The MSC World Europa is completing its first year of service.

After being built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, the LNG-powered vessel was delivered to MSC Cruises on Oct.  24, 2022.

Soon after leaving its building dock, the 205,700-ton ship set sail to Doha, in Qatar – where it spent the following weeks serving as a floating hotel during the 2022 FIFA Soccer World Cup.

On Dec. 25, the MSC World Europa departed Doha on its maiden voyage, a four-night repositioning cruise to Dubai.

Once in the UAE city, the ship kicked off a series of week-long cruises to the Middle East that included visits to other four destinations in the region: Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas, Dammam and Doha.

A few months later, in April, the MSC World Europa repositioned to Europe to start a year-round program in the Western Mediterranean.

Still being offered today, the ship’s regular seven-night itinerary features visits to the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain and Marseille in France.

Introducing a new class to the MSC Cruises’ fleet, the World Europa became the company’s largest cruise ship ever. With capacity for more than 5,400 guests, the 333-meter-long ship also introduced several firsts to the company’s fleet, including its LNG-powered propulsion system.

On the hotel side, the vessel also offers many unique features, such as The Venom Drop @ The Spiral – the longest dry slide at sea, with an 11-deck drop.

Other highlights comprise new specialty restaurants, including La Pescaderia, a traditional seafood grill with alfresco seating, and Chef’s Garden Kitchen focusing on microgreens grown on site.