Skipping the safety drill...

[Blk_Amish]

The muster locations vary on RCI - several ships still do the drills outside, others do them in lounges as well as outside - but none of the ships we've been on in recent years require the life vests at the drill. That ended several years ago in our experience. The life vests will be at the muster stations in a real emergency - and in fact in an emergency you are supposed to go directly to your muster stations, not to your room pick up the vests.

 

As to skipping the drill - you won't be able to with RCI as I indicated in a previous post (#42). They scan all SeaPass cards and will not conclude the drill until all passengers are present and accounted for.

 

I am glad the life vest requirement changed. Giving thought to something doesn't mean you would:D I still think if anything goes wrong I am SOL so pray and hope for the best.

[wwcruisers]

I am glad the life vest requirement changed. Giving thought to something doesn't mean you would:D I still think if anything goes wrong I am SOL so pray and hope for the best.

 

Yep -- they still line you up in the hot sun, but no more life vests, in the RC drills. I think it was a safety issue -- too many people tripping over those dragging straps. It also makes the logistics of the drill easier -- since you don't have to schlep your life vests to/from your stateroom. You just show your seapass card a crew member, and they direct you to your station. :cool:

[Blk_Amish]

Awesome. That's exactly what should happen to people who are so flippn' stupid as to intentionally avoid it. I'm sure the fellow passengers don't mind having one less idiot on board.

 

We all take of chance with different types, I guess. I simply would not wish to be on board with some CC representatives period:eek:. In the gand scheme of things some aren't listening anyway, so pray if ship goes wrong.

 

Pauline

Edited January 8, 2014 by Blk_Amish

[Blk_Amish]

Yep -- they still line you up in the hot sun, but no more life vests, in the RC drills. I think it was a safety issue -- too many people tripping over those dragging straps. It also makes the logistics of the drill easier -- since you don't have to schlep your life vests to/from your stateroom. You just show your seapass card a crew member, and they direct you to your station. :cool:

 

I think it's 'funny' one could get hurt on the straps, going to the drill telling you how to safe your life. The hot, hot, sun and being packed in like sardines, oh joy. I met my new best friend at the muster drill on Carnival, works for me.

Edited January 8, 2014 by Blk_Amish

[Karysa]

What I find interesting about this thread is not that some people decide not to attend (which to me makes no sense), but the variances between the cruise lines in how they portray and enforce its significance.

 

I can echo the other RCI cruisers comments in that they will not tolerate people skipping the drill, will check each stateroom, do scan each SeaPass card, and will not clear muster until each passenger is accounted for at their station. They also will not depart the pier until it is completed.

 

BTW - I like the fact that they take it that seriously.

 

 

I don't think others should have to wait until each passenger is accounted for. The only person that would get a pass for not attending the muster drill in my books is a passenger who is legally deaf or one that is in the medical center at the time of the drill. Those announcements and horns are so loud that if you are not deaf or infirmed you should be aware of and at the drill. Perhaps public humiliation like making these folks attend the show in the theatre the first night and be pranced across the stage and have to say their name and apologize for not attending the mandatory safty drill and putting out other passengers and the staff would be the punishment that fit the crime.

[Lady Chew]

What I don't understand is why the folks who get kicked off for refusing to attend, still refuse to attend after they have been told they will get kicked off the ship if they don't attend ...

 

(I hope that made sense ... )

[Cruisin' Chick]

Awesome. That's exactly what should happen to people who are so flippn' stupid as to intentionally avoid it. I'm sure the fellow passengers don't mind having one less idiot on board.

 

True. I'm guessing the passengers already wasted before the ship sails might want to save the money of a cruise, buy a bunch of beer and stay home. Would save everyone else from having to deal with them.

 

I like the way Princess does the drills. You carry your jacket with you to the lounge (inside:)), get your card scan, sit down and wait for the drill (and hopefully everyone not demonstrating or explaining has stopped talking). Then you stand up and don the jacket, so a crew member can check to see if you've done it right. After the drill, take off the jacket, make sure you tuck in all the straps. We'll wait for some of the crowd to quiet down, and then take the stairs back to our cabin. But we always start off taking photos of each other in our jackets in the cabin and then take them off for our trek to our station. It's one of our cruise traditions.

 

And I certainly approve of any passengers trying to hide out getting kicked off the ship.

[Aquahound]

I don't think others should have to wait until each passenger is accounted for. The only person that would get a pass for not attending the muster drill in my books is a passenger who is legally deaf or one that is in the medical center at the time of the drill. Those announcements and horns are so loud that if you are not deaf or infirmed you should be aware of and at the drill. Perhaps public humiliation like making these folks attend the show in the theatre the first night and be pranced across the stage and have to say their name and apologize for not attending the mandatory safty drill and putting out other passengers and the staff would be the punishment that fit the crime.

 

The muster isn't only for showing you where to go and what to do, it's for 100% passenger accountability.

 

I think it's 'funny' one could get hurt on the straps, going to the drill telling you how to safe your life. The hot, hot, sun and being packed in like sardines, oh joy. I met my new best friend at the muster drill on Carnival, works for me.

 

If you go on Oasis Class, the muster is indoors, with the exception of those who muster in the Aqua Theater. Either way, you get to sit.

[tinkercat]

True. I'm guessing the passengers already wasted before the ship sails might want to save the money of a cruise' date=' buy a bunch of beer and stay home. Would save everyone else from having to deal with them.

 

I like the way Princess does the drills. You carry your jacket with you to the lounge (inside:)), get your card scan, sit down and wait for the drill (and hopefully everyone not demonstrating or explaining has stopped talking). Then you stand up and don the jacket, so a crew member can check to see if you've done it right. After the drill, take off the jacket, make sure you tuck in all the straps. We'll wait for some of the crowd to quiet down, and then take the stairs back to our cabin. But we always start off taking photos of each other in our jackets in the cabin and then take them off for our trek to our station. It's one of our cruise traditions.

 

And I certainly approve of any passengers trying to hide out getting kicked off the ship.[/quote']

 

We have only been on one cruise - the Grand Princess, we were late getting to our room due to arriving late by coach. Straight away we were called to our drill, staff were pointing us in the right direction however after the drill which was as described by Cruising Chick we found out we were in completely the wrong place, i hope to be in the correct place in May on the IOS.

[wwcruisers]

The muster isn't only for showing you where to go and what to do, it's for 100% passenger accountability.

 

 

 

If you go on Oasis Class, the muster is indoors, with the exception of those who muster in the Aqua Theater. Either way, you get to sit.

 

Well, I learned something new today -- not having sailed on Oasis or Allure. ;)

That's the way X handles their muster drills -- inside venues. No lining up in the hot sun, but there's not always a place to sit. It's amazing how few seats there really are in the Casino, for example (I hopped up and sat on the bar :p).

[Karysa]

The muster isn't only for showing you where to go and what to do, it's for 100% passenger accountability.

 

 

 

If you go on Oasis Class, the muster is indoors, with the exception of those who muster in the Aqua Theater. Either way, you get to sit.

 

Ok. Before the public humiliation they get their very own muster drill. Kicking them off prior to sailing would also work for me.:D

[gerif]

What I don't understand is why the folks who get kicked off for refusing to attend, still refuse to attend after they have been told they will get kicked off the ship if they don't attend ...

 

(I hope that made sense ... )

 

As the saying goes - you can't fix stupid.

[dadroy]

Unfortunately, bad stuff does not happen enough. People take the drills as a joke because they do not really believe they will ever need to abandon ship.

 

The same when flying. How many people are actually paying attention to the safety drill vs talking, playing video games etc. The scary part of course is the people in the emergency exit rows are not always people you would trust to be able to open the door. I've seen 80 pound women sitting there and of course they are asked can they open the door and they answer yes because they like the extra room.

 

The cruise lines could solve the problem very quickly, but they won't. Announce and enforce the drill starts at 5pm. Anyone not there at 5:05 will be escorted from the ship. Then actually do it. I think within a cruise or two the drills would move very quickly, the word would spread.

 

But of course they will not do that because they do not want to alienate their customers. That is why many crew members will not say anything about skipping the drills or smoking where you shouldn't.

[ldubs]

the faster everyone shows up the faster the drill is over.. there are always a certain type of people who think the rules apply to everyone but them. why in the world would anyone want to be 'hammered' before the muster drill. is it just the excitement of being out of your Mom's basement?[/QUOTE]

 

LOL - have to clean my keyboard again!

[ldubs]

Ah, a happy ending! I just don't get individuals that refuse to go to muster. It seems like a badge of courage or they are too cool to attend. It seems pretty juvenile to me and I can guess that if a real emergency arose they would be the ones screwing everything up because the don't have a clue what to do. Either that or trample over kids and women to get off the ship first.

 

My thoughts too. If someone doesn't attend they put others at risk.

[donaldsc]

deleted

Edited January 9, 2014 by donaldsc

[DarthGrady]

the faster everyone shows up the faster the drill is over.. there are always a certain type of people who think the rules apply to everyone but them. why in the world would anyone want to be 'hammered' before the muster drill. is it just the excitement of being out of your Mom's basement?

 

My mom doesn't have a basement, we live in Florida. And unfortunately I'm paying my own mortgage now. But there are a couple of upshots to living here; I'm currently not an ice cube, and local cruise ports which have provided 40+ cruises over my 31 years.

 

Back to the topic, an open bar package will occasionally cause this sort of thing. You're inferring an elicit agenda where none existed. We boarded the ship around noon and found a bar. One drink led to another and it went downhill. This sometimes happens with a bunch of boozy guys having fun on a cruise ship. When I go to party, I ride that strange torpedo all the way out to the end (with a nod to Hunter Thompson).

 

If we had shown up at muster the complaint would've been that we were too loud. And no one could hear about the intricate process of putting a life vest over one's head and fastening a buckle. Plus, this most recent drill-skip I mentioned was on a Fantasy class ship, of which I could find my way around blindfolded AND drunk.

 

If it makes all the preachy types in this thread feel better, I do go to nearly all the muster drills. The vast majority of my cruises are clean and sober and in line with your social norms.

 

But it is funny reading all these holier-than-thou posts. How's the view from those shiny ivory towers folks? The one about the evil hedonists trampling the children was just priceless! I immediately had a vision of Reverend Lovejoy's wife from The Simpson's giving her "oh won't someone PLEASE think of the children!" line.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[gra2172]

Yes, i go to them. No, I'm not condoning anyone skipping them...

 

That said, I am curious how many of you skip them and what you do not get caught...

 

No, im not looking for ways to skip it.. Lol... Just some humorous stories...

 

We missed it by accident because of a delay on our last cruise. We got a note saying to be there for the make up drill the next day, but we were on an excursion and missed it again. We got another note that said oh well, you missed it. I thought for sure they would chase us down, but they really didnt care.

Edited January 9, 2014 by gra2172

[boogs]

Yes, i go to them. No, I'm not condoning anyone skipping them...

 

That said, I am curious how many of you skip them and what you do not get caught...

 

No, im not looking for ways to skip it.. Lol... Just some humorous stories...

 

I don't think it matters what happened in the past. New laws and heightened awareness caused by the Concordia disaster has changed the seriousness of missing the drill. What matters is what would happen NOW, not a few years ago.

[Hlitner]

Well, I learned something new today -- not having sailed on Oasis or Allure. ;)

That's the way X handles their muster drills -- inside venues. No lining up in the hot sun, but there's not always a place to sit. It's amazing how few seats there really are in the Casino, for example (I hopped up and sat on the bar :p).

 

 

Awwwww, poor baby! What an awful inconvenience that folks would have to stand for 20 min. That is almost as cruel as a passengers having to walk down a single flight of steps.

 

Hank

[CarnieAddict]

awwwww, poor baby! What an awful inconvenience that folks would have to stand for 20 min. That is almost as cruel as a passengers having to walk down a single flight of steps.

 

Hank

 

lol

[ducklite]

We both go to the drills and also take a walk around the ship to locate exits, familiarize ourselves with how far it is between our cabin and the nearest exits in either direction, including counting door frames and sets of stairs to the outside and making a mental note. We also familiarize ourselves with the location of fire extinguishers and pull alarms in the places we'll expect to spend the most time.

 

We do the same thing on airplanes. Count seat rows to the exit ahead and behind us and make a mental note. Same thing in bars, arenas, any public place. We always keep in mind that the door you came in through might not be the best way out.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[sail7seas]

Awwwww, poor baby! What an awful inconvenience that folks would have to stand for 20 min. That is almost as cruel as a passengers having to walk down a single flight of steps.

 

Hank

 

 

While I am blessed to have no mobility problems, I am aware that for many of us over 60 something year olds (and some a lot younger) standing for 20 minutes can be tortuous. Walkling stairs may be very hard. I try to have empathy for others who are not as blessed as me.

 

[wwcruisers]

Awwwww, poor baby! What an awful inconvenience that folks would have to stand for 20 min. That is almost as cruel as a passengers having to walk down a single flight of steps.

 

Hank

 

Well, I DO always try to make the best of a bad situation, lol. :p When we walked in, the casino was already packed, and the drill was about five minutes away from starting. When I hopped up and sat on the bar, a couple of other folks did too. Turns out that I was actually in a good place to see the video they show at muster. Those sitting behind banks of slot machines probably had a harder time seeing/hearing. :cool:

[okgirl]

Years ago there were a group of about 10 French speaking guests sitting on the Promenade when they called Muster. A crew member tried to explain to them what they needed to do, but they never budged from their seats.

 

The bartender told me they never did go.