The Marine Hotel Association’s (MHA) Conference at Sea is offering key access to a MHA member companies with cruise line decision makers this week aboard the MSC Divina, sailing roundtrip from Miami.
The Conference at Sea is being hosted by MSC Cruises on a four-day sailing aboard the Divina, as MHA members also experienced the new and just-opened Ocean Cay – MSC Marine Reserve.
Early Conference at Sea Highlights
- The MHA opened the event on Tuesday with a luncheon aboard the 2013-built vessel with a keynote address delivered by Ken Muskat, executive vice president and chief operating officer, MSC Cruises USA.
- Remarks were also delivered by Giorgio Zagami, vice president of procurement and logistics for MSC Cruises, who is based in Geneva. Zagami was also the host of the Supply Chain Logistics panel discussion on Wednesday morning alongside Philippe Faucher, vice president, global business development of The Apollo Group.
- Hosted dinners on Tuesday evening in the ship’s main dining room saw cruise line executives each host a table of MHA members.
- Also aboard for the sailing is Paolo Raia, MSC’s new managing director of its food and beverage division.
- MHA members were also welcomed on Wednesday morning by MSC Cruises USA Chairman Rick Sasso, who addressed the group.
- Wednesday’s Supply Chain Logistics Discussion featured a number of cruise operators and vessel management companies, with no shortage of vendor questions ranging from email and phone communication methods to warehouse inventories, purchasing, supply chain wish lists and more. Vendors heard from a wide-range of companies, including major cruise lines and smaller niche brands.
- A behind-the-scenes galley tour was well attended and spanned nearly 90 minutes as the group was split up into smaller teams of 10, each hosted by one of the ship’s senior chefs. MHA members went behind the scenes just before dinner prep, viewing assembly lines, cleaning and sanitation methods, cold storage areas and more.
