Discover the secret numbers that make up an MSC cruise

Relaxed holidaymakers often don’t realize the complex reality that lies behind their wonderfully simple 7-day cruise. While guests bask in the sun, enjoy drinks around the pool or tickle their taste buds with succulent meals in one of the gourmet on board restaurants, it’s hard to imagine the number of people who are working on board to make this magic happen, be it backstage or on the front-line.

So let’s have a closer look at these people and their professions.

For instance, did you know that on board the 12 ships in the MSC Cruises’ fleet, over 2,230 cooks and kitchen staff and approximately 1,000 among artists, dancers and musicians are working?

Did you know that 110 plumbers are on board the fleet 24 hours a day, ready to fix all kinds of problems that can occur in anything from the kitchen’s industrial fridges to the hundreds of kilometres of on board piping? Did you know that there is even a crew of over 120 people to take care of polishing glasses and oiling locks and gears? Or that 100 firemen compose the MSC fleet fire brigade and nearly 50 people work in the ships’ medical facilities? Not to mention the 80 electricians and 54 carpenters who constantly renovate, maintain and repair, keeping MSC’s beautiful state-of-the-art ships looking as good as the day they were christened.

 

MSC Cruises is proud of its Mediterranean heritage that brings with it a vast knowledge of breads and flours. Did you know that there’s a proper bakery on board every ship, with a team of eight to 14 people split over the day and night shift? At least one speciality “pizzaiolo” (pizza maker) is also part of the team, delighting guests with the 20 different varieties of MSC’s signature authentic Italian pizzas.

Between 600 and 1000 kg of sweets and bread are produced daily depending on the class of ship, but do not expect an industrial production of only one kind of bread. Guests can find breadsticks, various varieties of bread rolls, toasts and buns, pumpernickel (rye bread) as well as speciality focaccias (with onions, grilled vegetables and fresh tomatoes), French baguettes, viennoiserie, croissants, muffins and vollkorn brot.