MSC Lirica deck plans

MSC Lirica (2003-built/2015-stretched, last refurbished in 2021) is the third of the Lirica-class MSC cruise ships – together with Armonia, Opera, Sinfonia.

MSC Lirica cruise ship deck plan shows a total of 992 staterooms for 1984 passengers (max capacity is 2548) served by 720 crew-staff. The boat has 13 decks (9 passenger-accessible, 5 with cabins), 4 restaurants, 10 lounges and bars, 2 swimming pools, 2 Jacuzzis (outdoor whirlpool hot tubs), 9 elevators.

MSC Lirica decks are named after Italian composers.

MSC Lirica deck plan changes 2015 refurbishment review

Majorly refurbished in 2015 (dry-dock refit between August 31 and November 9), MSC Lirica was also stretched (elongated by 25 m / 82 ft). The list of deck plan changes after the refurbishment includes:

• All passenger rooms were renovated and upgraded.
• A total of 193 new cruise cabins and suites were added (on decks 9-Albinoni, 10-Bellini, 12-Rossini) plus 59 new crew cabins. The ship’s capacity was increased from 795 cabins (1560 passengers / 2070 max) to 988 cabins (1976 passengers / 2371 max).
• New stateroom categories were introduced.
• An Aqua Park (named Spray Park, with waterfalls and interactive slides) was installed.
• Boutique shops were upgraded (new designs, new upmarket shopping brands). A new luxury perfumes shop was added.
• The supervised kids' clubs and play areas were upgraded with equipment and toys by Chicco and LEGO.
• NEWS: As part of the new MSC Cruises China itinerary program, on Lirica were created new features targeting the Chinese market. Among those are Mandarin (signage), new colour scheme, new dining options (Asian cuisine menu items) and entertainment program changes. The casino area was enlarged and new Chinese favourite and classic games were added. Also added were a private gambling room for playing baccarat (card game) and sic bo (aka tai sai / 3-dice game of chance).
• The onboard children program now includes 5 kids clubs (age groups).
• The pool deck has now several newly installed canopies (shaded seating areas) plus a new water park for kids.
• The onboard boutiques sell top-luxury European brands in the likes of Gucci (handbags), Bulgari (jewellery), Longines (Swiss watches), Tag Heuer (watches).
• Most of the ship’s personnel are now Mandarin-speaking. The appointed Cruise Ambassadors (expert guest assistants) speak both Mandarin and English.
• The MSC China cruise bookings and program management (activities, entertainment, amenities, gaming) are by the line’s local partner CAISSA Touristic.

The 10-week drydock 2015 was valued at nearly EUR 50 million.

"MSC for Me" Digital Innovation Program 2017-2018

Each of the MSC cruise ships will be fitted with thousands of connectivity points, digital access points, iBeacons (Bluetooth) and hundreds of interactive digital screens throughout the ship. In all staterooms will be implemented RFID (radio-frequency identification) and NFC (near-field communication) access technologies.

The new program will be implemented fleetwide, but first introduced on MSC Meraviglia. The cruise ship, launched in June 2017, was fitted with a total of 114 Interactive screens, 244 info screens, 31 virtual screens, 81 video wall monitors, 2244 cabins, (NFC entry-door opening), 3050 iBeacons, 700 WAPs (wireless access points), 1200 CCTV cameras.

Some of the MSC digitalization program's main features are:

• The apps implement facial recognition technology and interactive/smart bracelets by Samsung.
• Digital Concierge app - passengers can reserve/book onboard services, restaurants and shore excursions in real-time. The app is real-time and 24-hour, connecting MSC customers to the company's experienced staff online.
• Capture - virtual reality tool to preview the cruise itinerary, create personal photo galleries, online sharing.
• Organizer - a cruise planning tool used at mobile devices. It provides detailed information and also allows pre-booking (tours, theater seats, dinner table, etc) before ship embarkation (pre-cruise booking) and while onboard (realtime cruise planner).
• Navigation - Interactive map (way finder) provides advice (scheduled events, opening hours, etc) and directions while on the ship. The app also allows real-time kids monitoring (via bracelets).
• TailorMade - digital advisor for personal recommendations based on the passenger's preferences (interactive gaming, gambling, culinary, recreational, entertainment, etc).
• Passengers can always opt-out of all these connected ("Internet of things" / IoT) services offered.