Muster Drill was a huge JOKE!

[Julz226]

OK - So I know in the wake of the Concordia accident, everyone wants to see a crack down on cruise ship safety but I'm just off the Destiny today and all I can say is that our muster station drill was a total joke.

 

They no longer make you wear your life vest to the muster drill, which on one hand is really nice because I was already standing there trying to hold a 26 month old baby, and keeping him tolerable while in a life vest would have just been down right ugly, but literally, they stood us behind lines, and people were on the phone, on their iPods, texting, etc and no one said a thing. No one is wearing their life vests so there is supposed to be a demonstration of how to put one on. Unfortunately the girl in our section didn't have a life vest. She said, "It's okay. You can watch the TV if you don't know how to put it on. This is all on the TV." :confused: Then she proceeded to check out and let everyone else go back to their texting/talking/ etc.

 

I think they also announced life boat numbers - not sure, I couldn't see or hear a thing, and they did pass out a wrist band to my son and tell us not to use the elevators, but most of the message was lost on me, and most everyone else in our section because 1) no one was paying attention. 2)no one seemed to care that no one was paying attention 3) the staff was disengaged 4) we were crammed 8 deep so even if the staff had kept the attention of the first four rows, there is no way anyone in the back rows could see a thing.

 

Hey, I'm a safety girl and I did go back and turn on the safety briefing on the TV because I couldn't hear/see a thing at the muster drill, but I do resent a huge waste of time, and the drill, as it was run, was definitely a waste of time.

[Sargent_Schultz]

I don't want to see a crackdown because I know the people who need to listen the most, won't.

 

On a 5 day cruise, I don't want to sit 2 days at the dock listening to an idiot proof life boat drill.

[Banditswife]

Thank you for this report JULZ226. I was hoping the muster would be taken more seriouly after the Concordia disaster. We should all know what to do & where to go in the event of an emergency. Yep, nobody wants to spend a lot of time on the drill, but it would help if they at least pd attention. Hope the TV thing helped you out.

[Waterloomarc]

I don't want to see a crackdown because I know the people who need to listen the most, won't.

 

Sadly, this is way too true.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sargent_Schultz]

Ok, did the Captain announce over the PA system for everyone to pay attention because a safety drill was about to take place?

 

Inside EVERY stateroom are instructions

 

 

 

 

 

[cathyz]

OK - So I know in the wake of the Concordia accident, everyone wants to see a crack down on cruise ship safety but I'm just off the Destiny today and all I can say is that our muster station drill was a total joke.

 

They no longer make you wear your life vest to the muster drill, which on one hand is really nice because I was already standing there trying to hold a 26 month old baby, and keeping him tolerable while in a life vest would have just been down right ugly, but literally, they stood us behind lines, and people were on the phone, on their iPods, texting, etc and no one said a thing. No one is wearing their life vests so there is supposed to be a demonstration of how to put one on. Unfortunately the girl in our section didn't have a life vest. She said, "It's okay. You can watch the TV if you don't know how to put it on. This is all on the TV." :confused: Then she proceeded to check out and let everyone else go back to their texting/talking/ etc.

 

I think they also announced life boat numbers - not sure, I couldn't see or hear a thing, and they did pass out a wrist band to my son and tell us not to use the elevators, but most of the message was lost on me, and most everyone else in our section because 1) no one was paying attention. 2)no one seemed to care that no one was paying attention 3) the staff was disengaged 4) we were crammed 8 deep so even if the staff had kept the attention of the first four rows, there is no way anyone in the back rows could see a thing.

 

Hey, I'm a safety girl and I did go back and turn on the safety briefing on the TV because I couldn't hear/see a thing at the muster drill, but I do resent a huge waste of time, and the drill, as it was run, was definitely a waste of time.

That's too bad there were rude people. I guess you haven't cruised in a while, they haven't required you to take your life vest for a few years now, unrelated to any recent changes. On our last cruise last month, the captain came on the loudspeaker and spoke for a couple minutes, everyone was very quiet listening to him and then the CD came on the loudspeaker for about 15 mins, we could hear every word. I guess it depends on who is running the safety drill and if they force the rules. We saw several drinks taken away from folks and everyone was very quiet.

[Sargent_Schultz]

One thing that did change (besides the Captain's announcement) is that the safety drill takes place before the ship leaves the dock. International rules only require it within 24 hours of sailing.

 

With the Concordia, a number of the passengers HAD been through the safety drill - it was only the passengers who had been picked up at the most recent port who had not.

 

When Carnival Ecstasy had a fire, the passengers had been through the old fashioned life boat drill and many STILL had absolutely no clue what to do.

 

There is absolutely nothing a safety drill can do to prepare you for a captain who loses it.

[aprime23]

I would like additional training on how to lower the lifeboats and how to start the engines. All the basic stuff I would expect a crew member to completely screw up. I would feel a lot more safe knowing I didn't have to rely on the crew and I could do it myself.

[angel2wyld2]

On the Legend in February ours was dead silence. I was shocked but pleased everyone was so quiet and paying attention. I guarantee I know where to be LOL. There were 5 rooms holding us up to start the drill. They call your name and room number out for everyone to hear if you try and skip the drill. Could not leave till all of these people showed up! :mad:

[boltnut55]

Well, that was a disappointment to hear. I'm one of those who listen on airplanes. Part of hearing it over and over again is so there is some hope we will remember what to do if we actually need to do something. And darn it, I might be lying half dead relying on Mr. IPOD or Ms. Videogamer to figure out the exit plan... <sigh> The last time I was on a cruise was October 2009. We had to bring our life jackets.

[Mgroom]

OK - So I know in the wake of the Concordia accident, everyone wants to see a crack down on cruise ship safety but I'm just off the Destiny today and all I can say is that our muster station drill was a total joke.

 

I'll be on the Destiny in 4 days. After reading your post, I'm interested to see how the muster drill goes, and although I always pay very close attention, (safety girl here too) I will also be paying attention to see how many others are paying attention. :p

 

In all seriousness, I'm surprised that crew members were so lax about the whole thing, particularly with the recent tragedy. I know people all have their off days from time to time but a whole entire ship? Not cool. :(

 

I'll report back here upon my return and let you know if I have the same experience. Hopefully I won't.

[PorkChopKid]

On our last cruise we saw officers come into an activity looking for people who missed the drill. A special muster drill was held for them the second morning of the cruise.

[Crazy4Cruisin225]

When I was on the Destiny in February the muster drill was dead silence and taken very seriously. They were calling the names of people that were not there and made them do a seperate muster. Perhaps cause it was so soon after the Concordia tragedy?? Maybe it's just a matter of who your fellow cruisers are. Some people just don't give a S---!!!!!

[golfadj]

If you want people to take this seriously make them wear the life jacket.

[Aplmac]

If you want people to take this seriously make them wear the life jacket.

You shouldn't have to resort to this but yes it helps to concentrate the mind.

 

Another factor is to withhold alcohol until after muster drill is over

-then the alcohol can be served, but not before.

.

[H82seaUgo]

this is quite disturbing.

 

i've often joked in the past couple of years that the only thing missing at these drills was bar service, because they became one big party since the elimination of the life vest.

 

even those in charge would be partaking in the "party".

 

i truly believed that since the concordia senseless disaster, that a return to a drill where you could hear everything said.

 

this is a contnued disgrace.

[cruzinlisa]

About the life jackets, we are cruising with our DD who will be 15 months. Do they have a life jacket for an infant in the room or do you have to ask for one specifically.

 

This will be my third cruise and I cannot really even remember where the life jackets are, even though I know I have gotten them out on my other two cruises.

[Ptown]

While the muster drill for the pasangers is important I hope that the cruise lines have upped the training for the crew. From the reports that I have read about the Concordia, the crew was giving conflicting information to the pasangers. This caused mass confusion on everyones part. I any group of people, whether it be crew or pasanger, there is going to be people that panic and add to the confusion. There will also be people (crew and pasangers) that have a calm mind and help to overcome (servive) the emergency.

I have always taken the muster drill seriously and feel that what the lines are doing now is fine as long as all pasangers pay attention to the information that is given. If you still have question after the drill then ask one of the presenters.

Dave

[Frank12]

I would like additional training on how to lower the lifeboats and how to start the engines. All the basic stuff I would expect a crew member to completely screw up. I would feel a lot more safe knowing I didn't have to rely on the crew and I could do it myself.

Very good point! Where to go and how to put on your life jacket won't help a bit if the crew freaks out and does not do their job! :eek:

[Aplmac]

Very good point! Where to go and how to put on your life jacket won't help a bit

if the crew freaks out and does not do their job! :eek:

I suspect the crew on Carnival ships are a lot better trained

-and therefore a lot less likely to freak out-

than the crew were on Costa Concordia (and even then, most of their crew did very well)

 

Have you ever stayed on board the ship, on crew-training days?

..where they stand at their appointed stations along corridors,etc?

Ever wondered how that works?

 

Ever noticed life-boats bobbing around in the harbour,during the day?

They do practice these maneuvers...just in case!

The crew won't be lowering the life boats for the first time ever in their lives ;)

.

[bitemyfly]

I would like additional training on how to lower the lifeboats and how to start the engines. All the basic stuff I would expect a crew member to completely screw up. I would feel a lot more safe knowing I didn't have to rely on the crew and I could do it myself.

while i understand your comment, that could not possibly work

> crazed emotional peeps jumping in and thinking they are doing the right thing..

> then you can have peeps like the clown who dropped the anchor for the fun of it.

I would like to see much more training for the crew and the exec staff. with redundant systems. process and personell on board.

The concordia ( in my opinion) was not an issue of people/pax , nor was it just a lone coward captain.. it was a break down of the entire executive staff , no chain of command and a good dose of land locked bosses to alow that culture to permeate thru out it's company

[okgirl]

I would like additional training on how to lower the lifeboats and how to start the engines. All the basic stuff I would expect a crew member to completely screw up. I would feel a lot more safe knowing I didn't have to rely on the crew and I could do it myself.

 

Well don't hold your breath on that one.......there is no way that I want someone other than a Qualified Crew Member having anything to do with the deployment and maneuvering of the lifeboats.......

 

Talk about complete chaos.......when a bunch of wanna be know it all's decide that it's time to deploy this boat or that raft..........

 

I'm frankly tired of the constant comparison of the efficiency of the muster drills to the circumstances aboard the Concordia....Had the Captain sent people to their muster stations in a timely manner, and begun an evactuation, I believe there would have been little or no loss of life........

 

And though it was tragic, how many of the 32 that lost their lives acted in a way that put themselves in danger..........like the crew member who left a muster station to return to his cabin for a musical instrument.....How did 4000+ people manage to get off that ship safely if they were given such poor direction.

 

And when was the last time that anyone was given instructions on how to navigate on a severely listing ship and actually balancing themselves on the exterior hull to climb down a rope ladder..

 

I don't rely on information that I receive during the muster drill to educate me or prepare me for a ship evacuation. It does me very little good to know that muster stations A, C, E, G will use lifeboats 2, 4, 6, 8.......I'll get in what ever lifeboat I am directed to once I arrive at my muster station.

[H82seaUgo]

Well don't hold your breath on that one.......there is no way that I want someone other than a Qualified Crew Member having anything to do with the deployment and maneuvering of the lifeboats.......

 

Talk about complete chaos.......when a bunch of wanna be know it all's decide that it's time to deploy this boat or that raft..........

 

I'm frankly tired of the constant comparison of the efficiency of the muster drills to the circumstances aboard the Concordia....Had the Captain sent people to their muster stations in a timely manner, and begun an evactuation, I believe there would have been little or no loss of life........

 

And though it was tragic, how many of the 32 that lost their lives acted in a way that put themselves in danger..........like the crew member who left a muster station to return to his cabin for a musical instrument.....How did 4000+ people manage to get off that ship safely if they were given such poor direction.

 

And when was the last time that anyone was given instructions on how to navigate on a severely listing ship and actually balancing themselves on the exterior hull to climb down a rope ladder..

 

I don't rely on information that I receive during the muster drill to educate me or prepare me for a ship evacuation. It does me very little good to know that muster stations A, C, E, G will use lifeboats 2, 4, 6, 8.......I'll get in what ever lifeboat I am directed to once I arrive at my muster station.

 

how many shios sail in iceburgh infested water, yet the titanic changed all the rules, most still in effect.

 

and regardless how you think you will act, if in a real emergency, you get down to deck 4 because you know where you're supposed to go, but you can't get past the bottom of the staircase on that floors landing for the crowds, and the lights are out, or there is smoke present, any orchestrated evacuation is better than none.

 

if concordia was a wake up call to those who think cruise ships can't sink, those that don't want ti listen perpetuate the problem.

Edited April 3, 2012 by H82seaUgo

[iamwmn32]

That's too bad there were rude people. I guess you haven't cruised in a while, they haven't required you to take your life vest for a few years now, unrelated to any recent changes. On our last cruise last month, the captain came on the loudspeaker and spoke for a couple minutes, everyone was very quiet listening to him and then the CD came on the loudspeaker for about 15 mins, we could hear every word. I guess it depends on who is running the safety drill and if they force the rules. We saw several drinks taken away from folks and everyone was very quiet.

 

 

That's the same way it was on our cruise March 17th 2012. Everyone was very quiet, drinks were taken away and the captain and CD over the loud speaker. And yes no life vests required at the Muster drills for a few years now. I'm glad we don't have to take them with us t o the drill any longer because it was a pain to go all the way back to your room to get them then take the stairs with hundreds of others holding their vests, hitting each other with them while walking and the kids and even adults blowing the whistles on the vests then having to go take them back to your cabin.

[bmckim]

I would like additional training on how to lower the lifeboats and how to start the engines. All the basic stuff I would expect a crew member to completely screw up. I would feel a lot more safe knowing I didn't have to rely on the crew and I could do it myself.

 

That would be a fun ship activity. I would actually consider signing up for that! :)