MSC Musica heads to Malta for major drydock as 20-year-old ship gets fleet upgrade
The MSC Musica will undergo its largest refurbishment in a Maltese drydock this year, part of a fleet-wide modernization by MSC Cruises.
The MSC Musica has marked 20 years in service, and its next chapter will be written in Malta. The 92,400-ton vessel is scheduled to enter drydock in the island later this year for the most extensive refurbishment of its career.
The work is part of a fleet modernization project covering all four Musica-class ships. The drydock period is expected to last approximately two months.
The ship will emerge with a new MSC Yacht Club space, fresh specialty dining venues and updated public areas. These upgrades are designed to bring the 2006-built vessel closer to the standards of newer fleet additions.
For Malta's ship repair sector, the contract represents a substantial piece of business. A two-month drydock on a vessel of this size involves significant employment for local subcontractors, supply chain spending and dock utilisation.
It also reinforces Malta's position as a Mediterranean hub for cruise ship maintenance and refurbishment, a niche that competes with yards in Spain, Italy and Portugal.
After the drydock, the MSC Musica will sail to South America with no passengers onboard in November. It will then introduce the new features during the 2026-27 winter season in Brazil.
The ship is part of MSC's five-ship deployment in the region, offering three- to seven-night cruises from Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranaguá and Itajaí.
Delivered on June 19, 2006, the MSC Musica was the first of the four-ship Musica class, built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique yard in Saint-Nazaire, France. It was christened in Venice later that month with actress Sophia Loren as godmother.
The 2,550-passenger ship initially offered seven-night cruises from Venice to Greece, Croatia, Italy and Turkey. It was originally slated to reposition to North America for its first winter but remained in Europe year-round until late 2008.
Today, the vessel runs seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries calling at Civitavecchia, Genoa, Cagliari, Marseille, Valencia and Ibiza. The upcoming drydock will determine whether the ship can sustain that deployment pattern for another decade.