Giant £900m cruise ship saved from scrapyard bought by Disney for slashed price
The £900million mega cruise ship saved from the scrapheap before its first voyage was bought by new owners Disney for a shockingly low knockdown price.
Earlier this year, we reported how the Global Dream ship had been sitting inside a German shipyard alongside its sister ship Global Dream II.
The latter was waiting to have some of its fixtures as well as its engines ripped out and sold – as it had already been decided that it would not be worth selling whole.
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But the Global Dream ship was still clinging on for dear life, with bosses welcoming bids over the next few months.
It was built by MV Wefrten and accommodates more passengers than any other cruise ship.
The ship was owned by Genting Hong Kong, but they filed for bankruptcy at the start of this year.
It was eventually bought by Disney to add to its Disney Cruise line.
Initially, it was reported the price was thought to be in the region of £1.4billion by the time repair works and redecorating had taken place.
Huge £900m cruise ship that holds 9,000 may be scrapped before ever setting sail
But it has now been revealed the giant ship has been picked up for a ridiculously low price of just £40million, according to Capital.de, which also claims the Swedish Stena group had shown an interest in buying it.
The purchase has also been done without any warranty claims as Disney are going to finish building it at their own risk and expense.
Giant 9,000-person ship must sell for £900m or it'll be scrapped before first voyage
The artwork-adorned hull is set for a total rebrand, featuring the classic “hull art” of Disney Cruise's black and gold patterns with the world famous Mickey Mouse logo featuring heavily on it.
Giant 9,000-person cruise ship sent to scrap heap – before it's ever set sail
It will also have its engines changed so it will use methanol for fuel, making it one of the first in the cruise industry to be “fuelled by green methanol” instead of diesel, like many are now.
Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products said when the purchase was announced at the end of last year: “Our cruise ships give us 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.”
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Yolanda Cade, Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs at Disney Signature Experiences, added: “The ship will be renamed with certain features reimagined under the world-renowned expertise of Walt Disney Imagineers.
“The new ship, to be based outside the United States, will feature innovative Disney experiences along with the dazzling entertainment, world-class dining and legendary guest service that set Disney Cruise Line apart.
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“Construction will be completed at the former MV Werften shipyard in Wismar, Germany, under the management of Meyer Werft, the Papenburg-based company that built the Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish.”
Bookings for its maiden voyage are expected to be available some time in 2024.
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