invite even more Asian travellers to sail globally on inspiring voyages on board the largest cruise ship to homeport in the Asia Pacific.

“Global Dream, the first Global Class ship of Dream Cruises, belongs to a new generation of cruise ships designed for this region featuring the most advanced technology and state-of-the-art facilities. Global Dream will deliver a cutting-edge cruising experience through Artificial Intelligence that will maximize both convenience and speed for our guests on board,” said Kent Zhu. “To balance the new with the traditional, our guests will also be able to enjoy an authentic Asian experience and our signature heartfelt Asian hospitality on Global Dream, developed through the Genting Group’s over 50 years of experience in the Asian hospitality industry. 

During the event, guests were treated to an exclusive sneak preview of Global Dream with the unveiling of a specially constructed balcony show cabin, built in Germany and shipped over for the occasion. Featuring 20 square metres of space, the cabins will be the industry’s most spacious staterooms, at approximately 15 percent larger than standard cabins found on most other cruise lines.

Designed for two guests, the staterooms can also accommodate up to four with a unique two bathroom design to allow several people to get ready at once and a sofa bed that easily unfolds to sleep two comfortably. A thoughtful touch is a privacy curtain that can be closed to divide the room into separate seating and sleeping areas, making the cabins suitable for families and group travellers.

State-of-the-art technology will include Bluetooth locks and a new smart system allowing passengers to control different functions such as the LED mood lighting and climate control with a smartphone app, voice recognition or through a touch-screen control panel. Smart sensors will also be able to detect occupants in the cabin to automatically adjust the lights and temperature for better energy efficiency and triple vent air-conditioning outlets ensure even air distribution for maximum comfort. 

“Dream Cruises is excited to begin a new chapter in its story when Global Dream begins her journey to take Asian travellers around the world on grand voyages to Australia, New Zealand, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean in the future,” added Zhu. “We invite everyone to come on board to experience our innovative facilities, thoughtful amenities, impeccable service, authentic Chinese cuisine and the largest variety of Asian and International dining at sea.”

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Disney Cruise Line’s Seventh Ship Previously Known as GLOBAL DREAM to be Named ‘Disney Adventure’

Today, during the Destination D23 “A Celebration of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” session of the weekends fan event held at Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort, Thomas Mazloum took the stage to make a few Disney Cruise announcements including the name of the Global Dream ship as Disney Adventure .

Disney Adventure is the seventh ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet and work is currently underway in Germany.  It’ll be the first Disney ship to sail from Singapore and throughout Southeast Asia and feature the Disney service, storytelling and entertainment everyone knows and loves. 

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9 Replies to “Disney Cruise Line’s Seventh Ship Previously Known as GLOBAL DREAM to be Named ‘Disney Adventure’”

I have de-scribed. STOP SENDING ME EMAILS.

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Now this ship better be very heavy on Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

Given the market, you wonder if they will have a casino. Doesn’t seem like a Disney thing, but who knows.

Why does todays image look to be missing the odd 3rd funnel?

Is this the first time that the Dream/Adventure has been shown with two funnels instead of three? I thought the 3rd funnel helped drive home how much bigger the Dream/Adventure was going to be but maybe Disney prefers to not highlight it and instead keep it similar to the others.

There are still 4 funnels. They are still seen in the above image on the port side of the ship.

Disney Treasure Gets Grounded Coming August 30th To A YouTube Near You

I love Disney and i went on the Disney fantasy cruise ship two years ago and i can definitely recommend it, it was so fun, and you did not have to pay for soda! I was very pleased, Thanks Disney! p.s. maybe lower your prices.

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• November 17, 2022
• Cruise Ships , News

Disney to complete and transform former Global Dream

The ship will be among the first cruise ships to be powered by green methanol

The giant cruise ship left partially completed in the wake of the collapse of Genting Hong Kong has been acquired by Disney Cruise Line. The ship, formerly known as Global Dream, will be completed at the MV Werften shipyard in Wismar, Germany, under the management of Meyer Werft, the Papenburg-based company that built the Disney Dream , Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish .

Disney Cruise Line says the ship will be based outside of the United States and that it expects the passenger capacity to be approximately 6,000 with around 2,300 crewmembers.

“Our cruise ships give us 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,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

While exterior changes will see the ship carry the iconic, Mickey Mouse-inspired colors of the fleet, complete with signature red funnels, less visible changes will see the 208,000-gross-ton ship become among the first in the cruise industry to be fueled by green methanol.

Meyer Group has set up a new operation, Meyer Wismar, to handle the project.

“When Disney approached us to jointly complete the ship, we saw great opportunities,” ” says Thomas Weigend, managing director of Meyer Werft and Meyer Wismar. Meyer stands for innovation, so we are especially happy to deliver a ship that will be among the first in the industry to be powered by methanol. That will require an elaborated transformation of the ship’s engines, additional tanks and many more measures that will make the ship one of the most future-proof. The ship can cruise climate neutral as soon as green methanol is available. In addition, the waste management onboard will be updated according to the newest technology available.”

Disney says “the ship’s previous owner filed for bankruptcy before completing the vessel, enabling Disney Cruise Line to secure it at a favorable price.”

ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR CHRISTOPH MORGEN

The acquisition marks another success for the insolvency administrator of the MV Werften Group, Dr Christoph Morgen, a partner in law-firm Brinkmann & Partner

Insolvency administrator goes to work at Genting’s German shipyards

“Today is a very good day for the shipbuilders in the federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and for the maritime supply industry in Northern Germany,” said Dr. Morgen. “Several hundred current and previous employees of MV Werften, colleagues from Meyer Group and numerous suppliers will complete the impressive shipbuilding project in Wismar over the next two years so that it can set sail for Disney Cruise Line as a sustainable family cruise vessel in the future. As part of the design changes, the buyer is placing a special emphasis on sustainability and will therefore, for example, convert the ship to an environmentally-friendly methanol propulsion system. I am very pleased about this contract as it confirms the excellent work that has been done so far by the MV Werften staff. At the same time, it underlines the significance in shipbuilding and the exceptional know-how Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a region owns.”

The task now, says Brinkmann & Partner, is to prepare for the restart of work at the Wismar shipyard. According to current plans, Meyer Werft will contribute its extensive expertise in the construction of complex and innovative cruise vessels. It will lead the work to be carried out and completed by previous and current MV Werften employees as well as colleagues from Meyer Group on the ship in Wismar. The vessel’s construction period is estimated to be approximately two years.

Dr Morgen will actively support the project at the Wismar shipyard by leasing the yard to Meyer Group. In addition, the approximately 100 MV Werften colleagues still employed during the insolvency will contribute to the vessel’s completion, while Maritime Engineering GmbH, a company founded during the insolvency and now with a staff of 100, is also providing services for the project.

How long will the transformation take? Disney Cruise Line expects the ship to sail in 2025.

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Global Dream

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Unfinished mega-ship Global Dream to join DCL-Disney Cruise Line

The world’s largest by passenger capacity and still unfinished cruise ship Global Dream could be joining DCL-Disney Cruise Line 's fleet in 2024.

According to the German media agency NDR (NDR 1 Radio MV), DCL has tied up a deal to buy the huge vessel, but there has been no official confirmation yet.

Christoph Morgen (insolvency administrator for MV Werften ) said that the huge ship will be completed in Germany ( Wismar ), under the management of Meyer Werft 's shipyard in Papenburg , and could be delivered in 2024-Q4.

Specifically built for the Asian market, MS Global Dream was ordered by GHK-Genting Hong Kong/Genting Cruise Lines, with a price tag of US$1,8 billion, but the purchase price could be below.

Global Dream differs from other Disney boats. The latest DCL ship has max capacity 4000 passengers and is significantly smaller than the 9000-passenger Global Dream. According to some sources, DCL might use the liner to enter the Asian/Chinese market.

Genting Dream was ~75-80% complete before MV Werften filed for bankruptcy (January 2022) and its construction was suspended.

The Papenburg shipyard recently delivered to DCL the newbuild (4000-passenger) Disney Wish . Two more units of this series/TRITON class are scheduled for deliveries in 2024 and 2025. 

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Disney buys world’s biggest cruise ship destined for scrapyard

Mega-liner, which cost $1.8bn to build, has been on market for 10 months, article bookmarked.

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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.

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

Disney confirmed on Wednesday that it had bought the vessel for “a favourable price”, though the company did not disclose the sum.

“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,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

The entertainment giant said it planned to “reimagine” the Global Dream II before it officially joins Disney Cruise Line in 2025, working with MV Werften to complete the vessel at their Wismar shipyard.

The mega-liner reportedly cost $1.8bn (£1.51bn) to build.

Along with sibling ship Global Dream, it would have been the world’s biggest cruise ship by passenger capacity.

In June MV Werften administrator Christoph Morgen told a press conference that the ship would be scrapped for parts.

Mr Morgen said that the company’s shipyard in Wismar had been sold to Thyssenkrupp’s naval unit, which will use it to build military vessels.

One of the issues in reselling the Global Dream vessels is that they were designed for the Asian market, according to German cruise magazine An Bord .

It reported that the “cabin, deck and propulsion system” of the ships would need considerable changes before they would be suitable for use in Europe or North America.

In October, Royal Caribbean announced plans for a new cruise ship which, when built, will be the largest liner in the world by size.

The Icon of the Seas will launch in January 202, overtaking the Wonder of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean cruise liner that currently holds the title .

The Wonder of the Seas can accommodate 6,988 passengers - more than 2,000 fewer than the Global Dream II - but measures 362m long and 64m wide to Global’s 342m length and 46m width.

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This unusual new cruise may be the most epic way to see Europe ever

Call it the most epic Europe cruise ever.

Small-ship line Windstar Cruises is out with an ambitious new Europe itinerary for 2026 that includes a whopping 67 stops across 20 countries.

Dubbed the Grand Europe Adventure, the voyage will last an unusually long 81 days — more than 10 times the length of many of Windstar's sailings.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

It'll also cost a lot more than is typical for a Windstar cruise, with rates starting at $31,099 per person.

For that price, bucket list-ticking travelers (with a lot of time on their hands) will be able to see many of the most famous destinations and attractions across Europe, from the fjords of Norway to the ancient ruins of Greece — all in a single trip.

Kicking off in Helsinki on July 14, 2026, the sailing — on Windstar's 312-passenger Star Legend — will begin with a nine-day circling of the Baltic Sea. Stops will include Tallinn, Estonia; Stockholm (where the ship will stay overnight); Riga and Ventspils in Latvia; Gdansk, Poland; and Copenhagen and the island of Bornholm in Denmark.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Windstar ship

From there, Star Legend will cruise up the scenic coast of Norway to such destinations as Haugesund, Alesund, Adnalsnes and Bergen before heading west for an extended exploration of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Stops in the latter destinations will include Invergordon in Scotland, which served as a setting for the hit television show "Outlander," and the Isle of Man, as well as Oban, Portrush, Dublin, Belfast, Londonderry, Killybegs, Galway, Dingle and Cobh (the port for Cork).

The voyage continues from there with an extended series of calls along the coasts of France, Spain and Portugal.

Among the highlights of this next portion of the trip will be an unusually long three-day visit to Rouen, the famed cathedral town in northern France that was the subject of many Claude Monet paintings. Star Legend will also spend four full days docked in Bordeaux, France, for exploration of the town and its surrounding wineries.

There will also be unusually lengthy overnight stays during this portion of the trip in Bilbao and Seville, Spain, and Lisbon.

Additional stops in Spain will include Malaga, Cartagena, Valencia and Barcelona.

The final three weeks of the trip will bring stops along the southern coast of France, Monaco, Italy and Greece.

Related: Don't miss these loyalty perks when booking Windstar

In Italy alone, there will be stops at six destinations: Portofino, Portoferraio, Porto Ercole, Civitavecchia (the port for Rome), Sorrento and Messina.

A visit to Kusadasi, Turkey, the gateway to the ruins of Ephesus, is also on the schedule.

Windstar is only offering a single departure of the new itinerary. The voyage is one of 15 all-new Europe itineraries the line has unveiled for 2026 as it shakes up its deployments for the region. That's more new Europe itineraries than Windstar has ever unveiled in a single season.

The sailings will also include stops in more new-for-the-line ports — 34 in all — than the line has ever debuted in a single season.

The new itineraries come as Windstar prepares to add two new ships to its fleet by the end of 2026 — a significant expansion for the brand. The line currently operates six vessels.

Related: The 2 types of Windstar ships, explained

Star Legend is one of three motor ships in the Windstar fleet. The line also operates three sailing ships.

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