MSC to Add Yacht Club Suites to Musica and Orchestra in 2026-27

MSC Cruises will add its MSC Yacht Club premium enclave to two more ships, bringing the “ship-within-a-ship” concept to MSC Musica in late 2026 and MSC Orchestra in the first quarter of 2027. The move completes the Yacht Club rollout across the cruise line’s four-ship Musica class and expands the product to 19 ships across the fleet.

Refits scheduled as MSC completes the Musica-class rollout

MSC Cruises confirmed the expansion in a Feb. 2, 2026 announcement, linking the Yacht Club additions to scheduled refurbishments for both vessels. MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra are each 92,409 gross tons and are currently listed at an accommodation of 3,223 passengers.

After the work is completed, all Musica-class ships will feature the Yacht Club: MSC Poesia, MSC Magnifica, MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra.

MSC Cruises said it is “always looking for new ways to enhance the onboard experience,” adding that the expansion will widen access to “a premium and effortlessly luxurious way to travel.”

What MSC Yacht Club includes onboard

MSC Yacht Club is designed as a dedicated area within the ship, with its own accommodations and private venues. The concept centers on upgraded suites supported by a 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge team.

Private spaces for Yacht Club guests include:

• A dedicated restaurant
• A private lounge
• An exclusive sundeck

MSC has also highlighted service elements that are not part of standard stateroom categories, including daily in-suite refreshments such as fresh fruit, macarons and chocolates, along with a complimentary bottle of premium spirits.

Other features referenced by the cruise line include unpacking and packing assistance, the ability to arrange private shopping appointments in onboard boutiques outside regular operating hours, and MED by MSC, the line’s collection of organic bath amenities created for Yacht Club accommodations.

Where the upgraded ships are set to sail

MSC Musica is scheduled to receive its Yacht Club installation later in 2026, timed ahead of its South American deployment for the 2026-27 season. The ship is scheduled to sail in South America from November 2026 through April 2027, including itineraries focused on Brazilian destinations and holiday cruises during Christmas and New Year.

Over the holiday period, MSC Musica is set to offer eight- and nine-night sailings that include calls in Buenos Aires, as well as Montevideo and Punta del Este. The season is planned to end with a 16-night transatlantic crossing departing Santos on April 1, 2027, and arriving in Genoa.

MSC also advised travel sellers that a previously scheduled transatlantic crossing between Italy and Brazil for November will no longer operate due to MSC Musica’s refit timing. The company revised the ship’s South America port plan as well, shifting from primarily short cruises from Santos to a mix of sailings departing Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Itajaí and Paranaguá.

MSC Orchestra’s Yacht Club debut is scheduled to coincide with Eastern Mediterranean itineraries from Bari beginning March 13, 2027. The ship will operate these sailings through April 24, 2027, with calls in Turkey including Izmir and Istanbul, alongside Greek ports such as Piraeus and Corfu.

South America program reshaped as MSC Lirica is redeployed

MSC’s refurbishment planning for the Musica-class ships is also reshaping its South America program for the 2026-27 winter season. MSC Cruises notified travel agents that MSC Lirica will not sail in South America during that timeframe, and its regional itineraries were removed from the company’s booking channels.

In a message sent to booked guests, MSC Cruises wrote: “We regret to inform you that we have had to cancel the cruise due to operational reasons affecting MSC Lirica’s deployment.” The cruise line did not publicly detail the specific operational reasons in that passenger communication.

MSC Lirica had been part of a previously announced five-ship South America lineup that included MSC Virtuosa, MSC Divina, MSC Splendida and MSC Musica. MSC said redeploying MSC Lirica was required due to adjustments tied to Musica-class refits.

MSC has described MSC Lirica as a 2,000-guest ship, while another capacity figure cited for the vessel is 2,679 passengers. The ship had been scheduled to sail from Paranaguá, Itajaí and Rio de Janeiro between December 2026 and March 2027, and those cruises, along with the vessel’s transatlantic repositioning sailings, were cancelled. MSC Lirica is now scheduled to operate in the Mediterranean during the 2026-27 winter season, although updated itinerary details were not included alongside the cancellation notices.

Options offered to affected guests and the remaining regional lineup

In its passenger notice, MSC Cruises outlined three options for guests whose MSC Lirica cruises were cancelled, without providing deadlines for selecting an option or timelines for refund processing in that message:

• Rebook in South America: Rebook to another South America cruise of the same duration in the 2026-27 season in the same cabin category, with MSC applying “the most convenient cruise fare” between the original and new sailing (cruise fare only; add-ons such as flights, hotels and excursions excluded). Holiday sailings are restricted to guests already booked on Christmas or New Year departures.
• Switch to another sailing: Move the booking to any other MSC Cruises sailing currently on sale without a change fee, repriced at the current fare (guests pay any increase; refunds apply if the new fare is lower).
• Cancel: Cancel for a full refund.

With MSC Lirica removed from the region, MSC Cruises has indicated that plans for MSC Virtuosa, MSC Divina and MSC Splendida remain in place, alongside the revised schedule for MSC Musica. MSC Virtuosa is scheduled to sail in South America for the first time, operating seven-night cruises from Santos, Salvador and Maceió. MSC Divina is planned to offer short cruises from Santos and Balneário Camboriú, as well as seven- and eight-night itineraries to Argentina and Uruguay. MSC Splendida is slated to sail from Buenos Aires and Montevideo on cruises along the Brazilian coast.

MSC Cruises has also told travel agents that, with MSC Musica’s refurbishment and the revised deployment plan, its 2026-27 South America season will be the first in which every ship operating in the region offers the MSC Yacht Club.

MSC has not yet provided ship-by-ship details on how many Yacht Club suites will be added to MSC Musica or MSC Orchestra, or whether the refurbishments will significantly alter other public areas, saying additional information is expected closer to when Yacht Club sales open for the two ships.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the MSC Yacht Club?

MSC Yacht Club is MSC Cruises’ ship-within-a-ship concept, built around upgraded suites and private venues, supported by 24-hour butler service and a dedicated concierge team. Access includes exclusive areas such as a private restaurant, lounge and sundeck, along with enhanced in-suite offerings and services.

When will MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra get MSC Yacht Club?

MSC Musica is scheduled for the upgrade later in 2026, timed ahead of its 2026-27 South America deployment. MSC Orchestra is planned to follow in the first quarter of 2027, ahead of its spring Mediterranean operations from Bari, Italy.

How many MSC ships will have Yacht Club after these upgrades?

MSC Cruises said the Yacht Club will be available across 19 ships fleetwide once the work on MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra is completed.

What options do cancelled MSC Lirica guests have?

MSC Cruises offered three choices: rebook to a comparable South America cruise in the 2026-27 season (with certain restrictions for holiday sailings), switch to any other sailing currently for sale without a change fee (repriced at current fares), or cancel for a full refund.

Will the Yacht Club be expanded to other ship classes?

MSC Cruises has said it plans to incorporate the Yacht Club into its upcoming World-class ships set to debut through 2031.