Disney is Still Going Full Steam Ahead on its Cruise Division

Mr. Mouse has come a long way in his nautical career since Steamboat Willie.

Disney’s newest cruise ship, the Disney Treasure, is due to make its maiden voyage next month. The departure marks a continued drive within Disney to supercharge its cruise business: The House of Mouse hopes to double the size of its leisure fleet by 2031 in an “unprecedented period of growth,” Thomas Mazloum, president of Disney’s new experiences portfolio and Disney signature experiences, told CNBC.

Cabin Fever

Last year, with Disney boomerang CEO Bob Iger back at the wheel, the company signaled plans to pour $60 billion into its parks and cruises over the following 10 years via an SEC filing. At the moment, Disney’s Experiences division isn’t growing at a particularly fast clip, but the company might be hoping that an expanded cruise division somehow bypasses the consumer reluctance that has weighed down visits to its parks.

Speaking to CNBC, Mazloum was very upbeat about the cruise division:

• “The demand that we’re seeing right now for Disney Cruise Line is very strong,” said Mazloum. “We’re a premium brand, occupancy is high, and frankly, the business is doing really, really well,” he added.
• Shares in cruise line companies have been faring pretty well so far this year, so Mazloum’s optimism isn’t fueled purely by Disney magic.

Sea Dogs: The cruise industry is apparently looking to expand its customer base while it’s got momentum — even trying to reel in non-human passengers. Margaritaville at Sea is due to launch its first dog-friendly cruise next year. A bunch of dogs running around a boat? Sounds like a Disney movie in the making.