MSC Cruise Ships Ranked From Best To Worst (2026)

MSC Cruises might be the most divisive cruise line at sea.

Some cruisers absolutely love it, especially the low prices and newer ships. Others say it’s one of the most disappointing cruise lines they’ve tried. In fact, MSC often appears in discussions about the worst cruise lines, depending on who you ask.

And the ships themselves are just as split. Some consistently impress guests. Others receive surprisingly low ratings.

So which MSC ships do passengers rate the highest… and which ones end up at the bottom of the list? The results might not be what you expect.

How I Gathered the Data

I’ve been on several MSC cruises, but I certainly haven’t experienced all 23 of the ships, so it wouldn’t be fair for me to rank them all based on my opinion.

Plus, that’s super-subjective – I might’ve had a really good or really bad experience on a ship that wasn’t normal.

So instead, I’ve ranked these ships based on the average review scores from three of the biggest cruise review websites – Cruise Critic, Cruiseline.com and TripAdvisor.

I’ve done these guides for other cruise lines in the past including ranking the Royal Caribbean ships and the Carnival ships. And I always state that “worst” is to be taken with a pinch of salt because the lowest scores are still what you’d consider to be above average.

With MSC, that’s still sort of the case, but not quite as clearly. The lowest-ranked ship on this list scores 3.03 out of 5. Bear in mind the review scale runs from 1 to 5, so the midpoint sits around 3 out of 5.

So a 3.03 out of 5 isn’t great, and also the best ship only scores 3.67 out of 5 – hardly setting the scoring chart alight.

When I tell you that the worst Royal Caribbean ship scored an average of 3.7 out of 5, and only two Carnival ships scored lower than MSC’s best score, you get a clearer idea of how people view MSC’s ships…

And just so you know, I’ve updated this list with the latest review data so it’s completely up to date – including some big changes!

The Best MSC ship is…

According to customer reviews across three major websites, the best MSC Cruises ship is MSC Bellissima, which launched in 2019 and was the second of the Meraviglia class. The worst cruise ship according to reviews is the MSC Opera, one of the oldest ships in the fleet.

1. MSC Bellissima

MSC Bellissima is the second ship in the Meraviglia class, and having launched in 2019 she’s one of the newer ships in the fleet. Described as a “big, bold and boisterous” ship in an expert review, she really is packed with features, a lot of which are tailored towards families.

Highlights of the ship include two Cirque at Sea shows and an impressive kids club, but part of the ship’s charm is also her downfall – she’s so busy that finding spaces where you can enjoy a bit of peace and quiet time is often a challenge.

Still – she’s been top of this list for quite a few years now, so clearly that’s only a minor problem.

2. MSC World America

MSC World America is the newest ship currently sailing, having launched in 2025 as part of the World Class. Built with the North American market in mind, she’s a huge, resort-style ship with big entertainment venues, water attractions and plenty of places to eat and drink.

What’s impressive is that this is the first year she appears in the rankings, and she’s gone straight in at number two. That’s unusual for a brand-new ship, as early sailings often come with teething problems while the crew and systems settle in.

So far though, real guest reviews have been largely positive. Many passengers describe the ship as “beautiful” with “lots to see and do”, praising the modern design, entertainment and overall value.

That said, some reviewers mention the ship can feel busy, with occasional complaints about crowds or food quality on early sailings.

Still, for a ship that’s only just entered service, landing straight near the top of the rankings is an impressive start.

3. MSC Euribia

The newest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, MSC Euribia has clearly done well since she launched, appearing high on this ranking list.

That’s been helped by the cheap cruises she’s offered – I sailed on her for just £99!

She’s beautifully modern, has some great dining venues and lots to entertain guests so I’m not surprised she’s one of the more popular MSC ships.

4. MSC World Europa

MSC’s largest ship, MSC World Europa, was marketed by MSC as the future of cruising. She has some exciting features, including a lot of tech-infused attractions aimed at giving families thrilling memories.

In her first year, she struggled a little, with reviews seeming to suggest that she was very much a work-in-progress. We know that MSC’s biggest ships often suffer with service and wait times, but the good news is things have clearly improved – the ship has climbed from 14th in the list in 2024 to 4th in this year’s list.

Read more: MSC World Europa Review

5. MSC Sinfonia

It’s telling that, despite almost half the fleet of MSC ships launching since 2017, MSC Sinfonia is the fifth most popular ship in the fleet even though she is the second-eldest, having first set sail in 2002.

Like the rest of the Lirica Class, she’s much smaller than the most recent ships, and positive reviews focus more on the attentive service and the quality of itinerary rather than how much there is to do onboard.

If you want a simple, cheap cruise then MSC Sinfonia could be an ideal choice.

6. MSC Seaside

MSC Seaside launched the Seaside Class of ship in 2017 – a ship that was designed to be smaller than the recent Meraviglia Class, aiming to provide a calmer atmosphere.

While she does have water slides, a kids club and other family features, there’s more of a focus on spaces to relax.

Positive reviews focus on how attractive the ship is, and the variety of food, although there are also a lot of negative reviews about the food quality being lacking (including some criticisms that the food is too Italian-focussed – be aware this is an Italian cruise line!)

While she may have scored high in terms of reviews, unfortunately, this ship didn’t score quite so highly on its hygiene inspection. MSC Seaside has once failed an inspection by the CDC, meaning that its level of cleanliness had dropped below the acceptable level.

7. MSC Meraviglia

MSC Meraviglia is the sister to MSC Bellissima, and her average review score is only 0.3 lower, so you can expect a very similar experience – tons of things for the family to do, a huge kids club, and a very lively atmosphere throughout your sailing.

Points are lost because of the quality of the food in the main dining restaurant, but that’s a common thread across the cruise line. Some reviewers have also said that things can feel a little disorganised or even chaotic, since the ship is so busy.

8. MSC Seaview

MSC Seaview is the sister ship to MSC Seaside, and she offers a very similar experience. Guests enjoy the fact that she’s a slightly smaller ship than the very largest ones, although she is still much bigger than older ships in the fleet, giving a good balance of space and features.

A lot of the positive reviews also talk about the Yacht Club and the speciality restaurants – bear in mind these both mean paying more, so you might want to look at other ship options for a budget cruise.

9. MSC Magnifica

MSC Magnifica was the last of the Musica-class ships to be built and while she is slightly larger than her three sister ships, the experience is relatively unchanged. Expect a comfortable ship that isn’t super-modern but is well-maintained and plenty of space to relax during the day.

Negative reviews talk about the food again, and the lack of things to do during the day, but a lot of the feedback seems to be from people who’ve cruised with other lines, and are surprised that this cheaper ship isn’t at the same standard.

Despite that, she climbed up the rankings considerably in 2025 – she was 18th in the prior year.

10. MSC Grandiosa

MSC Grandiosa launched in 2019 as the first Meraviglia-Plus ship, designed to build on the Meraviglia class with a bigger size and more features. So why does she rank below both of them?

She is, however, up three places from 13th in 2025, which is a solid improvement.

Many guests praise the huge range of things to do on board, but negative reviews often focus on service. The ship can feel very busy, with long queues at times, and some passengers say the experience feels less personal than on MSC’s smaller ships.

11. MSC Seascape

I was surprised that MSC Seascape – a newer ship launched in 2022 – finished bottom of this list in 2024. She has so much to see and do, her design is gorgeous and families would typically have a great time on-board.

It’s therefore not a huge surprise that she’s started to climb back up the rankings. Last year she was ranked at 17th and this year she’s climbed an impressive 6 places, coming in at 11th.

Considering how new ships often score low due to teething problems, and seeing the wider issues for MSC with its larger ships as I’ve detailed above, I’m not surprised that things have started to get better onboard.

12. MSC Fantasia

MSC Fantasia is starting to show her age a little – she’s over 15 years old, and while she has been well-maintained she doesn’t have the same contemporary look and feel that many of MSC’s newer ships do.

Having said that, if you want a classic MSC cruise – good Italian food, a lively international atmosphere and plenty of fun evening entertainment, all for a low price – then she’s as good a choice as any other ship on this list.

13. MSC Armonia

MSC Armonia is the oldest ship in the MSC fleet, and is almost identical to her sister ship MSC Sinfonia. Sinfonia is the outlier – it’s not as much of a surprise that Armonia is lower since compared to other ships in the fleet she is older and has less to do on board.

While the daytime facilities may be lacking, her evening entertainment still gets positive feedback and the crew are praised for their attentive service – no doubt helped by the fact it’s a smaller ship that tends to be quieter.

14. MSC Virtuosa

MSC Virtuosa is one of the larger ships in the MSC fleet. As a Meraviglia-Plus class ship she’s still huge, packed with entertainment, restaurants and bars, and many guests say the ship itself looks stunning.

But MSC has launched several even bigger ships since she debuted, including the massive World Class vessels, which means Virtuosa no longer sits among the very largest in the fleet.

So why does a ship this impressive still end up in the bottom half of the rankings?

Again, she’s a victim of poor planning. The biggest criticisms all focus on just how busy the ship constantly feels – long queues for food or entertainment, crowded spaces, and a lack of quiet locations where you can take things easy.

I’ve cruised on MSC Virtuosa twice. The first time I had a great time and the second, not so much. But this was just as cruising was returning in 2021, and the guest-to-crew ratio certainly varied a lot at that point.

Read more: 15 Fun Things To Do on MSC Virtuosa

15. MSC Preziosa

It hasn’t been a great year for the Fantasia-class ships. Preziosa has dropped seven places from 8th to 15th, while her sister ship Divina has fallen even further, tumbling 13 places to 17th.

The more positive reviews tend to focus on how much ship you get for the price, with guests praising the entertainment, lively atmosphere and wide choice of bars and lounges.

But recent reviews suggest that same energy can also be a downside. Several passengers mention that public areas can feel crowded and noisy, with loud music and busy venues making it harder to find a quiet place to relax.

Some reviewers also say buffet areas can become very busy at peak times, adding to the hectic feel on board.

So while many guests love the party-like atmosphere, it’s clear that those looking for a calmer cruise sometimes find the experience a little overwhelming.

16. MSC Splendida

MSC Splendida is a Fantasia-class ship that launched in 2009, so in terms of both the age and size of the ship, she’s very much in the average of the fleet. For her size there’s a lot to do on-board, but not so much that you can’t find quiet spaces to relax either.

Unfortunately, the biggest letdown seems to be the food – the free options aren’t the best quality and there aren’t too many choices for speciality restaurants when you want to upgrade to something a bit fancier.

17. MSC Divina

She’s a solid “all-rounder” MSC ship, and positive reviews still highlight the elegant public spaces, lively entertainment and friendly crew.

However, MSC Divina has seen the biggest drop of any ship this year, falling from 4th place in 2025 to 17th in the latest rankings!

Recent reviews help explain why. While guests still praise the ship’s design and value, complaints about crowded buffet areas, inconsistent food and the ship starting to feel a little dated are becoming more common.

None of that makes Divina a bad ship. But with MSC launching newer, flashier vessels, it seems she’s slowly slipping down the list.

18. MSC Musica

Dropping three places in this years rankings, MSC Musica is a mid-sized ship – around 50% larger than the smallest ships in the MSC fleet, but also only around half the size of the biggest ships.

And based on reviews, she definitely splits opinions – one of the best-reviewed features is the crew, but they also attract some of the biggest criticisms. You can’t please everyone.

She’s a little more dated than other ships in the fleet, and would be a little more boring for families compared to the newer feature-packed ships, but she has good food, a relaxing atmosphere and a fun atmosphere that is very international.

I think her age is starting to show, though as she was 7th in this list in 2024.

19. MSC Lirica

MSC Lirica is another Lirica-class ship, actually, the third to launch in 2003. Being over 20 years old, she is definitely showing her age in some places – she’s generally well maintained but don’t expect the same modern look and feel as the latest ships in the fleet offer.

She’s not a great choice for families with teens or anyone who enjoys a lot of daytime activities, but for that relaxing smaller ship vibe at a lower price bracket, she’s a good choice if you enjoy quiet days by the poolside.

20. MSC Seashore

MSC Seashore was the first of the Seaside EVO Class ships to launch for MSC, enhancing the design of the two Seaside-class ships. Her main improvements over the Seaside-class ships are behind the scenes, making her more environmentally friendly, although she does have more outdoor spaces too.

The recurring criticism of MSC ships feeling too busy repeats itself with this ship (with one review I spotted asking if cruise ships can be overbooked!) – again, guests just feel like they aren’t getting the service they deserve, even with the low cruise fares.

21. MSC Poesia

MSC Poesia is part of the Musica class, and similar to MSC Musica she’s a good choice if you aren’t looking for an overwhelming crowd or an extensive range of features – if you’re happy lounging by the pool during the day, provided there’s good entertainment at night, then Poesia is worth your attention.

Recent reviews often describe her as a pleasant “old-school” cruise ship, which some guests enjoy for the relaxed atmosphere and smaller size.

However, criticisms tend to focus on the limited dining options, inconsistent food quality and the ship’s age. Several reviewers say meals are “mediocre at best” with limited choice, while buffet areas can become chaotic at busy times.

There are also comments that the ship now feels tired compared with MSC’s newer vessels, with fewer facilities and a more basic onboard experience.

For some passengers that’s perfectly acceptable given the low fares, but these issues help explain why she now sits near the bottom of the rankings.

22. MSC Orchestra

MSC Orchestra is a twin of MSC Musica and she enjoys similar praise and suffers similar criticisms as that ship. People who know what to expect from an MSC cruise enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and the friendly crew, while those choosing MSC Orchestra after experiencing other cruise lines are often disappointed with the food and the lack of things to do.

She’s a good ship for younger families, especially on busier itineraries where you can enjoy the fun kids club or the days in port, but older teens will likely be bored by the lack of excitement during the day.

23. MSC Opera

MSC Opera is the final Lirica-class ship and offers a very similar experience to her sister ships. There isn’t a huge amount happening during the day, but evenings bring some classic cruise entertainment, and many guests still praise the friendly service on board.

However, recent reviews show why she now sits at the bottom of this year’s rankings. Passengers frequently mention that the ship feels dated compared with MSC’s newer vessels, with fewer facilities and public areas that can feel cramped or awkward to navigate.

Food is another common criticism, with some guests saying the choices are limited and quality can be inconsistent, particularly in the buffet. Others also note that the ship simply feels basic and quieter than most modern MSC ships, which can leave some passengers feeling there isn’t much to do.

That said, travellers who book Opera knowing she’s one of MSC’s older, smaller ships often still enjoy the experience, especially when the price is right.

Choosing the Right MSC Ship for You

There’s no single answer on which is the best MSC ship for everybody because the ships are all different. Even the lowest-reviewed ships will actually better suit some people. It always depends on what you want from your cruise ship, which is why it’s important to research your options before you book.

The newer ships are packed with more to do during the day, but as you can see from the reviews and the rankings above, that often means they feel really busy, and the service can suffer.

If you’re looking for a more relaxing cruise, you’re better off choosing one of the older ships that is smaller and tends to have more focus on outdoor space.

While all of the MSC ships to have launched in the last few years are beautifully decorated and feature attractive artwork pieces, the MSC Seaside is regarded as one of the nicest ships in the fleet – she is very stylish, not too large, and very comfortable.

The best MSC cruise ship for families is MSC World America. One of the largest ships in the fleet, she’s packed with attractions designed to keep all ages entertained, including water slides, immersive entertainment experiences and plenty of family-friendly venues.

If slides are important, then it’s worth noting that the MSC Fantasia, MSC Splendida, MSC Divina, MSC Preziosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview, MSC Seashore, MSC Seascape and MSC World Europa are the ones that have slides. Some older ships have small slides for children only.

And if you want a luxury experience then the MSC Yacht Club – a “ship within a ship” luxury suite club, is available on MSC Bellissima, MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Preziosa, MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview, MSC Splendida, MSC Virtuosa and MSC World Europa.

The Bottom Line

Cruising with MSC definitely isn’t for everyone, but the cruise line is determined in its goal to become the biggest cruise company in the world. So expect them to keep building shiny new ships, and doing everything they can to make their current ships as popular as possible.

I think what’s clear from the reviews is that, if you go on an MSC cruise and you know what to expect from a cheap cruise line, you’ll enjoy it. But if you go with expectations that are higher than the cruise line maybe warrants, you’ll definitely be disappointed.

Related Posts:

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• MSC Drink Packages Guide
• MSC Bella Vs Fantastica Vs Aurea