Major Refurbishment of MSC Magnifica Begins in Malta

Work has begun on the upgrade of MSC Cruises’ MSC Magnifica, marking the start of an extensive enhancement program that underscores the cruise line’s ongoing investment in enhancing the guest experience across its fleet.

MSC Magnifica has been in service since 2010 and is the first of two Musica Class ships due to enter dry dock at Palumbo Malta Shipyard in Malta for such an upgrade.

The ship will receive the MSC Yacht Club with 63 new suites, two new specialty dining venues — Butcher’s Cut and Kaito Sushi Bar - along with an enhanced MSC Aurea Spa and Technogym® Fitness Centre complete with Gentleman’s Barber, different workout studios and outdoor Aurea area.

The work is expected to be completed in December, with the full MSC Yacht Club experience available in Summer 2026 when MSC Magnifica sails Northern Europe itineraries.

MSC Cruises’ CEO Gianni Onorato 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 then enter dry dock at the same shipyard in February 2026 to receive her upgrades, which include the MSC Yacht Club with 69 suites and an All-Stars Sports Bar, plus the same specialty restaurants and gym and spa upgrades coming to MSC Magnifica, ready to rejoin the fleet in time for her Alaska debut in May 2026.

These enhancements align with MSC Cruises' commitment to enhancing guest experiences across its fleet, ensuring that both MSC Magnifica and MSC Poesia continue to offer modern amenities and high-quality services to its guests. They represent the most extensive upgrade and refitting projects undertaken by the cruise line in the last 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 3-to 8-night Mediterranean departures later in the year to ports including Barcelona, Civitavecchia for Rome and Marseille. She will then embark on the 2027 MSC World Cruise, where the MSC Yacht Club will make its debut on this 121-night journey visiting 45 spectacular destinations across 25 countries.

MSC Poesia will offer seven-night sailings from Seattle, May through September 2026, before offering guests round trip sailings from Miami to the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Colombia, Costa Rica, Aruba, Curaçao and Belize, in winter 2026/2027.