Back with another question

[skrufy]

As I begin to get a good feel about our first HAL  cruise new questions arise. We are familiar with Carnival muster drill, can anyone please explain how Holland Americas muster drill works. 

[Cruise Suzy]

Instructions will be in your stateroom. There will be a time to have your keycard scanned - near your muster station. Do NOT take your life jacket. Sometimes several stations go to the same place. Then you watch a video on the TV - can't watch anything else until you do. Finally, you listen to the captain's announcement prior to sail-away.

 

Not required, but a good idea, check to make sure your life jacket fits.

[Haljo1935]

Exactly as @Cruise Suzy said. We turn our TV on as soon as we enter the cabin to drop our bags so it starts playing right away. As she saud, it won't work until it's mustered, too, lol.

[Gunther1]

The promenade deck group muster stopped with COVID; does anybody know when they stopped having passengers wear their life vests to it ?

 

I can only imagine the cluster THAT would have been……

[Ellencruise]

Easy muster drill check in. Watch tv program, go to muster station for check in.

[pirate cruiser]

Step by step instructions-

1-Buy Bon Voyage package

2-Enter stateroom and turn on TV to safety video

3-Drink bottle of champaign

4-Go to muster drill station and get checked off before you forget where it is 😁

[kazu]

3 hours ago, Gunther1 said:

The promenade deck group muster stopped with COVID; does anybody know when they stopped having passengers wear their life vests to it ?

 

I can only imagine the cluster THAT would have been……

 

The life vests have been gone for a very long time (thankfully).  I remember wearing it in the 1980’s but not in the 90’s.  But I don’t know when it stopped.  I was just glad it did 😉 

[dfish]

I had to wear mine on our very first cruise in 2007.  I remember the staff showing me how to do it correctly.  I never had to bring it again.  

[POA1]

3 hours ago, Gunther1 said:

The promenade deck group muster stopped with COVID; does anybody know when they stopped having passengers wear their life vests to it ?

 

I can only imagine the cluster THAT would have been……

I want to say that you started hand carrying your life vest in the early 2000s. I could be wrong. Debbie remembers wearing hers in 2007, so odds are I'm wrong.

Edited July 15, 2023 by POA1

[Live4cruises]

Being an obedient cruiser, I always watch the video and get processed at my designated place with my keycard. On two separate sailings I’ve gotten a naughty letter that I haven’t done one or the other, but the letter is not specific. Has any other innocent party had this happen?

I’m mildly appalled at these infractions in my permanent record, and fear I may be used as a dummy in an overboard drill!

[Banditswife]

To the original poster: we are frequent Carnival cruisers, & muster drills are similar to Hal's.  

We go to our assigned muster station where the crew member will scan our card (proof that we attended) & then give a brief demo of putting on the life jacket- 5 minutes.  Then go back to our cabin & watch the safety talk on our TV in our cabin.  Easy peasy.

[Haljo1935]

3 hours ago, Live4cruises said:

Being an obedient cruiser, I always watch the video and get processed at my designated place with my keycard. On two separate sailings I’ve gotten a naughty letter that I haven’t done one or the other, but the letter is not specific. Has any other innocent party had this happen?

I’m mildly appalled at these infractions in my permanent record, and fear I may be used as a dummy in an overboard drill!

Yes!! I've had it happen to me more than once. So far, my number has not been drawn in the dummy overboard drill, but I'm likely overdue. 🫣

I was awarded my 4* Mariner pin even after getting said violation letter, so methinks permanent record is safe...

[skrufy]

34 minutes ago, Banditswife said:

To the original poster: we are frequent Carnival cruisers, & muster drills are similar to Hal's.  

We go to our assigned muster station where the crew member will scan our card (proof that we attended) & then give a brief demo of putting on the life jacket- 5 minutes.  Then go back to our cabin & watch the safety talk on our TV in our cabin.  Easy peasy.

One thing we never have done since the new Carnival muster requirements have been put in place is watch the video. Only have gone to the muster station for the 5 minute briefing to get it done with.

[OlsSalt]

Daunted by the size and endless corridors on our first "big" HAL ship- the Konigsdam, our muster station was in the Lincoln Center Lounge. It took us at least three days before we ever walked past that location again, just getting to know what is what was what and where on that "big" ship.

 

Plus the Lincoln Center during the day got converted into the BB Kings Lounge at night,  so seeking out the Lincoln Center muster station would have been a lost cause for us until we got the lay of the land, had their been an emergency.

 

I miss the old, on-deck musters where everyone was required to gather as a group, and you saw the very clear lifeboat number markings. Meandering aimlessly around the ship at will to "muster" will take some getting used to - it did not feel very urgent nor instructional.

[Blackduck59]

6 hours ago, Live4cruises said:

Being an obedient cruiser, I always watch the video and get processed at my designated place with my keycard. On two separate sailings I’ve gotten a naughty letter that I haven’t done one or the other, but the letter is not specific. Has any other innocent party had this happen?

I’m mildly appalled at these infractions in my permanent record, and fear I may be used as a dummy in an overboard drill!

Then you would be Oscar 😁😉

[terrydtx]

22 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Instructions will be in your stateroom. There will be a time to have your keycard scanned - near your muster station. Do NOT take your life jacket. Sometimes several stations go to the same place. Then you watch a video on the TV - can't watch anything else until you do. Finally, you listen to the captain's announcement prior to sail-away.

 

Not required, but a good idea, check to make sure your life jacket fits.

Exactly how it was done last year in Trieste in August on the Oosterdam.

Edited July 16, 2023 by terrydtx

[Gsel]

Don't hurry, it takes time for crew to "man" the stations.  It took over an hour after embarking on Yesterday in early July.

[JeffElizabeth]

Crew told me they stopped requiring you to bring your life jackets to muster because too many people were tripping on the straps. True?