MSC Musica Completes 20 Years of Service

MSC Musica Completes 20 Years of Service

The MSC Musica recently completed 20 years of service for MSC Cruises, having been delivered on June 19, 2006.

Built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, the 2,550-passenger ship debuted as the first in a series of four ships known as the Musica class.

After repositioning to the Mediterranean, the vessel was christened in the Italian city of Venice on June 29, 2006. Actress Sophia Loren served as godmother of the ship during the ceremony.

For its maiden season, the MSC Musica offered a series of seven-night cruises from its homeport in Venice, visiting Greece, Croatia, Italy and Turkey.

The weeklong itineraries were highlighted by visits to a range of destinations, including Katakolon, Izmir, Istanbul, Dubrovnik and Bari.

While plans initially called for the ship to reposition to North America for the winter, it remained in Europe year-round until late 2008.

For its first winter, the MSC Musica offered longer itineraries that combined destinations in the Western Mediterranean and the Canary Islands.

In 2026, the ship is offering seven-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean that sail to France, Spain and Italy.

The vessel’s regular itinerary includes visits to Civitavecchia, Genoa, Cagliari, Marseille and Valencia, as well as Ibiza.

Later this year, the MSC Musica is scheduled to enter drydock in Malta for the largest refurbishment of its sailing career.

As part of a fleet modernization project that will see all Musica-class ships undergoing similar updates, the 92,400-ton vessel will spend approximately two months in the shipyard.

The ship is scheduled to emerge from drydock with a new MSC Yacht Club space, as well as new specialty dining venues and updated public spaces.

After sailing to South America with no guests onboard in November, the MSC Musica will introduce the new features during its 2026-27 winter season in Brazil.

As part of MSC’s five-ship deployment in the region, the Musica is scheduled to offer three- to seven-night cruises departing from Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranaguá and Itajaí.

MSC Cruises to Add Yacht Club to Two More Ships

MSC Cruises to Add Yacht Club to Two More Ships

MSC Cruises is bringing its MSC Yacht Club to two additional ships, the MSC Musica and the MSC Orchestra, according to a press release.

The expansion marks the completion of the MSC Yacht Club refurbishment for the entire Musica class.

The MSC Musica will receive the upgrade later in 2026, ahead of the South American season, followed by the MSC Orchestra in the first quarter of 2027 ahead of its season in the Mediterranean from Bari, Italy.

Once complete, all four ships in the Musica class, the MSC Poesia, the MSC Magnifica, the MSC Musica and the MSC Orchestra will feature the MSC Yacht Club.

The MSC Yacht Club is designed as a ship within a ship concept, featuring spacious and elegant suites, 24-hour butler and dedicated concierge service, as well as exclusive private venues including a restaurant, lounge and sundeck.

Guests of the MSC Yacht Club benefit from personalized services.

This includes daily in-suite indulgences such as fresh fruits, macarons and chocolates, and a complimentary bottle of premium spirits.

Guests can take advantage of unpacking and packing services, private shopping appointments in the onboard boutiques outside regular opening hours, and more.

Guests will also receive MED by MSC, the cruise line’s exclusive collection of organic bath amenities crafted for MSC Yacht Club guests.

With the addition of the MSC Musica and the MSC Orchestra, the MSC Yacht Club will be available across 19 ships fleetwide.

The MSC Musica will sail in South America from November 2026 through April 2027, offering cruises to Brazilian destinations and eight-night to nine-night holiday sailings to Buenos Aires, Montevideo and Punta del Este over Christmas and New Year.

The season concludes with a 16-night transatlantic crossing departing Santos on April 1, 2027, to Genoa.

The MSC Orchestra will begin sailing with the new MSC Yacht Club from Bari, Italy, from March 13 to April 24, 2027, exploring Turkey’s destinations, including Izmir and Istanbul, with calls at Piraeus and Corfu, Greece.

MSC Poesia Resumes Service Ahead of Summer Program in Northern Europe

Dawn and the Wonderful MSC Peosia Photo credit Spacejunkie2

Another MSC Cruises ship is resuming service today as the MSC Poesia welcomes guests back in Civitavecchia, Italy.

Returning after a two-year absence, the 2008-built vessel is kicking off a summer season in Northern Europe with a repositioning voyage to Warnemunde.

The 14-night cruise features visits to 12 different ports in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, England, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

A highlight of the port-intensive itinerary is a visit to El Ferrol. Located in Northern Spain, the unusual cruise port also serves as a getaway to other cities in the region, including Santiago de Compostela.

Continuing its summer schedule, the Poesia offers a series of cruises to the Baltic and Scandinavia departing from Copenhagen and Warnemunde.

Ranging from seven to 21 nights in duration, the itineraries feature visits to Norway, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and more.

The program – which stretches through mid-September – also includes a one-time cruise to Iceland and Greenland. The 21-night voyage visits seven ports in the region, such as Nuuk, Qaqortoq, Reykjavik and Akureyri.

The MSC Poesia was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. The 93,300-ton vessel entered service in 2008, as the third ship of MSC’s Musica Class.

According to the company, the ship features sophisticated and elegant décor and features 236,000 square feet of public spaces.

Among its many public areas, the Poesia offers two swimming pools, four hot tubs, a 13,000-square-foot spa, and four restaurants – including a Sushi Bar alternative dining restaurant.

With a capacity of 2,550 guests, the vessel boasts 1,275 staterooms, of which 80 per cent face the outside and 65 per cent are equipped with a private balcony.

With the MSC Poesia, a total of four ships resumed service for MSC Cruises in April.