By
Laura Hyde |
MSC Cruises’ third World-class ship, MSC Word Asia, will begin sailing its first itineraries in the Mediterranean from 11 December 2026.
The ship, which is currently under construction at French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s yard in France, will spend winter 2026/-2027 sailing seven-night itineraries to Barcelona, Spain; Marseille, France; Genoa, Civitavecchia for Rome and Messina in Italy; and Valletta, Malta. The ship will remain in the Mediterranean for summer 2027, where it will offer seven-night voyages calling at Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Naples in Italy, Messina and Valletta.
The cruise line’s World-class series of ships, which already includes MSC World Europa and MSC World America, celebrates the world’s continents and oceans. In addition to seven onboard districts, each with their own atmosphere, facilities and experiences, MSC World Asia will offer guests design elements reflecting Asia’s rich culture, art and landscapes.
The ship will include a yet-to-be-named Pan-Asian speciality restaurant serving dishes inspired by cuisine in Singapore, Thailand, Laos, South China, Vietnam and Indonesia. The restaurant will also feature a bar and outdoor terrace, which will open out onto the World Promenade situated at the rear of the ship.
A rendering of MSC World Asia’s World Promenade
The ship’s World Promenade will also feature a 12-storey spiral dry slide, inspired by the trees in Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay. The Tree of Life slide will stand at 81.3 metres and will enable guests to glide between 12 decks in seconds.
MSC Cruises will work with Chantiers de l'Atlantique to build three additional World-class ships by 2030. MSC World Atlantic is scheduled to begin operations in 2027, while World 5 and 6 are due to be delivered in 2029 and 2030 respectively.
Read more: How MSC Cruises is pushing the boundaries