A crew member of the cruise ship MSC Euribia reached out to share something that’s been weighing heavily on them. The crew member said that since MSC introduced a new position in housekeeping, things onboard have reportedly gone downhill. Instead of teamwork, there’s tension, pressure, and a lot of frustration between housekeeping stewards and cabin stewards.
“This is my 7th,” the crew member said. “I’ve never felt this discouraged by a colleague in all my years at sea.” contract with MSC
Right now, housekeeping stewards are expected to clean 36 bathrooms in five hours, helping six different cabin stewards. On paper, there’s supposed to be rotation so everyone gets treated fairly. In reality? Not so much.
“I’m constantly getting calls, being rushed, being told to come help first,” the crew member shared. “You wake up, and before the day even starts, you’re already stressed.”
On embarkation days when everyone knows the chaos pressure gets worse. The crew member says they were told all 36 bathrooms had to be done by 10:30 a.m., even though some cabin stewards with fewer cabins were still working until mid-afternoon.
“If You Can’t Do It, Just Go Home”
What really crossed the line wasn’t the workload, it was the way people talked.
The crew member says they were told that if they couldn’t keep up, they should sign off and go home.
“Hearing that first thing in the morning kills your motivation,” they wrote. “It makes you feel like nothing you do is ever enough.”
Doing Jobs That Aren’t Even Yours
On top of that, the crew member says they’re being told to do things that aren’t even in their job description like making beds or scrubbing floors, sometimes by someone who isn’t even finishing their own cabins.
“That’s not my job,” the crew member said. “But somehow it becomes my problem.”
Hardest Part? Feeling Trapped
The worst part, they say, is knowing there are still months left on the contract especially for crew who just embarked.
“I don’t feel good anymore,” the crew member admitted. “I honestly don’t know if I can make it to the end.”
Is This Happening on Your Ship Too?
The crew member asked for this to be shared anonymously, not to attack anyone but to ask a simple question:
Is this happening on other MSC cruise ships too?
Ships only work when there’s respect and teamwork. When that’s gone, no amount of “efficiency” can fix it.
If you’re MSC crew and this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Sometimes just knowing others are dealing with the same thing makes a difference.
