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Muster on Liberty today


Sweetjaze
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It was a total cluster. Half the ship smelled of gas fumes and between the station I was in and the one next to it 3 people passed out. People started walking away halfway through. They tried directing every one into the MDRs to finish, but most people starting heading to their rooms.

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We sailed on the Liberty twice in 2016. Each of the drills was more than 45 minutes long. I had sprained my ankle a few days before boarding the 2nd cruise and was in a brace. I went to GS and asked to be able to do the muster with those in wheelchairs and on walkers. They denied the request.

 

About halfway through the drill my foot had swelled so badly that the brace was cutting off my circulation and my foot and lower leg was turning blue. As I started to walk away I was stopped by a crew member and told I had to stand there to finish the drill. I showed her my blue, swollen limb and asked how she proposed I do that when I could no longer put any weight on my foot. She escorted me through the doors into the dining room where all the wheelchair people were and scolded me for not going to the area for handicapped people in the first place. I was absolutely livid.

Thankfully, our steward brought me 2 ice buckets full of ice twice a day since I had to spend the rest of the cruise icing it.

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We sailed on the Liberty twice in 2016. Each of the drills was more than 45 minutes long. I had sprained my ankle a few days before boarding the 2nd cruise and was in a brace. I went to GS and asked to be able to do the muster with those in wheelchairs and on walkers. They denied the request.

 

About halfway through the drill my foot had swelled so badly that the brace was cutting off my circulation and my foot and lower leg was turning blue. As I started to walk away I was stopped by a crew member and told I had to stand there to finish the drill. I showed her my blue, swollen limb and asked how she proposed I do that when I could no longer put any weight on my foot. She escorted me through the doors into the dining room where all the wheelchair people were and scolded me for not going to the area for handicapped people in the first place. I was absolutely livid.

Thankfully, our steward brought me 2 ice buckets full of ice twice a day since I had to spend the rest of the cruise icing it.

 

That's just plain crazy , sorry for your pain. Send a sharp letter to Carnival and when you get your survey respond the same. I have noted that Guest Service has become more snobbish here lately.

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We were just on the Pride last week and they still do Muster outside on deck. We had two elderly people - stuck way in the back - just about passed out. The entire group was waving frantically to get the attention of the staff. There at least needs to be concessions for the elderly. It was ridiculous.

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Our muster drill on the Triumph last week was useless. They were, I assume, giving directions over the intercom. I could not understand a word of what was being said. There was no crew member in front of our group providing directions as there were in front of other groups. When it was all over, we just left. We had no idea what just happened.

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two years ago on Victory, I had a similar experience. No fuel fumes, but just an extremely long muster, at least 45 mins, and then other side of ship got released first, so it became a 1 hr painful experience for me, and I came close to collapsing a time or two, but thankfully I was in the front row of people and could move forward to grab onto something to alleviate the pain.

 

A year later, last year I called before my cruise to special services on advice from people here on CC, and requested special muster, and was advised also then to go to guest services on boarding to find out where the special muster would be.

 

it worked fine. no problem, and so glad I did that.

 

the problem with muster on conquest class or similar (victory, triumph, splendor) is that for a certain reason to do with ship outside deck space near life boats, they have to be held on an outside deck, by the life boats. Other ships like fantasy class, and the dream class and newer class, it cant be done for all, so it gets done in various inside locations with chairs.

 

if a person needs to do special muster, the best thing to do is register or it pre cruise (if you can), and again at guest service when you board. if one staff says you cannot do it, ask for a supervisor and state your case.

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Muster drill on any ship lower than a Dream class is absolute torture. Why they don't move it to the lounges and MDRs fleet wide baffles my mind. Witnessed many people getting sick/passing out at Muster while being packed in like sardines in the heat. We're fairly young, and this plays a major part in what class of ship we book.

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Muster drill on any ship lower than a Dream class is absolute torture. Why they don't move it to the lounges and MDRs fleet wide baffles my mind. Witnessed many people getting sick/passing out at Muster while being packed in like sardines in the heat. We're fairly young, and this plays a major part in what class of ship we book.

 

 

 

While it certainly is not the highlight of any cruise (and totally necessary), I have never seen anybody get sick or pass out in a muster drill on our 39 cruises, the fact that you have seen many is amazing.

 

 

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Muster drill on any ship lower than a Dream class is absolute torture. Why they don't move it to the lounges and MDRs fleet wide baffles my mind.

 

To be fair, muster on the Elation last October started indoors (Cole Porter lounge for us) and went smoothly in our section. They excluded ANY of us who claimed difficulty from parading to the lifeboats for a short session and simply took names and cabin numbers in the event of an emergency.

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Muster drill on any ship lower than a Dream class is absolute torture. Why they don't move it to the lounges and MDRs fleet wide baffles my mind. Witnessed many people getting sick/passing out at Muster while being packed in like sardines in the heat. We're fairly young, and this plays a major part in what class of ship we book.

 

 

 

I agree 100% with Jimbo. I never saw anyone get sick or pass out. While the indoor drills are more convenient, I'd rather know exactly which life boat we would be on. The stories of refusing service or Carnival yelling at a guest, are a bit of a stretch.

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I think they should bring back the "good ole days" and have you wear your life vest to the drill ;p

 

All kidding aside, I don't have a problem with the muster drill, it's just part of cruising. Also, never have seen anyone pass out, although have seen people with too much alcohol in their systems act like idiots at muster.

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I think they should bring back the "good ole days" and have you wear your life vest to the drill ;p

 

 

 

All kidding aside, I don't have a problem with the muster drill, it's just part of cruising. Also, never have seen anyone pass out, although have seen people with too much alcohol in their systems act like idiots at muster.

 

 

 

No one passed out this week on the glory and at least at my muster station they were proactively having the elderly move inside and sit down. Last year on splendor we did have a lady get into medical problems (family held

Her up until carnival got a chair.). She wound up in medical after that. Not sure what happened after that.

 

Embarkation was a different story- saw two ladies in trouble and the carnival reps seemed helpless to do anything to help

 

It seems like muster has been getting more disorganized rather than improving. When it stretches to 30-40minutes in the heat people start to have issues. Maybe forming a line as you enter your muster area and scan the ss cards at that time and than the sections can report in full attendance sooner. And it was nice to see them proactively ushering people to chairs.

 

 

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While it certainly is not the highlight of any cruise (and totally necessary), I have never seen anybody get sick or pass out in a muster drill on our 39 cruises, the fact that you have seen many is amazing.

 

 

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This!

Put me in the never seen anybody have the slightest bit of medical discomfort during muster, ever!

Can't compete with Jimbo's data sample, as I've only been on 6 cruises...but, all have been outside except the last one on the Breeze. That was inside the dining room.

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I actually find the new process where they track your room number on an iPad much better than just counting heads... that took FOREVER! Now they know exactly who has not registered for muster drill and they don't keep us waiting longer than necessary.

 

As others have said, SOLAS (an international body regulating safety at sea) dictates the terms, location and timing of safety briefings. Carnival has no control over where they are held. If possible, the muster drill is always held in proximity to the lifeboat like on the older ships. On the newer ships, there's no room for that so they found alternate locations, usually the lounges and restaurants.

 

Those who flame at the cruise lines for where and when the safety drills are should review SOLAS... they're especially strict with the cruise lines since the Costa Concordia disaster.

 

And for those who think they can skip it, they can't anymore! In fact, if you miss it they will 'invite' you to attend a special safety briefing as soon as the ship sails. And from someone I talked to who had to attend it, if you think the normal one is long, you're in for an unpleasant surprise at the make-up drill! Apparently it's their way of 'punishing' you for missing the first drill.

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They did not end our drill until every single person was accounted for. They called 2 guests by name and cabin number on the ship wide loud speaker. They made everyone wait an additional 15 minutes, they were literally booed when they arrived to the showroom, some people think they are so privileged

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Coevan- I think if they started making the latecomers attend the 'special' safety briefing (give them 10 mins or so max then start without them) things would be a lot faster...

 

And if those who are 'special' don't show up for the rescheduled safety briefing, cut off their S&S card- no charging privileges, room key won't work... the whole 9 yards! Grab 'em where it hurts and their hearts and minds will follow!

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They did not end our drill until every single person was accounted for. They called 2 guests by name and cabin number on the ship wide loud speaker. They made everyone wait an additional 15 minutes, they were literally booed when they arrived to the showroom, some people think they are so privileged

 

 

 

Rightly so.... this "it's my vacation" entitlement that ruins part of others cruise vacation should be penalized as well.....penalty or maybe taser?......hmmm

 

 

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This!

Put me in the never seen anybody have the slightest bit of medical discomfort during muster, ever!

Can't compete with Jimbo's data sample, as I've only been on 6 cruises...but, all have been outside except the last one on the Breeze. That was inside the dining room.

I can top that data sample and also tell you I have seen people get sick and puck in the past as well as pass out.

Sure muster its a necessary thing , but lets take care of the people as well.

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We just returned from Liberty and the muster drill was a nightmare. We have now been on 26 cruises and this was the worst muster ever. For those who say the cruise line has nothing to do with it are incorrect. We have been on 22 Royal Caribbean cruises and they do a much better job with the muster drill. It is shorter and it complies with all regulations. All three of our Carnival muster drills have been too long and disorganized. Two of them were inside so there was no heat issue, just the aggravation factor. The outside area used for Liberty muster has very little air flow and it was unbearably hot. They spent 20+ minutes trying to locate no shows while everyone stood in the heat and fumes. They did let people with small children go inside. Just because a person has never seen anyone pass out doesn't mean it does not happen. We saw one elderly person near us have to be helped inside by the crew after feeling faint and almost falling over. The person next to him caught him. Carnival tends to make a lot of unnecessary announcements during muster that could be done another time. There is no excuse for the muster drills being so long since other cruise lines can do it. We enjoy our Carnival cruises but muster drill is a weak spot that needs improvement.

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