MSC Cruises has officially signed orders for two additional World Class cruise ships, further expanding its next-generation fleet. The new vessels – currently known as World Class 5 and World Class 6 – will be built by renowned French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique and are scheduled for delivery in 2029 and 2030, respectively. With this order, the total number of World Class ships in the MSC Cruises fleet will grow to six, reinforcing the company’s deep commitment to European shipbuilding and sustainable innovation.
A New Milestone in MSC Cruises’ Growth and Green Technology
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, highlighted the importance of this development: “The confirmation of the orders for the two new World Class ships marks a new milestone in our remarkable journey of shipbuilding in France and the continuation of our long-term industrial plan. This milestone underscores our commitment to building some of the highest performing ships in the world, creating a legacy of excellence and innovation in collaboration with the Chantiers de l’Atlantique – our long-term partners of more than 20 years. The highly successful World Class platform combines the very best in environmental technology with the latest advancements in guest experiences.”
World Class series: pioneering the future of sustainable cruising
The new ships will join the ranks of MSC World Europa and MSC World America, as well as the upcoming MSC World Asia and MSC World Atlantic, set to debut in 2026 and 2027. The entire World Class fleet is designed with sustainability and innovation at its core.
The World Class ships are already the most energy efficient ships in service, significantly outperforming the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the new vessels will continue to uphold the high energy efficiency standards set by their sister ships. All World Class ships are ready for a variety of alternative fuels including bio and synthetic LNG. Additionally, they will feature a new configuration of the latest generation dual fuel internal combustion engines, which feature new technology to further reduce methane slip.
The new vessels will feature shore power plug-in connectivity to reduce carbon emissions in port, the most advanced wastewater treatment systems designed in line with the IMO, new advances in waste management, and a comprehensive range of onboard energy-efficient equipment to optimise engine use and hotel energy needs to further reduce emissions.
As with the other World Class ships, the new vessels will seamlessly blend MSC Cruises’ signature elegant European design with comfort to offer an unparalleled guest experience centred around a districts concept with facilities, and experiences tailored to the needs of different types of traveler. Each new ship MSC Cruises builds offers something new and distinctive and World 5 and 6 will be no different.
The two new orders will be subject to access to financing, as per industry practice.
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