World’s biggest cruise ship design unveiled
MSC Cruises has announced details of its new class of cruise ships that will be among the largest in the world.
The planned World Class cruise ships will be built at STX France between 2022-2026 and will carry 6850 passengers in 2760 cabins.
The World Class ships will just beat Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas which holds 6780 passengers.
The gross tonnage of the new class of ships will be roughly 181,00 tonnes which is smaller than Royal’s Oasis ships that weigh more than 185,170 gross tonnes.
The details were announced at a ceremony in St Nazaire, France, as the cruise line took ownership of MSC Meraviglia. The new ship is set to arrive in Miami in 2018 after travelling around Europe in its first two years of service.
"As we unveil MSC Meraviglia, a new vessel that marks the start of the next phase of our growth, we are delighted to confirm another key component of our 10-year investment plan: the World Class," MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said.
"These new vessels will further expand our partnership with STX France all the way to 2026, with up to seven additional innovative ships to be built during this period.”
The MSC World Class ships have a “Y” shaped hull design that will allow for better views and more balcony cabins. The ships will also have a “G” shaped bow design which will improve guests’ stability and comfort.
The ships will also have square cabins, a glass pool lounge and a family village area.
“Once again, MSC Cruises has chosen to put their trust in our capacity to support their growth and expansion as well as in our ability to conceive, develop and build the world's most modern and technologically-advanced cruise ships," said STX France CEO Laurent Castaing.
"By adding the new World Class to the four previous ship classes that we have delivered over the past 15 years, the number of vessels in their fleet built by STX France in Saint-Nazaire is set to reach 20. Our exceptional industrial partnership continues to benefit an entire region."
Currently, Meraviglia is the cruise line's 12th ship and with the contract for two World Class ships and the option for two more, the line will see a steady increase in its fleet.
Meraviglia is the first ship to feature the line’s partnerships with Cirque du Soleil, with a venue designed for two unique performances. Other exciting features include an amusement park, a water park, a three-deck yacht club and an indoor promenade with LED light sky.