Disney buys world’s biggest cruise ship destined for scrapyard

The world’s biggest cruise ship has been bought by Disney after 10 months on the market, saving it from being sold for scrap.

The 9,000-passenger, 20-deck vessel, Global Dream II, was designed with an outdoor waterpark and a plush cinema, but has never left the dock.

Built by German-Hong Kong business MV Werften, it was abandoned after the company filed for bankruptcy in January 2022.

Disney confirmed on Wednesday that it had bought the vessel for “a favourable price”, though the company did not disclose the sum.

“Disney cruise ships provide the unique opportunity to bring Disney magic to fans no matter where they are, and the addition of this ship will make a Disney Cruise Line vacation accessible to more families than ever before,” said Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

The entertainment giant said it planned to “reimagine” the Global Dream II before it officially joins Disney Cruise Line in 2025, working with MV Werften to complete the vessel at their Wismar shipyard.

The mega-liner reportedly cost $1.8bn (£1.51bn) to build.

Along with sibling ship Global Dream, it would have been the world’s biggest cruise ship by passenger capacity.

In June MV Werften administrator Christoph Morgen told a press conference that the ship would be scrapped for parts.

Mr Morgen said that the company’s shipyard in Wismar had been sold to Thyssenkrupp’s naval unit, which will use it to build military vessels.

One of the issues in reselling the Global Dream vessels is that they were designed for the Asian market, according to German cruise magazine An Bord.

It reported that the “cabin, deck and propulsion system” of the ships would need considerable changes before they would be suitable for use in Europe or North America.

In October, Royal Caribbean announced plans for a new cruise ship which, when built, will be the largest liner in the world by size.

The Icon of the Seas will launch in January 202, overtaking the Wonder of the Seas, another Royal Caribbean cruise liner that currently holds the title.

The Wonder of the Seas can accommodate 6,988 passengers – more than 2,000 fewer than the Global Dream II – but measures 362m long and 64m wide to Global’s 342m length and 46m width.