With four additional vessels recently ordered at Meyer Werft, MSC Cruises is now set to welcome ten ships to its fleet over the next eight years.
In addition to the newly ordered vessels, the company’s orderbook also includes six World-class ships from Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
Cruise Industry News estimates that the new ships will add over 47,500 berths to MSC’s fleet by 2033.
According to data from the latest edition of CIN’s Global Cruise Ship Index, the company will grow its overall fleet capacity by roughly 60 percent with the newbuilds.
MSC Cruises currently operates a 23-vessel fleet that has an average capacity of approximately 3,600 guests per ship.
With all the newbuilds in service, the fleet’s average capacity is set to grow to just short of 4,000 passengers per vessel.
MSC is welcoming two World-class ships to its fleet over the next two years, including the MSC World Asia in late 2026 and the MSC World Atlantic in 2027.
As part of a recent agreement with the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard, the company is also welcoming four ships in the series between 2029 and 2032.
At 205,700 tons, the World-class ships are the largest in the company’s fleet, with a capacity for 5,400 passengers at double occupancy.
The company’s new contract with Meyer Werft will include the development of a new ship prototype under the name New Frontier.
With a maximum passenger capacity of 5,400 and 180,000 tons, the ships in the new series will be smaller than the World-class vessels.
In addition to the four initial ships, the deal with the German shipyard also includes an option for two extra New Frontier vessels.
The contract was described by Meyer’s CEO Bernd Eikens as a “significant milestone” in the 230-year history of the shipbuilder.