Life Boat Drill Question

[SULLJO]

How does Celebrity handle the lifeboat drill on embarkation day? Thanks!

[Orator]

You will go to an assigned meeting spot. Might be the Theater or the MDR, or some other location. You will not bring your lifejacket or go to the life boats. You will view a safety video and see a demonstration. Not very long or complicated. You must attend.

[SULLJO]

You will go to an assigned meeting spot. Might be the Theater or the MDR, or some other location. You will not bring your lifejacket or go to the life boats. You will view a safety video and see a demonstration. Not very long or complicated. You must attend.

 

 

Thanks for the quick replay. Glad we aren't on deck.

[FunCruiser56]

We had ours in Michael's Club, sadly many paid no attention and some people talked through the whole video. You could watch it in your cabin and get more info if this is how they will do it. While it was a comfortable way to do it we missed standing out on the lifeboat deck in our lifejackets:rolleyes:

 

Bev

[cruisestitch]

While the "experience" :) of standing around in life jackets is one many of us remember, it turns out that was actually one of the more dangerous things we would do on board -- the belts were so long it was easy to trip over them, and it was difficult to see where you were stepping, so those pesky lips at the doorways ended up tripping lots of passengers! So much for the safety drill!

 

Seriously, there are supposed to be personnel in each venue reminding passengers to pay attention to the film. Somebody dropped the ball on that one if they didn't do their job.

[Lsimon]

While the "experience" :) of standing around in life jackets is one many of us remember, it turns out that was actually one of the more dangerous things we would do on board ...

 

The thing that always got me was all the people who be happily blowing the whistles attached to the life preservers... ...without any regard as to who had had their mouth on them during prior cruises' muster drills or if the prior cruise had a noro outbreak. Yuck!

 

I do not miss having to wear and cart around the life preservers.

[excitedofharpenden]

 

Seriously, there are supposed to be personnel in each venue reminding passengers to pay attention to the film. Somebody dropped the ball on that one if they didn't do their job.

I think a lot of the issue is the location of your muster station. We were in a forward cabin on Eclipse and ours was in the Celebrity Theatre. It worked very well. Plenty of room and everyone seemed to be paying attention and crew were walking the aisles. I'd go there every time out of choice. Another time our station was Michael's Club. There just isn't enough space in there and I ended up having to come out because it was so hot and claustrophobic. Good luck to the crew trying to manage it at that venue.

 

Phil

[supered]

Some cruise lines use muster stations but tell you to bring your lifejacket and then make you put in on after giving a demo. We have experienced this with P&O and Cunard (perhaps it's a Carnival Corporation thing). We've also been on a couple of cruises in the last few years were you all lined up on the boat deck and put on your lifejackets! So each line does something slightly different that works for them.

 

Happy cruising.

 

Eddie

[miched]

.

 

 

We were in AQ on the Solstice. We were assigned to the entertainment court outside of the theater on deck 5. There were no seats and had to stand the whole time. There were some monitors to watch but were basically useless as if you weren't close to them you couldn't see over the people in front of you.

 

 

 

.

[jcrandle]

How does Celebrity handle the lifeboat drill on embarkation day? Thanks!

Efficiently!

[gyanhumara]

The thing that always got me was all the people who be happily blowing the whistles attached to the life preservers... ...without any regard as to who had had their mouth on them during prior cruises' muster drills or if the prior cruise had a noro outbreak. Yuck!

 

I do not miss having to wear and cart around the life preservers.

 

Well, there goes one of my "fond" memories! Do they still initiate the drill within an hour or so of departure?

[Sloop-JohnB]

We had ours in Michael's Club, sadly many paid no attention and some people talked through the whole video. You could watch it in your cabin and get more info if this is how they will do it. While it was a comfortable way to do it we missed standing out on the lifeboat deck in our lifejackets:rolleyes:

 

Bev

 

QUESTION...

 

Does this mean that you actually can view the video in your cabin (if the Muster Drill is horrible... ie can't see / hear / whatever)

 

OR

 

Is the idea of watching in the cabin really a "wish" that many Travellers would like to see vs going to the Muster Drill.

 

Just curious...

 

Realize totally that GOING to Muster Drill is COMPULSORY.

 

Cheers!

[Lsimon]

Well, there goes one of my "fond" memories! Do they still initiate the drill within an hour or so of departure?

 

Our last two Caribbean cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale or Miami it was 45 min before departure

 

In Barcelona it was 4:30 for a 6PM departure.

 

Last trip out of San Juan, 2 years ago, it was 5:30 for an 8:30 PM departure

 

QUESTION...

 

Does this mean that you actually can view the video in your cabin (if the Muster Drill is horrible... ie can't see / hear / whatever)?

Nope. You have to report to your muster station for the presentation, only a portion of which is video. Attendance is mandatory.

[Freecall]

How does Celebrity handle the lifeboat drill on embarkation day?

 

Given that we are going on a cruise (not a holiday camp), we ought at least attempt to to get the terminology correct.

 

Passengers on X are not required to participate in the lifeboat drills. Crew members are required to participate but this would only be required of passengers in the case of very small ships (fewer than 20 pax).

 

You are however required to participate in an assembly at your assigned muster station (sometimes called 'muster drill'). This must take place within the 12 hours prior to departure or the 24 hours after departure.

 

In the case of X, the company usually arranges this immediately prior to departure and have re-branded it 'emergency drill'.

 

Apologies for being a pedant but the whole nautical experience is supposed to be half the fun.

 

.

[EithneMay]

I like the changes, and I have found that the staff do a good job making sure people are paying attention. We had several people around us told to put down their books and/or turn off their cell phones. The staff also did a great job making it entertaining when demonstrating what to do.

 

I also like the addition of the appropriate behavior and conduct code to the life boat drill announcement.

[GregNVNY]

The muster drills are just to make you familiar where to go during the real thing. There is really nothing else to do but stand (or sit if there are seats and you get there early). Only if your fortunate to be in the theater or in a strategic area will you see the video.

 

On my very first cruise on the Solstice we were lined up in the photo display area and it was literally the same as being corralled in a Tokyo subway car during rush hour in Shinjuku station. If you lost your balance, you would not fall due to the dense mass of people surrounding you. This is why it became extremely hot. I would say that was the worst one.

 

On the Summit and Eclipse cruises, it was more comfortable because we went early to grab a chair in Michael's Club. But still the video could not be viewed. On the Eclipse, people were all talking so you couldn't even hear it. One of the staff became angry and told everybody to be quiet but a few seconds later, everyone just resumed talking.

 

I guess it would be nice to have access to the video on the stateroom TV.

[Freecall]

I guess it would be nice to have access to the video on the stateroom TV.

 

Although I have not done so myself, it is my understanding that you can watch the video in your stateroom.

 

At the end of the presentation on our last cruise it was suggested that we did so by the Captain in order to ensure that we had not missed anything.

 

.

[bjtomko]

Silly question, but if you are new to cruising will this all be self-explanatory? Where to go, when to go, etc?

[cruisestitch]

Yes it will all be made very clear. A couple of things to look for: on the back of your stateroom door is a map and your muster station is clearly labeled. If you happen to be in your stateroom when the signal goes off, your steward will tell you where your muster station is. There will be staff posted all along the stairways to guide you as well. The alarm can't be missed -- first, about a half an hour before, there will be an announcement over the PA system that muster drill will commence in half an hour, then a reminder about fifteen minutes later, then the actual signal. During the muster drill all ship's services are suspended so no bar service, no food service, no spa services, etc. They will "sweep" all the corridors and public spaces, shooing passengers off to the drill area. They will also inspect each stateroom to make sure that they are empty. The crew take it all very seriously and they will make sure you know where to report.