MSC Cruises marks trio of World-class milestones

MSC World America, the 23rd ship in the cruise line’s fleet, is set to be named on 9 April in the US at the company’s new state-of-the-art MSC Miami Cruise Terminal, the largest in the world. The new ship offers venues and concepts tailored specifically to the US market. 

MSC Group, cruise division, executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said, “Our new flagship is a testament to our long-standing, innovative partnership spanning over 20 years, resulting in five groundbreaking prototypes and 19 ships. Together, we continue to push boundaries, combining cutting-edge design, the latest technologies, and a richness of experiences to set new standards in cruising and always strive to further improve the environmental performance of each ship. We look forward to raising the bar even higher with the upcoming MSC World Asia and MSC World Atlantic.”

The traditional coin ceremony for MSC World Asia has also taken place, with commemorative coins placed inside the ship as a sign of blessing during construction and to bring good fortune to the ship. The ship will enter service in winter 2026-27 with sailings in the Mediterranean Sea to destinations in France, Italy, Spain and Malta.

MSC Cruises’ third celebration was a steel cutting ceremony to officially start the construction of the line’s fourth World-class ship, due to enter service in 2027. The ship’s name was revealed for the first time – MSC World Atlantic. This vessel will be deployed in the Caribbean from Port Canaveral, US from winter 2027-28.

The ships are named after the world’s continents and oceans to reflect the global nature of MSC Cruises and not necessarily as an indication of where they will be deployed.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique general manager Laurent Castaing said, "MSC World America has the best energy efficiency design index from the International Maritime Organization and, therefore, the lowest carbon footprint of the entire cruise industry. And we will go even further with the two sister ships we are celebrating today."

MSC World America’s latest-generation engines run on LNG that enables a direct transition towards drop-in bio and synthetic renewable fuels. The ship is also equipped with shore power to allow the engines to be switched off while in connected ports, such as the new MSC Cruise Terminal in Miami. The ship has an advanced wastewater treatment system and a comprehensive onboard recycling management plant, which combined, significantly reduces the waste output.

Bureau Veritas has awarded MSC World America its Platinum Pearl Award in recognition of MSC Cruises’ 20-year commitment to health, safety and environmental protection throughout its fleet of ships.