Cruise Spotlight
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MSC Poesia vs MSC Divina
The MSC Poesia was built in 2008. It was renovated in 2025. The Poesia will receive a major dry dock refurbishment before its North America debut in May 2026 that will add new venues and Yacht Club cabins with associated areas. It's 4 years older than the Divina, which was built in 2012 and renovated in 2025. The Divina is a ship of class and excellence, inspired by Sophia Loren.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Poesia is considered a small size ship. Coming in at 964 feet long and 106 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 2.7 football fields, as wide as 2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 13-story building. Compared to the MSC Divina, the Poesia is 33% smaller in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
MSC Poesia holds 27% fewer passengers than the Divina based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Poesia has less space per person compared to the Divina.
| MSC Poesia | MSC Divina | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Musica | Fantasia |
| Gross Tonnage | 92,627 | 139,072 |
| Length | 964 | 1,093 |
| Beam/Width | 106 | 124 |
| Passenger Decks | 13 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 2,550 | 3,502 |
| Crew | 1,027 | 1,388 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 36 | 40 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Poesia has seven different dining options like Butcher's Cut, Kaito Sushi Bar, Of those options, seven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.
The Divina has the same number of dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Butcher's Cut, Seven of these restaurants are complementary and the other five have an additional fee.
The MSC Poesia has about the same number of dining options as the MSC Divina.
Both ships have a similar number of paid versus included dining options.
Restaurants on MSC Poesia & Divina
| Restaurant | MSC Poesia |
MSC Divina |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Included | |||
| Buffet | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Main Dining Room | ✓ | ✓ | |
| A la carte | |||
| All-Stars Sports Bar | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| Caffe Italia | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Piazza del Doge | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Flat fee | |||
| Butcher's Cut | ✓ | ✓ | Learn More |
| Galaxy Kaito Restaurant | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Kaito Sushi Bar | ✓ | ✗ | |
| Exclusive (open to select guests only) | |||
| Le Muse Restaurant | ✗ | ✓ | |
| MSC Yacht Club Grill & Bar | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
| MSC Yacht Club Restaurant | ✓ | ✗ | Learn More |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship.
There are also plenty of bars available on these ships. Alcohol is not included in the base price of this cruise ship. To see if you would save money with a drink package, try our Drink Package Calculator.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The MSC Poesia has a total of 3 pools and 4 hot tubs.
MSC Divina has more pools than the Poesia and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Divina. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.
| MSC Poesia | MSC Divina | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 3 | 5 |
| Pools - General Access | 3 | 3 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 1 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 4 | 9 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 4 | 5 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 2 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Poesia. Only 43% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Divina, 50% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| MSC Poesia | MSC Divina | |
|---|---|---|
| 4D Cinema | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✗ | ✓ |
| F1 Simulator | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sports Court | ✗ | ✓ |
| Theater | ✓ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✗ | ✓ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
MSC is a mainstream cruise line. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on MSC Poesia will likely be cheaper than on MSC Divina.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you understand what you might spend onboard a MSC ship.
| MSC | |
|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $16.00 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $9.00 |
| Drink Package Price | $46 - $85 |
| Internet Plan | $17 - $27 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | |
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