Life Boat Muster

[Travelbug 2]

Do the wise thing and arrive in Fort Lauderdale the evening prior to sailing. Check in to a cheap hotel and spend the night there.

 

Agreed, arrive the day before (if possible) board early, have lunch and enjoy the ship before the drill. No stress or worry. :)

[Floridastorm]

Decided to take the advice of some of the knowledgeable people and we will drive down to Ft. Lauderdale on April 30th and stay overnight in one of the Hampton Inns. Will drive the rental car over to the port late morning on May 1st. Murphy's Law says it all "If something can go wrong it will go wrong". Cannot see us getting on a plane and flying to Boston if we missed the departure. :(

[solocanadian]

Many people ask for information on specific cabins. I have never heard anyone ask for - or care about - the "proper" name of the life boat drill ... except GN.

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You make a good point - sorry I was sarcastic. Now I will pick your brains; does balcony on 4047 have steel or plexiglass railing?

[Djptcp]

DH and I haven't sailed on HAL since 2009 and just wanted to be sure we don't need to bring our life jackets to the muster drill any longer? We haven't had to for several years on Carnival and it is so nice not to have drag them around.

 

We will be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam - is the muster drill at the lifeboat station, or somewhere else and then you go to the assigned lifeboat station? It's so uncomfortable standing all that time by the lifeboat and it gets hot if we are in the back of people.

 

Never understood why people talk about trying to avoid the muster drill when it's for their own safety. They are the ones in a real emergency who are running around half cocked and endangering others. I've seen that on other threads, so am glad HAL puts people off if they don't attend.

[DMac1983]

Our cruise departs Barcelona at 11:00pm at night. Does that mean the Muster Drill will be at 10:15pm? I've only ever left during daylight hours.

[jtl513]

does balcony on 4047 have steel or plexiglass railing?

Plexiglass. The steel are 4001 to 4042.

 

DH and I haven't sailed on HAL since 2009 and just wanted to be sure we don't need to bring our life jackets to the muster drill any longer? correct

 

We will be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam - is the muster drill at the lifeboat station, yes

 

Our cruise departs Barcelona at 11:00pm at night. Does that mean the Muster Drill will be at 10:15pm?

It will most likely be before early dinner (at night it would interfere with some dining or show) but I'm not positive about that. Our only late embarkation departure was prior to the Concordia disaster, and the drill was done the next morning.

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Edited April 21, 2014 by jtl513

[whogo]

 

We will be sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam - is the muster drill at the lifeboat station, or somewhere else and then you go to the assigned lifeboat station? It's so uncomfortable standing all that time by the lifeboat and it gets hot if we are in the back of people.

 

Currently Holland America holds the muster drill at lifeboat stations. Passengers do not take life jackets. There is no need to understand the drill in advance, printed information will be in your cabin and the cruise director will make multiple announcements about it in a slow... clear... voice.

[solocanadian]

Plexiglass. The steel are 4001 to 4042.

 

 

 

It will most likely be before early dinner (at night it would interfere with some dining or show) but I'm not positive about that. Our only late embarkation departure was prior to the Concordia disaster, and the drill was done the next morning.

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Thanks, John, Appreciate the reply and happy I have plexiglass. Now I won't mind room service breakfast if I can sit inside & look out. Don't always like to have to get up so early to look presentable for breakfast in MDR.:)

[Typhoon1]

Decided to take the advice of some of the knowledgeable people and we will drive down to Ft. Lauderdale on April 30th and stay overnight in one of the Hampton Inns. Will drive the rental car over to the port late morning on May 1st. Murphy's Law says it all "If something can go wrong it will go wrong". Cannot see us getting on a plane and flying to Boston if we missed the departure. :(

 

Indeed, one of the best decisions you will make on this cruise.

[Jemery]

We just got back from the trans-Atlantic Nieuw Amsterdam crossing and we had a HAL booked flight that was late. The emergency drill was over by the time we got there and the main gangway was closed, but we received numerous reminders of when the make-up drill woulod be for those of us who missed the primary one. We detected a slightly disapporving note in the officer's voice as he addressed us. At least one other couple was on the same flight we were.

-John