Adult life jackets - 1 size doesn't fit all

[warmwinds]

I'm an average sized adult, and just putting the life jackets on for the muster drill is very uncomfortable...they DO ride up and hit my jaw! And now that I know that they will also probably break my neck if I jump into the water...I'm ok with that.

 

Let's see...hypothermia...eaten by a shark...killed immediately and not have to freeze to death or have my limbs chewed off...I know what I'm picking!

[Aus Traveller]

I agree totally with your comment that the life jackets at the time of the Titanic were very different to today's. I said "Fortunately, there have been huge developments in the design and use of life jackets in the century since the demise of the Titanic."

Yes you did mention that the design of lifejackets have improved. :) For the interest of people who might not be aware of the style of lifejackets used at that time, I mentioned one major change in the design.

[gek]

If you are ever in the extremely unlikely and unfortunate circumstance of being required to wear a life jacket on a sinking cruise ship then there are probably a dozen different things I can think of which are of more concern than whether or not your life jacket fits.

 

Relax and enjoy your cruise, no matter how "mortally obese" you are. :)

[Esprit]

Ok people, let me give you some professional advice regarding the donning and wearing of lifevests onboard ship AND aircraft...

 

 

Adult lifejackets are standard size, suitable for the vast majority of adults. unless you are extremely obese, one should be able to close the straps.

XL vests do exist and should be onboard and supplied to you if necessary however onboard your vessel. If the vest really dis not fit, then the Safety Officer should indeed have acted upon this and you should be supplied with correct lifesaving equipment. There is no excuse for waving this issue away or making insulting jokes during the emergency drill.

HOWEVER...

 

The jacket can be loose or tight around the neck, when following the correct jump procedure, you should NOT get hurt. The lifejacket is a life preserver, not a comfort blanket.

The CORRECT procedure of jumping ship is to PULL DOWN your lifevest with one hand, avoiding it to push violently upwards and hurt or even break your jaws or nose rendering you uncouncious, and to squeeze your nose with your other hand to avoid water ingestion, again possibly rendering you unconscious.

 

IN NO CASE should you EVER jump ship or aircraft without your lifevest properly secured on you. Do not listen to advice given by a previous poster. it will kill you.

 

There are infant lifejackets onboard. In your cabin, your steward will supply you with the proper child lifevest. Childrens lifevests are also stowed onboard at the various assembly stations and at the children's play areas.

Onboard your aircraft, the cabin crew is trained to don infant lifejackets to those who require it. Also Baby floating devices are carried onboard, always sufficient for the amount needed.

 

One sidenote... And here comes the politically incorrect personal view that will get me banned again...

we see an ever increasing amount of often mortally obese passengers. These passengers will not even be able to escape through some emergency exits onboard some aircraft, especially the overwing exits. There have been discussions regarding this serious issue already amongst Safety experts, but no,consensus has been reached and solutions are not simple.

In my opinion,It is not the industry that needs to adapt their designs for overweight passengers, it is really the society that needs to clamp down on obesity.

Being obese is NOT ok, it is destructive for yourself AND others.

 

It is however the responsibility of the Captain onboard ship or aircraft to ensure that all souls onboard have the opportunity to evacuate in a swift and safe way.

I have already refused emergency exit seats to obese passengers for exactly this reason.

 

Please do contact the USCG if this issue has not been dealt with onboard, please contact Celebrity as this IS a serious safety issue and no passenger should feel that his or her safety is not taken seriously. It is our first and most important job.

 

Best regards,

 

Despegue

 

Capt. B747-400/800

Master Nautical Sciences

Maritime and Aviation Safety expert.

 

 

Rant over.

 

Well said, and I take back my flippant comment about jumping off holding the strap.

 

Obesity is the real issue here. Why should some one be so worried for their own life at sea (or in an aircraft) when they are killing themselves prematurely by over eating.

 

So flame me too

[LSEA]

I can understand your frustration about the lack of response from ship officers and crew. It is frustrating when one feels as though they are not being heard. After reading some of the responses on this thread though there are some interesting points made about weight and safety at all times, not just on a cruise. Another poster raised an interesting point… take control of the problem and purchase a life jacket that fits your DH and take that with you on your next cruise. Problem solved? Easy peasy.

[robtulipe]

Several posters here has mentioned bringing your own properly fitting life jackets but that is a real pain with a likely addition luggage charge when flying to get to your cruise. As others have mentioned the cruise line should be able and required to provide extra large life jackets.

Despegue comment concerning the exit row seating on aircrafts brought back to memory an experience we had once when flying to a cruise. DW and I were in an exit row on a almost full flight when I noticed a very large lady coming up the aisle and I thought we may be in trouble as there was a empty seat next to us. To be more descriptive she had a very definite pear shape to her. We also had noticed that the exit seat bottom was slightly narrower than the regular seat as the table tray was in a wider arm rest and not on the back of the seat in front as it was further away than in a regular row. Sure enough she stop at our exit row and because of her extra large derrière she couldn't get into her assigned seat. She complained to the air hostess hat she had paid extra for as a premium seat thinking it would provide the extra room she needed. By then only regular seats were available at the back of the plane which she had to accept and we got to share three seats.

[caladezi]

One of the new Elite+ and Zenith perks could be life jackets that fit properly.

[cle-guy]

Hmm. I wonder which is more realistic:

 

1) The cruise line has implemented life preservers that meet all the requirements os SOLAS and life safety and we as passengers are not fully knowledgeable on how they will actually work once deployed. They look bulky, too small, but are actually designed to hold you up no mater what. There will be dangers in any evacuation and the life preservers are really the last bit of effort for lifesaving in the event of an abandon ship command.

 

2) The cruise line has entered into a scheme to save a buck on life jackets by buying ones that only fit small people and every inspection they manage to make the coast guard look the other way.

 

3) We passengers think we know all there is to know about how the life jackets work and know way better than the cruise line people in this matter, and X needs to take immediate steps to react to this thread. We passengers have made exhaustive testing on the lifejackets in scientifically monitored conditions and know our facts are true.

 

In the event of abandon ship, I imagine anyone would quickly figure out how to use the life jacket, even if one felt it wasn't properly fitted. or float over to a floating deck chair or cushion. The life jacket is but 1 measure of life saving equipment on ship.

[disneydave]

The OP who today has a total of 9 posts might have a valid point.

 

However, you might be injured or killed at any time. So I might suggest stay home where you will be safe from harm.... Unless your home was built which some of that drywall from China, or radon gas seeping through your floors gets you.

 

Everyone should measure the consequences before doing just about anything. Would you get in a car with an impared driver? If you are uncomfortable with the situation don't go. If your worried about the plane crashing, don't fly.

 

While there is always the possibility of neglegence on another persons part go live life, you'll have more fun.

 

Yes it is true one size does not fit all. I happen to be 6'4" tall and weigh 203#. I don't fit into a standard seat on most airlines. Yes they are wide enough just not deep enough for my knees. So I choose to fly either exit row, bulkhead row, or business; and if I cannot get one of those seats I look for another flight time. I have made the choice to never take a chance on southwest. They might be a great airline but they don't fit me.

 

If the vest doesn't fit and there are no options that make you happy I understand there are shipyards where you can get a custom built yacht with life jackets built custom for your current size.

 

Sorry never had much success with political correctness. Common sense has always worked better for me. Count on you to take care of you. No one cares more about your health and success than YOU..

 

Flame on:rolleyes:

Edited December 21, 2013 by disneydave

[baldercash]

The OP who today has a total of 9 posts might have a valid point.

 

 

Yes it is true one size does not fit all. I happen to be 6'4" tall and weigh 203#. I don't fit I have made the choice to never take a chance on southwest. They might be a great airline but they don't fit me.

 

 

Sorry never had much success with political correctness. Common sense has always worked better for me. Count on you to take care of you. No one cares more about your health and success than YOU..

 

Flame on:rolleyes:

 

Very concise Dave, I fly SW but at 5"8" and now 150lbs I can fly on any plane in comfort.

Your "count on you to take care of you" is spot on.

 

I assume no other cruise line supplies extra large life vests?

[TravelerThom]

... you might be injured or killed at any time. So I might suggest stay home where you will be safe from harm.... Unless your home was built which some of that drywall from China, or radon gas seeping through your floors gets you.

 

Everyone should measure the consequences before doing just about anything...

You left out my favorite - sitting in my living room and getting killed by the meteorite that came through the ceiling.

 

I have three firm rules for travel that have served me well:

1) I never do anything more dangerous than driving on Interstate 95.

2) I never eat anything more disgusting in its living habits than a lobster.

3) I never argue with a person who has a machine gun.

 

These rules did not keep me from eating at street stands in the Congo, but they certainly kept me from arguing with the 8-year-old there who was carrying two (2!) AK-47s:eek:.

 

Thom

[spookwife]

My DH , 6"2" and 325lb, had the same problem. The muster attendant told him to "just hold on to it". when he said that was not an adequate answer she responded that it didn't really matter, as we walked away she made a comment to another employee that "he should be able to just float."

 

DH didn't want to "make a fuss" and wouldn't report it to anyone, but I was fuming.

 

DH has refused to cruise ever since.

 

you SHOULD HAVE reported it. that was beyond unacceptable behavior for any crew member( ten bucks sez it was part of the entertainment staff)

[spookwife]

XL vests do exist and should be onboard and supplied to you if necessary however onboard your vessel. If the vest really dis not fit, then the Safety Officer should indeed have acted upon this and you should be supplied with correct lifesaving equipment.

 

[...snip...]

 

 

One sidenote... And here comes the politically incorrect personal view that will get me banned again...

we see an ever increasing amount of often mortally morbidly do you mean? obese passengers. These passengers will not even be able to escape through some emergency exits onboard some aircraft, especially the overwing exits. There have been discussions regarding this serious issue already amongst Safety experts, but no,consensus has been reached and solutions are not simple.

 

[snip again]

 

 

Rant over.

 

 

WRT the first snippet.. is it possible that such Xl vest ARE on board and just would be distributed at the muster station? they always tell you to not bother returning to your cabin to get your life vest ICOE and maybe this is just one more thing that the crew cannot squeeze into Embarkation day?

 

WRT the second; many years ago, the Navy hired and then subsequently fired a gentleman for being too fat. Background: civilian teacher, hired( and yes he was seen in person/interviewed) to sail aboard one of our carriers for like 6-8 months to teach a couple of college classes to the crew. he was hired in Month x and told to report on Month y to the pier.

 

he shows up and is told that he will not be allowed to join them. He tried to sue( lost wages, embarrassment, etc and so on) and lost the case as the Navy was able to prove that he was too large to fit through the P ways( there are these rules/ requirements about how you negotiate them and basically 2 people have to be able to walk side by side any time), that the contract stipulated a few things, one of which was he had to be under a certain weight, and other issues that proved that he would have been a major liability during a GQ drill( and those are held very often on board and sometimes.. aren't drills at all) They even provided a picture of him getting stuck in the ladder well which was prompted the CO to rescind the offer of employment in the first place.

 

of course this was before ADA and the classification of obesity as a protected category. ( of course the US military is exempt from ADA so he would have still lost the case)

[Bfson]

Disneydave-I too am very tall but fly Southwest all the time. I simply ask to pre board and sit in seats 1C or 1D. Lots of leg room in those seats.

[disneydave]

Disneydave-I too am very tall but fly Southwest all the time. I simply ask to pre board and sit in seats 1C or 1D. Lots of leg room in those seats.

 

Hmmmm would have never guesses they would let us tall people pre-board just cause we are tall.

[Bfson]

Hmmmm would have never guesses they would let us tall people pre-board just cause we are tall.

 

Sometimes. One friend of mine takes a cane along and uses it as he walks up to the gate agent to ask for the blue per pre-boarding sleve.

[kevinsgirl88]

I don't think that the USCG can help considering the fact that the ships are registered in different countries. Also life jackets are not meant for comfert

 

Sent from my MB886 using Forums mobile app

[robtulipe]

Below is the typical personal flotation devices we've seen on our cruises. As you can see they are not the jacket type but horse collar ones that has a collar attached to two front flotation panels that rest on the chest area and are attached together by a Velcro panels. It would be simple to add an extension to the strap that goes around the body to allow it to do so around a very large girth. The extension need only consist of a further length of strap with the appropriate clips at each end.

Also if a foreign flagged ship calls on any US ports then the USCG does have jurisdiction over that ship.

 

Edited December 22, 2013 by robtulipe

[toxicesq]

Celebrity does have access to larger life jackets. The Galapagos cruise, where passengers wear the life jackets twice a day when they travel on the Zodiacs, has 1x and 2x jackets available to all. The regular cruises could certainly stock some of those for passengers upon request.

[TravelerThom]

Below is the typical personal flotation devices we've seen on our cruises. As you can see they are not the jacket type but horse collar ones that has a collar attached to two front flotation panels that rest on the chest area and are attached together by a Velcro panels. It would be simple to add an extension to the strap that goes around the body to allow it to do so around a very large girth. The extension need only consist of a further length of strap with the appropriate clips at each end.

Also if a foreign flagged ship calls on any US ports then the USCG does have jurisdiction over that ship.

 

This "horse collar" is what I remember for Celebrity, except for the vests on Xpedition (where you are in fact wearing them 2-3 times a day on the Zodiac rides). I have not been on every Celebrity vessel, but I have been on twelve of them; do any beside Xpedition have vests? If they don't have vests, much of this thread seems to be talking about something that doesn't apply.

 

Thom

[baldercash]

Below is the typical personal flotation devices we've seen on our cruises. As you can see they are not the jacket type but horse collar ones that has a collar attached to two front flotation panels that rest on the chest area and are attached together by a Velcro panels. It would be simple to add an extension to the strap that goes around the body to allow it to do so around a very large girth. The extension need only consist of a further length of strap with the appropriate clips at each end.

Also if a foreign flagged ship calls on any US ports then the USCG does have jurisdiction over that ship.

 

 

So this picture is the vest I have come across on all the cruise ships I have been on as well.

So is the OP miss informed and just did not put it on correctly?

It appears the vest should fit anyone regardless of girth. The strap that goes around you is so long that they warn you to tie it up if you are walking about with the vest on as you might trip since it drags on the ground for normal people.

The women in the picture looks to have 3' to 4' feet of extra strap so lets say 42 inches after putting it on. So lets assume she is 34 inches in the chest then the strap should go around a 76 inch chest.

How fat are these people in the chest?

That is more then 6 feet around???

Seems the vest does not get bigger they just need a longer strap and it will fit anyone no matter how huge.

[robtulipe]

So this picture is the vest I have come across on all the cruise ships I have been on as well.

So is the OP miss informed and just did not put it on correctly?

It appears the vest should fit anyone regardless of girth. The strap that goes around you is so long that they warn you to tie it up if you are walking about with the vest on as you might trip since it drags on the ground for normal people.

The women in the picture looks to have 3' to 4' feet of extra strap so lets say 42 inches after putting it on. So lets assume she is 34 inches in the chest then the strap should go around a 76 inch chest.

How fat are these people in the chest?

That is more then 6 feet around???

Seems the vest does not get bigger they just need a longer strap and it will fit anyone no matter how huge.

Actually there is only about 2 1/2 feet of extra strap and DW is 36" top wise so this should accommondate a girth of up to around 66 inches which is still very large indeed.

Edited December 22, 2013 by robtulipe

[robtulipe]

One further point on X and RC one no longer has to wear or bring these to muster which is a good thing considering how long the strap is when not wrapped around oneself.

[ORV]

Sometimes. One friend of mine takes a cane along and uses it as he walks up to the gate agent to ask for the blue per pre-boarding sleve.

 

Does he need this cane or is he just using it as a prop in order to board early? If the latter he is a weasel.

[baldercash]

Does he need this cane or is he just using it as a prop in order to board early? If the latter he is a weasel.

I am betting he is as you stated a weasel, one only have to pay $10.00 to get 1st boarding on South West. You are assigned boarding position when you book your ticket.

Friends suggested we try them and we have done 3 flights with them to date.

They are a very unorthodox airline and you are not assigned a seat it is 1st come 1st served.

Boarding is very quick and well organized a fun airline great service and staff.

Much better then AA.