MSC Cruises has announced that work has begun on the upgrade of MSC Magnifica, marking the start of an extensive enhancement program for the ship, which has been in service since 2010. It is the first of two Musica Class ships due to enter dry dock at Palumbo Malta Shipyard in Malta.
Following the refurbishments, MSC Magnifica will include an MSC Yacht Club on board with 63 suites; two new specialty dining venues, Butcher’s Cut and Kaito Sushi Bar; and an enhanced MSC Aurea Spa and Technogym Fitness Center—complete with Gentleman’s Barber, various workout studios, and outdoor Aurea area. The work is expected to be completed in December 2025, with the full MSC Yacht Club experience available starting summer 2026 when MSC Magnifica sails Northern Europe itineraries.
Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, said: “These upgrades highlight our commitment to offering guests the best possible experience and facilities across our fleet. By introducing our MSC Yacht Club to these ships—along with new restaurants, gyms, and wellness spaces—we are giving guests more exclusivity and choice than ever before. The MSC Yacht Club is one of our most highly regarded products, known for its exceptional service, elegant spaces, and exclusive amenities, and we are proud to bring this experience to MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia in time for our first Alaska season and the 2027 MSC World Cruise.”
Sister ship MSC Poesia will enter dry dock at the same shipyard in February 2026 to receive its upgrades, which include the addition of the MSC Yacht Club with 69 suites and an All-Stars Sports Bar, as well as the same specialty restaurant, gym and spa upgrades coming to MSC Magnifica. Refurbishments on MSC Poesia are expected to be ready in time to rejoin the fleet for its Alaska debut in May 2026.
These enhancements represent the most extensive upgrade and refitting project undertaken by MSC Cruises in the past decade, fully designed and managed in-house by MSC Cruises’ technical department. Palumbo Malta Shipyard is a strategic hub for MSC Cruises’ fleet maintenance and high-quality refurbishing projects for ships in Europe.
MSC Magnifica will set sail from Warnemünde, Germany on May 16, 2026 to Northern Europe, visiting Denmark, the Baltics, Scandinavia and Finland, before offering Mediterranean departures ranging from three to eight nights, later in the year, to ports including Barcelona, Civitavecchia for Rome, and Marseille. It will then embark on the 2027 MSC World Cruise, where the MSC Yacht Club will make its debut on the 121-night journey, visiting 45 destinations across 25 countries.
MSC Poesia will offer seven-night sailings from Seattle to Alaska, May through September 2026, before offering roundtrip sailings from Miami to the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Colombia, Costa Rica, Aruba, Curaçao and Belize, during winter 2026/27.
MSC Yacht Club suites aboard MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia are now available to book.
For more information, visit www.msccruises.com.
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