Cruising continues to get bigger. Literally.
MSC Cruises officially welcomed the arrival of its newest ship — MSC World America — with a naming ceremony in Miami yesterday. The ship was named with godmother Drew Barrymore in attendance cutting the ribbon, along with Orlando Bloom. The two celebrities have been a major part of the arrival of MSC World America, including starring in a Super Bowl commercial during the game this year.
The event was held at MSC’s recently debuted Miami terminal, which is now the largest in the world, with the ability to handle a staggering three ships at once.
We’ve shared regular updates about this new ship’s debut and for good reason. This is now the largest ship in MSC’s fleet. (It is barely ahead of sister-ship MSC World Europa that sails Europe.) Coming in at a staggering 216,000 gross tons, the ship ranks as the eighth-largest on the entire planet. But it is notable as it’s the largest cruise ship in the world outside of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon classes.
Onboard, MSC World America is really a testament to what’s possible on the biggest and newest ships. It features 22 decks. There are more than 2,600 staterooms across the ship’s 1,093′ length. There are 18 bars and lounges with 19 different spots to eat, with four main restaurants and two buffets.
There are seven different “districts” or really neighborhoods within the ship so that everyone can find their own spot. There’s also an outdoor promenade with shopping and dining and a World Galleria with bars, shops, and restaurants.
In other words, the onboard experience is something completely different from the rest of the fleet even if you’ve sailed MSC Cruises before.
Following the ceremony, the new ship is headed on a short “taster” cruise to MSC’s Ocean Cay with cruise VIPs. The ship sails its first public cruise starting on April 12. Going forward it will say 7-day trips to the Caribbean.
The Next Step in Huge U.S. Growth for the Cruise Line
To us, MSC World America is part of a much bigger story about the cruise line’s push for growth in the U.S. market. Arguably no other cruise line is making as many moves in this region.
First is the introduction of not just MSC World America but also the opening of its new Miami terminal. The terminal is massive and the cruise line says it can handle up to 36,000 passengers per day.
So not only does it have the biggest terminal, but it’s also welcoming one of the biggest ships on the planet. And in February it placed its first ad ever during the Super Bowl.
On the other side of the United States from Miami, 2026 sees the cruise line starting service to Alaska. And later this year it will place its first ship in Galveston, Texas, offering up yet another homeport that passengers can sail from in the United States.
This sort of growth in the U.S. market is unrivaled from any other cruise line and shows the major investment MSC is making here stateside. If you are an avid cruiser that hasn’t yet sailed MSC, it’s likely only a matter of time until that changes.
