MSC Opera

Launched in 2004, MSC Opera is the 4th and last of MSC Cruises Lirica-class ships, together with Armonia, Sinfonia and Lirica.

History - construction and ownership

MSC Cruises (MSC Crociere) is a passenger shipping company headquartered in Genoa and Naples. It was established in 1960. Today, MSC Crociere is a subsidiary of MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) - world's 2nd largest containership company. MSC Crociere is the world's largest privately-owned cruise company. By annual passenger shipping volumes, MSC is ranked world's 4th largest cruise company (after Carnival Corporation, RCCL-Royal Caribbean and NCL-Norwegian) with over 5% global market share.

All 4 vessels of this class (Armonia, Lirica, Opera, Sinfonia) were enlarged/elongated by 24 m (80 ft), adding around 193 new cruise staterooms (including Balcony), 59 more crew cabins, plus new public spaces, new kids facilities (with LEGO and Chicco themed activities), outdoor water park ("Spray Park" with interactive slides, jets and water toys).

The 59,058-ton, 1,700-passenger cruise ship MSC Opera delivers her guests a real Italian style cruise vacation. Fantastic establishments and pleasant staff in addition to thorough itineraries help make MSC Opera the perfect ship.

Cruise itinerary program

MSC Opera itinerary program is based on cruises to Cuba. The ship offers 7-days Caribbean itineraries roundtrip from Havana (two nights), with feature port destinations Montego Bay Jamaica, George Town (Grand Cayman Island) and Cozumel Mexico. In July 2015, MSC Cruises announced that due to rising demand the company will homeport in Havana Cuba the Opera ship for the Winter 2016-2017 season. From November 2016, a second ship (MSC Armonia) joined Opera for the entire season.

During summer, the ship cruises in Europe (Mediterranean and Baltic).

Cabins

MSC Opera has a total of 878 cabins (of which 28 Suites, 172 Balcony, 359 Inside rooms) in 8 grades. Most MSC Opera staterooms are 140-sq. foot Oceanview rooms and Insides. The largest aboard MSC Opera is the Balcony Suite (250 ft2).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

There are no dining surcharges onboard the MSC Opera because there are no speciality restaurants on this ship. Opera offers an abundance of Italian food, but the quality can vary. The La Caravella Restaurant on Deck 5 is the larger of the two main dining rooms. It features tables for two to six diners. The casual buffet is located on Deck 11 and provides an alternative to the main dining rooms.

Follows the complete list of MSC Opera restaurants and food bars.

• La Caravella Restaurant (681-seat aft Dining Room, open for Breakfast 7:00-9:30 a.m., Lunch 12:00-2:00 p.m., and Dinner with 2 fixed seatings at 7:00 and 9:30 p.m., features a 3-course menu for lunch, 7-course for dinner)
• L’Approdo Restaurant (422-seat aft Dining Room, dinner only, with 2 fixed seatings)
• Il Patio Restaurant (402-seats alfresco eatery with two sections - Pizzeria and Outdoor Grill)
• Le Vele Restaurant (380-seat complimentary self-service buffet restaurant; also serving Afternoon Tea).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

There are lots of thrilling things to do on the MSC Opera. Energetic guests onboard can enjoy the mini-golf, jogging track, or two pools with two jacuzzis, plus sauna and beauty salon, along with a well-equipped gymnasium. After benefiting these establishments, passengers may relax with a hot stone massage and feel brand new and rejuvenated. Additional amenities include complimentary 24-Hour Room-Service, Supervised Children Program, Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry.

Follows the complete list of MSC Opera lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Teatro dell’ Opera Theatre (713-seat, 2-level; features grand-style show productions and classical concerts, with 2 shows per night - at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.)
• Sotto Vento Pub (172-seats English pub bar)
• Opera Atrium (2-deck high midship open area)
• Internet computers room and Cyber Cafe
• Gallery (shop selling brand watches and jewellery); Gioielleria (Jewelry Shop); Lei and Lui Boutique; Duty-Free Shop (alcohol, tobaccos)
• Via Condotti (shopping alley with duty-free shops); Beauty and Cosmetics; Accessories Shop
• Photo Gallery and Shop
• Cotton Club Lounge and Bar (155-seat cocktail bar; hosts bingo games, art auctions)
• Piazza di Spagna (259-seat piano bar); La Cabala (102-seat piano bar)
• Montecarlo Casino (119-seat, smoking allowed area, own full bar)
• Card Room and Library (33-seat double function room)
• Aroma Bar (91-seat speciality coffee bar, with complimentary cookies and pastries)
• Caruso Lounge and Bar (334-seat show lounge for live music performances; hosts dance classes and night cabaret shows)
• MSC Opera Aurea Spa and Fitness Complex (with Treatment Rooms, Thalassotherapy Room, Saunas, Steam Room, Relaxation Room, Beauty Salon, Gym with aerobics studio for classes)
• Buffalo Bill Playroom (kids play area)
• Le Piscine Pool Area (with two twin saltwater pools and two Whirlpools)
• Opera Water Park with slide (2015 refurbishment)
• Lo Spinnaker Bar (with 3 sections - Main, La Gelateria Bar and Vitamin Bar)
• Teen Club (teenagers lounge for night disco, dance classes, sports-video games contests)
• Virtual Reality Games (tennis and foosball tables)
• Discoteca Byblos (322-seat, with own full bar)
• Sundeck with Solarium (adult-only relaxation area), Golf Simulator, 8-hole Mini Golf Course
• Sports Center (combined sports court - Shuffleboard, volleyball, basketball, tennis, mini football)
• Power Walking/Jogging Track.

Opera is MSC's 4th and last Lirica-class liner, with sisterships Armonia, Lirica, Sinfonia. In 2015, the MSC ship Opera was stretched/elongated by 25 m (82 ft) during a drydock refit done at Fincantieri's shipyard in Palermo Sicily. During the dry-dock (between May 2 and July 4), the vessel was cut in two and a pre-built section was inserted midship.  Ship's reconstruction project was part of MSC's USD 273 million "Renaissance Program", by which besides Opera were also enlarged the sisterships Armonia, Lirica, and Sinfonia.

MSC Opera refurbishment 2015 review

The ship was majorly refitted and refurbished in 2015 (dry-dock between May 2 and July 4). There are substantial deck plan changes following the project since the cruise ship was stretched (elongated by 25 m / 82 ft). The list of deckplan changes after the refurbishment includes:

• All cruise cabins were renovated and upgraded as amenities.
• A total of 197 new cruise cabins and suites (of which 30 with balconies) were added (on decks 9-Norma, 10-Turandot, 12-La Boheme) plus 59 new crew cabins.
• New stateroom categories were introduced.
• An Aqua Park (named Spray Park, with waterfalls and interactive slides) was installed.
• All boutique shops were upgraded (new designs).
• A new luxury perfumes shop was added.
• The supervised kids' clubs and play areas were upgraded with equipment and toys by Chicco and LEGO.

The 10-week drydock was valued at nearly EUR 50 million. 

Cuba cruise itineraries 2016-2017

In July 2015, MSC announced that the Opera ship will be homeported in Havana Cuba. Starting on December 22 (2015), the ship operated during the winter season (2015-2016) a total of 16 roundtrip 7-night Caribbean cruises from Cuba.

• Destination ports of call list include Mexico (Cozumel /2-night stay), Jamaica (Montego Bay), Grand Cayman (George Town) and Havana (2-night stay).
• MSC also offered Caribbean fly-cruise deals from Europe (Spain, Italy, France, Germany), also from USA, Canada and South America (Brazil, Argentina).
• MSC Opera's originally scheduled for 2015 Canary Islands cruises (also including Madeira Island and Morocco) were canceled. All booked passengers received full refunds or re-booked on alternative MSC Mediterranean itineraries with compensations onboard credit or cabin upgrades. Those who re-booked to Cuba with fly-cruise deals received a flight discount (fixed fee EUR 285 per person).
• MSC's local partner is Cubanacan Group (hotel chain).
• Another MSC ship with scheduled for 2016-2017 itineraries to Havana was MSC Armonia.
• With Opera, MSC became the world's first major cruise line to homeport a big-sized ship in Cuba.
• Opera's first cruise out of Havana left on December 22, 2015, following the Transatlantic repositioning to Cuba from Genoa Italy (December 2-21).
• On April 12, 2016, MSC Opera left Havana for a Transatlantic cruise to Europe (ending in Warnemunde-Rostock Germany on May 7).