Summit review

[OnTheJourney]

8 hours ago, shofer said:

 A year later on X and we were shoved in a corner in the photo area w/o any ability to see the screen and no one paid attention.

 

Last year on Silhouette we were in a lounge area that well accommodated everyone with a good view of the screen presentation.  That the presentation itself is incredibly stupid is beyond the point.  I hope I am never in a Sky situation.

 

Thanks for these thoughts. I had not been aware, until recently, of this James bond-style video that X has apparently been using. Fine IF it grabs and holds passengers' attention. It's tough in this day and age where often people seem to need more stimulation, i.e. "edutainment", or just plain entertainment, as opposed to somebody just relaying important info. I guess it's a natural outgrowth of our digital / social media-oriented society. I understand how there can be that mentality on embarkation day of a cruise relative to the drill (a let's-get-this-over-with sort of outlook) but, yeah, in the wake of the Sky situation, I think ALL cruise lines should maybe review their muster procedures with the view of having them be the most effective - if there even is such a way to accomplish this. I was in a middle-school concert a few months ago and was appalled that the guy sitting next to me was texting on his cell phone during most of the program. So why expect someone like that to pay attention to a lifeboat drill? Sorry..probably being 'politically incorrect' in some manner, but just my 2 cents. 

[shofer]

Make me old fashioned, but making everyone bring their life jacket and mustering by their life boat station brought some weight to the activity.   Sorry to interrupt the drinks by the pool for your safety.   Cruise lines are responding to passengers complaints about the drills but I think sometimes the customer is not always right.

Edited April 14, 2019 by shofer

[CHEZMARYLOU]

It also created tripping hazards and issues for guests who could not stand for long periods or in the heat.

The idea behind the indoor muster stations as a crew member explained, is that in a real emergency you might not be able to get to the life boat you thought was yours.

 

 

[davekathy]

32 minutes ago, shofer said:

Make me old fashioned, but making everyone bring their life jacket and mustering by their life boat station brought some weight to the activity.   Sorry to interrupt the drinks by the pool for your safety.   Cruise lines are responding to passengers complaints about the drills but I think sometimes the customer is not always right.

I'm glad we don't have to drag our life vests to the muster. We just did a B2B cruise on the Freedom Of The Seas and our muster station (C-12) was located outside (as all of our RC cruises have been) under our lifeboat. I heard a lot of rumbling from others "it's too hot to stand out here". We prefer to be seated inside instead of standing in formation like I did in  basic training. 

[shofer]

I'd rather people were slightly uncomfortable and paid attention than texting.  Your phone isn't going to help you in an emergency at sea.   I'll bet you paid attention when standing in formation. ; )

[davekathy]

24 minutes ago, shofer said:

I'd rather people were slightly uncomfortable and paid attention than texting.  Your phone isn't going to help you in an emergency at sea.   I'll bet you paid attention when standing in formation. ; )

Phone, what phone. Who said anything about a phone?! If there are those that are on their phone will be on it standing outside or sitting down during the muster drill. Muster drill is only mandatory to attend but hard to force people to pay attention no matter where it's being conducted.  Yea, we were made to pay attention while in formation in basic training or else! Agree muster drill should be taken seriously but...  

Edited April 14, 2019 by davekathy

[Minya]

I was Celebrity Solstice in March and we were herded into a hot very crowded room with a smattering of seats.The  drill went and on and we were forced to watch a stupid quite lengthy video  suitable for kids and even they would have got bored.  They need to make it a lot shorter, about the length of the very good Princess ones cut out the rif- raff and retain peoples attention.

[OnTheJourney]

On 4/14/2019 at 12:14 PM, shofer said:

Sorry to interrupt the drinks by the pool for your safety.  

 

LOL!  Great way of making a point!  

[OnTheJourney]

On 4/14/2019 at 12:56 PM, davekathy said:

. We prefer to be seated inside instead of standing in formation like I did in  basic training. 

 

I can't relate since I was never in the military, but I'm just not sure that being inside, in a more comfortable setting, is more conducive to paying attention. In the event of a true emergency - it's very likely going to be due to something that is occurring outside affecting the ship rather than inside (unless some sort of fire). Maybe being a bit uncomfortable for 10-15 minutes - whether in or outside -  lends itself better to the serious nature of what is being said during the drill. As I said before, when that general alarm sounds and the captain is saying that it's not a drill, some people will be lucky if they even remember where to go without referring to their sea pass card, let alone how to put on the vest. I was admittedly one of them. In the moment, you're nervous, a little (or alot) scared, unsure of what's going to happen next, etc. so whichever way is most effective for conveying the muster info, the better. I'm going to be watching all this like a hawk on probably every cruise from now on and will be hard pressed not to say something if people are goofing off. Would love to take someone's phone right out of their hands if they are on it during the drill and pitch it over the side! 

Edited April 27, 2019 by gretschwhtfalcon

[OnTheJourney]

On 4/19/2019 at 10:15 PM, Minya said:

I was Celebrity Solstice in March and we were herded into a hot very crowded room with a smattering of seats.The  drill went and on and we were forced to watch a stupid quite lengthy video  suitable for kids and even they would have got bored.  They need to make it a lot shorter, about the length of the very good Princess ones cut out the rif- raff and retain peoples attention.

 

Agree totally.....can hardly wait to see this video when I'm on the Summit in a few months and what is taking place during it. 

[Minya]

4 hours ago, gretschwhtfalcon said:

 

Agree totally.....can hardly wait to see this video when I'm on the Summit in a few months and what is taking place during it. 

I am on Summit  too, this year but I have until October. I am going to check out where the muster is for my room , hopefully it might be the theatre where there should be  plenty of seats. Less people then Solstice so maybe less crowded but will still have to suffer the long drill.At least it should be cooler.

[danalea1980]

Was on the Summit last week, our drill was in in the casino. It was fast, no video and was very organized. 

[Minya]

19 hours ago, danalea1980 said:

Was on the Summit last week, our drill was in in the casino. It was fast, no video and was very organized. 

Great news !

Edited April 28, 2019 by Minya
correction to post

[J_Kepler]

Love the review.  When you say the deserts were awful....like it was 4 star and not 5 star...or you would rather have a cone from McDonald's awful?

[tartana]

We like the breadsticks too with the flavoured butter lol...:)  - I can also comment on having an inside Cabin although it was on Silhouette that trip.  My daughter and I actually found it extremely cosy for sleeping - so dark and "calming"..... hard to explain, but it was definitely cosy.  - And we've found we literally are only in our cabin to sleep and get ready for dinner, etc.  We didn't mind it at all. 

[J_Kepler]

18 hours ago, tartana said:

We like the breadsticks too with the flavoured butter lol...:)  - I can also comment on having an inside Cabin although it was on Silhouette that trip.  My daughter and I actually found it extremely cosy for sleeping - so dark and "calming"..... hard to explain, but it was definitely cosy.  - And we've found we literally are only in our cabin to sleep and get ready for dinner, etc.  We didn't mind it at all. 

 

It is one of the benefits of the inside cabin.  I travel a LOT but really have only been on one other cruise and it was an inside and the depth of the darkness and the quietness was amazing.

 

Yes.  We are looking forward to the balconies soon, but wow that is some great sleep.