On the evening of September 1st, 2025, Disney’s newest superliner, the Disney Adventure, slipped away from its berth in Wismar, Germany, commencing a critical chapter—its maiden sea trials.
The departure brought to a close the long and troubled construction saga at the Wismar yard, which had been mired by the collapse of Genting Hong Kong and the bankruptcy of the original builder, MV Werften. Under the auspices of Meyer Werft (via its Meyer Wismar branch), the vessel now stands among the world’s elite, joining a select group whose tonnage exceeds 200,000 GT—her own measuring 208,000 GT.
Initially set to sail earlier in the weekend, the vessel’s launch was deferred—first to Sunday, then to Monday—due to navigational concerns. The Bay of Wismar, its waters lower than usual, coupled with stiff winds that challenged the 70-meter-high (approximately 230-foot) structure, delayed her departure until conditions aligned.
At about 18:30 local time, the port was cleared of all other traffic as the Disney Adventure began to maneuver. A fleet of tugs, in concert with her bow thrusters, guided the 1,122-foot (342-meter) vessel from the fitting-out dock where she had rested since emerging from the hall in April. The scaffolding—a testament to her recent emergence—still draped her upper works.
Given the shallow draft, the ship made a pause at Mukran, on Rügen Island, to replenish water stores and take on final supplies before pressing onward into the North Sea for her sea trials. From there, the vessel is scheduled to reach Bremerhaven on about September 8th for further outfitting. Stages of the completion cycle will conclude with a handover to Disney Cruise Line around early October.
The Disney Adventure will be Disney Cruise Line’s largest ship and its first powered by green methanol—a fuel that dramatically reduces carbon dioxide emissions—affirming both her scale and her ecological distinction among modern liners.