We got a sneak peek at the Meyer Weft shipyard where the Disney Destiny was being constructed including the huge cranes that can lift 800-ton blocks
There’s no denying that cruise ships are an impressive feat of engineering.
Not only do they need to accommodate all of the passengers, activities and cabins, but they also need to act like a floating city with their own power plants, spaces for crew, engine rooms, plumbing, electricity and food supplies.
This is something that Walt Disney Imagineering’s Philip Gennotte reminded us as we got a rare behind-the-scenes tour of the Meyer Weft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, ahead of the float out of Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship Disney Destiny.
I was lucky enough to be invited by Disney Cruise Line to take a rare peek behind the curtain, including a tour onboard the Disney Destiny while the interiors are still a construction site.
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The ship boasts a 144,000 gross tonnage and a capacity to hold up to 4,000 passengers, so it’s not a quick job. Luckily, the Meyer Weft shipyard has been building these huge ships for decades. It takes around two years to get a ship fully built once construction kicks off, with the shipyard aiming to deliver around two to three ships every year. (However, it can be working on up to five or six ships at any given time).
Armed with my hard hat and steel-toed boots, we headed into the main construction hall which, as you can imagine, was absolutely huge. After all, it has to be big enough to house both the cruise ship AND all of the construction machinery around it. We’re talking cranes that can lift blocks weighing up to 800 tons – the equivalent of 400 cars. Throw in the fact that it takes about 100 of these blocks to build a ship, and suddenly it’s clear as to why the whole process needs to be a well-oiled machine.
Ships are actually built in these giant blocks and assembled like a puzzle. Cabins are pre-made, complete with the bedding, decor, artwork and fridge – with the process taking about 15 minutes to fit out each cabin, before they’re lifted and slotted straight into the ship. Only the carpets are rolled up and the bed is installed in there to be pulled down. The benefit? No need for shipyard workers to have to carry all the furniture through narrow cruise corridors, and then assemble it all in each cabin. Considering Destiny has 1,250 cabins, it’s a huge time saver.
The Disney Destiny was in the dock ready for its float out when we toured the shipyard, but Genotte told us that as soon as a ship leaves, the dock is emptied of water, and the next ship that the shipyard is working on is brought in almost immediately so they can get on with finishing construction on the next project.
While there we got a sneak peek onboard the Disney Destiny, including a peek at the cabins, the Marvel lounge inspired by the Sanctum from Dr Strange, and the Cruella De Vil inspired bar.
Being onboard a ship that isn’t finished yet was a very humbling experience. As passengers, we only see the finished products; the sleek cabins, the decorated restaurants, the gorgeous atriums with dazzling chandeliers and eye-catching features.
Seeing the construction workers getting on with building doors, floors and bars, as well as organising the electrics and having work regularly inspected by Imagineers themselves to ensure it’s got all of that all-important Disney magic was awe-inspiring to watch.
It was also a little surreal – we were taken into a huge space where the electrics and floors were being finished, and told that we were standing in the middle of what will eventually be the ship’s Lion King themed immersive restaurant. It was hard to picture the finished product, but the team’s enthusiasm helped us picture the sort of experience that passengers will be able to enjoy.
It made me appreciate all the more how much work goes into these incredible ships that we simply don’t see. Although it’s rare to be given the chance to step onboard a ship being constructed, if you did want to plan a trip including the shipyard, Meyer Weft does offer tours as part of its visitor centre. Not to mention that members of the public are able to come and watch big events such as ship float outs too.
You can find out more on meyerwerft.de. You can also get more information about the Disney Destiny including her itineraries and bookings on disneycruise.disney.go.com.