Crew discipline

[Markanddonna]

We are not happy with after witnessing crew members both individually and collectively being disciplined in front of passengers. The crew has been very hard working and polite. We also spoke with a crew member who told us about all the extra work the crew has been assigned. We have about 25 cruises under our belt with many different companies and have never witnessed this before. If an MSC reads this, please let the company know that the cutbacks are very noticeable, and your crew has been excellent with efficiency and a smile despite the problems. The number of passengers on this sailing is too many. Cut off the excess sales when you approach the tipping point. Doubt we ibook another Msc despite being diamond.

[styles27]

That makes me so sad to see this is happening.

Divina’s crew has been pushed beyond their limit since Christmas, these poor people need a break. 
Add that to them having to deal with rude passengers ugh

I don’t know how they do what they do. 
I’m fb friends with our server from our Jan Divina  cruise. She posts pictures of her and her husband (also a server on Divina) and they both look exhausted. I feel so sorry for them. 

I know how you feel about not booking another cruise with them.
I was going to book MSC Mera from PC to NY transitioning cruise and my husband said no way.

He’s just not ready to give MSC more of our money at this point. (He’s never said no when I mention a cruise)
 

So we just booked a Norwegian cruise for April with our little grandson again and I can’t wait to see if we notice as big a decline as we experienced on Divina recently. 
(last Norwegian cruise was last April)

[Oxo]

All Cruise lines are understaffed! 

 

We were on NCL 4X last year, Breakaway and Prima. 

 

NCL has cut back on staff. Cabin personnel will take care of 24 cabins instead of 16.

 

I'm not defending MSC, just letting you and others know. 

 

The biggest thing is how passengers treat staff. Never Pease or Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

[DCGuy64]

I'm sorry the OP @Markanddonnais leaving MSC after this incident. It seems a rather strong reaction to punish the whole cruise line (and, by extension, all the crew members) due to one incident, but it's your money and your time. You have to decide what's best for you. Since staffing, supply chain and budget issues are hitting all of the lines, it remains to be seen which ones will fare best in the long run. Good luck to you in the future and yes, I join you in wishing MSC reads this and doesn't treat crew this way again. Very unprofessional to scold them in front of passengers like that. 

[Heartgrove]

On the HAL forum a few weeks ago, there also was a thread about disciplining a crewmember in front of passengers. I guess everyone is stretched to the limit.

[Markanddonna]

49 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I'm sorry the OP @Markanddonnais leaving MSC after this incident. It seems a rather strong reaction to punish the whole cruise line (and, by extension, all the crew members) due to one incident, but it's your money and your time. You have to decide what's best for you. Since staffing, supply chain and budget issues are hitting all of the lines, it remains to be seen which ones will fare best in the long run. Good luck to you in the future and yes, I join you in wishing MSC reads this and doesn't treat crew this way again. Very unprofessional to scold them in front of passengers like that.

We are diamond on MSC and have been exasperated with their IT problems that haven't been resolved in ten months. This present cruise,  a seven day and 10 day b2b was our test to see if we would continue with Msc. We had two great rcl and ncl cruises this year with RCL and NCL. We were on a problematic sailing on MSC this March, so this isn't a rash decision. 

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, Markanddonna said:

We are diamond on MSC and have been exasperated with their IT problems that haven't been resolved in ten months. This present cruise,  a seven day and 10 day b2b was our test to see if we would continue with Msc. We had two great rcl and ncl cruises this year with RCL and NCL. We were on a problematic sailing on MSC this March, so this isn't a rash decision. 

Ah, that makes more sense. The last sentence of your first post implied that it was the scolding incident that made you think about leaving. The extra info you provided makes it easier to understand. Thank you for the additional detail. Good luck in the future!

[Markanddonna]

Btw, w we witnessed two staff disciplines and one crew member baring his soul to us. 

[GPPhilly]

We were on the Meraviglia last year and we saw a few crew members getting scolded in the buffet.  It was sad to watch.  

[sidari]

Did any of you report the individual's involved ? This behaviour is not acceptable in any profession.

[mnpurple]

5 hours ago, styles27 said:

That makes me so sad to see this is happening.

Divina’s crew has been pushed beyond their limit since Christmas, these poor people need a break. 
Add that to them having to deal with rude passengers ugh

I don’t know how they do what they do. 
I’m fb friends with our server from our Jan Divina  cruise. She posts pictures of her and her husband (also a server on Divina) and they both look exhausted. I feel so sorry for them. 

I know how you feel about not booking another cruise with them.
I was going to book MSC Mera from PC to NY transitioning cruise and my husband said no way.

He’s just not ready to give MSC more of our money at this point. (He’s never said no when I mention a cruise)
 

So we just booked a Norwegian cruise for April with our little grandson again and I can’t wait to see if we notice as big a decline as we experienced on Divina recently. 
(last Norwegian cruise was last April)

 

I just want to mention that I read your review and I keep watching people around the ship and feel like a lot of your disappointment from the cruise was a bad mix of passengers. So far this week most of the crowd on Divina has seemed polite.  We are not going to the MDR, so can't comment on that. We went to the buffet on the first day and it was busy, but not unlike other buffets.  I'm also not a buffet person, so don't plan to go there much.

 

A few of the staff I've spoken with are on new contracts, some have been longer. I will say that this itinerary - same as yours I believe and having so many sea days has got to be difficult for the crew.  All of the pools were closed due to rough seas yesterday and I imagine that has to put more demand on all of the staff.

 

I'm just saying this because I think so much is dependent on the mix of people, not trying to diminish any of your experiences.

[styles27]

28 minutes ago, mnpurple said:

 

I just want to mention that I read your review and I keep watching people around the ship and feel like a lot of your disappointment from the cruise was a bad mix of passengers. So far this week most of the crowd on Divina has seemed polite.  We are not going to the MDR, so can't comment on that. We went to the buffet on the first day and it was busy, but not unlike other buffets.  I'm also not a buffet person, so don't plan to go there much.

 

A few of the staff I've spoken with are on new contracts, some have been longer. I will say that this itinerary - same as yours I believe and having so many sea days has got to be difficult for the crew.  All of the pools were closed due to rough seas yesterday and I imagine that has to put more demand on all of the staff.

 

I'm just saying this because I think so much is dependent on the mix of people, not trying to diminish any of your experiences.

I completely agree that it was the off putting behaviour of most of the passengers on our cruise that made the cruise so disappointing.

Also the ship was packed over New Year's, although I see you have 3500 on your sailing which is only 300 less than we had.

 

I really think that MSC's lower pricing is playing a part in this.

 

Here's an example: we are paying more for 7 days on NCL in April (without the drink package) than we paid for 14 days on Divina with drinks and wifi included.  It's a significant amount more too and our room and balcony on Divina were better.  

 

I think with that kind of price difference MSC ships will continue to be pretty full.  Add unlimited alcohol and chances are you end up with something like our experience and like the OP is describing on this and other threads today.  

 

 

So if you aren't eating in the MDR and the buffet where are you eating?  Are you in the YC.

 

 

Edit to add: we had positive interactions with 99% of the crew...I'd never blame the crew for what happened on our cruise.  I do place that blame on the companies that are over selling when they know they aren't staffed to handle it.  It's not fair for the crew or the passengers.

Edited January 31, 2023 by styles27

[Markanddonna]

1 hour ago, styles27 said:

I completely agree that it was the off putting behaviour of most of the passengers on our cruise that made the cruise so disappointing.

Also the ship was packed over New Year's, although I see you have 3500 on your sailing which is only 300 less than we had.

 

I really think that MSC's lower pricing is playing a part in this.

 

Here's an example: we are paying more for 7 days on NCL in April (without the drink package) than we paid for 14 days on Divina with drinks and wifi included.  It's a significant amount more too and our room and balcony on Divina were better.  

 

I think with that kind of price difference MSC ships will continue to be pretty full.  Add unlimited alcohol and chances are you end up with something like our experience and like the OP is describing on this and other threads today.  

 

 

So if you aren't eating in the MDR and the buffet where are you eating?  Are you in the YC.

 

 

Edit to add: we had positive interactions with 99% of the crew...I'd never blame the crew for what happened on our cruise.  I do place that blame on the companies that are over selling when they know they aren't staffed to handle it.  It's not fair for the crew or the passengers.

Exactly. I didn't see any bad passenger behavior, just people who expect more than one bartender at the bar.

[Dunchues]

On 1/31/2023 at 3:14 PM, sidari said:

Did any of you report the individual's involved ? This behaviour is not acceptable in any profession.

Amen to that. Starting at the time with getting the individuals identity and explaining the error of their ways.

[Markanddonna]

Is it my job as a passenger to take my time to resolve staffing issues? I listened to one crew member's complaints and can see what he is talking about.

[RC Dancers]

The crew members we spoke with on the Divina before the holidays were pretty upbeat. Maybe the higher occupancy cruises during the holidays took their toll on everybody.

 

We saw a crew member get publicly berated on Odyssey of the Seas and it was not nice to see. We noted the supervisor in our post cruise comments.

Edited February 8, 2023 by RC Dancers
forgot to note that the Divina cruise was just before the holidays.

[Markanddonna]

The numbers before the holidays were lower. I think these higher numbers (3,500 and above ) will remain. Gone are the days when the crew outnumbered the passengers.