MSC World Europa

Welcome to a new era of cruising for MSC 

The MSC World Europa feels like MSC turning to Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line and saying, “Hey, I want to play with the big boys too.” 

While Royal Caribbean proudly shows the Icon of the Seas and Norwegian has the Norwegian Viva, MSC counters with the World Europa. While the Icon of the Seas features several swimming pools, the World Europa offers the tallest dry slide at sea. And while the Norwegian Viva has a go-kart racing track, the World Europa comes with a fun F1 simulator onboard.

The MSC World Europa is massive. Launched in 2022, it is the largest MSC cruise ship to date, accommodating around 7,000 passengers and offering everything onboard for those who love the mega-resort experience. As its name suggests, the MSC World Europa focuses on Europe, visiting cities like Barcelona, Doha, Marseille, and Genoa. So, if you’re traveling to Europe and planning a cruise anytime soon, make sure to put this mega-ship on your radar.

What we like about the MSC World Europa

Venom Drop, the tallest dry slide at sea onboard MSC World Europa - MSC Cruise Line©

MSC is known for offering affordable cruises, so it’s exciting to see them venture into the mega-resort experience for the first time with the World Europa. Traditionally, MSC has been associated with more classic and elegant vacations in the Old Continent. However, with the World Europa, they’re aiming to create a floating city (or, well, a theme park at sea) for the first time. The results are pretty good.

One of the standout features of the World Europa is undoubtedly the crew. The staff consistently receives excellent reviews for their upbeat and fun attitude, always striving to ensure guests have a great time. Keep in mind that this is a massive ship accommodating around 7,000 passengers, so pleasing everyone can be a challenge. However, most of the crew earns two thumbs up for being friendly, helpful, and attentive. Good job, MSC!

Grand Suite onboard the MSC World Europa - MSC Cruise Line©

The cabins on the MSC World Europa are often considered better than those on other cruise lines. Standard staterooms are slightly larger and offer more storage options. Even more importantly, the bathrooms are a bit bigger, providing additional shower space. This is a significant upgrade, especially compared to some ships with bathrooms so small they resemble airplane lavatories. I love that the cabins on the MSC World Europa are well-designed, and they only get better if you opt for the more expensive and luxurious options.

Beyond that, the MSC World Europa offers everything you’d expect from a massive ship, comparable to the largest ones in North America. From Broadway-style shows and waterparks to kids' clubs, multiple swimming pools, specialty restaurants, F1 simulators, and more, the ship has something for everyone. Considering that MSC offers some of the best prices in the industry - along with impressive cabins - the World Europa could be an excellent choice if you’re looking to experience the mega-resort-at-sea concept for the first time.

What we don’t like about the MSC World Europa

MSC Cruise Line©

The overall design of the ship could use some improvement. The MSC World Europa is massive, but there are some unused spaces on the upper decks, while most guests tend to congregate on Deck 6. Deck 6 connects to the casino, the two main theaters, and a single bar, making it one of the most crowded areas on the ship. Hopefully, this is something MSC will address with the launch of MSC World America in 2025.

Crowding issues also occur because there are few complimentary food options available. While the MSC World Europa offers three buffet options, one is usually only open for limited hours, while only one of them operates 24/7. Depending on how crowded the ship is - such as on embarkation day - it can be challenging to find the perfect spot to grab a meal and relax.

MSC Cruise Line©