How does the muster thing go now?

[GetMeToTheSpa]

Freedom of the Seas.  Do we need to check in somewhere when we board?  How does that work now?  

[wolfcathorse]

Oct 1 on Ovation, as soon as we boarded we went to our muster station where they scanned our cards, then you stood there, and watched the guy show you how to put on the life jacket, then they scanned the card again. Didn't even watch a video. It was one on one, I was the only one at the muster station at that time.

[AustinCruise]

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/blog/royal-caribbean-changes-the-game-with-muster-2-0/

[Aquahound]

While sitting at the NorthStar Bar enjoying our celebratory welcome aboard libation, we watched the short video on our app before going to the muster station.  By doing that, we didn't have to stand and watch them demonstrate the life jacket.  

[flamingos]

Same on Mariner last month - straight to muster station, personal presentation, free to go with no video. 
 

They did give us a little sticker to put on our SeaPass, but apparently not every ship does that. 

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, GetMeToTheSpa said:

Freedom of the Seas.  Do we need to check in somewhere when we board?  How does that work now?  

All of the instructions are in the app. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, GetMeToTheSpa said:

Freedom of the Seas.  Do we need to check in somewhere when we board?  How does that work now?  

When we were on the Freedom, they are fairly insistent that you go directly from the gangway to your muster station,,, directing you to your station. You should watch the app video before you show up.

 

That was a lesson learned from the Adventure where on our cruise 40% of the passengers who didn't bother going to their muster station. As the end of muster grew close, captain announced that anyone who did not immediately go to muster would not longer be allowed to sail on our voyage (and would be thrown off the ship... the captain didn't say it exactly that way... but his anger and meaning were clear)

[twangster]

Freedom last weekend.  Upon walking on the ship they lead you to your muster station.  There they do the speil, show how to put on a life jacket, etc.  You walk on the ship directly to the outdoor muster stations.  If your station happens to be on that side of the ship you are there but it might be on the other side of the ship so you might be directed to go there.  

 

With that done and with me boarding after cabins were ready I went to my cabin and watched the video on the cabin TV.  There was never an opportunity to watch the video over the ship wifi because my muster station was 30' from where I walked onto the ship and they led me there to listen to the muster talk.  I was alone at my muster station by chance.

 

I drive to the ship so I selected the latest time slot and timed my arrival for that time.  Most guests were already on board I presume.  

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

I drive to the ship so I selected the latest time slot and timed my arrival for that time.  Most guests were already on board I presume.  

 

You are not in Colorado anymore then, I take it? 

[GTO-Girl]

I am surprised at the posts about not watching the video.  When we did the two day test cruise on the Mariner we not only had to watch the video, we had to answer multiple choice questions afterwards to prove we understood what was in the video.

 

It was only after watching the video and answering questions were we allow to go to our muster stations to get our green sticker on the card.

 

I guess things have changed in a short period of time….

[twangster]

54 minutes ago, Coralc said:

 

You are not in Colorado anymore then, I take it? 

 

Snow tires are staying off the car but I'm ready for the day it snows in he..

[AustinCruise]

55 minutes ago, GTO-Girl said:

I am surprised at the posts about not watching the video.  When we did the two day test cruise on the Mariner we not only had to watch the video, we had to answer multiple choice questions afterwards to prove we understood what was in the video.

 

It was only after watching the video and answering questions were we allow to go to our muster stations to get our green sticker on the card.

 

I guess things have changed in a short period of time….

I think there were a few questions.  If I recall correctly, we were notified in the app the muster was ready around 10am and we did it in the car.  When we went to the muster station they already had the info, asked if we had any questions, and marked us as attending.

 

I'm pretty sure if you don't do it before hand, then you get the quick demo and can go on your way.

 

We did hear names getting called over the PA before we left.  I assumed they were muster no shows.

Edited October 14, 2021 by AustinCruise

[Ozark_Kid]

Oct 2 Symphony as soon as we walked on we were directed to an area where one guy read off the usual stuff while another showed how to but on a life jacket, scanned our card and told us where or muster station was located. Never had to watch the video.

Edited October 14, 2021 by Ozark_Kid

[BND]

Having watched a few videos that yt'ers have done recently, it's a quick process.  We have a boarding time of 12, but we're in a JS so plan to arrive around 11.  Assuming we get onboard quickly, we'll go to our muster station before heading to Jamie's for our 1230 reservation.  I know they also show the video in cabins so it sounds like there are a few ways to do it.  If the video is available at 10 am on boarding day we can watch it before leaving our hotel.  We'll be  in PC at the Radisson so it's a 5 min drive to the port.  Having started cruising when they made you stand outside in the heat on deck with the life jacket on, then moving to no life jacket and to more and more inside drills where you had to stand around and wait, this is a great improvement.

Edited October 14, 2021 by BND

[chengkp75]

I sincerely hope this new format is never "tested" in reality, as I don't foresee good results.

[AustinCruise]

6 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

I sincerely hope this new format is never "tested" in reality, as I don't foresee good results.

I don’t feel it’s any less effective from a safety standpoint  than the old method. 

[chengkp75]

4 minutes ago, AustinCruise said:

I don’t feel it’s any less effective from a safety standpoint  than the old method. 

Is that from the viewpoint of a passenger, or from an officer or crew who are trying to train to control crowds of uncooperative passengers?  Don't you think that the "distractions" of the old muster, where there are crowds flowing down the stairs and out the doors, and people calling for their family members, and asking crew where their muster station is, does not make you focus more on what you are doing during the drill, rather than sauntering to your station in your own time and pace?  Is a drill where firefighters are sent into a room where there is a cardboard sign saying "fire", just as good as a drill where they are sent into a room where there is an actual fire, and the instructors tap one crew member to be a "casualty" as a distraction to the team?

 

The age old adage is "train as if its real".

[brillohead]

6 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

I sincerely hope this new format is never "tested" in reality, as I don't foresee good results.

 

2 minutes ago, AustinCruise said:

I don’t feel it’s any less effective from a safety standpoint  than the old method. 

I don't agree with the "everyone goes to a central place to get checked off" version that @Ozark_Kid experienced on Symphony last week -- I think everyone should have to go to their actual muster station to be checked off, to show that they actually know where their muster station is.  ESPECIALLY on a ship as large as Oasis class, where people get lost/confused so easily because of the sheer size of the ship, I think that everyone should be required to actually prove they know where their station is.

However, I agree with @AustinCruise that watching the video individually and going to the actual muster station to be checked off isn't any worse than the original version. Being smooshed in amongst a bazillion sweaty humans on a hot sunny deck while a heavily-accented captain speaks over a crappy PA system isn't exactly conducive to a true learning experience.

In an actual emergency, a certain segment of the population is going to be completely hysterical and panicked, regardless of where or how they experienced the muster drill. 

 

[brillohead]

2 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Is that from the viewpoint of a passenger, or from an officer or crew who are trying to train to control crowds of uncooperative passengers?  Don't you think that the "distractions" of the old muster, where there are crowds flowing down the stairs and out the doors, and people calling for their family members, and asking crew where their muster station is, does not make you focus more on what you are doing during the drill, rather than sauntering to your station in your own time and pace?  Is a drill where firefighters are sent into a room where there is a cardboard sign saying "fire", just as good as a drill where they are sent into a room where there is an actual fire, and the instructors tap one crew member to be a "casualty" as a distraction to the team?

 

The age old adage is "train as if its real".

I get that -- performing in a true Code Blue situation in the hospital is totally different than working on a mannequin in a classroom. (I'm an RN.)

HOWEVER, I don't think that the original muster drill was actually "real" either, and as I said in my post above, I don't think that much, if any, actual "learning" was taking place the old way.  

At least with this new version, people get a close-up look at how to put on a life jacket, they can actually see and hear and understand what is said in the video, they get a one-on-one opportunity to ask questions of the crew, and they're not hot and bored and pissed off that their bar has been closed for the past 45 minutes, interrupting the first afternoon of their vacation.  

[DaniDanielle]

On Oasis Simulation we watched the app before we boarded.  Went right to Muster Station and they checked us in. So quick.  

[katemack]

Yes, and with this new way you get to find a good spot for sail away and not have to worry about leaving it to go to the muster drill. Then you don't miss most of sail away because you are stuck on the stairs or waiting on an elevator! I like this new way!

[DaniDanielle]

It was great, we went to cabin, unpacked and then had all day to ourselves!!!

[chengkp75]

36 minutes ago, brillohead said:

HOWEVER, I don't think that the original muster drill was actually "real" either, and as I said in my post above, I don't think that much, if any, actual "learning" was taking place the old way.  

The old muster drill was as "real" as it is going to get, short of setting off Hollywood smoke while doing it.  The drill is to get you to understand how to get to your station from wherever you are on the ship, in a crowded situation.  The only "learning" that is required for passengers is how to "show up" and then "shut up".

 

40 minutes ago, brillohead said:

At least with this new version, people get a close-up look at how to put on a life jacket,

Putting on a life jacket is an "ancillary" function of passenger muster.  The drill is not about putting a life jacket on, or even getting into a boat.  It is about "herding all the cats" into limited, known locations so that accountability can be taken, so that emergency resources are not wasted looking for someone who is not where they should be.

 

43 minutes ago, brillohead said:

they can actually see and hear and understand what is said in the video, they get a one-on-one opportunity to ask questions of the crew,

All of the ancillary information given out in the video, or at the muster station, is all well and good to be presented in video, many ships have done this over the years, in addition to the physical muster drill.  And, those who are concerned enough to wish to ask questions, could always have stayed after muster to query the crew.  We always had people around after the drill.

 

45 minutes ago, brillohead said:

and they're not hot and bored and pissed off that their bar has been closed for the past 45 minutes, interrupting the first afternoon of their vacation.  

 

24 minutes ago, katemack said:

Yes, and with this new way you get to find a good spot for sail away and not have to worry about leaving it to go to the muster drill. Then you don't miss most of sail away because you are stuck on the stairs or waiting on an elevator! I like this new way!

And, these are two "very important" reasons for limiting the realism of an emergency drill that is designed to save your life.  Nuff said. 

[AustinCruise]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

Is that from the viewpoint of a passenger, or from an officer or crew who are trying to train to control crowds of uncooperative passengers?  Don't you think that the "distractions" of the old muster, where there are crowds flowing down the stairs and out the doors, and people calling for their family members, and asking crew where their muster station is, does not make you focus more on what you are doing during the drill, rather than sauntering to your station in your own time and pace?  Is a drill where firefighters are sent into a room where there is a cardboard sign saying "fire", just as good as a drill where they are sent into a room where there is an actual fire, and the instructors tap one crew member to be a "casualty" as a distraction to the team?

 

The age old adage is "train as if its real".

My first thought was all of the above.  I think the ability to talk to an individual 1:1 is more valuable than the mass line up with the speech one cannot hear because 1/2 the people are talking.

 

Sure, the mock gathering shows you can walk down stairs, but doesn't prove you can find the location from any spot on the ship which I feel is the biggest issue for most people.

 

Now, you may be right, there might be a benefit to the crew if they were to hold real muster occasionally to practice crowd control. But not necessary every cruise.

Edited October 14, 2021 by AustinCruise

[livingonthebeach]

20 hours ago, twangster said:

Freedom last weekend.  Upon walking on the ship they lead you to your muster station.  There they do the speil, show how to put on a life jacket, etc.  You walk on the ship directly to the outdoor muster stations.  If your station happens to be on that side of the ship you are there but it might be on the other side of the ship so you might be directed to go there.  

 

With that done and with me boarding after cabins were ready I went to my cabin and watched the video on the cabin TV.  There was never an opportunity to watch the video over the ship wifi because my muster station was 30' from where I walked onto the ship and they led me there to listen to the muster talk.  I was alone at my muster station by chance.

 

I drive to the ship so I selected the latest time slot and timed my arrival for that time.  Most guests were already on board I presume.  

 

That was exactly my experience on my Sept 10 Freedom sailing, except they never asked me if I watched the video on the app prior to boarding - which I don't think I did.  They don't follow up to see you you watched it on the TV after boarding either.  They just showed me how to put on a life jacket at my exact muster station - took less than 2 minutes.