Disney Cruise Line's fourth ship, the Disney Fantasy, will make its maiden voyage on Saturday from its home port of Port Canaveral, Florida on a seven-night Caribbean tour, the operator said.
"The Disney Fantasy is a spectacular addition to our fleet," Walt Disney Company Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger said in a press release.
"The Fantasy will connect guests to iconic Disney characters and storytelling."
Built in Germany and with capacity for 4,000 passengers, the ship was christened in New York on March 1 in a ceremony attended by celebrities such as pop star Mariah Carey, comedian Jerry Seinfeld and actor Neil Patrick Harris.
Destinations on the new Caribbean route will include The Bahamas, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Puerto Rico, depending on the particular tour.
Entertainment facilities on board the 340-meter-long Disney Fantasy include a 399-seat cinema, a 167-square-meter water amusement area, a nine-hole miniature golf course and a 1,340-seat theater.
With 1,250 guestrooms and a crew of over 1,400, the ship has seven restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining, offering global cuisine.
It also has five clubs in its "Europa" area, highlighting famous European nightspots, including a London-inspired bar resembling an underground rail station.
Along with the launch of the new ship, the cruise line plans to add three US ports -- New York, Miami and Galveston, Texas -- to the itineraries of its other ships beginning in May.
In Europe, it will also expand its Mediterranean cruises in 2013 to include new stops in Italy and Greece for their Barcelona-departing ships.
