While MSC Cruises may not boast the largest cruise ships in the industry, it still has a nice range of cruise ships of various sizes in its fleet, from the largest MSC World America, at 215,638 gross tons, to the smallest MSC Armonia, at 65,542 gross tons.
If you’re considering taking an MSC Cruises vacation in the near future, and you either want to stay on a big ship with lots of amenities, or you’d prefer a smaller, more intimate ship that focuses on itineraries rather than flashy on-board amenities, here’s everything you need to know, with MSC Cruises’ ships organized by size from largest to smallest.
MSC World America (215,638 GT)
Not only is MSC World America the largest cruise vessel in MSC Cruises’ fleet, but it’s also the newest ship in the fleet.
The second World-class ship, this ship can hold nearly 7,000 passengers over its 22 decks and 2,614 cabins. The ship is split into seven “districts”: Family Aventura, Aqua Deck, Zen Area, Galleria, The Terraces, The Promenade and the MSC Yacht Club.
The ship, which was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique with construction starting in October 2022, is pretty similar to the first World-class ship, MSC World Europa.
Read Also: I Took a Sneak Peek at the Huge MSC World America While Under Construction
However, MSC World America takes the World class to new heights with new features such as the first Eataly at sea and new restaurants for MSC Cruises, including Paxos Greek Restaurant, Paxos on the Go, Promenade Bites and The Harbour Bar & Bites.
- Entered service: April 2025
- Gross tonnage: 215,683
- Passenger capacity: 6,762
- Length: 1,092 ft.
MSC World Europa (215,683 GT)
Not at all surprisingly, tying for the biggest cruise ship in MSC Cruises’ fleet is the other World-class ship currently sailing the oceans. MSC World Europa, also built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique and with construction starting in 2020, is the same size in gross tons as MSC World America.
However, if we were to rank these cruise ships’ size based on length rather than gross tonnage, MSC World Europa would actually come out on top, as its just a foot longer than its sister ship.
Other size-related standout features on this big ship? There’s the Venom Drop dry slide, the longest dry slide at sea, and the largest waterpark in the fleet.
- Entered service: December 2022
- Gross tonnage: 215,683
- Passenger capacity: 6,762
- Length: 1,093 ft.
MSC Euribia (183,500)
Another relatively new ship, MSC Euribia is actually newer than MSC World Europa, but it’s still smaller. A member of the Meraviglia Plus-class and built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique starting in 2021, the ship is quite a bit smaller than MSC World Europa in terms of gross tonnage, but the capacity isn’t far off, with only about a 400-person difference.
This ship boasts some of its own size-related feats. It features the longest LED dome at sea, in the Galleria, and it has five pools that, when all are full, can accommodate a thousand cruisers!
- Entered service: June 2023
- Gross tonnage: 183,500
- Passenger capacity: 6,327
- Length: 1,087 ft.
MSC Virtuosa (181,541 GT)
While not as big as Meraviglia Plus-class sister ship MSC Euribia, MSC Virtuosa still is by no means shabby in the size department. Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in 2018, the ship can actually fit more passengers than MSC Euribia, even with the small size difference.
MSC Virtuosa has just over 2,400 cabins and suites, and a crew of just over 1,700. It also features the largest shopping area at sea, with the ship’s galleria accommodating 11 art boutiques and more than 250 brands available for purchase.
- Entered service: May 2021
- Gross tonnage: 181,541
- Passenger capacity: 6,334
- Length: 1,087 ft.
MSC Grandiosa (181,541 GT)
The first Meraviglia Plus-class ship, MSC Grandiosa is the same size as MSC Virtuosa, and offers the same passenger capacity. The ship was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique starting in 2018.
Some fun, size-related details regarding this ship? There are five specialty restaurants, 12 total dining venues and 21 bars and lounges, all serving 15,000 meals per day, and eight different types of hot chocolate.
There are 1,137 square meters of retail space, 975 seats in the theater, a 570-square-meter gym and 1,100-square-meter MSC Aurea spa. The kids space measures more than 700 square meters.
- Entered service: November 2019
- Gross tonnage: 181,541
- Passenger capacity: 6,334
- Length: 1,087 ft.
MSC Bellissima (171,598 GT)
The most recent Meraviglia-class ship to debut, MSC Bellissima entered service in 2019 after construction began in 2017 at Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
The ship offers 12 dining venues and just over 2,200 staterooms and suites, and there are 1,595 crew members on board to serve the 5,600-plus passengers that take over the ship when it’s at full capacity.
- Entered service: March 2019
- Gross tonnage: 171,598
- Passenger capacity: 5,655
- Length: 1,034 ft.
MSC Meraviglia (171,598 GT)
The lead of the Meraviglia class ships, MSC Meraviglia was the sixth-largest cruise ship in the world when it debuted in 2017, following two years of construction at STX Europe.
The ship features over 2,200 staterooms and suites, 19 decks (15 are accessible to passengers), a 5,200-square-foot LED dome in the Galleria, a main pool that measures more than 100 square feet and not one but two Formula 1 simulators. There are nine dining options and, of course, MSC Cruises’ fan-favorite MSC Yacht Club.
- Entered service: June 2017
- Gross tonnage: 171,598
- Passenger capacity: 5,642
- Length: 1,036 ft.
MSC Seascape (169,400 GT)
This ship is quite a bit newer than some of the larger ships detailed above, but it’s on the smaller side, as it’s a Seaside EVO-class ship. Built by Fincantieri with construction starting in 2019, the ship is outfitted with 11 dining venues, 19 bars and lounges, 13 pools and water features and 2,270 staterooms and suites, 131 of which are MSC Yacht Club suites.
Guests will find 200-plus casino games in the large casino and 300-plus entertainment activities throughout the ship. The ship also boasts the only three-seat Robotron thrill ride on the seas.
- Entered service: November 2022
- Gross tonnage: 169,400
- Passenger capacity: 5,877
- Length: 1,112 ft.
MSC Seashore (169,400 GT)
MSC Seashore is the same size as MSC Seascape, as the two are relatively close in age and of the same class, the Seaside EVO class.
However, when it launched ahead of MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore gained status as the longest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet at the time. The ship also features more than three acres of outdoor space, 11 dining venues and 19 bars.
The ship was built by Fincantieri, with construction starting in 2019.
- Entered service: August 2021
- Gross tonnage: 169,400
- Passenger capacity: 5,877
- Length: 1,112 ft.
MSC Seaview (153,516 GT)
The most recent Seaside class ship, MSC Seaview is just a bit smaller than the two Seaside EVO-class ships. Still, that doesn’t mean that this ship doesn’t have anything worth bragging about, size-wise.
The ship offers one of the longest zip lines at sea, and its just over 5,000 passengers are distributed among 2,026 staterooms and suites. The ship has a crew of 1,413 people. The ship was built by Fincantieri in 2017.
- Entered service: June 2018
- Gross tonnage: 153,516
- Passenger capacity: 5,079
- Length: 1,060 ft.
MSC Seaside (153,516 GT)
Very similar in size and style, MSC Seaside may seem small-ish, but when it debuted in 2017, after construction at Fincantieri took about a year, it was one of the world’s biggest cruise ships.
In fact, it easily fit into the top 15 largest cruise ships at that time. Now, though, it barely fits into the top 40 largest cruise ships in the world.
- Entered service: December 2017
- Gross tonnage: 153,516
- Passenger capacity: 5,079
- Length: 1,060 ft.
MSC Preziosa (139,072 GT)
A Fantasia-class ship built by STX Europe starting in 2010, MSC Preziosa offers 1,751 staterooms and suites, and requires 1,388 crew members.
While this ship is quite a bit smaller than MSC Cruises’ current largest ships, the ship still manages to pack a lot into its small footprint. For example, the ship has one of the longest water slides at sea and it still has fan-favorite features like the MSC Yacht Club.
- Entered service: March 2013
- Gross tonnage: 139,072
- Passenger capacity: 4,345
- Length: 1,094 ft.
MSC Divina (139,072 GT)
Another STX Europe-built Fantasia-class ship, MSC Divina is the same size as MSC Preziosa. Like its sister ship, MSC Divina manages to squeeze quite a lot of features into its small footprint. There’s the MSC Yacht Club, four pool areas, eight restaurants, 12 bars and lounges and a 22,507-square-foot water park.
- Entered service: May 2012
- Gross tonnage: 139,072
- Passenger capacity: 4,345
- Length: 1,094
MSC Splendida (137,936 GT)
The first two Fantasia-class ships were slightly smaller than the last two Fantasia-class ships, as can be seen with the second ship in the class, MSC Splendida.
Again, though, for its time, this ship was remarkable in terms of size. In 2009, it was one of the largest cruise ships owned by a European cruise line. The ship offers 1,637 cabins and suites, including 43 accessible staterooms.
Construction on the ship began in 2007, at STX Europe.
- Entered service: July 2009
- Gross tonnage: 137,936
- Passenger capacity: 4,363
- Length: 1,093 ft.
MSC Fantasia (137,936 GT)
The first of the Fantasia class ships, MSC Fantasia, like its immediate predecessor, also made its mark in terms of both size and features.
The ship was the largest in the MSC Cruises fleet in 2008, and it was also the very first ship to introduce the MSC Yacht Club. The ship includes approx 1,600 staterooms and suites, and was built by STX Europe.
- Entered service: December 2008
- Gross tonnage: 137,936
- Passenger capacity: 4,363
- Length: 1,093 ft.
MSC Magnifica (95,128 GT)
Built by STX Europe, MSC Magnifica was the last of the Musica class. With its 13 decks, the ship offers five restaurants, 11 bars and lounges, two outdoor pools, a spa and a casino. There are 1,004 cabins with ocean views and 248 inside cabins. The crew numbers 1,038 individuals.
- Entered service: March 2010
- Gross tonnage: 95,128
- Passenger capacity: 3,223
- Length: 964 ft.
MSC Poesia (92,627 GT)
With construction at STX Europe beginning in 2006, MSC Poesia is slightly smaller than Musica-class sister ship MSC Magnifica. The ship offers three pools (two outdoor), four hot tubs, three restaurants and 1,275 staterooms and suites (275 of which are interior and a thousand of which are exterior). There are 987 crew members.
- Entered service: April 2008
- Gross tonnage: 92,627
- Passenger capacity: 3,223
- Length: 964 ft.
MSC Orchestra (92,409 GT)
Even smaller, the second Musica-class ship, MSC Orchestra, was built in 2006 by STX Europe. While it is just a tiny bit smaller than MSC Poesia, though, it can still accommodate the same number of cruisers. The ship has 940 crew members, and 1,275 staterooms and suites, including 17 accessible staterooms for those with disabilities.
- Entered service: May 2007
- Gross tonnage: 92,409
- Passenger capacity: 3,223
- Length: 964 ft.
MSC Musica (92,409 GT)
Yet another MSC Cruises ship that’s considered tiny today, MSC Musica made waves for its size when it entered service in 2006. At that time, it was the largest cruise ship MSC Cruises had ever launched (and even today, the ship was recently considered the largest ship to sail from Israel).
Built by STX Europe with construction starting in 2005, MSC Musica is the lead ship in the Musica class. It contains 1,275 staterooms, including 17 accessible cabins. There are 16 decks and 1,014 crew members.
- Entered service: July 2006
- Gross tonnage: 92,409
- Passenger capacity: 3,223
- Length: 964 ft.
MSC Opera (65,591 GT)
Built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in 2004, MSC Opera is a member of MSC Cruises’ smallest and oldest cruise ship class, the Lirica class. The Lirica-class ship has just over a thousand staterooms (only five of which are accessible) and just over 700 crew members. There are 13 decks.
- Entered service: June 2004
- Gross tonnage: 65,591
- Passenger capacity: 2,658
- Length: 902 ft.
MSC Lirica (65,591 GT)
The first new-build cruise ship for MSC Cruises, MSC Lirica was built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in 2002. The 14-deck ship is pretty small in pretty much every way. There are only three dining options, including main dining rooms.
The theater can only hold about 700 people. Some of the bars can only hold about a hundred people. There are fewer than a thousand staterooms and suites. There are fewer than 800 crew members. Still, when the ship was refurbished in 2015, MSC Cruises somehow found space to add a water park.
- Entered service: March 2003
- Gross tonnage: 65,591
- Passenger capacity: 2,648
- Length: 902 ft.
MSC Sinfonia (65,591 GT)
While this ship was built in 2002 at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, it wasn’t originally built for MSC Cruises. Instead, it was built for Festival Cruises, until that now-defunct Greek cruise line declared bankruptcy, and MSC Cruises purchased the ship, renaming it MSC Sinfonia and adding it to its Lirica class.
The ship’s nine decks include just over 350 interior cabins and just over 600 exterior cabins. There are around 700 crew members, three dining options and only a handful of entertainment venues.
- Entered service (for MSC Cruises): March 2005
- Gross tonnage: 65,591
- Passenger capacity: 2,646
- Length: 902 ft.
MSC Armonia (65,542 GT)
Last of all, the Lirica-class ship MSC Armonia is both the smallest and the oldest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, at just slightly smaller than MSC Sinfonia in terms of gross tonnage.
Like MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia was originally a Festival Cruises cruise ship, until MSC Cruises purchased the ship and added it to the fleet. Much like MSC Sinfonia, MSC Armonia has under a thousand cabins, and only a handful of dining and entertainment options.
- Entered service (for MSC Cruises): 2004
- Gross tonnage: 65,542
- Passenger capacity: 2,620
- Length: 902 ft.
