Muster Drill

KeithnRita · January 16, 2012

We've only sailed from US and Canada ports which require all passengers to attend muster drill prior to the ship embarking on its cruise. From preliminary news reports of the Concordia disaster this may not be the norm in some foreign ports. If so, shouldn't it be? Also, bringing your life jackets to the drill is no longer necessary in US ports and maybe others, as well. We were happy about the new policy, but now maybe everyone needs to be a little better prepared in case of a real emergency.

What's your opinion of that?

cruisetarp · January 16, 2012

After more than 35 cruises we would never even think about avoiding the muster drill even though we know the speech by heart. It is much easier in the last couple of years with not having to drag your life vests and even not actually reporting to your muster station but sitting in a lounge or dining room to get your instructions. It will be interesting to see if that changes since this disaster and they go back to the old way to running the drills.

sailingrose · January 16, 2012

We did a muster drill out of Barcelona. The cruise lines are required to muster within 24 hours of departure, I guess most do it the 1st day. I think that should be how it's done on every ship.

jacketwatch · January 17, 2012

For me I think its the way its enforced or not enforced. On Celebrity and RCI they basically made you go. period. Princess too so I think thats good and am sure after this disaster all cruise lines will really clamp wnnw on enforcing the lifeboat drill. Its seems Costa was blase about it.

Shari2 · January 17, 2012

I think that the "Concordia " had people boarding at different ports and were going to have a muster drill the next morning for all the new people who had just boarded. We were on a cruise once that was late getting into port from their last cruise, so we had our drill the next morning at 10 AM. Maybe people will take these drills seriously now...I have seen so many people over the years talking and dancing around, and not paying any attention, and it was hard for me to hear the officer who was speaking. I always wanted to know what to do in case of an emergency, but so many times I just couldn't hear what they were saying. I always check my room now to see if we have life vests and read the evacuation chart and any info I can find in the room.

Someone brought up an interesting question on another board that I visit...where would we go if we were in separate areas on the ship from our spouse or other family members...so many times we go on our own to breakfast or the pool, and our spouse may be in the casino, etc. We should have a plan of where to meet up if we are all separated. If we have cell phone access and bring our phones that would be a great way to communicate with our spouses and family or friends who came with.

jobowl · January 17, 2012

A great point and something to really think about. Thank you

Joe

I think that the "Concordia " had people boarding at different ports and were going to have a muster drill the next morning for all the new people who had just boarded. We were on a cruise once that was late getting into port from their last cruise, so we had our drill the next morning at 10 AM. Maybe people will take these drills seriously now...I have seen so many people over the years talking and dancing around, and not paying any attention, and it was hard for me to hear the officer who was speaking. I always wanted to know what to do in case of an emergency, but so many times I just couldn't hear what they were saying. I always check my room now to see if we have life vests and read the evacuation chart and any info I can find in the room.

Someone brought up an interesting question on another board that I visit...where would we go if we were in separate areas on the ship from our spouse or other family members...so many times we go on our own to breakfast or the pool, and our spouse may be in the casino, etc. We should have a plan of where to meet up if we are all separated. If we have cell phone access and bring our phones that would be a great way to communicate with our spouses and family or friends who came with.

rogue · January 17, 2012

I don't like the muster drill as much as the next person, but I still think that it is a necessary partof the cruise. Having it before sailing makes lots of sense. It would just make more sense if the cruiselines would make the term mandatory actuaslly mean mandatory. Leaarning how to put on a life vest may be a pain, but another necessary evil.

DebbieandJerry · January 17, 2012

Muster drills are important and I think they need to be continued. From what I have been hearing, they were scheduled to have a muster drill, just didn't get to it. No matter what - it's all a shame that this accident happened in the first place.

Shari2 · January 17, 2012

This is Marc's take on it...if we are separated on the ship if something like this happened. if you can't get to your muster station because of water or listing, and we have no way to find each each other, go to the other side and get on a lifeboat...and he would do the same...and we would meet up on shore...too many people lost their lives on the Titanic searching for their loved ones in a chaotic situation like that. Of course if you had children on board it would be different. They would need instructions on what to do also, and if they were too young to understand and being cared by someone else, that would make it really hard...really a good question; we should all have a plan with our cruise mates and our children. I know I would be terrified on my own, but Marc may be right, that it would be hard to find each other in a chaotic situation like that.

_________________

AndiD · January 17, 2012

Each line that we have sailed with has handled the drills differently but every one of them: RCI, Princess, Holland and Celebrity have stressed that the drill is mandatory. On our last Princess cruise in November we brought our life vests and had to put them on at the appropriate time...... I wonder if even there are differences among captains......

Shari & Marc, you raise good points about what to do if you are separated. I agree with Marc that we just need to head for the life boats and plan to meet up safe and sound on shore!

I