The City of Avalon City Council voted this week to give preferential access to the Disney Cruise Line. This agreement between the city and the Disney Cruise Line was approved unanimously. It will bring a minimum of 120,000 Disney Cruise Line passengers to Catalina Island per year through September 2030. The agreement also has the possibility for two additional five-year renewals.

Preferential Access Agreement Terms

Here are the terms of this preferential access agreement:

Initial term length of five years commencing upon execution of the Agreement and ending September 14, 2030, with two additional five-year renewal options.

• Initial term length of five years commencing upon execution of the Agreement and ending September 14, 2030, with two additional five-year renewal options.
• Preferential scheduling for Saturdays and Tuesdays during the “Peak Season” (September 15 to May 15).
• Preferential scheduling for Tuesdays during the “Summer Season” (May 16 to September 14).
• Disney Cruise Lines proposes to remit a Cruise Line Fee equal to the City Wharfage Rate plus an additional Passenger Service Charge equal to twenty percent (20%) of the Wharfage Rate for each passenger on the manifest as consideration for preferential scheduling.
  • This rate will be subject to annual adjustments equal to 2.5% per year. Disney Cruise Lines shall guarantee a minimum of 120,000 passenger visits to the City per year.
• In the event of a shortfall in any given year, Disney Cruise Lines will remit payment at the current wharfage rate plus the applicable “Passenger Service Charge” set forth in the Agreement.

Other Details

At the time of approval, the City of Avalon City Council noted that the Disney Cruise Line has two ships on the West Coast, the Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder. It also notes that these ships are smaller than other cruise ships that visit. This is the reasoning behind the proposed increased wharfage rate and Passenger Service Fee. The City also noted that smaller ships that visit can lead to a more enjoyable guest experience.

The City of Avalon currently only allows three ships to visit per week. During the Peak Season, the agreement with the Disney Cruise Line will give preferential access to Disney on Tuesdays and Saturdays. During the Summer Season, cruise ships are not allowed to visit the City of Avalon on the weekends. During peak season, Disney Cruise Line will get preferential access on Tuesdays. According to the terms of the agreement, cruise lines must submit their berthing schedule to the city for confirmation 18 months ahead of the start of a season (either Summer Season or Peak Season).

Based on the preferential access agreement, it appears that the Disney Cruise Line could be visiting Avalon year-round at some point in the future. This includes the 120,000 passenger visits that are guaranteed, along with the preferential scheduling, including the Peak Season from September 15 to May 15. At this point, it appears that this would be for the Disney Magic or the Disney Wonder. One of these ships may end up in California year-round. It is also possible that a different ship in the fleet (current or new) could end up on the West Coast.

What do you think of the Disney Cruise Line visiting Avalon more frequently? Are you excited about this update? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!