Meyer Werft Successfully Floats Out First Gigablock for the New Disney Believe

The newly floated section weighs in at over 31,000 tons and represents roughly one quarter of the ship's completed hull. Its level of prefabrication is impressive: structurally framed passenger staterooms, extensive piping, cable runs, and heavy-duty lifeboat davits on both starboard and port sides are already in place. The architectural highlight of this module is the three-deck Grand Hall, designed as the central hub for up to 4,000 guests. Celebrating a Polynesian-inspired aesthetic, the completed atrium will feature a bronze centerpiece statue of Moana, accompanied by Pua and Heihei.

The move highlights Meyer Werft's modular "Center-Out" construction process. Moving the buoyant center section temporarily out to the shipyard basin frees up indoor hall space to assemble the bow section—housing the Walt Disney Theatre—and the stern section with its propulsion machinery simultaneously. In spring 2027, the midship block will return indoors, where all three gigablocks will be laser-aligned and welded together into a finished 341-meter-long hull.

Following the design of her sister ships, Disney Believe relies on advanced eco-friendly technology, powered primarily by clean-burning liquefied natural gas (LNG) and equipped for shoreside power connectivity. After full completion in summer 2027 and the signature conveyance down the River Ems in autumn 2027, the vessel will expand Disney Cruise Line's active fleet to nine ships. For Meyer Werft, the continued series production provides long-term operational stability and reinforces its global leadership in high-end passenger shipbuilding.