Muster drill

[Green4me]

It has been a while but I recall Disney requiring bring the life vests to the muster drill they may no longer as it was back in 2002.

[SantaFeFan]

Some ships just send a letter to inform you that you've missed the drill spelling out all the details that were talked about.

 

One may question whether someone who is incapable or so self centered to have missed a muster drill is able to understand the written word.

 

And some ships require you to attend a makeup drill. Others will disembark anyone who refuses to attend. Has happened. Sending a letter is a cop-out by the cruise lines. Tells the person that they can do anything they want without repercussions.

[floridalover5623]

And some ships require you to attend a makeup drill. Others will disembark anyone who refuses to attend. Has happened. Sending a letter is a cop-out by the cruise lines. Tells the person that they can do anything they want without repercussions.

At one time for about 1 year period Princess was making people attend the make up session. Then they began the information letter not long ago but without making people attend a make up session. I suppose it does relieve them of their responsibilities.

All the same information is in the letter that they tell people at the drill so those that miss it are just as informed at those that attend.

[SantaFeFan]

At one time for about 1 year period Princess was making people attend the make up session. Then they began the information letter not long ago but without making people attend a make up session. I suppose it does relieve them of their responsibilities.

All the same information is in the letter that they tell people at the drill so those that miss it are just as informed at those that attend.

 

That is really a dumb move. If a letter is good enough for those that don't attend, why not just put a letter in every stateroom and drop the muster drill requirement completely? Why should just the people who refuse to attend be allowed to skip it? This is a coward's way out on Princess' part.

[floridalover5623]

That is really a dumb move. If a letter is good enough for those that don't attend, why not just put a letter in every stateroom and drop the muster drill requirement completely? Why should just the people who refuse to attend be allowed to skip it? This is a coward's way out on Princess' part.

Because people hear on the announcement that it's mandatory and just attend.

[cruzrbachoua]

When we were on celebrity one of the crew had to keep waking this one guy up and kept yelling at others to get off their phone and pay attention. I thought that was great and wanted to give him some applause. I was just glad it wasn't my DH he was needing to wake up...:eek:

[Thrak]

I always amuse myself at muster by looking for the people who put their jackets on way before they are supposed to (there are always some who can't follow directions) and who stick the whistle in their mouth to try it out. If I needed to blow the whistle while bobbing in the water I'd do so in a heartbeat but sticking it in my mouth when I don't have to is just not going to happen. Who knows what kind of jive is lurking on that thing!

 

Muster is crowded and boring but it's part of cruising and is required. We just go and even pay attention to what is said. It's not difficult. We don't let the mad crush of people heading back to their cabins afterward bother us. We just go slowly and don't even try to use the elevators. Why make stress when we're on vacation.

[cbelc]

I think they probably did a benefit analysis. I'm sure too many people were injured by tripping over life vest straps; and, in a real emergency, the learning curve is steep.

 

 

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[ccruzer123]

Quote: "I always amuse myself at muster by looking for the people who put their jackets on way before they are supposed to (there are always some who can't follow directions)".

 

 

Ditto... we do the same thing. We like to count the number of people who put on their life vest when they are not suppose too. We have found the numbers differ depending on the region you cruise. The Australian/New Zealand trip this year had an extremely large number of individuals putting vests on. Even after crew told them to take them off they put them back on again with the rest of their group now joining them. Crew came back over and had them take them off and as soon as the crew left they put them back on which led to more individuals in their group putting them on. No matter how many announcement they made about not putting on the vests people kept putting them on. Crew was running all over the place trying to get them to take them off. We looked around the room and saw that we were not the only ones chuckling at the situation, even some crew members started to chuckle.

[floridalover5623]

When we were on celebrity one of the crew had to keep waking this one guy up and kept yelling at others to get off their phone and pay attention. I thought that was great and wanted to give him some applause. I was just glad it wasn't my DH he was needing to wake up...:eek:

Yea, Princess does the same thing. They always try to keep me awake for some reason. It's usually a long day & I need my nap. ;)

[RedEarth]

Nope. As has already been noted by several posters, not on the other mass market lines, including Celebrity and Carnival. Princess is the only line that requires bringing our life vests that I am aware of.

P&O UK also require you to bring your life vest to the drill. I think I read somewhere that they've also started scanning cruise cards as well.

 

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[cbelc]

RCL scans cards.

 

 

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[Aus Traveller]

Thank you!

 

What time do they tend to have it on a 4pm sailing?

When your cabin steward introduces him/herself, he/she will remind you of the muster drill and the time and location. :)

[Aus Traveller]

If I had a nickel for every time I had to correct a passenger on how to put on a life jacket, I'd be like Trump. This was at NCL, when you were required to put the jacket on during muster. Believe it or not, there is a way to put the life jacket on such that the flotation force of the jacket, which is designed to turn an unconscious person face up while floating, will actually force your face under water and hold it there with 30 lbs of force. And it's not like they put it on backwards.

In the sinking of the Lusitania, several people were found floating dead with lifejackets on - but put on incorrectly. I realize that modern lifejackets are a different design, but I still think it is a good idea to have people practice putting them on while not in an emergency situation.

[cbelc]

In the sinking of the Lusitania, several people were found floating dead with lifejackets on - but put on incorrectly. I realize that modern lifejackets are a different design, but I still think it is a good idea to have people practice putting them on while not in an emergency situation.

 

 

That was in 1915. Just saying....

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

In the sinking of the Lusitania, several people were found floating dead with lifejackets on - but put on incorrectly. I realize that modern lifejackets are a different design, but I still think it is a good idea to have people practice putting them on while not in an emergency situation.

 

 

I agree!

[Aus Traveller]

That was in 1915. Just saying....

 

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That's why I said the lifejacket design is different. :) Probably with the modern design, there would be fewer deaths resulting from the incorrect wearing of the jacket. Cruiseships are not currently at risk of being torpedoed, but there are other risks - refer to Costa Concordia.

 

However, if passengers haven't even handled a lifejacket or put one on, they are at a disadvantage if an emergency arises and they have to put their lifejackets on. The crew can help them, but they probably would not have time to help everyone put their lifejacket on - once again refer to Costa Concordia.

[SantaFeFan]

In the sinking of the Lusitania, several people were found floating dead with lifejackets on - but put on incorrectly. I realize that modern lifejackets are a different design, but I still think it is a good idea to have people practice putting them on while not in an emergency situation.

 

Putting something on once while in a crowded room during a muster drill will not teach you how to put it on correctly in a stressful emergency situation. Repetition is how people learn to do things while under stress, not once as a casual exercise. What is learned by putting it on during the drill will be quickly forgotten unless people practice the process until they can do it without thinking.

 

In most emergencies, there will be ample time to read the instructions on the vest or ask someone how to put it on if you are uncertain. That is the reasoning that most cruise lines now take, and this is based on recommendations of SOLAS, which only requires a drill be broadcast over the public announcement system, not even a demonstration at a muster location.

 

Quoted from http://www.he-alert.org/filemanager/root/site_assets/standalone_article_pdfs_0905-/he01195.pdf

 

"Regulation 19Emergency training and drills

 

2.2 On a ship engaged on a voyage where passengers are scheduled to be on board for more than 24h, musters of the passengers shall take place within 24 h after their embarkation.[Note: MSC 92 adopted amendments SOLAS regulation III/19 to require musters of newly embarkedpassengers prior to or immediately upon departure, instead of “within 24 hours”, as stated in thecurrent regulations. The amendments are expected to enter into force on 1 January 2015.]

 

2.3 Whenever new passengers embark, a passenger safety briefing shall be given immediatelybefore sailing, or immediately after sailing. The briefing shall include the instructions required byregulations 8.2 and 8.4, and shall be made by means of an announcement, in one or more languages, likely to be understood by the passengers. The announcement shall be made on the ship’s publicaddress system, or by other equivalent means likely to be heard at least by the passengers who havenot yet heard it during the voyage. The briefing may be included in the muster required byparagraph 2.2 if the muster is held immediately upon departure. Information cards or posters orvideo programes displayed on ships video displays may be used to supplement the briefing, butmay not be used to replace the announcement."

[pris993]

we always attend but do not put on the vest... after 50+ cruises... do not feel the need to do so.

[GUT2407]

Excellent, thank you. So the same as Celebrity except we'll need to take the life jackets.

 

 

Yep.

[Colo Cruiser]

So Princess goes above and beyond whats required. I am glad.

[chengkp75]

In the sinking of the Lusitania, several people were found floating dead with lifejackets on - but put on incorrectly. I realize that modern lifejackets are a different design, but I still think it is a good idea to have people practice putting them on while not in an emergency situation.

 

Even a properly donned lifejacket will not stop the laws of hypothermia. The water at the time of the Lusitania sinking was 50* at which the maximum expected survival time is 3-6 hours. Even in the waters of the Caribbean, where it is commonly 70-80* water temps, loss of consciousness, and therefore an increased risk of drowning by water ingestion, happens within 2-12 hours, depending on clothing, health, and alcohol.

[VibeGuy]

They're highly visible and the looped webbing provides a convenient handhold . . . to recover the bodies.

[jrzebird]

Even a properly donned lifejacket will not stop the laws of hypothermia. The water at the time of the Lusitania sinking was 50* at which the maximum expected survival time is 3-6 hours. Even in the waters of the Caribbean, where it is commonly 70-80* water temps, loss of consciousness, and therefore an increased risk of drowning by water ingestion, happens within 2-12 hours, depending on clothing, health, and alcohol.

 

Thanks for those cheery thoughts. Unfortunately, they are factual. Let's hope none of us ever get to test them.

 

Anyway, a few years ago Princess changed their life jackets a slight bit (might have been on the Royal class), but I was very happy that they had a hands on drill because it help familiarize me with the different shape. Not that I couldn't have figured it out myself. Also, Princess shows us what to do in the event we have to jump from (actually step off, not jump from) the ship, which is something I had never experienced before.

 

As for other lines, HAL (as of 2 years ago) still had muster drill and they still held it outside, on deck. I think someone told me that they finally moved it inside.

 

Right after the Costa Concordia they (not sure if it was HAL or Princess) said that if we didn't attend muster drill, they were going to put us off the ship before it even sailed. I haven't heard that since. But it's a great idea!

 

There are so many people who really have no idea of what to expect or what to do that it's frightening. Every time I attend one, I get at least 2 or 3 people who ask me questions or express surprise at things most of us take for granted. I hope they never do away with this 20 minute safety drill. And yes, I generally pay attention to the pre-flight spiel as well.

 

Maureen

[SantaFeFan]

Right after the Costa Concordia they (not sure if it was HAL or Princess) said that if we didn't attend muster drill, they were going to put us off the ship before it even sailed. I haven't heard that since. But it's a great idea!

 

Celebrity warns that they will, and they have done so in at least one case reported on the Celebrity forum a few months ago. They don't require life jackets to be brought to the muster drill. AND, they also don't give a letter explaining the procedure to people who refuse to attend - they remove them from the ship.