Disney Cruise Line Shows Commitment to Sailing Alaska!

Disney Cruise Line Shows Commitment to Sailing Alaska!

On July 22^nd, 2026 Disney Cruise Line and the Huna Totem Corporation signed an agreement for preferred docking at Ice Straight for DCL ships.

 

Here are the known take aways:

• Disney gets their choice of dock location once per week.
• Disney agrees to stop at Icy Straight once per week during the summer season.
• Disney agrees to bring a predetermined number of guests of guests each season.
• This contract will be up for renewal in 2040.

 

Here is what we don’t know:

• What day each week DCL will port at Icy Straight.
• How much extra is DCL paying for the preferred dock.
• How many people does DCL agree to bring to Icy Straight each week/season.
• What ship will be going there.

 

What does this agreement tell us about the future of DCL and Summer Alaskan Cruises:

• DCL went from 1 ship to 2 ships sailing in Alaska for the summers with Magic joining Wonder in this year, 2026.
• DCL is committed to continuing sailing to Alaska in the long term.
• Alaska Cruises are lucrative for DCL and other lines.

 

What do I see happening:

At this point in time there are 3 different contracts, both involving Disney Magic and Wonder that, when looked at together give us some very interesting possibilities for West Coast and Alaska Cruising.

First DCL signed a contract with Catalina Island for preferred port status in 2025:

• There are several interesting things. DCL will pay extra per guests when they port there for the preferred port status.
• This contract is good for 5 years with 2 possible 5 year renewal clauses. It will last until 2035 but could be lengthened.
• Starting mid September, 2027 and continuing to mid May, 2028,  DCL Magic and Wonder will  stop at Catalina Island twice per week. Both ships are named in the Contract. Starting mid May 2028 there will be 1 ships stopping at Catalina per week. To make it simple. Mid September to Mid-May 2 ships will stop at Catalina. From Mid-May to Mid-September only 1 ship will stop at Catalina.
• The contract between DCL and Catalina specifies Magic and Wonder will be the 2 main ships porting there but it does says there may be a 3^rd unnamed ship docking there.

The second contract signed was with San Diego, Ca. DCL has signed an agreement to have as many as 2 ships at San Diego year-round.

• The San Diego Port Contract is like the Catalina Island Contract. It states that Magic and Wonder will be there.
• It does not mention any 3^rd ship but that does not mean there can not be.
• It says the same schedule of 2 ships vs 1 ship as the Catalina Island.

 

If we put the 3 contracts together I believe it is saying there will be as many as 3 ships between San Diego, Ca and Alaska sailings. Let me break that down.

• Starting in 2027 Mid-September to Mid May both Disney Magic and Wonder will be sailing out of San Diego doing Baja and Mexican Cruises of various lengths. They will continue doing this until 2040 at least.

Starting 2028 Mid-May to Mid-September

• I believe a 3^rd ship, this is my speculation, will join Magic and Wonder in San Diego in April or Early May doing one or 2 short sailings to Mexico/Baja.
• Mid-May 2 of the 3 ships will go to Alaska for the summer season.
• The 3^rd ship will stay in San Diego for the summer sailing season going to Mexico and Baja.
• In 2028 Mid-September the 2 ships that went to Alaska will return to San Diego. Disney Magic and Wonder will go back to sailing Baja and Mexican cruises from San Diego. The 3^rd ship will go to the East Coast or maybe Texas to do sailings from one of those 3 ports.