Alert Lifeboat drill participants

[RevNeal]

As stated in my original post - I am neither a seafarer nor an emergency planner so I'll defer to the experts and just do what I'm told... regardless of the cruise line.:)

 

This is the most interesting discussion I've read on the CC board in a while. Thanks to all participants!

 

I appreciate your statement. We should always respond promptly and do as ordered in an emergency situation, regardless of the cruise Line. I AGREE.

 

And, I also agree that this is an interesting discussion. We have had it on this board before, but it's been a while.

[DeepWaterMariner]

In the event of an emergency in which immediate evacuation of the ship is not anticipated, general announcements will be made to call passengers attention to the situation, evacuate whatever areas need to be vacated by passengers for their safety or for the need of the ship to combat the situation, and passengers will be given directions as to what to do and/or where to go during the course of the emergency. Reporting to Life Boat Stations is only called for when it is determined that evacuation of the ship is necessary for the safety of the passengers.

 

I have a problem with this explanation in that you don't have a life boat station on HAL or any other cruise line, you have a muster station which means a meeting point. HAL's happens to be under a life boat on the open deck. Other cruise lines make their muster stations in doors. Certainly we would all hope and expect to be given directions that best fit the situation as was done on the Star Princess and pray that we will never be in a position to learn these things first hand.

[kenevenpar]

A few years ago I was on the (RCCL) Majesty of the Seas with my father. At 2:00 in the morning the alarm sounded. My father asked if we should go to our muster station or wait to see what develops. I told him "put your life jacket on, and let's go NOW". The Captain came on and said that there was a fire in the buffet galley, and that he was sounding the alarm until he had a full report. It turned out to be a small fire that was shortly controlled and we were shortly released.

 

What was interesting and surprising was that many (maybe half) did not report to the muster stations, either because of being stubborn or "not hearing the alarm". (crew was out checking cabins when the Captain called the all clear). We heard people, while standing in their doorway, say "we aren't going outside, if it is really an emergency, they will tell us.:confused:

[donh1]

Heaven forbid that you would ever have to use the lifeboats. Makes sense to me to meet in a very specific place with a controlled number of people. I like a lot of others would not leave the ship until my family was accounted for. Meeting in the lounge with 1000 other people would certainly separate family members. The casino would be even worse to try and find your loved ones. The lifeboat stations provide the best opportunity to reunite families. Think about it.

 

My pet peeve is after the drill is over. They instruct people to leave their lifejackets on until you get back to your stateroom. People who are talking rather than listening take their lifejackets off and the tripping on the straps starts.

[RevNeal]

I have a problem with this explanation in that you don't have a life boat station on HAL or any other cruise line, you have a muster station which means a meeting point.

 

It may just be a matter of nomenclature, however I believe the term used on HAL is, in fact, "Life Boat Station." One is only called to it in the event that an Evacuation is called. In emergency situations in the past -- fires, loss of power while at sea, etc. -- they didn't call passengers to Life Boat Stations unless it was believed that evacuation would be warranted.

 

HAL's happens to be under a life boat on the open deck. Other cruise lines make their muster stations in doors.

 

Correct ... and, given the deck layouts on 8 (or 9?) of the HAL damship, it makes perfect sense to do it this way. On the S and R ships on HAL, where on the Lower Promenade Deck are you going to muster "in doors"? There isn't a place (or places) big enough on that deck for all the ships passengers to muster OTHER THAN the outside promenade, in close proximity to the boats. Oh, sure, they could gather in the Atrium, but that space isn't big enough for 200 passengers, let alone all of them. In order to muster "in doors" one would have to muster in a lounge on a different deck, then descend stairs at least one or two decks (if not 5 decks) to access the lower promenade deck and the life boats themselves. This is ASKING for trouble in the event of an emergency, and is so unnecessary since there is plenty of space available for mustering on the outside promenade. Now, it is true that the Vista and Signature ships have lounges on the same deck as the outside promenade and access to the life boats, but even on the Vistas and signatures there's not enough room in these lounges for everybody to muster on the same deck as the life boats ... they would HAVE to muster some one deck down and force them to THEN climb up to the promenade deck to access the boats. It's easier to just muster people outside, in close proximity to the boats.

 

If/when I cruise on a different Line I will do it their way. When on HAL, let's agree to do it HAL's way. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been on several ships when there was a fire.

One was a little more serious than the others. Two of our tenders were getting ready to bring people back to the ship and they were ordered to get those people off the ship and report back to the ship immediately. The fire was on the Lido deck. ALL passengers were told to return to their cabins right away and await futhur instructions. We were NOT told to go to report to our Life Boat Stations.

[nodumblond]

Here's my theory: I'm doing whatever the ship's staff I'm on tells me to do at any given time. Though I must admit: I'm more comfortable standing in a horde in front of the lifeboat that may have to take me to safety than in a lounge where there's no telling where we have to go from there to get off a disabled ship.

 

My husband (a first responder) and I play a game during muster drill: we take (theoretical) mental notes on who not to save if things get ugly and we have to start making choices. (Not savin' YOU, not savin' YOU . . . .)

 

:p

 

All joking aside -- evacuations/emergencies are very serious business. I'm erring on the side of caution. And the person who starts tooting a whistle next to me is going to get the slap of mental clarity upside their noggin'. :D

[DeepWaterMariner]

given the deck layouts on 8 (or 9?) of the HAL damship, it makes perfect sense to do it this way. On the S and R ships on HAL, where on the Lower Promenade Deck are you going to muster "in doors"? There isn't a place (or places) big enough on that deck for all the ships passengers to muster OTHER THAN the outside promenade, in close proximity to the boats. Oh, sure, they could gather in the Atrium, but that space isn't big enough for 200 passengers, let alone all of them. In order to muster "in doors" one would have to muster in a lounge on a different deck, then descend stairs at least one or two decks (if not 5 decks) to access the lower promenade deck and the life boats themselves. This is ASKING for trouble in the event of an emergency, and is so unnecessary since there is plenty of space available for mustering on the outside promenade. Now, it is true that the Vista and Signature ships have lounges on the same deck as the outside promenade and access to the life boats, but even on the Vistas and signatures there's not enough room in these lounges for everybody to muster on the same deck as the life boats ... they would HAVE to muster some one deck down and force them to THEN climb up to the promenade deck to access the boats. It's easier to just muster people outside, in close proximity to the boats.

 

If/when I cruise on a different Line I will do it their way. When on HAL, let's agree to do it HAL's way. :)

 

I'm with you. I'm going to do it whichever way the cruise line has it organized. You make a good point about the design of the HAL ships which makes in door muster stations a more complex issue. Interesting that Princess and Celebrity are able to accommodate all passengers in lounges on the same deck as the lifeboat debarkation stations. I wonder if this was done intentionally with the evacuation plan in mind.

[Copper10-8]

....................

My husband (a first responder) and I play a game during muster drill: we take (theoretical) mental notes on who not to save if things get ugly and we have to start making choices. (Not savin' YOU, not savin' YOU . . . .)

 

:p

 

All joking aside -- evacuations/emergencies are very serious business. I'm erring on the side of caution. And the person who starts tooting a whistle next to me is going to get the slap of mental clarity upside their noggin'. :D

 

 

I like that game!;) (From another first responder)

[DeepWaterMariner]

Here's my theory: I'm doing whatever the ship's staff I'm on tells me to do at any given time. Though I must admit: I'm more comfortable standing in a horde in front of the lifeboat that may have to take me to safety than in a lounge where there's no telling where we have to go from there to get off a disabled ship.

 

I think that is what most of us law abiding, rule following, good people plan on doing. We trust that the crews on our favorite cruise lines are well drilled in handling emergencies and that there is a plan or procedure for every situation which will be flawlessly executed. In a real emergency history tells us that is rarely the case. I pray that I'll have the insight to recognize when things have gone off the tracks and will take the best action to protect my family.

[Copper10-8]

I think that is what most of us law abiding, rule following, good people plan on doing. We trust that the crews on our favorite cruise lines are well drilled in handling emergencies and that there is a plan or procedure for every situation which will be flawlessly executed. In a real emergency history tells us that is rarely the case. I pray that I'll have the insight to recognize when things have gone off the tracks and will take the best action to protect my family.

 

Well said, DeepWaterMariner!

[Juanita462]

Having two sea faring men in the family, including a deep sea captain, we take lifeboat drills very seriously. We also realize that under real evacuation situations people will react differently than they do to a drill.

A man on a cruise ship that sunk off Alaska reported that the crew pushed aside passengers to get on the lifeboats themselves and the captain was the first one off the ship - when all lifeboats were away there were 13 crew and 26 passengers left on the ship who had to be airlifted off.

The instinct for survival is very strong and you may not be able to count on civilized behavior - so, yes, take care of your family and yourselves and have a plan in place in case of emergency situations - just as we do in our homes in case of fire.

 

I believe that they should conduct a drill that has one lifeboat on each side of the ship lowered and one group of people evacuated right into the boat as though there was a real emergency - seeing and doing is much better than hearing - how do we get over the rail into the boat? it says they hold 150 but there aren't that many seats, where do the rest go? Is there water on board in case we are not rescued for hours? Can they lower the boats in rough seas? Are the tender operators trained to handle those boats in all situations?

 

In a hotel on land we check the emergency exit location on our floor and count the doors to the exit in case the hall is full of smoke etc. - why not be as careful on our floating hotel.