Marco Romano

Ensuring the correct management of the onboard financial processes and analysis. Responsible for all financial operations with direct reporting to the Hotel Director. Regularly engaging with the Guest Services and OBR management to best address situations and impact of accounting processes for guests' experience.

Main responsibilities and duties held:

• Final settlement of guests account
• All on board payment system
• Settle system accounts at the end of the cruise and report any discrepancies
• Overseeing: prepaid amenities, service charges, cash limit, commissions, routings, discounts, shipboard credits, cash advances and check out operations
• Treasury, embarkation and disembarkation of cash, exchange rates
• Setting new cruises in Fidelio/Otalio according to the ship's cruise calendar
• Completing cashbook, enabling/disabling VAT
• Secure data management
• Data analysis
• Cash machines management
• Management and trainings of AFD's
• Administrative management of onboard cash operations
• Accounting supervision of onboard concessionaires and financial management of related offices: crew office, immigration office, and financial office plus overseeing the financial management of the OBR departments (Shorex, Aurea SPA, HUB & Casino)

During those 7 years I covered the both positions swapping between one contract and another

I covered the position of Accounting Manager where the duties are similar to the ones previously described on top in the Finance director field but in a slimmer version

The position did not have the all the administrative part combined to it.

The main focus at that time related to the position of the Accounting Manager was: cash handling, credit card supervision, all accounting operations, problem solving and system management (Fidelio, Micros, R POS, DTS, Global blue, Symphony)

During this length of time I had been assigned also to the Crew office fitting the position of Crew Purser, who is the Hotel Administrator of the crew members.

• Administration of crew wages
• Immigration and customs documentation
• Crew sign-on and sign-off and medical check-ups
• Storage of crew's passports, seaman's books, copies of contract and all documents from present crew on board
• Issue crew guarantee letters and general relating to ships' personnel
• Performing all crew payroll functions, issuing wage slips to crew and sending reports to Head offices
• Responsible for onboard financial administration
• Head of the exchange and financial office
• Financial oversight of onboard concessionaire operations

Maintaining accurate guests documentation to ensure the ship is granted a timely and compliant clearance in port. Working diplomatically with all shoreside local authorities.

Main functions and responsibilities held:

• Supervision and management of onboard immigration documentation
• Coordination with the bridge on document expiration and updates
• Collection and safekeeping of passenger passports
• Preparation of required documentation for authorities (harbour master, immigration police, customs, etc.)
• Responsible for maintaining/updating guest data in the onboard Passenger Manifest System, ensuring accuracy at all times
• Responsible for collection, safekeeping and return against receipt of the passports collected by guests
• Prepares landing cards and customs forms as per local requirements
• Establishes direct contact with the shipping agents to ensure any prearrival documentation is submitted in a timely fashion and to verify the expected paperwork for arrival ship’s clearance
• Upon arrival formalities, swiftly obtains from port Officials permission to allow guests and crew to proceed ashore (Free Pratique)
• Promptly informs the Bridge, Staff Captain, Hotel Dir, Hotel Services Dir, and Finance Dir as soon as the Free Pratique (arrival/departure) is granted
• Ensures guest complaints are received with empathy and care, in line with Company standards
• Ensures Customs and Immigration related guest complaints are accurately documented in Fidelio/Otalio taking ownership, meeting guests and escalating issues as appropriate

This is first position that I covered with MSC Cruises with the rank of a cadet purser. This was my first approach to financial operations that lead my interest to grow and make a career into this department. I learnt how to work in a team and developed my communication and problem solving skills. Following the supervision of the Accounting Manager the main duties and tasks assigned were:

• Managing cash transactions at the front desk
• Performing daily credit card limit checks
• Applying SBC, discounts, pre-booked and prepaid charges, and routed charges into guest accounts
• Balance the assigned cash float
• Process all MMS orders and maintained archiving