The construction cost of two ultra-modern MSC cruise ships is causing real surprise, as the company signed contracts worth 4 billion dollars for its next ships in the World Class series. This investment shows how dynamically the cruise industry has been moving in recent years, but also how high the demands for technology, energy efficiency, and passenger experience have risen.
The cost of two cruise ships to be built for MSC Cruises is staggering. The industry’s ambitious bet on continuous growth has extended into the next decade this past Tuesday, as MSC Cruises signed contracts worth 4 billion dollars for two ships to be built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
The Geneva-based cruise company announced it during the ceremonies in Saint-Nazaire for its two World Class series ships. In successive ceremonies, the shipyard presented the newly built MSC World Asia and the coin ceremony for the MSC World Atlantic.
The construction of the two new ships, which will be named World Class 7 and 8, is scheduled for completion in 2030 and 2031 respectively. This addition skyrockets MSC’s investments to 12 billion dollars, which are distributed across eight World Class ships, which are in various stages of design and construction.
“We are deeply grateful to MSC Cruises for their renewed trust. What our shipyard is achieving today is truly exceptional — four new ships ordered in 2025! The World Class series, which now totals eight ships, is a testament to the expertise of our teams and the vision of MSC,” stated Laurent Castaing, General Manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
Pierfrancesco Vago, head of the cruise division of MSC, stated that the investment shows confidence in the future course of cruising. He emphasized the energy efficiency of the ships and the use of liquefied natural gas, which the company considers a bridge for the transition to future green fuels.
Each World Class ship is designed with distinct thematic zones, aiming to offer passengers diverse spaces and experiences within one ship.
Once the outfitting is completed and it is delivered, the MSC World Asia will begin its cruises in the Mediterranean in December 2026. The ship’s cruises will be 7 days long and the trips will include stops in Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Messina, and Valletta.
The MSC World Atlantic is scheduled for delivery in 2027 and will perform cruises in the Caribbean from the 2027-28 season, with Port Canaveral as its homeport.
The World Class series began with the MSC World Europa, which was delivered in 2022. The MSC World America was put into service this year, while four additional ships, whose names have not been mentioned, are scheduled for completion between 2028 and 2031. The construction of the two new ships is expected to begin in 2029.
We see that after the coronavirus pandemic there was a huge increase in the cruise industry, an increase which continues even today. Judging by the future orders for cruise ships worth many billions of dollars, it seems the industry is looking to the future with greater optimism than ever.
