MSC World Asia Construction Update: What’s Actually New and Different?
We recently travelled to the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, to tour the MSC World Asia while she was still in dry dock. The ship is scheduled to begin sailing in Winter 2026, and is currently under construction.
You can watch our full, 30-minute video tour of the shipyard and the ship on YouTube:
Summary: What's New on MSC World Asia?
Public Swarovski Stairs: For the first time on a World Class ship, MSC's $1M Swarovski crystal staircases are located in the main public Galleria, not just the Yacht Club.
12-Deck Tree of Life Slide: A redesigned 12-deck dry slide inspired by Singapore's Gardens by the Bay replaces the previous slide design.
Pan-Asian Speciality: MSC World Asia features a brand-new Pan-Asian Specialty Restaurant replacing the Greek Restaurant.
Complimentary Pan-Asian Takeaway: The grab-and-go takeaway counter at the new Pan-Asian Street Food venue will be free for all guests.
Complimentary Poolside Quick-Service Food: New pita, sandwich, and ice cream spots have been added to the main pool deck to cut down on buffet crowds.
Glass-Enclosed Casino Smoking: The casino now features a fully sealed glass smoking lounge to keep the main gaming floor smoke-free.
What is new on MSC World Asia vs World Europa and World America?
Looking up at the massive 215,000-ton steel frame of MSC World Asia in dry dock before the dock is flooded.
New Asian Inspired Design
Overall, the new decor and layout feature elegant Asian-inspired design touches throughout. Beyond the styling, here are the major venue changes and new additions we spotted:
The 12-Deck "Tree of Life" Dry Slide
At the back of the ship, the huge dry slide structure on the World Promenade has been totally redesigned. Inspired by Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, it features Tree of Life styling and now drops 12 decks, making it the longest and tallest dry slide at sea. We learned this steel structure was actually fabricated locally by a company in Saint-Nazaire.
Along the promenade, MSC is also installing a striking 12-meter-long stainless steel dragon suspended in the middle of the overhang, illuminated by 3,000 LED lights.
Public Swarovski Crystal Staircases
On the older ships, MSC's famous Swarovski crystal staircases were strictly kept for the MSC Yacht Club. But peering underneath the protective covers in the main 3-deck Galleria promenade, we found that MSC has installed public Swarovski staircases. Each staircase reportedly costs around $1 million.
We’re so used to these staircases being locked away in the Yacht Club, so seeing one front and center in the public Galleria for everyone to enjoy is a fantastic change.
The Coral Cove Solarium and Pool Decks
The Coral Cove pool area has a totally different layout from the solariums on World Europa and World America. It’s much brighter and more open, featuring a grand central staircase leading down to the pool, flanked by two large hot tubs facing off the aft of the ship.
New Dining Options & Complimentary Street Food
Pan-Asian Restaurant
Replacing the Greek specialty restaurant found on World Europa and World America, MSC World Asia features a brand-new Pan-Asian Specialty Restaurant.It has been redesigned with a slightly larger outdoor terrace on the upper level overlooking the World Promenade.
In addition to the main sit-down restaurant, the grab-and-go takeaway counter outside, which was an extra charge on previous ships, will be completely free for guests on World Asia.
We were genuinely surprised by this change. On Europa and America, grab-and-go here was a paid extra.
New Pool Deck Dining Venues
Just outside the buffet, heading into the main pool area, MSC has added brand-new quick-service food spots specifically to help relieve crowding at the main buffet. These new options include a dedicated pita shop, a sandwich shop, and an ice cream and bar area right by the pool.
Changes to Entertainment Venues
The Clubhouse: Replacing the Sportplex found on older ships, this space has been re-themed as a retro, colourful venue featuring bumper cars, roller skating, and a dedicated LEGO Family Zone.
The Luna Bar: A new dedicated bar area has been added on the upper level of Luna Park Arena, allowing you to watch stage performances from elevated seating.
The Casino: Rather than an open smoking section in the casino, World Asia features a fully glass-enclosed space, keeping the smoke separated from the rest of the venue.
The Panorama Lounge: Situated at the back of the ship, this huge multi-purpose venue features new integrated show lighting. It serves as an entertainment venue at night and a quiet lounge to chill in during sea days.
Popular World-Class Features Carried Over
While there are plenty of new additions, MSC World Asia still keeps the signature features that make the World-Class design so popular, including:
The World Promenade with its fun light shows.
The 3-deck indoor World Galleria featuring the massive, dynamic LED screen overhead.
Core entertainment venues like the World Theatre and Luna Park Arena.
Extensive dedicated kids' zones including water slides and ropes course.
The Cliffhanger over-water swing ride.
The MSC Yacht Club
MSC’s ship-within-a-ship concept, the Yacht Club, is carried over onto the World Asia. We toured the top deck Sun Deck, which is currently totally empty of loungers or cabanas.
Inside, the two-deck Yacht Club restaurant and lounge area is a striking space, featuring giant panoramic windows sweeping across the front of the ship. Without furniture, you really notice the sheer size of the room.
We also managed a quick look inside a Duplex Suite. These two-level cabins are still heavily under construction, but they feature massive floor-to-ceiling windows on both levels, an open-plan design where the upstairs overlooks the lower deck, an impressively large closet, and a private hot tub on the balcony.
See also: Is Upgrading to a Cruise Suite worth it? We Ranked 5 Major Lines.
Conclusion
Exploring the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire with the bare steel hull of MSC World Asia behind us.
It's hard to picture the final look just yet, but the layout changes like the new free food spots, the enclosed casino, and those public Swarovski stairs show how MSC is refining their World-Class design.
We can't wait to get back on board once MSC World Asia officially launches in Winter 2026 to see how it all comes together once guests are on board.
In the meantime, our full video tour of the shipyard and the unfinished interior is available below:
Join us as we head to one of the world's most famous shipyards as we hop on board the newest cruise ship in the world whilst she's still being built!
