| Protocols underpinning MSC’s success

MSC Cruises Managing Director Australasia Alessandro Guerreri believes the success of the cruise line’s restart has come off the back of its unflinching health & safety protocols.

Speaking to Cruise Weekly yesterday, Guerreri said MSC’s protocols were continuing to evolve alongside the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning the cruise line had been able to continue sailing without incident.

“We have set the standard for health and safety,” Guerreri said.

“Our protocols are changing and adapting to consider the evolution of the pandemic.

“In the short-term, we are doing whatever we can to show our health and safety protocols are strong enough to cruise, and Grandiosa is a strong example.”

Showcasing the flexibility of MSC’s health & safety operations is the expansion of its coronavirus testing regime, which has been doubled to two tests per passenger per voyage (CW 06 Nov 2020), up from the single test implemented on the cruise line’s restart in Aug (CW 04 Aug 2020).

“Since Nov, we’ve started to introduce a second test…now you get tested prior to embarkation, and guests on board get tested after four days of navigation, and our crew members are tested once a week,” Guerreri said.

“The second thing we’re doing is elevated sanitation and cleaning measures…we’ve introduced new cleaning methods, we use hospital-grade sanitation products,” the MD added.

“When it’s not possible to secure social distancing, we’re requesting the use of masks.

“We’ve enhanced our medical facilities with highly qualified staff, there is ongoing health monitoring, guests and crew are having their temperature checked daily either when they return from ashore or dedicated stations around the ship – and we keep a bubble even when we go on excursion.”

Asked if MSC would potentially follow other cruise lines into requiring vaccinations for their passengers, Guerreri said the company was satisfied with its current protocols, which have seen 40,000 guests cruise safely.

“We’re happy with what we’re doing right now,” he said.

“There are options outside vaccination and we believe our way is the right one.”

MSC also took delivery of flagship-to-be MSC Virtuosa earlier this week (CW 03 Feb) with the traditional flag ceremony held Wed at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint Nazaire.