MSC Cruises is already looking beyond the World Class ships, and its next major step is something called the New Frontier class.
For now, there is still a lot we do not know. MSC has not released deck plans, ship names, homeports, dining venues, cabin categories, entertainment concepts, or renderings of the actual ships. But the cruise line has confirmed enough that this new class deserves its own page, especially because it could become one of the most important ship platforms in MSC’s future fleet.
The New Frontier class will be a brand-new generation of MSC cruise ships built by MEYER WERFT in Papenburg, Germany, with the first ship expected to arrive in 2030. MSC has announced an order for four ships, with two additional options, meaning this class could eventually include up to six vessels.
Think of this page as a living guide. As MSC releases names, renderings, itineraries, restaurants, entertainment, cabins, and onboard features, we’ll continue updating it.
MSC New Frontier Class Quick Facts
| Category | Current Information |
|---|---|
| Cruise line | MSC Cruises |
| Ship class | New Frontier class |
| Shipyard | MEYER WERFT, Papenburg, Germany |
| Number of ships ordered | 4 confirmed |
| Additional options | 2 optional ships |
| First delivery | Starting in 2030 |
| Delivery schedule | Annually starting in 2030 |
| Approximate gross tonnage | 180,000 GT |
| Maximum passenger capacity | 5,400 guests |
| Fuel / technology | Next-generation environmental technologies announced, but specific systems not yet detailed |
| Ship names | Not yet announced |
| Homeports | Not yet announced |
| Itineraries | Not yet announced |
| Deck plans | Not yet released |
What Has MSC Officially Announced?
MSC has officially announced that the New Frontier class is a brand-new class of ships, not simply another version of the World Class, Meraviglia Plus Class, or Seaside EVO Class.
The order includes four next-generation cruise vessels from MEYER WERFT, plus two additional options. The ships are expected to be approximately 180,000 gross tons and carry up to 5,400 passengers. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2030, with ships delivered annually after that.
MSC also said the New Frontier class will allow the cruise line to create new and exclusive itineraries, offer an improved guest experience, and include next-generation environmental technologies tied to the company’s net-zero 2050 goals.
That’s the official information so far. Everything else is either educated speculation or still waiting for MSC to announce it.
How Big Will the MSC New Frontier Class Be?
At roughly 180,000 gross tons, the New Frontier class will be very large, but not quite at the same scale as MSC’s World Class ships.
That puts the New Frontier ships in an interesting spot. They appear to be closer in size to the Meraviglia Plus class than the World Class, but with a lower announced maximum passenger capacity than ships like MSC Euribia or MSC World America.
In plain English: these ships are still going to be huge, but they may not be MSC’s most crowded mega-ships.
New Frontier Class Size Compared to Other MSC Ship Classes
| MSC Ship Class | Approximate Gross Tonnage | Approximate Max Passenger Capacity | General Size Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Class | About 215,000+ GT | About 6,700+ guests | Larger than New Frontier |
| New Frontier Class | About 180,000 GT | 5,400 guests | Future large ship class |
| Meraviglia Plus Class | About 181,000 to 184,000 GT | About 6,300 guests | Similar tonnage, higher passenger count |
| Meraviglia Class | About 171,000 GT | About 5,600 guests | Slightly smaller |
| Seaside EVO Class | About 170,000 GT | About 5,600 to 5,800 guests | Slightly smaller |
| Seaside Class | About 153,000 GT | About 5,000 guests | Smaller |
| Fantasia Class | About 137,000 to 139,000 GT | About 4,300 guests | Much smaller |
This is where the New Frontier class gets interesting.
If MSC keeps the ships around 180,000 GT with a maximum capacity of 5,400 guests, the space-per-passenger ratio could be less dense than some of MSC’s existing large ships. That does not automatically mean the ships will feel empty – let’s not get carried away here – but it does suggest MSC may be designing these ships with more breathing room, larger public areas, or a different onboard layout than some previous classes.
For cruisers who love big ships but do not necessarily want the absolute biggest ship in the fleet, New Frontier could end up being a sweet spot.
Is New Frontier Bigger Than MSC World Class?
No. Based on what MSC has announced so far, the New Frontier class will be smaller than MSC’s World Class ships.
MSC World America and the broader World Class platform are over 215,000 gross tons, while New Frontier is expected to be around 180,000 gross tons. That still makes New Frontier a very large cruise ship class, but it is not the next “biggest MSC ship ever” based on the information currently available.
This may actually be a good thing.
World Class ships are designed as massive destination-style vessels with distinct districts, huge family areas, major entertainment venues, and a very high passenger capacity. New Frontier may give MSC a chance to build something slightly more flexible – still big, still modern, still packed with amenities, but potentially easier to deploy across a wider range of itineraries.
Is New Frontier Similar to Meraviglia Plus Class?
In terms of gross tonnage, yes, the New Frontier class appears to be in the same general neighborhood as the Meraviglia Plus class.
MSC Euribia, for example, is a Meraviglia Plus ship and has been listed by MSC at 184,011 gross tons with a passenger capacity of 6,334. The New Frontier class is expected to be around 180,000 gross tons, but with a lower maximum passenger capacity of 5,400.
That comparison is worth watching.
If MSC really is building a ship around Meraviglia Plus size but with fewer maximum guests, it could mean a few things:
- More public space per passenger
- Larger or more varied cabin designs
- A different approach to dining and entertainment flow
- More premium or experience-driven areas
- A layout designed for more flexible itinerary planning
Again, MSC has not confirmed those details yet. But from a ship design standpoint, the numbers suggest New Frontier may not simply be “Meraviglia Plus 2.0.”
Who Is Building the New Frontier Class?
The New Frontier class will be built by MEYER WERFT in Papenburg, Germany.
This is notable because many of MSC’s recent large ships have been associated with other major European shipbuilders, including Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Fincantieri. The New Frontier order marks a major new partnership between MSC Cruises and MEYER WERFT.
MEYER WERFT is one of the best-known cruise ship builders in the world, with a long history of building advanced passenger ships. MSC’s order also helps secure work at the shipyard well into the 2030s.
When Will the First New Frontier Ship Launch?
The first New Frontier class ship is expected to be delivered in 2030.
MSC has said the ships will be delivered annually starting in 2030, which suggests the confirmed four-ship order could arrive across the early 2030s. If MSC exercises the two additional options, the class could continue expanding beyond that.
At this stage, no ship names or maiden season itineraries have been announced.
Possible New Frontier Class Ships
MSC has not announced names for any New Frontier class ships yet.
For now, the class can be viewed this way:
| Ship | Status | Expected Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| New Frontier Ship 1 | Ordered | 2030 |
| New Frontier Ship 2 | Ordered | 2031, based on annual delivery language |
| New Frontier Ship 3 | Ordered | 2032, based on annual delivery language |
| New Frontier Ship 4 | Ordered | 2033, based on annual delivery language |
| New Frontier Ship 5 | Option | Not confirmed |
| New Frontier Ship 6 | Option | Not confirmed |
MSC has only confirmed annual deliveries starting in 2030. The exact delivery year for each individual vessel has not been separately announced, so the later years should be treated as an expected sequence rather than final ship-by-ship deployment details.
What Itineraries Will the New Frontier Class Sail?
MSC has not announced where the New Frontier class ships will sail.
That said, MSC’s statement that the class will help create new and exclusive itineraries is one of the more intriguing parts of the announcement.
A ship around 180,000 GT is still very large, so it will need ports capable of handling major cruise vessels. But because the New Frontier ships are expected to be smaller than the World Class ships, they may give MSC more flexibility than its largest vessels.
Possible deployment regions could include:
- The Mediterranean
- The Caribbean
- Northern Europe
- The Middle East
- North America
- Longer repositioning or seasonal routes
That is speculation for now, but the size of the ship class gives MSC room to do something different. These ships may not be limited to the biggest mega-ship ports in quite the same way as the World Class vessels.
What Features Will the New Frontier Class Have?
MSC has not released onboard feature details yet.
That means we do not yet know whether New Frontier ships will include:
- A Yacht Club
- A large indoor promenade
- A World Promenade-style aft space
- Water parks or major family zones
- New specialty restaurants
- Eataly or other branded dining
- New theater concepts
- Robotron-style thrill attractions
- A redesigned MSC for Me experience
- New cabin categories
- Expanded outdoor promenades
- New environmental or propulsion systems
The only feature area MSC has specifically referenced is next-generation environmental technologies, but the cruise line has not yet detailed what those technologies will include.
Will the New Frontier Class Have MSC Yacht Club?
MSC has not confirmed whether the New Frontier class will include the MSC Yacht Club. That said, it would be surprising if a brand-new MSC ship class launching in 2030 did not include Yacht Club in some form. MSC Yacht Club has become one of the cruise line’s signature products, especially on larger ships.
Still, until MSC releases deck plans or ship details, this remains unconfirmed.
Why the New Frontier Class Matters
The New Frontier class matters because it gives us a hint at where MSC Cruises may be going after the World Class era.
The World Class ships are MSC’s largest and flashiest vessels, built around scale, entertainment, dining variety, family spaces, and major resort-style features. New Frontier may take a slightly different approach.
The announced size and capacity suggest MSC could be aiming for a ship that is still large enough to feel like a full mega-ship, but not quite as massive as World Class. If that plays out, the New Frontier class could appeal to cruisers who want big-ship amenities without the full mega-resort feel.
For American cruisers, this is especially worth watching. MSC has been steadily growing in North America, and by 2030 the line may be in a very different position in the U.S. market than it is today.
What We Still Do Not Know
There is still a long list of unanswered questions about the New Frontier class.
MSC has not yet announced:
- Ship names
- Official renderings
- Deck plans
- Cabin categories
- Yacht Club details
- Restaurants and bars
- Entertainment venues
- Family spaces
- Water park or thrill attractions
- Homeports
- Itineraries
- Whether any ships will be designed specifically for the U.S. market
- Environmental technology specifics
- Fuel type
- Crew capacity
- Number of decks
- Length, width, or height
- Number of cabins
That is why this page should be treated as a placeholder and tracking page for now. The foundation is official, but the fun details are still coming.
Bottom Line
The MSC New Frontier class is MSC Cruises’ next major ship platform, with four ships ordered and two additional options. The first ship is expected to arrive in 2030, and each vessel is planned to be approximately 180,000 gross tons with a maximum capacity of 5,400 passengers.
Based on what MSC has released so far, New Frontier looks like it may sit between the Meraviglia Plus and World Class concepts: large, modern, and important to MSC’s future, but not quite as massive as the World Class ships.
For now, this is one to watch.
MSC has not yet told us the ship names, itineraries, venues, cabins, or onboard features. But if the New Frontier class really does combine big-ship amenities with a little more breathing room, it could become one of the most interesting MSC ship classes of the 2030s.