Muster drill?

In the words of the Eagles, "Get Over it!" I'll have plenty of time to drink and enjoy on the cruise. I'm more than happy to learn the emergency procedures during the drill, and agree that it could save your life. Also, unless we were torpedoed and the ship was sinking fast, I would go back to my cabin to get a jacket, good shoes, medicines and anything else that would help me and my family survive in a lifeboat. I would also want to get my life preserver to be certain that I had one.

Maybe those that do not go to the drill should be labeled as voluntary sacrifices and left to feed the sharks.

On the Nautica in February O changed up the routine a bit. I have never seen them do it before. Everyone was checked in. They called out the names over the PA of cruisers missing to identify themselves. Maybe someone was at the wrong muster station or something else. While everyone waited, the crew went to find the missing persons. After a wait the crew came into our muster station ( the GDR) escorting a Group of laggards and getting them into their assigned area. Seems some thought hiding out in their cabins would work. Apparently, the crew went in and got them out!

Hadn’t seen that on previous cruises so don’t know if it’s new SOP, or something specific to Hong Kong and the region.

On the Nautica in February O changed up the routine a bit. I have never seen them do it before. Everyone was checked in. They called out the names over the PA of cruisers missing to identify themselves. Maybe someone was at the wrong muster station or something else. While everyone waited, the crew went to find the missing persons. After a wait the crew came into our muster station ( the GDR) escorting a Group of laggards and getting them into their assigned area. Seems some thought hiding out in their cabins would work. Apparently, the crew went in and got them out!

 

Hadn’t seen that on previous cruises so don’t know if it’s new SOP, or something specific to Hong Kong and the region.

I remember when they used to go check the cabins

they would put a tissue on the handle to show they had been checked

So maybe they still do the cabin check but omit the tissue ;)

I hate it when people think they are too special to attend the drill & keep everyone waiting & do not get me started on those that decide chatting during the instructions is OK also :eek:

JMO

According to international maritime regulation, any passenger that misses the muster drill, and/or refuses to attend a make up drill, must be disembarked prior to sailing, or at the very next port. And I have seen it happen, on a HAL ship....

I think Cunard does as well. That line takes the drill more seriously than many of the other lines..

Perhaps due to their "Titanic" heritage?;) (They merged with the White Star Line).

On our recent Riviera cruise at the muster drill for Leg #1 I thought I heard the CD say that people who'd been at the previous drill 7 days before were exempt. (Riviera had a series of 7 day cruises and a good number of people were doing two or three of those legs.)

But when we asked our butler on the day of the muster drill for Leg #2 he said, absolutely not. Everyone must attend.

I had thought I might have heard correctly because I believed that the requirement was that every 14 days you must attend. So I thought possibly after 7 days we might be exempt. But it made sense that I heard incorrectly because I'm sure it would make it very difficult for the crew to know who wouldn't have to attend in such a case.

So off we went!

Mura

According to international maritime regulation, any passenger that misses the muster drill, and/or refuses to attend a make up drill, must be disembarked prior to sailing, or at the very next port. And I have seen it happen, on a HAL ship....

Wow! That must have been one very, very stupid (and arrogant) person - money waster, too!

We were on Regatta late May - did go to our lifeboat. I didn't see any laggards being escorted to our muster station (GDR), but perhaps I just wasn't sitting where I would have seen them. We DID, of course, have to wait while some people were rounded up, but luckily it wasn't a lot of people or a long wait. The bigger wait was in the port (San Francisco), but that's a different story and one I'd rather forget. Reps from Homeland Security (Coast Guard?) observed our muster drill - first time I had seen that.

Bob, do you know if maritime law specifies how often a passenger must attend a drill - are people on back to back 7 day cruises exempt, or is up to the cruise line, or what?

Sorry, I don't know how often people have to attend. The longest previous cruise I have taken, was a 32 night cruise, last summer, on Crystal from Alaska to New York. We only had to do one on embarkation day, while the crew had to do weekly drills.

I expect that on the full world cruise we will have to do it on each of the legs, that passengers embark or disembark at. I wouldn't mind this minor inconvenience in the name of safety....

The SOLAS requirement is that passengers must attend a muster drill once a month. However, cruise lines can set their own policies regarding muster drills for back to back cruisers.

And, actually, I'm not aware of a SOLAS requirement to disembark a passenger who fails to attend a muster drill, that is merely a cruise line policy, and falls under the ticket contract clause of failing to follow all company rules and policies. SOLAS and other international conventions from the IMO set requirements, but leave it up to the flag states to set punishments for violations.

Thanks for that clarification, Whether it is HAL or SOLAS policy that dictated it, I doubt makes much difference to the couple that were disembarked....;)

On the Nautica in February O changed up the routine a bit. I have never seen them do it before. Everyone was checked in. They called out the names over the PA of cruisers missing to identify themselves. Maybe someone was at the wrong muster station or something else. While everyone waited, the crew went to find the missing persons. After a wait the crew came into our muster station ( the GDR) escorting a Group of laggards and getting them into their assigned area. Seems some thought hiding out in their cabins would work. Apparently, the crew went in and got them out!

 

Hadn’t seen that on previous cruises so don’t know if it’s new SOP, or something specific to Hong Kong and the region.

Same procedure aboard Marina on our Miami-Tahiti cruise. There was also a warning announced over the PA: two occurrences and the passenger would be kicked off the ship at the next port.

Sorry, I don't know how often people have to attend. The longest previous cruise I have taken, was a 32 night cruise, last summer, on Crystal from Alaska to New York. We only had to do one on embarkation day, while the crew had to do weekly drills.

 

I expect that on the full world cruise we will have to do it on each of the legs, that passengers embark or disembark at. I wouldn't mind this minor inconvenience in the name of safety....

How does your ninth muster drill in four months make you more safe?

Thanks.

How does your ninth muster drill in four months make you more safe?

Thanks.

Looking at the itinerary, I don't see nine 'legs' in four months, but anyway, repeating safety procedures make them more and more familiar, and if a real emergency occurs, you do not have to try to recall what to do...it comes automatically. Could save precious time, and reduce stress somewhat. Some people more than others...

How does your ninth muster drill in four months make you more safe?

Thanks.

Why do fire fighters drill daily? Why do hospitals and ambulance companies drill in emergency procedures several times a year? As bob says, "muscle memory". When the correct emergency response comes without conscious thought, the person can focus on the immediate emergency and what it's particular peculiarities are. If you are one of the many cruisers who go to the muster drill and zone out, then yes, you wouldn't get much out of repeated muster drills. If on the other hand, you take an active interest in your own safety and that of your family, you can continue to learn something new at each muster. For instance, if you are in the Polo Grill on deck 10 aft (Regatta), and your muster station is on Deck 5 port side forward promenade (I don't know where the stations are on this ship, just giving examples). Now, it is announced that a fire is in cabin 7063, deck 7, starboard side, midships. You will not be allowed to go forward through the fire zone where the burning cabin is, on decks 7 and above. How do you get to your muster station? Do these types of mental exercises at each muster drill, and your chances of survival are greatly increased.

make note of your fellow lifeboat mates

especially the ones chatting away as they will be the ones running like a chicken with it's head cut off in an emergency situation

make note of your fellow lifeboat mates

 

especially the ones chatting away as they will be the ones running like a chicken with it's head cut off in an emergency situation

Exactly. DW and I survived the Waldo Canyon fire in the Colorado Springs, Colorado area in June 2012. We had a few days warning and were given specific instructions on what to pack, where to go and evacuation procedures. We followed those instructions to the letter, which included early evacuation. Many people thought the warnings were ridiculous. "The fire won't hit Northwestern Colorado Springs. It would never hit The United States Air Force Academy". The fire didn't reach The Academy but it took out 250+ houses and along the way. 32,000+ people had to evacuate the area. Many had nowhere to go because they didn't follow instructions. They slept in their cars. Hotels were sold out for hundreds of miles from The Springs. Some had to drive to New Mexico, Wyoming and Kansas to find a hotel with rooms available. BTW, our house was spared. Some people within less than a mile of us weren't so fortunate.

The situation is no different on a ship. Anyone who thinks a disaster can't happen aboard a cruise ship or anyone who thinks they are above attending the muster drill is a fool.

I just hope they don't keep those of us who turn up at the correct time waiting for a long time for the late-comers. This happened in another cruise line recently and as we had our son, his wife and three young grandchildren with us, it was really annoying being kept waiting for 40 minutes. At least we had seats.

I just hope they don't keep those of us who turn up at the correct time waiting for a long time for the late-comers. This happened in another cruise line recently and as we had our son, his wife and three young grandchildren with us, it was really annoying being kept waiting for 40 minutes. At least we had seats.

You will be kept waiting until they round up the strays

The ships are small so they find most people easily

You will most definitely be kept waiting! People should be giving the stragglers hisses and booes as they are escorted in! They have to be escorted to ensure they don’t disappear again!

As I stated before, if one opted for an early Specialties reservation on the first night, they’d better go to the drill dressed for dinner. One never knows how long it will take to round up and oust the strays from their cabins, or if that cruise will be selected for all to additionally go their lifeboats.

I guess we've been very lucky. I can't remember a time on 17 cruises on Oceania ships when we had to wait for strays. Perhaps we did but no more than 5-10 minutes. If I had to wait a half or more, I'd be upset, too.

Mura

We've never had to wait 40 minutes.

HAL does make you stand outside (except on its newest ship), but does not make you bring/wear your life preserver.

We were just on HAL Koningsdam (their latest ship) and they had us stay in our cabins while they sounded the first two stages of alarms. Only when they got to the "abandon ship" did they have us head down to our muster station. Much different from other lines we have sailed.

BTW I got my blue book from Oceania today and it said that the muster drill will be done within 24 hours of sailing. Do they actually do it AFTER sailing on some cruises? I thought the cruise lines stopped doing that after the fiasco with the Costa Concordia.

I am currently on Riviera and our muster drill was before we left port

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Please someone, correct me if I'm wrong. However, I think maritime laws (SOLAS) now require the drill to be done prior to sailing or soon after sailing, probably because of the Costa accident. However, it may be that Oceania is using old language - or I'm not correct on the laws. (I would look them up, but I'm in a hurry.)

In any case, I don't remember any drill on Oceania, since we started cruising 10 or more years ago, in which the drill was held after we sailed away. They seem to pretty consistently schedule it right before departure.

Same procedure aboard Marina on our Miami-Tahiti cruise. There was also a warning announced over the PA: two occurrences and the passenger would be kicked off the ship at the next port.

Thats a fact...I was on a cruise where this lady was way too cool to be bothered with attending the drill said she was not going to go to their silly drill and she knew all about what to do.......................

They kicked her off the ship with her luggage before we sailed... No joke

There is no such thing as too much practice. As Jim and Stan said in a real emergency you can not imagine how out of control people get.. I worked in emergency services for several decades and seen how quick people loose it. Until you experience a real emergency you have no idea what people, yourself included may do. Practice every chance you get.