Disney Cruise Line won’t be returning to Australia and New Zealand for the 2026/2027 season.

🛳️ TL;DR - Disney Cruise Line Australia 2026/27

Australia and New Zealand will not be on the 2026/2027 DCL schedule
The 2025/2026 will be the last chance to sail the Disney Wonder locally — for now
The Disney Adventure from Singapore will be the closest option for Australians
Disney likely shifting focus to Asia-Pacific markets including Japan.

Yahoo! News has reported that Disney Cruise Line has confirmed it will not return for the 2026/2027 season.

Yahoo! reports that Tristan, from Disney Cruise Line’s shoreside guest services leadership team, stated:

"We are currently going to be sailing in the Australia and New Zealand region up until February 2026. We will not return for the 2026/2027 season…Sailings from Australia and New Zealand remain on our list for future consideration, however since future itineraries have not been released past the 2026/2027 season, we're not able to make any comments on that regrettably.”

This disappointing news follows months of speculation. From the tantalising rumours in February that the Disney Magic would replace the Wonder to the apparent confirmation from Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland port authorities of a fourth season, Aussie cruisers had hoped for another year.

But when VicPorts quietly removed their Disney Melbourne listings in late July/early August, the writing was on the wall. Port Authority of NSW followed suit a few days later. With this latest itinerary update, Disney has effectively put a full stop on its time in Australia and New Zealand.

We have to admit we’re more than a little saddened by this. The New Year’s Eve cruise on Disney had become a small annual tradition for us. We watched fireworks at sea leaving Noumea in 2023/2024, saw Hobart put on a show for 2024/2025, and plan to do it all again for the 2025/2026 celebrations. We’ve come to know all the nooks and crannies of the Disney Wonder, and we’ll miss those lazy summer days spent in the Crown & Finn or enjoying a plant-based drawer burger up on deck.

✨ Feeling nostalgic already? You might also like our reviews of the 2023–24 and 2024–25 Disney Magic at Sea seasons — packed with shipboard highlights, tips and photos.

Timeline: how we got here

July 2024: Australian port calendars reveal that Disney has secured dates in Sydney and Eden, with Melbourne and Auckland added shortly after.
February 2025: Cruise Passenger posts early rumours circulating that Disney Magic may replace the Wonder in Australia, following its repositioning from the West Coast. This never came to fruition: the Magic appeared on the Port of Galveston schedule for November and December 2026.
April 2025: Disney Cruise Line offers its largest sale to date — offering 30% off upcoming sailings — for new and existing bookings amid persistent speculation about slow bookings.
July 2025: Guests booked on the 2025/2026 season are informed that the Marvel Deck Party will be removed, suggesting a potential downsizing of onboard experiences.
Late July 2025: VicPorts (Melbourne) quietly removes all Disney Cruise Line listings from its public calendar.
August 2025: Port Authority NSW removes Disney from the schedule. Disney confirms cancellation with media.

A shift in strategy — or demand?

The news isn’t entirely surprising. Industry chatter had already flagged soft bookings for 2025/26, and Disney Cruise Line’s decision to pull out of Australia reflects a broader shift in global cruise strategy.

Virgin Voyages exited the Australian market after just one season, P&O Australia is being absorbed into Carnival, and several cruise lines will no longer be home-ported locally — all contributing to what Cruise Passenger reports as a 35% drop in cruise capacity for the 2026/27 season. Disney’s departure only deepens the blow.

With the Disney Adventure launching in December 2025 and Southeast Asia fast emerging as a new cruise hub, Singapore is set to become a key player in Disney’s Asia-Pacific cruise plans. Disney CEO Bob Iger described the new ship as a “floating ambassador for the Disney brand” during Disney’s Q3 earnings call, saying it would bring “the Disney brand in all of its glory” to a region with “huge Disney brand affinity” (Travel Weekly). That affinity comes from the established presence of parks in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

According to SeaTrade News, Disney’s Experiences division — which includes parks and cruises — saw a $294 million bump in operating income last quarter, reaching $2.5 billion. But the fine print shows a $30 million hit from cruise-related pre-opening costs. That figure is expected to grow to $50 million in Q4 and hit $185 million for the year — clear signs of heavy investment in what’s next at sea.

After all, Australian ports — especially Sydney and Melbourne — are among the most expensive in the world. Between Port Authority charges and “good neighbour” levies, the cost of sailing from Australia may simply be too high for Disney Cruise Line. With those costs often passed on to travellers, it’s easy to see why bookings may have struggled to keep pace.

*Happier times: Disney Wonder on its first voyage into Sydney Harbour in October 2023.*

Where can Australians cruise on Disney now?

Australians and New Zealanders can still enjoy the 2025/2026 season when the Disney Wonder returns in October 2025, sailing through to February 2026 before heading back to Hawaii.

After that, Singapore becomes the nearest Disney Cruise Line port, with the launch of the Disney Adventure in December 2025. In fact, it may be slightly more affordable for many Australian travellers to cruise from Singapore than from local ports — and with more consistency. The Adventure offers a large ship with year-round itineraries, although the average flight time from Sydney and Melbourne to Singapore is between 7 and 8 hours.

Beyond Singapore, Disney plans to expand heavily in Japan, with multiple ships set to operate from Tokyo ports by 2028 — including a new Wish-class vessel similar to the Wish, Treasure, and Destiny.

Meanwhile, the Disney Wonder is anticipated to continue sailing along the West Coast of North America, including voyages from Vancouver and Alaska. The US is, of course, the largest single home to Disney Cruises, with Florida-based ports hosting the Disney Dream, Fantasy, Treasure and Wish at the moment. The Disney Destiny launches in November 2025.

➡️ Thinking of sailing on the Adventure? Here’s a closer look at Disney Adventure’s adult areas & deck plans.

Concept art of the Disney Adventure's Wayfinder Bay. — *Concept art of Wayfinder Bay on the Disney Adventure showcases a much larger space.*

Want to keep cruising Disney outside the US?

If you’re still hoping to enjoy the magic at sea, Disney Cruise Line now offers sailings in Europe, the UK, Canada, Singapore, and soon Japan—proving that you don’t have to live in the US to cruise with Disney.

We’ve already planned trips aboard the Disney Adventure and Disney Dream next year, along with lots of other non-cruise travel, so stay tuned for our reviews and comparisons. You’ll definitely see us on the Wonder a few times in 2025/2026 as well, so don’t be a stranger.

➡️ Check out our full guide: Disney cruises beyond the US: where to find the magic at sea.

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