Disney Unveils Cruise Ship Believe With First Encanto Stage Show
Disney has revealed Believe as the name of its next cruise ship, a floating line-up of new shows, restaurants and themed spaces built around its animated films.
The ship will make its maiden voyage on Dec. 18, 2027, sailing from its homeport at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as reported by Variety. That first sailing heads to the Bahamas, according to ABC News. Afterwards the ship will offer four- and five-night cruises, Disney said in details shared by the Walt Disney Company.
Believe is the ninth ship in the Disney fleet. It joins sister ships Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny. Disney Cruise Line plans to grow to 13 ships in late 2030.
The headline act is Encanto. The first stage adaptation of the 2021 animated film will premiere aboard Believe. The show is being developed exclusively for the ship and will not play elsewhere in the fleet.
Dining gets its own new production. Oaken's Table: A Frozen Family Feast will debut on board, featuring Oaken, Anna and Kristoff from the Frozen films. Guests eat while the characters move through the room, making it part meal and part show.
The ship's public rooms lean heavily on animation. The Grand Hall is described as a living theatre designed to evoke the world of Disney Animation's Moana films. It will act as a central gathering point as well as a performance space.
Elsewhere there is the Wishing Well, a gathering space themed to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Gazelle, an entertainment hub inspired by Zootopia. Sweet teeth are covered by Inside Out: Joyful Sweets, a confectionery inspired by Inside Out 2. Two new cafes themed to Big Hero 6 and Moana complete the announced food and drink line-up.
The reveal followed a week of teasing. Disney scheduled an October 7 livestream to introduce the ship. Ahead of that, the Disney Parks Blog published a sneak-peek feature with clues and porthole puzzles previewing new offerings, as covered by Disney Parks Blog. Disney Cruise Line also held what it called its largest trivia event, hosted by Trent, with questions pointing to the stories coming to Believe.
What makes this stand out for families is the mix. A first-run stage musical, a character dinner and a set of film-themed rooms give first-time cruisers several entry points, while returning passengers get venues they have not seen on other Disney ships.
