Just when you thought MSC Cruises couldn’t possibly have any more irons in the fire, they’ve gone and surprised us all again. Even as the line is busy launching and building its massive World Class vessels – currently the largest in their fleet – they have just announced a major new deal that secures a steady launch of new ships well into the next decade. The cruise line has signed an order for four “next-generation” ships, with options for two more, to be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.
This new project is being called the “New Frontier” platform, and interestingly, it signals a slight shift away from the “bigger is better” trend we’ve seen recently. While the current World Class giants like MSC World America and the upcoming MSC World Asia clock in at over 215,000 gross tons with room for nearly 6,800 guests, these new vessels will be a bit more modest in size.
Coming in at approximately 180,000 gross tons with a capacity of 5,400 passengers, they are designed to offer a different kind of experience. The slightly smaller footprint will likely allow these ships to visit exclusive ports and offer unique itineraries that the mega-ships simply can’t reach.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2030, meaning we will see these new vessels arriving annually just as the current World Class order is wrapping up. Right now, there are two World Class ships sailing – World Europa and World America. World Asia is expected to launch in 2026 followed by World Atlantic in 2027. An additional four World Class vessels are scheduled to be delivered in 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031 which means MSC has at least a dozen new ships entering service between now and 2034 which is unprecedented.
For cruisers, this means a continuous stream of new ships and amenities to look forward to. It’s also a clear signal that MSC isn’t just focused on size, or launching the “world’s largest cruise ships,” but on diversifying the fleet to offer a wider range of global experiences.