Muster Drill

[kdc0905]

I will be cruising on the Indy in February with my 16 month old daughter for the first time. Can someone please tell me how the muster drill works with infants? Do they have infant size life vests? Should I just bring her to the drill in her stroller? It just seems as though it would be difficult for me to carry her with my vest on.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[cb at sea]

I don't believe they even require you to wear the lifevests to muster anymore.....but if there's not a "baby sized" one in your cabin, ask the attendant for one...they have them! and yes--I'd bring the stroller---sometimes you're standing around for quite some time.

[A&Jfamily]

I will be cruising on the Indy in February with my 16 month old daughter for the first time. Can someone please tell me how the muster drill works with infants? Do they have infant size life vests? Should I just bring her to the drill in her stroller? It just seems as though it would be difficult for me to carry her with my vest on.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

What cruise line are you on? Carnival has/is revamping there muster drill, and you no longer take your life vest - which by the way they used to specifically ask that you carry (being careful to pick up the strings) so as not to further clog the halls. Our steward has always gotten us the child size life vests for the kids. I would not take the stroller as there are about a million people crammed into a really small place. I would carry/walk her, and wait until most people have headed down as it will make for a shorter wait - no need to run at the first call.

[siebelqueen]

I don't believe they even require you to wear the lifevests to muster anymore.....but if there's not a "baby sized" one in your cabin, ask the attendant for one...they have them! and yes--I'd bring the stroller---sometimes you're standing around for quite some time.

We brought our stroller to the muster drill with our 8 month old. At that time, we had to wear our life vests. So there was no way we'd be able to hold him comfortably while standing there for the whole drill. We brought his infant life vest with us but not on him. We just made sure to stand in the back where the stroller wouldn't be in anybody's way. Not only was this fine with the cruise staff, but our little one ended up in the cruise video during the drill. He had fun hamming it up for the camera.

 

HTH!

[jam82]

I thought that they would not let you use the stoller during muster because a stroller wouldn't be allowed on the life boat during a real emergency. I held my DS as an infant in those life jackets in the burning sun. It was my least favorite part about cruising with an infant. Did they let you take the elevator or did you have to carry the stroller up the stairs?

[kitty9]

They let you take strollers to muster, just like they let the disabled take their wheelchairs and scooters. You do not have to use the stairs, use the elevators.

[Kerry's Girls]

Between the ages of 1-4 years, I always took the stroller to drills. In my experience, they let wheelchairs and strollers use the elevators even though clearly they would instead assist disabled passengers and passengers with children on the stairs in case of an emergency.

 

As ships get bigger, drills in general seem to be going away from the everyone-at-their-stations type to just meeting in a public room and listening or watching the demonstration. I read a review of the new RCCL ship and they scan your card at the drill as you enter to take "roll" and then you watch a video demonstration.

 

Best,

Mia

[jam82]

Thanks for the info. I never would have thought to bring a stroller to a muster. I've brought my infant/toddler on nine cruises and have carried him up or down the stairs everytime. He just turned three, but I'm going to try taking a stroller next month. It would be so awesome if they us take the elevator, especially since muster time is often the same as nap time.

[rolloman]

No problem to take a stroller. No need for a lifevest. My 20 month old has cruised NCL, Disney, RCCL and each time we all reported to the station, I ask the station lead if my wife and little one can go back to the room and they let them leave while I stay. It is really that simple. I do not know how many times I have seen people carry their poor little baby all wrapped up in that lifevest and stay the whole duration.