MSC World Europa Completes First Sea Trials, MSC Euribia Floated Out

MSC Cruises and French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique celebrated two milestones over the weekend for MSC’s first two liquefied natural gas-powered vessels.

MSC World Europa

MSC World Europa has completed her first set of sea trials, which involved testing the performance of the engines as well as assessing maneuverability, fuel consumption, safety systems, speed, and stopping distances.

World Europa is MSC Cruises’ first vessel powered by LNG, and is set to be the largest LNG cruise ship in the world. She is the first in the brand-new MSC World class, and will be able to accommodate up to 6,762 guests.

msc world europa sea trials — MSC World Europa (Photo courtesy of MSC Cruises)

The vessel’s design features a Y-shaped aft that leads to the 341-foot long, open-air Europa Promenade complete with ocean views and inward-facing balcony cabins. The centerpiece of the space will be an 11-deck tall dry slide.

MSC World Europa is scheduled to join the fleet this November. She will spend her inaugural season in the Arabian Sea, offering seven-night voyages from December to March roundtrip from Dubai.

In March, the ship will reposition to the Mediterranean and offer seven-night cruises to Genoa, Naples, Messina, Valletta, Barcelona, and Marseille.

MORE: Restaurants & Bars Detailed For Upcoming Ship MSC World Europa

MSC Euribia

A second MSC Cruises ship has also reached an important construction milestone, as MSC Euribia was floated out at the shipyard and moved to a wet dock for further work.

Euribia will become one of the most environmentally advanced ships in the MSC fleet, and will also be powered by LNG. She is named after the ancient goddess Eurybia, who harnessed the winds, weather, and constellations to master the seas.

msc euribia float out — (Photo courtesy of MSC Cruises)

The ship will have a strikingly different look than others in the MSC fleet, thanks to colorful artwork splashed across the ship’s hull.

Starting in June 2023, Euribia will spend her inaugural season in northern Europe, sailing from Kiel, Germany. She will operate seven-night cruises to mostly ports in Norway.

Construction on MSC’s third LNG ship will begin at the same shipyard early next year.

Sarah Bretz

Sarah has been writing about the cruise industry since 2015. She’s been on 10 cruises and counting, and her favorite onboard activities include trying out the water slides, spending time in the spa’s thermal suite, eating lots of food, and attending the love & marriage show. You can keep up with her on Instagram at @IAmSarahJaneB.