266-foot The – MSC Cruises is set to unveil The Spiral @ Tree of Life on the soon-to-debut MSC World Asia—an announced 266-foot dry slide that will outdo Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate Abyss for both length and vertical drop. The ship launches Dec. 4 with seven-night Western Med
It’s the kind of cruise-ship detail that turns a casual “that looks fun” into a second look—because MSC Cruises is preparing a slide that measures 266 feet from start to finish, and it’s being pitched as both the longest and, for anyone who doesn’t love heights, one of the most unnerving.
The Spiral @ Tree of Life is slated to be installed atop MSC World Asia, a ship scheduled to debut soon. The new slide will stretch about seven feet longer than Royal Caribbean’s current record-holder, The Ultimate Abyss, which is on Utopia of the Seas.
The comparison doesn’t stop at length. Like Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate Abyss. The Spiral @ Tree of Life will be a dry slide—meaning there’s no water ride momentum. Riders will plunge from near the top of the ship to a low-level deck, with a record 12-deck drop. That is two more decks than the vertical plunge of The Ultimate Abyss on Utopia of the Seas.
The announcement of The Spiral @ Tree of Life this week lands in the middle of a familiar back-and-forth between MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean over the most over-the-top ship slides. Royal Caribbean kicked things off in 2016 with the debut of its first The Ultimate Abyss mega-slide on Harmony of the Seas. That slide. along with three more Ultimate Abyss slides added to Symphony of the Seas. Oasis of the Seas. and Wonder of the Seas in 2018. 2019. and 2022 respectively. measured 216 feet in length.
MSC Cruises then moved quickly. Just a few months later, it claimed the record with Venom Drop @ The Spiral on MSC World Europa, measuring 250 feet. It didn’t last long. Two years later. Royal Caribbean pulled ahead again when it unveiled the latest Ultimate Abyss slide on Utopia of the Seas. measuring 259 feet.
Now MSC World Asia is set to hand MSC Cruises the record once more, and with it, another round in the cruise arms race that increasingly targets big-ship fans—especially families who want their onboard days packed with attention-grabbing attractions.
Both MSC and Royal Caribbean have been building their biggest vessels around decktop experiences: sprawling water parks and pool zones, showrooms for major production shows, and dozens of places to eat and drink.
Scheduled to sail in Europe starting in December. MSC World Asia is the latest in MSC Cruises’ World Class series—ships that rise 20 decks high and can carry 6. 762 passengers. with every berth filled. The ship is being built as MSC Cruises’ new flagship at Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Work on the slide is already underway.
Inside. the ship follows the same blueprint familiar to guests of earlier World Class ships such as MSC World Europa and MSC World America. The top deck will include a giant waterpark. multiple pool areas. and additional attractions. including a ride that swings you out over the sea. On the interior level. there will be a giant. three-deck-high promenade packed with restaurants and bars. connecting to multiple entertainment areas.
MSC World Asia will begin with seven-night Western Mediterranean cruises starting Dec. 4. The itinerary includes stops in Barcelona, Spain; Marseille, France; Messina and Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) in Italy; and Naples in Italy, along with Valletta, Malta.
Royal Caribbean’s comparable scale is part of why this slide rivalry has stayed so prominent in recent years: Utopia of the Seas is the latest vessel in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class series. with capacity up to 6. 988 passengers. Together with Royal Caribbean’s new Icon Class ships. these large lineups—and their big-ticket attractions—make up all 11 of the world’s biggest cruise ships.
MSC World Asia The Spiral @ Tree of Life MSC Cruises Royal Caribbean rivalry The Ultimate Abyss cruise ship slides Western Mediterranean cruises Barcelona Marseille Messina Civitavecchia Naples Valletta Chantiers de l'Atlantique
266 feet?! That’s insane.
Dry slide sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen lol. Like what happens when people hit the bottom deck too hard? I guess they just love heights on cruises now.
Isn’t this the same ship company that already has the big water slides? I saw a TikTok where someone said it was actually 266 feet tall not long. Also “dry” means no water so yeah it’s gonna be rough, but I’m sure it’s safe because cruise lines never mess anything up.
I don’t get why they keep making these taller. Like people are already stuck in buffets and gift shops, then they wanna drop 12 decks?? Next thing you know they’ll have one straight to the ocean, which sounds great until you remember how many people can’t even walk straight on a ship. Royal Caribbean vs MSC over slides is kinda wild though, like can we just bring back a normal pool.