MSC Cruises is preparing to rewrite the cruise industry record books with a bold plan to build the world’s largest cruise ships surpassing the Royal Caribbean’s Icon Class vessels.

According to a report from SHIPPING ITALY, the announcement was made during a high-level meeting between MSC Cruises executives and the company’s officers at the MSC Training Center near Sorrento. During the session, the company outlined its future strategic development, which includes a significant fleet expansion with new orders for ultra-large vessels.

At the heart of this expansion is a forthcoming order for a new ship class dubbed "Constellation", to be built at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. This series is expected to consist of four ships, each measuring a staggering 365 meters in length and reaching 265,000 gross tons. These ships are projected to become the largest in the world by passenger capacity and gross tonnage, overtaking Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, which stands at 250,800 gross tons and currently holds the title of the largest cruise ship globally.

While Royal Caribbean has long dominated the headlines with its Oasis and Icon class ships famous for their neighborhood concepts, thrill rides, and unmatched onboard amenities, MSC Cruises has been steadily closing the gap with the Seaside, and World Class ships.

If completed as planned, the Constellation class would not only outmatch Royal Caribbean in terms of passenger volume, but also signal MSC’s intention to lead the next generation of mega-ship cruising—likely focusing on sustainability, AI-driven efficiency, and next-level entertainment experiences.