In a rousing reaffirmation of Europe’s shipbuilding legacy—and with a flair that would make even Captain Cook grin—MSC Cruises has hoisted the sails on two brand new leviathans of the sea. Dubbed (for now) World Class 5 and World Class 6, these two floating cities will join MSC’s expanding World Class fleet with a dignified arrival in 2029 and 2030.
Built in the storied naval town of Saint-Nazaire, France—where ocean liners are born with more ceremony than royal christenings—the vessels will once again be constructed by MSC’s long-time partner, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, a shipyard with so much pedigree it may as well have a coat of arms.
And if you’re wondering whether these two ships are just more of the same, think again. They’re not just ships—they’re statements.
A Romance with Rivets: MSC’s Love Affair with French Steel
“This is more than an order—it’s a milestone,” beamed Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, no stranger to poetic pronouncements at the prow of progress. “It marks the continuation of our long-term industrial plan and a legacy of excellence forged with Chantiers de l’Atlantique over the past 20 years.”
A touch sentimental? Perhaps. But in an era of disposable everything, such enduring collaboration deserves a little reverence. And some steel-riveted applause.
Vago continued with a nod to the fleet’s eco-credentials: “The World Class platform combines the very best in environmental technology with the latest guest experiences.”
It’s a marriage of green innovation and luxury—that modern miracle of letting you sip Champagne in the pool while knowing the ship’s emissions are kinder to the planet than your Uber ride to the port.
A French Connection That Runs Deeper Than the Hull
The General Manager at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Laurent Castaing, clearly enjoys his role as midwife to maritime marvels. “We thank MSC Cruises for their continued trust,” he said. “This synergy has created a class of ships that meets the highest standards for both guest experience and environmental performance.”
If this shipbuilding partnership were a wine, it’d be a full-bodied Bordeaux—aged, dependable, and impossible to replicate.
And the proof’s in the propellers. The current World Class ships, including MSC World Europa and the soon-to-launch MSC World America, are already shaking up the cruise industry with next-generation efficiency and innovative design. The new siblings—World Class 5 and 6—will continue the tradition, with even more environmental savvy and tech innovation tucked beneath their elegant exteriors.
A Shipload of Sustainability: Greener Than Poseidon’s Garden
Before you assume these ships are all glamour and glitz, here’s the brass tacks: they are expected to outperform the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) by such a margin that they may need their gold medal category.
The secret? A hybrid of clever engineering and future-proofing. The ships will come equipped with next-generation dual-fuel internal combustion engines, carefully calibrated to reduce methane slip (which, for those playing along at home, is one of cruising’s more notorious environmental bugbears).
They’ll also be future-ready, primed to operate on bio and synthetic LNG, and with shore power plug-in capabilities that mean when docked, they can switch off their engines and sip power from the local grid like a battery-powered Bentley.
Add advanced wastewater treatment, cutting-edge waste management, and Swiss-watch-level onboard energy monitoring, and these ships start to look less like pleasure boats and more like floating eco-science labs with five-star service and a piano bar.
A Ship for Every Soul: Districts at Sea
But let’s not forget the passengers—the folks who book the cabins and judge everything by the quality of the buffet and the thread count on the sheets.
These new ships will continue MSC’s so-called “districts concept”—a design innovation that slices the ship into areas tailored to different traveller types. Whether you’re a love-struck couple craving cocktails under the stars, a family herding excited kids towards the waterslides, or a quiet soul craving solitude and a library, there’s a place for you on board.
And in keeping with MSC’s signature style, these ships won’t be gaudy Vegas-on-sea monstrosities. Expect polished European design, tasteful curves, soft lighting, and just enough marble to make you feel mildly aristocratic.
MSC reminds us that each World Class ship has its own personality—its own heartbeat—and World 5 and 6 promise to be as distinctive as they are dynamic.
A Vote for Tradition in an Age of Speed
In an industry often chasing the next gimmick (robot butlers, anyone?), MSC is taking the scenic route—relying on proven shipbuilders, doubling on classic design, and investing in sustainable futures.
The ships are subject to financing, as is customary in big-ticket shipbuilding. But make no mistake: this is not a gamble. It’s a calculated investment in an old-fashioned concept—building something beautiful, lasting, and responsible still matters.
And in this age of short attention spans and throwaway luxuries, that idea sails like a breath of fresh, sea-salted air.
By Bridget Gomez
