MSC Cruise Ships with Water Slides: Full Fleet Guide

Every MSC ship built since the Seaside generation has come with a water park of some kind, and most of the fleet has one now. MSC Preziosa carries the longest slide in the fleet, Vertigo, while a few of the oldest classic ships, MSC Orchestra included, still don’t have a slide at all.

Which MSC ships have water slides?

Most of MSC’s current fleet has an Aquapark built in, from the Fantasia-class ships right through to the newest builds. It’s really only the oldest classic ships, built before water parks became standard kit, that sail without one.

MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida each carry one smaller slide, the Teens Toboga, sitting next to their main pools. That’s a single slide, not a water park, so if you’re booking one of these three ships hoping for a big aquapark day, you want to look at the newer ships instead.

For the rest of the fleet and the itineraries on offer beyond the water parks, there’s MSC Cruises’ full fleet guide.

Named water parks across the MSC fleet

A few MSC ships give their aquapark an actual name instead of just calling it a water park, and what’s behind each name varies a fair bit.

• Forest Aquaventure Park (MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview): a jungle-themed zone with multiple waterslides, including a slideboarding slide and duelling racing slides that run side by side, plus a paddling area for toddlers.
• Polar Aqua Park (MSC Meraviglia): a winter-themed zone combining four waterslides with a ropes course suspended above the deck. MSC Bellissima has a similar Aquapark, though MSC doesn’t give it the same name on its site.
• Wild Forest Aquapark (MSC Grandiosa): a sprawling jungle-style zone with multiple waterslides spread across the top deck.
• Pirates Cove Aquapark (MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape): built around a detailed pirate ship, combining waterslides with interactive play features rather than one big thrill slide.
• Aurora Borealis Aquapark (MSC World Europa): on Deck 20 next to the Doremiland Kids Club, aimed squarely at younger children, with misting features and slides that use virtual reality headsets.

Want to know what else is on board behind one of these named parks? There’s MSC Meraviglia’s full ship guide.

Vertigo: MSC Preziosa’s longest water slide

Vertigo on MSC Preziosa runs for 120 metres, designed by Myrtha Pools, and it’s one of the longest single-rider body slides on any cruise ship. You twist through multicoloured curves and hairpin turns inside the Doremi Castle Aqua Park, up on the ship’s top deck.

One stretch turns transparent around 60 metres above the sea, then a short section carries you out over the edge of the ship. You need to be at least 120cm tall and under 150 kilos to ride, so very young children are out.

MSC’s newest ships: Euribia, Seascape, Virtuosa, World Europa and World America

Cruise lines have been pouring money into water slides and water parks on their newest ships, and MSC’s latest deliveries follow the same pattern.

• MSC World Europa carries four waterslides in its Aurora Borealis Aquapark. For older children and teenagers there’s also Venom Drop at The Spiral, a dry slide spanning 11 decks that runs from Deck 20 down to the open deck near Deck 8.
• MSC World America’s AquaPark, part of an outdoor family zone called The Harbour, includes a vertical drop slide and a raft slide fitted with virtual reality, alongside a two-level ropes course and a dry slide spanning ten decks.
• MSC Euribia carries a standard Aquapark, along with the Himalayan Bridge ropes feature also found on MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia and MSC Virtuosa.
• MSC Seascape shares the pirate-themed Pirates Cove Aquapark with MSC Seashore, and also has the Robotron ride, combining water slides and pools for all ages.
• MSC Virtuosa’s aquapark includes a free-fall-style slide, though without the inflatable ring some other lines fit to similar rides.

Are MSC’s water slides free, or is there a charge?

Most of MSC’s water parks are included in your cruise fare, but a handful of individual attractions cost extra on top.

• The general Aquapark and named zones like Forest Aquaventure Park, Wild Forest Aquapark and Pirates Cove Aquapark are listed as included on MSC’s own site.
• The separate 112m waterslide fitted to MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, with its own lighting and music, is listed as a paid extra rather than part of the included aquapark.
• Standalone dry attractions such as Cliffhanger on MSC World America are charged separately from the included water park too.

Height and weight limits are set slide by slide, not fleet-wide. The smaller slide on MSC Divina has a minimum age of seven, and anyone aged seven to seventeen needs a parental waiver.

The waiver and wristband desk is usually set up right in the aquapark, and it’s quietest early on embarkation day, before everyone else has found their cabin. Get the paperwork done then rather than waiting for the first sea day, when the queue for the slide is at its longest.

Best MSC ship for families and kids

MSC World America packs more family deck space into one ship than anything else in the fleet right now, with the overwater Cliffhanger swing ride crammed into its outdoor zone.

If you’re counting slides, MSC Seaside still wins. Forest Aquaventure Park has five waterslides by MSC’s own count, plus a zip line across the top deck.

If you want the newest, most varied family zone, book MSC World America. If you want the most slides crammed into one aquapark, go for MSC Seaside or its near-identical sister, MSC Seaview. For how MSC stacks up against every other line, there’s this round-up of the best cruise ship water slides fleet-wide.

MSC water slides FAQs

Do all MSC ships have water slides?

Not all of them, no. MSC’s oldest classic ships, MSC Orchestra among them, don’t appear on MSC’s current list of ships with a water slide or aquapark. The feature only became standard from the Fantasia class onwards.

Which MSC ship has the most water slides?

MSC Seaside has the most, with five waterslides in its Forest Aquaventure Park, including a slideboarding slide and two racing AquaTubes. Its sister ship MSC Seaview has the same set-up.

Can adults ride MSC’s water slides?

Adults can ride MSC’s water slides without any trouble, though a handful set a maximum rider weight that rules out very large adults, so check the limit for your ship before you queue.

Is MSC good for kids?

MSC’s family facilities go well beyond the water slides, with Doremiland kids’ clubs and dedicated children’s aquapark corners, like the Aurora Borealis Aquapark on MSC World Europa, built specifically for younger guests.