MSC Musica has gone into drydock at the Palumbo Malta Shipyard for roughly 45 days of work, part of a four-ship refurbishment programme MSC is rolling out across its Musica-class fleet. When the 92,400-ton ship sails out in early November, it will look and feel noticeably different.

The headline addition is MSC's Yacht Club, the line's ship-within-a-ship premium complex. On Musica it will comprise 63 suites, most of them formed by merging existing smaller cabins, plus the usual private perks: a dedicated lounge, a restaurant reserved for Yacht Club guests and their own sun deck. It's a significant upgrade for a 2006-built ship and brings the older vessel in line with what MSC now offers on newer tonnage.

Food options expand too, with two new specialty venues — the Butcher's Cut steakhouse and a Kaito Sushi Bar. The old nightclub is being converted into a new fitness centre and gym, while the MSC Aurea Spa gets a substantial refresh. Public areas across the ship will also be updated.

Once the work is done, Musica repositions to South America without passengers, crossing the Atlantic before resuming revenue service in Brazil on 16 November 2026. The first cruises are short three- and four-night sailings from Rio de Janeiro, calling at Búzios and Ilha Grande — classic beach escapes on Brazil's Costa do Sol. In late December the ship moves to the country's Southern Coast, running seven-night itineraries from Paranaguá and Itajaí until March, with calls at Ilhabela, Ilha Grande, Búzios and Rio, where passengers can also join the ship. The 2,550-guest vessel then heads back to the Mediterranean in mid-April for a Western Med summer season, with seven-night cruises to Spain, France and Italy running through late October 2027.

For travellers, this is worth knowing on two fronts. If you've been eyeing a Brazil cruise, Musica's season offers affordable short and week-long itineraries out of Rio, Paranaguá and Itajaí on a ship that will feel freshly refurbished — Brazil in the southern summer (December to March) means hot beach weather at the exact time Europe is grey and cold. And if a Western Mediterranean cruise is more your speed, summer 2027 sailings will be on a ship with brand-new dining, a renovated spa and the added Yacht Club tier, which is a good option if you want suite-style privacy and priority service at a lower price point than MSC's newer flagship-class ships.