Valor Muster Drill

[EnjoyingCruising]

We are sailing on the Carnival Valor on September 23.  It has been six years since our last cruise on Carnival.  I understand the muster drill on the Valor is outside.  I would appreciate it if someone can share whether life jackets are required at this drill.  I think wearing the life jacket outside for 20 minutes will be too much for my wife and we may have to go to the alternative area.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

[jbethel11]

21 minutes ago, EnjoyingCruising said:

We are sailing on the Carnival Valor on September 23.  It has been six years since our last cruise on Carnival.  I understand the muster drill on the Valor is outside.  I would appreciate it if someone can share whether life jackets are required at this drill.  I think wearing the life jacket outside for 20 minutes will be too much for my wife and we may have to go to the alternative area.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

For as long as I have cruised on Carnival or any cruise line for that matter, I never had to bring a lifeboat to the required event, even on the Splendor which had its muster drill outside.

[EnjoyingCruising]

I saw someone's photos of the muster drill on the Valor from a couple of years ago and everyone was wearing life jackets.  Several years ago, on another Carnival cruise, we had to bring and put on the life jackets.  Hopefully, this is not necessary anymore.

[CC Rider 69]

Jackets NOT required!  

[Honolulu Blue]

I was last on the Valor about five years ago.  Life jackets were not required to be brought then, and I can't imagine they would be required now.  I've never had to bring them to any safety drill on a Carnival ship.

[Lottacruises]

No, they are not required on the valor. When the announcement begins for muster, they will tell you they are NOT required.

[awhitleycrew]

We sailed on the Valor Memorial Day of 2018.  We did NOT take life jackets to the Muster Drill.  I will say the Muster Drill was our least favorite and only unpleasant part of the whole 5 day cruise.  We were packed like sardines in an area that was really too small for the size of our group and it was brutally hot.  So much so that one of the not-so-friendly Russian crew members pointed to a poor older gentleman and said you, come here, I am taking you inside!  The poor man had been pinned in to the back of the group against a wall because he got there first and he was about to pass out from the heat! We sail on the Dream in January 2020 and I'm excited to read that their Muster Drill is inside! haha

[Organized Chaos]

4 minutes ago, awhitleycrew said:

We sailed on the Valor Memorial Day of 2018.  We did NOT take life jackets to the Muster Drill.  I will say the Muster Drill was our least favorite and only unpleasant part of the whole 5 day cruise.  We were packed like sardines in an area that was really too small for the size of our group and it was brutally hot.  So much so that one of the not-so-friendly Russian crew members pointed to a poor older gentleman and said you, come here, I am taking you inside!  The poor man had been pinned in to the back of the group against a wall because he got there first and he was about to pass out from the heat! We sail on the Dream in January 2020 and I'm excited to read that their Muster Drill is inside! haha

 

It only took us one time to learn our lesson regarding muster drills on Conquest class ships (outdoors). The first time, we were good little cruisers and got there right away..and ended up suffocating towards the back of the pack. We were on Glory last year and waited a while. Not so long as to be late and cause a wait, but just long enough to get positioned near the front where there was a little more air to breathe.

[RWolver672]

On 6/29/2019 at 3:54 PM, jbethel11 said:

For as long as I have cruised on Carnival or any cruise line for that matter, I never had to bring a lifeboat to the required event, even on the Splendor which had its muster drill outside.

 

I'm surprised that nobody caught that.

[jbethel11]

56 minutes ago, RWolver672 said:

 

I'm surprised that nobody caught that.

I mean Carnival Dream lost one, and I'm not about to be lost at sea 🤣

[Lottacruises]

9 hours ago, awhitleycrew said:

We sailed on the Valor Memorial Day of 2018.  We did NOT take life jackets to the Muster Drill.  I will say the Muster Drill was our least favorite and only unpleasant part of the whole 5 day cruise.  We were packed like sardines in an area that was really too small for the size of our group and it was brutally hot.  So much so that one of the not-so-friendly Russian crew members pointed to a poor older gentleman and said you, come here, I am taking you inside!  The poor man had been pinned in to the back of the group against a wall because he got there first and he was about to pass out from the heat! We sail on the Dream in January 2020 and I'm excited to read that their Muster Drill is inside! haha

 

 

Inside but brutal.... We took about 40 minutes on the dream.  We hope it's much better on our next round.

[Organized Chaos]

On 7/1/2019 at 5:04 AM, RWolver672 said:

I'm surprised that nobody caught that.

 

Yeah, I saw that the other day. Had a good chuckle. You know what they say, jbethel, we're laughing with you, not at you. Tell us, do you bring a little inflatable dingy or is it one of those lifeboats in a bag that you pull the cord to inflate?

[jbethel11]

1 hour ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

Yeah, I saw that the other day. Had a good chuckle. You know what they say, jbethel, we're laughing with you, not at you. Tell us, do you bring a little inflatable dingy or is it one of those lifeboats in a bag that you pull the cord to inflate?

[evandbob]

The practice of wearing life jackets to the muster drill stopped maybe 8 or 10 years ago?  It was indeed unbearable in the heat outside for sure.  No need to bring your own lifeboat either.

 

Do bring your S&S card, as they are scanned (finally!) as proof of attendance at the drill.  When everyone shows up on time, the drill can be over in 15 minutes.

 

If anyone feels they cannot be standing for that long, they can contact GS or the assigned muster crew for an alternative location.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited July 2, 2019 by evandbob