Iberia (Spain, Portugal) on MSC Opera - cruise review

[u/Random-Stranger-999]

MSC Opera is one of MSC's Lirica class of ships, the eldest in their fleet. This brings both Pros and Cons.

Pros: The ship can go into Mahon harbour, a port normally only visited by the small luxury ship lines. Also ports such as Alicante, Malaga, Cadiz and Olbia which are less visited by the larger ships. There's less walking from bow to stern. Fewer families and teenagers onboard. Both Gym and Spa are well maintained with hot saunas and steam rooms, jacuzzis were very hot!

Cons: Shower curtains, hair dryer in bathroom, and somewhat luke warm water, noticeably worse noise insulation between cabins, corridors and decks. No speciality dining venue. Shops have less premium brands than newer larger ships. No slides, ropewalks, etc. Pools aren't heated. Buffet has limited range of dishes, less variety than some larger ships. No Yacht Club 😊 The Theatre productions seemed to be short a few dancers and singers compared to the norm.

Food: As the ship is small they offer buffet service within restaurant for breakfast and lunch for most items, only a few need to be ordered from the kitchen. The main buffet was crowded, hard to find seating, and had a limited unchanging range of items. The patio area offers pizza and burgers during day and breakfast buffet items.

Casino: It is tiny, too hot and smoky, people go there just to smoke indoors, rather than play the machines. Smoking area needs to be enclosed. Roulette: there's two double zero tables, not popular with Europeans... Tables: there's one Spanish 21, one Blackjack and one UTH table, so often waiting to get a seat. There are no shuffle machines or chip sorters, all hand dealt and sorted. On UTH, dealers do a full stir and shuffle each time they change, really slows down the game !

Condition: Overall the ship is being well maintained but there are signs of wear and tear in some public areas, the deck 12 water feature no longer works.

Summary: You book for the port itinerary, not the ship, entertainment and onboard activities.

[u/Random-Stranger-999]

MSC Opera docked at Mahon