When Disney Cruise Line invited me to Germany to visit the Meyer Werft shipyard where Disney Destiny was being built, of course I snatched the opportunity with both hands!
Meyer Werft’s shipyard in Papenburg is the largest covered building dock in the world – and it’s shrouded in secrecy.
Usually, nobody except the construction workers are allowed to see inside. And even on the rare occasion that outsiders are allowed through the doors, there’s mega tight security and a strict no cameras policy.
Boarding a cruise ship that was still under construction was a surreal experience. I saw things that most passengers couldn’t even imagine.
As my phone was locked inside a sealed bag, I don’t have photos. But, I am able to share with you the most surprising things I discovered at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg…
The outside was almost ready – the inside was a different story
As we walked around the outside of the ship, kitted up in full PPE of hard hat, steel-toe-capped boots, yellow hi-vis vest and safety glasses, the freshly-painted Disney Destiny looked just like any other Disney ship.
Sure, she was inside a giant metal hall, and floating a little higher in the water than usual, but from the outside, the ship looked finished.
We scanned our security passes, went through the turnstile and up the steep gangway and into the tender boarding area. It’s at that moment that it became clear that this ship was far from complete.
We ducked around wires that hung down from the bare ceilings, dodged pieces of timber and pots of paint scattered across the floor, and navigated all sorts of uneven surfaces. It was like an obstacle course.
With 104 days until the maiden voyage, and just a few hours until the ship would be floated out of the shipyard accompanied by fireworks, there was a lot of work to be done.
German efficiency at its finest
Of course, while the ship was still very much a construction site, that was all part of the perfectly-detailed plan.
We all know the Germans have something of a reputation for being efficient – and the shipyard is a testament to that. Every single task is done at the exact right time to maximise efficiency so that not a moment is wasted.
On the wall, we saw a chart with deadlines for tasks. I can only imagine the number of spreadsheets that are involved in planning the exact date when every single task is set to be completed.
We were told that the Disney Destiny had 1,500 to 2,000 construction workers onboard at any one time during peak periods. With two shifts per day, the longer shift starts early in the morning. When those workers go home, more people come aboard for a shorter shift in the afternoon and evening.
Ships are built from front to back
Our guide, from the Walt Disney Imagineering department, explained how work is completed from bow to stern.
This became apparent as we entered the theatre at the very front of the ship. It had a stage, carpets, all of the seats were in place and even the light fittings were up, albeit covered in plastic.
The restaurant at the aft, however, was a stark contrast. It was an empty shell, with piles of materials covered in tarpaulin. The walls, floor and ceiling were still plain steel – albeit with a lot of colour-coded wiring ready to be connected up.
An emotional experience
Touring the ship was an assault on the senses. Everywhere I looked, tradespeople were busy taking care of wiring, fitting ceilings, adding wall coverings and a million other tasks. Strong chemical smells filled the hot and stuffy air and the constant clatter of construction was jarring.
With no elevators, we climbed many decks of stairs during the tour. This included some crew stairways, which I discovered were actually much, much steeper than the guest stairways we’re used to.
We regularly give praise to the people who work aboard cruise ships while we sail – the bartenders, waiters, cabin stewards and entertainers who work tirelessly to serve their guests.
But nobody thinks about the thousands of men and women who work in shipyards, enduring challenging (and sometimes dangerous) conditions and strict deadlines to make dreams into reality.
As I stepped in to the Grand Hall as one of the first guests to ever enter the space, everything felt suddenly calm. Such is the grandeur and majesty of this space, that even in its half done state, it blew me away.
As one of the design team explained how the colours and materials were chosen to suit the Black Panther theming, I felt a rush of emotion. It was overwhelming to see and hear just how much work goes into creating something as magical as a Disney cruise ship.
Cruise ships are 1000-piece jigsaws
Ships like Disney Destiny are built in blocks. This ship has 100 blocks, and each block is made up of 10 sections. So you could imagine it being like a 1,000 piece jigsaw.
Each section is cut out of steel with a laser, with pieces welded together. They’re constructed upside down, to make it easier to fit the pipes and cables in the ceiling.
Once the ten sections of the block are ready (and turned over to be the right way up), they’re joined together to create a block.
A block is about 5 decks high and weighs around 800 tons (the same as 500 cars). It might be a group of cabins, the bridge or some public spaces. Each is unique and follows a very strict 3D plan, with a tolerance of just 20mm.
The completed blocks are craned into place by a huge crane known as the Golden Eagle. The smaller cranes are also named after birds.
Cabins are constructed off-site
Each of the 1,254 staterooms of the Disney Destiny was built 500 metres away at another location and then transported into the hall to be slotted into place.
I was absolutely stunned to learn just how much of the cabin is completed before being inserted into the ship. This isn’t just an empty steel shell – each cabin is complete with wall coverings, carpets, fully-fitted bathrooms, wardrobes, TVs and fridges!
The beds, mattresses and sofa bed are in place, and even the artwork is hung on the walls before the cabin ever meets the rest of the ship!
Of course, this makes perfect sense. Carrying thousands of sofa beds along the tight corridors just wouldn’t be practical at all, when you think about it.
As we walked along the corridor of cabins, I saw that each of the stateroom numbers was written on the door in marker pen. There were also the names of people, along with the word ‘OK’ to show that the rooms had passed the necessary quality checks.
One in, one out
The Meyer Werft shipyard builds multiple ships at the same time, up to six at once. Two or three ships are completed each year.
With several buildings in which the construction takes place, welders were already working on the next ship that would occupy the ‘big hall’ once the Disney Destiny was floated out.
And Disney Cruise Line is also ramping up production of its cruise ships. Prior to 2022, the cruise line launched two ships every 10 years, and had just four ships in the fleet.
Then, we saw the Wish-class ships, Disney Wish and Disney Treasure launch in 2022 and 2024. Disney Destiny is the third Wish-class ship, and the cruise line is set to launch six more ships over the next six years. This will take the fleet to 13 ships by 2031.
On the day we toured the Disney Destiny before the float out, we also had the privilege of being present at the steel-cutting ceremony for the fourth, as yet unnamed, Wish-class ship.
The cutting of the first piece of steel marks the official start of construction, and is a key moment in the development of a new ship – a process that takes four to five years, from ideation until the maiden voyage.
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