Passengers removed from ship for failure to muster

[the2ofus]

I have been troubled by the decision to not have people wear their lifejackets at the muster drill. There have always been two or three at every drill I have attended who did not wear the lifejacket correctly and had to be instructed by the crew. Knowing how to wear it makes a difference folks! Who would prefer to drown because they did not properly adjust the straps and it slipped off as they hit the water? Better that we all wear the lifejackets to the muster drill and then watch our step as we return to our cabin.

 

Wearing the lifejacket also ensures that people actually know where to find the thing in their cabin and allows for an extra check to make sure it is in good order. At least once I had a lifejacket that had no whistle.

[FLACRUISER99]

I have been troubled by the decision to not have people wear their lifejackets at the muster drill. There have always been two or three at every drill I have attended who did not wear the lifejacket correctly and had to be instructed by the crew. Knowing how to wear it makes a difference folks! Who would prefer to drown because they did not properly adjust the straps and it slipped off as they hit the water? Better that we all wear the lifejackets to the muster drill and then watch our step as we return to our cabin.

 

Wearing the lifejacket also ensures that people actually know where to find the thing in their cabin and allows for an extra check to make sure it is in good order. At least once I had a lifejacket that had no whistle.

What is to stop you from checking your own life jacket? You can try it on and if you are unsure about how to do it you can ask your cabin steward how to put it on correctly.

[kazu]

What is to stop you from checking your own life jacket? You can try it on and if you are unsure about how to do it you can ask your cabin steward how to put it on correctly.

 

Actually, this is very good advice - dh and I always try ours on. The ones on the Prinsendam were very easy with the snaps instead of all those silly strings.:)

[sail7seas]

Actually, this is very good advice - dh and I always try ours on. The ones on the Prinsendam were very easy with the snaps instead of all those silly strings.:)

 

 

I agree. Everyone should take a moment to check their life jackets in their cabin.

 

 

The life jackets on Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam don't have the long straps but are the easy to insert buckles we're so used to using on so many things.

[Sophiebaby]

I was on the 45-day Maasdam cruise with the two dogs, both of which were service dogs...one to pick up on epileptic seizures and one to deal with panic attacks. Really amazing.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

While trying the life jackets on in the cabin, you can watch the demonstration on how to put them on, on the TV. I think it is easier to do that then watching the crew on deck - some of us shorter folks who end up in the second line, can't always see the demo.

[iriemon]

Thanks! We're in a HC cabin so I would think that would be a flag that at least one if us had mobility issues, but maybe not... Very good to know about the special elevator! If push came to shove, my sister and I could probably carry her (I assume if there was a serious emergency that 'super strength' adrenalin would kick in :)) but I'd rather not have to test that. Sounds like our best bet may be to check with the cabin steward or concierge when we get on board. Part of me is thinking it will be easier if we're in the vicinity of our muster station before the drill time, but another part of me wants to practice getting there with her and 2000 other people. All in all, I'm so glad they are taking this more seriously.

 

Since my wife is handicapped and one of the couples that travels with us a lot is also handicapped I asked the last couple of times I was on the ship and got the same answer so assuming it is true. For handcapped people in an emergency the crew has "carriers" similar to cots without legs. They put them on that and carry them to the lifeboat. This is the only safe way as there may be an electrical fire and they can't use the elevator and wheel chairs power or regular can not go down the stairs. They did say even though we were in a HC cabin to make sure to go to the purser and have it noted on the file. During the drill they have always let us use the elevators to get to where we needed to be. Hope this helps.

Edited February 1, 2012 by iriemon

[SplitRaindrop]

I was on the Smooth Jazz Cruise (Week 2) that was on the Westerdam the 22nd-29th. We were told that attendance was mandatory and that we could be removed from the ship for not participating. While attendance was not taken I am wondering if someone did a room sweep. Shortly after the drill some names were read over the PA but I am not sure if that was related or not.

[Cruzin Terri]

CC has now posted this in the "News" Section. Here's the link:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4734

 

Terri

[innlady1]

Interesting! The OP is quoted as well as our "Himself".

[billie5]

Whether or not roll call is being taken during a muster drill may not be as transparent as some individuals may think. We have been on cruises where the crew appear to take roll call by observing the numbers on the life jackets and checking these off on some sort of list. I could well imagine that many passengers might not realize a roll call is being taken.

[sail7seas]

Yes, that used to be the case on HAL but we no longer bring our life jackets to Muster drill.

 

[PROCRUISE]

Glad to see this, too bad it took a tragic loss of life for muster drills to be taken seriously. Cruised with Celebrity 1/14-28/12, and while we simply met in designated areas, attendance was taken as each individual entered.

[scooterpopsnana]

Here is the scoop from CC:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4734

[rwams]

I am glad that they are changing the lifeboat drill, I would hope that they will have the speaker working when they are giving the instructions, last May on the Westerdam the speaker at the Lifeboat station was not working and you could hear nothing that was being said. And that the lifeboat crew and officer should have had everyone be quiet and listen. There is plenty of time to party after the drill.

[whogo]

I always enjoy the roll calls, listening to a crew member who speaks English as a second or third language trying to pronounce passenger's names. It's fun. Try to recognize your own name as it is announced and then try to guess the spelling of your lifeboat mates as their names are called out.

[Typhoon1]

All of ours have happened while in port and before sail-away.

 

IIRC, the muster time has been 4:30 PM. Sail away at 5:00 PM.

[josie724]

There was also "talk" about this on FB, people were discussing passengers being removed from The Westerdam and Eurodam. A response from HAL said no passengers were removed from The Eurodam, but never confirmed or denied the removal of passengers from The Westerdam

[the2ofus]

As other posters have suggested, there is nothing to stop a person from trying on their lifejacket in their stateroom. The problem is that some will not bother. There is also the issue that some lifejackets might not fit and an abandon ship announcement is a poor time to find that out.

 

When HAL pax were coming to the life boat station wearing their jackets, the crew were checking as you arrived to see if the straps were crossed, laced and tied correctly and would stop and instruct you if yours were not. I have even observed people with the jackets inside out which meant the reflective areas and the water-activated light would not have been visible in a night search.

 

Roll call has always been a combination of visual checking of numbers on the lifejackets and calling off the names of those who may have passed by in a group and their numbers missed.

[GeriatricNurse]

Actually, this is very good advice - dh and I always try ours on. The ones on the Prinsendam were very easy with the snaps instead of all those silly strings.:)

 

I agree. Everyone should take a moment to check their life jackets in their cabin.

 

 

The life jackets on Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam don't have the long straps but are the easy to insert buckles we're so used to using on so many things.

 

 

I believe that all the (old) lifejackets with the outdated straps have been replaced with (new) lifejacets with modern snaps! ;)

[stillmeadows]

I did that cruise on that ship over Christmas. They did this guy a favor by kicking him off.

[rplc882]

Great, finally enforcing a rule. If they hadnt this one person would be the first to cry foul if something tragic happened. Now only if they would enforce ALL their other rules cruising would be a lot nicer. And all our HAL LB drills have been at pierside before departure.

[stormy65]

I just read a statement from Holland that they did remove a passenger from the Westerdam for not attending muster drill. They say they are also doing roll call again.

[whogo]

I just read a statement from Holland that they did remove a passenger from the Westerdam for not attending muster drill. They say they are also doing roll call again.

Here it is from USA Today:

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2012/02/cruise-ship-muster-drill-holland-america/618481/1

[worldspan]

I know I will be in the minority on this but in my book, removing the passenger was overkill on Holland America's part.

 

Yes, surely this passenger who missed the drill should have been admonished by the ships officers. That said, throw him off the ship ? Suddenly the Carnival brands are going to try and make up for getting caught with their pants down big time over what occured on Costa Concordia. Not because their was a crazy captain but rather because all of the systems for a speedy and orderly evacation that were to have been in place failed royally! And now they are taking it out on a few stupid passengers so they can appear "dilligent to the media and public at large?"

 

Carnival, clean up your act first before taking it out on the passengers!

 

Worldspan

131 cruises strong

Edited February 2, 2012 by worldspan