MSC Opera 
Cruise Line:
MSC
Tonnage:
59,058
Year Built:
2004
Passengers:
1,712
Crew:
740
Cabins:
856
Decks:
9
Dining Options Onboard The MSC Opera
La Caravella (Main Dining Room, Formal Dining)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
La Caravella, featuring large picture windows and seating 681 guests, is located on deck 5. It is the larger of the ship's two main dining rooms and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Breakfast and lunch are both waiter service open seating whilst for dinner guests are allocated a set table and fixed dining time of either early or late dining (usually 6pm and 9pm although this is subject to change dependent upon the cruises sailing itinerary).
The breakfast menu served from around 7.00am to 10.00am offers a selection of eggs cooked different ways, omelettes with a variety of fillings, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, cold meats, fresh fruit, yogurt, cereals, pastries, bread, cheese, smoked salmon, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and fruit juices along with a special of the day.
For Lunch (served from around 12.00 to 2.00pm) a three course menu is served of Starters (such as fish soup, cheese croquettes, Greek salad), Main Course (for example beef fillet with rocket lettuce and pecorino cheese, clam linguine, roasted scorpion fish with saffron rice, hamburgers and fried calamari), a Special Dish (such as oven baked pasta with cheddar cheese or Chilli con carne) and Desserts (including a selection of fresh fruit or, for example, mini chocolate parfait, apricot tart or ice cream).
Dinner consists of a seven course menu, examples of which are as follows:
Starters:
Nicoise Salad
Selection of salami and cured meats
Soup
Mains:
Seared fillet of salmon
Cannelloni stuffed with ricotta cheese, spinach and parmesan cheese
Grilled Tuscan style beef
Desserts:
Cheesecake with fresh fruit and coconut sauce
Tiramisu
Ice Cream
Fresh Fruit
Vegan choices are also offered (such as vegetarian strudel and Boca burger) whilst 'always available' options include soup, Caesar salad, pasta Bolognese, chicken breast, beef steak, or salmon served with French fries, baked potatoes, or vegetables of the day.
Breakfast and lunch are both waiter service open seating whilst for dinner guests are allocated a set table and fixed dining time of either early or late dining (usually 6pm and 9pm although this is subject to change dependent upon the cruises sailing itinerary).
The breakfast menu served from around 7.00am to 10.00am offers a selection of eggs cooked different ways, omelettes with a variety of fillings, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, cold meats, fresh fruit, yogurt, cereals, pastries, bread, cheese, smoked salmon, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and fruit juices along with a special of the day.
For Lunch (served from around 12.00 to 2.00pm) a three course menu is served of Starters (such as fish soup, cheese croquettes, Greek salad), Main Course (for example beef fillet with rocket lettuce and pecorino cheese, clam linguine, roasted scorpion fish with saffron rice, hamburgers and fried calamari), a Special Dish (such as oven baked pasta with cheddar cheese or Chilli con carne) and Desserts (including a selection of fresh fruit or, for example, mini chocolate parfait, apricot tart or ice cream).
Dinner consists of a seven course menu, examples of which are as follows:
Starters:
Nicoise Salad
Selection of salami and cured meats
Soup
Mains:
Seared fillet of salmon
Cannelloni stuffed with ricotta cheese, spinach and parmesan cheese
Grilled Tuscan style beef
Desserts:
Cheesecake with fresh fruit and coconut sauce
Tiramisu
Ice Cream
Fresh Fruit
Vegan choices are also offered (such as vegetarian strudel and Boca burger) whilst 'always available' options include soup, Caesar salad, pasta Bolognese, chicken breast, beef steak, or salmon served with French fries, baked potatoes, or vegetables of the day.
L'Approdo (Main Dining Room, Formal Dining)
Dinner
L’Approdo on deck 6 is the smaller of the ship's two main dining rooms, seating 422 guests and open for fixed seating dinner only.
The menu options and dining times are the same as those in La Caravella.
The menu options and dining times are the same as those in La Caravella.
Il Patio (Italian, Burger Bar)
Breakfast, Lunch
Il Patio can be found by Opera’s outdoor pools on deck 11. It features two areas, one serving pizza and salads from around 12pm to 5pm and the other being an outdoor grill serving omelettes and pancakes for breakfast and hot dogs, burgers and fries during the rest of the day until early evening.
Lo Spinnaker (Ice Cream Bar)
Lo Spinnaker is the ship's pool bar, located on deck 11 serving, along with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and vitamin drinks, soft scoop gelato ice cream for which there is a small charge.
Prices for ice cream range from:
€1.50 for a small cup of ice cream
€2.50 for a large cup or cone of ice cream
€3.90 for a smoothie such as mango smoothie
€5.30 for a banana split dessert
Prices for ice cream range from:
€1.50 for a small cup of ice cream
€2.50 for a large cup or cone of ice cream
€3.90 for a smoothie such as mango smoothie
€5.30 for a banana split dessert
Le Vele (Self Service)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Le Vele, the ship's self-serve buffet restaurant, seating 380 guests is located aft of deck 11 and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
For breakfast, guests can choose from both continental and cooked food ranging from bread, pastries, cereals, fresh fruit, yogurt, cold cuts of meat and cheeses to bacon, sausages, scrambled and boiled eggs, tomatoes, beans and toast.
A 24 hour tea, coffee and water station is located within the buffet, with fruit juice also available for breakfast only.
Lunch and dinner options include salad areas, cold cuts of meat, carvery, pasta dishes, a selection of hot dishes along with fresh fruit, ice cream and a selection of desserts.
Additionally between 4pm and 5pm, afternoon tea is available with a selection of self service sandwiches, cakes and pastries along with, on certain days, midnight buffets.
From 2013, MSC now has the buffet open non-stop for 20 hours a day, from 6:00am until 2:00am.
A full breakfast service including a choice of both cooked and continental breakfast is served from 6:30 to 10:00, with the continental breakfast options, including pastries, yogurts, cold meats and cheeses, available until around 12.00 for late risers.
Lunch menus are available from 12:00 to 15:30 and for guests who fancy an afternoon snack or a casual late lunch, the buffet offers guests many options from 15:30 to 18:00, including items from the grill, pizzeria and salad bar, as well as soups, pasta, vegetables, fish and meat specialties, fruit and desserts.
The buffet provides a complete dinner service from 19:00 to 22:00 with snacks available until 2am.
For breakfast, guests can choose from both continental and cooked food ranging from bread, pastries, cereals, fresh fruit, yogurt, cold cuts of meat and cheeses to bacon, sausages, scrambled and boiled eggs, tomatoes, beans and toast.
A 24 hour tea, coffee and water station is located within the buffet, with fruit juice also available for breakfast only.
Lunch and dinner options include salad areas, cold cuts of meat, carvery, pasta dishes, a selection of hot dishes along with fresh fruit, ice cream and a selection of desserts.
Additionally between 4pm and 5pm, afternoon tea is available with a selection of self service sandwiches, cakes and pastries along with, on certain days, midnight buffets.
From 2013, MSC now has the buffet open non-stop for 20 hours a day, from 6:00am until 2:00am.
A full breakfast service including a choice of both cooked and continental breakfast is served from 6:30 to 10:00, with the continental breakfast options, including pastries, yogurts, cold meats and cheeses, available until around 12.00 for late risers.
Lunch menus are available from 12:00 to 15:30 and for guests who fancy an afternoon snack or a casual late lunch, the buffet offers guests many options from 15:30 to 18:00, including items from the grill, pizzeria and salad bar, as well as soups, pasta, vegetables, fish and meat specialties, fruit and desserts.
The buffet provides a complete dinner service from 19:00 to 22:00 with snacks available until 2am.
Children’s Menu
An example of food on offer on the children’s menu is soup or pizza, pasta (such as spaghetti Bolognese or carbonara), fish in tomato sauce, hot dogs, burgers or omelettes served with fries or vegetables and desserts including ice cream, jelly or dessert of the day.
MSC Happy Dinners
Newly introduced to MSC Cruises is MSC Happy Dinners where children select a meal from the kid's menu which is served whilst the adults are enjoying their first course. Once the children have finished their meal specialised Kid's Club staff collect them to have fun with friends whilst parents enjoy the rest of their meal.
There is no charge for this service and parents simply need to register their children in advance.
There is no charge for this service and parents simply need to register their children in advance.
MSC Fun Time Dinners
An alternative to MSC Happy Dinners, youngsters can opt for Fun Time Dinners where they dine in a separate specially decorated area of the buffet restaurant, watched over by the entertainment team before departing to the Mini or Junior Clubs where parents can collect them from once they have finished their own meal.
Three of these events are themed into Welcome Party, Italian Party and Farewell party.
Accommodating children from the age of three to eleven, Fun Time Dinners are complimentary and parents simply need to register their children in advance.
Three of these events are themed into Welcome Party, Italian Party and Farewell party.
Accommodating children from the age of three to eleven, Fun Time Dinners are complimentary and parents simply need to register their children in advance.
Room Service
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A complimentary continental breakfast of pastries, fruit and toast with tea and coffee is served between 7.30 am and 10am (just complete doorknob menu and place outside door before 2am.
For the rest of the duration of the day, a range of snacks are available via room service for a small fee with examples as follows:
Soup of the day €2.25
MSC Club Sandwich €3.10
Cooked Ham and Cheese Sandwich €3.00
Mozzarella with Tomatoes €3.10
Salad Nicoise €3.00
Mixed Cheese Plate €2.60
Fruit Plate €2.60
Dessert of the day (such as Chocolate Dessert) €3.10
For the rest of the duration of the day, a range of snacks are available via room service for a small fee with examples as follows:
Soup of the day €2.25
MSC Club Sandwich €3.10
Cooked Ham and Cheese Sandwich €3.00
Mozzarella with Tomatoes €3.10
Salad Nicoise €3.00
Mixed Cheese Plate €2.60
Fruit Plate €2.60
Dessert of the day (such as Chocolate Dessert) €3.10