Disney Cruise Line teases more St. Maarten calls, NYC comeback
As Disney Cruise Line's next itinerary drop nears, new port clues are giving families plenty to look forward to - including new places to visit and new ways to set sail.
Based on the timing of Disney's previous itinerary releases, the 2027-2028 season of sailings should be released by late August. In the meantime, here's what we know and what we expect to see as Disney continues its global expansion with five more ships slated to join the fleet between 2027 and 2031.
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More Disney cruises will sail to St. Maarten
During the Disney Destiny's inaugural call to Philipsburg, St. Maarten on July 1, island officials confirmed a major expansion of the line's presence there in the years ahead. The call was the first of three scheduled Disney ship visits to the popular Caribbean island in 2026, with a great deal more expected in 2027, and more growth on the horizon as Disney expands its fleet.
"In 2027, that number is expected to grow to approximately 14 calls, and by 2028, we intend to work closely with Port St. Maarten to further expand Disney's presence on our shores," Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Grisha Heyliger-Marten said in a speech during the inaugural visit on board the ship.
This announcement gives family cruisers like me something to watch. As a Florida mom who's already done the classic Bahamian Disney cruise from Port Canaveral, the idea of more Caribbean port-of-call options like St. Maarten for sailings from Florida would certainly make me more likely to consider another Disney cruise for my family.
Disney may bring a cruise ship back to New York City
While St. Maarten makes plans for more Disney cruise calls, cruise sleuths think they've spotted something else exciting brewing 1,600 miles north.
Disney hasn't sailed from New York since 2023, but eagle-eyed fans hoping for the cruise line's return to the region noticed that the Manhattan Cruise Terminal's berthing calendar recently added Disney Cruise Line as a filterable parent company option - which could point to placeholder slots reserved on the port schedule for cruises that aren't yet open for sale.
Related: Insider tips on what to do on a port day
The rumor has picked up steam on Reddit and in Facebook groups, though it's worth noting some longtime cruisers are skeptical, recalling that Disney struggled to fill New York sailings in the past.
While a New York return isn't reflected in Disney's current schedule, which runs through summer 2027, the Manhattan Cruise Terminal schedule is giving Disney cruise fans in the Northeast hope. If they do return, Disney cruises from New York are expected to sail to Bermuda and Canada, as noted on the Disney Cruise Line website from past New York sailings.
Disney to expand cruises from San Diego, and maybe Galveston, too
Disney Cruise Line has confirmed one thing so far: West Coast cruises are expanding. A new five-year Disney Cruise Line homeport agreement with the Port of San Diego signed in April 2026 is expected to double the number of Disney cruises sailing from the port each year.
San Diego is gearing up to homeport two Disney Cruise Line ships in fall 2026, and the new agreement paves the way for seasonal cruises from the port to expand further during the 2027 – 2028 season. That means families can expect a broader range of seasonal itineraries and more frequent Disney cruise departures to Catalina Island, Baja, and the Mexican Riviera.
Related: Is making Disney cruises a tradition worth it? Families weigh in
The next wave of Disney cruise itineraries could also bring the expansion of Disney cruises from Galveston, Texas into year-round sailings. In 2025, Port of Galveston CEO Rodger Rees suggested to the Galveston City Council that Disney was making big plans for Texas. Rees said the cruise line would expand its Galveston sailings to year-round Western Caribbean cruises starting in 2027, and would likely homeport a newer, larger ship there.
Disney has not yet officially announced a Galveston expansion, but with a new Wish-class ship, the Disney Believe, planned for debut in late 2027, the timing could make sense.
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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 7:35 AM.