Photo: Frank Behling / AnBoard.de
All industries were hit very hard by the international health crisis of 2020, and the cruise industry was no exception. For very understandable reasons, people could not and, later on, would not spend extended periods of time clustered with strangers and no possibility of leaving.
Two of the biggest casualties of the said health crisis in the cruise industry are the Global Dream sister ships from now-defunct Genting Hong Kong, which ordered them in 2016 to be operated by Dream Cruises. Designed to herald a new Global-class era, the twin ships were also meant to become the largest in the world by the number of passengers (9,000 guests each) and the second largest by size.
They’re both in Germany now, pending completion and looking at a fate that’s far less impressive than that: Global Dream is 75-80% completed and can’t secure a new buyer, while Global Dream II has been sent to the scrapyard, with some reports saying the yearlong process of taking it apart has already started. Construction on the first ship kicked off in 2018 and on the second one year later, so the lockdowns of early 2020 had a major impact on the timeline of both.
There might still be a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, at least as far as Global Dream is concerned. German publication NDR reports that Walt Disney Group is looking to buy it for the Disney Cruise Line and the North American market. This means that certain adjustments would have to be made since it was originally intended for the Asian market, but with 75% of the build done, the most difficult part would already be out of the way.
NDR says that construction will continue in Germany, in Wismar, under the Meyer shipyard. Confirmation of the sale is pending, as also are details regarding price, but the publication says that it’s expected to be well below the initially reported €1.6 billion, or $1.57 billion at the current exchange rate.
The initial plan for the 343-meter (1,122-foot) Global Dream was for a 20-deck floating city with an astounding interior volume of 208,000 GT and capacity for 9,000 guests and 2,200 crew. Amenities would have been top-notch, including the world’s largest cinema at sea and gigantic entertainment areas for both adults and children.
A new delivery date for 2024 is mentioned. Should it check out, we’re bound to soon find out more about the changes brought to Global Dream, both in terms of layout and amenities. And most likely a new name.
They’re both in Germany now, pending completion and looking at a fate that’s far less impressive than that: Global Dream is 75-80% completed and can’t secure a new buyer, while Global Dream II has been sent to the scrapyard, with some reports saying the yearlong process of taking it apart has already started. Construction on the first ship kicked off in 2018 and on the second one year later, so the lockdowns of early 2020 had a major impact on the timeline of both.
There might still be a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, at least as far as Global Dream is concerned. German publication NDR reports that Walt Disney Group is looking to buy it for the Disney Cruise Line and the North American market. This means that certain adjustments would have to be made since it was originally intended for the Asian market, but with 75% of the build done, the most difficult part would already be out of the way.
NDR says that construction will continue in Germany, in Wismar, under the Meyer shipyard. Confirmation of the sale is pending, as also are details regarding price, but the publication says that it’s expected to be well below the initially reported €1.6 billion, or $1.57 billion at the current exchange rate.
The initial plan for the 343-meter (1,122-foot) Global Dream was for a 20-deck floating city with an astounding interior volume of 208,000 GT and capacity for 9,000 guests and 2,200 crew. Amenities would have been top-notch, including the world’s largest cinema at sea and gigantic entertainment areas for both adults and children.
A new delivery date for 2024 is mentioned. Should it check out, we’re bound to soon find out more about the changes brought to Global Dream, both in terms of layout and amenities. And most likely a new name.
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