Change in muster drill observations

[cruisun]

On my recent b2b on Eurodam 1/14-1/28 there was a significant difference in the two muster drills. 1/14 no role call, people talking during drill, people dismissing themselves before the horn was sounded to end the drill. 1/21 officers at each station, captain announced "silence on deck" two times before drill commenced, role was taken twice. In addition, lifeboats were lowered and crew lifeboat drills were being performed during the 1/21-28 sailing.

[erewhon]

Thank you for your report.

Hope you had a good cruise.

[IRL_Joanie]

It is the one thing that I wanted back when a question/thread came up asking what one thing would you change.

 

Now if they were to do it with our life vests on, all the better!! Go ahead y'all flame away, I've got my kevlar on:)

 

Joanie

[NJ Fred]

Joanie, How right you are! Short cuts when it comes to a safety drill that can save your life are just plain dumb.

 

I was aboard the 1/14 Eurodam sailing. What the OP relates is 100% correct.

[djhsolara]

It is the one thing that I wanted back when a question/thread came up asking what one thing would you change.

 

Now if they were to do it with our life vests on, all the better!! Go ahead y'all flame away, I've got my kevlar on:)

 

Joanie

 

Well I would certainly not flame you Joanie!! However, I will say that I do see the benefit of NOT wearing the life vests to the drill. They are very cumbersome to be carried and possibly a safety hazard afterward. I can say too that in the Florida heat (sorry, we've always sailed from FLL) it gets very hot wearing them (I'm surprised more people didn't pass out from the heat when we had to wear them on deck).

 

I do agree that everyone needs to know how to wear them, but I think it would be better to continue to allow people to try this in their stateroom and just watch it at the drill.

 

:) :)

[DizzyDallasDi]

It is the one thing that I wanted back when a question/thread came up asking what one thing would you change.

 

Now if they were to do it with our life vests on, all the better!! Go ahead y'all flame away, I've got my kevlar on:)

 

Joanie

 

I really don't see any benefit in wearing lifejackets at the muster drill. They are more of a hazard than a help there. They are cumbersome and uncomfortable and will wreck havoc on your clothes, makeup and hairdo in a hot and humid climate.

 

There's not a lot to know about putting them on. A little common sense and you're good to go.

 

When was the last time you attended the muster drill wearing a lifejacket?

[crusinbanjo]

I really don't see any benefit in wearing lifejackets at the muster drill. They are more of a hazard than a help there. They are cumbersome and uncomfortable and will wreck havoc on your clothes, makeup and hairdo in a hot and humid climate.

 

There's not a lot to know about putting them on. A little common sense and you're good to go.

 

When was the last time you attended the muster drill wearing a lifejacket?

 

The key to being ready to do what is needed in an emergency is to practice. What seems simple in a relaxed situation becomes 100 times more difficult under the pressure of an emergency.

 

Kind of like playing the banjo. At home in the kitchen it is really easy to play any tune.... ...on stage in front of 1000 people, only the songs that are well rehearsed will come out right!

[DizzyDallasDi]

The key to being ready to do what is needed in an emergency is to practice. What seems simple in a relaxed situation becomes 100 times more difficult under the pressure of an emergency.

 

Kind of like playing the banjo. At home in the kitchen it is really easy to play any tune.... ...on stage in front of 1000 people, only the songs that are well rehearsed will come out right!

 

I'd rather practice putting on my lifejacket in the comfort of my room 3 times a day than nearly pass out from heat exhaustion during muster drill.

 

Everyone is different and I understand how some would "freak out" during a real emergency. I really don't think that putting on a lifejacket one time for muster drill is going to help those who tend to freak out.

[Se4deb]

I recently heard that some HAL ships will be getting new life jackets that are simple buckle closures (described as like a seat belt). This will eliminate the danger of anyone triping on dangling straps and hopefully avoid confusion as how to wear and secure the life vests if they are needed. I count this as good news.

[mllewis48]

Take attendance during the drill, total silence so you can hear the announcements, pay attention and if any passenger cannot adhere to those requirements then they walk the gangplank! We always test our life jackets in our stateroom, carrying them or wearing them to the drill is not safe. You can do what you wish but I for one will be prepared if another Costa incident happens, and I am certain HAL will also.

[Amuse Bouche]

Well I would certainly not flame you Joanie!! However, I will say that I do see the benefit of NOT wearing the life vests to the drill. They are very cumbersome to be carried and possibly a safety hazard afterward. I can say too that in the Florida heat (sorry, we've always sailed from FLL) it gets very hot wearing them (I'm surprised more people didn't pass out from the heat when we had to wear them on deck).

 

I do agree that everyone needs to know how to wear them, but I think it would be better to continue to allow people to try this in their stateroom and just watch it at the drill.

 

:) :)

 

I hear you. I lived in Merritt Island, near Cape Canaveral when I was a teenager. I hated the heat!

That being said...the ship isn't going to sail to cooler temperatures during an emergency. The discomfort you used to experience during muster will be ten fold when you are in the Caribbean, wearing a lifevest, and in an enclosed lifeboat with 99 panicked people.

Food for thought. I'm with Joanie. So many people didn't know how to wear it properly, I'd rather they learn at muster than have me helping them get it straight while we are sinking. Yes...I'd help people. After getting my own on, of course. Can't help anyone if I'm drowning.

[rwams]

I noticed on the Ryndam and Westerday the life jackets just snap around your chest, no other straps. I don't know about the rest of the fleet. When I sailed on the Princess cruise the life jackets were ones with straps and trying to go up or down the stairs with so many people in front of you. You really had to watch your step. I know that there is always someone that will try to put it on backwards or upside down, but if they pay attention in the drill and practice in their cabin would be best.

[Amuse Bouche]

I've been on sailings back when you had to bring the vests. I remember people thinking they had it on right, and it was all wrong.

If they don't know it's wrong...what good is practicing? ;)

[pms4104]

On my recent b2b on Eurodam 1/14-1/28 there was a significant difference in the two muster drills. 1/14 no role call, people talking during drill, people dismissing themselves before the horn was sounded to end the drill. 1/21 officers at each station, captain announced "silence on deck" two times before drill commenced, role was taken twice. In addition, lifeboats were lowered and crew lifeboat drills were being performed during the 1/21-28 sailing.

In keeping with this serious attitude and mandatory attendance, I would hope that HAL captains will prohibit the photography group from making Kodak moments during the emergency drills. This is not a party, and shouldn't be treated as such.

[ellieanne]

I really don't see any benefit in wearing lifejackets at the muster drill. They are more of a hazard than a help there. They are cumbersome and uncomfortable and will wreck havoc on your clothes, makeup and hairdo in a hot and humid climate.

 

There's not a lot to know about putting them on. A little common sense and you're good to go.

 

When was the last time you attended the muster drill wearing a lifejacket?

 

Are you saying that your main concern at lifeboat drill is your clothes, makeup and hair??? Are you that vain??? Surely, when you take your lifejacket back to your cabin after the drill, you could take a few seconds to redo your hair and make-up, and to straighten your clothes.

 

I am not that vain. I like the practice, because doing things over and over is a way to know how to do them in the event of an actual emergency. Some people will practice in their cabins, but I would hazard that most will not. Some will not even read the safety information on the back of the cabin door or in the in-room information binder. Still others will flip past the safety information loop on tv.

 

Having passengers don their lifejackets correctly for the lifeboat drill is the easiest way for the ship's officers/crew to know that passengers know how to put them on properly. It's not like the ship's officers can stop passengers at random times during the cruise to pass a pop quiz.

[kazu]

I recently heard that some HAL ships will be getting new life jackets that are simple buckle closures (described as like a seat belt). This will eliminate the danger of anyone triping on dangling straps and hopefully avoid confusion as how to wear and secure the life vests if they are needed. I count this as good news.

 

We had those on the Prinsendam in November :) They are very EASY to put on. No tricks and no strings:D

[GeriatricNurse]

It is the one thing that I wanted back when a question/thread came up asking what one thing would you change.

 

Now if they were to do it with our life vests on, all the better!! Go ahead y'all flame away, I've got my kevlar on:)

 

Joanie

 

Is 'kevlar' flame proof as well as bullet proof? :confused:

[GeriatricNurse]

I noticed on the Ryndam and Westerday the life jackets just snap around your chest, no other straps. I don't know about the rest of the fleet. When I sailed on the Princess cruise the life jackets were ones with straps and trying to go up or down the stairs with so many people in front of you. You really had to watch your step. I know that there is always someone that will try to put it on backwards or upside down, but if they pay attention in the drill and practice in their cabin would be best.

 

I am guessing that all the (former) lifejackets, with straps, have now been replaced by lifejackets, with buckles, fleetwide! ;)

[IRL_Joanie]

I really don't see any benefit in wearing lifejackets at the muster drill. They are more of a hazard than a help there. They are cumbersome and uncomfortable and will wreck havoc on your clothes, makeup and hairdo in a hot and humid climate.

 

There's not a lot to know about putting them on. A little common sense and you're good to go.

 

When was the last time you attended the muster drill wearing a lifejacket?

I believe it was on board the Westerdam in Spring of 2009 or 2010 but not sure. That was right before they went to the snap on life vests, with no dragging straps.

 

Make up I do not wear, my hair can be brushed and clothes can be sent to the laundry if they get mussed.

 

What would you prefer in case of a true emergency, hair neatly coiffed, make up perfect, rumpled clothes or your knowing that your life vest is on correctly?

 

Me, I prefer knowing my life vest and people around me being able to put theirs on correctly ahead of time. Those precious seconds it takes to fix someone elses life jacket just might make a big difference between life and death.

 

Joanie

[cruz chic]

I'm having a hard time believing that it's such a challenge for folks to put a life jacket on. Is going to the drill and putting it on once going to help you that much? If you are that concerned, practice in your room and you can practice 100 times until you feel comfortable.

[KirkNC]

On my recent b2b on Eurodam 1/14-1/28 there was a significant difference in the two muster drills. 1/14 no role call, people talking during drill, people dismissing themselves before the horn was sounded to end the drill. 1/21 officers at each station, captain announced "silence on deck" two times before drill commenced, role was taken twice. In addition, lifeboats were lowered and crew lifeboat drills were being performed during the 1/21-28 sailing.

 

Thanks for the update, glad to hear it is more serious.

[RuthlessBoss]

Thanks for the update, glad to hear it is more serious.

On another site, it's just been posted that this cruiseline has put a passenger OFF the ship in FLL for NON-Compliance!!

[iriemon]

In keeping with this serious attitude and mandatory attendance, I would hope that HAL captains will prohibit the photography group from making Kodak moments during the emergency drills. This is not a party, and shouldn't be treated as such.

 

That should include the ship photographer. People are busy smiling and making sure that they get the "right side" instead of paying attention.

[cmdchiefthom]

As a diver, when I use rebreather units with bulky equipment on my chest, I find my vision from the neck down is similar to what in experience with the block like flotation material in modern lifevests such as those aboard a cruise ship. They do impair the ability of looking down and seeing where your feet are relative to the stairs you are using to get up or down to your muster station. I know this from my experiences climbing up a ladder getting back on a boat. For most people this creates a blind spot and creates a good chance of losing your footing, especially in the crowded conditions experienced in the stair wells during the lifeboat drill. I am sure the cruiselines do not want the liability for someone falling during the drill regardless of what happened on the Concordia. The fact that HAL is conducting the drill, demonstrating the donning of the vest and taking a roll call seems to make good sense.;)

[lvz2cruz]

I was so glad when we stopped wearing life jackets at the drill. Every time mine reeked of Estee Lauder or the like. Could all the contact germs HAL avoids in a code orange at the Lido be on the life jackets?

 

I think it is pretty easy to figure out how to put a life jacket on.

 

A little off topic, but my brother in law and his wife have cruised 3 times in the last few years and never attended a muster drill. I think they were on Carnival. Are they not mandatory there?