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MSC Opera Cruise Specials 2021/22

South Africans said goodbye to the MSC Opera in March 2015, and it was planned that she would be back in November 2020, but these plans were scuppered by the lockdowns South Africa entered as a result of COVID, which meant cruises could not take place.

If you are still keen on a cruise on her you can book for her overseas voyages; or the MSC Musica and MSC Lirica for the 2021/2022 season. The Opera was the only ship cruising South Africa's shores in the 2014/2015 season, when the MSC Sinfonia took a year's sabbatical from SA's shores, while she was being lengthened. MSC are the 1st major cruise operator to base a ship in Havana, Cuba - the Opera was there until April 2016. Thereafter, she plied the shores internationally in Europe from April 2016.

Email a writeup and photographs of your cruise to cruises@southafrica.to and we'll send you cruise discount vouchers (up to 50c per word & up to R50 per photo published).

Fill in the form below as completely as possible to allow our cruise consultants to find the best deal for you (or email cruises@southafrica.to if you're experiencing difficulties) - guaranteed cheapest cruise prices (we have access to the best cruise specials).

MSC Opera Cruises Fill in this form to check for availability

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Please note that the child must still be under 18 at the date the cruise RETURNS to be included as an under 18

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Please select your cruise. *Pricing and specials change continously. Pricing below is indicative only and may no longer be available. Prices are per person sharing, including mandatory port & service charges & insurance *

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If you would prefer not to share one cabin, please indicate the number of cabins you require. Cabins on the Sinfonia sleep a maximum of 4 people.

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Inside (no window) Outside (window) Balcony Cabin Balcony Suite

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Are you on honeymoon?

Yes No Cruise must fall within 6 months of wedding date. Proof of wedding must be provided

Are you 60 years or older?

Yes No A valid drivers license, ID or current passport will be required for validation at the pier

If yes, how many adults are 60 years or older?

Senior discount only applies to those 60+ in the cabin

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News

• November 2020. The MSC Opera returns to South Africa together with the MSC Musica, the first double-header since the 2012/13 season (also the Opera, but with the Sinfonia).

• 13 November 2015. The MSC Opera's first Cuban cruise departs from Havana on the 22nd of December 2015, heading to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Mexico. MSC is the first major cruise line to offer cruises from Cuba and it has been met with such enthusiasm that it is likely that further cruises from Cuba will be available during 2016 and 2017 – we’ll keep you updated, keep an eye on our news section!

• 2 May to 4 July 2015. The MSC Opera cruise ship enters dry dock to be stretched from being 251m long to 275m long. The ship will have 193 cabins added, as well as shopping boutiques & a "spray park" with water features and cannons. The additions will be done by Fincantieri in Italy. After the operation she'll be able to carry 2680 passengers (currently 2069). Whilst at dry dock lego-themed playrooms are to be added.

• 7 January 2014. The MSC Sinfonia and Opera had a rare meeting in the seas off Portuguese Island (Mozambique), with much waving from passengers & honking of horns taking place.

• 8 to 12 December 2014. The Jack Parow December Party Cruise from Durban to Portuguese Island and Inhaca.

• 11 November 2013. The MSC Opera arrives in Cape Town, and hosts travel agents and industry players at the Ukuthema function, with items being auctioned off for charity.

• 24 September 2013. A 33 year old Indian bartender, Mr Fernandes Elroy, is believed to have jumped off the MSC Opera cruise ship at 01h30 as it headed for Southampton, and was found to be missing (Video footage showed him climbing over the guard rails). A Mayday call was relayed from the ship and the coastguard called to help search. Mr Elroy had worked with MSC Cruises since 2007. On the 9th October 2013 a body was found in the English Channel, which was believed to be his.

• 18 September 2013. The MSC Opera stops at the port of Vigo, Spain.

• Jul 2013. The MSC Opera starts serving the port of Le Havre. The MD of MSC Cruises, Erminio Eschena, says that “Our presence at Le Havre reflects our development strategy launched for several years which focuses mainly on the French territory. In this sense, the Port of Le Havre is a tremendous asset for MSC Cruises” because it opens the way to Northern Europe as well as to Mediterranean cruises. For these reasons our arrival at Le Havre marks the beginning of our partnership with the Le Havre conurbation which we wish sustainable and successful. In addition, our relationship with the port of Le Havre has been long established thanks to our cargo traffic”.

• 14 Feb 2013. Our first 2014 reservation on the Opera is a 4-berth cabin on the 27 January 2014 cruise from Durban to Portuguese Island and Inhambane.

• 1 Feb 2013. Kyknet cruise from Durban to the Portuguese Island (Mozambique).

• 27 Nov 2012. The MSC Opera visits Maputo, Mozambique, for the first time.

• 20 Nov 2012. The MSC Opera cruises into Cape Town for the first time, at 08h30, docking at E-berth with 1284 passengers. "This year considerable improvements have been made at E-berth. The rubble has been removed, the area is very spacious and Home Affairs officials were on-site this morning to assist with customs processes. All in all, the experience was a very positive one. We look forward to making use of the passenger terminal currently under construction at E-berth, which we understand should be ready in February." said Mr Rob McEwan, MSC Operations Manager in Cape Town. Mr Alan Winde, the MEC of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism in the Western Cape Province, said: "I would like to extend a warm Western Cape welcome to the MSC Opera. We wish its passengers a very good stay, and hope that they take this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore all the wonderful attractions our Province. We look forward to welcoming other cruise liners to the Western Cape during the summer season. In 2011, 19 visiting cruise liners brought approximately 11 144 passengers and 6 342 crew members to the Western Cape, sustaining a significant number of jobs in our flourishing tourism industry (and here's some info on getting one of those cruise-related jobs). While we have not yet been able to return to docking at the Waterfront, the facilities within the port have been significantly improved."

• 19 Nov 2012. The MSC Opera cruises into South African waters, approaching Port Nolloth.

• 2 Oct 2012. Derrick "Duracell" van Wyk, from Humansdorp, will be cruise director on the MSC Opera during her South African 2012/2013 season. "After my first two years of studying I had to complete a mandatory six month working internship, I was a bit concerned as I didn't really know what to do or expect from these six months. After having several conversations with my dad, we contacted Starlight Cruises, and were put in touch with Mr. Stephen Cloete. After chatting with Stephen, I flew to Johannesburg for an interview at the Sandton offices ofStarlight Cruises. There I met Stephen and another 20 or so hopefuls, all hoping to join a ship for the upcoming season. After my interview with Stephen, I returned to Port Elizabeth and continued my studies when, about six weeks later, Stephen rang me to confirm my embarkation on the MSC MELODY as part of the ‘animation team’ for the 2006/2007 season. I remember that day as if it was yesterday! I was having a braai after class with a few friends that lived in the same housing complex. I was ecstatic and phoned my dad immediately to share the great news! In the event, I embarked on MELODY a little later than the others because I still had to complete some exams." said Derrick. Here's Derrick getting airborne during a Melody sail-away party.

• 7 Aug 2012. The Opera arrives in A Coruna (Corunna), Spain, and docks in the harbour with the sun setting on it.

• Jun 2012. MSC Opera spotted in Amsterdam:

• 4 May 2012. The MSC Opera is the first ship to dock at the Netherlands new IJMuiden Port, which opened on the 4th May. Here's a video of the MSC Opera leaving Ijmondhaven, Netherlands.

Mar 2012	It's announced that the MSC Opera will cruise South Africa's shores from the 20th November 2012. MSC Starlight's head of Marketing, Allan Foggitt, said that "The decision to send both MSC Opera and MSC Sinfonia to South Africa for the upcoming 2012/2013 season shows the level of commitment MSC Cruises has to the South African market. We will continue to invest in the destinations, and the development of port infrastructure to continuously improve the product and the guests’ overall experience."
Apr 2012	As the MSC Opera left Argentine waters, a passenger suffered a medical emergency, requiring urgent hospital treatment. Luckily a Uruguayan helicopter was on hand to carry out an emergency evacuation, taking the passenger to a Montevideo Hospital.
2 Jul 2011	A video (with Dutch audio) of the MSC Opera cruise from Amsterdam to La Rochelle, Bilbao, La Coruna, Southampton & Cherbourg.
13 - 23 May 2012	On the Opera's cruise from Southampton, an international chocolatier, Gerry Wilton, the founder of the Chocolate Boutique Hotel in Bournemouth, hosts a series of hour-long chocolate classes.
25 May 2011	The Opera has a small collission with the dock in Buenos Aires. Nobody was injured.
14 May 2011	The Opera suffers engine failure in the Baltic Sea, & is towed to the Port of Nynshamn in the south of Stockholm.
21 May 2010	The Opera lives up to her name, with high drama when while docked in Dover, some 35kg of cocaine is discovered concealed in 4 passenger cabins on the MSC Opera. The ships was on its way from Brazil to Amsterdam. Four Latvians & 3 Lithuanians were later convicted.
2006	The Opera served as MSC Cruises' flagship until 2006, when the MSC Musica entered service.
2004	The MSC Opera is built by MSC Cruises.

Parties on the MSC Opera

Be sure to attend the sailaway party, as it tends to be the biggest joll.

26 Feb 2013	A Conga line forms on the MSC Opera at the start of the sail-away party
29 Nov 2012	Tropical party in the evening on a cruise from Durban to Maputo & Barra Lodge. Here's the dance steps you need to practise for your cruise.
1 Jul 2012	Just a party on the MSC Opera:

 

photo by John Ambler of the MSC Opera leaving Southampton

The MSC Sinfonia & MSC Opera operating in tandem off South Africa's shores during the 2012/2013 cruise season means an extra 135,000 passengers. This will break the previous record for passengers cruising off our shores in a season.

Reviews of the MSC Opera

MSC Opera is Rated 5/5 from 12 reviews

Portuguese Island Cruise

2016-10-12 Rating 5/5: "My husband and I had the pleasure of being on board the MSC Opera on a local Durban to Portuguese island cruise, a few years back, as you will see from the date on our pictures. We had a blast! The cruise ship overall is stunning, the décor from the entrance of the ship, to the relaxation room, to the restaurants, to the cabins and even the restrooms is amazing, showing lots of attention to detail. A prime feature was the safety exercise drill. We enjoyed the theme cuisine and the snacks in between and to be quite honest I weighed 65kgs before embarking on the cruise and when we disembarked I was almost 70kgs. LOL. So the next time I am on board, I am definitely going to hit the gym. The on-board entertainment was superb, I loved how the MC got the passengers engaged in most of the activities. You guys cater for all walks of life, from the business man, to the housewife and to the kiddies.I also was impressed that the staff took time to greet the passengers, some even held the door open for me. You guys ROCKED my world!" Shohana Mungal

Kulula flight and MSC Cruise

2015-03-30 Rating 5/5 :"Bright and ugly on Monday the 1st of December my daughter and I got to Lanseria for the 06:15 flight to Durban. Cheapest airfare I could find... Kulula is always funny and we chuckled all the way there... The attendants are fun and accommodating even to the guy sitting next to me, who asked for a beer at 06:30 in the morning - must have been a hectic night. Arrived on time and ready to hurry up and wait for hubby and son to fetch us to go to Durban Harbour to board the MSC Opera, would much rather have arranged for the shuttle... Waited for a short period to board and the fun began! This being my family's first cruise they were in for an interesting time! The first night as I discovered previously leaves you feeling quite tipsy... but after a good night's sleep we were rearing to go! Took a day trip into Maputo, my husband's only requirement, prawns and local beer! Boy was that good, we were picked up by a tuk-tuk and taken to the fish market, upon arrival we were taken to the restaurant owner's kitchen to inspect - never done that before! We were escorted to a table setting in the sand and greeted by a bucket of ice cold beer... Prawns were incredible, not as cheap as one would expect but R700 for two plates of prawns and one of calamari with trimmings and about 5 beers not a bad deal. The MSC's food is spectacular but prawns in Mozambique, priceless! Next day the Portuguese Islands and we did an excursion on a stand up paddle ski! My hubby and I kept falling off and the two teenagers were off on their first attempt... it sucks getting older... After an exquisite lunch on the beach provided by MSC we decided to head back to the relatively cooler temperatures on the boat, with the pool handy. Finally after an exhausting day I managed to get the whole family to go to a show before dinner, fun for the girls, not so much for the boys! This was the most relaxing vacation ever, and I am saving up for the next one! Thanks MSC & Kulula!" Cally De Klerk

A Wonderful Holiday Experience

2015-01-23 Rating 5/5 :"I had a wonderful holiday experience with the MSC Opera, on a cruise from Durban to the Portuguese island and Inhaca Island, that took place from the 8th to the 12th of December 2015. It was a wonderful experience, with everything I could have needed on board. Endless activities, luxurious air conditioned cabins, and I won the brains of the day competition on the 8th. It was absolute fun, I want to go back again, excellent service from a wonderful crew. Thank you MSC." Botho Seitshiro

Cruise Experience

2014-08-21 Rating 5/5: "Me and my husband went on the MSC Melody in 2011 and we loved it so much that we went again in February 2014 on the MSC Opera. It was our best holiday ever. I would recommend anybody to go on a cruise. The service of the crew members was 5 star as well as the food, the food was delicious and there were so many things to choose from. The shows and games are spectacular. We had so much fun. So I tell my friends and family and now we are going again in November 2014. Book your cruise today and have your best holiday." Marie Roestroff

Cruise to Nowhere felt like it was to heaven

2014-04-12 Rating 5/5 : "I would really like to thank the MSC Opera and all the staff on board of the cruise ship that myself and my friend went on from the 7th March 2014 to the 9th March 2014, going nowhere. Although it was nowhere, I certainly felt like I’ve been to heaven and back. I’ve always wanted to go on one of your cruises but didn’t have a partner to join me, until I decided alone or not, I am going. Luckily my friend decided to join me, so for us both it was our first time. We drove to JHB OR Thambo, and flew out to Durban early hours of the morning. We were greeted with wonderful friendly ladies at the shuttle to the ship services at the airport, which put our trip already on a positive note. On arrival at the docks, we were greeted with more friendly people and wow was the ship huge! The excitement was overwhelming we just couldn’t wait to get on the ship. There was so much order in everything done, I didn’t feel for a moment that things would be a disaster - organisation at its best, well done. Anyway after not much time we got on and were at the pool deck having drinks and were served lunch and later went to our rooms. Our room was exquisite, anything and everything we could have asked for. It was as though we were special people with fantastic treatment. We returned to the pool deck and enjoyed the fun sing and dance and mmmm the delicious cocktails and other drinks. The waiters were so friendly and the staff made our take off into the ocean a trip to remember for life. We met many people of different races and that was awesome, today we are still friends and keep in contact. We returned to our rooms later in the afternoon to bath and freshen up for dinner and other activities of the day. The shows, the singing, the dancing, actually everything on board was overwhelming. Day after day we had and enjoyed different happenings for the day. We got a notification everyday of what was happening for the day. Please don’t forget the meals, OMG, I’ve never eaten like I ate before, a good thing hey. There were meals available all day and it was more than enough for all the hundreds and thousands of people on baord. I’ve never been with so many people together at one time like this, but it was totally awesome, great. We enjoyed all the activities on board and not for a moment were we bored. Night life was exquisite, I danced at the clubs till 4am. We hardly slept as there was just too much entertainment going on, couldn’t lose out on that, lol. One thing I really liked was the ‘Emergency drill', just after we took to the sea. It was very interesting to know what to do in case of an emergency for in case, which didn’t bother me at all! I did however fall motion sick on the first night, but I’m saying it was NOT the cruise, I had a lot of different drinks to try out for the day and at dinner I ate very rich foods, buy hey, that did not stop me at all. I put on a good face, got myself dolled up and went out and let nothing hold me back and I had a blast of a time. So my advice to all that goes on board, if they do suffer with motion sickness, take your medication, have a positive attitude and even if you feeling queezy, go out there and enjoy smell the fresh sea air and yourself because all the staff and new people you meet just takes away the bad vibes and puts you on a whole other level. On our return, I was rather sad, it was an awesome trip, too short but wonderful. I wasn’t sad for being on the ship, but that a wonderful time had to come to an end. My next trip will be a longer one and I am so looking forward to that as I will be taking my family with too. Words cannot express the feeling I had on the Opera that I am definitely planning to go again next year and take my entire family with. It’s a wonderful experience which each individual has to experience it for themselves. Thank you MSC Opera for coming to our nearby shores and allowing us to experience this marvellous events, you will never be forgotten." Claudeane Naidoo

 

Beautiful Beyond Words

2014-03-14 Rating 5/5 : "I would first like to say THANK You, THANK You. We had an awesome time on the MSC Opera the past weekend. It was beautiful and no words can explain the experience we had. Me and my husband would like to go on another cruise in the future. From the food, the personell the cabin, everything was absolutely amazing! Thanks a lot, we can't stop talking about it!" Nicolene Hanekom

Engagement Proposal

2014-03-04 Rating 5/5 : "A memorable moment of my life on the MSC Cruise Opera departed on the 21st February. What a cruise all the entertainment was marvelous. On the early hours of the 22nd February, at 2am, my man proposed to me. Wow, what a shocking & exciting moment.Thank you to all the crew that made us enjoy our cruise until the 24th. This trip really motivated me. Im planning another one for next year - 10 ladies are calling me cause they are interested looking forward to go again." Naledi Moleko

Balcony Cabin Cruise

2013-09-02 Rating 5/5 : Antoinette and her hubby enjoyed a Balcony Cabin on the MSC Opera during a cruise for their 8th anniversary: "the view was out of this world." Antoinette Smith

Cruise to Maputo/Inhambane

2013-08-07 Rating 5/5 : Being on the MSC Opera Maputo/Inhambane cruise was stunning - lovely islands. The staff was oustanding getting us off and on the boat to the islands and very professional. The entertainment on board was very nice: live music, dancing, and very posh dinning and 5 star food. The service and staff on board was excellent - the staff really outdid themselves. As for the captain evening - the dressing up & fancy cocktails did the trick. The vessel itself is amazing - all the shops and the casino are a real hit. Opera staff served perfectly done food on the island and I rate this cruise 5 out of 5 excellent. There is still so much I need to do on the boat like hitting the gym, relaxing in the spa, spending time at the coffee bar and looking out the window as we sailed was heavenly. And last but not least my absolute favourite is relaxing on the pooldeck. Naysha Dollie

2013-08-05 : Rating 5/5. Through the years had often heard from excited friend of the MSC cruises on the S.A. coastline. So we decided to go too. We went in Feb on the MSC Opera Durban to Cape Town via P.E. cruise. Great was our surprise when we saw the MSC Opera lying in the Durban harbour. With its friendly staff who we met when we boarded the ship we felt so welcome. As the Opera glided out of the harbour we got the feeling that we were on our way on a great adventure. Needless to say everything was more than we expected. The service, the food, the entertainment and our cabin were to die for. When we saw Table Mountain from the sea it was a view that we will never forget. Our next cruise will be overseas with MSC. Thank you MSC for a delightful few days.

Author: Sylvia Kotze

 

Disabled Cruise

2013-08-02 : Rating 5/5 . As always my daughter Simone Franks and myself Desiree Jean-Pierre had a lovely time on the MSC cruises. We went on the Cruise to no-where on the MSC Opera from the 15th to the 17th February. We had been on the MSC SINFONIA before, which was our first cruise to no-where. What I love most is that one forgets about everything back on land, and lives for that moment out at sea. There is a variety of meals lots to do, and loads of entertainment. The most hilarious thing happened to Simone and I on the first cruise. On our way back to our cabin from the welcome party, we couldn't find our cabin. We went back and forth only to find our number was just not there. We ended up asking the steward he told us it is the other side of the ship. We all had a good laugh and didn't get lost again after that. Our last cruise, was a group of 5 of us. My partner is crippled, we were a bit concerned about him getting around, but MSC agents and staff came to the rescue. They arranged a wheelchair for him, on and off the ship, which was a great help. The only problem we had was our supper the first night, we enjoyed the show in the theatre so much we missed our meals BUT that didn't stop us, we have already booked for March 7, 2014.

Author: Desiree Jean-Pierre

2013-07-18 : Rating 5/5 . Verushka tried out the Mystery Cabin Special on an MSC Opera cruise from Durban to Mozambique, where she enjoyed sipping from coconuts, buying trinkets from the locals, getting sunburnt, dancing the nights away, and the energy of cruise director Derrick - "such a hottie".

Author: Verushka Ramasami

2013-06-11 : Review of an MSC Opera cruise from Southampton to Norway. They got cabin 10086, a balcony cabin. TVs have been upgraded to flatscreens. Sailaway party with the traditional conga line to get it going. A few gins to get in the mood, but you're not doing the driving so it's ok! Arrived at Ijmuiden, Netherlands. Author: TheWibbl3

• 2013-05-17. Samantha and friends have a whale of a time on the MSC Opera cruise from Durban...the guys even getting to play cards with the captain below deck.

• 2013-05-7. Anthea takes her children on a cruise on the Opera. "Never in their wildest dreams did they expect to see such splendour...I have grown addicted to cruising and already looking at what my next route would be."

• 2012-12-21. Anchors Aweigh reviews the MSC Opera: "Having travelled on MSC Opera from Cape Town to Durban, courtesy of MSC Cruises, one can report that she is comfortable even in quite heavy seas encountered off our coast. On leaving Cape Town four metre swells were running but MSC Opera took them in her stride and paper bags distributed around the ship were an unnecessary precaution."

• 2012-07. Richard takes advantage of an MSC Opera day visit offer, to take some clickies and explore the ship: "One feature in all cabins that was most prominent was the clever use of large mirrors to give the impression of increased size... The Biblos Discoteca is a very quiet area until late evening and a lovely place to read or relax on inclement days with its long windows... the risottos are superb." (not all comments by Richard).

• 2011-06-21 Hannah describes the MSC Opera as being a "great ship" with "great food". " I am prepared to stick my neck out and say that I was impressed with her."

• 2011-05-08 Richard cruises on an MSC ship & on the MSC Opera for the first time.

 

Cruise routes

MSC Opera in the Mediterranean

• 4 Oct 2012. There is so much you can get to see when cruising the Med, as you can stop at a city every day. Here's a set of photos from The Baguette's stop on the MSC Opera in Dubrovnik: "Another beautiful day at sea before arrival in the fortified city of Dubrovnik, Croatia"

19 Sep 2012	MSC Opera in Piraeus (to the strains of Phantom of the Opera)
Aug 2012	MSC Opera in Venice
25 Oct 2011	Fourty-Six minutes of photos from an MSC Opera cruise in the Med.

Cruise to Italy

The repositioning cruise to Italy is the ultimate holiday, visiting African ports, European ports & setting you up for a fantastic holiday in Italia.

On Board

The MSC Opera is a "Lirica class" ship, and can accommodate guests in 856 cabins (compared to the Sinfonia's 777 cabins), of which 172 are balcony cabins & 28 are balcony suites (in addition to some 740 crew members). The Opera is 251m long and weighs 58,600 tons. It has 4 restaurants (1 outdoor dining area), 11 bars (1 outdoor pool bar), 2 pools & 2 whirlpools.

Inside the ship are the MSC Aurea Spa & Solarium, a video game room, a disco (deck 12, seating 322 people), an internet cafe, a casino, a medical centre & 0team building facilities.

If your kids get bored, take them to Buffalo Bill's play area (3 to 18 years old). They have professional child minders that will keep your kids entertained for hours. The older kids might enjoy the virtual reality games room also offered on the Opera.

For the sport enthusiast there is a 200m running track located on the top deck, mini golf and shuffleboard.

Technical specifications:

Gross tonnage	59.058 tons
Length	251.25m
Beam	28.8m
Height	54m
Number of Passengers	1 712 (on a double basis)

Lifeboats

The lifeboats are used to ferry passengers between the MSC Opera and some destinatinos which don't have suitable docking facilities for the ship. Here's footage of a lifeboat trip from the Opera to Mossel Bay harbour.

Bridge Camera

The bridge camera on the MSC Opera updates every 15 minutes or so.

If you have any questions about MSC Opera Cruises, please ask them in the comments section below, and we'll reply as soon as possible.

Cabins & suites

Inside cabins consist of single beds which may be converted into double beds (except in cabins for the disabled), a bathroom with a shower (no baths), a wardrobe, a mini bar & safe & a TV. Size is some 13 square metres.

Ocean view cabins are the same as inside cabins, but have a view of the sea (these cabins sell out the fastest) - some obstructed.

Balcony cabins are slightly larger, at 15 to 16 square metres, have a balcony, but are otherwise the same as the ocean view cabin (e.g. shower).

Balcony suites have a double bed which may be converted into 2 single beds & a bathroom with a tub. It is some 27 square metres in size.

Cabins for people with disabilities have two fixed single beds, a bathroom with a shower, a wardrobe, a mini bar & safe & a TV. It is some 21 square metres in size. There are 5 inside wheelchair friendly cabins.

Here's what the toilet inside an ocean-view cabin looks like:

MSC OPERA CABIN CONFIGERATIONS
Cat Type	Deck Name	Deck #	Cabins per Deck	Type	Configeration	Bathroom	Size
1 Inside	Rigoletto	7	5	qdpl (5)	2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks	Shower	13 Sqm
2 Inside	Rigoletto	7	16	dbl (3)	2 lower convertible 7134 / 7174 / 7181	Shower	13 Sqm
				tpl (2)	2 lower convertible + 1 upper 7170 / 7177
				qdpl (13)	2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks
3 Inside	La Traviata	8	116	dbl (48)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
				qdpl (67)	2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks
				H dbl (1)	2 Fixed lower beds 8142 - disabled cabin	Shower	20 Sqm
4 Inside	Norma	9	119	dbl (77)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
				tpl (1)	2 lower convertible + 1 upper bunk 9126
				qdpl (38)	2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks
				H dbl (3)	2 Fixed lower beds 9052 / 9053 / 9155 - disabled cabin	Shower	20 Sqm
	Turandot	10	83	dbl (70)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
				qdpl (12)	2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks
				H dbl (1)	2 Fixed lower beds 10018 - disabled cabin	Shower	20 Sqm
5 Inside	Turandot	10	20	dbl (20)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
6 Outside	Rigoletto	7	19	dbl (17)	2 lower covnertible - restricted view cabins - staff cabins	Shower	13 Sqm
				dbl (2)	2 lower convertible - back of ship 7185 / 7178
	La Traviata	8	4	dbl (4)	2 lower convertible - front 8003 / 8004 & back 8281 / 8266
	Norma	9	5	dbl (5)	2 lower convertible - front 9001 / 2 / 4 & back 9277 / 9270
	Turandot	10	2	dbl (2)	2 lower convertible - back of ship 10243 / 10238
7 Outside	Rigoletto	7	28	dbl (4)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
				tpl (24)	2 lower convertible + 1 upper bunk
8 Outside	La Traviata	8	146	dbl (32)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
				tpl (82)	2 lower convertible + 1 upper bunk
				qdpl (32)	2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks
9 Outside	Norma	9	58	dbl (50)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
				tpl (6)	2 lower convertible + 1 upper bunk
				family(2)	2 lower convertible+1 bunk+sofa bed - max 2 Adults+3 kids under 12
	Turandot	10	44	dbl (39)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
				qdpl (5)	2 lower convertible + 2 upper bunks
10 Balcony	Norma	9	86	dbl (74)	2 lower convertible	Shower	13 Sqm
				dbl (12)	Fixed dbl beds - 9060/61+9118/21/22/25+9163/64/67/68+9216+9223
	Turandot	10	86	dbl (74)	2 lower convertible interleading cabins
				dbl (10)	Fixed dbl bed - NOT interleading cabins 10032/35/89/90/92/93+10132/35/88/89
				dbl (2)	Fixed dbl bed interleading cabins - 10136 / 39
11 Balcony Suite	La Boheme	12	28	Suite	1 Double bed + Sofa Bed - maximum 2 adults + 2 kids under 12 years	Bathtub	23 Sqm

Bars & lounges

Sotto Vento Pub is a bar on the 5th deck (also used for videos), where smoking is allowed. I love how Patricia described it in her writeup of her MSC Opera cruise to Stavanger: "It was such a fantastic atmosphere in there, like bars should be, we ended up staying until about 12.40am! I reeked of smoke though so needed to get clean before bed."

Aroma Coffee Bar on the 6th deck.

Byblos is a bar/disco on the 12th deck.

Caruso Lounge is a bar on the 7th deck (also dancing & videos).

Cotton Club is a bar on the 6th deck (also used for shows).

La Cabala is a piano bar on the 6th deck.

Lo Spinnaker is a pool bar, also offering ice-cream, on the 11th deck.

Monte Carlo is a casino bar on the 6th deck.

Piazza di Spagna is a piano bar on the 5th deck.

Onboard Activities

Shows on the MSC Opera

A joy of cruising is watching the shows. You usually don't know in advance what you're going to see, but here's what there's been in the past:

In July 2012, Millie Campana's performs on the Opera:

Peter Sore's BMX show on the MSC Opera:

 

And sometimes it's the passengers creating the vibe - in June 2012 here's Juliana Pedroso and Marcos Vinicius Bueno dancing on the MSC Opera.

 

Dancing

If you love dancing then you'll get your heart's content. Visit the disco and party all night. Don't despair if you don't know how to dance - most cruises have dance classes.

MSC Opera Wooden Boat carvings

And if you just cannot get enough of the ship, here's a company which does wooden carvings of the MSC Opera: