Disney Wonder Dry Dock Watch - 11/10 Wonder departs on first cruise out of Galveston

[SillyInventor]

And she has arrived, leaving us the coming month with just this position to be pulled:

 

[Flossbolna]

@SillyInventor thanks for all the screen shots of the maps! Those were great!

Scott from www.disneycruiselineblog.com was able to get the moment she was tugged into the dry dock really good (we Europeans were all asleep at that time...):
Unofficial Disney Cruise Line Blog article on Wonder Arrival in Cadiz September 18

 

[AquaDame]

Now bring on more details...! Hopefully a contractor starts tweeting.

 

[FarmerMatt]

https://twitter.com/NavantiaOficial/status/777833037501440000

 

[FarmerMatt]

This is a picture from the twitter account of the dry dock company, Navantia. I'm trying to find a webcam of the area...

 

[jliven23]

Just want to say, you all are AWESOME! I've learned so much from this thread. We are taking my son on the Wonder next October (2017) just from San Diego to Cabo and back. It will be my wife and son's first cruise of any kind and only my second. Reading this thread actually caused me to spring for the concierge since it sounds like they are making some improvements like adding a separate concierge lounge. But the commitment of the people who love Disney cruises is mighty impressive. Even though our cruise is more than a year away, I've been checking this thread daily. I like to be very prepared on vacations so we can get the absolute most out of it!

 

[Flossbolna]

Now bring on more details...! Hopefully a contractor starts tweeting.

There were a few last time. I am afraid that they learned their lesson and made people sign confidentiality agreements this time...

Just want to say, you all are AWESOME! I've learned so much from this thread. We are taking my son on the Wonder next October (2017) just from San Diego to Cabo and back. It will be my wife and son's first cruise of any kind and only my second. Reading this thread actually caused me to spring for the concierge since it sounds like they are making some improvements like adding a separate concierge lounge. But the commitment of the people who love Disney cruises is mighty impressive. Even though our cruise is more than a year away, I've been checking this thread daily. I like to be very prepared on vacations so we can get the absolute most out of it!

I am glad that you are enjoying the information here! I hope you do read the rest of the DCL cruise board in preparation for your first cruise. Plenty of wonderful information around!

 

[Corfam]

Use Google Translate...but here's an Spanish article about the work in Cadiz.

http://es.investing.com/news/economia/la-reforma-del-crucero-disney-wonder-empleará-a-1.500-personas-en-cádiz-348411

Some notable info:

• Confirmed that there will be a duck tail as previously stated recently by Wonder crew.

• Number of contracted workers = 700 (Magic's was noted as 400 in other older articles...link....for what that's worth.). I think the article also mentioning 1500 peak workers includes Wonder crew?? Another article back from June mentioned the 700 number plus 2000 from "the ship owner" (link). It's not totally clear to me, but I thought it was interesting that the numbers quoted exceed what I had read for Magic's contractors.

• There will be three ferries to serve as dining and hotels for the crew and contractors.

 

[m3owbox]

I think the Magic only had one ferry for crew and contractors? I will probably be down in Cadiz sometime soon and will send pics when I go.

 

[Flossbolna]

Use Google Translate...but here's an Spanish article about the work in Cadiz.

http://es.investing.com/news/economia/la-reforma-del-crucero-disney-wonder-empleará-a-1.500-personas-en-cádiz-348411

Some notable info:

• Confirmed that there will be a duck tail as previously stated recently by Wonder crew.

• Number of contracted workers = 700 (Magic's was noted as 400 in other older articles...link....for what that's worth.). I think the article also mentioning 1500 peak workers includes Wonder crew?? Another article back from June mentioned the 700 number plus 2000 from "the ship owner" (link). It's not totally clear to me, but I thought it was interesting that the numbers quoted exceed what I had read for Magic's contractors.

• There will be three ferries to serve as dining and hotels for the crew and contractors.

Any Spanish speakers out there who can do a better translation than Google????

Thanks for posting this! Sounds like they might be doing more stuff (my guess would be more behind the scenes stuff like plumbing and electricity) or they just want to make sure that they do not run into the same problems as with the Magic.

I think the Magic only had one ferry for crew and contractors? I will probably be down in Cadiz sometime soon and will send pics when I go.

That will be wonderful if you can provide some pictures!! I think the question is how large those ferries are. The one they rented for the Magic might have been fairly bigger than the ones they have now for the Wonder.

 

[Corfam]

Here's another Spanish article. Similar information as before...once Google translated.

http://www.diariodecadiz.es/article...a/faena/operarios/contratas/durante/dias.html

This one again mentions that 1500 (crew & contractors) came on-board the ship with an additional 700 hires joining in Cadiz. The number of workers must be larger than the Magic because this article specifically mentions that this is the "first time a cruise comes with three support vessels to undergo reform".

I think the Magic only had one ferry for crew and contractors? I will probably be down in Cadiz sometime soon and will send pics when I go.

I do remember the show "Disney Cruise Line: Reimagined Magic" (link) only mentioning one ferry. Yes, please capture photos!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Here's another Spanish article. Similar information as before...once Google translated.

http://www.diariodecadiz.es/article...a/faena/operarios/contratas/durante/dias.html

This one again mentions that 1500 (crew & contractors) came on-board the ship with an additional 700 hires joining in Cadiz. The number of workers must be larger than the Magic because this article specifically mentions that this is the "first time a cruise comes with three support vessels to undergo reform".



I do remember the show "Disney Cruise Line: Reimagined Magic" (link) only mentioning one ferry. Yes, please capture photos!!

I love it that this topic brings out all kind of "online detectives"! Well done!

I am thinking that we ought to see some Disney Parks Blog post happening soonish... Should research how they did it with the Magic.

 

[su_A_ve]

Use Google Translate...but here's an Spanish article about the work in Cadiz.

http://es.investing.com/news/economia/la-reforma-del-crucero-disney-wonder-empleará-a-1.500-personas-en-cádiz-348411

Some notable info:

• Confirmed that there will be a duck tail as previously stated recently by Wonder crew.

• Number of contracted workers = 700 (Magic's was noted as 400 in other older articles...link....for what that's worth.). I think the article also mentioning 1500 peak workers includes Wonder crew?? Another article back from June mentioned the 700 number plus 2000 from "the ship owner" (link). It's not totally clear to me, but I thought it was interesting that the numbers quoted exceed what I had read for Magic's contractors.

• There will be three ferries to serve as dining and hotels for the crew and contractors.

Here you go...

The changes to DCL Disney Wonder, in the shipyards of Navantia in Cadiz will give work in the next 40 days to a maximum of 1500 people, with the help of three ferries that will serve as dining and hotels for the crew and workers.

Based on sources from Navantia in Cadiz, the cruise ship arrived today and is generating work for 700 people, but will have peaks of 1500, while there’s work to be done.

The Disney Wonder will undergo a complete interior makeover, by the company contracted by Disney, and the workers from Navantia and the naval auxiliary industry will be in charge of painting of the hull, the improvements to the propulsion systems and the addition of a stabilizer known as “duck tail.”

With the ship, three ferries have arrived to the shipyards of Cadiz, that will serve as dining hall and hotel to the crew and workers displaced by these improvements.

The Disney Wonder will occupy the shipyard of Cadiz during all of October and in November it awaits the arrival of another ship for the “gaditana” factory and another two for repairs in the one on Puerto Real.
Based on what the company said on its web site, the new changes will be able to enjoyed by passengers starting on November 10, with sailings out of Galveston in Texas (US).

The Disney Wonder has 83,000 Gross Tonnage and a capacity of 2,400 passengers.

The cruise ship built by Fincantieri Astilleros Italia made its maiden voyage in 1999.

 

[Flossbolna]

Here you go...

The changes to DCL Disney Wonder, in the shipyards of Navantia in Cadiz will give work in the next 40 days to a maximum of 1500 people, with the help of three ferries that will serve as dining and hotels for the crew and workers.

Based on sources from Navantia in Cadiz, the cruise ship arrived today and is generating work for 700 people, but will have peaks of 1500, while there’s work to be done.

The Disney Wonder will undergo a complete interior makeover, by the company contracted by Disney, and the workers from Navantia and the naval auxiliary industry will be in charge of painting of the hull, the improvements to the propulsion systems and the addition of a stabilizer known as “duck tail.”

With the ship, three ferries have arrived to the shipyards of Cadiz, that will serve as dining hall and hotel to the crew and workers displaced by these improvements.

The Disney Wonder will occupy the shipyard of Cadiz during all of October and in November it awaits the arrival of another ship for the “gaditana” factory and another two for repairs in the one on Puerto Real.
Based on what the company said on its web site, the new changes will be able to enjoyed by passengers starting on November 10, with sailings out of Galveston in Texas (US).

The Disney Wonder has 83,000 Gross Tonnage and a capacity of 2,400 passengers.

The cruise ship built by Fincantieri Astilleros Italia made its maiden voyage in 1999.

Great, thank you so much!!

 

[Shoshie]

Thanks for all the great info - we're on the WBPC next May and can't wait to see her.

 

[truck1]

Use Google Translate...but here's an Spanish article about the work in Cadiz.

http://es.investing.com/news/economia/la-reforma-del-crucero-disney-wonder-empleará-a-1.500-personas-en-cádiz-348411

Some notable info:

• Confirmed that there will be a duck tail as previously stated recently by Wonder crew.

• Number of contracted workers = 700 (Magic's was noted as 400 in other older articles...link....for what that's worth.). I think the article also mentioning 1500 peak workers includes Wonder crew?? Another article back from June mentioned the 700 number plus 2000 from "the ship owner" (link). It's not totally clear to me, but I thought it was interesting that the numbers quoted exceed what I had read for Magic's contractors.

• There will be three ferries to serve as dining and hotels for the crew and contractors.

This is interesting, assuming that the translation is correct. Unless something has changed, with the Wonders COG, there really isn't a reason to add the Ducktail to her.

Its not uncommon for other ships or hotel rooms being chartered for a dd. Especially if the ship is doing extensive work on the gensets and there may not be power for the normal hotel operations, let alone the dd work.

As far as the peak 1500 it all depends on what work being done entails. If DCL is figuring on pulling all 5 of the mains, and the 2 drive motors, or rebuilding each of the 7, which are typically 24/7 operations, then theres a good chunk of bodies right there, before they even start stripping hull paint or ripping out the interior.

Typically the way a dd is supposed to go is this. Starting at the previous dd, the Capt consolidates lists from engineering, and hotel services. At some point, shoreside becomes involved and says basically next dry dock were going to do this also, and that gets added to the list. The list is then prioritized, based on SOLAS updates, ships needs, and what the line wants to add, subtract or change. Estimates are made up, and then when the time comes, the ship goes into drydock. At that point, a lot of what the line wants to do goes out the window. Simply because, you get what you pay for. Using the Magic as an example, when she came out of Freeport, the contractors did more damage then what they fixed, and did a poor job on a lot of other stuff. I know, I was on the first cruise out of dd in 2010. Things like the carpet just thrown down into a room, holes as big a finger in balcony railings, paint drips on railings that looked like stalactites. From talking to the head of the hotel operations for that cruise, he said it was a night mare since a lot of the contractors got into areas they werent supposed to and basically did what they wanted.

Another instance of things going out the window is this. DCL plans to redo the original Mickey pool in the Magic. Contractor comes in and says, well do it for 10,000. Ship goes to dd. Contractor opens up the pool, and surprise, all of the support beams are rusted out and need to be replaced. That's something that wasn't counted on, now, the price just went up, and now, the contractor has to find steel to fix the issue. Now they close the pool up. Rope it off, and put down the epoxy. Contractor b comes by and walks thru what contractor a just did destroying it. Now it has to be redone. Who gets to pay? Disney. They take it out of the 2nd contractor if they can figure out who did it. Plus if that first contractor has other jobs to do on the ship, they cant get to it, if they are fixing everyone elses issues on their first job. Now throw in bad weather, and all bets are off as to what gets done and when.

Bottom line, DCL will earmark a given amount of money to do a given amount of work. If there are surprises, lesser things may get pushed back or gets done while the ship is in service.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

This is interesting, assuming that the translation is correct. Unless something has changed, with the Wonders COG, there really isn't a reason to add the Ducktail to her.

I thought they were adding more weight on the secret deck (7) that they are taking over with the redundant generators, and other mechanics? Wouldn't that raise her COG?

 

[jlemieu1]

Doesn't the ducktail prevent it from Alaska until the new canal opens?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Doesn't the ducktail prevent it from Alaska until the new canal opens?

The new canal is open.

 

[truck1]

I thought they were adding more weight on the secret deck (7) that they are taking over with the redundant generators, and other mechanics? Wouldn't that raise her COG?

Not necessarily. As for what they are doing with deck 7 is anyones guess. DCL already has emergency generators on the Magic class, including a large battery bank. The batterys ironically enough are already on deck 7 aft near the secret deck. On the Magic they added some support equipment for the A/D to deck 7, if the rumor is to be believed plus the height of the A/D would change her COG. In the Wonders case the only reason I can think of to add the tail is to help with fuel economy. Unless they are working on future plans.