Disney Believe Is Coming Together—One Giant Puzzle Piece at a Time!

There’s something pretty magical about watching a Disney ship come to life, and the newest addition to the Disney Cruise Line fleet is officially starting to look a lot more like a ship! The Disney Believe, currently under construction at the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, just reached an exciting milestone. On September 18, 2026, the first of three massive “gigablocks” was completed and floated out of the shipyard!

And if you’re sitting there wondering, “What in the world is a gigablock?”—don’t worry. We’ve got you!

Think of It as a Giant 3D Puzzle

Building a cruise ship isn’t quite like putting together a LEGO set…but the basic idea is surprisingly similar. Instead of constructing the entire ship in a single enormous piece, shipbuilders assemble the vessel in large sections called gigablocks. These aren’t just empty chunks of steel, either. The sections are built with things like walls, plumbing, wiring, and other infrastructure already in place.

And we’re talking HUGE! Some of these completed sections can weigh more than 31,000 tons!

Once the individual gigablocks are ready, they’re moved into position and welded together—eventually creating the massive Disney Cruise Line ship that guests will one day board for vacation. Basically, imagine building a cruise ship as a gigantic 3D puzzle…except the puzzle pieces weigh tens of thousands of tons.

The First Piece Is Officially in Place!

The first gigablock to float out of the shipyard forms the midship section of the Disney Believe. This is where things get especially exciting for Disney fans, as this section features familiar Disney Cruise Line spaces, including the ship’s Grand Hall.

While the Disney Believe may still look very much like a construction project right now, an important piece of the guest experience is already taking shape.

Next up, shipbuilders will construct the forward portion of the ship, followed by the aft section.

Piece by piece, the Disney Believe is coming together.

So…When Can We Actually Sail on It?

The Disney Believe is currently expected to enter service in 2027, which means we’re getting closer to the day when those construction workers will be replaced by Disney Cruise Line guests, cast members, and, of course, plenty of Disney magic.

There’s still a LOT of work to be done between a shipyard in Germany and your first step onboard, but seeing that first massive section float out is a pretty exciting milestone. There’s something really cool about knowing that the ship you may eventually vacation on is being built right now!

We’ll Be Watching!

The Disney Believe is going to be one of the most exciting new additions to Disney Cruise Line, and we’ll be keeping an eye on its progress as construction continues. From massive gigablocks to the finishing touches, we’ll be following along as this ship goes from giant pieces of a puzzle to a brand-new Disney Cruise Line vacation destination.

And before you know it, the Disney Believe will go from the shipyard to the open sea!