Gotta question about BIG boats/cruises...?

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Lew

Most shipyards use a graving dry-dock (a rectangle with a caisson (door) at either end which can be filled with water to float the ship out when opened) to put large ships together.
The ship is built in segments and each segment is lifted into the dry-dock and joined together. When completed, the dry-dock is flooded slowly until the ship lifts off the dock-blocks, the ship is moved by tug or winches to the fitting out basin to be completed.

Johan from Sweden

There are two ways of flooting a big ship. Either you build them on a slip and slides them (stern or front first) into the ocean using gravitation.

Or you build them in a dry dock and fills that with water and floot out the ship using lines or a tug.

Smaller ships can be lifted by a crane or towed on a trailer down a ramp. Johan.

Anja H

The ships are built in pieces and assembled in a Dry-Dock.
A dry-dock is basically a big metal box with a gate on the side to the ocean. Once all the decks are done and all exterior, they open that door and flood the Dry-Dock. As the dock fills with water, the ship is lifted by the water from the blocks and floats.
So the square surrounding as you call it is the Dry-dock, which already exists. This is part of a ship yard.
The same way, they do repairs onboard a ship - every 2 years, the ship is "taken out of the water" that way, the hull is sand or water blasted, the propellers and rudders checked, the sea-chests cleaned, new anodes are placed etc, the ship is treated against rust and painted again.

rick d

There have been many specials on this on not only the travel channel but, also the history channel. 75% of the ship is built while in the water.The dry docks are many for repairs. The Big Boats or Cruise Ships today are built in sections and then fit into place & welded. Like the cabins are built & furnished and then put into place where they just connect the electric & plumbing. It is something to watch. Currently they have been building the worlds largest cruise ship that will hold over 30,000 guests & also beable to land a plane(767) on its deck. Just to give you an example the average cruise ships has over 6 miles of electrical wiring. Yes, I have too much free time.

Arnold

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lostamerica/2049803803/in/set-72157603305224947/

They build it in that and then fill it with water. Each piece is assemebed individually.

Here's a pretty neat video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw4lfpjyfjA

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