MSC Musica

The 2006-built MSC Musica cruise ship is the first of MSC Cruises’ Musica-class liners, with sisterships Orchestra, Poesia, and Magnifica.

The vessel (IMO number 9320087) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 352003000) 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, the company is a subsidiary of MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) – the world's 2nd largest containership operator. MSC Crociere is the world’s largest privately owned cruise company.

By annual passenger traffic, MSC ranks as the world’s 3rd largest cruise shipowner, following Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group (RCG).

The 2,500-passenger MSC Musica debuted in 2006 as the largest vessel in the MSC fleet at that time. With Musica, the company significantly expanded its reach in the English-speaking source market. The ship attracts a diverse international passenger mix—Germans and British during the winter, Italians during the summer, and increasing numbers of Americans during the high season.

Decks and Cabins

MSC Musica staterooms (1,275 total, in 8 categories) include 18 Suites, 809 Balcony cabins, 173 Oceanview cabins, and 275 Inside cabins. Most staterooms measure 150–190 ft² / 14–18 m². Most balconies are sized 40 ft² / 4 m². The largest accommodations are the Balcony Suites (270 ft² / 25 m², with 50 ft² / 5 m² terraces).

The ship has 16 decks, of which 13 are accessible to passengers and 8 contain cabins.

MSC Musica’s decks are named after musical terms and tempos.

Shipboard dining options – Food and Drinks

MSC Musica offers two formal restaurants serving Mediterranean and Italian cuisine in traditional assigned seating. Two buffet restaurants—appearing as one large venue due to their layout—provide casual dining for breakfast and lunch. In the evening, the aft buffet converts to a seated dining venue featuring a steakhouse-style menu (surcharge applies), while the forward buffet serves pizza.

The ship also features a sushi and Asian specialty restaurant (reservation required, surcharge). Room service is limited and includes Continental Breakfast and a selection of cold sandwiches. Midnight buffets vary from classic gala displays to themed snack offerings.

Follows the complete list of MSC Musica restaurants and food bars:

• L'Oleandro Restaurant (720-seat Dining Room; Breakfast 7:30–9:30 am, Lunch 12–2 pm, Dinner with two assigned seatings at 7 and 9:30 pm; size 1120 m²)
• Belle Epoque Restaurant (714-seat dinner-only Dining Room with two fixed seatings at 6:15 and 8:45 pm; left section serves American-vegetarian cuisine, right section Italian-Mediterranean; size 1120 m²)
• Gli Archi Restaurant (349-seat self-service complimentary buffet; open for breakfast 7–10 am, lunch 11:30 am–4:30 pm, afternoon tea 4–5 pm, dinner and late-night snacks 7 pm–12 am; size 1811 m²)
• Onboard Pizzeria (located in Gli Archi; open 7–10:30 pm; pizza and calzone; à la carte surcharge)
• Il Giardino Steakhouse (250-seat specialty restaurant; à la carte surcharge; reservations recommended; open 7–11 pm)
• Kaito Restaurant (54-seat Japanese restaurant; sushi bar; à la carte; open for lunch 12–3 pm and dinner 7–12 pm; size 150 m²)

Shipboard entertainment options – Fun and Sport

MSC Musica offers a wide range of entertainment and leisure facilities, including a casino, cinema, library, the Teatro La Scala, the Tucano Show Lounge, a disco, Internet café, and a virtual reality center. Wellness amenities include a fitness center, three swimming pools, seven Jacuzzis, sauna, and a beauty salon. Additional services include complimentary 24-hour room service, a supervised children’s program, Internet/WiFi access, and laundry.

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

• Musica Atrium (three-deck-high central area with a grand piano suspended over water)
• La Cascata Reception (56-seat guest services area; size 250 m²)
• Bar della Cascata (142-seat specialty coffee lobby bar; à la carte; complimentary pastries; size 400 m²)
• Teatro La Scala Theatre (1,123 seats; grand productions, concerts, acrobatics; two nightly shows at 7 and 9 pm; size 1249 m²)
• Il Tucano Bar Lounge (477 seats; show lounge with dance floor; entertainment, games, dance classes; size 920 m²)
• Sala Viola Meeting Room (26 seats; size 35 m²)
• Blue Velvet Bar Lounge (142-seat specialty coffee bar; complimentary desserts; size 500 m²)
• MSC Logo Shop (souvenirs, toys, apparel; size 60 m²)
• L'Angolo Dell'Oggetto (jewelry, sunglasses, watches; size 35 m²)
• Accessories Shop (leather goods boutique)
• Le Parfum (cosmetics and perfumes; size 70 m²)
• The Mini Mall (size 60 m²)
• The Diamond Shop (luxury jewelry; size 60 m²)
• Duty-Free Shop (liquor, tobacco, snacks, electronics)
• Via Montenapoleone Boutique (fashion apparel; size 120 m²)
• Lo Smeraldo Shop (luxury jewelry and accessories)
• The Golden Bar (45-seat cocktail bar; live music; size 190 m²)
• The Diamond Bar (45-seat cocktail bar; live music; size 190 m²)
• MSC Travel Agency / Shore Excursions Desk (size 73 m²)
• Sanremo Casino (196 seats; smoking allowed; slot machines, gaming tables; size 630 m²)
• Card Room (28 seats; Texas Hold'em; size 40 m²)
• Library (12 seats; multilingual books and games; size 40 m²)
• Art Gallery (12-seat exhibition and auction area; size 200 m²)
• Cyber Café (18 PC workstations; open 24 hours; size 128 m²)
• L'Enoteca Bar (135-seat wine bar; tapas; tastings; live music; size 324 m²)
• Havana Club (32-seat cigar lounge; size 140 m²)
• Photo Gallery & Shop (size 285 m²)
• Crystal Lounge & Bar (336-seat entertainment lounge with dance floor; karaoke, shows, competitions; size 850 m²)
• MSC Musica Aurea Spa & Fitness (1160 m² wellness complex with Beauty Salon, Solarium, Sauna, Steam Room, Relaxation Room, Thalassotherapy, Treatment Rooms, Tanning Showers, 2 Whirlpools; Spa 8 am–8 pm, Gym 6 am–10 pm)
• Copacabana Pool (saltwater pool with 2 Whirlpools; served by Blue Marlin Bar; area 1600 m²)
• La Spiaggia Pool (saltwater pool with sliding dome and 2 Whirlpools; served by Laguna Bar; area 1300 m²)
• Outdoor LED Movie Screen
• Jogging Track (10 laps = 1 mile; size 575 m²), Golf Net, Tennis Tables, Shuffleboard
• Children's indoor/outdoor playrooms
• Space Trip kids club (15 seats; size 70 m²)
• Video Games Arcade (size 65 m²)
• Q32 Disco & Nightclub (214 seats; size 615 m²)
• Juniors & Teens Clubs (teen lounge; size 45 m²)
• Medical Center (230 m² infirmary operated 24/7; onboard billing applies)
• Shuffleboard area (size 354 m²)
• 9-hole Mini-Golf Course (size 54 m²)
• Top 16 Solarium (adults-only sun deck with 2 Whirlpools)
• LED Wall (large outdoor screen for virtual games)
• Sports Court (basketball, volleyball, soccer; size 474 m²)

Itineraries

MSC Musica’s itinerary program is based on 7-day Eastern Caribbean roundtrips from La Romana, Pointe-a-Pitre, and Fort-de-France. During summer, Musica sails 7-day Eastern Mediterranean itineraries from Venice to the Greek Islands. The ship also operates low-cost Transatlantic repositioning cruises between Europe and the Caribbean.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, MSC Musica was paused for more than two years (March 2020–June 2022), resuming service on June 5 from Monfalcone. The ship’s South Africa 2021-2022 deployment was canceled.

In December 2021, MSC announced that starting June 5, 2022, Musica would be homeported seasonally in Monfalcone for 7-day roundtrips visiting Bari, Katakolon-Olympia, Santorini, and Heraklion (Crete). Alternative roundtrips were also offered from Bari.

In 2023 and 2024 (May–November), MSC homeported Musica in Piraeus-Athens. The Eastern Mediterranean itinerary included Santorini, Kusadasi-Ephesus, Haifa, Limassol, and Mykonos. Roundtrips were also offered from Turkey, Israel, and Cyprus.

When not in Europe, MSC Musica was deployed in South America, operating 8–9-day roundtrips from Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Seasonal repositionings included Transatlantic crossings between the Mediterranean and South America.

The vessel (built by STX France at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard, hull number Q32) has a volume of 92,409 GT, a deadweight tonnage of 9,945 tons, and a maximum draught of 7.9 m. Her powerplant consists of Wärtsilä marine diesel engines (model W16V38B) with a combined output of 36.05 MW (48,340 hp). The registered shipowner is MUSICA CRUISE LTD, while the registered manager is MSC MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING CO.

Musica is MSC's first Musica-class liner (inaugural cruise on June 29, 2006), with sisterships Magnifica, Orchestra, and Poesia.

In December 2024, MSC opened bookings for Musica’s World Voyage 2027. However, in June 2025, the voyage was reassigned to MSC Magnifica.

MSC Musica refurbishments review

Drydock 2024

MSC Musica’s most recent drydocking took place in 2024 (April 21–May 13) at the Palumbo Shipyard in Valletta, Malta. The project covered routine maintenance, technical overhauls, classification and safety inspections, steelworks, and minor repairs.

Drydock 2019

The 2019 drydock refurbishment (October 19–November 12) was conducted at Port Marseille's Chantier Naval de Marseille Shipyard.

The USD 40 million project included scheduled maintenance and technological upgrades, most notably the installation of a new EGCSA (exhaust gas cleaning system / scrubbers).

All staterooms and public areas were renovated.

The vessel's previous drydock was in November 2016.