Muster Drill

Would someone explain the Muster Drill? Donyou still have to stand out in the baking sun? Thanks

Nope. It is much more civilized on Celebrity. You go to your Muster Station and watch a movie, see a demonstration of putting on a life vest, hear some instructions and then words from the Captain. That is all.....

Nope. It is much more civilized on Celebrity. You go to your Muster Station and watch a movie, see a demonstration of putting on a life vest, hear some instructions and then words from the Captain. That is all.....

All muster stations on Celebrity are areas inside the ship, such as lounge areas, theaters, etc. The idea is to go directly to your muster station where in an emergency event you will gather and be directed to the safest evacuation point. This is now pretty much standard in the cruise industry after the Costa Concordia disaster, where some life boats were not usable, and people wasted time going to a lifeboat muster station that was out of commission. That is the way it used to be - you would muster at your assigned lifeboat. But no longer.

You also don't bring your life vest as in the past. Too many people would trip on the life vest belts that they would leave dangling as they returned to their rooms.

Earlier this month, on Silhouette, we went to the theater and watched a movie.

If your room is at the pointy end of the ship you probably go to the theater, if mid ship you go to photo area or perhaps Michaels Club, those in the aft go to a specialty restaurant most likely

Our last two cruises on HAL we had to go out and deck and crowd around the lifeboat while a crew member shouted instructions and officers hassled people who weren't paying attention.:mad: "X" was, indeed, a step up. :D

Would someone explain the Muster Drill? Donyou still have to stand out in the baking sun? Thanks

We arrive on board the Summit about 2/3 hours before it sails in December - do we get our own personal drill?

Do you mean 40 minutes before sailing? You won't be allowed to board! If you mean two hours before, you'll make the general drill

In all honesty I'm not very impressed with Celebrity's muster drill.

It's good that they check you off on their list to make sure you have attended but on at least two occasions we have been herded into venues that are too crowded and have been unable to see the video.

Fortunately as we have been on a few cruises it's not really necessary for us to see it and it is, I believe, available for people to view in their cabins.

However we have found that many people show no interest in it at all and talk all the way through. They may, of course, be like ourselves and have seen it all before but on the other hand . . .they may not.

We arrive on board the Summit about 2/3 hours before it sails in December - do we get our own personal drill?

Assuming 8pm departure out of San Juan....

Muster is at 7pm, yes it affects dining the first night a little bit as it comes between early and late dining.

On EC Indie 3 weeks ago, muster drill was excruciating. Outside in hot sun. After drill explanations we had to wait until the absent cruisers were accounted for. Took about an 1 hour. overall. Love Celebrity.

Our last two cruises on HAL we had to go out and deck and crowd around the lifeboat while a crew member shouted instructions and officers hassled people who weren't paying attention.:mad: "X" was, indeed, a step up. :D

People who aren't paying attention are often those who die & cause others to die from their stupidity! They should have been hassled. personally,I prefer the drills on Cunard.Costa Concordia is still in our minds. I was on a Cunard trip when it happened.

Muster drill recap:

1) Know your muster location

2) Know how to attach velcro straps to a life jacket and where you lifejacket is

3) Know which lifeboat number your muster section goes to

4) Know the whistle pattern for an emergency, and the same for abandon ship

5) Know to MUSTER, NOT go to lifeboats, always MUSTER station

6) Save yourself, don't worry about others - kids companions etc...have to rely on each to do their own thing and get where they need to be without assistance.

After muster, I will walk out to find my lifeboat.

To me it's almost comical, but do realize 1st timers need to do it. My first time, my biggest take away was to go to the muster station, not lifeboat decks. Everything else was basically the same as airplane safety instructions.

If your room is at the pointy end of the ship you probably go to the theater, if mid ship you go to photo area or perhaps Michaels Club, those in the aft go to a specialty restaurant most likely

The location of the muster station for each cabin, along with a diagram showing how to get there, can typically be found right on the inside of each cabin door.

 

I've mustered in MDR on S class ships, and Casino on M class ships, in addition to the other "generalized" muster list of theatre, michaels and Specialty restaurant.

3) Know which lifeboat number your muster section goes to

 

After muster, I will walk out to find my lifeboat.

You are no longer given a lifeboat number on many ships. Instead, you are given a muster location somewhere inside the ship with easy access to BOTH sides of the ship. The intention is that in an emergency you will be assigned to USABLE lifeboats directly from this muster location.

Many people went to their assigned lifeboats on Costa Concordia, only to find they could not be used due to the angle of the ship. Those poor people wasted precious time finding there way to working lifeboats, uncertain if they should cross to the other side or continue looking for working lifeboats near their assigned location. Some never made it to safety in the confusion of where to go as a backup. By going to the muster station instead of a lifeboat, their confusion may have been lessened enough to save them.

You are no longer given a lifeboat number on many ships. Instead, you are given a muster location somewhere inside the ship with easy access to BOTH sides of the ship. The intention is that in an emergency you will be assigned to USABLE lifeboats directly from this muster location.

 

Many people went to their assigned lifeboats on Costa Concordia, only to find they could not be used due to the angle of the ship. Those poor people wasted precious time finding there way to working lifeboats, uncertain if they should cross to the other side or continue looking for working lifeboats near their assigned location. Some never made it to safety in the confusion of where to go as a backup. By going to the muster station instead of a lifeboat, their confusion may have been lessened enough to save them.

Interesting you mention this, I noticed that on M class I get a boat assignment (usually a selection of 3) and on S class I can never remember getting a lifeboat number. On S class, if you go to the boats, they have a list of what crew operate it, so you can see if you which one sill be the bar manager or the Cabin stewards.

Interesting you mention this, I noticed that on M class I get a boat assignment (usually a selection of 3) and on S class I can never remember getting a lifeboat number. On S class, if you go to the boats, they have a list of what crew operate it, so you can see if you which one sill be the bar manager or the Cabin stewards.

I have kept the seapass cards for four of our most recent Celebrity cruise. Our last was on Millennium in Feb of this year. Our muster station printed on our seapass card is D1, which was one of the lounges. On Reflection in Oct 2012, our muster station listed is E2, which was one of the restaurants. On Constellation in August 2010, the station is A4, which again was in one of the inside public areas. The last time we mustered at our lifeboat was on Infinity in March, 2009. There is no muster location printed on that seapass card.

Our last Celebrity cruise was on Millennium in Feb. Our muster station printed on our seapass card was D1, which was one of the lounges. On Reflection in Oct 2012, our muster station listed was E2, which was one of the restaurants. On Constellation in August 2010, the station was A4, which again was in one of the inside public area. The last time we mustered out on the deck was on Infinity in March, 2009. There is no muster location printed on that seapass card.

TO clarify, my SeaPass always has muster station (never lifeboat numbers), it's not until we get to the Muster drill, that on the M class they tell us which sequence of lifeboats is ours.

As you noted about not knowing which lifeboats will be used in actuality, is the reason they harp on going to muster station, not direct to lifeboats. Going out on deck is a last resort in most cases in an emergency situation and very, very rarely in an emergency will anyone actually get into a lifeboat.

TO clarify, my SeaPass always has muster station (never lifeboat numbers), it's not until we get to the Muster drill, that on the M class they tell us which sequence of lifeboats is ours.

 

As you noted about not knowing which lifeboats will be used in actuality, is the reason they harp on going to muster station, not direct to lifeboats. Going out on deck is a last resort in most cases in an emergency situation and very, very rarely in an emergency will anyone actually get into a lifeboat.

Possibly my memory is faulty, but I do not recall ever being told what our lifeboat number was if we mustered inside. I would think they would not reveal that information lest people go directly there instead of the muster location, possibly putting themselves at risk if that lifeboat is not functional, or worse, is near the source of a rapidly spreading fire.

I've only sailed Celebrity, no others, and only since 2013. I'm positive I've been given lifeboat numbers, on M class (my first sailing) as I remember when I sailed Eclipse 2 months later, (my second sailing) they didn't give the numbers out and I thought it was odd.

They even have directional arrows and signage on the ceiling indicating way finding to the lifeboat numbers, in addition to the Muster Station numbers. I can't real if the directional signage on S class has lifeboat numbers or not.

The muster drill on S class ships particularly the Solstice is really a farce. Once you are checked into the muster area chaos then takes charge. A video is shown which you may or may not be able to see or hear. If your home language is not one used at the muster then one can follow the video in one's cabin later. Full details of what is required in an emergency are clearly outlined on the back of the cabin door. One has to go so do so. The Solstice held its muster drill around 4.30 pm regardless of a late sailing time.

It does not make any sense to give the lifeboat number to passengers in advance. In an emergency, you have no idea what lifeboats may have been damaged or are inaccessible during the evnt that caused the emergency.

When on a back to back sailing, are passengers required to attend the 2nd muster drill? Our first Celebrity B2B, but Princess, we did not have to attend the subsequent muster drills. Nice to have the quite ship almost to ourselves :)