Originally meant to have an inaugural sailing in early June, the Disney Wish maiden voyage has been pushed back to mid-July due to construction delays related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the Omicron variant.

We thought we’d be able to celebrate the maiden voyage of the Disney Wish on June 9, 2022, but, well, that was just wishful thinking.

Unfortunately, Disney announced today that its original schedule for the Disney Wish’s first few sailings will have to be altered to accommodate continued construction in Germany. You know, because sailing without a whole ship is inadvisable.

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When is the Disney Wish Maiden Voyage?

Photo courtesy of Disney

The Disney Wish’s maiden voyage is scheduled for July 14, 2022. The ship will leave Port Canaveral, Florida and set sail for Nassau, Bahamas. Guests will also enjoy a stop at Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s exclusive port of call for their Bahamian and Caribbean Cruise vacations.

Passengers who were lucky enough to get tickets for the Disney Wish’s maiden voyage were given the opportunity to buy Disney Wish merch before anyone else during an exclusive pre-sale event. The best part? Their merch will be waiting for them on embarkation day! 

What makes inaugural sailings so exciting is that passengers are some of the first people to experience life on the ship. From the food to the entertainment, it’s all new! It’s a milestone for passengers and crew, so you might receive a special welcome from the Captain when you board and from locals when you arrive at a port of call. 

As you may expect with these early sailings, there’ll likely be some kinks for the crew to still work out. But Disney always have plenty of magic to make up for it. 

Back in 2011, the Disney Dream’s maiden voyage hosted a Sailing Away deck party among other activities. The inaugural sailing also included a presentation of Disney’s current projects in development. It was actually the first time anyone saw the logo for the new Muppets movie. 

Watch the Disney Wish Maiden Voyage

Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

The debut and christening of the Disney Wish will take place LIVE on June 29 at 11 AM ET over on the Disney Parks Blog. The ceremony livestream will also be available to watch on their Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and TikTok.

Viewers will get their first look at some of the ship’s most highly anticipated features. So if you’re itching to get a sneak peek of AquaMouse (Disney Cruise Line’s first-ever attraction at sea), Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure, Worlds of Marvel (an epic Marvel dining adventure), and the newly reimagined Oceaneer Club with two new kid-friendly experiences … brew up a mug of your favorite at-home Joffrey’s blend and tune into the livestream on Disney Parks Blog!

But the fun doesn’t have to stop when the livestream ends. Why not come along with us as we sail on the Disney Wish? WDW Magazine co-owners, Stephanie and Danny, as well as our Communications Director, Tatjana, and Social Media Coordinator, Aly, will be documenting their first-hand experiences aboard the Disney Wish all day long. To follow their adventures, head over to our dedicated social media channels for all things Disney Cruise Line:

• DCL Magazine Instagram
• DCL Magazine Facebook

Why Was the Disney Wish Maiden Voyage Cancelled

Enjoy the view high above the Disney Wish. Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

If you were booked to go on one of the inaugural sailings on the Disney Wish, you likely received notification today that your trip has been cancelled. As much of a bummer as that is, know that it was for good reason.

The Meyer Werft shipyard, which has been hard at work for a while now on the construction of the Disney Wish, contacted Disney to confirm the delay. This is because the Omicron variant has been particularly detrimental in Germany, where the Disney Wish is being constructed.

Because of construction delays, the Disney Wish won’t be ready for her maiden voyage.

So Your Disney Wish Cruise Was Cancelled … Now What?

Never fear! Guests who were booked on that inaugural sailing will be able to set sail on the new Disney Wish maiden voyage date of July 14, 2022—and at a 50% discount. That means they can still have the honor of being the first to set sail on the Disney Wish, and it’ll only cost half as much.

But because not everyone can just jet off on vacation whenever they want, Disney is also offering either a 50% discount on a future cruise departing by Dec. 31, 2023 (nearly two years away) or a full refund.

And because the delayed maiden voyage of the Disney Wish would have a domino effect on other sailings, those who had booked a cruise on the Disney Wish leading up to the new sail date will receive a similar offer: 50% off a future cruise by Dec. 31, 2023, or a full refund. (Those cruises have just been canceled instead of delayed.)

While Disney processes all these changes, they’ve paused current sales of Disney Wish voyages. But this pause won’t last long. Disney plans to have everything squared away and Disney Wish cruise sales available again on Feb. 8.

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Not sure if you’re going? You can just get more information about a potential Disney vacation.

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