What would you really do in the event of an emergency?

[bonsai3s]

Using the Grandeur as a scenario...someone knocks on your cabin door and tell you there's an emergency. You are half a sleep, and possibly confused...you grab the lifejackets.......what else would you take?

After a discussion with my wife, and after having the time to think about it, we would grab our medications, prescription glasses, and at least our jackets. In addition, all items inside the cabin safe will be in a ziplock bag for fast exit.

[tjika]

my purse, phone and warm clothes. my purse contains my passport, wallet, a flashlight and some (very) basis first aid things.

 

When there was a fire in my building a few years ago this is what I grabbed as well but I also included my cat.

[Keith1010]

I would grab medications and valuables and life vest and do as I was instructed.

 

Keith

[marielco]

I would grab life jacket then medication, water (if bottle available) torch and passport then GO!

[thebrewer]

Here is a tip, before you go to sleep put everything you would need in the event of an emergency in one bag and put the bag near the door this way you can grab it on the way out and not have to fumble around for the items should there be a power failure etc.

[knowehead]

If there was a power failure would the safes still work we have one at home and it is battery operated

 

 

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[read52]

I have been thinking about this before the fire. My husband takes several meds for seizures. Under stress he could have one so meds is a must. Wallets with ID's and credit cards would also be important. A bag on the night stand would work.

[Midwestgal]

Here is a tip, before you go to sleep put everything you would need in the event of an emergency in one bag and put the bag near the door this way you can grab it on the way out and not have to fumble around for the items should there be a power failure etc.

Here's a marketing idea..... A grab n go bag.;)

[cruiser87654321]

When we arrived at our Honeymoon destination and I began to unpack I found a new, long length knotted rope at the bottom of my case!! My mother had put it in there in case our high rise hotel caught fire. How we laughed, years later in her Eulogy my Husband recounted the story.

 

Thinking about it now, that could have been a very useful item.

[mommabean]

If there was a power failure would the safes still work we have one at home and it is battery operated

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

 

They use batteries on the ship, too.

[sunnysavannah]

When we arrived at our Honeymoon destination and I began to unpack I found a new, long length knotted rope at the bottom of my case!! My mother had put it in there in case our high rise hotel caught fire. How we laughed, years later in her Eulogy my Husband recounted the story.

 

Thinking about it now, that could have been a very useful item.

 

Now that IS funny!

 

I think that a little go to bag is smart! I usually have a gallon size ziploc bag with me, so it should be pretty easy to do. Docs in safe in a bag would be easier to grab anyway...

Since we usually travel with our kids, a couple of granola bars could go a long way to keeping us all happy.

[gerif]

OK, but suppose you are not IN your cabin at the time the alarms sound. Maybe, as in the case of many on the Concordia, you are in the theater or MDR.

[chengkp75]

All good suggestions. The big rule, however, must be KEEP IT SMALL. If you have ever looked inside a lifeboat during a drill, you will see that the marked seats (those black dots) are very close to one another, and in order to get the required number of people in, it is a very tight squeeze. Lifeboat capacity is based on a "standard" person of 180lbs, which can be significantly smaller than the "standard" American.

 

While gallon zip lock bags can usually be discreetly held on your person, it may come about that the crew will not allow you to board a lifeboat holding a purse. I know they are so '80's, but fanny packs would be a better choice. No matter how important something is to you, the crew's main focus is on saving the most number of people, not dealing with individuals, so they may ask that extraneous articles be discarded before boarding.

 

The boats do have food and water onboard (not much, and not very appetizing), but a couple of granola bars for the kids would help in a situation where you are mustered for several hours.

[chengkp75]

OK, but suppose you are not IN your cabin at the time the alarms sound. Maybe, as in the case of many on the Concordia, you are in the theater or MDR.

 

Then just go to your muster station. The important thing is your life, not your belongings. If medications are life threatening if not taken, maybe you should carry a couple around with you at all times in a small pocket container. Believe me, from 37 years at sea, you don't want, or have the time, to stress over things that can be replaced.

[sparky-elpaso]

The jackets we have have several interior and exterior zippered pockets so we would be able to put meds, wallets, passports (in a ziploc) in our pockets.

 

Being an avid photographer I would have to include my little waterproof camera. And I'll have to admit I would probably grab the portable hard drive I carry that has my photos backed up on it - it's about the size of a deck of cards so it wouldn't take up much room.

[rolloman]

I will do what I am instructed to do. If there is visable smoke there will be no time to fumble around looking for anything, get out of the cabin and get to your muster station or where you are instructed to go. Period.

[alaska_planner]

Using the Grandeur as a scenario...someone knocks on your cabin door and tell you there's an emergency. You are half a sleep, and possibly confused...you grab the lifejackets.......what else would you take?

 

After a discussion with my wife, and after having the time to think about it, we would grab our medications, prescription glasses, and at least our jackets. In addition, all items inside the cabin safe will be in a ziplock bag for fast exit.

 

i have friends who were on the concordia - they were in the theater when the incident occurred...

contrary to instructions (to stay where they were, nothing had happened), they went back to their cabin, put on several layers of clothing, in addition to their jackets, took their medication, passports, money/credit cards and life jackets and headed to the muster stations.

[tneah]

I'd grab any family members that are traveling with us. The rest can easily be replaced.

 

If an emergency were to occur during the day, I would think the staff and crew would know that ship better than I would to get family to their muster stations during a frantic situation.

[Trekker954]

After a discussion with my wife, and after having the time to think about it, we would grab our medications, prescription glasses, and at least our jackets. In addition, all items inside the cabin safe will be in a ziplock bag for fast exit.

 

I believe this is exactly what they tell you to grab when they conduct the muster drill. Meds, put on warm clothing, etc. Personally, I would grab my passport and a credit card and shove it into my bra in order to get me home on my terms if need be. (thinking more of Concordia accident than Grandeur).

[cruisinck]

I just said to DH that we will having to start go bag. After reading of the experience of being at the muster station for four hours I was thinking a bottle of water, passports,credit card,cell phone and a jacket that can also be used as a pillow.

[TEXASMUNK]

Thanks!

Now, does anyone wanna bet there are still going to be people who think it is clever to duck out of the muster drill?

To me, this may sound corny, but the one thing I would grab, and not let go, is my wife. Obviously, we would be at the same muster station, but I want to insure we are together...if she is not in the Spa, or the Prominade shopping....then, she can find her own way!:)

[jakesmom04]

I place our passorts, copies of ID's and credit cards, extra meds, cell phones in a zip lock bag before placing into the safe. All I need to do is grab this and a jacket and we are off to the muster station.

[alaska_planner]

I place our passorts, copies of ID's and credit cards, extra meds, cell phones in a zip lock bag before placing into the safe. All I need to do is grab this and a jacket and we are off to the muster station.

 

that's excellent!!! i always travel with a zillion spare ziplock bags, i'm going to do this from now on!! thanks for the tip! :)

[MrsPete]

Several cruise ship emergencies have occured in the last year or so, and after every one people begin second-guessing what they'd do if this very same emergency occured again. The chances of that same emergency occuring AGAIN are minute, so consider how to prepare yourself for a general emergency:

 

- A grab-and-go bag isn't a bad idea, and IF you were in your cabin when an emergency occured, having it would add to your comfort and reduce your stress level. But chances are pretty good that you wouldn't be in your cabin when an emergency occured. If that happens, you should follow the crew's instructions: If they indicate that you have time to return to your cabin, good. If they say go straight to the lifeboats, you'd be a fool to return to your cabin. They're trained and know best.

 

- Most important thing: Scan /email your personal information to yourself: ID, credit cards, cruise ticket, insurance, medications, flights, anything else that you think might possibly be important. IF you're evacuated for some reason, you can pull this information up on any computer, and it'll be helpful to you. This is much, much more important than a grab-and-go bag.

 

- If you need medication, it's not a bad idea to keep a scant few pills in a small container upon your person; in a real emergency, you're not likely to be able to return to your cabin to retrieve them. Don't worry about more than a few though; if you're evacuated somewhere, you'll have services available and -- if you've scanned /emailed your prescription -- you'll be able to get replacement meds.

 

- Everything else is really not necessary. If you were evacuated to a lifeboat, it is stocked with food and water (no, not good food; no, not cold water), first aid supplies, and communication. You probably would be uncomfortable, but you wouldn't be out there for days on end. Other cruise ships would come in and pick you up, and you'd be taken to whatever place seems appropriate depending upon the location.

 

- IF you had the luxury of grabbing a few things, shoes would be tops on my list. If required to climb ladders or walk any distance, real shoes would be far superior to flip-flops.

[jakesmom04]

Several cruise ship emergencies have occured in the last year or so, and after every one people begin second-guessing what they'd do if this very same emergency occured again. The chances of that same emergency occuring AGAIN are minute, so consider how to prepare yourself for a general emergency:

 

- A grab-and-go bag isn't a bad idea, and IF you were in your cabin when an emergency occured, having it would add to your comfort and reduce your stress level. But chances are pretty good that you wouldn't be in your cabin when an emergency occured. If that happens, you should follow the crew's instructions: If they indicate that you have time to return to your cabin, good. If they say go straight to the lifeboats, you'd be a fool to return to your cabin. They're trained and know best.

 

- Most important thing: Scan /email your personal information to yourself: ID, credit cards, cruise ticket, insurance, medications, flights, anything else that you think might possibly be important. IF you're evacuated for some reason, you can pull this information up on any computer, and it'll be helpful to you. This is much, much more important than a grab-and-go bag.

 

- If you need medication, it's not a bad idea to keep a scant few pills in a small container upon your person; in a real emergency, you're not likely to be able to return to your cabin to retrieve them. Don't worry about more than a few though; if you're evacuated somewhere, you'll have services available and -- if you've scanned /emailed your prescription -- you'll be able to get replacement meds.

 

- Everything else is really not necessary. If you were evacuated to a lifeboat, it is stocked with food and water (no, not good food; no, not cold water), first aid supplies, and communication. You probably would be uncomfortable, but you wouldn't be out there for days on end. Other cruise ships would come in and pick you up, and you'd be taken to whatever place seems appropriate depending upon the location.

 

- IF you had the luxury of grabbing a few things, shoes would be tops on my list. If required to climb ladders or walk any distance, real shoes would be far superior to flip-flops.

 

Didn't think of the self email.....great idea. Thanks