Disney Cruise Line Just Doubled Down on San Diego Through 2031
Key Aspects:
Disney Cruise Line has signed a new agreement with the Port of San Diego.
It will extend sailings from the city through at least 2031 and roughly double the number of Disney departures each year.
More than 1 million passengers are expected to pass through the port during the agreement.
Disney got its start in Southern California, so it makes sense that Disney Cruise Line keeps strengthening its presence along the state’s coastline.
The cruise line and the Port of San Diego announced a new agreement that keep Disney sailings operating from the city through at least 2031.
The deal is expected to roughly double the number of Disney cruises departing from San Diego each year, giving guests more chances to sail to destinations such as Catalina Island, Baja California, and ports along Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Disney Cruise Line has operated seasonal cruises from San Diego since 2012, typically offering short 3- to 7-night itineraries. The new agreement ensures those sailings will continue and increase in frequency in the coming years.
“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 and operations at Disney Cruise Line.
He says the new agreement supports the company’s long-term growth while contributing to the region’s economy.
The agreement also gives Disney priority access to both the North and South berths at the B Street Cruise Terminal, the city’s main cruise facility along the downtown waterfront.
Port officials say the arrangement will help streamline ship scheduling and improve how embarkation days are handled as cruise traffic grows.
“We are grateful to continue our long-standing relationship with Disney Cruise,” said Ann Moore, chair of Port San Diego board of port commissioners. “This agreement supports a thriving cruise industry that injects millions into the region’s economy and welcomes thousands of visitors to our waterfront each year.”
More than 1 million Disney passengers are expected to pass through the Port of San Diego during the length of the agreement.
According to port officials, it marks the first time in more than 20 years that a cruise line has offered a minimum annual passenger guarantee tied to the port.
Two Disney Ships Scheduled
The expansion will begin to take shape during the 2026-2027 cruise season, when two Disney Cruise Line ships are scheduled to operate from San Diego
Disney Magic will arrive in October 2026 and sail a series of short fall itineraries through November.
During its San Diego deployment, the ship will sail 3- to 7-night cruises to ports along Baja California and the Mexican Riviera. Stops will include Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, along with sailings that visit Cataline Island just off the Southern California coast.
In late November, the ship will depart San Diego on a 14-night Panama Canal repositioning voyage that crosses Central America and ends in Galveston, Texas.
Meanwhile, Disney Wonder will maintain a longer presence in San Diego, homeporting there from October 2026 through April 2027 for the winter cruise season.
The ship will offer a mix of 4- to 5-night Baja itineraries as well as longer 7-night Mexican Riviera sailings.
Shorter cruises typically include ports such as Ensenada and Catalina Island, while the week-long voyages reach farther south to Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.
The Port of San Diego says the expanded Disney presence comes as cruise activity along the waterfront continues to grow.
The B Street Cruise Terminal, located downtown near the Embarcadero, has two berths capable of handling large cruise ships and regularly hosts seasonal deployments from several major cruise lines, including Holland America Line and Royal Caribbean.
Disney Cruise Line Just Doubled Down on San Diego Through 2031