Muster Drill - Step-by-step guide - First time MSC'er

[Toddcan]

Going on our first MSC cruise in March from Brooklyn (Meraviglia).  I've been watching tons of You-Tube videos and reading reviews.  I *think* I have an idea of how muster works, but I am not 100% certain.  I know it's "different" and that this is one of the areas where MSC could improve on. But can someone please give me an "idiot's guide to MSC Muster"? 

 

Something about watching a video in our cabin (at a specific time? Or any time?), and THEN you have to leave your room and go down to the muster station to check in with a staff member.  But, I hear everyone has to go to the same deck or the same area or something? And it's all at the same time?  So it's a zoo?  

 

Anyway, I would very much appreciate a step-by-step walk through of what Muster looks like on MSC. And if you have any tips to make it less of a pain - I am grateful for that too! 

 

Thanks in advance!  

[Essiesmom]

I have not done this on Meraviglia but have on Seaside and Seashore.  The video will run all afternoon on your cabin TV.  But at 4pm they will instruct you to watch the video, and at the end it will tell you the number to call on your cabin phone to verify you have seen it.  Then you will go to the muster station listed on your ship card and the back of your cabin door.  I understand some ships call by deck.  That has not happened on my two ships.  At the muster station they will scan your card and show you how to put on the life vest.  Then you are free to go.  EM

[Two Wheels Only]

1. When you get your stateroom card, it will have an Assembly Station (D, for example).

 

2. The back of your stateroom door will have a map of the ship showing you how to get to this Assembly Station (follow the green line).

 

3. At a certain time, you will be instructed to watch a video in your stateroom. Feel free to go wherever you'd like on the ship before this time but be aware that things will close as you approach the announced time. 

 

4. At the announced time, you will watch a safety video in your stateroom and when it is over, you will call the announced number with your stateroom phone. I don't know if it's the same number for all MSC ships but it could be 881 or something like that.  

 

5. You will then proceed to your assigned station (by foot) and once there, your stateroom card will get scanned. Every card for the people staying in the stateroom must get scanned. SOME people can bring two cards (if 1 guest cannot do the stairs, for ex) but this should be arranged before the drill. 

 

6. Once it is scanned, go do whatever you'd like but it will be difficult to "swim upstream" against the mass of people. If you miss the drill, there will be a "makeup" drill at some point but you don't want to end up on the naughty list. 

 

As for "all at once...", it also seems to vary by sailing. I've been on MSC and they have announced certain decks go at one time then other decks go at a later time. I've also experienced every deck trying to go at the same time. 

Edited January 10 by Two Wheels Only

[TrinaLC]

Bad knees - cannot do stairs. Anyone know the drill (pun intended) for that?

[gizfish]

3 hours ago, TrinaLC said:

Bad knees - cannot do stairs. Anyone know the drill (pun intended) for that?

There will be staff all over the ship at muster drill time.  Let them know you are unable to do stairs, and they will accommodate you.

[xcell]

8 hours ago, TrinaLC said:

Bad knees - cannot do stairs. Anyone know the drill (pun intended) for that?

 

Supposedly, you can also do the drill the following day (when you can use the elevators).  I asked this on my Dec '23 cruise because I cannot see my mom walking down/up that many stairs during the cattle call.  Or, since we know what time the muster drill will start,  I just can have her down near the muster station way before the drill, call in the stateroom for her and then she can scan her sea pass then.

[capriccio]

9 hours ago, TrinaLC said:

Bad knees - cannot do stairs. Anyone know the drill (pun intended) for that?

We were on the Seascape 4 weeks ago.  My DH had major spinal surgery 2 months ago and doctor’s orders were “use a cane to keep you steady.”  Needless to say he wasn’t fast and use of the cane could trip other passengers on a crowded stairway.  I asked on this forum how MSC handles those cases and a couple of respondents said that a butler (we were in the YC) would be stationed at the elevator to take him down 9 decks.  After boarding I asked at the YC concierge desk and they said watch the video, call the number, and then he should remain in the room and I should take his cruise card with me to the muster station.  They also made a note about needing assistance in a true emergency.
 

I don’t know what they would have suggested if we both had problems with so many steps and crowds.  In my own opinion, while the steps were bad, muster station D (the casino) was a disaster. Hundreds of people crowding the bottom of the stairways with some heading in the direction of the casino; others in the direction of the theater.  The staff verifying cards were lined up against the walls with their tablets.  I never made it into the Casino and didn’t realize that it was, in fact, the muster station!  What a mess it would be in an emergency with very limited seating and lines of sight.  I had no problem submitting both cards but then the problem was heading back towards the elevators thru the incoming surge of passengers.

 

We have experienced much easier ways to use modern technology for the muster drill.  On Princess you notify guest services after boarding if assistance will be necessary in a true emergency.  Then at your leisure before departure you watch the required video in your cabin.  Then, again before departure, you proceed - by whichever means you desire - to your muster station to have staff scan your Medallion (which replaces the old cruise card).  The old muster drill allowed those guests with trouble on stairs to take an elevator manned by staff to the muster station where everyone sat thru the presentation and life jacket donning.
 

As much as I appreciate the hassle factor reduction of the new drills, I can’t help but think that in an emergency that I would have more faith in my fellow passengers if they actually knew where they were going and how to buckle a life jacket.

 

After I posted this earlier, another poster wondered why they didn't just tell us to wait until the 'make-up' muster the following morning in the theater where you could just take the elevator and show up at the designated time.

Edited December 12, 2023 by capriccio

[Brighton Line]

You can't miss when they tell you to watch the video and then call the number that is given at the end of that video which is automatically answered.

They will sound the ships emergency signal including the ship's horn as it is still required by SOLAS to sound then watch the video, call in and wait for your deck to be called.

 

A lot of people don't wait my second cruise we had a line to get into the broadway theater to scan the card. All we did was at the entrance scan the card, walk along a row of seats, down three rows and back across that row and up the stairs back to the entrance and off to wherever we wanted to go.

[Toddcan]

Ok, great everyone, thank you - It's quite clear now.   Weird, but clear 🙂

[SweetsugarNL]

It depends on your cruise and port.

If there are not many guests embarking it is a in person muster drill. If it is a large embarking port it is a drill with video.

Edited January 26 by SweetsugarNL