MSC Lirica

The 2003-built / 2015-stretched MSC Lirica cruise ship is the 3rd of MSC’s Lirica-class liners, with sisterships Opera, Sinfonia, and Armonia.

The vessel (IMO number 9246102) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 356042000) and registered in Colon.

History - Construction and Ownership

MSC Cruises (MSC Crociere) is a passenger shipping company headquartered in Genoa and Naples. Established in 1960, MSC Crociere is today a subsidiary of MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) - the world’s 2nd largest containership company. MSC Crociere is the world’s largest privately owned cruise company.

By annual passenger volumes, MSC ranks as the world’s 3rd largest cruise operator, following only Carnival Corporation and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group.

All four vessels in this class (Armonia, Lirica, Opera, Sinfonia) were enlarged by 24 m (80 ft), adding around 193 new staterooms (including Balcony cabins), 59 additional crew cabins, new public spaces, expanded children’s facilities (LEGO and Chicco themed), and an outdoor water park (“Spray Park” with slides, jets, and water toys).

The 2000-passenger MSC Lirica was lengthened under MSC’s Renaissance Program (EUR 200 million). Lirica received several features designed specifically for the Chinese market, including Mandarin signage, upmarket shops, new color schemes, and additional Chinese cuisine and entertainment. During the European summer season, MSC Lirica attracts an international mix of passengers, with Italian, German, French, and Spanish commonly spoken onboard.

Decks and Cabins

MSC Lirica staterooms (992 total, in 9 grades) include 130 Suites, 94 Balcony, 409 Oceanview, and 355 Inside cabins. Most staterooms measure 140 ft² / 13 m². Most balconies are sized 40 ft² / 4 m². The largest accommodations are the Balcony Suites (250 ft² / 24 m² plus a 55 ft² / 5 m² terrace). The ship has only 5 wheelchair-accessible cabins (Inside type).

The vessel has 13 decks, of which 9 are passenger-accessible and 5 contain cabins.

MSC Lirica’s decks are named after Italian composers.

Shipboard Dining Options – Food and Drinks

There are no dining surcharges onboard MSC Lirica, as the ship has no specialty restaurants. Lirica offers an abundance of Italian cuisine, though quality may vary. The La Bussola Restaurant on Deck 5 is the larger of the two main dining rooms and features tables for two to six guests. The casual buffet venue is located on Deck 11 and serves as an alternative to the main dining rooms.

Follows the complete list of MSC Lirica’s restaurants and food bars:

• La Bussola Restaurant (aft dining room, 950 seats; open for breakfast 7–10 am, lunch 12–2 pm, dinner with two fixed seatings at 7 and 9:15 pm; 3-course lunch and 7-course dinner menu; size 1065 m²)
• L’Ippocampo Restaurant (aft dining room, 406 seats; dinner only with two fixed seatings at 7 or 9:15 pm; size 583 m²)
• Le Bistrot Restaurant (aft location, 324 seats; complimentary self-service cafeteria/buffet open 6 am–2 am, including Afternoon Tea 4–5 pm; size 710 m²)
• La Pergola Restaurant (262-seat alfresco buffet with full bar, pizzeria, and outdoor grill/burger bar; size 268 m²)

Shipboard Entertainment Options – Fun and Sport

MSC Lirica’s public spaces are spacious and elegantly designed, featuring marble details, brass accents, and extensive use of wood. The absence of excessive glitz is balanced by refined glasswork and a blend of primary and neutral colors. Entertainment facilities include a casino, cinema, library, and additional professional venues common to MSC ships. Guests can enjoy the fitness center, two pools, two Jacuzzis, and a sauna. The “Lord Nelson” English pub is a popular highlight. A dedicated playroom is available for children.

Additional amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service, supervised children’s program, Internet/WiFi access, and laundry services.

Follows the complete list of MSC Lirica lounges, clubs and onboard venues for kids, teens, and adults:

• The Broadway Theatre (713 seats; grand-style productions, concerts, acrobatics, cabaret; two nightly shows at 7:30 and 9:30 pm; level 1 of 2; size 1135 m²)
• Lord Nelson Pub (144-seat English pub with smoking area, multiple TVs; size 300 m²)
• Card Room, Library & Internet Café (18 seats; size 50 m²)
• Voyagers Club Info Point
• Reception Desk (33-seat guest services area for reservations and bookings; size 903 m²)
• Shore Excursions Desk (planning and booking; size 40 m²)
• Rodeo Drive Shopping Arcade (boutiques and retail stalls)
• Gallery (luxury jewelry, sunglasses, watches; size 40 m²)
• Jewelry Shop (luxury accessories; size 40 m²)
• Vogue Boutique (casual and fashion clothing; size 60 m²)
• MSC Shop (brand perfumes and cosmetics; size 75 m²)
• Duty-Free Shop (liquor, snacks, tobacco products, essentials)
• Beverly Hills Bar (239-seat piano bar with live music; can host bingo and art auctions; size 902 m²)
• The Coffee Corner (100-seat specialty coffee bar with complimentary desserts; coffee packages available; size 245 m²)
• Le Cabaret Lounge & Bar (139-seat dance lounge with full bar; hosts quizzes and Italian lessons; size 345 m²)
• Casino VIP Lounge (20 seats; size 50 m²)
• Las Vegas Casino (111-seat smoking venue with slots, gaming tables, full bar; size 460 m²)
• Shopping Arcade
• L’Atmosphere (101-seat piano bar with live music; size 300 m²)
• Jia Yao
• Video Games Arcade (size 41 m²)
• Photo Gallery & Shop (photo/video services, cameras, accessories; size 70 m² gallery / 45 m² photographer)
• Medical Center (4-seat infirmary; size 107 m²; staffed 24 hours by doctors and nurses; payment by boarding pass; cruise health insurance recommended)
• MSC Lirica Aurea Spa & Fitness Complex (Thalassotherapy room, treatment rooms, 2 saunas, steam room, relaxation room, beauty salon, complimentary gym and aerobics studio; open 9 am–9 pm; size 943 m²)
• Baby Club & Mini Club – I Pirati Playroom (kids’ area with TVs, PlayStations, toys, games, arts and crafts; size 54 m²)
• Lirica’s Le Piscine Pool Area (2 saltwater pools, 2 whirlpools, table tennis; size 152 m² fore / 157.5 m² aft)
• Doremi Spray Park (size 146 m²)
• La Canzone del Mare (146-seat poolside bar with full bar, La Gelateria ice cream bar—open 10 am–6 pm, surcharge—and Vitamin Bar for fresh juices; size 2364 m²)
• Power Walking/Jogging Track (8 laps = 1 mile; size 1200 m²)
• Shuffleboard (size 20 m²)
• Young & Teens Club (34 seats; size 51 m²) / Juniors Club (teen lounge for dance classes, music, disco, sports, video games; size 107 m²)
• Virtual Reality Video Games Arcade (with foosball and table tennis)
• Kaito Sushi Bar (40 seats; size 40 m²)
• The Blue Club Disco & Nightclub (215 seats, full bar; daytime quiet lounge with panoramic views; size 739 m²)
• Sundeck / Top 13 Solarium (adults-only relaxation area with loungers; size 742 m²), Golf Simulator (surcharge)
• 8-hole Mini-Golf Course (size 270 m²; complimentary equipment available from Deck 5 Reception)

Itineraries

MSC Lirica’s itinerary program was previously based on South American cruises departing from Rio de Janeiro and Santos, and on 7-day Eastern Mediterranean voyages departing from Venice to the Greek Islands. Lirica also operated affordable Transatlantic repositioning crossings between South America and Europe.

The refurbished ship was homeported in Shanghai, China beginning May 1, 2016, for two years. In China, MSC Cruises operates a joint venture with CAISSA Touristic, which manages domestic cruise operations.

In April 2018, MSC Lirica was repositioned from China back to Europe. In the Asian market, she was replaced by the larger MSC Splendida (3300 passengers). Lirica’s European deployment is based on homeports Venice and Bari. Roundtrip Adriatic cruises (Eastern Mediterranean) visit ports in Greece, Croatia (notably Dubrovnik), and Albania (Sarande). Shorter 3-day roundtrips from Venice visit Zadar (Croatia) and Koper (Slovenia).

For winter 2018–2019, MSC Lirica was homeported in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (UAE), starting November 2018, offering 11- and 14-night roundtrip itineraries. These voyages included two overnights in Dubai and visits to Abu Dhabi, Muscat (Oman), and ports in India (Mumbai, Goa, Mangalore). One 11-night itinerary also visited Sir Bani Yas Island. Dubai departures were available as fly-cruise packages.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, MSC Lirica was paused for over two years (March 2020–April 2022), resuming service on April 11 with Mediterranean cruises from Athens. Homeporting in Piraeus-Athens, Greece, the ship operates 7-night Eastern Mediterranean roundtrips visiting Mykonos, Haifa (Tel Aviv), Limassol, Rhodes, and Kusadasi-Ephesus. MSC also offers fly-cruise packages to Greece with fares including flights from major Northern European cities.

The vessel (Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard / hull number K32) has a volume of 65,591 GT, a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 6561 tons, and a maximum draught of 7 m. The powerplant is based on Wärtsilä marine diesel engines (model 12V38) with a combined output of 31.68 MW (42,480 hp). The registered shipowner is NEWCO LIRICA SA, while the registered manager is MSC MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING CO.

Lirica is MSC’s 3rd Lirica-class liner, with sisterships Armonia, Opera, and Sinfonia. One of MSC’s smallest ships, Lirica is also the company’s first-ever newbuild passenger vessel and the fleet’s first ship christened by Sophia Loren (Italian actress, born 1934).

In 2015, MSC Lirica was stretched (elongated by 25 m / 82 ft) during a drydock refit conducted at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Palermo, Sicily. During the dry dock (August 31–November 9), the vessel was cut in two and a pre-built midship section was inserted. The reconstruction was part of MSC Cruises’ USD 273 million “Renaissance Program,” under which the sisterships Armonia, Opera, and Sinfonia were also enlarged.

MSC Lirica Refurbishment 2015 Review

Majorly refurbished in 2015 (dry dock refit between August 31 and November 9), MSC Lirica was also stretched (elongated by 25 m / 82 ft).

The list of deck plan changes after the refurbishment includes:

• All passenger staterooms were renovated and upgraded.
• A total of 193 new cabins and suites were added (on decks 9-Albinoni, 10-Bellini, and 12-Rossini), plus 59 new crew cabins. The ship’s capacity increased from 795 cabins (1560 passengers / 2070 max) to 988 cabins (1976 passengers / 2371 max).
• New stateroom categories were introduced.
• An Aqua Park (Spray Park) with waterfalls and interactive slides was installed.
• Boutique shops were redesigned and upgraded with new layouts and premium brands. A new luxury perfume shop was added.
• The supervised kids’ clubs and play areas were updated with new equipment and toys by Chicco and LEGO.
• The onboard children’s program was expanded to include 5 kids’ clubs (age groups).
• The pool deck received several new shaded canopy seating areas and a new water park for children.
• The onboard boutiques began offering top European luxury brands such as Gucci (handbags), Bulgari (jewelry), Longines (Swiss watches), and TAG Heuer (watches).

Most of the ship’s personnel were replaced with Mandarin-speaking staff. The appointed Cruise Ambassadors (guest assistants) spoke both Mandarin and English.

MSC’s China cruise bookings and program management (activities, entertainment, amenities, gaming) were handled by the company’s local partner CAISSA Touristic.

The 10-week dry dock project was valued at nearly EUR 50 million.

As part of the MSC Cruises China deployment program, Lirica received additional features designed for the Chinese market. These included Mandarin signage, a new color scheme, new dining options (Asian cuisine), and adjustments to the entertainment program. The casino was expanded, adding Chinese-favorite and classic games, including a private gaming room for baccarat and sic bo (tai sai / 3-dice game of chance).

In September 2015, MSC announced a partnership with one of China’s largest tourism companies, CAISSA Touristic Group. Under this partnership, MSC Lirica was homeported in Shanghai, China starting May 2016, marking MSC’s first year-round ship deployment in the Chinese market. In April 2018, Lirica returned to Europe, replaced in China by the larger MSC Splendida.