Sustainability - People

PEOPLE

Our number one priority is keeping our passengers and crew safe and well. We are proud of the excellent healthcare we offer on our ships and, even though COVID-19 is no longer the threat it was, we continue to maintain exemplary hygiene practices. We also have a comprehensive safety management system in place and aim to identify risks so we can act before incidents occur. Our crew play a very important role in making our guest experience a success, and we know how important it is to support their well-being. We provide all the training our people need to do a good job, and support those with high potential who want to grow their careers with us.

Health and Safety

Safety training for all crew is mandatory with additional more detailed training specific to each role.

A team of fleet safety trainers from the shoreside Crisis Response Department are responsible for standardising, monitoring, assessing, and if necessary, correcting, the onboard safety activities.

Upon embarkation, and before the ship’s departure, all passengers must attend a safety drill.
Every passenger carries a cruise card or wrist band to ‘check in’ at an assembly station, with the Muster Evacuation Monitoring Protocol System tracking when passengers are on board or when they disembark. This Protocol also includes information about people with special needs who might need additional support in an emergency.

In response to COVID-19 a comprehensive set of operating procedures have been developed that build upon already stringent health and safety measures that have long been in place on board our ships.

The Protocol was designed by in-house specialists in different fields and we were assisted by an expert third party consultancy, and through consultation with our Blue Ribbon COVID-19 Expert Group.

MSC Cruises was the first cruise line in the world to install a new and advanced innovative technology sanitation system called Safe Air to improve further the quality and cleanliness of the onboard air for our guests and crew. Safe Air was fitted on MSC Seashore, which set sail in July 2021. The system is based on UV-C lamp technology, using ultraviolet rays to destroy air pollutants such as viruses, bacteria and mold.

Our safety procedures are specifically designed to greatly exceed IMO and International Safety Management (ISM) Code regulations and we cultivate a culture where our whole crew has direct responsibility for safety.

Health and Safety

Employee Welfare, Training and Development

Most initial training of onboard employees occurs at our dedicated crew training facilities around the world allowing training in simulated settings with the same equipment as found on our ships.

Our employees also use our extensive library of eLearning materials which include e-books, audio learning and recorded classroom sessions.

With complex technical equipment onboard, deck and engine teams go through comprehensive technical training and certification, in accordance with all applicable national and international rules and regulations and in compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW).

Whether they work on the Bridge, the engine room, in hospitality, or in a supporting role onshore, all our people receive the training they require to allow them to do an exceptional job.