Anticipation is growing for the new 6,762-passenger MSC World America, which is currently in the final stages of construction at the popular Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Cruise Hive got a sneak peek onboard the vessel during the outfitting phase in mid-November, and there is so much to look forward to, especially for those in the US!
Before we get into how the outfitting is coming along, the cruise line and shipyard are doing a mammoth task in ensuring that one of the world’s largest cruise ships, at roughly 215,000 gross tons, is ready for guests. Workers are onboard night and day, bringing all the venues (some new just to the ship) to reality.
Let’s start with one of the main central hubs of the giant MSC cruise ship, the Galleria. This space, located on decks six and seven, is just one of seven districts onboard and will offer guests all kinds of dining and shopping options, with the mood and tone changing through the day and night using its LED and kinetic light ceiling.
From the Galleria, there’s also access to the Jean Philippe Chocolat & Café and Dolce Vita Bar. Further up, guests can also enjoy The Terraces district, which features nine dining venues and four stores.
I got a sneak peek at the World Theater, which has yet to install all the seating at the time I was there. The venue will host different shows throughout each cruise and will be able to seat 1,600 guests, located on decks six and seven forward.
The Promenade district might look slightly familiar, as it’s the same kind of concept as Royal Caribbean’s popular Boardwalk neighborhood on the Oasis class ships or even the Surf Side neighborhood on the Icon class.
This district, which is located on deck eight, is large and is mainly overlooked by Deluxe balcony cabins. Guests will also be able to get to the new Paxos Greek restaurant, a new multi-service dining venue for MSC Cruises that will also include a new “Paxos on the Go” option and a Promenade Bites venue.
MSC Cruises also confirmed that it will feature a new All-Stars Sports Bar, with a large bar area and screen, along with an interactive darts board area. This will be the largest sports bar found on an MSC Cruises ship so far!
Towards the aft of the Promenade district is the hard-to-miss dry slide called Jaw Drop @ The Spiral. The slide actually begins high up from The Harbour area and twists down onto the Promenade, spanning 11 decks. Guests will begin the thrilling ride from the mouth of the shark as seen in the photo above.
During our sneak peak of the ship while at the shipyard, we also got a look at the new The Harbour outdoor space, located within the Family Aventura district on deck 20.
At the time of my visit, many of the slides that are part of the Aquapark were installed, with just a few elements still to go. One of the main features in this space is also the 90-degree vertical drop slide, along with a dual raft slide.
The Lighthouse (inspired by the lighthouse at MSC’s private island of Ocean Cay) was not yet installed, but this will be a fun area for the kids, also as part of The Harbour. Guests will also be able to enjoy a rock climbing wall and a 577 square meter two-level ropes course, which you can see in my photo above.
One of the most anticipated features of MSC World America, and unique to the entire cruise industry, is the Cliffhanger. At the time, this feature was not yet completed, and setting the stone is the platform where the four-seat attraction will swing out over the side of the ship 50 meters above the ocean.
William Monts de Oca Rivera, Head of Guest Experience Innovation said: “one of the biggest innovations for MSC World America is The Harbour, part of the Family Aventura district, a brand-new revolutionary outdoor venue specially designed for kids and families to gather, play and relax together. It’s home to Cliffhanger – a state-of-the-art swing attraction 50m above the ocean that is going to bring a totally new dimension to the cruise experience.”
Mid-ship on the open deck is one of the most popular areas of any cruise ship: the main pool! The main central pool is part of the Aqua Deck district, where you can relax and enjoy the sunshine or even party at night.
In fact, MSC World America has a total of six pools and 14 hot tubs. These also include twin adult-only pools at the aft of the ship within the Zen Area district.
Another district that MSC World America will feature is the MSC Yacht Club, which I was also lucky enough to take a look at. The ship-within-a-ship experience concept will be the largest in the fleet and will even feature a Top Sail Lounge, an exclusive dining area, and a pool. Guests booked on a Yacht Club cabin will even get a 24/7 butler service.
I also got to see several other specific venues and locations onboard, including the new Eataly venue, the first ever at sea. This Italian-inspired restaurant will have dishes sourced from Italian supplies and also even feature an outdoor seating area.
There was also a visit to the Gin Project and even one of the 150 square meters Owners Suites that features a walk-in closet. The new flagship will have 19 different types of cabins, which Cruise Hive has detailed here.
With MSC World America being designed to sail for the US market, it was confirmed that 40% of the ship was different compared to sister ship MSC World Europa.
Sustainability was a huge factor that came across for the new ship. When MSC World America debuts, it will be the most energy-efficient in the world until its sister ship, MSC World Asia, arrives in 2026.
The vessel will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will also be shore-power-ready and able to connect to ports that have that infrastructure in place.
What’s Next for MSC World America?
It has taken three years to construct the ship, ever since the first steel cutting in March 2022. However, the MSC World America is now approaching the end of its time at the shipyard in France.
The first sea trials for the vessel are planned for December 2024, where the ship’s propulsion systems will be tested to make sure MSC World America is seaworthy. Outfitting will still continue, but by March 27, 2025, the giant new MSC cruise ship will be completed, marked with an official delivery ceremony from Chantiers de l’Atlantique to MSC Cruises.
The cruise line confirmed that the vessel will set sail that very same day of delivery and will waste no time in heading to the US.
MSC’s giant new flagship will debut for guests on April 12 out of PortMiami in Florida. The vessel will sail a 7-day voyage, visiting Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and the cruise line’s own MSC Ocean Cay private island in the Bahamas.
MSC World America will be based out of the cruise capital of the world year-round, offering Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.
