MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l'Atlantique have announced orders for two additional World Class ships. The vessels, designated as World Class 7 and 8, are scheduled for delivery in 2030 and 2031.
The announcement took place during a dual celebration marking the float out of MSC World Asia and the coin ceremony of MSC World Atlantic, both currently under construction at the French shipyard.
The above order brings MSC Cruises' total investment in France this year to nearly 7 billion euros for the construction of World Class ships 5, 6, 7 and 8. Including vessels already under construction, the company's total direct investment currently committed in France reaches 10.5 billion euros.
"We mark a proud moment today for MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l'Atlantique as we celebrate important milestones for our future — the float out of MSC World Asia, the coin ceremony of MSC World Atlantic and the order of two new ships," said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division for MSC Group. "The World Class platform is a symbol of our vision to set new standards for the future of cruising. These are some of the most energy efficient ships in the world and we continue our commitment to LNG, ensuring we are ready for future renewable fuels."
Laurent Castaing, general manager of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, also expressed excitement over what's to come.
"We are deeply grateful to MSC Cruises for their renewed confidence," Castaing said. "What our shipyard is achieving today is truly exceptional — four new ships ordered in 2025. The World Class series, now totaling eight vessels, is a testament to our teams' expertise and to MSC's vision."
Construction of the two new vessels will begin in 2029. The orders are subject to access to financing.
The MSC World Asia float out marks the first time the vessel has touched water. The ship will be delivered in November 2026 and will offer seven-night Mediterranean sailings starting in December from Barcelona, with calls at Marseille, France; Genoa, Messina and Civitavecchia in Italy; and Valletta, Malta.
MSC World Atlantic will enter service in 2027 with Caribbean sailings from Port Canaveral, Florida, beginning in the winter 2027-28 season. The shipyard's godmother was Agnes Sahores, smart yard improvement manager at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, and Lynn Torrent, president of MSC Cruises North America, served as the cruise line's godmother.
"It was a true honor to fulfill such a pivotal role in the journey of bringing MSC World Atlantic to life," said Torrent. "This ship will build on everything our guests and travel partners love about MSC World America, which has been sailing from Miami since April."
The World Class fleet currently consists of MSC World Europa (2022), MSC World America (2025), MSC World Asia (2026) and MSC World Atlantic (2027), with World Class ships 5 through 8 scheduled for delivery by 2031.
Editor’s Note: This article was generated by AI, based on a press release distributed by MSC Cruises. It was fact-checked and reviewed by a TravelAge West editor.