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Discovery 2 - muster drill complaint.


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Hi,

 

I am just after a bit of advice from a few people who will know better than me.

 

We went on our first cruise 4 weeks ago, the flight was 2hrs 45min late leaving Birmingham as thompsons had crew issues... Or a lack of crew! and so in turn we got into Malaga with 2 other flights and customs was a nightmare. We boarded around 10.30pm local time and missed the sail away party. By the time we had got our bags and a quick look around it was all over.

 

My main complaint to that all of us who were late, never received a muster drill. Being our first cruise I didn't even know about them and it wasn't until I looked into it further on our return home after a passing comment from somebody that a serious breach of health and safety occurred. I emailed a complaint and received a phone call yesterday to say sorry delays happen and they will pass the info on about the lack of a muster drill but I won't hear from them again.

 

I think it's disgusting that he even mentioned why didn't I ask the first day... It was our first cruise and why should I need to ask, they have a duty of care over us and have further since found out that the boarding cards are scanned to register who has been. I emailed today the Facebook page for Thompson cruises and the reply was have I spoken to the after care team... In the message I sent them I stated I had spoken with them so yet again they had not read what I actually put and tried to fob me off.

 

Are muster drills law? I am ringing them tomorrow or going to where I booked it to ask why such a lapse in health and safety is basically "sorry about that, bye".

 

Any help or others been in this situation please comment.

 

Thank you

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It will be interesting to see what happens here. Thomsons ships regularly leave Palma at about 11pm to cater for delayed late flights. We were delayed to 2am once. So they must have a procedure in place for dealing with late arriving passengers and that procedure must be compliant with regulations or they would have been in trouble before now. Maybe something to do with the safety briefing running on the cabin TV.

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Never in over 20 cruises has a muster drill never taken place - occasionally it has been held in the cinema or medusa lounge for late arrivals and as Dave says the ship usually sails later to account for this since the law changed and they had to be done before sailing

Are you sure you didn't hear a tannoy message telling you to attend? If there were 3 flights delayed then that's a lot of passengers and if any of those can confirm on here that there was no muster drill then more complaints will help you get a better response from Thomson

 

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When we were on Discovery 2 we could not hear the tannoy announcements when the cabin door was closed. That was on deck 3.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

That's normal procedure, the corridor speakers and the cabin speakers are on 2 different circuits. If there is anything critically important enough for all passengers to hear they switch in the cabin circuits, otherwise there is printed and TV advice that, if you want to hear the corridor announcements switch your TV to channel? etc etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...
When we were on Discovery 2 we could not hear the tannoy announcements when the cabin door was closed. That was on deck 3.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Would have heard the emergency alarm (the 7 long and loud bleeps indicating an emergency) these are pushed onto the cabin speakers for obvious purposes.

 

In a dozen or so cruises I have never known any line to miss a muster drill. On weeks where we have stopped on (not needing to attend twice) we have not missed the calls or the practice emergency alarm either..

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Sheila is right. They don't sound the alarm for late drills.

 

We were on the first cruise on Disco 2. We had a late afternoon flight and arrived at the ship about 9pm. We had something to eat and started to unpack. We saw in the Cruise News that the drill was 10.30 in the Venue. We arrived late, our card was scanned, even though we only saw the end of the talk.

 

There was no announcement and the notice in the Cruise news was on page 2, so not very visible and obviously we knew there should be a drill. If we had been newbies, we wouldn't have known.

 

We spoke to some people who didn't go and someone who didn't even know there had been one!

 

Thomson need to sort this out.

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Linda looks like you've jumped ship - didn't you like Disco 1 and 2?
Yes we loved Disco 1 and liked Disco 2, but not as much as Disco 1. I am looking at Disco 1 from Southampton next year, but it is soooo expensive. TBH, we are a bit fed up with airports and flying so doing some from Southampton for a change. Easy trip for us, train down from Oxford in less than an hour and a half and a taxi to the ship.

 

We like P&O and Thomson, so may be back onThomson/Tui or whatever it is going to be called, next year :D

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We're on Disco 2 twice next year and I thought both ships were the same what was the difference? Agree they are more expensive but we got a good deal for the 25 day cruise back to the Med next April from Montego Bay and our friends wanted to try her out so we agreed to a week in June but the cost per day was quite a bit more in comparison

I understand you cruising from Southampton living in Oxford but too far for us but my sister did Celebration from Newcastle and enjoyed the Baltic very much

Glad you're not deserting totally

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Noting really wrong with the ship, It just seemed a bit disorganised, but that is the downside of doing a maiden cruise. Reception seemed to give conflicting advice and our cabin steward was not too good. No clean towels two day running. The staff were lovely of course, but hadn't really had time to "gel" like on Discovery one last year.

 

The best thing about Disco one though was Captain John :hearteyes::D

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Noting really wrong with the ship, It just seemed a bit disorganised, but that is the downside of doing a maiden cruise. Reception seemed to give conflicting advice and our cabin steward was not too good. No clean towels two day running. The staff were lovely of course, but hadn't really had time to "gel" like on Discovery one last year.

 

The best thing about Disco one though was Captain John :hearteyes::D

 

We found the second week much better than the first in May - they flew in some Disco 1 staff who joined on the second Sunday and the improved organisation and service was very noticable. We were iffy about Disco 2 the first week but really liked her by the time - so much so that we are going back on her in October for a week. It will be interesting to see how we find Disco 1 in comparison next May (doing the 12 night Malaga to Southampton).

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We found the second week much better than the first in May - they flew in some Disco 1 staff who joined on the second Sunday and the improved organisation and service was very noticable. We were iffy about Disco 2 the first week but really liked her by the time - so much so that we are going back on her in October for a week. It will be interesting to see how we find Disco 1 in comparison next May (doing the 12 night Malaga to Southampton).
Hi Brenda, glad to know it wasn't just us :) As I said, the perils of a maiden voyage. I hope your friends enjoyed the cruise after early problems.
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