MSC Signs Giant Order of 180,000 Gross Ton Ships With Meyer Werft

MSC Cruises is fast becoming a global player in the cruise market with astronomical expansions beyond its European origins.

Now, the cruise line has ordered a completely new class of ships from Meyer Werft, its first collaboration with the German shipbuilder. The announcement was made in Berlin on Monday, December 15, 2025.

Four “New Frontier” ships have now been ordered, with future options on two more ships for a total of six potential new builds in the next decade on a very ambitious construction schedule.

This is the first time Meyer Werft will have built ships for MSC Cruises, which has historically partnered with Chantiers de l’Atlantique or other French shipyards, as well as Fincantieri in Italy.

“Meyer Werft’s track record, expertise and proud history make it a true beacon of European shipbuilding. Together, we will create vessels that redefine the cruise experience while preserving the craftsmanship that keeps Germany at the forefront of maritime engineering,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises.

“The New Frontier class will enable us to design new and exclusive itineraries, offer exceptional guest experience and will feature next-generation environmental technologies that will advance our net-zero 2050 commitment.”

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Meyer Werft is equally optimistic about the new partnership, as it will provide significant economic security for years to come with thousands of jobs necessary to support the new project.

“This new order marks a significant milestone in the 230-year history of MEYER WERFT,” said Dr. Bernd Eikens, CEO of Meyer Werft. “We are delighted to welcome MSC Cruises as a new customer and strategic partner, and we are truly honored by the trust they have placed in us.”

What Do We Know About the New Ships?

Very little is known about the new class, but they are expected to be approximately 180,000 gross tons. This is just slightly larger than Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class ships and very similar to Carnival Cruise Line’s Excel-class vessels.

Guest capacity would max out at about 5,400 passengers, though double occupancy has not been announced.

MSC Cruises’ recent newbuild trend has been for bigger ships. The World class is roughly 216,000 gross tons, comparable to Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class. All of those vessels top the list of the largest cruise ships currently in operation (along with the phenomenal Icon class, of course).

These somewhat smaller ships would still accommodate great numbers of passengers, but may have somewhat more flexibility for berthing requirements and therefore more diverse itineraries.

A Fast-Growing Fleet – Are Some Ships Ready for Retirement?

The first of the new and as-yet-unnamed ships would be delivered in 2030 with one new ship introduced every year afterward.

This would overlap with the most recent orders of the much larger World class ships. MSC World Europa first set sail in 2022 and MSC World America just debuted in March 2025. The upcoming MSC World Asia is due in 2026 followed by MSC World Atlantic in 2027.

Additional World-class ships are also scheduled for 2028, 2029, 2030, and 2031. If the New Frontier class does indeed debut in 2030 and a second ship joins the fleet in 2031, MSC Cruises would have 31 ships sailing in 2031, assuming no ship retirements in the meantime.

Of course, the line’s oldest vessels are the Mistral class: Armonia, Sinfonia, Lirica, and Opera, which first set sail for MSC Cruises in 2004, 2005, 2003, and 2004, respectively. In terms of construction, MSC Armonia was built in 2001 and is the oldest MSC Cruises’ ship currently sailing.

It is possible the New Frontier vessels may replace older ships as they are retired or scrapped, but no such announcements have yet been made.

MSC Cruises fans will want to stay tuned to learn more about the new ships as well as to discover the fate of older ships as new vessels debut.