During my recent trip, I finally got to do something I’d always wanted to do: visit the shipyard where Disney cruise ships are built.
As we often say, we work as Disney Travel Agents because we love these destinations and are die-hard fans.
I was staying in the Bavarian region of Lower Franconia. It was a nine-hour trip to Papenburg, located in the Emsland district in northwest Lower Saxony. We took the High-speed ICE train for this trip.
Visiting Papenburg
Papenburg is a city with a long naval tradition, and its residents are very proud of it. You can explore the city’s maritime heritage through the designs of the ships that have been built over the years in the city center, which is crisscrossed by canals.
Is a very prosperous city, and its economy largely revolves around the shipyard company that is one of the region’s largest employers. The company employs approximately 3,500 people at this location and operates other facilities as well.
About the Tour
We booked the tour in advance on the website. There are several departure times and types of tours available. We chose the most comprehensive tour, which includes a bus tour of the facility, not just the visitor center. The price is around €20 per person.
The tour lasts around 2.5 to three hours and the bus picks you up from a designated meeting point in the city.
The bus is double-decker, and visitors sit on the upper deck, which offers a better view of the facilites. The tour is in German, but English-language and group tours are available upon request.
The tour isn’t specifically focused on Disney products. Rather, it focuses on the general shipbuilding process. However, if you’re a Disney fan, you know where to look. There are things that catch your eye and grab your attention.
The tour begins with a bus ride around the facility where you will see all the different areas and processes. You will also see some open doors on the first level of the shipyard.
The company works on more than one cruise ship at a time and has the capacity to build three simultaneously – that’s how massive the facilities are!
After the bus tour, you will arrive at the visitor center. Inside, you will enter two auditoriums where you will watch two videos. One is called “Symphony of the Oceans,” which shows the process of building a ship as a coordinated effort involving all the different parts—it’s very inspiring. The other video, explains the company’s history.
Next, you will move on to several rooms displaying models of the ships that were built, as well as the shipping companies that commissioned them.
During the tour, you will see some of the highlights of Disney Cruise Line, especially the first ships that were built. During the tour, you can see the original scale model of the Disney Dream ship that was used for sea trials. Check out the photo and video on my Instagram account.
There’s a section dedicated to the Disney Cruise Line where you can see our good friend Donald Duck and the layout of the verandah staterooms aboard the Disney Wish class ships.
The final section features large windows that allow you to look directly into the shipyard facilities, where you can watch the shipbuilding process in progress.
The cranes used to lift the ship’s decks are impressive and massive. Lifting a deck and placing it on top of another is a process that takes a day.
Cranes used for assembling cruise ship sections are capable of lifting extremely heavy loads, with specific reported lifts reaching 138 tonnes.
The Disney Believe Ship
Ever since I got back, people have been asking me one question: “Did you get to see the new Disney cruise ship under construction?” The answer is yes. They showed us the Disney ship, which was in the early stages of assembly, I was able to see the steel structure.
The construction have reached the middle decks, the bow was not in place yet.
Some Interesting Facts
- Construction takes 36 months from start to finish, beginning with the steel-cutting ceremony. Prior to that, it takes approximately two years from conception of the original idea, theme, and design concepts. It takes a total of five years to build a Disney cruise ship.
- Meyer Werft works in conjunction with Walt Disney Imagineering Germany, which is located in Wismar. Four hours by car from Papenburg, they focus on cruise ships.
- When a ship leaves the shipyard, it’s practically a citywide celebration, especially when it’s a Disney ship. People arrive days in advance.
- Interestingly, the ships must be towed across the Ems River by a small boat or push boat because they cannot start their engines. The force of the engines would knock the shipyard over and cause a huge commotion on the river.
- It is not necessary to travel to Germany to witness all this magic. I recommend watching the Disney+ documentary Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship, which provides a comprehensive overview of the ship-building process. You should also watch Magic of the Disney Treasure.
How Do I Feel About This Visit?
This visit has given me a comprehensive understanding of the product I offer my clients, from design and construction to marketing and sales.
It is a source of personal satisfaction and a professional achievement that allows me to offer one of the best products on the market for families.
I always say that I consider that a Disney cruise is more than just a vacation; it’s an experience with memories that could last a lifetime. For some families, it’s an opportunity to reunite after a long time. For others, it’s a chance to celebrate life in many ways: battling an illness, celebrating a wedding, or enjoying a honeymoon, or simply enjoying life.
For that, I’m grateful for what I do.
You could also check the latest DCL video, where I talk to my fellow colleagues about this experience.
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