The cruise ship “Disney Destiny” for Disney Cruise Line was undocked at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Lower Saxony, over the weekend.
The newbuild is the third ship in the “Wish” class and the fifth overall to be built by Meyer Werft for the US cruise line.
The Dutch tug “Gruno IV” pulled the 340-metre-long and 42-metre-wide “Disney Destiny” out into the open. The numerous onlookers first caught sight of the giant Spiderman figure at the ship’s stern. The tradition of featuring Disney characters on the stern continues on the family cruise ships.
The US shipping company is known for its very high quality standards and extensive entertainment requirements. As a result, Disney cruise ships are among the most challenging projects for Meyer Werft. The latest vessel is already the fifth ship for Disney Cruise Line to be built in Papenburg.
From November 2025, Disney Destiny will be based in Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Four- and five-night cruises to the Bahamas and the Western Caribbean are planned for the inaugural season, including visits to the company’s two exclusive island destinations: Disney Castaway Cay and Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Steel cut for next Disney ship
Construction of the next Disney ship, which is scheduled for delivery in 2027, began on Friday. “Captain Mickey Mouse” symbolically triggered the torch that cut the first steel plate for the new ship. Further newbuilds for Disney Cruise Line will be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg until 2031, by which time the fleet will have grown to 13 ships. In terms of order value, the Disney order is the largest order in the history of the shipyard in Emsland, which was founded in 1795.
In addition to the “Disney Destiny”, Disney Cruise Line will also receive the “Disney Adventure” from the Meyer Wismar shipyard this year. The cruise ship has been docked at the shipyard’s fitting-out quay in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since Easter and will offer three- and four-night voyages from the Marina Bay Cruise Center in Singapore from December 15, 2025.
Meanwhile, work on the next cruise ship is already continuing in the building dock at Meyer Werft. Following the firing start in April, the keel laying of the “Carnival Festivale” for Carnival Cruise Line is now imminent. The ship, which is based on the “Aidanova” platform, is due to be delivered in 2027, but will leave the building dock at the end of 2026.
