Muster stations on Ruby Princess

[Yankee53]

Eaglecw - I see you took a recent trip to Alaska. Are you still using the Armory parking lot? Any issues?

 

Thanks,

BobW

[Eaglecw]

Eagles,

 

I see that you used the armory parking lot a few years back, based on a posting back then, and you recently took another cruise to Alaska. Did you use the same lot, and did you have any security issues? My wife and I are leaving on the Crown Princess, on 7/25 and still need to make parking arrangements.

 

Thanks,

Bob W.

 

Bob, I think this was the 5th or 6th year that we've parked at the Armory parking lot. No security issues. They picked us up at the car dropped us off not far from the front of the terminal. I'll park there again the next time we go to Alaska, we go every year.

 

Here's link to there web site https://www.seattlecruiseparking.com/?gclid=CP_hqr2H1sYCFUNhfgodx4gP1w

 

Enjoy your cruise, it'll be good.

[UandMe4Ever]

Does anyone on here know if they still require life jackets for muster on the Regal Princess? Thanks.

[Colo Cruiser]

Does anyone on here know if they still require life jackets for muster on the Regal Princess? Thanks.

 

Yes they are required on all Princess ships. :)

[UandMe4Ever]

Thanks, Princess needs to catch up to the other cruise lines. Just show up, scan the card, listen, learn and leave.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks, Princess needs to catch up to the other cruise lines. Just show up, scan the card, listen, learn and leave.

 

Even with many cruises I am still a hands on kind a guy. :cool:

[caribill]

Thanks, Princess needs to catch up to the other cruise lines. Just show up, scan the card, listen, learn and leave.

 

No, the other cruise lines need to do what Princess does:

o Muster inside instead of out in the elements and exposed to exhaust from refueling vessels

o Scan the card

o Demo the life jacket procedure so that everyone present can hear and see it

o Everybody put on the life jackets so they are sure they can do it correctly

o Leave

[chengkp75]

No, the other cruise lines need to do what Princess does:

o Muster inside instead of out in the elements and exposed to exhaust from refueling vessels

o Scan the card

o Demo the life jacket procedure so that everyone present can hear and see it

o Everybody put on the life jackets so they are sure they can do it correctly

o Leave

 

Unfortunately, muster station changes from outside to inside are rarely done once a ship is built. The muster locations are determined by space, access, and other criteria like proximity to boats, and approved by the class society and flag state, as meeting IMO requirements. Changes to entirely new locations would require costly human dynamics, crowd control, and emergency management simulations for the entire ship, and then the approval process by flag state and class starts all over, and then would come the expense of reprinting of station bills for the crew, placards around the ship showing locations and directions, and the cards on cabin doors.

[caribill]

Unfortunately, muster station changes from outside to inside are rarely done once a ship is built. The muster locations are determined by space, access, and other criteria like proximity to boats, and approved by the class society and flag state, as meeting IMO requirements. Changes to entirely new locations would require costly human dynamics, crowd control, and emergency management simulations for the entire ship, and then the approval process by flag state and class starts all over, and then would come the expense of reprinting of station bills for the crew, placards around the ship showing locations and directions, and the cards on cabin doors.

 

Requiring passengers to actually practice putting on a life jacket correctly requires no great change and no approval by outside authorities.

 

And when I have been on a ship with an outside muster drill, less than 10% of the people had an actual view of the demonstration of how to put on a life jacket due to not being in the front row of standing passenters.

Edited July 13, 2015 by caribill

[chengkp75]

Requiring passengers to actually practice putting on a life jacket correctly requires no great change and no approval by outside authorities.

 

I wasn't commenting on that bullet point of yours, but on the bullet point of holding muster indoors. I personally went to every passenger muster drill during my 4 years on cruise ships, even though I was not required to. As a senior officer and the "on scene commander" for emergencies I felt it was my duty to help out, and I spent my time showing passengers the proper way to don a lifejacket. You'd be amazed at how many got it wrong, even after hearing the demonstration, to the point where if they went in the water, the jacket would to the opposite of what it was intended for, and would force them face down in the water.

 

To some degree, I see the cruise lines' justification for not requiring lifejackets to be brought to drill. For emergency use, the straps should always be let out fully, and cabin attendants are instructed to do so. Unfortunately, when the passengers get the jackets, they proceed to the muster location with the straps dangling, and these have and will trip the passengers or others on the stairwells around them. Frankly, I consider this to be just another example of how no one takes responsibility for their own safety (like on airplanes, not listening to the briefing, etc), but the cruise lines take the brunt of insurance claims for this, so they try to reduce the liability by leaving the jackets in the room. I'm not saying this is a good decision, but I can see the reasoning.

 

And, in fact, the IMO only requires that a lifejacket demo video be available to be watched on the TV, so any group demonstration of the lifejacket by crew is above the minimum required.