Disney Cruise Line to base 2 of its 3 new ships at Port Canaveral — after they're built

Disney Cruise Line will be bringing two of its three new ships to Port Canaveral, under a 20-year operating agreement the port has reached with the cruise line.

The deal calls for Disney to have three ships based at Port Canaveral, up from the current two.

"It's a very big deal," Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray said Monday. "This is great news for the port."

Port commissioners are scheduled to vote on the contract with Disney at their meeting on Wednesday.

Disney's two largest ships in its current four-ship fleet — the Dream and the Fantasy — currently are based at Port Canaveral. Under the deal with the port, Disney will have three ships based at Port Canaveral — two ships that will be constructed, plus one of its existing ships. 

Construction of the new, still-unnamed ships destined for Port Canaveral are scheduled to be completed in 2021 and 2022. Disney also is building a third new ship, scheduled for completion in 2023.

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As part of the deal, Disney also will increase the number of cruises it guarantees will sail from Port Canaveral. Its current guarantee is 150 cruises a year. That total will increase to 180 a year in 2023, then to 216 a year in 2024 and beyond. 

Murray estimates that Disney's expansion to three ships at Port Canaveral will generate about $6 million a year in additional revenue for the port.

Canaveral Port Authority Commissioner Wayne Justice said the deal is an "extraordinarily exciting" development for Brevard County and the region, as it brings more tourist dollars to the area.

Justice said the deal shows Disney's "confidence in the port," as Carnival Cruise Line also demonstrated with a long-term deal reached with the port last year.

"It's just good news all around," Justice said.

Port Canaveral plans to make a total of $46.48 million in upgrades to Cruise Terminal 8, which is exclusively used by Disney, and to Cruise Terminal 10, which Disney will share with other cruise lines.

As part of the deal, Disney will begin paying the port what's known as a "capital cost recovery charge" of $3.15 per passenger getting on or off a Disney ship at Port Canaveral. This charge is designed to reimburse the port for the $46.48 million in terminal upgrades.

This fee will be in addition to a $7.98 per passenger wharfage charge Disney will pay the port, under terms of the new contract, plus dockage, line-handling and harbormaster fees.

Disney's new ships will be similar in size to the Dream and Fantasy — which have a capacity of 4,000 passengers and are 1,115 feet long. One difference is the new ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas.

Murray said two of the three Disney ships that will be based at Port Canaveral will sail on similar itineraries to the current Disney ships based there.

One will have seven-day cruises out of Port Canaveral, departing Saturdays, alternating between the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Another will have four- and three-day cruises out of Port Canaveral, departing Mondays and Fridays, on cruises to the Bahamas.

Murray said the itinerary and cruise length of the third ship is still to be determined.

Plans call for two of the Disney ships to sail from Cruise Terminal 8, and one ship to sail from Cruise Terminal 10.

If port commissioners approve the new 20-year contract with Disney, it will take effect on June 1. The contract also includes provisions for two five-year renewals.

The contract will replace an existing deal between the port and Disney that was scheduled to expire at the end of 2027.

The new wharfage rate of $7.98 per passenger will increase by a minimum of 2.5% a year. If the Consumer Price Index in any year exceeds 4%, the wharfage rate will increase by 1 percentage point less than the CPI.

The port currently charges Disney a wharfage rate of $7.89 per passenger.

Port commisioners on Wednesday also will be asked to approve two contracts for preliminary work on the Cruise Terminals 8 and 10 upgrades, based on recommendation of a selection committee:

• BEA Architects Inc. of Miami for the contract to perform up to $2.45 million in architectural and engineering design and permitting services for landside modifications to the two cruise terminals. Three companies bid on that project.

• Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. of Cape Canaveral for the contract to perform up to $269,931 in work for waterside engineering design and permitting services for the two terminals. Two companies bid on that project.

Dave Berman is government editor at FLORIDA TODAY.

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649

or dberman@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @bydaveberman

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