The dreaded boat drill...when is it held on Regatta?

[mringenoldus]

Our roll call members are really looking forward to getting together. We sail at 6:00 PM from Miami next month.

 

We are trying to decide if it is feasible to gather after the boat drill but before sailaway. Has anyone been on Caribbean Pearls or Regatta recently to know what time the drill may be?

 

Thanks!!

[StanandJim]

We are trying to decide if it is feasible to gather after the boat drill but before sailaway.

 

When we sailed on Caribbean Pearls, that window of time did not exist. The boat drill immediatly preceded Sail Away. In fact, the ship sailed before we got back to our cabin to put away our life jackets.

[mringenoldus]

That's exactly what we neeed to know! Thanks!!

 

Now it appears it would need to be following sailaway but before dinner - or the next day which is a sea day.

 

Did your rollcall gather? If so when and where?? Would Oceania help organize anything (similar to RCCL?)

[StanandJim]

Did your rollcall gather? If so when and where?? Would Oceania help organize anything (similar to RCCL?)

 

Or Caribbean Pearls Roll-Call did gather, in Horizons, I believe that it was that next morning at sea.

 

Oceania does not participate in organizing the Cruise Critic Parties as such.

 

If someone from your group contacts the concierge, they will assign you a meeting place and even send out invitations to your group (if you give them a list of cabin #'s). This can be helpful because sometimes the time and place that you have picked to meet conflicts with some other occasion that the ship has planned.

 

Food and drink wise, you're on your own.

[mringenoldus]

Thank you!!

[lyndenfa]

We returned Saturday, Jan 30 from the Panama crossing. Our group was small, we met in Horizon's the second day after lunch and before tea. We arranged it on our own.

[Friscorays]

We did the Caribbean Pearls this past December.

 

Lifeboat drill was 5:15 pm with sailaway at 6:00 pm

 

We did an informal Cruise Critic meet and great during happy hour the first sea day up in Horizons and had a surprisingly high attendance, around thirty people.

[bbwex]

You know, in 99.999% of the cases, they turn out not to have been critical, but you surely want to know what to do in case of a problem. By the way, you might find that they use the "muster" drill for other things as well. If they think someone fell overboard, they are likely to do a muster drill to take a head count.

 

You likely wear your seat belt even though most times you don't have an accident. I love going out to sea on a sailboat, motor boat, or large ship. But do not believe that just because you are on a big steel ship that nothing can happen. Mother Nature can get pretty darn ornery at times.

[mringenoldus]

You're absolutely right - but it's the only thing on a cruise I can even begin to complain about :)

[Kruzin Again !]

We had a group of about 15 meet for breakfast in the MDR at 9am on the 2nd sea day. The staff had reserved 3 tables for us.

[hondorner]

We had a group of about 15 meet for breakfast in the MDR at 9am on the 2nd sea day. The staff had reserved 3 tables for us.

That's great idea. The MDR always has plenty of room for breakfast or lunch, and letting them know how many will be coming allows them to put on extra staff if necessary. Plus, very few activities have kicked off at breakfast time on a sea day, so the meeting will probably not interfere with anyone's plans. And, there is no need to worry about appetizers and goodies.

[StanandJim]

That's great idea. The MDR always has plenty of room for breakfast or lunch

 

Great minds work alike, Cintipam has been extolling breakfast CC meetings of late, also.

[Rickey 88]

Not meaning to hi-jack a thread, but wouldn't this be a solution to our Panama Transit cruise next year? That might avoid any conflict that might happen if we tried for Horizons...

[yorkiemomjn]

That's great idea. The MDR always has plenty of room for breakfast or lunch, and letting them know how many will be coming allows them to put on extra staff if necessary. Plus, very few activities have kicked off at breakfast time on a sea day, so the meeting will probably not interfere with anyone's plans. And, there is no need to worry about appetizers and goodies.

 

 

Don, I like that idea, too. Maybe that is a good idea for our April 4 cruise. Right now, we have 34 people.

 

Judy

[CintiPam]

Great minds work alike, Cintipam has been extolling breakfast CC meetings of late, also.

 

Keep the praise coming! I need something to rev me up for shoveling another six inches of snow later today!

 

Breakfast is my plan in late April on Regatta because our first port after sail away from Venice is Dubrovnik at 11 AM, so plenty of time to mingle and enjoy breakfast in the GDR without interfering with anyone's sightseeing plans.

[shedevil]

Our roll call members are really looking forward to getting together. We sail at 6:00 PM from Miami next month.

 

We are trying to decide if it is feasible to gather after the boat drill but before sailaway. Has anyone been on Caribbean Pearls or Regatta recently to know what time the drill may be?

 

Thanks!!

 

A TA friend of mine told me to introduce myself to the folks in my lifeboat station during the lifeboat drill. She said it is a quick way to meet your neighbors and if there is a problem....you will be missed quicker if you don't show up at the lifeboat station. Plus you get to take those goofy photos in your life jacket.

 

Sidenote - I love the idea of the early morning CC meetings. I saw somewhere else that some folks meet up in Horizons Lounge while they still have the continental breakfast laid out. Viola - food and beverage service for free.

[mringenoldus]

That's what we ultimately decided to do at 10:30 a.m. the second day (which is a sea day) Since the bar opens at 10:00, people will have their choice of drinks or coffee/juice.

[BlewWater]

The title of this post caught my eye ("the dreaded lifeboat drill...). I'm sure the original poster meant it in jest.

 

It got me wondering though...do some people really feel this way about the lifeboat drill?

 

Come to think of it, it seems that on every lifeboat drill, there are always a few who have scowls on their faces, seem appalled that they actually have to put this orange thing around their neck, and grumble like it is the most inconveniencing they have ever experienced.

 

My wife and I are actually entertained by these people. They expend so much energy at being inconvenienced. And quite often we see them during the course of the cruise, and notice that they are having issues with other aspects of their cruise also. I'm sure their glasses are always half empty, not half full.

 

Cheers to those who don't just tolerate the lifeboat drill, but actually have some fun with it, and make it one of the enjoyable rituals of cruising!

[mringenoldus]

I was just just being funny - anything so someone will checkout the thread!

 

I don't HATE the lifeboat drill, but I can't say I wouldn't skip it up if someone issued me a pass :)

 

It is a necessary bit of bother if God forbid there were ever an emergency.

[StanandJim]

It is a necessary bit of bother if God forbid there were ever an emergency

 

Funny (or sad) story, I was once on the Queen of Bermuda, out of NYC with the worlds worst toothache, so bad that they let me skip the drill.

I would much rather have been in with the rest of you. :rolleyes:

[RetiredFL]

But if you had the worlds worst toothache how could you skip the "drill"!!!:D

[SunDapple]

But if you had the worlds worst toothache how could you skip the "drill"!!!:D

 

:D :D :D

 

 

Life boat drills aren't dreaded, but they are drudgery. I would happily take a pass on them too, but just like the airline "safety talk" at the beginning of each flight, it's always good to refresh your memory. In the case of Oceania, sailing on essentially the "same" ship over and over, it really feels way less necessary.