Safety on board, Security Guide, CVSSA, Crime Response - FAQ | MSC Cruises (2024)

Before we depart, there will be a compulsory emergency drill (or briefing, if you embark in a secondary port)
In accordance with the international Convention for the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS), you are all required to take part in the emergency drill, where you will learn the correct way to put on your life-jacket and the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency.

Children 0-12 years
If you are travelling with infants or children under the age of 12 years, on embarkation they will be provided with an ID wristband which must be worn for the entire duration of the cruise. In the unlikely event of an emergency while your children are involved in children’s club activities, our staff will escort them to the Children’s Pick-up Area where they will wait for you to arrive and proceed with them to your Muster Station/Assembly Station.

Security protection
Guests are protected by a comprehensive system of security, such as the MSC Cruises Access Control and Screening System, which requires proof of identity to access with tickets and on a pre-approved list. Also all luggage must pass through strict check-points, cabins are protected by locks and individually equipped with safe boxes, public areas are monitored by cameras, and highly trained Ship Security Officers continuously patrol the ship and are on emergency call 24/7.

Code of conduct
We want every Guest to have a truly enjoyable cruise experience. Therefore, MSC Cruises does not tolerate any behavior affecting the comfort, health, safety, and security of other Guests or our crew. Please refer to the contract conditions for more details on this important policy.

All cruise ships are designed and operated in compliance with the strict requirements of the International Maritime Organization, the UN agency that mandates global standards for the safety and operation of cruise ships through adoption of treaties, regulations and resolutions, codified in the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention.

Safety-related regulations and requirements are rigorous – and ships often go substantially above and beyond what is required, for example carrying backup mechanical, navigational and safety provisions.

Ships crews undertake extensive training, certification, drills and scenarios for emergency situations, including the evacuation of a ship.

All cruise ships have lifeboats, life rafts and life preservers for every person on board as well as additional capacity.

Upon embarkation in the main ports, all guests are requested to participate in a one-hour safety drill conducted in the 6 languages.

The Safety drills involve the entire crew and simulate the evacuation procedure, with guests requested to take their respective life jackets from their cabins and go to the assigned Muster Station where they receive additional safety instructions. In secondary ports, before the ship's departure, a detailed safety briefing is also held for all newly-embarked guests.

The safety briefing is normally held in a dedicated area (usually the theatre or a Muster Station) and does not involve all the crew, being conducted by a group of social hostesses and animators that helps guests to familiarise themselves with the safety equipment and procedures.

The Safety briefings and drills are all fully compliant with the strict SOLAS requirements.

Maps on the location of the different muster stations are displayed in all public areas and staircases etc. All public areas also feature arrows showing the way to the muster stations and indicating the staircases to reach them.

In addition, a safety video (in Italian and English) is broadcast 24/7 on the in-cabin television system on channel 1.

The crew receive regular training ashore, before embarkation and on board. The comprehensive on-board training coordinated by the ship’s Safety Officer consists of 4 two-hour modules, as follows:

A. Preliminary
B. Emergency instructions
C. Fire-fighting
D. Life-saving

A significant part of Section D is dedicated to management of the lifeboats. All crew members directly in charge of lifeboats receive additional and specific training on how to prepare, lower, pilot and maintain the lifeboats.

The cruise industry adheres to the rigid regulations contained in the International Convention for the Safety Of Life at Sea (SOLAS) as developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

These regulations include fire prevention, fire protection and extinguishing systems, crew training and fire emergency response.

MSC ships have been designed to allow the isolation of fire and smoke and the MSC Cruises’ fleet, like all cruise ships complying with industry standards, are equipped with a variety of passive fire-and smoke-fighting measures, including fire-rated interior doors and partitions, fire dampers and ventilation systems. Ships include smoke management systems with fire and smoke dampers and, in addition to fire doors, segregation of ventilation, and pressurized hallways to contain smoke and prevent it from spreading.

Rules and regulations to prevent and to contain smoke and fire are in place and strictly followed on board all MSC cruise ships.

The MSC Cruises’ fleet uses several different systems for the prevention of fire. The main system for prevention is the Consilium System which consists of different types of detectors located throughout the ship and divided by the type of the area to be monitored. This prevention system is supported by Fire Patrol, a patrol operated by on board firemen 24 hours a day, in four hour shifts. The patrol is recorded by a digital system with several points located in various areas of the vessel.

The MSC Cruises’ fleet uses several different systems to control the spread of fire and smoke including fire-rated interior doors and partitions, fire dampers and ventilation systems.

The main fire fighting system is the Hi-Fog, high-pressure water mist fire protection system, which suppresses and extinguishes fires by discharging a fine water mist at high velocity. The water mist is made by the system when it activates, pushing water at high pressure through specially designed, sprinkler and spray heads.

Crew members are extensively trained to ensure that they react effectively and appropriately in case of fire or smoke. In line with the Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping (STCW) 1995, all crew must take Basic Safety Training (BST) – which includes basic firefighting.

A fire drill is also carried out on board each MSC ship every week, in a different area of the ship.

The emergency plan for controlling fire on board MSC vessels is executed by our four Fire Patrols, one of which is dedicated to engine room fires, and two cooling teams. All teams are trained and coordinated by the onboard Safety Officer.

To report a missing person or criminal activity during your cruise we recommend to immediately dial tel. 99 for prompt assistance. For a missing U.S. national and serious felonies, as per the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 (homicide, suspicious death, kidnapping, assault with serious bodily injury, sexual assaults as defined by federal laws, firing or tampering with the vessel, or theft of money or property in excess of $10.000) the incident must be reported to the F.B.I. as soon as possible and to the U.S. Coast Guard, see the following contact numbers:

There requirements applyin U.S. waters, or on the highseas or in foreign waters if the assailant/victim is a U.S. national.
The nations visited and the vessel’s registry may also impose further requirements. MSC Cruises reserves the right to report any allegation to law enforcements. For incidents in foreign waters/ports, you may contact the closest U.S. Embassy/Consulate:

ANTIGUA, GUADELOUPE, ST LUCIA, ST KITTS, ST VINCENT, BRITISH & U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS refer to BARBADOS contacts

We remind you to report immediately any incident to the Reception – Guest Service to assist you, tel. 99. We trust you experience a safe, enjoyable and secure cruise