The interior design on MSC’s largest US-based ship features new venues for the American market
MSC Cruises’ second LNG World-class ship will showcase new venues aimed at American guests. A family friendly sports bar will be among the new concepts on 6,762-passenger MSC World America, which will sail in the Caribbean when it debuts in 2025 and be the line’s largest vessel in the US.
To help guests navigate the 215,863-gt vessel – which is 22 decks tall with more than 2,600 cabins and 420,000 m2 of public space – in a first for MSC, the ship will be divided into seven different zones.
MSC Cruises head of architecture & concept design Ben Wilson tells Passenger Ship Interior & Refurbishment Review, “Because the ship is so large and because our demographic of guests is so diverse, we feel everyone should find ‘a home’ across the ship so that’s why we’ve introduced the idea of districts. The first day or two when people are on board they want to see everything and end up wandering around. This will help them find the districts they want to be in.”
They include a family district, adult-only chill out area and colourful promenade, and, while these spaces can be found on other ships in the fleet, including sister vessel MSC World Europa, the move will give MSC World America more clearly defined areas, enabling passengers to get the most out of their time on board.
Mr Wilson explains The Terraces, a mix of indoor and outdoor dining, entertainment and retail venues, will also feature an all-new Comedy Club.
“On MSC World Europa this space is the Raj Polo Tea Lounge. While we love this venue, we felt the American market would love something different and so that venue is now a comedy that will also host karaoke, duelling pianos and late-night DJ sets.”
Reflecting MSC’s cosmopolitan brand placement, an equally international range of leading interior design studios work with the line. They went back to De Jorio design Swiss which has worked with Geneva-headquartered MSC since the outset of its cruise line arm and now include Tillberg Design of Sweden, London-based architects AD Associates and SMC Design, and Norway’s YSA Design.
With MSC World America homeporting in the US and attracting a mainly domestic market, Miami-based Studio DADO was involved.
“We introduced Studio DADO for the American market and it has been doing some of the more America-themed areas such as the Comedy Club and the new Sports Bar,” says Mr Wilson.
The Sports Bar combines sports memorabilia, technology and entertainment, and has been conceived to be much more than a traditional sports bar venue and will replace the Malt Lounge on MSC World Europa.
“Americans may love whisky, but we felt they’d probably love sports a bit more so that’s why,” we changed the area says Mr Wilson. “But instead of just being a sports bar, we’ve added other elements, so there will be an F&B offering, with small dishes such as sliders or wings, and there will be games within that space, whether that’s table football, shuffleboard, darts or whatever it may be. We don’t want the venue to just be for dads going to watch a game while mum and the children go off and do something else. We want it to be a venue that brings people together and gives them a range of activities and they linger a little longer.”
Other design changes from MSC World Europa, which is being constructed at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, will be found in furniture, fixtures and equipment; most notably on outdoor deck areas.
Mr Wilson continues, “We’re looking at diversifying the furniture a lot more. On MSC World Europa there are lots of sun loungers, because Mediterranean guests like to sunbathe. But you don’t want to be out in the sun all day in the Caribbean, so we’re providing a mixture of cabanas and day beds and necessary shade and covering so guests can stay outside.”
A revised mixture of furniture will also be found on the private outside space at the Yacht Club, MSC’s exclusive ship-within-a-ship complex.
The public outdoor deck will also showcase a dramatic new attraction for thrill-seekers in the form Cliffhanger, the only over-water swing ride at sea. Situated in the heart of the Family Aventura district, riders will be propelled back and forth 50 m above the ocean below.
Back inside the new US flagship, there are still plenty of the familiar features that make MSC vessels stand out from the crowd, including the central Galleria. In common with the indoor promenade on other MSC cruise ships, it will be lined with shops, restaurants and bars and topped by a long LED ceiling with changing displays.
“These are among the things that are instantly recognisable to our brand versus any other ship,” comments Mr Wilson.
While the Galleria is the unmissable heart of the ship, and the new zones will help passengers easily find their way around, there will be one area that is more difficult to access. Following its debut on MSC World Europa, the latest World-class ship will also have a secret speakeasy bar where passengers have to be in the know to find it.
“There will be a red telephone box at the end of a promenade which seems to lead to nowhere,” hints Mr Wilson. “That mysterious element is still there.”
Elsewhere, the six specialty restaurants on MSC World America will include two new concepts – still under wraps – alongside existing favourites Butcher’s Cut steakhouse, Kaito Sushi and Teppanyaki, and Hola! Tacos and Cantina. The 20 bars and lounges will include venues introduced on MSC World Europa, such as the Gin Project craft gin bar, Elixir Mixology Bar and an onboard microbrewery alongside existing venues such as the Masters of the Sea pub.
Mr Wilson concludes, “The core of the hotel is more or less the same with a similar European elegance and use of luxury materials, plus the new products and areas for American guests.”
MSC World America will be officially named in April 2025 at MSC Cruises’ new terminal in PortMiami and will be deployed in the Caribbean for its inaugural season.
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