Muster Drill?

OK, this will probably elicit a 'doh' and forehead slap from some veteran cruisers, but my one and only cruise was over 13 years ago. I have seen some posts for other cruise lines that said life vests were no longer required for the muster drill, but I haven't seen anything directly pertaining to Norwegian ships. I don't even know if it's maritime rule or port rule and I will be sailing the Breakaway mid October from NYC. Any info I get will be appreciated as I will add to my list of tips that grows everyday.

OK, this will probably elicit a 'doh' and forehead slap from some veteran cruisers, but my one and only cruise was over 13 years ago. I have seen some posts for other cruise lines that said life vests were no longer required for the muster drill, but I haven't seen anything directly pertaining to Norwegian ships. I don't even know if it's maritime rule or port rule and I will be sailing the Breakaway mid October from NYC. Any info I get will be appreciated as I will add to my list of tips that grows everyday.

No life vests need to be worn to the muster. At least it was that way on The Escape in April.

No longer required. You simply go to the muster station and watch the demonstration of how to use the life vest.

No life vests required. Just go to your designated muster drill location at the appointed time.

Many thanks, one more thing not to worry about!

On the larger ships, the muster station is now usually in a dining venue or the theater. Easy. Just bring your room card to check in.

Basically the MUSTER DRILL:

When you check-in register for your cabin Key Card the location of the muster station will be noted on the Key Card.

Any crew member can direct you to that location - on the back of your cabin door is the route you should take

to get to the muster station.

You do not bring your life vest(s) with you to the muster station however you should check in and around your

cabin area where they are stored.

At the muster station a demonstration will be done as to how to put on and use the life vest features.

You bring your Key Card with you and a crew member will check you off the mandatory attendance of the drill.

On larger newer ships the muster drill is held inside sheltered areas with seating. Guests with handicap equipment

are directed to easily accessible areas and are usually permitted to use the elevators doing the drill - - -

ALL OTHERS the elevators are off limits - must use stairs - some of which may be crew stairs as directed.

Muster Drills are held while in port (ship is stable at that point) about an hour to a half hour before sailing.

Beverage and food service is briefly discontinued during the drill.

You do not bring food or beverages to drill.

Drill takes about 10+++ or more minutes depending on the size of the ship and if a foreign language needs to be used.

Attendance is mandatory for everyone - make up drills will be required if one misses the drill.

The Muster Drill signal is - - - 7 Short and 1 Long note on the ships PA system.

Cover your ears if in a confined space - it is LOUD !

Prompt attendance and the drill is over in a short time - johnny come lately guests are not appreciated holding

up the muster drill presentation.

After the drill is over consider finding another alternate way to where you are going on the ship as the elevators

will be back in service and typically terribly crowded.

Please move before you hear the sirens!! There are plenty of warnings that it is about to happen. There is nothing more annoying for 60-70 people having to wait on station for the last 5 people to arrive.

Muster drills are a briefly annoying, but necessary, part of the cruise experience. In our opinion, NCL handles them MUCH better than Carnival (which makes you stand out on the deck for a 1/2 hour or more staring at the lifeboats).

NCL used to do that too!!

Basically the MUSTER DRILL:

 

When you check-in register for your cabin Key Card the location of the muster station will be noted on the Key Card.

Any crew member can direct you to that location - on the back of your cabin door is the route you should take

to get to the muster station.

You do not bring your life vest(s) with you to the muster station however you should check in and around your

cabin area where they are stored.

At the muster station a demonstration will be done as to how to put on and use the life vest features.

You bring your Key Card with you and a crew member will check you off the mandatory attendance of the drill.

On larger newer ships the muster drill is held inside sheltered areas with seating. Guests with handicap equipment

are directed to easily accessible areas and are usually permitted to use the elevators doing the drill - - -

ALL OTHERS the elevators are off limits - must use stairs - some of which may be crew stairs as directed.

Muster Drills are held while in port (ship is stable at that point) about an hour to a half hour before sailing.

Beverage and food service is briefly discontinued during the drill.

You do not bring food or beverages to drill.

Drill takes about 10+++ or more minutes depending on the size of the ship and if a foreign language needs to be used.

 

Attendance is mandatory for everyone - make up drills will be required if one misses the drill.

 

The Muster Drill signal is - - - 7 Short and 1 Long note on the ships PA system.

Cover your ears if in a confined space - it is LOUD !

 

Prompt attendance and the drill is over in a short time - johnny come lately guests are not appreciated holding

up the muster drill presentation.

 

After the drill is over consider finding another alternate way to where you are going on the ship as the elevators

will be back in service and typically terribly crowded.

So, for the statement above in red. We are on Deck 16 in The Haven for our upcoming cruise. My wife is not "handicapped", but is also not able to climb down 8-10 decks worth of steps without issues due to a fairly recent injury. Does anyone know where they normally hold the muster drill for Haven guests on the Getaway? I need to plan to be on the proper deck long before they shut off the elevators for my wife, otherwise there may be some serious issues. Any information is appreciated.

So, for the statement above in red. We are on Deck 16 in The Haven for our upcoming cruise. My wife is not "handicapped", but is also not able to climb down 8-10 decks worth of steps without issues due to a fairly recent injury. Does anyone know where they normally hold the muster drill for Haven guests on the Getaway? I need to plan to be on the proper deck long before they shut off the elevators for my wife, otherwise there may be some serious issues. Any information is appreciated.

Theatre.

Theatre.

Ouch. Thanks. Guess we will have to make our way there before the elevators shut down.

GA Dave

Relax you are in the Haven.

Contact your Butler or the ships Concierge for assistance in advance.

These NCL crew members can secure elevator access for their guests.

Make sure that when the alarm sounds for the drill that you at the appointed elevator with the pass to use it.

The elevator use is not a hard and fast rule - it is just getting folks used to the fact that the elevators

can not accommodate the huge masses of guests getting to their assigned muster station and in a real life

situation the elevators maybe rendered out of service with an electrical problem.

You will note that after the muster drill is over the huge masses of guests trying to use the elevators

now back in service to return to where they were before the drill.

Smart able body guests only needing to go a few decks use the stairs.

My handicap guests have learned to go with the flow and wait 15 minutes or more for the elevator use to

settle down to normal.

First time guests can get an education from veteran cruisers about movement during a muster drill.

So check out what can be done for your party in advance - NCL may even give you a back stage tour

with a crew elevator.

I for one, was very disappointed in the lack of variety of mustard at my last drill. :)

GA Dave

 

Relax you are in the Haven.

Contact your Butler or the ships Concierge for assistance in advance.

These NCL crew members can secure elevator access for their guests.

Make sure that when the alarm sounds for the drill that you at the appointed elevator with the pass to use it.

 

The elevator use is not a hard and fast rule - it is just getting folks used to the fact that the elevators

can not accommodate the huge masses of guests getting to their assigned muster station and in a real life

situation the elevators maybe rendered out of service with an electrical problem.

 

You will note that after the muster drill is over the huge masses of guests trying to use the elevators

now back in service to return to where they were before the drill.

 

Smart able body guests only needing to go a few decks use the stairs.

 

My handicap guests have learned to go with the flow and wait 15 minutes or more for the elevator use to

settle down to normal.

 

First time guests can get an education from veteran cruisers about movement during a muster drill.

 

So check out what can be done for your party in advance - NCL may even give you a back stage tour

with a crew elevator.

Thanks, that really helps. We will head to one of the bars on 7 or 8 after the drill and have a drink (or three) to wait for the crowds to die down! 🍹

Theatre.

Ouch. Thanks. Guess we will have to make our way there before the elevators shut down.

Not necessarily the Theatre. It could be ANYWHERE, and it depends on your cabin. Your key card will have a letter code (upper case) followed by a number. The letter denotes the location of the muster and the number is the section.

The daily will tell you where your muster location is - and also the sign on the back of your room door.

NCL used to do that too!!

NCL STILL do outdoors muster stations - on certain ships - like the Spirit, Sun and possibly the SKY.

My advice for the disabled, and people who cannot cope with stairs, is to get to the muster station early to grab seating AND before the elevators shut down (15 or 20 mins prior to the muster drill).

Then you can people watch ;)

Not necessarily the Theatre. It could be ANYWHERE, and it depends on your cabin. Your key card will have a letter code (upper case) followed by a number. The letter denotes the location of the muster and the number is the section.

 

The daily will tell you where your muster location is - and also the sign on the back of your room door.

All I know is that we were in a Haven spa suite on the Getaway in April and out muster station was in the Theatre.

All I know is that we were in a Haven spa suite on the Getaway in April and out muster station was in the Theatre.

We were in Haven proper on Breakaway and it was in O'Shehan's. Not all ppl in Haven go to same muster station - they are divided into several muster stations.

NCL STILL do outdoors muster stations - on certain ships - like the Spirit, Sun and possibly the SKY.

Bummer

I like the Muster drills on Celebrity-- done in the MDR and restaurants etc..show a video. Demo etc all while seated and in AC

Hated the way CCl did them with lifevests ON --on deck--in the heat-- forever..

So on the NCL Sun we are in the sun...

Bummer

 

I like the Muster drills on Celebrity-- done in the MDR and restaurants etc..show a video. Demo etc all while seated and in AC

 

Hated the way CCl did them with lifevests ON --on deck--in the heat-- forever..

 

So on the NCL Sun we are in the sun...[/quote]

 

 

So on the NCL Sun we are in the sun...

 

The muster drills on the NCL SUN are on the Promenade Deck - Deck 6.

Looking overhead you will see the life boats in their davits - stored position.

If this were the real thing the boats would be lowered down and positioned

level with the Promenade deck for boarding.

Handicap guests usually meet inside at Dazzles or the Windjammer lounge

these are also on deck 6 - check for the current alternate assembly point.

 

Beware standing anywhere close to the Public Address speakers the noise

really hurts the ears and is terribly LOUD !