Just days after MSC Cruises announced revoking of some of the crew privileges onboard the MSC Seaside, because of the rise of Covid cases, the crew are now facing additional restrictions. Yesterday they received the news that the company is restricting shore leave in all ports the ship is visiting. 

A crew member aboard MSC Seaside, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: 

“Now due to a high number of cases crew cannot go out anymore. The situation is getting worse, and guests are complaining as one engine is broken, and we skipping Marseille every week as we can’t reach it from Valencia due to low power and a generator is broken.”

The announcement posted yesterday on the MSC Seaside crew notice board reads:

"As per measures adopted by the company, because we've reached the number of 30 positive cases on board, from June 12, the crew shore leave is suspended until further notice.

We look forward to continuing on your collaboration to low the number of cases respecting protocols in place." 

Understanding the current situation onboard MSC Seaside and implementing additional health measures to try to contain the virus, not allowing the crew to go ashore might not be the best way to go ahead with the restrictions. The right to go out in port, or as most of the cruise lines love to present this as a privilege for the crew, is one of the most important aspects of the seafarers' wellbeing. And while guests have full shore leave, notwithstanding any restrictions, not allowing crew access will make them depressed and will reflect on the daily work assignments, and ultimately reflect on the guest experience.

In the previous announcement, MSC Cruises said that is looking at the possibility to restore the protocol, which they used during the peak of the pandemic, disembarking positive crew to shore facilities in order to contain the number of positive cases on board. Hopefully, this will not happen and the number of positive crew will decline.