MSC Cruises has unveiled plans for a new class of cruise ships to be delivered from 2030.
The cruise line has ordered four vessels to be built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, that will form a “New Frontier” class for the brand.
A new ship will be delivered each year from 2030 and there is an option for two more, Meyer Werft and MSC Cruises said in a joint statement.
Each megaship will have a gross tonnage of around 180,000 and capacity for 5,400.
In comparison, the world’s largest cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s Icon class have a gross tonnage of 250,800. The new MSC Cruises ships are smaller, but the capacity will be similar.
Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises, said: “Meyer Werft’s track record, expertise and proud history make it a true beacon of European shipbuilding.
“Together, we will create vessels that redefine the cruise experience while preserving the craftsmanship that keeps Germany at the forefront of maritime engineering.
“The New Frontier class will enable us to design new and exclusive itineraries, offer exceptional guest experience and will feature next-generation environmental technologies that will advance our net-zero 2050 commitment.”
This is the first time that MSC Cruises has worked with Meyer Werft, which has built ships for other brands such as Disney.
The new ships will be in addition to MSC Cruises current World class vessels, built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France.
The cruise line has already launched MSC World Europa and MSC World America.
A third in the series, MSC World Asia will launch in December 2026 and MSC World Atlantic will enter service in 2027.
Work is already underway on a fifth and sixth World class cruise ship at Chantiers de l’Atlantique and MSC Cruises has ordered two more, taking the total to eight in the series.
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