🚢 Disney Cruise Line Announces Summer 2027 Itineraries — What Families Need to Know
- Practically Perfect Pixie Dust
- 16 hours ago
- 6 min read
Disney Cruise Line released its Summer 2027 sailings (May–September 2027) today, and while Disney has cruised multiple regions before, this announcement still quietly changes how families should plan a cruise.
The new itineraries include European sailings on the Disney Wish, Alaska cruises from Vancouver, and Caribbean sailings from Florida, along with booking dates and the return of themed experiences like Marvel Day at Sea and Pixar Day at Sea.
So what’s actually different this time isn’t where Disney is sailing — it’s which ships are sailing where.
For 2027, Disney is reshuffling the fleet in a way we really haven’t seen before, especially involving the ship most first-time cruisers request.
The Big News: The Disney Wish Is Heading to Europe
For Summer 2027, the Disney Wish will relocate from Port Canaveral to Europe for its first full European season.
The ship will sail itineraries ranging from 3 to 10 nights visiting destinations such as:
the Norwegian fjords
the Mediterranean
United Kingdom departures
new ports including Zadar (Croatia), Trieste near Venice (Italy), and Hellesylt (Norway)
Before anyone panics:
The Wish is NOT leaving Florida for all of 2027.
Winter and spring 2027 sailings — including spring break — will still depart from Port Canaveral as normal. The ship moves to Europe after the spring season and is expected to return afterward.
Why this matters:The Disney Wish has become Disney’s “starter cruise” ship. It’s the one families specifically request because it includes:
• Princess dining
• Marvel dining
• Star Wars: Hyperspace Lounge
• AquaMouse
Putting that ship in Europe will likely make European Disney cruises appealing to many first-time cruisers instead of mostly repeat cruisers.
🧚♀️ Pixie Dust Pro Tip: If a European Disney cruise has ever been on your someday list,
2027 may be one of the most family-friendly opportunities Disney has offered.
If you’ve never cruised before, understanding how embarkation day works makes the whole process feel much less intimidating.
A Special Sailing: The Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise
To reach Europe, the Wish will also offer a transatlantic repositioning sailing from Florida.
These longer sailings are very popular with repeat cruisers and adults because they include many relaxing sea days, lower per-night pricing, and the chance to experience a Disney ship without the typical short-cruise pace.
Florida Cruises Are Changing (But Not Disappearing)
With the Disney Wish in Europe for the summer, short Bahamas sailings aren’t going away — they’re shifting ships.
For Summer 2027:
Disney Dream returns to Port Canaveral for 3- and 4-night Bahamas sailings
Disney Fantasy will offer 4- and 5-night Bahamas and Caribbean cruises plus a 10-night Southern Caribbean
Disney Destiny (launched late 2025) sails from Fort Lauderdale on 3-, 4-, 5- and select 7-night cruises
Disney Treasure continues 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings
What This Means for Planning
So how does this actually affect families? The biggest impact will be on short Disney cruises departing from Port Canaveral — the sailings many families add onto a Walt Disney World vacation.
For Summer 2027, the Disney Wish moves to Europe and its Port Canaveral schedule shifts primarily to the Disney Dream. While the Dream is a wonderful ship, it carries fewer guests than the Wish, which means fewer staterooms available for those quick 3- and 4-night Bahamas trips.
Those short cruises are extremely popular with:
• first-time cruisers
• families testing whether they like cruising
• guests pairing a cruise with a Disney World trip
Because of that, the change likely won’t eliminate availability — but it may concentrate demand.
You may see:
• popular dates booking earlier
• verandah staterooms disappearing faster
• school breaks filling quickly
However, week-long cruise vacations are much less affected. Families planning a full cruise or a Walt Disney World + cruise combination still have strong options. The Disney Treasure continues 7-night Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral, so longer trips paired with the parks should feel very similar to previous years.
In other words: Short add-on cruises may require earlier planning in 2027, while traditional week-long Disney cruises should remain relatively normal to book.
🧚♀️ Pixie Dust Pro Tip: If you’re hoping to add a 3- or 4-night cruise after a summer Walt Disney World trip, that’s the scenario where booking early will matter most.
If you’re newer to cruising, Disney Cruise Line actually works a little differently than most cruise lines - we break down the biggest differences here.
The Double-Island Cruises Continue
Disney will continue sailings that visit both of its private island destinations:
• Castaway Cay
• Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point
These first appeared in 2025 after Lookout Cay opened, and Disney is now expanding them across multiple ships and itineraries.
These sailings effectively combine a cruise and a Disney beach vacation into one trip, and they’ve already been among the fastest-filling itineraries we’ve seen.
🧚♀️ Pixie Dust Pro Tip: Two cruises may be the same length and price, but a double-island itinerary can feel like a completely different vacation.
Alaska Returns With Two Ships
Both the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder will again sail to Alaska from Vancouver.
The Wonder offers 7-night sailings, while the Magic will offer 6-, 7-, and 8-night options.
This continues Disney’s newer two-ship Alaska deployment (which began in 2026) and improves availability, though peak summer weeks will still book quickly due to school schedules.
(We’ll actually be sailing Alaska on the Magic this May, so expect firsthand planning tips soon 👀)
Southeast Asia Sailings Continue
The Disney Adventure will continue shorter sailings from Singapore through summer 2027 as Disney expands its international cruise market.
This doesn’t directly affect most U.S. travelers, but it helps explain why ships are rotating regions more frequently.
Marvel Day at Sea & Pixar Day at Sea Return
Disney also confirmed themed sailings will return in 2027:
Marvel Day at Sea
Select Disney Magic sailings from Galveston
Character encounters, shows, and themed entertainment
Pixar Day at Sea
Select 5-night Disney Fantasy sailings from Port Canaveral
Activities and entertainment themed to Pixar films
These are regular cruises with one special themed day onboard and tend to book quickly with families.
When You Can Book Summer 2027
Disney uses a staggered early-booking system based on Castaway Club status.
Early booking begins February 16, 2026 and general public booking opens February 23, 2026
Booking order:
• Pearl — Feb 16
• Platinum — Feb 17
• Gold — Feb 18
• Silver — Feb 19
• Disney Vacation Club Members — Feb 19
• General Public — Feb 23
Why this matters: By the time general booking opens, the most desirable stateroom categories — especially verandahs and family cabins — are often already limited.
You can browse specific sailing dates and ports directly on Disney Cruise Line’s official Summer 2027 itinerary page to see which ships match your travel window. If you look at the itineraries and start thinking “okay… but which one actually fits our trip?” that’s exactly where I can help — I’m happy to walk through options with you.
🧚♀️ Pixie Dust Pro Tip: If you’re considering a 2027 cruise, it helps to start planning before the public booking date so we can watch pricing and be ready when reservations open.
Our Cruise Era So Far (Start Here): If cruising feels a little unfamiliar, this is a good place to start — we explain the basics the way we wish someone had explained them to us.
What This Actually Means for Planning
On the surface this looks like a normal itinerary release.In reality, it changes the order families should plan a Disney cruise.
Instead of:“Pick a date, then a ship”
You now want to:
Pick a destination (Caribbean, Alaska, or Europe)
Choose the ship sailing there
Then pick your dates
Because starting in 2027, the ship you want may not be sailing from the place you expect.
The biggest takeaway:Disney Cruise Line is beginning to operate more like a year-round global vacation company — and planning timelines are starting to look much more like Walt Disney World trip planning, where booking earlier often makes a big difference.
Quick Answers About Disney Cruise Line 2027 Sailings
When can you book Disney Cruise Line Summer 2027 cruises?
Castaway Club booking begins February 16, 2026 and general booking opens February 23, 2026.
Is the Disney Wish leaving Florida permanently?
No. The Disney Wish will still sail from Port Canaveral in early 2027 and relocates to Europe only for the summer season.
Will there still be cruises from Port Canaveral in Summer 2027?
Yes. The Disney Dream and Disney Treasure will continue sailing from Port Canaveral while the Disney Wish sails in Europe.
Will Alaska Disney cruises continue in 2027?
Yes. Both the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder will sail Alaska itineraries from Vancouver.
So Should You Change Your Plans?
Probably not — but you may want to change your timing.
Disney Cruise Line didn’t make cruises harder to take in 2027. What changed is which sailings will be the most competitive to book. Short summer cruises from Port Canaveral may require earlier planning, while week-long cruises and Walt Disney World + cruise vacations should feel very similar to previous years.
If you’ve been considering a Disney cruise “someday,” this release actually helps narrow decisions. The ships and itineraries are becoming more specialized, which means choosing the right one matters more than simply picking a date.
Pixie Dust Hugs,
Bren, Lyn, and Kim
P.S. If you end up leaning toward a Disney cruise, I’m happy to help you choose the right sailing and handle the reservation details so you can just focus on the fun parts. Reach out here: Book with Bren, or email me at Brenda.Long@MEI-travel.com.
