MSC Cruises new World-class cruise ship, MSC World Europa, will homeport in Dubai for the winter 2022/23 cruise season, sailing roundtrip in the Arabian Gulf.

Five times the size of Titanic and carrying three times as many passengers, MSC World Europa will be the largest cruise ship ever to spend a season in the Middle East.

MSC World Europa will cruise in the Middle East next year.

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At 333-metres, MSC World Europa will be longer than the Burj Al Arab is tall and will feature 40,000sqm of guest space across 22 passenger decks, the same amount of floor area available at the new Dubai Exhibition Centre being built for the Dubai Expo 2020.

MSC World Europa is the first ship in the second-largest cruise ship class in the world, at 200,000-gross tons she is just slightly smaller than Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class, the current largest cruise vessels afloat.

MSC World Europa will enter service in December, 2022 and will immediately reposition to the Middle East, where she will sail her maiden cruise from Doha, Qatar after the FIFA World Cup.

Sir Bani Yas Island’s cruise beach is the only one of its kind in the region, and MSC World Europa will have it to herself on each port call

The 4-night cruise will bring her to Dubai, from which she will sail 7-night roundtrip voyages to Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, Dammam and Doha, staying overnight in Dubai on the final night of each cruise.

During her port calls at Sir Bani Yas Island, the immaculate cruise beach will be exclusive to MSC Cruises, while passengers will also be able to go on game safaris to discover exotic wildlife, or go kayaking in the island’s mangroves.

Like MSC Virtuosa during the current cruise season, MSC World Europa will also call in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, becoming the largest cruise ship ever to visit Saudi Arabia. Here guests will be able to visit Al Ahsa oasis, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Al Ahsa Oasis in Dammam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

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MSC World Europa will sail several dozen of these roundtrip Dubai cruises, before finally departing Dubai on March 25th, 2023 at the end of the winter cruise season, bound for Europe, where she will sail 7-night cruises visiting the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain and Marseille in France.

“Quite unlike anything else at sea today, MSC World Europa and the entire MSC World Class redefines the cruise experience in so many ways,” said Pierfrancesco Vago. “From the future-proof on board technologies that this completely new platform introduces for the first time all the way to its ground-breaking marine and interior design features. MSC World Europa marks the beginning of a new era for cruising.”

MSC Cruises’ new World-class of ships will be the second largest ever built (after the Oasis class) and will be LNG powered

The impressive Y-shaped aft opens onto the 104-metre-long Europa Promenade with breath-taking ocean views. Half open to the sky and half-covered by an imposing LED-sky screen, the screen will feature tailor-made displays throughout the day.

One of the key features of the completely re-imagined promenade is The Spiral – a striking architectural centrepiece in the form of a dry slide spanning 11 decks – the longest at sea.

The Spiral slide at the aft of the Promenade will be the longest on any cruise ship

Top features aboard MSC World Europa

The size of the ship allows for completely distinct districts, each with their own mood and experiences, from a tranquil adults-only zen district to the lively promenade with entertainment, shops and bars, to a separate family district that houses as many as ten new kids facilities.

Pools, Entertainment and Restaurants

There will be six pools and 14 whirlpools, a separate sun deck for families, an Aquapark with integrated virtual reality technology, as well as full-scale production theatre shows and new exciting, immersive performance venues.

There will be six pools and 14 whirlpools aboard the ship

The ship will feature 13 dining venues, including six speciality restaurants, with two brand new concepts introduced aboard MSC World Europa: the trendy Chef’s Garden Kitchen focussing on flavourful microgreens and La Pescaderia, a traditional seafood grill with alfresco seating.

The 105-metre Europa Promenade will be the social heart of the ship

Guest favourites such as the American-style steakhouse Butcher’s Cut and Asian-inspired Kaito Teppanyaki Grill and Sushi Bar, will also feature aboard MSC World Europa, as well as the newly launched Latin American street food-inspired Hola! Tacos & Cantina.

The ship will also boast three ample restaurant-buffets, each offering their distinct ambiance, including a brand-new location that will be open 24/7.

Bars and Cafes

When it comes to bars and cafes, MSC World Europa will feature as many as a small town. The popular Masters of the Sea Pub, will be split across two decks on this ship and will brew craft beer specially on board for the first time.

Emporium Coffee Bar will debut aboard MSC World Europa

Other concepts will include the Elixir – Mixology Bar with elaborate signature cocktails, a South Asian-style tea room filled with perfumes from the East, an authentic Emporium coffee bar with selections from around the world, a widely stocked Gin Project inspired by a real distillery, a zesty juice bar made from fresh ingredients, a gelateria with a multitude of flavours to tempt your sweet-tooth.

Cabins and Suites

MSC World Europa’s staterooms are also a major advancement for the cruise line, which will offer duplex suites and inside balcony cabins for the first time, similar to those found aboard the Oasis-class of Royal Caribbean.

Inside balcony cabins will overlook the Promenade

MSC World Europa will offer 19 different categories, with 65% of cabins featuring balconies. Seven entirely new cabin categories will debut aboard the World-class, such as balcony suites and cabins that overlook the promenade, luxurious duplex MSC Yacht Club suites with large balconies and private hot tubs, Aurea Suites with spacious balconies and private hot tubs, and Infinite Ocean view cabins.

The Infinite Ocean View cabins appear to be inspired by Infinity Veranda cabins aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Edge-class, with a panoramic sliding window that turns into a glass balustrade when open.

MSC World Europa is the first is four sister ships ordered by MSC Cruises from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France. The second, un-named ship is due for delivery in 2025.