MSC World Asia has begun sea trials ahead of its maiden Mediterranean season this December.
The milestone comes as MSC Cruises also unveiled new details of the ship’s onboard offering, including what will become the largest Venchi chocolate experience at sea.
The LNG-powered vessel departed the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire on July 15th to begin the first phase of sea trials, marking a key step towards its scheduled delivery in late November.
The trials will assess the ship’s engines, manoeuvrability, fuel efficiency, safety systems, and overall operational performance before it enters commercial service later this year.
In a social media update marking the occasion, MSC Cruises described the departure as a significant milestone in the ship’s construction.
“A milestone worth marking. Our new World Class flagship has left the shipyard and taken to open water for the very first time, beginning the final phase of her journey towards her December debut,” the company said.
MSC added that the vessel had been designed to deliver “the highest standards in every element onboard, from advanced engineering to thoughtfully designed spaces.”
Alongside confirming progress towards delivery, the cruise line has revealed further details of MSC World Asia’s onboard venues, including a new partnership with Italian chocolatier Venchi.
The ship will feature the largest Venchi chocolate experience at sea, occupying a 300-square-metre venue within the Galleria on Deck 6. Combining a boutique, café, and artisanal gelateria, the space will be the first Venchi outlet introduced on an MSC World Class ship and the largest across the fleet.
The venue will offer seating for more than 60 guests and include a live chocolate-making experience where visitors can create personalised chocolate bars using premium ingredients and digital design tools.
Guests will also be able to purchase Venchi’s range of chocolates, enjoy Italian espresso, pastries, crêpes and artisanal gelato, while evening offerings will include chocolate-inspired cocktails.
Among the new products developed for the partnership is an exclusive gelato flavour, Crunchy Waves, which will debut aboard MSC Cruises’ Seaside Class ships from August before becoming a permanent feature aboard MSC World Asia when it enters service.
The limited-edition flavour will also be available throughout August in selected Venchi stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy.
MSC World Asia will enter service on December 4th, 2026, when it welcomes its first guests in Barcelona.
The 205,700-ton vessel will operate year-round in the Western Mediterranean, offering seven-night itineraries with embarkation available in Barcelona, Marseille and Genoa.
Its regular itinerary will include calls at Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Messina and Valletta.
The ship is the third vessel in MSC Cruises’ World Class series, following MSC World Europa, which entered service in 2022, and MSC World America, which debuted in 2025.
MSC Cruises plans to expand the class further over the remainder of the decade, with five additional ships scheduled for delivery through 2031. The next vessel, MSC World Atlantic, is due to enter service in 2027 and will join MSC World America in the Caribbean.
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