Family Fun in Europe on MSC World Europa

She’s big and she’s beautiful. She’s the MSC World Europa, the company’s largest cruise ship and the sixth largest in the world.

But even though MSC World Europa is a massive 333 meters long and 22 decks high with over 2,600 staterooms, she is surprisingly one of the world’s most environmentally friendly vessels with a stunning futuristic silhouette.

The ship can carry a maximum of 6,744 passengers along with 2,138 crew members. That seems like a lot of people in one place, and while it is, the ship didn’t seem overcrowded due to her many entertainment venues, shops, bars, restaurants, and calming places to get away from the teeming masses.

While onboard a European sailing, I couldn’t help but notice the many families traveling together, all seeming to have an incredible time. But then again, it’s no surprise given the cruise line is family-owned and operated and given the number of fun activities the cruise line has developed. Though it’s not only families with kids that sail on MSC World Europa, it’s obvious that the ship is geared to provide fun for the entire family.

There are activities just for the kids as well as those the whole family can enjoy together. But one thing is certain, there’s so much to do, that during the cruise you’ll be pressed to experience it all.

Types of Accommodations
Cruise guests can choose from 19 different categories of staterooms, 65 percent of which include a balcony. So, depending on your family’s needs and your budget, there are plenty of options available.

Accommodation choices range from inside, ocean view and balconies. A popular option to be considered is the MSC Yacht Club staterooms featuring interior suites to balcony suites, duplex and royal room types with whirlpool baths.

Though the Yacht Club is pricier, guests will be pampered in suites that are lavishly appointed and include 24-hour butler service, a dedicated concierge, set in an exclusive section of the ship complete with a private lounge, restaurant, pool and pool deck. Other benefits include complimentary premium drink and Internet packages along with discounts at specialty restaurants and spa treatments.

A couple with two children described their stay in Yacht Club accommodations as “the perfect escape after a very busy day at a cruise port and onboard. The kids seem to really chill out when we return to this more private space.”

The Spiral Slide
This is the highest and longest dry slide at sea called The Venom Drop@The Spiral. The state-of-the-art corkscrew slide made of stainless steel with a snake-tongue entrance spans 11 decks and sends riders who sit on a sack through a fast and furious helter-skelter scream-worthy journey.

Even kids that were a bit hesitant on experiencing the slide for the first time quickly got back in line as fast as possible to do it over and over again.

MSC Kids Club
MSC World Europa impressively demonstrates that cruising isn’t just for adults. Her dedicated kids’ club is the largest in the MSC fleet featuring more than 8,200 square-feet of interior space creatively designed by Lego and Chicco. The kids’ club includes seven separate rooms for different age groups from toddlers to 17 with experienced, highly-trained staff.

Some of the club features include a Lego celebration room filled with an exorbitant amount of Lego sets, high-tech activities, gameshows, interactive music competitions, a drone academy and a sports program that includes football, Zorb ball, basketball, pickleball and hoverboards.

As one of the U.S. passengers commented, “the kids are in love with the kids’ club and we’re thrilled they are getting to interact with other kids from different cultures. And that means that we adults can play our way too.”

MSC Sportsplex
But the kids don’t get to have all the fun. Parents can join in too. The Family Zone houses all the kids’ facilities and also includes a Sportsplex with bumper cars, an arcade, a roller-skating arena and a Formula I simulator with hardware mimicking the movement of a Grand Prix car race.

Aurora Borealis Aquapark
Boasting the MSC fleet’s largest waterpark, the at-sea aquapark includes four water slides, towering high above the deck including virtual reality technology making it the ultimate waterslide experience.

The park also includes playgrounds, splash pools, water cannons, a high-trail ropes course and zip-line. Word of warning: kids have so much fun here, parents may be hard-pressed to get them to leave to get ready for dinner or a show.

Lots of Swimming Pools
Where there’s water, you’ll always find kids. And there are plenty of swimming pools to accommodate both the big and little family water dogs.

MSC World Europa features seven stunning pools including one with a sliding roof and all sporting different atmospheres. They also have 14 hot tubs and a family sun deck making MSC World Europa one of the most pool-covered ships at sea. Though the main pool deck can get crowded, the smaller pools and hot tubs offer some quieter options.

World Promenade and Galleria
There’s nearly round-the-clock entertainment onboard the MSC World Europa, which includes impromptu Carnival-type performances that pop up on the breathtaking 341-foot indoor and outdoor Y-shaped Promenade showcasing an iconic LED ceiling dome.

The magnificent sky screen lights up with different displays throughout the day, wowing passengers with its colorful, vibrant images. Of no surprise, the ice cream parlor here is a popular hangout.

The central World Galleria is a three-story internal atrium in the heart of the ship and home to guest services, the excursion desk, boutique shops, and specialty restaurants. The space is also home to The Luna Park Arena, an arcade that includes a Pizza and Burger Bar and three concert shows in its multipurpose space.

World Theater Performances
You’ll find a myriad of live performances at the 1,153-seat World Theater which hosts five full-scale theater productions with performances of song, dance, acrobatics and Broadway shows.

Panorama Lounge located at the aft of the ship boasts not only a stunning design but four different music-themed performances and an interactive floor with unique features.

Family Dining Experiences
There is certainly no shortage of places to dine onboard the ship. MSC World Europa offers 13 dining venues including six specialty restaurants. There are three separate restaurant buffets on-board, each with its own atmosphere. In total the ship hosts more than 30 international and immersive food and beverage concepts.

Guests are assigned a designated table in one of the main restaurants for an early or late dinner option or for an added fee can select one or more specialty dining experiences. Whether it was the main dining room, a specialty eatery or quick snack, the food onboard was impressive and there are plenty of choices to satisfy all ages and tastes.

Though European cruise lines tend to reflect mostly Old-World elegance and charm, MSC World Europa manages to do this in addition to providing a spectacular fun-filled ambience for family travel and kids of all ages.