Specially-designed cabins for families will feature on two giant new ships due to join the MSC Cruises fleet in 2017 and 2019.
The Italian line today signed a letter of intent for the building of the pair of 5,700-passenger vessels with an option for two more.
The 167,600-ton vessels will also carry an extended, self-contained private MSC Yacht Club, including a vast solarium, a private lounge and restaurant and duplex suites.
MSC, which runs a fleet of 12 vessels, claims the new generation ships will be “cleaner, more efficient and more technological”.
The line said: “They will be water emission free, while the hull and propulsion system will be optimised for better energy efficiency. The installation of scrubbers will allow for fumes to be neutralised and CO2 emissions to be in accordance with the latest evolutions of international maritime regulations.”
The contract for construction of the ships at the STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire will be binding when the financial package is secured, according to MSC.
No price was put on the contract for the vessels, which will be 315 metres long and 43 metres wide and have 2,250 passenger cabins
Chief executive Gianni Onorato said: “The new prototype will be the biggest cruise ship ever built by a European ship owner and the most versatile and flexible of the world: not only will it be able to call in most of the ports and destinations on earth, without compromise, but it will have extraordinary features that will make it the perfect choice at sea, in summer and in winter.
“The two new ships will reaffirm MSC Cruise’s dedication to outstanding and genuine dining options and out-of-this-world entertainment with new panoramic spaces, a bigger theatre and a spectacular amusement park connected to an outdoor aqua park as well as a two-deck ‘inside promenade’.”
MSC Cruises’ executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Growth and development have always been the characteristics that have defined MSC since the very beginning of our journey into the world of cruising.
“The launch of this prototype and the building of these two new ships confirm our commitment to further growth and to further development.
“MSC Cruises will expand its capacity by 31%: we will incredibly enrich our offerings on board and will broaden our horizons to ensure we meet the growing global demand in every region.”
STX France general manager Laurent Castaing added: “We are really proud of building this new generation of ships for MSC Cruises, a long-time appreciated partner.
“We invested a lot of research and development and design efforts to make sure that MSC Cruises’ new flagship would truly be unmatched.
“The latest commercial negotiation was particularly challenging in the light of today’s global competitive landscape in the shipbuilding industry. I would like to point out that the competitiveness agreement signed with our trade unions has been decisive to reach this letter of intent signature.”