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An emergency medical evacuation was underway aboard one of the Disney Cruise Line’s fleet on Tuesday morning, calling for the ship’s return to Port Everglades.
The Disney Dream/Credit: Disney Cruise Line
A Growing and Magical Fleet
Disney Cruise Line is owned by The Walt Disney Company and falls under the division of Parks, Experiences, and Products within the company. It was established in 1995, the year it launched its very first fleet member–a beautiful ship named the Disney Magic. Currently, Disney Cruise Line boasts not one, but five ships in its magical fleet: the Disney Magic, the Disney Wonder, the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy, and the Disney Wish.
More ships are coming, and one ship is under construction at a shipyard in Germany at this time. Upon completion, the new ship, the news about which was first shared at the 2022 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California, will be christened the “Disney Treasure.”
The Disney Treasure under construction/Credit: DCL Fan
Related: Disney Treasure Cruise Ship to Feature the First-Ever Haunted Mansion-Themed Experience at Sea
Credit: Disney Cruise Line
The Disney Cruise Line was established in 1995 with the launch of its first ship, the Disney Magic. Since then, the fleet has expanded to include several other ships, including the Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and more.
Medical Emergency Leads to Evacuation
According to ThemeParkExpress on X, formally Twitter, the Disney Dream cruise ship was forced to return to Port Everglades early Tuesday morning in response to a medical emergency that required an evacuation of the vessel.
The Disney Dream returned to Port Everglades early this morning due to a medical evacuation. They were scheduled for Castaway Cay today but will now be arriving “after lunchtime,” according to the captain. No word on how long guests will be staying on the island.
The Disney Dream returned to Port Everglades early this morning due to a medical evacuation. They were scheduled for Castaway Cay today but will now be arriving “after lunch time” according to the captain. No word on how long guests will be staying on the island. pic.twitter.com/CW0KRk2pj7
— Theme Park Express (@ThemeParkExpres) November 21, 2023
While medical emergencies are rare during a cruise, they happen from time to time, and Disney Cruise Line contracts with a third-party entity to provide onboard medical staff who are available to assist with medical emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Disney Wonder/Credit: Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is Prepared
But occasionally, passengers aboard a Disney Cruise Line ship face medical emergencies that cannot be properly addressed at sea, even by the licensed medical professionals stationed on the ships. In this scenario, the ship may undergo an emergency medical evacuation, sometimes referred to as a med evac.
In the past, Disney has contacted the Coast Guard to assist with medical evacuations. In April 2022, passengers aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship faced an unplanned delay in their itinerary when a guest experienced an episode of uncontrolled bleeding, which called for the guest’s evacuation from the ship for treatment.
Medical Evacuation aboard the Disney Wonder/Credit: United States Coast Guard
Because each situation is different, the scenario is handled as necessary on a case-by-case basis as part of Disney’s established protocols and procedures are followed.
Details about the emergency that led to a medical evacuation aboard the Disney Dream on Tuesday are few, and as this is a breaking story, more information will be shared and updated as it becomes available.
