Company response to low Seaside CDC Score?

[Mike_P]

Hi All, 
I read the article on the MSC Seaside score.  Curious as to if there are any crew members here who can speak to how the company responds to something like this?  Does corporate descend on the ship?  Do people get fired?  If the root cause is low crew head count, does the company transfer more crew to this ship?  How long until the problem is usually fixed?

[juraspark]

On 5/5/2023 at 2:27 PM, Mike_P said:

Hi All, 
I read the article on the MSC Seaside score.  Curious as to if there are any crew members here who can speak to how the company responds to something like this?  Does corporate descend on the ship?  Do people get fired?  If the root cause is low crew head count, does the company transfer more crew to this ship?  How long until the problem is usually fixed?

All good questions.

I too would like to know the answers and am hoping the problem is fixed ASAP!

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Mike_P Oh no, one of my favorite ships, MSC Seaside, is getting some shade! For the sake of all cruisers, I'm glad the CDC went in there and inspected thoroughly to ensure these food handling/sanitary issues are addressed immediately. Although I do love the ship and have been so impressed by the crew in years past, I'm glad all of these issues have come to light so they can be quickly taken care of for the health and safety of all guests onboard. I'm pretty surprised the score got this low, but that does mean the cruise line is going to have to address these issues and act quickly in order to save face.

@jurasparkI think a corporate crew is going to have to go in and do a sweep to include proper bookkeeping and handling training. This could be an issue with onboard upper management or improper training and inspection measures. It's pretty easy for things like that to fall through the cracks but clearly, the crew has been slacking on the rules. I am really prone to believe that this is an onboard upper management issue. Hopefully, more information will come out soon for us to follow along on the ship's progression.

[kefthecruiser]

Overheard recently in the MSC Seaside officers’ lounge….

CAPTAIN: Giovanni (ship food & beverage director) we have been sailing together such a long time…. When I talked about making a name for yourself, I didn’t mean to go low…

Giovanni: O Capitano you have been so good to me…

CAPTAIN: Yes, you’re right. But what I have to say comes from corporate – you must pack your bags and depart.

Giovanni: (sobbing) please not that.

CAPTAIN: Stop crying and be a man. You won’t be walking the plank, that ended when we stopped using sails. Now go and pack; and try cleaning up a little before you go.

At least that’s what the crew member recalled. And if you believe that, then how about this MSC announcement relayed to me:

To all our customers sailing the Seaside this week, she is a beautiful ship, no? So sorry for the poor cleanliness the CDC caught. To help you overlook our sloppiness, we will be discounting the daily gratuities 100 cents per day per person. Please enjoy your cruise.

I swear a passenger reported this.

Seriously, how did they get such a low score and were allowed to sail? That says as much about the CDC as it says about MSC.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@kefthecruiser This recount is quite detailed. I definitely think that the fact the ship is still able to cruise with passengers after receiving such a low score is a shame. There should at least be an itinerary delay for a 24-hour deep clean and correction of noticeable issues. I think this issue is beyond a gratuity discount or upper management shift, it's more about how the issues are going to be corrected immediately and how will the cruise line ensure these healthy/sanitary issues are properly mended so they won't become an issue again down the line. Just because the cruise line corrects the food sanitation issues now doesn't mean they won't reoccur. I hope there is a sustainable solution in place so that the high-trafficked areas continuously remain up to standard.

[PaulB]

Maybe compensation is in order of the scores reflected poor conditions and standards, however if it's paperwork that is the reason for the low score, then as long as it doesn't affect the performance for the cruisers then it should be okay.

[Cruising Caribbean]

I agree that adjusting paperwork and back-end things are not time-sensitive, but the sanitation issues should be addressed immediately. Sickness can spread so quickly on a cruise ship with such high amounts of foot traffic. It's important MSC Seaside takes care of those risk factors. Water pooling on the deck happens on most ships I feel. That issue could cause an accident, but if it's at least marked with a "caution" sign or sectioned off until it's mended, it should be ok. It's a bummer to see one of my favorite ships be negatively put in the spotlight, but if things aren't properly taken care of/maintained things can move south pretty quickly. I hope MSC Cruises takes care of these issues immediately so that MSC Seaside is cruising again at peak performance. She's truly such a beautiful ship!

Edited May 11, 2023 by Cruising Caribbean

[PaulB]

@Cruising Caribbeancouldn't agree more. Sanitation is a huge concern and that should be remedied as soon as possible. Caution signs and health and safety should be dealt with without hesitation, however in today's world, the term "it's not my job" is commonplace in the workplace. It's a bugbear of mine that I repeatedly hear everyday. 

[Cruising Caribbean]

In order for MSC Seaside to avoid being in the spotlight again, the addressed issues should be remedied as soon as possible. I'm sure all of the issues will be addressed in a timely fashion to avoid any future issues (such as lawsuits) and keep out of the negative limelight. For those who haven't been on the ship, MSC Seaside is clearly not being portrayed as optimal considering the exposed conditions. To save face, I think MSC Cruises should release insight as to how all of the issues have been corrected and how those issues will not be a guest concern in the future. However, I prefer a straight-up, transparent approach. When cruise lines start to get sneaky, I become frustrated. I prefer honesty above all! 

[Emrys]

@Mike_P, in these cases, they will usually put on some extra training for the crew and increase the work hours to ensure all the issues are resolved. I doubt they will come down on any individual crew member. More about the entire department and working extra hard to make things better ready for the follow-up inspection, which they really must pass!

[Cruising Caribbean]

I didn't even think about the follow-up inspection. I would imagine that will be coming their way if it hasn't already. I'm glad that there is a follow-up to ensure everything has been corrected and addressed. Training would be so beneficial for the crew so that they feel well-equipt and prepared for the follow-up process. Those who are newer to MSC Seaside may not even be aware of these issues because it has been a constant norm for them since the beginning of their contract!