MSC Opera
{{Short description|Ship built in 2004}}
| {{Infobox ship begin |display title=ital}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=MSCOperaArgostoli1.jpg |Ship caption=MSC Opera in the port of Argostoli }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship name=MSC Opera |Ship owner=MSC Cruises |Ship operator=MSC Cruises |Ship registry=Panama City, {{PAN}} |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=11 September 2003 |Ship completed= |Ship christened=June 26, 2004 by Sophia Loren in Genoa{{cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sophia-loren-to-be-godmother-of-new-msc-opera-74994577.html|title=Sophia Loren to be Godmother of New MSC Opera|work=PRNewswire|date=15 Jun 2004|access-date=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623225007/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sophia-loren-to-be-godmother-of-new-msc-opera-74994577.html|archive-date=23 June 2018|url-status=dead}} |Ship acquired= |Ship maiden voyage=June 27, 2004 |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= | Ship identification =*Call sign: H3FV
|Ship fate= |Ship status= In service }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class={{sclass|Lirica|cruise ship}} |Ship tonnage=*{{GT|59,058}}
|Ship displacement= |Ship length=*{{convert|251.25|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam=*{{convert|28.8|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship height={{convert|54|m|abbr=on}} |Ship draught={{convert|6.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship depth={{convert|6.6|m|abbr=on}} |Ship decks=*9 (passengers accessible)
|Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship sail plan= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=*4 × Wärtsilä 12V38A
|Ship speed={{convert|21.1|kn}} |Ship capacity=*2,150 (double occupancy)
|Ship crew=728 }} |
MSC Opera is a cruise ship built in 2004, carrying 2,679 passengers in 1,071 cabins, and with a crew complement of approximately 728, currently operated by Swiss company MSC Cruises. She served as the flagship of the company until {{ship||MSC Musica}} entered service in 2006.
Renaissance program
It was the third ship of the Lirica class to undergo renovation under the "Renaissance Program" and involved jumboisation to increase capacity, with the work being completed in the port of Palermo by Italian ship builders Fincantieri.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vQPWEKcDGM |title=Building the World's Biggest Ships - Heavy Lift: Jumboisation - Free Documentary|date=2022-04-15 |type=Television Production |publisher=Quintus Media GmbH |place=Berlin, Germany |people=Crookston, Adrian; Scorza, Alex}} New features included a spray park, refurbished shops, new child and teen areas, an enhanced buffet, a new lounge and an extended restaurant. The work was completed on 4 July 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/11113-msc-cruises-renaissance-program-begins-with-laying-out-of-msc-armonias-new-section.html|title=MSC Renaissance Program Begins with Laying Out of Armonia's New Section|first=C. I. N.|last=Staff|date=20 May 2014|website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com}}
Incidents
In May 2010, one week after a similar incident on board {{ship||MSC Orchestra}}, UK Border Agency officers at Dover found a large quantity of cocaine concealed in four passenger cabins. Four Latvians and three Lithuanians were later convicted at Canterbury Crown Court and sentenced to a total of 84 years imprisonment.{{cite web |url=http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/may/30cruise-ship-cocaine |title=UK Border Agency | Cruise ship cocaine smugglers jailed |website=www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602193457/http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2011/may/30cruise-ship-cocaine |archive-date=2 June 2011 |url-status=dead}}
On 14 May 2011, MSC Opera suffered engine failure in the Baltic Sea and was towed to the port of Nynäshamn, south of Stockholm, where passengers were transferred to smaller vessels.{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43046563|title=Cruise ship loses power at sea|work=NBC News|date=16 May 2011}} Around 1,700 passengers were flown home from Stockholm during the day. The ship was without power after the engine failure and internet reports stated that bathrooms were inoperable, causing some sanitation issues.{{need citation|date=June 2019}} Passengers were given a voucher to cover the cost of the cruise. On 17 May 2011, the ship departed Nynäshamn en route to Gdynia in Poland for repairs.
On 24 March 2019, the Portuguese police of Madeira arrested twelve people on board her (arriving at the port of Funchal in Madeira from the Caribbean), after finding {{convert|18|kg}} of cocaine hidden in bags of chips.{{cite news|title=Drug Bust on the MSC Opera: Cocaine in Your Cheetos?|author=Jim Walker|website=Cruise Law News|date=2019-03-28|url=https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2019/03/articles/drugs/drug-bust-on-the-msc-opera-cocaine-in-your-cheetos/}}
On 2 June 2019, the ship collided with the quay and a docked river cruise ship moored at the San Basilio Pier in the Giudecca Canal in Venice, Italy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lastampa.it/cronaca/2019/06/03/news/nave-da-crociera-fuori-controllo-paura-e-polemiche-a-venezia-1.36538104|title = Nave da crociera fuori controllo, paura e polemiche a Venezia|date = 3 June 2019}} The cause was later found to be technical difficulties with the engines while under tow. She sustained superficial scratches, while the smaller river vessel was more damaged. Five people were slightly injured.{{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/02/least-five-injured-cruise-ship-smashes-dock-venice-9774386/|title=Four injured as cruise ship smashes into dock at Venice|first=Georgia|last=Dibelius|publisher=Associated Newspapers|work=Metro|date=2 June 2019|accessdate=2 June 2019}}{{cite news|title=Venice crash captain ordered 'all procedures to avoid impact'|work=BBC News|date=3 June 2019|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48496412|accessdate=3 June 2019}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|IMO 9250464}}
- {{Official website|https://www.msccruises.co.uk/our-cruises/ships/msc-opera}}
{{MSC Ships}}
{{Lirica class}}
{{Mistral class}}
{{Portal bar|Transport}}
{{Authority control}}