Three Part Emergency Drill

[rkacruiser]

Just thought of another addition to my previous post as to why one needs to return to the stateroom prior to having to leave the ship in an emergency: GO TO THE BATHROOM before your leave your stateroom!

[RuthC]

Just thought of another addition to my previous post as to why one needs to return to the stateroom prior to having to leave the ship in an emergency: GO TO THE BATHROOM before your leave your stateroom!

Good point. Those lifeboats don't appear to be fully equipped. ;)

[IndyDenise]

Just thought of another addition to my previous post as to why one needs to return to the stateroom prior to having to leave the ship in an emergency: GO TO THE BATHROOM before your leave your stateroom!

 

Honestly, I would have to change my pants if there was a need to abandon ship. No need for a bathroom at that point. :eek:

[kiwirick]

What should be born in mind is that emergencies do not always progress in the way that planners expect them to.It may well be that there will be no time for phases 1 and 2.It may be a case of "head for the life boats and women and children first".

[Boytjie]

How often is a cruise ship in imminent danger that it will sink in minutes? So the rush to muster stations may not be the best option. What if there is a fire at your muster station? Or it is freezing cold outside or a gale force wind is blowing?

[Typhoon1]

Advise your steward ASAP. He will make sure your needs are attended to.

[saatuk]

Perhaps a slight hijack of the thread here, but how do they conduct the emergency drill on a 'partial cruise' when only a small percentage of the passengers are embarking? This is going to happen on my next cruise - part of the current Maasdam Atlantic Adventure. Some of us, my guess is about 20% will embark at Civitavecchia while most of the pax are in Rome, Herculaneum, etc. with a 9 pm departure. I can't imagine that they'll make the continuing pax take part, and I also have trouble understanding how they'd do the 3 stage procedure with the noobies. Any insight?

[chrispb]

Seriously? In the case of a potential emergency we are to go to our cabins? What the HAL! Two words come to mind, Costa Concordia.

 

What is the purpose of this? I guess I just do not understand, maybe I am missing something.

 

Yes, scary. I'd prefer to be on deck too rather than risk being trapped in a cabin. At least on deck you can gauge whether you need to jump or not:eek:

(not that I'd ever pluck up the courage).

[CaveDiving]

...in an emergency, they will want people to go to their rooms and await instructions. I imagine that in some cases the emergency turns out not to require evacuation. But if it does end up requiring evacuation, then...

 

I have never heard of this “three part emergency procedure” until now. I think I understand the steps being proposed and can see some advantages. But there are, for me, some unacceptable procedures.

 

Rather than explain each of my detailed opinions, I will simply state one overriding situation. There is no way on this green earth that, if I believe there is even the slightest chance of the ship sinking, I am going to remain waiting for an announcement in an inside cabin on a lower deck of the ship with no assured way of exiting. Think Costa Concordia. I can guarantee that I, and my family, will be either out on a deck or within a few steps of an exit leading out on a deck.

 

My first choice would be to be close to my assigned lifeboat. But if this were not possible, we would be as near as practical. But I say again, I believe it is not reasonable to remain in a possibly inescapable situation.YMMV.

 

Scott & Karen

[Lizzie68]

So, it sounds like panic would abound in a real emergency, doorways would be crowded, and the lifeboat deck would be chaotic, and no one would listen to the instructions of the captain, judging by some of these posts. No point in doing any kind of muster drill.:rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

I'm wondering why HAL, after doing life boat drill the same way for at least 25 years, now thinks this new way is better. The only change I've seen in all the years is the instruction to no longer wear or carry life jackets to the drill. Why is the style they always taught us no longer the best/safest way to do it?

[rkacruiser]

I'm wondering why HAL, after doing life boat drill the same way for at least 25 years, now thinks this new way is better. The only change I've seen in all the years is the instruction to no longer wear or carry life jackets to the drill. Why is the style they always taught us no longer the best/safest way to do it?

 

I think this is a good question.

 

Some possible reasons for the change:

 

#1: Encourage/insure passengers will have the opportunity to put on warm clothes and shoes.

 

#2: GO TO THE BATHROOM before going to their Muster Station.

 

#3: Obtain any needed documents and money from their safe.

 

#4: Obtain medicines that are required for their medical condition(s).

 

#5: Facilitate the Cabin Steward's job of making sure that his/her guests are accounted for.

 

#6: Maybe, hopefully, provide for an orderly evacuation from the cabins to the Muster Station.

 

 

The thing that infurates me is that when one is aboard a ship and one asks questions about why this/that is being done, one's questions are treated in a very kindergarden manner. Getting a straight answer--unless one has a very personal relationship with an Officer--is impossible, or close to it. The mantra seems to be: "Don't upset the guest with facts." Well, the lack of a definitive answer to my questions, which are based upon my experience on a cruise ship, DOES upset this guest!

 

 

This is the advantage of the Behind the Scenes Tours. I have found the Officers in the various Departments are far more forthcoming with information and answers than a "routine" guest could even obtain.

 

I will probably continue to arrive at my Muster Station early and hope that my naughty behavior does not send me back to my stateroom.

[TiogaCruiser]

Honestly, I would have to change my pants if there was a need to abandon ship. No need for a bathroom at that point. :eek:

 

Then it sounds like your cabin is the place to do that too! :)

[WoodyWindy]

How often is a cruise ship in imminent danger that it will sink in minutes? So the rush to muster stations may not be the best option. What if there is a fire at your muster station? Or it is freezing cold outside or a gale force wind is blowing?

 

Agree here. The laws of physics dictate that even unless whatever happened is SO severe that there would already be significant disruption, there will be sufficient time to get to your cabin to prepare.

 

My understanding of what happened with Costa Concordia was not that the passengers had to go to their cabins, but that they were advised to remain in their cabins and wait too long before the decision was made to evacuate.

[Globaliser]

#1: Returning to the stateroom in a potential evacuation will allow for the following: obtain your passport and money from the safe, put on warm clothes and suitable shoes, find your lifejacket and put it on if need be, and obtain anything else, i.e. medicines, needed for your well-being.

It would be good if HAL regulars could comment on whether this has in fact always been part of the briefing. I thought that this was always part of the instructions, and that going directly to your muster station was an alternative if you could not get back to your room; in that event there would be spare lifejackets near the muster station.

 

If my memory is right, then the new procedure would seem simply to make everyone walk through exactly the same routine as they would in a real emergency: Go from wherever you are to your room (as the current instructions say); then go from your room to your muster station (so that you actually walk your evacuation route, which is particularly good if your primary evacuation route is along a path that you're not normally entitled to access, like crew staircases).

[wannagonow123]

I don't know why, but this is really frustrating me. A muster drill is designed to assist both passengers and crew in the event of an emergency. Same thing as earthquake drills in California, and fire drills in schools. Chances are slim to none that something bad will happen, but every cruise line has developed a plan to assist in the safe evacuation of everyone. It is not up to us to determine if we like heir plan or not. Someone from some government agency has approved it, and feels it is a safe way to get passengers to safety. Every ship is designed differently, thus the different meeting points. We would all love to sit inside and be comfortable, it is not always feasible. You need to look at where the lifeboats are.

 

When you get to your stateroom, suite, whatever, generally a crewmember greets you. This is not to be friendly, or fin out what you need to get a gratuity, but also to identify if you may need additional assistance. For those of you that have a disability that may not be visible (emphysema, bad joints and don't use a can or walker), now is the time to alert someone. There is someone assigned to assist everyone. In the case of a real emergency, someone will be looking for you, and failing to follow directions can endanger others. They have a plan folks. It is not designed for our comfort, but for our safety. If there is an actual emergency, and you need to go directly to your muster station without going to your room, they have a plan. Unless you want to leave hours later, they go through the basic drill with everyone, the least evasive.

 

For those individuals that use mobility devises, yes, it is a nightmare. I have been on cruises with my MIL that required one, and it was difficult, however a crewmember always assisted us. You will also be surprised that should there be an actual emergency, people change. The "me first" person will always assist you. Strange things happen.

[RuthC]

#1: Returning to the stateroom in a potential evacuation will allow for the following: obtain your passport and money from the safe, put on warm clothes and suitable shoes, find your lifejacket and put it on if need be, and obtain anything else, i.e. medicines, needed for your well-being.

 

It would be good if HAL regulars could comment on whether this has in fact always been part of the briefing. I thought that this was always part of the instructions, and that going directly to your muster station was an alternative if you could not get back to your room; in that event there would be spare lifejackets near the muster station.

You are correct, Globalizer. The new procedure merely puts into practice what we have always been instructed to do---without ever going through the steps.

Fortunately, we aren't required to gather our items for the drill.

[Lizzie68]

You are correct, Globalizer. The new procedure merely puts into practice what we have always been instructed to do---without ever going through the steps.

Fortunately, we aren't required to gather our items for the drill.

 

That's the way I see it too. In fact, here is the information sheet from Holland America:

 

https://book.hollandamerica.com/pdfs/pdf_templates/safety_procedures_hal_en.pdf

 

in which they specifically ask that you go to your stateroom, and that also allows time for crew to set up for evacuation.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Lizzie68

[solocanadian]

With this new system I read that we must be in our cabin and from there finally proceed to our lifeboat station. Since my husband cannot handle stairs and will have a walker we usually go to our station early before the drill.

 

How will we handle this with the new system? Will our room stewards direct us to an elevator when the time comes to move to the lifeboat station? Our cabin is on A deck of the Statendam so we are down pretty low.

 

I experienced this new system in September on the Statendam. Just told them I COULD NOT DO STAIRS and they let me take the elevator. Those who showed up early were directed back to their staterooms.

They take the new system very seriously.

[CaveDiving]

...Some possible reasons for the change:

 

#1: Encourage/insure passengers will have the opportunity to put on warm clothes and shoes.

 

#2: GO TO THE BATHROOM before going to their Muster Station.

 

#3: Obtain any needed documents and money from their safe.

 

#4: Obtain medicines that are required for their medical condition(s).

 

#5: Facilitate the Cabin Steward's job of making sure that his/her guests are accounted for.

 

#6: Maybe, hopefully, provide for an orderly evacuation from the cabins to the Muster Station....

 

...The laws of physics dictate that even unless whatever happened is SO severe that there would already be significant disruption, there will be sufficient time to get to your cabin to prepare.

 

My understanding of what happened with Costa Concordia was not that the passengers had to go to their cabins, but that they were advised to remain in their cabins and wait too long before the decision was made to evacuate.

 

I agree that there are certainly advantages for passengers returning to their rooms to prepare for a possible evacuation.

 

I believe rkacruiser's first four items are valid. I believe that #5 is not important as the passenger accountability MUST be taken as the life boats are filled and not previously in cabins. Any other list is irrelevant. And I don't see where #6 has any validity.

 

I further completely and absolutely agree with WoodyWindy's comments in total. In fact it is his second paragraph why I would have no intention of waiting in my cabin for some announcement.

 

Scott & Karen

[Lizzie68]

I agree that there are certainly advantages for passengers returning to their rooms to prepare for a possible evacuation.

 

I believe rkacruiser's first four items are valid. I believe that #5 is not important as the passenger accountability MUST be taken as the life boats are filled and not previously in cabins. Any other list is irrelevant. And I don't see where #6 has any validity.

 

I further completely and absolutely agree with WoodyWindy's comments in total. In fact it is his second paragraph why I would have no intention of waiting in my cabin for some announcement.

 

Scott & Karen

 

And where will you be? Blocking the doorway and hindering the efforts of the crew according to your earlier comments. Let us all hope you never have a real evacuation - and if you are required to go to your cabin during the drill, are you going to defy captain's orders?

[chrispb]

The crew on one of the British ships that was hit by an exocet(sp) missile during the Falklands conflict were told NOT to return to their cabins in the event of an emergency.

 

The few that disobeyed this order (returning to pick up belongings from their cabins) perished. I know what one of them went to pick up and it sooo wasn't worth it.

[Djptcp]

DH and I always go to muster drills early just to be able to take the elevators (I'm talking about Carnival cruises mostly). Then people drift in over time. With the new process on HAL, it seems like a nightmare with everyone leaving their cabins at the same time and trying to get to their muster stations at the same time. Sounds much better on Carnival where each muster station group meets in a public area or lounge or bar where we can sit down and listen to the safety drill on the loudspeaker. Then we go to the actual muster station outside on the deck. We don't have to stand very long on deck. Our NA cruise is on the 23rd, so I'll let you know afterwards how it goes.

[rkacruiser]

I am looking forward to hearing/learning the instructions that are given, and I assume viewing the information on the pre-departure safety video playing in one's stateroom upon embarkation on my next cruise, which will not be until January.

 

Not wanting to be naughty, I will follow what we are told to do and then evaluate my experience in light of what I have experienced on HAL as well as the other cruise lines on which I have been fortunate to sail.

[kazu]

Ok, just to share our experience.

 

The new system is no biggie. They tell you what the blows of the horn mean.

 

the steward does come to check that you are in your cabin.

 

Their is assistance for those that need it.

 

It's a typical muster drill with just a tad of a wait and an understanding.

 

The only issue I have is that more people meandered than normal on the Prinsendam and it dragged out the drill.

 

Other than that, I saw no major issue. Those that had mobility issues were helped (and they weren't the late ones)