Safety Drill on Nieuw Amsterdam

[Typhoon1]

Until someone forgets and leaves their card in the room because "the other person carries the keys because I have no pockets."

 

The problem with idiot proofing something is that as soon as you do, someone invents a better idiot. :D

 

Always use a lanyard. Never leave the cabin without it.

[sail7seas]

Until someone forgets and leaves their card in the room because "the other person carries the keys because I have no pockets."

 

The problem with idiot proofing something is that as soon as you do, someone invents a better idiot. :D

 

 

 

:D Mr. Murphy is always lurking nearby. ;)

 

[brodydavidow]

The muster drills on the Nieuw Amsterdam are always on the promenade deck by the lifeboats. You are not supposed to bring life jackets to the drill. I believe this is true for all HAL ships.

[CGYCruisingFamily]

I wish HAL would do this as well.

 

 

They did this on the Konigsam for my Parents transAtlantic....

[janmcn]

Some HAL ships DO use the key card scan...not all yet...but one we were on last year did it.

 

Also, we were on a Celebrity ship last year (first time) and were very disturbed at how they ran their drill...we just all mustered in a large lounge (several lifeboats)...had no idea of what route we would take to our boat the way you learn on a HAL ship. For 20 minutes of inconvenience I'll take a "real drill" that at least gives me some clue as to what/where I need to be. Lounging in the cocktail lounge made it very comfortable, but not comforting.

 

(Yes, if people don't talk, things will go much faster!)

[Heartgrove]

Add the Westerdam to the list of HAL ships scanning key cards. It is very efficient as they scan your card as you arrive at your muster location instead of waiting for everyone to arrive and then going through the list. There were still some stragglers but cut wait time by at least 1/3.

[sail7seas]

Until someone forgets and leaves their card in the room because "the other person carries the keys because I have no pockets."

 

The problem with idiot proofing something is that as soon as you do, someone invents a better idiot. :D

 

 

:D Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers.

[sail7seas]

Until someone forgets and leaves their card in the room because "the other person carries the keys because I have no pockets."

 

The problem with idiot proofing something is that as soon as you do, someone invents a better idiot. :D

 

Some HAL ships DO use the key card scan...not all yet...but one we were on last year did it.

 

Are you aware mufch of this threada was written in May 2014? tHE STATEMENT ABOUT WISHING hAL HAD key cr wcan system for FOR attendance at LIFEBOAT DRILL WAS w ritten.

 

Also, we were on a Celebrity ship last year (first time) and were very disturbed at how they ran their drill...we just all mustered in a large lounge (several lifeboats)...had no idea of what route we would take to our boat the way you learn on a HAL ship. For 20 minutes of inconvenience I'll take a "real drill" that at least gives me some clue as to what/where I need to be. Lounging in the cocktail lounge made it very comfortable, but not comforting.

 

(STATEMENT ABOUT WISHING hAL used key card r scan system for FO attendance at LIFEBOAT DRILL WAS writen in MaY 2014. This is an old thread.

Edited November 15, 2016 by sail7seas

[Heartgrove]

Some HAL ships DO use the key card scan...not all yet...but one we were on last year did it.

 

Are you aware mufch of this threada was written in May 2014? tHE STATEMENT ABOUT WISHING hAL HAD key cr wcan system for FOR attendance at LIFEBOAT DRILL WAS w ritten.

 

Also, we were on a Celebrity ship last year (first time) and were very disturbed at how they ran their drill...we just all mustered in a large lounge (several lifeboats)...had no idea of what route we would take to our boat the way you learn on a HAL ship. For 20 minutes of inconvenience I'll take a "real drill" that at least gives me some clue as to what/where I need to be. Lounging in the cocktail lounge made it very comfortable, but not comforting.

 

(STATEMENT ABOUT WISHING hAL used key card r scan system for FO attendance at LIFEBOAT DRILL WAS writen in MaY 2014. This is an old thread.

 

Then it is still current as we were on the Niew Amsterdam in May of this year and still used the printed list.

[cruisereaders]

I agree . when we were on Princess we assembled in the theatre and until I sought it out, I was confused as to the life boat was. I think HAL does a good job.

[djhsolara]

It was always my understanding that your muster station is where you actually report in an emergency.

 

On HAL that is by the lifeboat and then I'm assuming you'll get directly in the lifeboat.

 

On other lines, I assume you go to your muster station (whether that is a lounge, the casino, the showroom) and from there you'll be directed to your lifeboat.

 

I've heard that because of the deck size, Koningsdam does not do the drill on the deck. Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

 

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[RuthC]

I've heard that because of the deck size, Koningsdam does not do the drill on the deck. Does anyone know if this is correct?

According to reports from people who have sailed that ship, yes that's correct.

Since there isn't even room to sit on the promenade, and barely room to walk, there's no room to muster.

[Tom O.]

According to reports from people who have sailed that ship, yes that's correct.

Since there isn't even room to sit on the promenade, and barely room to walk, there's no room to muster.

 

My Goodness! What would happen in a real emergency? Another reason to add to my list of why I avoid extra large ships.

[Platoon Leader]

On the Nieuw Amsterdam s Oct 23 sailing departure was delayed over an hour and a half because 4 passengers thought themselves too important to show up for muster drill. What should have been 15 to 20 minutes caused people to stand at muster stations for over 45 minutes. Two elderly guests passed out. In my opinion, when located, "these special people" should have been disembarked.

 

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[djhsolara]

In my opinion, when located, "these special people" should have been disembarked.

 

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Agreed!!

 

 

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[Daisyloo]

We just did the TA on the Koningsdam. We mustered inside at a given location which was printed on your key card. Our location was the Queen's Lounge. Our key card was scanned as we arrived, then we found a seat and waited for the rest of the drill/demonstration. We liked it because we could sit in comfort. We have experienced this type of muster on Princess.

A few points: the instructions given are for everyone to go to their cabin when the first stage alarm sounds, do not bring life jackets, and do not head to muster station until instructed to do so.

To us it makes sense to muster in an inside protected area. Passengers can stay warm (or cool) and comfortable and be near bathrooms. In a real muster situation you could be there for quite a while. We were told in a real emergency some life boats might be unreachable or un-launchable. Not having an assigned boat means they can lead you from the muster station to the appropriate lifeboat.

I know there are people who don't like this change in the mustering procedure, but we trust HAL to know what they are doing. After all, we are trusting them with our lives each time we cruise.

[siretman]

On our Nieuw Amsterdam cruises in November and March/April, the entire process took only 15 minutes.

There was also an announcement for passengers not to report until the alarm sounded.

 

I just came off the 14 day inaugural HAL Koningsdam cruise in Bahamas and Southern Caribbean cruise and the safety drill is radically changed. There are three signals: 1. Crew alert. 2. Back to cabins alert. 3. Go to a public area location inside the ship without vests. Attendance is taken, information given if a real alert and it is done.

I like this drill much better and I hope it be used on all HAL ships.

[serendipity1499]

That has not been my experience. Apparently, yours has been different. On HAL ships?

We have stood and waited, waited and waited so many times for the stragglers. By no means do they begin until attendance taking has finished and it isn't finished until the stragglers manage to get their sorry selves to their lifeboat station. The crew person in charge or each station calls the cabin numbers again and again and we all stand and wait.

 

We have stood in the heat in the days we wore the life jackets and there is no way under that hot sun they started on time. I have never been to a life boat drill when there weren't some late comers.

That has been my experience.

 

 

Ditto what she said. Really lucked out on the Noordam though. Everyone was on time.

 

Completely agree with Sail & POA on this one...Only on the newest ship (Koningsdam) is the Muster Drill different..

[serendipity1499]

I just came off the 14 day inaugural HAL Koningsdam cruise in Bahamas and Southern Caribbean cruise and the safety drill is radically changed. There are three signals: 1. Crew alert. 2. Back to cabins alert. 3. Go to a public area location inside the ship without vests. Attendance is taken, information given if a real alert and it is done.

I like this drill much better and I hope it be used on all HAL ships.

 

This is NOT the procedure on any HAL ship except the Koningsdam..

Understand the reason for that is the Promenade deck is not as wide on the new ship & could not handle all the Psgrs at their Muster Stations....

 

On all the other ships you must report to your Muster Station..

[siretman]

Too bad it is not emulated on other HAL ships. Thank you.

 

 

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[Topsham]

We were told in a real emergency some life boats might be unreachable or un-launchable. Not having an assigned boat means they can lead you from the muster station to the appropriate lifeboat.

.

 

 

 

If we are unable to get to boats that are 'unreachable' or not able to launch then we are going to get fried in out seats or we are going to go in rafts OR straight into the sea with the sharks because the boats that might be able to reach and launched will be already full and believe me... they will already be packed!

 

As I have said before, there should be TWO places in the ship. First should be for FULL EMERGENCY and the second should be POSSIBLE EMERGENCY.

 

POSSIBLE EMERGENCY: Well, perhaps, No. 1 Fire, No. 2 collision, No. 2 grounding.

 

FULL EMERGENCY: No. 1 FIRE, No. 2 COLLISION and No. 3 GROUNDING.

 

 

At the time the Master can make a decision. No 2 POSSIBLE EMERGENCY or

FULL EMERGENCY. The thinking is that in an event it MIGHT be a POSSIBLE EMERGENCY and it is better to have passengers inside and waiting for further instructions. If it is a FULL EMERGENCY then there will not be time to muster inside and you will need to go straight into the boats.

 

FIRE, COLLISION, GROUNDING are things that can happen IMMEDIATELY. You don't get 5 or 10 or 20 minutes to get into a lunge THEN another 20, 30 or 40 minutes to get people into the boats.

 

All ships should have two full areas for this purpose.

 

Now for Muster purposes.... I would opt for muster out on deck always. Of course the safety people say that there is a 'chance' that everything will be OK. They are simply guessing... and hoping for the best. The first time one of the large ships has a disaster and people are killed it will go back to the old days.

 

Look at the new RCI ships. Their lifeboats can carry up to 400 people. How long does it take to load up 400 people? 30 minutes? One hour? It take around 30 minutes to fill up a tender waiting for a run to the shore. It won't even be the full load because tenders are never run FULL when using as tenders.

 

Had the CONCORDIA had a muster IMMEDIATELY and passengers put IMMEDIATELY into the boats the ship would have been stable and everyone would have been saved. And this was an emergency that was given lots of time. I shudder the thought of a major fire on a cruise ship.... even worse, a collision follow by a fire. Ever hear about the ROYSTON RANGE. A cargo passenger ship collided with a tanker. EVERYONE killed on the ROYSTON RANGE. The bodies of the officers and passengers in the dining room were found sitting in their seats. They never had time even stand up. Just think about what might happen.

[Tom O.]

Too bad it is not emulated on other HAL ships. Thank you.

 

 

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I think HAL would much rather have the drill near the life boats, so that passengers will actually know how to get to them. It may be less comfortable, but it is a safety issue.

But on the Koningsdam, this is simply not possible - not enough room on the narrow promenade deck for all the passengers.

This means there also won't be room for everybody near the boats in an actual emergency. Passengers are supposed to meet in their muster areas and the crew will take turns leading them to the boats. But in an emergency, things don't always go as planned. What if the passengers panicked and they all made a rush for the lifeboats? I would much rather be on one of HAL's other ships in a real emergency.

IMO, ships with larger promenade decks are a better design - for safety, and for pleasure.

[djhsolara]

Personally, I would much rather be assigned a muster station inside rather than everyone rushing the deck. What if your deck is not available, then what do you do?

 

 

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[Liz54]

What happens to elderly people who CANNOT stand for more than a few minutes? Are their any seats available?

On Princess, where you muster in a public room, many disabled people go a few minutes early to be able to sit.

[Boytjie]

Personally, I would much rather be assigned a muster station inside rather than everyone rushing the deck. What if your deck is not available, then what do you do?

 

By the same reasoning: what if you inside muster station was not available?