Disney Cruise Line and the Port of San Diego have reached a new agreement that will approximately double the number of Disney cruises sailing out of San Diego each year.
The deal runs through at least 2031.
This is great news for those of us who are based on the West Coast.
I am particularly pleased about this as I live in San Diego, and having easy access to more sailings has definitely been on my wish list for many years.
What the Agreement Includes
The new agreement gives Disney Cruise Line non-exclusive priority access to the North and South berths at the B Street cruise terminal.
This is expected to improve the embarkation process for guests and help the port better manage its cruise terminal operations.
Let’s hope that this is the case. The process of embarkation and sometimes disembarkation, has never been a wonderful experience from San Diego. Even though the port is very easy to access by road, plane and even train, the port itself often seems less organized than it should be.
More than 1 million Disney passengers are expected to sail through the port during the length of the agreement.
It’s also the first time in over 20 years that a cruise line has provided a minimum annual guarantee to the Port of San Diego.
“San Diego has been an important part of our West Coast operations for more than a decade, and a place our guests love sailing from,” said Jose Fernandez, Vice President of Port Strategy, Development & Operations at Disney Cruise Line. “This new agreement supports our long-term growth and helps us continue contributing to the region’s economy.”
Port leadership echoed that sentiment. “We are grateful to continue our long-standing relationship with Disney Cruise Line,” said Ann Moore, Chair of the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “This agreement not only enhances business operations between the Port, Disney and all our cruise line partners — it also supports a thriving cruise industry that injects millions into the region’s economy and welcomes thousands of visitors to our waterfront each year.”
More Itineraries for West Coast Guests
The expanded partnership means more sailing options for guests on the West Coast, including trips to:
- Catalina Island
- Baja, Mexico
- The Mexican Riviera, including Cabo San Lucas, Ensenada, and Puerto Vallarta
This builds on a separate agreement Disney reached within the last year for preferential access to Catalina Island through September 2030, with two optional five-year renewals.
2026-2027 San Diego Season
Two Disney ships will sail from San Diego during the 2026-2027 season.
The Disney Magic arrives in October 2026, offering three- to seven-night voyages through November. It will then sail a 14-night Panama Canal transit to Galveston.
The Disney Wonder will homeport in San Diego from October 2026 through April 2027, sailing three- to seven-night itineraries to Catalina Island, Cabo San Lucas, Ensenada, and Puerto Vallarta.
It will be interesting to see if one ship homeports in San Diego year round. This year, 2 ships will be sailing to Alaska during the summer months. Perhaps if there are 2 ships based on the West Coast permanently only one will go to Alaska, and leave the other in San Diego year round.
Most likely DCL is waiting to see how the San Diego and Alaska itineraries sell this season – and there have been an unprecedented amount of discounts for Disney cruises to Alaska this year.
Another point of speculation is will Disney Cruise Line send one of the other, newer ships to the West Coast. Whilst the classic ships, Disney Wonder and Disney Magic, are still highly desirable ships, having one of the newer builds would surely boost bookings.
Community Involvement
Disney Cruise Line has sailed from San Diego since 2012 and has worked with local organizations including Junior Achievement of San Diego and San Diego Coastkeepers on youth development and environmental conservation efforts.
Part of Disney’s Broader Expansion
This agreement is one piece of Disney Cruise Line’s larger growth plan, which will expand the fleet from eight ships to 13 by 2031.
With additional ships on the way and increased capacity at key ports like San Diego, Disney is positioning itself for significant West Coast growth over the next several years. It will certainly be interesting to see how that plan evolves.
Alison Meacham is the founder of EverythingMouse Disney Blog. For over 15 years she has shared her love of Disney Parks, Disney Cruises and Universal Orlando. In over 30 years of Disney Travel she has spent countless months in Disney Parks and has sailed on over 60 cruises. A British native and now a United States resident she splits her time between California, Florida and the UK. And spends a serious amount of time sailing the seven seas. She helps over 250,000 people per month follow their Disney travel dreams.