Royal Caribbean and MSC’s biggest cruise ships offer mind-blowing attractions and an endless variety of things to do onboard, but I thought one ship was better than the other, despite the higher cost.
Within the same year, I cruised on the biggest ship by MSC Cruises—MSC World Europa—and the biggest ship by Royal Caribbean—Icon of the Seas. The vessels, which each accommodate roughly 7,000 passengers, are more akin to floating cities than traditional cruise ships.
Onboard both ships you’ll find a wide selection of restaurants, lounges, family-friendly activities, and modern cabins. It’s hard to go wrong with a cruise on either vessel, but they are far from equal.
After cruising on MSC World Europa and Icon of the Seas, I found things I liked and disliked about both. I loved the budget-friendly price of MSC’s biggest ship, but I wished there were more complimentary restaurants. Likewise, I found Icon of the Seas’ innovative features impressive, but the price was shockingly high.
This is how the two biggest ships launched by MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean compared, and why I preferred one over the other.
Icon of the Seas is more expensive than MSC World Europa, and they sail in different regions of the world
Before beginning to compare the two vessels, there are a few key differences to note.
First, Icon of the Seas will cost passengers significantly more than a cruise on MSC World Europa. Here’s how the prices compare for a cruise in May on the two vessels:
Interior cabin for two adults, with taxes and fees:
- Icon of the Seas: $3,543
- MSC World Europa: $2,149
Balcony cabin for two adults, with taxes and fees:
- Icon of the Seas: $4,948
- MSC World Europa: $2,845
Both ships are new—MSC World Europa launched in December 2022 and Icon of the Seas launched in January 2024. However, the markup on Icon of the Seas is staggering compared to the former.
Second, the ships sail in different markets. Icon of the Seas sails in the Caribbean, offering 7-night Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises. The ship homeports in Miami, and all guests must embark and disembark from the city.
MSC World Europa sails in the Mediterranean. Most of the ship’s itineraries are a week in length, and passengers can embark the vessel from any of the itinerary’s ports, including Genoa, Barcelona, and Marseille.
However, a ship similar to MSC World Europa—MSC World America—is set to launch from Miami, Florida, this year.
Related: Best Caribbean islands to visit on a cruise
Both offer “best of the best” features for Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises
Cruise lines are all about innovation, and both Icon of the Seas and MSC World Europa brought many firsts to their respective cruise lines.
Icon of the Seas boasts record-breaking amenities like the Category 6 Waterpark, which features six record-breaking slides, along with the Crown’s Edge, a skywalk that extends off the side of the ship.
Foodies will love the Empire Supper Club, which serves an 8-course meal in an intimate, 1920s-era setting. You’ll also find Royal Caribbean’s first swim-up bar onboard, and the ship's adults-only infinity pool is the picture-perfect place to take those Instagram shots.
MSC World Europa also launched many firsts for the cruise line. The vessel has an open-concept design similar to that of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon Class ships. It has an outdoor and an indoor thoroughfare packed with restaurants, bars, and retail stores.
Thrills are abundant, too, from roller skating to water slides and Formula 1 simulators. The Venom Drop, an 11-deck dry slide, takes guests from the pool deck to the outdoor World Promenade, and it’s undoubtedly exhilarating.
If you’re looking for the “best” cruise ship by Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises, either vessel is the likely winner, especially if you are thrill-focused.
I boarded MSC World Europa first and was pleasantly surprised by my experience.
Prior to the launch of Icon of the Seas, I boarded MSC World Europa for a 7-night Mediterranean cruise. It was my first experience on MSC, and I enjoyed the cruise more than I thought I would.
I loved the modern, open-concept layout, which prevented the ship from feeling crowded despite the passenger capacity.
Entertainment was better than I expected, too, which included live music at several lounges along with acrobatic-style production shows in the theater.
I was also invited to the ship’s hidden, invite-only Speakeasy Bar. With live jazz music and inventive cocktails, it was a highlight of my time onboard.
My favorite outdoor space was the Zen Pool in the ship’s aft, which provided spectacular views of the ocean and European destinations. In general, I thought MSC World Europa did a great job at designing spaces with ocean views.
Related: 12 things I loved and hated about my first MSC Cruise
I didn’t love everything about the ship, though, such as the lack of complimentary dining venues. Included food was only available at the buffets and dining rooms, along with pizza on the pool deck and grab-and-go snacks at Pizza & Burger in the ship’s main thoroughfare.
That being said, the relatively low price of the sailing, at just over $700 per person for an interior cabin, gave me wiggle room to purchase cruise add-ons. I dined at two specialty restaurants during the cruise—Kaito Teppanyaki and Hola! Tacos and Cantina—and this kept me from feeling too limited in restaurant options.
My cabin, too, was somewhat basic.
The interior stateroom lacked storage for two guests, and I wished there was a couch instead of a small, uncomfortable chair. Regardless, it still provided all the necessary amenities for my weeklong stay, and I had an excellent European vacation on MSC World Europa.
Related: Interior cabin tour on MSC World Europa
Later, when I boarded Icon of the Seas, I was blown away by the vessel
Eight months after disembarking MSC World Europa, I boarded Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas for one of the ship’s first sailings.
Although MSC World Europa was innovative for MSC Cruises, it still couldn’t compare to the remarkable features found on Icon of the Seas. There’s truly no cruise ship like Icon of the Seas in the entire cruise industry, and I quickly found it worth the hype.
As soon as you board the ship, a giant spherical sculpture—The Pearl—welcomes you onboard. This 45-foot kinetic art sculpture features nearly 3,000 color-changing electronic panels that illuminate the Royal Promenade day and night.
I immediately loved The Overlook, a hangout space with floor-to-ceiling windows in the stunning, 82-foot-high AquaDome.
You’ll also find an entertainment venue in this area of the ship along with the AquaDome Market, a complimentary food hall serving freshly made crêpes and Mediterranean pitas, among other offerings.
My cabin was impressive, too. Storage was abundant, it had a plush couch, and there were numerous USB ports throughout the stateroom. This made charging my electronics a breeze. Compared to my cabin on MSC World Europa, my stateroom on Icon of the Seas seemed more thoughtfully designed.
Related: 5 things I loved (and 4 I hated) about my vacation on the world's biggest cruise ship
I paid over $2,500 per person for a Central Park balcony cabin on Icon of the Seas. This was far more expensive than my $700 interior cabin on MSC World Europa.
However, a lot was included in this fare. I could eat at eleven complimentary restaurants, drink at over fifteen bars, swim in seven pools, and hang out in eight distinct neighborhoods.
Icon of the Seas is arguably “better” than MSC World Europa, but either ship can lead to a memorable vacation
If I had to pick between Icon of the Seas and MSC World Europa, without taking cost into the equation, I’d pick Icon of the Seas every time. While there were things I didn’t enjoy about MSC World Europa, like the dining options and my basic cabin, I had virtually nothing to complain about when sailing on Icon of the Seas.
It’s hard to beat the out-of-this-world features on the vessel, whether the open-air Central Park or family-focused Surfside neighborhood. I loved the amount of included dining and activities, and I never felt like I had to spend extra money onboard.
Despite preferring Icon of the Seas, though, I would still recommend MSC World Europa to most cruisers, especially those on a tighter budget.
Related: 10 things MSC got right with MSC World Europa
Like Icon of the Seas, MSC’s newest ship is huge, has a well-designed layout, and offers more than enough things to do.
Although the ship doesn’t include as many features in its cruise fare compared to Icon of the Seas, the lower price may offer passengers more budget flexibility to purchase add-ons. This may also encourage guests to upgrade to a nicer room, such as a balcony cabin or Yacht Club suite.
At the end of the day, any cruise on a new ship, regardless of the cruise line, is likely to be a good choice. I found things to enjoy on both Icon of the Seas and MSC World Europa, and I wouldn’t hesitate to sail on either ship again.
Jenna DeLaurentis
Jenna DeLaurentis enjoys exploring new ports of call around the world on a cruise ship, learning about new cultures, discovering beautiful landscapes, and trying diverse cuisine. She loves to get active while in port, whether cycling through mountains in the Caribbean or scuba diving under the sea.
