
On June 9, 2022, Disney’s newest cruise ship, the Disney Wish, will set sail and take Guests on the ultimate trip to the Bahamas. The ship will join Disney’s fleet of four other amazing ships — the Disney Magic, the Disney Wonder, the Disney Dream, and the Disney Fantasy — and will have one-of-a-kind experiences, including an Incredibles-themed obstacle course and the first “attraction at sea”, the Aquamouse. While the Disney Wish will be a part of an incredible fleet, it will be different from the others in one major aspect — it may not be able to dock at Disney’s newest Florida port.
Disney recently announced that it would be adding Port Everglades to the list of its docking locations. The 15-year lease agreement with Port Everglades will begin in 2023 and is a big win for Disney, as the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area — where Port Everglades is located — is the top cruise location in the United States. However, Port Everglades is unable to handle ships that run on liquified natural gas, like the Disney Wish.
Liquified natural gas is quickly becoming one of the top ways to fuel new cruise ships, as it is one of the cleanest, non-electric fuels available to them, which also means that it is better for the environment. Cruise ships that run on liquified natural gas must dock in ports that have liquified natural gas tanks and cryogenic pipelines that can get the fuel to the ships. Port Everglades does not have such a system in place and there are currently no plans to put one in.
While Port Everglades does not have plans to build the proper tanks and pipelines for ships that run on LNG, it is possible that they could change their plans and decide to install them. Liquified natural gas seems as though it will become the norm with cruise ships, and we know that Disney Wish will use LNG, so Port Everglades may find themselves falling behind their competitors if they do not adapt.
Neither Disney nor Port Everglades officials have commented on the status of the Disney Wish when it comes to Disney’s newest port of call.