Disney Cruise Line announced its newest ship, Disney Believe, will start service with its maiden voyage on December 18, 2027. Booking opens for guests on October 19, 2026. The initial sailings will consist of 4- and 5-night cruises departing from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, cruising to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean.
Entertainment and Stage Shows
Disney Believe will debut the first-ever Encanto musical onboard, featuring songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda such as “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure.” Additional live entertainment offerings include “Tangled: The Musical” and “Disney Seas the Adventure,” providing guests with exclusive experiences inspired by Disney Animation and
Pixar stories.
Themed Venues and Dining
The ship introduces new entertainment spaces such as Gazelle, an adults-only nighttime venue inspired by Zootopia, and the Wishing Well lounge themed on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Dining options feature Oaken’s Table: A Frozen Family Feast, serving a Frozen-inspired rotational dining experience, along with the Sea Notes piano lounge paying homage to The Little Mermaid. The ship also hosts the Big Hero Sips and Café Kakamora cafes, Skygazers pub designed as a magical observatory, and specialty locations including Inside Out: Joyful Sweets confectionary, Haunted Mansion Parlor bar, Palo Steakhouse, Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement, and The
Rose lounge.
Design Features and Keel Laying
The ship’s Grand Hall is themed after Disney’s Moana, featuring a bronze statue of Moana with her companions Pua and Heihei. Exterior hull artwork includes bronze sculptures of Woody and Buzz Lightyear on the stern, depicted etching the ship’s name with crayons in block-style font. The bow is adorned with hand-painted filigree of Tinker Bell, surrounded by silhouettes from Peter Pan. A keel laying ceremony, marking a traditional maritime milestone, used a Tinker Bell minted coin placed under the keel to symbolize good fortune. Construction milestones include the first gigablock floated out in mid-September 2026 at Meyer Werft
Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, where the vessel is being built.
Opening Cruise Director and Construction
Trent Hitchcock has been named the opening Cruise Director for Disney Believe. With nearly 20 years at Disney Cruise Line and ten years as a cruise director, Hitchcock has previously worked on all Disney ships except the Disney Adventure. He will oversee entertainment planning starting about a year before the ship’s maiden voyage and will be present during the ship’s construction in Germany. Hitchcock described the role as an honor and expressed eagerness to share the new ship with guests.
Official Statements on Thematic Focus
Claire Weiss, Portfolio Executive Creative Director, stated the ship celebrates
belief in magic, family, nature, and self-belief, connecting all onboard stories to the central Disney theme of believing in the fantastical. Hitchcock commented that bringing a new ship to life and leading its entertainment is a special privilege. The Disney Believe continues the Wish-class tradition featuring immersive storytelling and themed environments designed to enhance guest experiences.
