Disney Cruise Line has celebrated the start of construction on the fourth ship in its Wish class with a steel-cutting ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The vessel is expected to arrive in 2027.
Joe Schott, president of Disney Signature Experiences, joined Philip Gennotte from Walt Disney Imagineering, Bernd Eikens from Meyer Werft and Cruise Director Carly Scott to cut the first piece of steel for the next addition to the Disney Cruise Line fleet.
The company said in a press release that with the help of Captain Mickey Mouse, sparks flew in the yard’s laser cutting room, revealing the shape of a Disney cruise ship.
Like its sister ships, the Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny, the ship will be approximately 144,000 gross tons, accommodate 4,000 guests and be powered by LNG.
Disney said that the milestone marks the beginning of the recently announced addition of four Disney Cruise Line ships between 2027 and 2031, including the introduction of a brand-new class of ships in 2029.
The fleet’s multi-year expansion also includes the addition of two new ships in 2025: the Disney Destiny in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and the Disney Adventure that will homeport in Singapore, along with an agreement with Disney and Oriental Land Co., Ltd. to bring Disney cruise vacations to Japan in 2029.
The company also announced that on Saturday, August 9, the Disney Destiny will leave the hall for the first time, floating out of the shipyard and into the harbor. The ship will debut in November.
