Giant cruise: Disney Adventure postpones maiden voyage until March 2026!

Giant cruise: Disney Adventure postpones maiden voyage until March 2026!

The newest attraction on the North Sea coast has completed its first spectacular maneuvers. The “Disney Adventure”, the largest cruise ship ever built in Germany, docked at Columbuskaje in Bremerhaven on September 12, 2025. However, the path to this milestone was anything but easy. Loud Northern Courier The 342 meter long and 46 meter wide ship had to perform a complicated maneuver to fit backwards through a narrow lock chamber.

The cruise ship left the shipyard in Wismar on September 1st and headed for the Baltic Sea. Shallow water on the exit posed a particular challenge, which meant that tugboats were used to bring the gigantic ship safely onto the Baltic Sea. A stopover in Mukran on Rügen caused a stir when numerous onlookers watched the ship refueling.

Test drives and technical challenges

The following week, impressive endurance tests were carried out in the Skagerrak, which also included tight turning maneuvers. These test trips are necessary to ensure that all systems are functioning smoothly before the ship finally sets sail. A further stay in Bremerhaven is essential as all the hotel equipment must be installed there - a step that could not be carried out in Wismar due to the ship's heavy weight.

But not everything goes according to plan. The original maiden voyage was scheduled for December 15, 2025, but how Weser courier reported, the date has now been postponed to March 2026. This means that 160,000 passengers whose trips were already booked have to worry about their plans, as a total of 24 trips have been canceled. There are problems with the interior work and it is currently unclear who is responsible for the costs incurred. Meyer Werft, which was commissioned to carry out the conversion, distances itself from the allegations and does not see itself as responsible.

Future and big plans

The “Disney Adventure” was originally designed as a “Global One” for the Genting Group and was originally intended to accommodate up to 10,000 passengers. Disney Cruise Line acquired the 75% completed ship in 2022 from the insolvency assets of MV Werften - for a ridiculous price of around 40 million euros. The conversion reportedly cost almost a billion euros, meaning the investment in the ship was immense.

With a capacity for around 6,500 passengers and 2,500 crew members, the “Disney Adventure” will continue to be very popular in the coming years, with a planned service life of at least five years from Singapore. Despite the current difficulties, the anticipation of the first real trip remains great, and it will be exciting to see how the situation will develop further.