MSC Poesia vs MSC World America

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 17 years older than the World America, which was built in 2025. The World America was built specifically for the American market with customized venues like MSC's first sports bars and an onboard brewery. The ship is split into seven districts that provide unique restaurants, bars, and attractions; helping to reduce crowding.

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 World America, the Poesia is 57% smaller in terms of overall tons.

Number of Passengers

MSC Poesia holds 62% fewer passengers than the World America based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you compare the total tonnage of the ship to the number of passengers, or what we call the "Space Ratio," the Poesia has more space per person compared to the World America. This means that you might have a bit more space to yourself on the ship, although there still could be some crowded areas like buffets, pools, etc.

The World America uses a district layout to break up large crowds across the ship, often making it feel less crowded.

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 Kaito Sushi Bar, Butcher's Cut, Of those options, seven are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other five options have an additional fee.

The World America has eleven more dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Kaito Teppanyaki, Jean-Philippe Chocolat & Cafe, and Kaito Sushi Bar. Twelve of these restaurants are complementary and the other twelve have an additional fee.

If you like having a variety of places to eat, the World America might be a better choice. It has 157% more dining options than the Poesia.

If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the World America might be a better choice then the Poesia. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.

Restaurants on MSC Poesia & World America

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 World America has more pools than the Poesia and more hot tubs. There are more exclusive pools and hot tubs on the World America. If you don't mind paying for exclusive access to areas in order to have less crowds, this might be a better choice.

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 World America, 55% of the activities are included at no additional cost.

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 World America.

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.

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