Will you bother to turn up for the lifeboat drill next time?

[will773]

I always go. No reason I wouldn't.

[tanelicus]

I was under the impression it's required.

[Willo60]

I have been on many different cruise lines and whether it took 15 mins or 1 hour to be briefed there is only so much this type of presentation can prepare you for an emergency .

The crew are the people who actually coordinate the rescue operation . In the case of the Concordia there seems to have been some discrepancy amongst the crew in who done what . There are not many people who can have had experience of a real life rescue of a ship listing . This is when the calmness of a daily dress rehearsal gives way to possible loss of life and mounting stress in real life decision making .

[LittleMissMagic]

I thought you had to go to the drill. When we get to our muster station, they check our entire party off of a list. I thought if you didn't go, you got called back later to do it by yourself.

[Grandiva]

There is no way to avoid it now. If you don't show up they come looking for you!! They come right into your stateroom. :o

 

 

And leave you a letter, as they did us on our first cruise although we were at the drill.

[chipmaster]

I asked my mother in-law that this morning... the reality is whether you do or not the drills I've been on will not really do much when a huge fast moving disaster like what happened on the Costa happened.

 

When your boat sustains this kind of damage you don't have hours to evacuate and a ship of that size will have crew and many many passengers which with the demographics don't react well to high stress fast reaction situations :eek:

 

I wonder on my/your next cruise will everyone will turn up the the drill?

 

 

Not stay sat down to breakfast, or guarding their sunbeds for dear life, or pretend this is the second week of their cruise and they did the drill last week.... llike people do now.

[wwcruisers]

or pretend this is the second week of their cruise and they did the drill last week.... llike people do now.

 

I've been on several back-to-back cruises, and, although the b2b'ers are always the first passengers on board, neither they nor anyone else is excused from the muster drill on an RC ship.

[B_Mc]

Yes. Why wouldn't I? Never skipped...

[lrn2cruise]

How is it that people don't show up for the drill? They scanned our cards and did not start the drill until everyone who was supposed to be there showed up.

 

 

Yep! We were scanned and I am sure anyone else on RC was too. My next door cabin didnt show up. I saw her on the balcony later and talked to her. She just had knee surgery and chose not to go. I dont know if she got reprimanded or not

[Willo60]

I have been on many different cruise lines and whether it took 15 mins or 1 hour to be briefed there is only so much this type of presentation can prepare you for an emergency .

The crew are the people who actually coordinate the rescue operation . In the case of the Concordia there seems to have been some discrepancy amongst the crew in who done what . There are not many people who can have had experience of a real life rescue of a ship listing . This is when the calmness of a daily dress rehearsal gives way to possible loss of life and mounting stress in real life decision making .

 

I didnt mention that I always attend the drill . No exception !

[CruisinGerman]

I am guilty of not attending the muster drill on our last RCCL cruises. However, we always privately go to our muster station and make sure we know where it is.

 

Everything stated in this thread is not exactly true -- yes they knock on your door but do not enter the room and do not look for people who don't attend. And they really don't do anything to those who don't attend.

 

Also, I find it hypocritical that the cruise lines themselves (through their lobbying group CLIA) make their own safety rules. All of a sudden since they built Freedom and Oasis Class, the cruise lines have decided that it is too cumbersome for so many passengers to walk around the ship wearing their lifevests, and now all of a sudden the life vests are no longer required.

 

However, in the future I will attend the drill and, in any case, after yesterday's tragedy, I suspect we will be seeing drastic changes to the way the drill is done in the near future.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Tyron]

I have cruised with RCI numerous times and I can honestly say that the muster drill was conducted BEFORE sail away on day 1! Attendance was checked as well as cabins, public areas, etc were cleared and searched for passengers.

 

And I've witnessed the crew engaged in their drills by day 2 or 3.

[Langley Cruisers]

We always attend & will continue to do so. My only problem is with the inconsiderate passengers that arrive 15 - 20 minutes late & think it's a big joke.

 

Agreed on all counts. Thank you for speaking for us as well.

[CruisinGerman]

Costa also does its drill the same day. The problem with this ship and itinerary in particular is the fact that there is embarkation in the varous ports nearly every day of the itinerary which makes it difficult to do a full drill.

 

RCCL also has several itineraries (Grandeur from Colón in winter season comes to mind) with one main embarkation and a secondary embarkation from another port the day after, and RCCL is also lax with the muster drill for the people who embark the second day.

 

This is one of the practices I suspect will be addressed and changed industry-wide after this tragic incident.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Tyron]

I am guilty of not attending the muster drill on our last RCCL cruises. However, we always privately go to our muster station and make sure we know where it is.

 

Everything stated in this thread is not exactly true -- yes they knock on your door but do not enter the room and do not look for people who don't attend. And they really don't do anything to those who don't attend.

 

Also, I find it hypocritical that the cruise lines themselves (through their lobbying group CLIA) make their own safety rules. All of a sudden since they built Freedom and Oasis Class, the cruise lines have decided that it is too cumbersome for so many passengers to walk around the ship wearing their lifevests, and now all of a sudden the life vests are no longer required.

 

However, in the future I will attend the drill and, in any case, after yesterday's tragedy, I suspect we will be seeing drastic changes to the way the drill is done in the near future.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

I respectfully disagree...I think RCI explored options in making an evacuation as safe and quick as possible. It's not always wise to think an emergency is going to occur when everyone is in or near their cabin. Having thousands of passengers trying to get back to their cabins would be a NIGHTMARE and IMO a waste of valuable time.

[BecciBoo]

Although it IS extremely annoying because of so many repeats, it has never occurred to me not to show up. It is mandatory, why fight it. I used to advocate getting there late to avoid the crush, but now we just go early and hope everyone else does too so we can all get done with it ASAP. But I study the back of my door to make sure I know where the boat is and how to get there as soon as we walk in our cabin.

If we had been on the Concordia, as we discussed yesterday morning, we would have made straight for our cabin to retrieve our important papers and the life vests immediately upon that loud boom and the lurch of the ship as Mickey d related. In fact at that time of night, we probably would've been in our cabin.

 

And: "Also, I find it hypocritical that the cruise lines themselves (through their lobbying group CLIA) make their own safety rules. All of a sudden since they built Freedom and Oasis Class, the cruise lines have decided that it is too cumbersome for so many passengers to walk around the ship wearing their lifevests, and now all of a sudden the life vests are no longer required."

It was not so much a fact of being cumbersome as it was a hazard. I have tripped several times coming down the stairs with the vest on. I for one am glad for not needing the vest on anymore. It's safer!

[CruisinGerman]

It's very easy for one to write on a message board what they would have done and how they would have behaved. However, when actually immersed in the situation, trauma, shock, fear, survival instincts all play differently on even the most calm and organized human beings.

 

Also, for the majority of passengers, who were Italians, 9:30 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. is more like late afternoon for most others, and most passengers would have been just starting their dinner or been in the venues having a good time.

 

I also think in the future, the rules will change and the crew will receive much better safety and emergency training than they do now. One new rule I would like to see in the future after this tragedy is analyzed is that the leader of each muster station be from the ship's security department, and not a waiter, dancer, or bartender, as frequently occurs now.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[Cruzaholic41]

I am guilty of not attending the muster drill on our last RCCL cruises. However, we always privately go to our muster station and make sure we know where it is.

 

Everything stated in this thread is not exactly true -- yes they knock on your door but do not enter the room and do not look for people who don't attend. And they really don't do anything to those who don't attend.

 

Also, I find it hypocritical that the cruise lines themselves (through their lobbying group CLIA) make their own safety rules. All of a sudden since they built Freedom and Oasis Class, the cruise lines have decided that it is too cumbersome for so many passengers to walk around the ship wearing their lifevests, and now all of a sudden the life vests are no longer required.

 

However, in the future I will attend the drill and, in any case, after yesterday's tragedy, I suspect we will be seeing drastic changes to the way the drill is done in the near future.

 

You complain the safety rules are hypocritical, yet admit you have advertantly skipped the drill more than once? It's pretty pathetic when people extend their "me me me" attitude to saftey and lawfully required drills. What class. :rolleyes:

[BecciBoo]

It's very easy for one to write on a message board what they would have done and how they would have behaved. However, when actually immersed in the situation, trauma, shock, fear, survival instincts all play differently on even the most calm and organized human beings.

 

And also easy to make judgements about someone you don't know at all too.

 

I can tell you without doubt, that is exactly what we would have done. I don't easily tend to panic and I have been in many situations where I could have.

[derrick22]

Always go to the drill.

 

I must admit I do miss the photo op with the life jackets on. Pictures don't look the same.

 

I do get annoyed at having to wait for the stragglers who come floating with their drinks while the rest of us were on time.

I think they should have to stay after.

 

This past April we strayed and cruised with Carnival. :(

 

No life jackets and no checking of who was who and from what room. Sad.

 

Denise

[Tonka's Skipper]

I am guilty of not attending the muster drill on our last RCCL cruises. However, we always privately go to our muster station and make sure we know where it is.

 

Everything stated in this thread is not exactly true -- yes they knock on your door but do not enter the room and do not look for people who don't attend. And they really don't do anything to those who don't attend.

 

Also, I find it hypocritical that the cruise lines themselves (through their lobbying group CLIA) make their own safety rules. All of a sudden since they built Freedom and Oasis Class, the cruise lines have decided that it is too cumbersome for so many passengers to walk around the ship wearing their lifevests, and now all of a sudden the life vests are no longer required.

 

However, in the future I will attend the drill and, in any case, after yesterday's tragedy, I suspect we will be seeing drastic changes to the way the drill is done in the near future.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

 

With all due repest you are partly wrong.

 

The IMO the International Maritime Orginization is the grooup that propose the regs. test and explore them, ask for feed back, write the final rules,pass and then they are the law!

 

 

local and national safety, fire, goverment groups, also steamship lines,ship owners, class groups, underwriters, ship biulders, goverments and even lowly surveyors are all part of and/or are asked to comment on proposed regs.

 

 

All in all they are a very smart and ably group.

 

I however cannot understand the foolishish of not reqiuring passingers to wear their lefevests to drills!

 

AKK

[jebuell]

I've never sailed on RCI, ust Carnival. On CCL they actually have you meet in your muster station, then each station goes from where they muster to the lifeboats they will lead you to so you are familiar with the route your station will take. Does RCI not do this? I always thought that was interesting and informative. A little annoying because once you got to your Muster Station you had to wait for your group to be called to move to your lifeboats, and once you were there you had to wait for all other groups to be brought to theirs, rather than have everyone go at once, but it still didn't take that long.

[Cruzaholic41]

I've never sailed on RCI, ust Carnival. On CCL they actually have you meet in your muster station, then each station goes from where they muster to the lifeboats they will lead you to so you are familiar with the route your station will take. Does RCI not do this? I always thought that was interesting and informative. A little annoying because once you got to your Muster Station you had to wait for your group to be called to move to your lifeboats, and once you were there you had to wait for all other groups to be brought to theirs, rather than have everyone go at once, but it still didn't take that long.

 

Depends on the ship. I see you are going on Navigator. You will line up outside at the life boat.

[Bigtex1622]

One question I will ask the next time my muster station is in a bar, or theater, is "Where is my lifeboat?"

 

I asked once,

I was told that the life boats are for Balcony and above guest only.

all cabins below that, I was told " Thank you for using Royal, we will miss you "

Oh come on people, you know I made you laugh.

Have a great week, and yes I was just joking.

 

 

 

:rolleyes:

[galavant3]

If we had been on the Concordia, as we discussed yesterday morning, we would have made straight for our cabin to retrieve our important papers and the life vests immediately upon that loud boom and the lurch of the ship as Mickey d related. In fact at that time of night, we probably would've been in our cabin.

 

BecciBoo, we were just on the Oasis and did not have life jackets in our cabins. We were wondering if we could request them. It would seem that the likelihood of a problem would be greater at night. I would not want to have to make my way to the Aqua Theater with a thousand others to get a life jacket.