USPH

Commonly, on most ships, the VSP (Vessel Sanitation Program)
is referred to as USPH (United States Public Health)

The Goal and purpose of VSP:
To achieve and maintain a level of sanitation that will lower the risk of food borne disease outbreaks and to provide a healthful environment for guests and crew on-board all cruise ships. (Personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing, receiving/storing/preparation and service of safe food).

The Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is a cooperative activity between the cruise ship industry and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the USPH service and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Short history:
When cruise vacations became very popular in the early 1970's, reports of cases of illness caused by the food and water served onboard cruise ships became frequent.
Between 1970 and 1975, the United States Public Health Service short USPH began to conduct investigations of these reports, and by 1975, a regular inspection of all cruise ships entering U.S. ports was underway. The purpose of these inspections was to evaluate the ships for compliance with certain standards of sanitation.

STCW95 Certificat

Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers short STCW

Every crewmember as in the catering arrear on a passenger-and cruise vessel has to obtain an STCW95 certificate.

In order to do so,every future crewmember has to attend courses in Basic Safety Training and Crowd Management such as:

Personal survival techniquesFire prevention and fire fighting
Elementary first aid
Personal safety and social responsibilities
Crowd Management Training
Familiarization Training

The crewmembers have to pay for the course on shore side (some cruise lines have their own standards, practicing and holding courses directly on their vessels). In Rostock/Germany the course takes 4 days, and costs 270,- €. Some international maritime school can also provide STCW95 courses. Costs from 200,- € up to 2000,- €.

Once the course is done, the certificate is valid 5 years on international passenger-and cruise vessel.

C1/d Visa

The "C1 / D" Crew member / Transit Visa is a non-immigrant visa for persons desiring to enter the United States as a passenger to join a vessel. In determining whether the services of a person are required for normal operation and service on board a vessel, the consular officer shall take into account the alien's responsibilities and activities on the ship. For example, a restaurant waiter or a Housekeeper employed on board a luxury liner, is classifiable as a crewman.

Back to Crew Info.