MSC World Europa cruise ship review: A top pick for megaresort lovers

Overview of MSC World Europa

What I loved about MSC World Europa

The incredible array of things to do

I was five days into my recent seven-day cruise on MSC World Europa when I realized I hadn’t been to its spa once, even though my booking came with a daily pass to the spa’s stunning thermal area. Nor had I spent a single moment at the ship’s adults-only Zen Pool area, at the back of the ship. Or tried its terrifying, 10-story dry slide. And the list went on. There were just too many other things to do. As you’ll read about below, this is a vessel loaded with so many deck-top amusements, bars, eateries and shows of all types that you’ll not only never be bored — you’ll never have time to do it all.

The family-friendliness

From a massive water park area with three of the coolest waterslides at sea to an indoor fun zone with bumper cars and a race car simulator, MSC World Europa is filled with family-friendly venues. While not quite as packed with family-focused attractions as Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class and Icon Class ships (there are no surfing simulators, miniature golf courses or ice-skating rinks, for instance), it definitely reigns among the top vessels for families in Europe, where it is based year-round.

What I didn’t love about MSC World Europa

The five-language show intros

Like all MSC Cruises ships based in Europe, MSC World Europa draws a lot of Europeans — something that has to do with the line’s roots as a European cruise line. This can make for a wonderfully cosmopolitan experience, one akin to doing a land trip in Europe. But it has its downsides. Most notably, you’ll find that entertainment staff members kick off theater shows and lounge events in the five languages that represent its biggest groups of customers: English, Italian, French, German and Spanish. While helpful for the diverse crowd, it can be a bit tedious, and it means the staff can’t say all that much, lest the talking part drag on.

MSC World Europa cabins and suites

MSC World Europa has 31 cabin and suite categories — a mind-boggling number. But finding the right cabin category for you isn’t as complicated as that number might make it seem. Many cabin categories on MSC World Europa are essentially the same, with the exception of where the rooms are located.

For instance, there are six categories of outward-facing balcony cabins that are basically the same in size and decor. The only differences among them are whether they are located at the front, middle or back of the ship and whether they have a clear or obstructed view.

Four more categories of balcony cabins face inward over the World Promenade area, all similar in layout.

Other room categories include five types of ocean-view cabins (those with a window but no balcony) and three types of windowless inside cabins. There are more differences among these categories, so it pays to study their layouts before booking.

MSC World Europa restaurants and bars

As is typical for the world’s biggest cruise ships, MSC World Europa is packed with dining options — some included in the fare, some at an extra charge. It’s got a smorgasbord of bars, too.

When sailing on the ship for seven days, you’ll have trouble visiting every food and drink outlet on board. In fact, we don’t recommend you even try. Just pick a few favorites and save the rest for another sailing.

Restaurants

At the core of the dining scene on MSC World Europa are five main dining rooms where passengers eat most of their meals — all included in the fare. But don’t expect to eat in all five of them. You will be assigned to just one of the five eateries for the duration of your cruise, and you’ll be assigned a specific table and a specific time to dine there in the evenings, to boot.

The five main dining rooms on MSC World Europa include the side-by-side Esagono and Hexagon restaurants, which together can hold a staggering 1,076 passengers at a time. Just beyond them on the same deck is the equally enormous 546-seat Bubbles restaurant. The even bigger 816-seat La Foglia restaurant is nearby, one deck down.

These four giant eateries, which together can hold nearly 2,500 passengers at a time, are where most passengers will find their assigned tables.

There’s also the much more intimate, 162-seat Les Dunes restaurant that is reserved for passengers in higher-end cabins and suites (but not MSC Yacht Club suites; as noted above, those passengers have their own private restaurant).

Don’t worry too much about which main dining room you are assigned. They all serve the same food. As you might expect, with dishes being made for thousands of diners at a time, it’s nothing overly gourmet. But it’s a table-served, multicourse meal.

In addition to the above, MSC World Europa is home to two casual, included-in-the-fare buffet eateries (La Brasserie and Il Mercato) located one on top of the other near the ship’s main pool. They are essentially the same buffet venue spread across two decks.

The bigger of the two casual buffet eateries (Il Mercato) offers an impressive array of dishes, including (as one might expect given the Italian roots of the line’s owners) an assortment of yummy pasta dishes for lunch and dinner as well as a mix of international and Asian cuisine. We particularly liked Il Mercato’s healthful salad bar area, which had arugula as well as romaine and radicchio and a nice mix of seeds and nuts to sprinkle on top — an upscale touch you don’t always find on mass-market ship buffets.

Il Mercato also offers made-on-board mozzarella — an MSC Cruises signature — and made-on-site pizza that is quite good (something that is relatively rare on ships, where pizza is often disappointing). It’s one of several places on board where you’ll find quality handmade pizza. Again, chalk it up to the line’s Italian roots.

One deck up from Il Mercato, the smaller La Brasserie offers a more limited menu.

Our biggest gripes with the buffet areas were the decor, which was dark in places, and the crowds that built up in the food station areas.

In addition to the above, MSC World Europa has two more included-in-the-fare casual venues — Rive Gauche on the pool deck, and Pizza & Burger along the World Galleria. Both serve grab-and-go burgers, pizza and other quick bites.

But that’s just the beginning when it comes to dining options. In addition to the included eateries, MSC World Europa is home to six extra-charge dining venues serving everything from high-end steaks to sushi.

Among these extra-charge eateries, the most laid-back (and least expensive) option is Hola! Tacos & Cantina, a sit-down restaurant with a Mexican street food theme serving creative and tasty tacos, homemade guacamole and margaritas made with a long list of tequilas — all at a la carte prices that are quite reasonable. You’ll pay just 1.99 to 2.49 euros ($2.10 to $2.63) per taco available in seven flavors, including barbacoa, chipotle carnitas, carne asana and ancho tinga.

Just be warned, the tacos are small. You’ll need to order three or four to fill you up.

For a more high-end (and pricier) experience, your top choices are Chef’s Garden Kitchen (the fanciest restaurant on board), Butcher’s Cut (the ship’s steakhouse) and La Pescaderia (specializing in fresh seafood).

I tried all three during my week on board and have few complaints. Created by chef Niklas Ekstedt, who helms a Michelin-starred restaurant in Stockholm, the menu at Chef’s Garden Kitchen is a creative take on traditional Nordic cuisine that is well worth the cost (68 euros, or just under $72, for a fixed-price experience). For a luscious-looking rectangle of meat that melts in your mouth, order the glazed beef short rib, which comes beautifully presented with endive, cauliflower puree and sweet-and-sour onions.

Butcher’s Cut, which is a staple of MSC Cruises ships, is the place for a juicy New York sirloin or dry-aged T-bone cooked just right, with all the usual sides — albeit at relatively high prices for a cruise ship eatery. That T-bone will set you back 66 euros ($68.66).

If you’re on a budget, book Butcher’s Cut’s fixed-priced “dining experience,” which gets you an appetizer, main and dessert for just 47 euros ($49.39). The catch: The priciest cuts of meat aren’t included. Neither are the eatery’s signature cocktails, but you won’t want to miss them. My last word on this is to order the Last Word, a gin-based drink infused with maraschino liqueur and green Chartreuse.

La Pescaderia offers whole fish cooked to order (pick one from the display, and then order a round of hot and cold mezes such as hummus and grilled octopus while you wait for it to be ready). I loved sitting in the outdoor section of this eatery, which is located along the lively open-air World Promenade, though it was noisy at times — particularly during the area’s periodic light shows.

You also will find Japanese cuisine on MSC World Europa at Kaito Teppanyaki and Kaito Sushi. Located along the World Galleria, they are essentially two restaurants in one, with the sushi eatery located just in front of the hibachi eatery. If you have kids, book the hibachi side for the family-friendly hibachi hijinks. If you don’t, skip it for the classier sushi side.

One MSC World Europa restaurant you’ll never see unless you pay up for a top suite is the MSC Yacht Club restaurant. Open only to suite guests staying in the exclusive MSC Yacht Club area, it serves higher-end fare than what you’ll find in the main dining room in a more intimate setting. At the very top of MSC World Europa, overlooking the bow of the ship, it also boasts stunning 270-degree views.

Bars

You will never be more than a short walk away from a bar on MSC World Europa. There is at least one and often several drinking spots in nearly every area of the ship. That said, there are a handful of such venues that really stand out.

One of my favorites for its intimacy and elegance is Fizz Champagne Bar, which, as its name suggests, is all about Champagne. You’ll find all sorts of Champagnes such as Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot by the glass and bottle, sparkling wines and bubbly-infused cocktails, but no other drinks of any kind. If you’re looking for a Negroni, this isn’t the place.

What you will find at Fizz Champagne Bar, in addition to drinks with bubbles, are oysters, caviar and a handful of other ritzy food items that traditionally pair with sparkling wines, all available for a sometimes hefty extra charge (if you’re in the splurging mood, there’s an 89 euro ($94.14) seafood platter loaded with lobster, king crab legs and more).

For that Negroni, you’ll want to head to my very favorite drinking spot on the ship, The Gin Project. It’s got dozens of specialty gins and all sorts of tonics and garnishes that you mix and match to create the perfect gin and tonic for you. Or if you’re a Negroni-lover like me, you can just order the house version of this classic gin drink, which unlike at the bars on most cruise ships, comes in a proper lowball glass with one single large ice cube, as it should (why other ships can’t figure this out is beyond me).

Both Fizz Champagne Bar and The Gin Project are along the top level of World Galleria — the three-level-high restaurant, bar and shopping zone that runs down the middle of the ship. Hands down, it’s the coolest part of the ship to go bar-hopping, as it’s also home to the clubby, craft cocktail-serving Elixir Mixology Bar.

Elixir offers a fabulously eclectic menu of spritzes made with homemade bitters, vermouth drinks infused with all sorts of herbs and spices, and creative cocktails — all served in a stylish setting that, alas, is marred by the wrong choice of background music. Replace the too-loud Ibiza dance club mix with more subtle lounge music — maybe some dialed-down Ella Fitzgerald or Tony Bennett — and this would be the perfect craft bar.

Also along the World Galleria is Masters of the Sea, a British-style pub seemingly lifted straight out of London. Located just below The Gin Project (with a spiral cast iron staircase connecting the venues), it has its own brewed-on-site beer on tap — a first for an MSC Cruises ship — as well as several dozen other beers from around the world on tap and in bottles, a pub menu with burgers, fish-and-chips and the like and live music every night. I’m an admitted craft beer nut, and … I approve.

Other signature drinking spots on MSC World Europa include The Lanai, a semi-open-to-the-outdoors lounge at the back of the ship with comfy sofas, Sinatra playing in the background and a world-class lineup of whiskeys. Alas, as one of the few places on board where smoking is allowed, it’s marred by a cloud of smoke so thick that even if you don’t mind the smell of smoke, you probably won’t want to spend much time there.

Additional interior drinking spots include the Dolce Vita Bar, which is not so much a bar as a venue for around-the-clock visual trivia and name-that-tune games, talent shows, dance classes and other lively activities. If you love those sorts of things, you’ll love it. If not, you’ll walk in and walk right back out.

You’ll also find bars at the ship’s casino (the MSC Signature Casino Bar), the MSC Sportplex (the Box Bar), the indoor Botanic Garden pool (the Botanic Garden Bar) and at the back-of-the-ship showroom known as the Panorama Lounge. None of them have special drinks menus, but they serve a full range of classic cocktails, beer and wine.

There are also several bars on the ship’s outdoor decks, including the main pool area (Rive Droite), the waterslide area (the Surfer’s Bar) and the adults-only Zen Pool area (the Zen Bar). The Zen Bar is my favorite of the bunch for its relative calmness and ocean views.

For coffee lovers, the Coffee Emporium on the World Promenade serves up espresso drinks made with Lavazza coffee. There are also espresso drinks at Jean-Philippe Chocolat & Cafe along the World Galleria, along with every sort of chocolate-infused drink and dessert known to humans as well as homemade gelati, sundaes, smoothies, milkshakes and crepes.

Note that if you have a drink package, you won’t pay for the coffee drinks at the Coffee Emporium. But you will pay for coffee drinks at Jean-Philippe Chocolat & Cafe, which is not included in the drink package. So … if it’s just coffee you want, skip the latter.

If tea is more your thing, head to the Raj Polo Tea House, which takes the cruise ship’s traditional afternoon tea to a new level with an available-all-day menu of teas handpicked from top tea estates across the world as well as tea-infused cocktails and tea liqueurs. With rattan furnishings, palm trees and polo memorabilia, it has the look and feel of turn-of-the-20th-century India.

Health-focused drinkers will also find the Zest Juice Bar, serving up made-to-order juices and smoothies for an extra charge. It’s appropriately located just outside the ship’s spa.

And one secret venue

The above make up the official list of bars on board MSC World Europa. But there is one more that you have to know about to try. And even then, you might not get the chance. Called the Speakeasy Bar, it’s a speakeasy — billed as the first at sea — hidden far below the ship’s main public areas in a secret location down in the crew quarters.

Offering live music and handcrafted drinks that often have a theatrical flair (one arrived in a smoke-infused glass box, another in a military gas can that opened to reveal secret compartments), it has a London-during-the-Blitz vibe. How you get in is as much of a secret as the bar itself, and media types like me have been asked not to give too much away. Let’s just say you’ll need a bartender somewhere on the ship to take a liking to you, and there’s a portal you have to pass through to reach it — one that will make you smile.

MSC World Europa activities

As you might expect for a ship so big, MSC World Europa is awash with activities of all sorts, nearly all of which are family-friendly. And I’m not just talking about pools and waterslides, though there are plenty of those. This is a ship that offers lots of gee-whiz attractions, from a racing car simulator to a bumper car pavilion, to keep you amused day and night.

The most over-the-top attractions can be found clustered together at the very top of the ship on Deck 20. It’s where you’ll find the Aurora Borealis Aquapark, which is a sight to behold. It has three giant waterslides that are on a scale you’ll only find on the world’s biggest cruise ships. It’s also home to kiddie splash pools.

Just a few steps away is the serpent-themed entrance to Venom Drop @ The Spiral, a 10-story slide (dry, not wet) that swirls down to the Promenade area below. It’s billed as the longest dry slide at sea, and it looks terrifying. But in the name of research, I was determined to give it a go on my recent sailing. Alas, every day, I would wake up saying I would do it, and by nightfall, I had found an excuse to give it a miss. I am wimpy that way.

Also in this same general area, but indoors, is the MSC Sportplex, an arenalike space where you’ll find such rarely-seen-on-ships activities as bumper cars and roller skating (if you’re familiar with the SeaPlex on Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey Class ships, you’ll have a sense of what this is. Just know that it’s much smaller than Royal Caribbean’s version).

In addition to periodic bumper car sessions, which cost 7 euros ($7.39) per ride, the MSC Sportplex is open at times for no-extra-charge open-play basketball, tennis, football and volleyball sessions. It’s a multipurpose space that can be reconfigured, with one activity possible at a time.

Other indoor amusements near the MSC Sportplex include an F1 race car simulator, a signature of MSC Cruises ships, and an arcade space called the Hall of Games.

In addition, the area is home to an array of kiddie playrooms collectively known as Doremiland. Each age group of kids, from babies to tweens and teens, has its own room, and there’s a Lego playroom, too.

MSC World Europa also has a motion simulator ride aimed at the family crowd, located along the World Galleria, and there are additional arcade games in various spots along the World Galleria, too.

All in all, it’s an impressive array of family-focused activities, if not quite as diverse and wow-inducing as what you’ll find on Royal Caribbean’s slightly bigger Oasis Class and Icon Class ships. There are no surfing pools, ice-skating rinks, miniature golf courses or zip lines on this ship.

Indeed, this is one of the biggest differentiators between the World Class ships at MSC Cruises and the Oasis Class and Icon Class ships at Royal Caribbean, which are the biggest ships in the family cruise market. MSC Cruises doesn’t build its ships with quite as many over-the-top family attractions. That said, MSC World Europa still offers a lot of family fun.

Pool areas

MSC World Europa’s top decks feature three open-to-everyone pool areas and oodles of hot tubs. The main deck-top pool, La Plage, is truly huge, thanks to some trick of the eye. It’s actually two pools placed one in front of the other with a ring of shallow water enveloping the whole thing, creating what looks like an enormously long single pool.

A second pool area, the Botanic Garden Pool, is indoors but covered with a retractable glass roof (known as a magrodome) that can slide open on warmer days. It allows for pool area fun even on chilly or rainy days — something that gives this ship an edge versus some others that sail in Europe.

A third pool area, the Zen Pool, is at the back of the ship and open to adults only. It has two pools as well as hot tubs and loungers.

As noted above in the cabin section, there’s also an exclusive pool area at the top of the ship that is open only to passengers staying in the MSC Yacht Club suite complex.

Other activities available on board include dance classes, trivia and other games held, as mentioned above, in the Dolce Vita Bar.

For those who like gaming, there’s a large casino at the back of the ship on Deck 7. Note that, unlike on some cruise ships, smoking is not allowed in the casino.

For pampering, the MSC Aurea Spa on Deck 8 is the place. It offers a full array of spa treatments (massages, facials and more) and salon services, as well as a spectacular thermal area. The latter, which you can visit for an extra charge, is home to multiple saunas and steam baths, a snow room, experience showers, a pool, water and salt caves, and a Kneipp walk water therapy room.

A separate fitness center, located at the top of the ship with stunning views, offers a wide range of Technogym exercise equipment and yoga and Pilates classes (at an extra charge).

MSC World Europa shows

MSC Cruises ships are known for lively shows, if not the sort of big-name Broadway productions you’ll find on Royal Caribbean vessels, and MSC World Europa is no exception. In fact, it may have the best array of shows of any MSC Cruises ship.

The vessel’s biggest productions, including “Eko — Recycled Rock Show” and “Amelia — A True Aviator Soul,” take place in the two-deck-high World Theatre, which can hold 1,153 passengers at a time.

As is typical for MSC Cruises shows, these are flashy productions with lots of music and dancing and elaborate costumes but not a lot of plot. MSC Cruises traditionally has shied away from shows with a storyline — at least those requiring speaking roles — due to the fact that there is no common language among its passenger base. If such shows were done in English, some, but far from all, of its customers would understand them. Ditto if they were done in French, Italian, Spanish or German.

Related to the above, most of the shows you’ll find in the World Theatre are designed to last just 35 minutes — if there’s not a complex story to be told, they don’t need to be long.

At the front of the ship, at one end of the World Galleria, the World Theatre is just one of three major entertainment venues on MSC World Europa.

A second sizable theater space, the Panorama Lounge, is at the opposite end of the ship, just beyond the World Galleria and the ship’s casino. Holding up to 462 passengers at a time, it’s a high-tech venue rigged for aerialists and with an LED screen floor that offers showy song-and-dance performances that often have a theme (disco one night, tango the next).

During the day, the Panorama Lounge is a more relaxed lounge space, one with stunning views out to the ocean through the soaring glass wall at its back. You’ll sometimes find classes and seminars in this space, too.

Rounding out the three major entertainment spaces on MSC World Europa is the two-deck-high MSC Luna Park Arena, which is just off the World Galleria. This versatile space offers interactive dance shows with performers, disco nights for dancing and theme parties.

MSC World Europa’s around-the-clock entertainment also includes a light show known as the Palm Tree Light Show that plays out across the treelike pillars and ceiling of the outdoor World Promenade. Silent discos also pop up in the World Promenade, and there are karaoke sessions at the TV Studio & Bar along the World Galleria.

That’s in addition to live music in lots of the drinking venues mentioned in the bar section above.

MSC World Europa itineraries and pricing

MSC World Europa sails year-round in the Mediterranean on a seven-night loop that takes it from Barcelona to Marseille, France; Genoa, Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Palermo in Italy; and Valletta, Malta.

Passengers can board the vessel for a seven-night cruise in any of the above ports with the exception of Valletta.

These year-round sailings will continue until early 2025, when the itinerary will be tweaked to replace the call in Palermo with a call at nearby Messina, Italy. Both ports are on the island of Sicily.

Another tweak to the itinerary is planned for April 2025, when the call at Civitavecchia will be replaced by a stop at Naples, Italy. This change is temporary and will last through November 2025, when the call at Civitavecchia will return.

As of the publishing of this guide, seven-night sailings on MSC World Europa were available for as little as $479 per person, based on double occupancy, for a windowless inside cabin. But you won’t find rates that low often. For the majority of sailings, starting rates range from around $600 to $1,000 per person, based on double occupancy, for a windowless inside cabin.

Note that you’ll typically pay several hundred dollars per week more to upgrade from a windowless cabin to a cabin with a window, most of which come with balconies. Booking a suite will add hundreds of dollars more to the cost.

For an upcoming sailing in March 2025, for instance, the starting rate for an inside cabin at the time this guide was published was $870 per person, based on double occupancy, while balcony cabins started at $1,160 per person, based on double occupancy. The starting rate for a suite was $1,533 per person, based on double occupancy.

As is always the case with cruises, you’ll pay more for sailings over holiday weeks and other prime travel times.

What to know before you go

Required documents

Since MSC World Europa sails in Europe, U.S. citizens must have a current passport that is valid for at least six months to travel on the ship.

The name on your reservation must match that on your passport or other official proof of nationality. Double-check if you’ve recently gotten married or use a different version of your name.

Gratuities

Adult passengers will find an automatic service charge of 12 to 16 euros (around $13 to $17) per person, per day, depending on the cabin category, added to their final bill. Children ages 2 to 11 pay half that rate, while those under the age of 2 pay no service charge. Unlike on the ships of some competing lines, passengers cannot adjust these service charges while on board if they are unhappy with the service.

In addition to the above, a 15% gratuity is added to bar bills. You should not feel pressured to add an additional tip.

Bottom line

MSC World Europa is a big, bustling ship with more deck-top attractions, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues than almost any other vessel afloat. In Europe, where it is based year-round, there really is no other vessel quite like it when it comes to the array of onboard offerings — at least among vessels based in Europe year-round. That makes it a great choice for Europe-bound cruisers who only want to sail on the biggest, most venue-packed vessels.

The only other ship of a similar size sailing in Europe and catering to North Americans as of this year is Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, and the latter vessel only is in the region part of the year. Scheduled for a refit in 2025, Allure of the Seas is tough competition for MSC World Europa. But each vessel has its specific draws. MSC World Europa is far newer and more up-to-date than Allure of the Seas, which dates to 2010. It’s also a great value. With starting rates for many sailings under $1,000 per person, it’s surely one of the most cost-effective ways to tour Europe for a week.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories: