A change in muster drill requirements?

[Hikini]

I think I read that life jackets no longer have to be carried to the muster drill. Is that true? Hope so!

[Got Tequila?]

I think I read that life jackets no longer have to be carried to the muster drill. Is that true? Hope so!

 

They weren't needed on the Spirit in April...:):):)

[BIG_Steve]

No jackets, no roll call, and no attention is paid........

 

Same on Carnival. Wonder why the USCG is okay with what is now a totally meaningless "drill."

[JohnIreland]

No life jackets , but there was a roll call.

 

Gem two weeks ago.

[Don Haynes]

I believe the cruise lines were finally able to convince the USCG that a nit wit could put on a life jacket properly... What is really important during the drill is to show where your lifeboat station is...

[Hikini]

I believe the cruise lines were finally able to convince the USCG that a nit wit could put on a life jacket properly... What is really important during the drill is to show where your lifeboat station is...

 

I don't know Don - I've been to plenty of muster drills where some nit wits didn't know front from back or up from down!:eek: And I believe that was BEFORE they started drinking! :D

[alwalaska]

No jackets, no roll call, and no attention is paid........

 

Same on Carnival. Wonder why the USCG is okay with what is now a totally meaningless "drill."

 

When we were on the Sky, a while after you, they checked off our cabin numbers as we arrived, but they didn't officially call off names. The thing that was strange was that when my son arrived before us, they marked the entire cabin as already being there.

[gkrnjlr]

On the Pearl last month we didn't have to bring the life jackets and there was no roll call. Seemed like no one was paying attention even though they kept telling everyone no phones, talking, etc. I saw a lot of people texting away and just chatting with others.

[gkrnjlr]

Sorry......started a new thread.....

[zerooveride]

I noticed on the Dailies from The Jewel that were posted recently that there is a "make up" drill on the second day. What does that mean?

[downsized]

Frankly, it never did make sense to me that all passengers had to run back to their cabins to gather up the lifejackets for the drill.

 

All lifeboats have lifejackets for the maximum number of passengers per life boat!

 

My DW and I have seen folks trailing the belts from their jackets as they rush down the stairs to their muster station, and once saw a horrific fall from someone stepping on the belt! (Thankfully, no injury.)

 

If my cabin is towards the bow, and I am in a bar at the stern and the ship is starting to sink, I think it highly unlikely that I am going to try to fight the crowd back to my cabin, simply to collect my lifejacket!

 

That was a good call, USCG!

 

Just my $0.02.

[hftmrock]

I noticed on the Dailies from The Jewel that were posted recently that there is a "make up" drill on the second day. What does that mean?

 

it means that the women folk are checked to make sure that they put on their makeup correctly.. If not, they have to go back to the cabin and try again

 

;):D

[annecolorgreen]

it means that the women folk are checked to make sure that they put on their makeup correctly.. If not, they have to go back to the cabin and try again

 

;):D

 

<groan>

:D

[Turtles06]

Our most recent cruise was on the Jade in January. We were taken aback to find that the muster drill was in the Grand Pacific MDR, where everyone sat around in lifejackets at dining room tables. There was never any information given out about how, in the event of an emergency, we'd get to lifeboats, where our lifeboats were, who would lead us there, in what sort of order, etc. It did not strike us as a very useful "drill," and it concerns me that this stuff does not seem to be taken as seriously as it ought to be.

 

 

[alwalaska]

I noticed on the Dailies from The Jewel that were posted recently that there is a "make up" drill on the second day. What does that mean?

 

Attendance at the drill is mandated by the Coast Guard to occur within 24 hours of setting sail. If people miss the first drill, they are required to attend the make up drill.

 

When we were leaving AK on Princess, there were quite a few people who were late boarding the ship and they waited for them. We met someone from that group and they were required to attend the make up drill since they missed the original drill.

[alwalaska]

Our most recent cruise was on the Jade in January. We were taken aback to find that the muster drill was in the Grand Pacific MDR, where everyone sat around in lifejackets at dining room tables. There was never any information given out about how, in the event of an emergency, we'd get to lifeboats, where our lifeboats were, who would lead us there, in what sort of order, etc. It did not strike us as a very useful "drill," and it concerns me that this stuff does not seem to be taken as seriously as it ought to be.

 

 

 

Princess holds all their drills inside. They have found that the emergencies they have had that required mustering worked better with the people being kept in doors out of the elements until it was time to load the life boats. In fact, as far as I know, they have never had to load the life boats.

[klingoncruiser]

All the cruise lines have been changing the mustard drill. One safety issue were people with those darned life vest. They tripped over the belts, blew those darned whistles (think norovirus) and fell down stairs because they could not see.

 

I for one applaud this new move. As said, any nitwit could get into one.

[figuremom]

Just got back from a cruise on the Carnival Inspiration, and no life jackets were needed. Everybody went to their muster stations, and were told over the intercom what lifeboats they would be assigned. Well, my muster station was in one of the lounges and we were never told which lifeboats were for us. We went to a mid level deck, not the top where the lifeboats are, and then the drill ended. We never did find out what lifeboats were for our group.

[BIG_Steve]

Just got back from a cruise on the Carnival Inspiration, and no life jackets were needed. Everybody went to their muster stations, and were told over the intercom what lifeboats they would be assigned. Well, my muster station was in one of the lounges and we were never told which lifeboats were for us. We went to a mid level deck, not the top where the lifeboats are, and then the drill ended. We never did find out what lifeboats were for our group.

 

A total waste of time. And a nitwit CAN'T get into a lifejacket without being shown.

[mousey]

We were on the POA this past spring break and we had to bring our life jackets with us. You're not supposed to put them on until you are told to do so. That's so that you will learn how to put them on properly. I've been cruising forever and personally hate the drills. But I beleive they are a necessary evil. People should be shown how to put them on properly and where they should go in case of an emergency. The day that someone gets hurt or injured because there was't a proper drill, will be the day when cruise lines take these drills seriously again. Just my $.02.:D

[salty dingo]

Eliminating the life jackets from the drill was a smart move. Why? Because so many people will mangle the jackets during the drill, they would be unsafe during an actual emergency.

 

Which is more important: a) 10 minutes of practice in putting on a life vest, which is about as complicated as putting on a belt, or b) having a life jacket in an emergency that is not all messed up by the last drunken passenger?

 

I'll go with choice a) !! I'll bet the USCG is in total agreement!

[brfan]

I think meeting in a lounge is a good idea because depending on the situation should there be a real emergency then the lifeboat you were assigned during the drill may not be the one you go on in an emergency. If the ship is listing or if there is a fire for example, then the lifeboat you were told about on the drill may not be able to be used. So meeting at a set place the crew can then lead you to the correct lifeboat. I also think that it may be a good idea not to tell which lifeboat is the tentatively assigned one, since people in a real emergency might opt to skip the meeting place and go directly to the lifeboat thinking they'll get off sooner only to find that their lifeboat can't be used and not have any idea which lifeboat they should be on.

 

If you are unsure about putting on your lifejacket, there is always instructions on how to do it in your cabin and they usually have the drill information on the TV on when you first go to your cabin. Nothing stopping you from practicing putting it on and if you do have questions, I'm sure your room steward can answer them or tell you who to contact if he/she cannot.

 

The idea of carrying your lifejacket to the meeting place makes me shake my head. No matter how many times people are told not to drag the ties they still do. I don't understand how some people can be so careless and unthinking.

[Turtles06]

All the cruise lines have been changing the mustard drill.

 

I just hope they don't ever eliminate the hot dogs. ;)

[alwalaska]

A total waste of time. And a nitwit CAN'T get into a lifejacket without being shown.

 

Ahh, but the question remains, how many nitwits will remember how to put it on in an emergency after being shown once during a crowded, boring drill. :D They will still need to be shown again when/if the alarms sound for real.

 

So, how was the Pearl and Alaska. Are you still as excited about cruising?

[newmexicoNita]

I think I read that life jackets no longer have to be carried to the muster drill. Is that true? Hope so!

 

It was true on the Pearl.