Parts of this episode were filmed aboard the MSC Divina. The sailing was a full ship of 4,300 passengers and with over 250 cast and crew aboard, they had to film very early in the morning or very late at night in order not to disturb the passengers traveling.
When Ivan and Shelley meet for a Romanoff get together they say they don't really care about their own genealogy. In real life Noah Wyle went on the genealogy show Who do you think you are to find out more about his moms side.