Well, this is disconcerting…

[Fissues]

USA Today:

 

“MSC Cruises rigorously adheres to health protocols, and the results of this inspection do not reflect the brand’s high standards,” a spokesperson for the line said in an email. “We launched an internal investigation based on the inspector’s concerns and took immediate corrective actions.”

Ships that have failed an inspection are inspected again “within a reasonable time period,” Dr. Erik Svendsen, director of the Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice at the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health, said in an email. If ships fail because of an imminent risk to public health, the VSP may recommend they not sail, though MSC Seaside did not fail for that reason.

[shipgeeks]

See the "Well this is disconcerting" post.

Yes, it is disconcerting that they can publish untruths like this.  How do they get away with it? Knowing the source, not surprising, but still......

[CruisingWalter]

On 5/4/2023 at 8:10 PM, Elkins45 said:

“Such a low score is virtually unheard of.”
 

That’s not a phrase you like to read about your upcoming cruise.

 

Lowest score ever by a cruise ship. And we're sailing May 28.  Our very first MSC Cruise in our 20 years of cruising. Say a prayer for us..... 😂

[CruisingWalter]

On 5/6/2023 at 1:25 PM, mimi7ccr said:

We are on the Seaside for the 5/28 7-day sailing and I sure hope all the deficiencies are corrected by then and it doesn't impact our trip.

 

We're on the same sailing. Should be 'interesting' to say the least. 🙂

[CruisingWalter]

On 5/6/2023 at 1:02 AM, Boozy O Croozy said:

Everyone keep in mind that CruiseLaw news is the TMZ of cruising.

That may be, but the actual report doesn't need an 'TMZ' reporting, it's abhorrent in its own right. A lot of this was food handling 101 and safety 101. Regardless of whether the ship was in the U.S. or Europe, things should never have gotten this bad. Management was far too lax and/or very poor training. Here's hoping we have a good first impression of MSC on May 28. 🙂

[Bgwest]

14 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

See the "Well this is disconcerting" post.

Yes, it is disconcerting that they can publish untruths like this.  How do they get away with it?

Surely you jest…..🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[JonoBhoy]

54 minutes ago, Bgwest said:

Surely you jest…..🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Perhaps from the school of "fake news"?! 🤣 

[BoundForSea]

On 5/6/2023 at 8:03 PM, chengkp75 said:

The USPH VSP is not all that different from the EU's ShipSan program, though enforcement is unified in the US, whereas the EU requires each member state to enforce it within their borders, and no central record keeping.  This is just a culture of disregard for public health on MSC's part.

I agree 100%. Thanks Cheng. I make a living in safety oversight in Transportation.  This is completely and utterly unacceptable. Period. I don’t care about the excuses and the downplay. Read the write-ups. They’re like the OP said, disconcerting at the very least. This is how ship wide Illness happens. 
 

This is MSCs lack of training, accountability to and through its supervisory ship side staff and officers, lack of product quality management, lack of safety management systems effectiveness, and quite frankly a culture of money and rapid growth over service and quality and SAFETY. I draw a hard line with this. After 7 cruises with them I’m always finding myself somehow swallowing hard and saying well they’ll get it right next time, or they’re trying hard blah blah. No more.  This is a family of very very very wealthy owners that have the human capital and resources to execute a safe and quality product. They choose not to after the last 5 years of ‘trying’. 
 

I take this very seriously and won’t step foot on an MSC ship ever again. Period. All stop. 
 

Let me leave you with this…. If they cut corners with food and hygiene on board, due to a cultural dysfunction and problem people, what do you think happens with other aspects of the company’s safety management of the ship’s operations and maintenance? Do you think there’s a magical fence that stops it there? Is the general lack of concern for customer service and  satisfaction an isolated issue? No. When you combine that culture with the results of this inspection and the findings write up it systemically says that growth and money take priority over passengers and their satisfaction and well being. 
 

There are many other cruise lines that care about safety and consistency of safety and passenger satisfaction where I will spend my money and not have to make excuses for in my mind every time I walk down the gangway disembarking. 
 

…as they say on Shark Tank, “and because of that I’m OUT”

 

✌️

[KennyFla]

8 minutes ago, BoundForSea said:

I agree 100%. Thanks Cheng. I make a living in safety oversight in Transportation.  This is completely and utterly unacceptable. Period. I don’t care about the excuses and the downplay. Read the write-ups. They’re like the OP said, disconcerting at the very least. This is how ship wide Illness happens. 
 

This is MSCs lack of training, accountability to and through its supervisory ship side staff and officers, lack of product quality management, lack of safety management systems effectiveness, and quite frankly a culture of money and rapid growth over service and quality and SAFETY. I draw a hard line with this. After 7 cruises with them I’m always finding myself somehow swallowing hard and saying well they’ll get it right next time, or they’re trying hard blah blah. No more.  This is a family of very very very wealthy owners that have the human capital and resources to execute a safe and quality product. They choose not to after the last 5 years of ‘trying’. 
 

I take this very seriously and won’t step foot on an MSC ship ever again. Period. All stop. 
 

Let me leave you with this…. If they cut corners with food and hygiene on board, due to a cultural dysfunction and problem people, what do you think happens with other aspects of the company’s safety management of the ship’s operations and maintenance? Do you think there’s a magical fence that stops it there? Is the general lack of concern for customer service and  satisfaction an isolated issue? No. When you combine that culture with the results of this inspection and the findings write up it systemically says that growth and money take priority over passengers and their satisfaction and well being. 
 

There are many other cruise lines that care about safety and consistency of safety and passenger satisfaction where I will spend my money and not have to make excuses for in my mind every time I walk down the gangway disembarking. 
 

…as they say on Shark Tank, “and because of that I’m OUT”

 

✌️

Somehow I think this post is about more than an inspection.  By accounts repeatedly over and over on here, MSC ships are very clean and well maintained.  My wife is gluten free, MSC has a designated kitchen for that to prevent cross contamination.  They were the first line to put in new ventiliation during covid to help stop the spread of the virus.  

 

I have dealt with inspections, it can depend on the inspector as much as the situation.  Sometimes more.  

Edited May 11, 2023 by KennyFla
make changes

[KennyFla]

10 hours ago, CruisingWalter said:

That may be, but the actual report doesn't need an 'TMZ' reporting, it's abhorrent in its own right. A lot of this was food handling 101 and safety 101. Regardless of whether the ship was in the U.S. or Europe, things should never have gotten this bad. Management was far too lax and/or very poor training. Here's hoping we have a good first impression of MSC on May 28. 🙂

Never walk into the back of a restaurant.

[IsanTom]

On 5/6/2023 at 5:15 PM, vakmom said:

I was on the Seaside for the April 19th 4 day cruise. It was bad, really bad the first day. I'd brought a group on this cruise (we had a total of 5 cabins) and I was so worried at what I'd gotten us into. Over 3 hours in line to board, dinner running an hour late (we had to stand outside the door then when they let us in the previous diners were still at the table eating), no room service offered, bars severely understaffed, so many of the staff seemed new and confused. But as the cruise went on things seemed to improve. Everyone ended up having a great time in spite of the rocky start to the cruise. But we were a pretty easy going group. There were some very unhappy passengers onboard. It just didn't seem the staff had their shiza together at the beginning of the cruise. I felt bad for them though, they were doing their best, they were just under staffed. 

Sorry you had a bad experience, but I would never book a Spring Break Cruise and expect a great experience.  The ships are packed and every bed is occupied. I like to cruise for the relaxation and love

Transatlantics without children and 70% occupancy!

[riredsox]

On 5/5/2023 at 12:45 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

Yea, only a 'dimwit' would dive into a pool head first.

And couldn’t read the “no diving sign”

[Brighton Line]

1 hour ago, KennyFla said:

My wife is gluten free, MSC has a designated kitchen for that to prevent cross contamination. 

Cross-contamination? When you don't wash your hands/change gloves after handling raw meat and go open a refrigerator in front of an inspector? 

Does not matter the design if the basic food handling isn't followed. 

[Homosassa]

1 hour ago, KennyFla said:

Never walk into the back of a restaurant.

That is the truth.

 

Also never do plant inspections of food, drugs, medical devices and cosmetics.

 

I haven't eaten a fig newton in over fifty years after learning the crunchy bits in the fig paste aren't all seeds and stopped using make up when I realized what went into them.

[KennyFla]

49 minutes ago, Brighton Line said:

Cross-contamination? When you don't wash your hands/change gloves after handling raw meat and go open a refrigerator in front of an inspector? 

Does not matter the design if the basic food handling isn't followed. 

So you can make a broad generalization over one observed instance.  I re-read the entire report, the serious things I saw were that 2 of their coolers were not at temp.  I would call these significant findings.

Yes, it looks like the kitchen manager on this ship needs to tighten things up.  This is the only inspection I have seen on MSC, it would be interesting to see how on average they do. 

There are some on here using this to say all of MSC is unsafe.  I don't agree with that.  Is there evidence that MSC passengers have higher food illnesses?

[ray98]

Crazy how many people on here can dismiss this as an 'overeager inspector' from the comfort of their office chair.  LOL.

[Cruiser933]

Here are the most recent CDC inspection scores for all MSC ships:

 

MSC Armonia	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	1/6/2020	95	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Divina	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	2/28/2020	92	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Lirica	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	1/6/2009	100	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Magnifica	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	2/9/2019	97	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Meraviglia	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	2/26/2023	98	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Orchestra	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	5/5/2009	96	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Poesia	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	3/2/2013	87	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Seascape	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	2/5/2023	100	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Seashore	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	11/6/2022	95	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Seaside	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	4/27/2023	67	All Scores	Report	Corr

 

[KennyFla]

22 minutes ago, Cruiser933 said:

Here are the most recent CDC inspection scores for all MSC ships:

 

MSC Armonia	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	1/6/2020	95	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Divina	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	2/28/2020	92	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Lirica	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	1/6/2009	100	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Magnifica	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	2/9/2019	97	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Meraviglia	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	2/26/2023	98	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Orchestra	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	5/5/2009	96	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Poesia	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	3/2/2013	87	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Seascape	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	2/5/2023	100	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Seashore	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	11/6/2022	95	All Scores	Report	Corrective Report
MSC Seaside	MSC Cruise Management (UK) Ltd	4/27/2023	67	All Scores	Report	Corr

 

Thank you.

Now we have context.  The bad report is certainly not a systemic problem, but an outlier.

[Morecruisesplz]

On 5/4/2023 at 2:56 PM, HUNKY said:

Just read that MSC Seaside failed their latest CDC inspection.

 

67 out of 100, the fourth lowest score in the past twenty years of all CDC inspections.  UGH!

Just off Seaside today. Cleaner than most Royal ships. We have been on 45+ cruises, unlike Royal you could dine in the public restrooms on Seaside.  Everything in view was spotless.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

41 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Just off Seaside today. Cleaner than most Royal ships. We have been on 45+ cruises, unlike Royal you could dine in the public restrooms on Seaside.  Everything in view was spotless.

Out of sight, out of mind... (Speaking as someone, who was on the 4/27 cruise!)

[jules815]

10 hours ago, KennyFla said:

Never walk into the back of a restaurant.

Or behind the deli counter of a well known grocery store chain. 

[ZoeyVictoria]

58 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Just off Seaside today. Cleaner than most Royal ships. We have been on 45+ cruises, unlike Royal you could dine in the public restrooms on Seaside.  Everything in view was spotless.

We were also on that cruise.  We agree, the ship was very clean. The only dirty areas we saw were three chairs in three different areas.  Every one of them had a blob of something that looked like melted gelato on the seats.  But the odd thing is that we saw numerous vacuum cleaners being used in different areas (including inside elevators), but literally the only other cleaning we saw being done during the four days  was the glass on the crystal staircase in the piazza, directly in front of guest services. The same glass panel, two different days.  Perhaps the cleaners were all working on the behind-the-scenes areas that were mentioned on the inspection report. 

[CruisingWalter]

11 hours ago, KennyFla said:

Never walk into the back of a restaurant.

 

If you can't walk into the back of the restaurant you shouldn't eat there. I've worked in food service and the kitchen should be cleaner than the restaurant.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

If you can't walk into the back of the restaurant you shouldn't eat there. I've worked in food service and the kitchen should be cleaner than the restaurant.

Not quite true., though I agree with the sentiment. I had the occasion to visit a well known club in Palm Beach where the membership is $200,000 with annual dues of $14,000 and over night stays range up to $2000 per room. I was being escorted from the parking lot through the immaculate stainless steel kitchens when the chef caught us and had a 'fit' and scolded the escort for bringing any guest into 'his' kitchen, as he chased us out with what looked like a sharp instrument.

[Morecruisesplz]

2 hours ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

If you can't walk into the back of the restaurant you shouldn't eat there. I've worked in food service and the kitchen should be cleaner than the restaurant.

A famous restaurant owner made appointments with his managers to have dinner in the restroom. His theory was if the rr was clean so was the kitchen.