Disney Cruise Line won’t be sailing out of Australia and New Zealand after the 2025-26 season wraps up. Disney posted on social media that the Disney Wonder will leave the region after their last cruise wraps up in February 2026.
Disney hasn’t said why they’re pulling out of Australia and New Zealand. Disney Cruise Line representatives simply said the cruise line is “always looking at different destinations to explore with our guests.”
Below is the official announcement on Instagram.
While Disney Cruise Line didn’t rule out returning to the area in the future, it’s clear the current experiment didn’t go as expected. The Disney Wonder began sailing around Australia and New Zealand in October 2023. Now, they’re planning to exit the market less than three years later.
What went wrong? Australia is still believed to be a hot cruising market, and other cruise companies have found success. Disney Cruise Line hasn’t said why they’re leaving, but there’s some educated guesses out there. The most popular idea is that Disney Cruise Line’s premium price was simply too high compared to other options.
Disney Cruise Line is almost always one of the most expensive options out there, and that gap appeared to be even larger with its Australian cruises. Even Disney’s cheapest staterooms came in significantly higher than much larger rooms on other ships. The value didn’t translate compared to more affordable options despite mostly-good reviews.
Disney hasn’t announced where the Disney Wonder will head next.
