MSC Cruises has been making waves (pun intended) in the world of cruising with some ambitious plans.
The cruise line has outright stated that it wants to become the biggest in the world, which would be some feat if it did manage to overtake established leaders Royal Caribbean and Carnival.
Yet the aggressive expansion strategy is well underway. In addition to five ships launched within just three years since cruising returned after the shutdown, there are another three ships planned – plus a whole new sub-cruise line!
Let’s take a look.
The Newest MSC Cruise Ships Sailing Now
1. MSC Euribia – 2023
MSC Cruises newest ship is the final ship in the Meraviglia Plus Class, joining the MSC Grandiosa and the MSC Virtuosa.
MSC Euribia isn’t be the largest ship in the fleet – the World-class ships are bigger – but she is still mightily impressive, with a maximum guest capacity of over 6,300.
I recently took a cruise on MSC Euribia and had a fantastic time! You can read my MSC Euribia review here.
Along with many of the other newer MSC ships, she is significantly more friendly to the environment than older cruise ships. She’s powered by LNG, which is a cleaner fuel, and she has advanced water treatment and energy efficiency systems to minimise waste and ensure only the fuel needed is burned.
A ship this big is obviously packed with things to see and do, including five pools and a waterpark. She will also be home to the Galleria Euribia, the largest LED dome at sea in the indoor promenade.
MSC Euribia sails a variety of itineraries around Northern Europe and the Med from Southampton, making her one of the biggest ships to call the port home.
2. MSC World Europa – 2022
The MSC World Europa debuted in 2022 and quickly established herself as one of the most impressive ships currently sailing.
At the time of her launch, she was the first ship outside of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class to have a volume above 200,000 gross tonnes, slotting her into the number six position for biggest ships in the world. This of course means she is the biggest ship in the MSC fleet.
It’s not just about size with MSC World Europa though – the ship has a stunning modern design with futuristic attractions including the Luna Park Arena which hosts game shows, various kids’ activities and movie screenings.
She was the first ship in the MSC fleet to be powered by LNG, and she hosts the current longest dry slide at sea which travels for 11 decks on the ship.
The MSC World Europa sails the Mediterranean during the summer months, and the Middle East in the winter, with Grand Voyages (cruises between regions) also available.
Suggested read: MSC World Europa Review
3. MSC Seascape – 2022
The MSC Seascape launched in 2022 as the second of the Seaside EVO ships for MSC. The Seaside EVO Class is an expansion of the original Seaside Class, quite literally – they are around 10% bigger than the two Seaside-class ships.
MSC Seascape pays tribute to New York City in her design, with the retail area of the ship named Times Square featuring a projection of the Manhattan skyline, and an impressive three-metre-high replica of the Statue of Liberty as the centrepiece of the casino.
She is full of interesting attractions and features, along with beautiful artworks – the primary one being the Incando del Mare glass sculpture which rises from Deck 5 through to Deck 8. She has a real focus on outdoor spaces, including a fantastic Infinity Pool where guests can relax with stunning views.
MSC Seascape is based in the Caribbean year-round, sailing out of Miami. Itineraries typically call at Ocean Cay, the private marine reserve destination for MSC Cruises.
4. MSC Seashore – 2021
The first of the Seaside EVO ships, MSC Seashore debuted in 2021 and so remains one of the newest and best ships in the whole fleet.
She is an almost identical twin of her newer sister ship MSC Seascape, even down to the New York City theming, although her glass sculpture is unique and is named Danza del Mare.
Like her sister ship, she is packed with fantastic attractions including quality theatre shows, an expansive casino area, and extensive family-friendly areas, with some of the best kids’ clubs at sea.
She is also packed with environmentally-friendly tech to reduce emissions, recycle waste and ensure she is as efficient as possible, and therefore needs less fuel to move.
Unlike MSC Seascape, the MSC Seashore doesn’t have a permanent home. Instead, she offers cruises in the Caribbean and around South America during the winter months (again, with port visits to Ocean Cay) but during the summer she relocates to the Mediterranean.
5. MSC Virtuosa – 2021
The MSC Virtuosa launched in May of 2021 and became the second ship in the Meraviglia Plus Class. Similar to the Seaside and Seaside EVO classes, the Meraviglia Plus Class is an expansion of the original Meraviglia ships.
The MSC Virtuosa was, when she launched, the largest ship in the fleet, being around 6% larger than the Seaside EVO ships. She has a host of impressive features, including the Galleria Virtuosa with its LED dome, and the MSC Starship Club – the first robotic bar at sea with a humanoid robot bartender (unlike Royal Caribbean’s first robot bar at sea with two standalone arms).
MSC Virtuosa hosts many of the best signature features of the MSC fleet, including the MSC Aurea Spa and the MSC Yacht Club – a special area of the ship with dedicated lounges and a private pool just for those who book a Yacht Club cabin.
New MSC Cruise Ships On Order
MSC World America – 2025
The MSC World America is set to be the next ship to join the MSC Cruises fleet. She will be the second World-class ship to launch for the cruise line, following the recent addition of MSC World Europa in 2022.
It’s more than just a name – this super-ship will be based in the US, and will offer sailings around the Caribbean when she launches in 2025. We don’t yet know if the plan is to remain there year-round or if she will follow the plan of many other cruise ships and travel to Europe during the warmer summer months.
MSC World America is expected to be very similar to MSC World Europa – typically, MSC ships don’t vary too much in terms of structure or features within a class.
So if you want to know more about the MSC World America, I’d recommend taking a look at the features and deck plans of the MSC World Europa, at least until more information is revealed on this ship. I also have an MSC World Europa review that you may be interested in.
Unnamed World-class ships – 2026 & 2027
There are two more ships planned for the World Class for MSC Cruises, to follow in 2026 and 2027. Or I should say at least two more – with MSC Cruises’ plans to expand rapidly, and the early success of MSC World Europa, we may see more added to the schedule.
We don’t know much about these two ships yet with their debuts still some time away, but as soon as more information is revealed I’ll let you know.
It’ll be interesting to see if the ships continue to be named after regions of the world – MSC World Asia and MSC World Australia perhaps?
Explora Journeys
Only a quick mention here since the Explora Journeys aren’t technically part of the MSC Cruises fleet – but instead, a brand new cruise line launching that will be owned by the MSC parent company.
MSC Cruises is very much a mainstream cruise line with a lot of family activities. The newest ships are beautiful and modern, but they are aimed at a wider cruising market. So it makes sense for the MSC parent company to expand out into a more luxury cruise line.
Explora Journeys is that line, with smaller ships and a focus primarily on destination experiences. The first ship – Explora I – made her debut in 2023 while there are at least 5 more ships planned to set sail between 2024 and 2028.
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To Conclude
It’s a really exciting time if you’re a fan of cruising with MSC. There have been a lot of new ship launches in the last couple of years – more than with any other cruise line – and there are plenty more on the horizon.
MSC isn’t a cruise line for everyone, but it has a lot of great features, especially for families. And with so many new ships expanding the capacity of the fleet, who’s to say they can’t challenge the likes of Royal Caribbean and Carnival in future?
From a cruise passenger perspective, it’s always good to have plenty of choice.
Related Posts:
- MSC Cruises Ships by Size, Age and Class
- Why Are MSC Cruises So Cheap?
- MSC Drink Packages: The Ultimate Guide
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
