Passengers removed from ship for failure to muster

[Typhoon1]

A two year old resurrection.

 

HAL needs to start scanning key cards for those in attendance, then there will be no doubt about who showed up.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Typhoon1

[Fouremco]

Not sure if that would satisfy maritime law. However, here is an exception that might. We have taken a lot of back to back or so-called "collector's voyages". No problem with the first muster, but doing the same thing in the same place a week or two later seems unnecessary. Since they will have a list of all passengers who must attend at each station, they could easily delete those who have been on the ship for awhile and notify us that we do not have to attend unless we want to. Could be in the same info sheet we get telling us leaving and returning to the ship on that day.

Not all passengers on b2b or collector's cruises occupy the same cabin for both legs. Consequently, their muster point and life boat might well be different. So even if it met with SOLAS requirements, I'm sure HAL wouldn't want to have to sort out who would or wouldn't need to re-attend.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Getting back to the OP, I wonder if anyone's been removed from a ship lately for not attending the muster drill? I agree it's a pain having to stand around and wait for the late-comers, but we try to get there early and lean against the wall. When they say "ladies to the front, gentlemen at the back", I simply don't move. I can understand those with limited mobility would find it really uncomfortable to stand unassisted for long periods of time.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

 

Our 2 recent Nieuw Amsterdam Collectors Cruises -- one in November and the one in March/December:

The lifeboat drill was held at 3:45 -- 15 minutes before we left Ft Lauderdale. They did not start calling cabins until 3:45 -- no reporting in early. The person in charge of calling out the cabin numbers before the drill was over and we were dismissed. The ship left at 3:55. I have no idea what they did about those cabins that were not called and no why anyone could have been put off the ship.

[sail7seas]

In my opinion, one of the most important aspects of the Passenger Emergency Drill is that it is a vital training program for the crew. In an emergency situation, crew need to react from instinct, which a well practised process will become.

 

An actual emergency is no place for crew to try to learn how to direct passengers to their muster station, to organize them within their group to maximize deck space, or to identify them and cross reference to the master list. Also accounting for each passenger, and finding missing ones if needed. Reading what your duties are is totally different than applying them in real time. Practicing your duties in a controlled atmosphere is far more valuable to learn what is expected of you.

 

One of the well documented facts of the Costa Concordia disaster was that the crew were disorganized and did not know what to do. There were also two passengers lost when the Queen of the North sank off British Columbia a few years back. Crew thought all passengers were safe, but did not do a proper safety check, and lost two passengers because of it.

 

I gladly attend the HAL drills, and remain quiet while the crew do their jobs. It gives me a sense of confidence that if there were an emergency, the crew's instincts will kick in and they will be confidant in their familiar and well practised role to keep us all safe.

 

 

Very good points.

 

 

 

 

Getting back to the OP, I wonder if anyone's been removed from a ship lately for not attending the muster drill? I agree it's a pain having to stand around and wait for the late-comers, but we try to get there early and lean against the wall. When they say "ladies to the front, gentlemen at the back", I simply don't move. I can understand those with limited mobility would find it really uncomfortable to stand unassisted for long periods of time.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

 

 

Last summer on Veendam, several couples did not appear at life boat drill despite their cabin numbers and names being called repeatedly. We all completed life boat drill, were dismissed and went on our way.

 

Just as early seating dinner was beginning, Captain came on the speaker and said those people who had not attended the drill were to report to a stated location NOW and if they did not, he hoped they enjoyed their dinner that night as it would be their last aboard and they would be put ashore the next morning to find their own way home.

 

That was the last we heard of it but I assure you the Captain was not kidding!

[IRL_Joanie]

I have been on 28 HAL cruises and ALL Muster Drills took place on deck BEFORE we sailed.

 

That post you quoted was posted 2 1/2 years ago (January 30th, 2012, 07:46 PM ). So the cruises being mentioned were probably prior to the crackdown on the muster drill attendance.

 

We've been cruising since 2008 with HAL and have ALLWAYS had the Muster Drill before the ship left port.

 

Joanie

[sail7seas]

We've been cruising since 2008 with HAL and have ALLWAYS had the Muster Drill before the ship left port.

 

Joanie

 

 

Same for me since 1991. :)

 

[lazey1]

We've been cruising since 2008 with HAL and have ALLWAYS had the Muster Drill before the ship left port.

 

Joanie

 

Same for us since 1989. Also there has been a roll-call by cabin # at each and every muster drill. One time we were held up in Tampa airport and arrived on ship with the muster drill in progress. We were directed to our cabins and had to go to a make up drill the next morning, bright and early.

[donswife]

On our Westerdam cruise last month, the captain stated very clearly and firmly that anyone who skipped the safety drill would not be permitted to endanger the lives of others, and therefore would not sail.

[Spender Nui]

3 star and above Mariners should just report in at the muster stations and be checked off as knowing where to report and then be released without having to stand in the heat or cold for a half hour or more. Princess just has you report to the theatre for the drill info and not even see where you need to get on your life boat.

 

Navy and Coast Guard ships conduct these drills on a regular basis on their ships. They're a lot more aware of surroundings and procedures than a bunch of vacationers no matter how baby cruises they've taken. No reason passengers on cruise ships shouldn't do it too.

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Unless the staff are negligent, there is no need to check cabins. A MUSTER involves taking names - if you miss muster, your name will not be checked off and your failure to show up will be obvious.

 

Cruise a lot and haven't had my name taken at muster in years and never on Carnival.

[Hlitner]

There are a couple of cruise lines that do not take attendance since they use a procedure where the crew literally searches the entire ship (including cabins) for wayward passengers. We also found it interesting that Princess still excuses Back to Backs from attending repeat drills.

 

Hank

 

 

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[Mary Ellen]

Cruise a lot and haven't had my name taken at muster in years and never on Carnival.

We've been cruising for over 30 years. Names/cabin numbers have been called (or cards scanned) at every muster drill - no matter the cruise line. Never sailed on Carnival though. Thanks for the heads up. We won't be sailing on any cruise line with such a lackluster approach for passenger safety. :rolleyes:

[VioletHorse]

We've been cruising for over 30 years. Names/cabin numbers have been called (or cards scanned) at every muster drill - no matter the cruise line. Never sailed on Carnival though. Thanks for the heads up. We won't be sailing on any cruise line with such a lackluster approach for passenger safety. :rolleyes:

 

We sailed on Carnival a couple of years ago, and that muster drill was very similar to HAL's. We met at our lifeboat, and room numbers were called for attendance.

[Tampa Girl]

I hope they start confiscating the "adult beverages" people have been bringing to muster, too.

 

 

Why is that a problem?

[sapper1]

Why is that a problem?

 

I would say it's because muster drill is not a party. Leave the drinks until it's over and pay attention. It could save a life.

[madera1]

We were on a collectors cruise in Sept. 2013 and just before the muster for the 2nd segment an announcement was made that those who had been on the first segment did Not need to go to this muster.

 

 

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[sapper1]

We were on a collectors cruise in Sept. 2013 and just before the muster for the 2nd segment an announcement was made that those who had been on the first segment did Not need to go to this muster.

 

 

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We had the same experience this year on the Zuiderdam when we stayed aboard to go to Alaska after the canal repo cruise.

[Lizzie68]

I would say it's because muster drill is not a party. Leave the drinks until it's over and pay attention. It could save a life.

 

Not to mention that those carrying their "adult drinks" are usually too chatty during the drill, and being crushed together - spills are likely. Not pleasant for others.

[serendipity1499]

Not to mention that those carrying their "adult drinks" are usually too chatty during the drill, and being crushed together - spills are likely. Not pleasant for others.

 

We've seen one or two spilled drinks also.. Water I can understand

but not adult drinks..

 

It's not appropriate at all, especially when we have to return to our cabins & use the stairs..

[kazu]

We were on a collectors cruise in Sept. 2013 and just before the muster for the 2nd segment an announcement was made that those who had been on the first segment did Not need to go to this muster.

 

 

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We had the same experience this year on the Zuiderdam when we stayed aboard to go to Alaska after the canal repo cruise.

 

Thanks:). This is good news. It would be nice if we didn't have to go for the second segment of our Collectors' cruise, but not counting my chickens before they hatch;)

[visagrunt]

There is another good reason for attending muster drill on every segment of a collector's cruise: so you see the faces of the other people who are in your lifeboat. In an emergency, you can help each other.

[earljr]

We were on a collectors cruise in Sept. 2013 and just before the muster for the 2nd segment an announcement was made that those who had been on the first segment did Not need to go to this muster.

 

 

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This has never happened to us.

To me it makes sense

going to 3 drills is sort of much

[sail7seas]

Through years of our doing b-to-b's, we were sometimes excused from the second drill at the start of the next cruise. After Costa Concordia mishap, that stopped. The letter we get the last night of first cruise always now states we must attend the life boat drill the next day.

[Shmoo here]

On our Panama Canal last Sep/Oct, the cruise began in Boston, with new passengers embarking also in Ft Lauderdale 3 days later. The On Location newsletter for that day (Ft Lauderdale) says:

 

MANDATORY PASSENGER SAFETY EMERGENCY DRILL

This mandatory exercise is for all guests, including in-transit guests, ....

 

At Holland America Line, we take safety drills very seriously. This is why attendance by all guests is mandatory, even if you have previously participated in a similar drill.

 

Guests who refuse to participate in the drill will not be permitted to sail with the vessel.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Shmoo here

[Tampa Girl]

I would say it's because muster drill is not a party. Leave the drinks until it's over and pay attention. It could save a life.

 

 

I guess my question, in order to have avoided the above sarcasm, should have been: Is it against the rules to bring drinks (and not just alcoholic) to the muster. I never paid any attention to what could or could not be brought since I never have brought anything other than myself. However, if it is not against the rules, I do believe I have enough of an attention span to stand with a glass of anything and still be able to comprehend what was being instructed.