Regal Princess Muster Drill

[jak378]

Our muster station was the Wheelhouse Bar. That location and Vista Lounge, which was also a muster station, are not midship.

 

Lew

 

You are of course correct, my apologies, but at least you had a place to sit.

[jak378]

Princess had been holding muster for a long time and I think they know what the best procedure is. ;)

 

I am not sure that I am ready to agree with that assumption. This was a cluster____. I guess some folks simply cannot find fault with anything that Princess does.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

That wasn't the way the sentence was phrased at the muster drill. It was more like: " not every station is assigned a lifeboat, some will have pods and they are accessed by a chute you slide down"

 

I've seen some of these passengers ambling down the hall. If we have to wait for them to jump down a chute there's not much hope for those of us behind them in line.

 

I doubt if those passengers would stand a chance in hell in a "real" emergency.

[neilrr]

You are all too funny... I remember years ago when RCCL and Celebrity would line you up outside by the lifeboat and called the cabin numbers. If you were not there they sent someone out to hunt you down. On Princess, we usually end up in the theater muster station and take a nice little nap. It is good they scan the ship cards - much more efficient..

 

It is very important and people do need to take muster a bit more seriously - ask the people on the Costa Concordia...

Edited December 10, 2014 by neilrr

[gklake]

What time is muster drill? Leaving on a regal, Feb 1. I have a bad ankle so need a head start.

[Timbles]

I am not sure that I am ready to agree with that assumption. This was a cluster____. I guess some folks simply cannot find fault with anything that Princess does.

 

We have been on the Royal twice, the first time our muster was in Crooners (deck 7) and it was a nightmare to get back to our cabin on Deck 8. All those people carrying all those life jackets, and no middle staircase meant getting ourselves to the forward stairs. Then it actually became worse, because all the people filing out of the theater were also trying to use the forward stairs and elevators. It was at leat 30 minutes to get from muster to stateroom, all the while in a terribly claustrophobic nightmare of cranky bodies.

 

Second cruise however, had our muster located in the Concerto dining room on deck 6. The moment they dismissed us, out the door to the midship elevators where of course, they were empty for us on deck six, but completely full when it stopped on deck 7. Muster to stateroom, maybe 3 minutes.

 

Two very different experiences, the first of which could have been alleviated if they opened up the crew staircase midship for 20 minutes after the drill.

[Mom33]

We have been on the Royal twice, the first time our muster was in Crooners (deck 7) and it was a nightmare to get back to our cabin on Deck 8. All those people carrying all those life jackets, and no middle staircase meant getting ourselves to the forward stairs. Then it actually became worse, because all the people filing out of the theater were also trying to use the forward stairs and elevators. It was at leat 30 minutes to get from muster to stateroom, all the while in a terribly claustrophobic nightmare of cranky bodies.

 

Second cruise however, had our muster located in the Concerto dining room on deck 6. The moment they dismissed us, out the door to the midship elevators where of course, they were empty for us on deck six, but completely full when it stopped on deck 7. Muster to stateroom, maybe 3 minutes.

 

Two very different experiences, the first of which could have been alleviated if they opened up the crew staircase midship for 20 minutes after the drill.

 

There are mid ship stairs opened up to public use during the drill. We used them on the Royal and the Regal.You could have easily walked up the center stairs. They were available for at least a half hour after the drills.

[Timbles]

There are mid ship stairs opened up to public use during the drill. We used them on the Royal and the Regal.You could have easily walked up the center stairs. They were available for at least a half hour after the drills.

 

Wow, we were specifically turned from heading toward the center stairs/elevators by crew members in florescent hats... I wonder if it was because I use a cane and they didn't think I could use the stairs and getting a midship elevator was fruitless.:confused:

[welldone60]

We had a good chuckle on the Golden a few weeks ago. Muster was held in one of the lounges and we arrived early. They scanned our cards as we came in. I was talking to one of the staff and asked what happens if someone is a no show for muster. He told us to listen for them to be calling out names on the PA system after muster, then walk through the lounge as we sail away and you will see them getting their muster drill, and he said, staff will take their time. He told us the captain of the Golden was very strict about muster and had in the past debarked passengers who were found hiding from muster drill. Sure enough, we walked through the lounge after we had sailed and there were 12-14 people still sitting there with there life jackets on, and staff going over procedures very slowly.

Edited December 16, 2014 by welldone60

[jgw321]

The RC demo is useless as only the people standing in the front row can actually see it.

 

I prefer the Princess method.

 

The HAL one is the same. Shambles. We have done many HAL and Princess ones and we agree that the Princess mustard drill is far superior. We are trying Fred Olsen and Voyager next so wonder how these will go.

[jgw321]

staff going over procedures very slowly.

 

:D We had heard that you couln't get out of it and had to go to a "bad boys" version if you missed it. I didn't know about the go slow bit though. Now that is funny.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

We have been on the Royal twice, the first time our muster was in Crooners (deck 7) and it was a nightmare to get back to our cabin on Deck 8. All those people carrying all those life jackets, and no middle staircase meant getting ourselves to the forward stairs. Then it actually became worse, because all the people filing out of the theater were also trying to use the forward stairs and elevators. It was at leat 30 minutes to get from muster to stateroom, all the while in a terribly claustrophobic nightmare of cranky bodies.

 

Second cruise however, had our muster located in the Concerto dining room on deck 6. The moment they dismissed us, out the door to the midship elevators where of course, they were empty for us on deck six, but completely full when it stopped on deck 7. Muster to stateroom, maybe 3 minutes.

 

Two very different experiences, the first of which could have been alleviated if they opened up the crew staircase midship for 20 minutes after the drill.

 

I always cutout immediately after they tell us to try on the jackets and follow the same route as we took to get to the muster station. There was no one using the central crew staircase & we go to deck 8 in a matter of 10 seconds.

 

:D We had heard that you couln't get out of it and had to go to a "bad boys" version if you missed it. I didn't know about the go slow bit though. Now that is funny.

 

Yea - there double checking the skippers now-a-days. The make up session does go a little quicker. No more dodging muster drill. ;)

[Boytjie]

We had a good chuckle on the Golden a few weeks ago. Muster was held in one of the lounges and we arrived early. They scanned our cards as we came in. I was talking to one of the staff and asked what happens if someone is a no show for muster. He told us to listen for them to be calling out names on the PA system after muster, then walk through the lounge as we sail away and you will see them getting their muster drill, and he said, staff will take their time. He told us the captain of the Golden was very strict about muster and had in the past debarked passengers who were found hiding from muster drill. Sure enough, we walked through the lounge after we had sailed and there were 12-14 people still sitting there with there life jackets on, and staff going over procedures very slowly.

 

On HAL they disembark those that don't attend the muster drill.

[Boytjie]

The HAL one is the same. Shambles. We have done many HAL and Princess ones and we agree that the Princess mustard drill is far superior. We are trying Fred Olsen and Voyager next so wonder how these will go.

 

The mayo drill on HAL is the best though. :D

[cougaraz]

The muster stations are on Decks 6 and 7, midship. All cabin decks are above these and at the conclusion of the drill it is impossible to get an elevator to return to your cabin. That many people, all carrying life jackets quickly overload the elevators. It is a long climb from Deck 6 or 7 to Deck 14, 15 or 16. We waited until everything cleared and it took at least a half hour. The ship had not sailed yet so naturally most services were closed. Another problem is that in some of the stations there is no or limited seating. Not much of a problem for the drill, but if there is an actual emergency which requires being at muster stations for an extended period it would be a problem. They should look at the situation and perhaps hold the drills by staggering them by muster station.

 

It was pretty much a minor problem, but caused a bad start for many.

 

If the ship is having an actual emergency, I imagine that the deck will be available for sitting!

[Mapu]

We were on the Regal in November and were told we did not need to brong our life jackets to the muster drill. We didn't and were able to leave quite quickly to head up to the sail away, which of course was delayed!

[5:00_Somewhere]

If the ship is having an actual emergency, I imagine that the deck will be available for sitting!

 

Having been through an actual emergency (Star Princess fire 2006) I can tell you that, in addition to being life-saving flotation devices, the life jackets serve as handy seat cushions for the floor, and pillows for napping.

[gremlinbangles]

There are mid ship stairs opened up to public use during the drill. We used them on the Royal and the Regal.You could have easily walked up the center stairs. They were available for at least a half hour after the drills.

We always go on up early for a seat. I can't stand for long oeriods. If you head up 3 30 you should be ok

What time is muster drill? Leaving on a regal, Feb 1. I have a bad ankle so need a head start.

[Sox Fan Cruiser]

And no one says you HAVE to try on your life vest. We still bring ours every time but we have "practiced" putting it on years. Unless the design has changed, we got it.

[edinbc]

We were also on Regal in November. Had to bring our life jackets and put them on when instructed to. Our muster was held in the Vista Lounge.

 

We were on Regal Princess from Port Everglades throguh the Caribbean and were required to bring our lj with us. The necks are very tight!