MSC Cruises has announced the commission of two new ships in the Meraviglia class due for completion in 2019 and 2020. Boasting an additional 200 staterooms and a maximum capacity of nearly 6,300 guests, the cruise line says the vessels will be “the largest ships at sea able to call at any port.”

MSC Meraviglia-Plus ships will feature technological innovations on board, due to a partnership with South Korean’s Samsung. They will also feature a classic and contemporary fine art museum where guests can discover world culture through the masterpieces on display from around the globe with loans from cultural centres, classic and modern art museums as well as public and private institutions. Gianni Onorato, MSC's chief executive, said the hi-tech vessels will include interactive digital mirrors in the on-board clothes shops which will show customers a 3D view of how they will look in the garments. A partnership with Cirque du Soleil has resulted in dining and entertainment venues that are customized for the theatrical acrobatic shows. The ships will be constructed at the STX France shipyard in St Nazaire, Brittany, and designated “Meraviglia-Plus” as are the initial two ships in the Vista project. The first of the MSC Meraviglia will be christened in France in UNESCO-listed port of Le Havre on June 1, 2017. From there, it will start its inaugural season in the Mediterranean, homeporting in another French port Marseille.”