Muster Drill Life Jackets

[Jeter02]

Quick question. I've been sailing Regal handful of times this caribbCar season. I love that they have fone awaway with pax bringing life jackets to the muster drills. Is this fleet wide?

[rdsqrl]

If you're asking what I think you're asking, yes, I believe foregoing life jackets at muster is now fleet-wide. We did not have to bring them on either Crown cruise in December.

 

I do not "love" this, as I think the entire muster drill has gotten too happy-face and totally lacks gravitas. On the 5-day cruise, filled with newbies, it was clear that the passengers were taking about as seriously as you'd expect when important information is being delivered by B-List actors (and I say that as someone who still loves The Love Boat -- just keeping it real).

[Jeter02]

If you're asking what I think you're asking, yes, I believe foregoing life jackets at muster is now fleet-wide. We did not have to bring them on either Crown cruise in December.

 

I do not "love" this, as I think the entire muster drill has gotten too happy-face and totally lacks gravitas. On the 5-day cruise, filled with newbies, it was clear that the passengers were taking about as seriously as you'd expect when important information is being delivered by B-List actors (and I say that as someone who still loves The Love Boat -- just keeping it real).

 

 

Woohoo!!!! Thank you for confirming. One less hassel of everyone trying to get to, or leaving their station all trying to return their jackets to their stateroom.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Jeter02

[moki'smommy]

Yeah....I agree that the drills have gotten entirely too lax. You are asked to try on your life jacket in your stateroom and ask for assistance if needed. How often do yo suppose passengers really do that?

 

I DO realize, with 35+ cruises to date, that dragging the life vests to the drill and back is a bit of a pain. And in all those cruises, we've never had a situation where we were told report to the muster station for a real situation. But the drill needs to be taken seriously. It is time to shut mouths and listen to the instructions being given. And to know where the life vest is and how to put it on if necessary.

 

I see too much being a hoop that they must jump thru rather than a potentially life saving issue.

[DrivesLikeMario]

If you're asking what I think you're asking, yes, I believe foregoing life jackets at muster is now fleet-wide. We did not have to bring them on either Crown cruise in December.

 

I do not "love" this, as I think the entire muster drill has gotten too happy-face and totally lacks gravitas. On the 5-day cruise, filled with newbies, it was clear that the passengers were taking about as seriously as you'd expect when important information is being delivered by B-List actors (and I say that as someone who still loves The Love Boat -- just keeping it real).

 

Have you been to a muster on other cruise lines? Wow - what a difference! The other cruise lines (like RCI) are a total joke. It's total chaos. No one listens at all to the TVs that tell you what to do in the event of an emergency. People are eating, drinking, kids are running around and the noise is so loud, you can't hear a word that is said. Princess' are totally opposite - serious, well-attended, respectful. :cool: It really is as opposite as they can be. Princess takes it so seriously compared to other cruise lines!

Edited to add: Perhaps it's a sign of the times? People want to be entertained and lose attention after 30 sec. or so. Maybe that's why Princess has gone to the video approach as it appeals to a younger crowd?

[JF - retired RRT]

Maybe they should have a separate muster drill for the blue cards...bring your life jacket.

Then a muster drill for everyone else...just in case you forgot anything.

[Host CJSKIDS]

Yeah....I agree that the drills have gotten entirely too lax. You are asked to try on your life jacket in your stateroom and ask for assistance if needed. How often do yo suppose passengers really do that?

 

I DO realize' date=' with 35+ cruises to date, that dragging the life vests to the drill and back is a bit of a pain. And in all those cruises, we've never had a situation where we were told report to the muster station for a real situation. But the drill needs to be taken seriously. It is time to shut mouths and listen to the instructions being given. And to know where the life vest is and how to put it on if necessary.

 

I see too much being a hoop that they must jump thru rather than a potentially life saving issue.[/quote']

 

I have been in an emergency situation where everyone had to bring lifejackets to their muster stations at 3 am. Having brought them to the muster drill actually meant very little to the situation. Since we had to flee our stateroom, we actually didn't get to bring ours. Most people did not pay attention to anything said at muster and weren't sure of what to actually do while we were in such an emergency situation whether it had to do with the life jacket or where to go!

 

Trust me, after being in that situation, 31 cruises later I pay attention. I also now totally pay attention when on a flight as well.

[Thrak]

Maybe they should have a separate muster drill for the blue cards...bring your life jacket.

Then a muster drill for everyone else...just in case you forgot anything.

 

Of course you may have cruised many times on other lines and this is your first Princess cruise so you have a blue card or you may be under 18 and have sailed on Princess many times but still have a blue card. It doesn't necessarily indicate a new cruiser.

 

I don't mind dragging the life vest along and doing the regular drill but not having to take the vest back to the cabin is a real bonus. We board CB in a week and I know they've made the change on that ship. Hopefully we will never need the vest but it doesn't hurt to have a reminder. Even the simple reminder about crossing arms over the vest and holding your nose is important information. Jumping from a ship without crossing your arms over the vest to keep it from suddenly smashing upward into your face is something that should be avoided and the muster drill reminds folks to do this. Yes, I've heard it all before but we will still attend and pay attention. It's not much to ask and may someday save your life.

 

One big bonus of not taking the life jackets to muster drill is that I won't see people putting on the jackets before they are supposed to and won't have to hear the tooting on the whistles. Ewwwwwwww...... I really don't want to put that in my mouth unless I'm in the sea and need to attract rescue. Talk about a noro spreader.

[TheRabbit]

Maybe they should have a separate muster drill for the blue cards...bring your life jacket.

Then a muster drill for everyone else...just in case you forgot anything.

That sound like good advice.

 

Separately, there are to many instances where they did not train as they work and the results were deaths. The muster drill is ran for a reason. The same reason they no longer announce to remember your luggage at the end of the flight when the emergency announcements are done on an airplane.

[OCruisers]

:* Love no longer having to take our life jackets to muster drill! :hearteyes:

[NoWhiners]

Of course you may have cruised many times on other lines and this is your first Princess cruise so you have a blue card or you may be under 18 and have sailed on Princess many times but still have a blue card. It doesn't necessarily indicate a new cruiser.

 

 

This ^^^. Just because you have a blue card means nothing. And I hate the attitude that it does. When we took our first Princess cruise, and had a blue card, I noticed that everyone treats you like an idiot. Please don't. Being new to Princess, or finally over 18, doesn't entitle the rest of you to treat people like dirt. Some of us have cruised many times before.

 

Just my experience, not saying everyone does this. But Princess should figure out a better, more subtle way to identify groups of cruisers. Although why they have to make it public is beyond me, it could just be embedded in your cruise card.

 

And pay attention at muster drill. It is important and could help you, your family, or another pax in an emergency.

[moki'smommy]

I have been in an emergency situation where everyone had to bring lifejackets to their muster stations at 3 am. Having brought them to the muster drill actually meant very little to the situation. Since we had to flee our stateroom, we actually didn't get to bring ours. Most people did not pay attention to anything said at muster and weren't sure of what to actually do while we were in such an emergency situation whether it had to do with the life jacket or where to go!

 

Trust me, after being in that situation, 31 cruises later I pay attention. I also now totally pay attention when on a flight as well.

I'm a little confused. If you were in your stateroom at 3am, why were you unable to bring the life vests?

[Host CJSKIDS]

I personally like some of the changes that Princess has done to the muster drill and how they handle things.

 

Not bringing the life jackets seem to be okay because they do tell you that if you need help knowing how to put on the life jacket, to see a crew member after the drill and they will show you. I saw a few people last cruise go take advantage of this. I never saw every single person try them on in past muster drills anyway.

 

They have so improved things by having the card readers so they know when people are in attendance quickly and who is missing.

They also wake up people who fall asleep and will tap others who are on their phones. They seem to really be making an effort to have everyone pay attention to what is being said and to the directions they give.

 

It may not be that way on all ships, it's just what I saw on our last 2 cruises.

[Thrak]

This ^^^. Just because you have a blue card means nothing. And I hate the attitude that it does. When we took our first Princess cruise, and had a blue card, I noticed that everyone treats you like an idiot. Please don't. Being new to Princess, or finally over 18, doesn't entitle the rest of you to treat people like dirt. Some of us have cruised many times before.

 

Just my experience, not saying everyone does this. But Princess should figure out a better, more subtle way to identify groups of cruisers. Although why they have to make it public is beyond me, it could just be embedded in your cruise card.

 

And pay attention at muster drill. It is important and could help you, your family, or another pax in an emergency.

 

Actually I always hope that blue card holders really are new to cruising. There's nothing like the awe and wonder of a first cruise. I'm always a bit jealous of anybody taking their first cruise. If it's as great as our first cruise it's a fantastic thing. As for anybody who looks down their nose at new cruisers... They aren't worth talking with. I'm not a fan of snobs.

 

Of course there are those who hate their first cruise. I know people who took one cruise and will never set foot on a ship again. They took a spring break cruise on a Carnival ship. D'Oh! I feel very lucky that we started with Princess as it seems to be a perfect fit for us.

[Reina del Mar]

Back to the original question...we had to take our life jackets to muster drill on Emerald Princess in January 2018 ! Was San Antonio (South America) departure.

[caribill]

 

Not bringing the life jackets seem to be okay because they do tell you that if you need help knowing how to put on the life jacket, to see a crew member after the drill and they will show you. I saw a few people last cruise go take advantage of this. I never saw every single person try them on in past muster drills anyway.

 

 

In every muster drill I have been on in the past on Princess there were always a number of passengers who were unable to correctly put on the life jacket after the demo. At that time crew would assist and they learned how to put them on correctly.

 

I think it is a safety problem not to continue to require bringing the life jackets to the muster drill. In a true emergency there may or may not be a need to quickly don the life jackets. If they need to be put on quickly, many passengers will not do it correctly and this could cost lives. Yes, the possibility is remote, but I would prefer that every passenger be prepared for the worst possibility.

 

Also, as each life jacket does have a letter indicating which muster station to go to, when you are on the way to the muster with your life jacket a crew member can spot if you are headed to the correct station and direct you to the correct one if you are not headed to it. Yes, it is on your cruise card (but not on the medallion which will eventually replace the cruise card) but the staff does not see the cruise card as you are walking to the muster station, only after you reach the station as they check you in.

 

 

Yes, other cruise lines have not required life jackets at muster drills for a long time. And them demos on those cruise lines have often been essentially a joke with anyone not in the front row of the muster which is held outside by an assigned lifeboat (which may or may not be accessible in an emergency) unable to actually see the demo.

[chengkp75]

I can vouch for the number of passengers who have put their lifejackets on incorrectly, to the point where the lifejacket, instead of turning an unconscious person face up in the water, will force a conscious person's face down into the water.

 

I drag a lifejacket to drill every week, 26 weeks a year, for 42 years. Even though we know we will never use it, because we take our immersion suits to drill as well, and the immersion suit gives a far better chance of survival than the lifejacket, but the lifejacket is required by law. However, our lifejackets are properly stowed with the straps tied off, in a manner that allows quick donning by anyone of any size. My professional opinion is that not taking lifejackets to drill by passengers is a mistake, and the drill should include everyone putting them on, and then being instructed in how to stow the jacket properly, and not letting anyone go from drill until their jacket is properly stowed to prevent the tripping hazard of dangling straps. But that would merely inflame 99% of cruisers, so it will never happen.

[pablo222]

I can vouch for the number of passengers who have put their lifejackets on incorrectly, to the point where the lifejacket, instead of turning an unconscious person face up in the water, will force a conscious person's face down into the water.

 

I find the posts here 'amusing'.

 

"Thank god I don't have to bring my life jacket to the muster drill"

 

...I assume these people want to do as little as possible to ensure their own safety.

 

They probably cover their ears during all emergency briefings on planes, too.

 

No problem. Just as long as they don't mind being stepped on and shoved aside

in an emergency, by the people who do know what to do.

[Host CJSKIDS]

I can vouch for the number of passengers who have put their lifejackets on incorrectly, to the point where the lifejacket, instead of turning an unconscious person face up in the water, will force a conscious person's face down into the water.

 

I drag a lifejacket to drill every week, 26 weeks a year, for 42 years. Even though we know we will never use it, because we take our immersion suits to drill as well, and the immersion suit gives a far better chance of survival than the lifejacket, but the lifejacket is required by law. However, our lifejackets are properly stowed with the straps tied off, in a manner that allows quick donning by anyone of any size. My professional opinion is that not taking lifejackets to drill by passengers is a mistake, and the drill should include everyone putting them on, and then being instructed in how to stow the jacket properly, and not letting anyone go from drill until their jacket is properly stowed to prevent the tripping hazard of dangling straps. But that would merely inflame 99% of cruisers, so it will never happen.

 

It's nice to hear your professional opinion since you are one of the few who actually know the facts on all things sea with your background even though we all like to think we do!!

 

I was told it was going fleet wide when I asked at both the Regal and the Crown muster drills recently.

 

The crew did have people try out their lifejacket if needed at the muster drill so you could see how to properly put it on. Perhaps having some spare lifejackets down at the muster drill so those who wanted to practice could practice would be a good way to handle this change.

 

It must be easier for the cabin stewards now on turn around day because I'm sure many cruisers would try the jacket on and then just throw it back in their closets without having the jacket be "properly stowed" as you said. They probably had to spend a lot of time in many cabins doing just this.

[crawford]

If you're asking what I think you're asking, yes, I believe foregoing life jackets at muster is now fleet-wide. We did not have to bring them on either Crown cruise in December.

 

No life jackets needed on the Coral in January either. Just wondering how many people have tripped/fallen due to dangling straps and Princess decided to have passengers leave the life jackets in their staterooms as a result?

[Globehoppers]

The cost to the cruise lines from "dragging the life jacket to muster" is expensive. They get damaged, passengers don't know how to re-shelve, people trip and fall over straps dragged on the ground. Taking a life jacket to muster is helpful only If a "problem" occurs in the middle of the night. If in the MDR or theater, the guidance is to proceed directly to your station and jackets will be provided.

[nukesubsailor]

While we are happy we do not have to carry our life jackets to and from the muster drill, we still try them on in our cabin so that we can get the straps adjusted for our sizes.

[Potstech]

I know they have a lot to do but room stewards could be required to have each passenger put on their life jackets and then show how to put them away. Those who know how to do it could show quickly that they do. Those who do not then could be shown how.

[TheRabbit]

I know they have a lot to do but room stewards could be required to have each passenger put on their life jackets and then show how to put them away. Those who know how to do it could show quickly that they do. Those who do not then could be shown how.

I was thinking the same thing. As long as it is done on day one. One time we had a room stewardess sit down and go through staying healthy as there was a noro virus out break on the previous cruise. She spent at least 10 to 15 minutes the first day with each party whose rooms she serviced. As such, this idea could be done.

[floridalover5623]

I know they have a lot to do but room stewards could be required to have each passenger put on their life jackets and then show how to put them away. Those who know how to do it could show quickly that they do. Those who do not then could be shown how.

If they do that I'll make sure to take up at least an hour of his time for a private session. ;)