Disney Cruise Line bets big on the Asian market with Disney Adventure

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia, Editor-in-Chief

SINGAPORE — Disney Cruise Line (DCL) expects its newest and biggest cruise ship, the Disney Adventure, to be a game changer in the tourism industry in Asia, a company executive said.

The Disney Adventure, the first DCL ship based in Asia, is set to launch its maiden voyage from its homeport of Singapore on March 10.

Sarah M. Fox, DCL vice-president and regional general manager, told BusinessWorld the company is banking on the region’s growing cruise market and the Asians’ love for the Disney brand.

“We like to say that Disney Adventure is completely game-changing. She’s nothing like anything that’s been seen in the region,” Ms. Fox said in an interview on board the Disney Adventure on March 7.

“Cruising is something that there’s lots of potential and lots of growth (in Asia). And I think bringing something of this scale, quality-level experience to the region is going to compel people to cruise,” she added.

Ms. Fox said the Disney Adventure, which was first announced in mid-2023, has been seeing a significant interest from the Asian market. 

“For the first time, our guests in the region are able to enjoy Disney Cruise Line closer to home. And we’ve already seen a great response from the region. About 80% of our guests are first-time cruise passengers, which is great,” she said.

The cruise market in Asia is seeing strong growth after the slump during the pandemic. Asia accounted for 2.6 million cruise passengers in 2024, up 13% from the previous year, according to latest data from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The top market is China (35.7%), followed by Singapore (22.1%), India (11.8%) and Japan (8.7%). 

The Philippines only accounted for 0.9% share of the Asian market in 2024, CLIA data showed, but this is expected to grow significantly with the entry of Disney Adventure.

The popularity of Disney characters, films and shows in the Philippines is boosting interest in the Adventure cruise.

“The Philippine market has been extremely responsive to Disney Adventure, and it’s not surprising to us. I think the Philippines has a great love for our Disney stories and storytelling and also (because of) multi-generational travel,” Ms. Fox said.

Aside from the Filipino market, the Disney Adventure is also expected to attract guests from China, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries.

For the Disney Adventure, she said the company was really focused on “bringing the hallmarks of Disney Cruise Line and then really thinking about our Southeast Asian guests and what will appeal to them.”

“It’s the only ship where Disney, Pixar, and Marvel stories… over 100 years of storytelling come alive. And our guests get to experience that in many different ways,” the Disney executive said.

The Disney Adventure will have the entire voyage at sea, either three- or four-day sailings. It starts and ends in Singapore, with no port calls.

Based on their research, Ms. Fox said the Disney cruise guests enjoy the days at sea.

“It gives our guests a chance to really explore everything that’s on board. So, when we began to design Disney Adventure and we really reimagined what the ship could be. We like to think of her as both the journey and the destination,” she said.

Guests at the Disney Adventure will have no problem filling their days at sea, as they can explore seven themed areas, including Marvel Landing, Toy Story Place, San Fransokyo Street, and Wayfinder Bay.

One of the highlights on the cruise is the Marvel-themed Ironcycle Test Run — the first-ever roller coaster on a Disney Cruise ship — and a new musical Remember that was developed exclusively for the Disney Adventure.

The Adventure has a capacity of 6,700 passengers, plus around 3,000 crew that includes around 50 different nationalities. A large proportion of crew is from the Philippines, Indonesia, and other Southeast Asian countries.

“It’s the ratio of guests to crew that really makes the Disney Cruise Line experience, like it’s like two to one. Our crew really are our ‘Disney difference’… They deliver an exceptional guest experience,” Ms. Fox said.

Singapore is the homeport for the Adventure for at least five years.

Asked why Singapore was chosen, Ms. Fox said: “Singapore has always been a gateway for Asia. It’s a combination of the (airport and port) infrastructure, the ability and ease for our guests to come on vacation, as well as the city itself.”