Muster Drill Observations on the Nieuw Amsterdam for Mobility-Challenged

[Lizzie68]

We recently returned from 27 days on the NA, and while I am not going to do a review I thought I would share some observations here about the muster drill, as there have been so many questions in the past, especially as it relates to mobility-challenged.

 

1. We were required to do only the one drill on our embarkation, being excused 2 later drills for newly-embarked passengers on subsequent segments. We were told that only one drill per 30 days is required.

 

2. DH was in his wheelchair for the drill. I was about to push him out onto the promenade deck when a crew member directed us into the Ocean Bar.

 

3. No one asked for our cabin number or scanned our cards. I waited nervously to hear our names announced as being missing from the drill. Nope.

 

4. Because there were a number passengers already on the ship for whom this was part of a Collectors Cruise, the bar was full, with just a lull in service, and they had no interest in the drill. It was noisy and crowded.

 

5. There was man laying on the floor between tables - passed out drunk, I believe. Someone came to check him and walked away again.

 

6. Chatter continued all around us, those of us newly embarked could not hear a word of the announcements, but we were able to watch the life-jacket demonstration by the crew member standing in the entrance.

 

We sat with some people on their first HAL cruise, and who had always sailed Princess previously, and they were quite shocked at how lax it was. I must say, so was I. We have always attended muster under our designated station, with DH in his wheelchair. I would have much preferred that rather than be in the bar,

 

Hopefully that answers the questions as to how often you have to attend the drill if you are doing several segments, and what the NA provides for mobility-challenged passengers.

[VennDiagram]

That sounds terrible :( especially items 3 to 6.

[cruiserhal]

Hi Lizzie - was I number 5 in your list? I don't remember. :) Hal

[Lizzie68]

Hi Lizzie - was I number 5 in your list? I don't remember. :) Hal

 

LOL! No, I would have pushed you under the nearest table if it had been you!

[DeafOnBoard]

Dang! I was outside and missee the drama!

 

I did wonder about the heavy doors to the Promenade Deck and how they would affect guests using wheelchairs and scooters. (To the point where I got out graph paper and pencils to see if I could improve on the design to allow for power doors that weren't affected by windlass and thr best I could think of wad a wind shield up front but then some would call that an enclosed promenade :)

 

I am sorry that you guys didn't have a good experience with the inside drill. From what I saw at Boat 8 it seemed to go smoothly. (Much better than Carnival now that I look back.) My issue was that folks kept getting between the intepreter and I - sight lines and all- but that was easily fixed by gently shooing them aside an / or moving forward closer to the railing. Even so I did get some ugly faces for taking prime estate. Can't win 'em all!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Quite a change in the lifeboat drill.

I can't believe that they didn't even take attendance and/or call names to know who was there.

[DeafOnBoard]

A note- they did scan the cards and take attendance for the outside stations - we had a few no shows at boat 8 (some were there but "forgot" to scan or rhe scanner didn't scan them correctly thr first go.

[OlsSalt]

Quite a change in the lifeboat drill.

I can't believe that they didn't even take attendance and/or call names to know who was there.

 

For the most part don't they already know the names of those who requested this indoor alternate location due to health or mobility limitations?

 

The one off in this report was escorting this person to this location who had not made this request upfront, and not including their names in the present passengers list. Maybe the crew person assumed these people had already pre-registered to be in this location. Good notice for any similar situation to make sure they had their names recorded.

 

Leaving a drunk passenger on the floor is obviously disconcerting. I wonder what the final chapter was on the incident, keeping in mind the very first and virtually exclusive focus of all crew members during these drills is on their own emergency evacuation roles and not the individual passenger needs at that particular time.

 

That would be an extreme example, but the passenger also made some pretty inappropriate choices too to be in that condition at that time and location too. I would not be too hard on the crew member who could only stop and look, because that crew member's higher duty was to be present for the area of the ship to which he/she was assigned helping other passengers.

 

I suspect under the same conditions, a Princess ship crew member would have had to face the same choice - abandon his own muster drill duties to other passengers or deliver aid to a single passenger who was passed out drunk Tough call.

[RuthC]

Lizzie, the 30-day rule of muster participation was the same one I was under when I sailed the Nieuw Amsterdam about a year and a half ago. It appears this varies from ship to ship, based on reports since then.

I am happy that there was an indoor muster station for the disabled on your cruise, as there was not for mine, and it made things very difficult for me. I was terrified when I was left sitting in my cabin waiting for assistance that did not come. All I could think of was what would happen in a real emergency.

However, I am very disappointed that those in the bar who were not participating in the muster were allowed to disrupt your necessary activity. I know you knew the drill, but what about someone new to cruising, or new to HAL. They are entitled to a muster where they can learn, and this was denied them. The disrupters should have been told to quiet down, or leave.

 

I have to wonder if somehow you were identified as participating. We all know that we are remembered from previous cruises, and that HAL has the ability to pull up pictures. I am hoping there is some easy explanation for why you weren't called to identify yourself. I do know there have been times I haven't been called, but when I asked, they said "Yes, we have you".

Beats me how they do it.

Thanks for reporting your experience.

[Lizzie68]

For the most part don't they already know the names of those who requested this indoor alternate location due to health or mobility limitations?

 

<snip>

 

 

I really wouldn't know, as we had not requested an alternate location, Please see my post where I indicated that I was pushing my husband to the promenade deck and was re-directed.

[OlsSalt]

I really wouldn't know, as we had not requested an alternate location, Please see my post where I indicated that I was pushing my husband to the promenade deck and was re-directed.

 

Please read my post - I acknowledged that situation exactly. Plus you gave good warning to others who may also be in your same situation and have not pre-registered to be in that location.

[RuthC]

For the most part don't they already know the names of those who requested this indoor alternate location due to health or mobility limitations?

What "requested this indoor alternate location" are you talking about?

 

In all the times I have used the indoor location on various ships, I have never had to request it. This is the first I have heard of any such thing.

[BJzink]

We recently returned from 27 days on the NA, and while I am not going to do a review I thought I would share some observations here about the muster drill, as there have been so many questions in the past, especially as it relates to mobility-challenged.

 

1. We were required to do only the one drill on our embarkation, being excused 2 later drills for newly-embarked passengers on subsequent segments. We were told that only one drill per 30 days is required.

 

2. DH was in his wheelchair for the drill. I was about to push him out onto the promenade deck when a crew member directed us into the Ocean Bar.

 

3. No one asked for our cabin number or scanned our cards. I waited nervously to hear our names announced as being missing from the drill. Nope.

 

4. Because there were a number passengers already on the ship for whom this was part of a Collectors Cruise, the bar was full, with just a lull in service, and they had no interest in the drill. It was noisy and crowded.

 

5. There was man laying on the floor between tables - passed out drunk, I believe. Someone came to check him and walked away again.

 

6. Chatter continued all around us, those of us newly embarked could not hear a word of the announcements, but we were able to watch the life-jacket demonstration by the crew member standing in the entrance.

 

We sat with some people on their first HAL cruise, and who had always sailed Princess previously, and they were quite shocked at how lax it was. I must say, so was I. We have always attended muster under our designated station, with DH in his wheelchair. I would have much preferred that rather than be in the bar,

 

Hopefully that answers the questions as to how often you have to attend the drill if you are doing several segments, and what the NA provides for mobility-challenged passengers.

 

Our previous Princess cruise 4 or so years ago, every passenger was sent to the showroom. I thought that was pretty unusual since you don't really know where your muster station is until you actually find it, for the most part.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Lizzie, the 30-day rule of muster participation was the same one I was under when I sailed the Nieuw Amsterdam about a year and a half ago. It appears this varies from ship to ship, based on reports since then.

I am happy that there was an indoor muster station for the disabled on your cruise, as there was not for mine, and it made things very difficult for me. I was terrified when I was left sitting in my cabin waiting for assistance that did not come. All I could think of was what would happen in a real emergency.

However, I am very disappointed that those in the bar who were not participating in the muster were allowed to disrupt your necessary activity. I know you knew the drill, but what about someone new to cruising, or new to HAL. They are entitled to a muster where they can learn, and this was denied them. The disrupters should have been told to quiet down, or leave.

 

I have to wonder if somehow you were identified as participating. We all know that we are remembered from previous cruises, and that HAL has the ability to pull up pictures. I am hoping there is some easy explanation for why you weren't called to identify yourself. I do know there have been times I haven't been called, but when I asked, they said "Yes, we have you".

Beats me how they do it.

Thanks for reporting your experience.

 

I agree that the choice of a bar that was open was a bad idea. Ocean Bar is a good central area, but if they knew they were going to use it for the drill, they shouldn't have kept it open. It isn't like it's the only bar on the ship. Close it down an hour before drill so people have plenty of time to finish their drinks and then get out of the way of serious business.

 

HAL seems to have no consistent policy for mustering handicapped passengers. We see reports of people having to go out on deck on one ship/cruise and then mustering indoors on another ship/cruise.

[RuthC]

HAL seems to have no consistent policy for mustering handicapped passengers. We see reports of people having to go out on deck on one ship/cruise and then mustering indoors on another ship/cruise.

I have been allowed to attend an indoor muster on every S- and R-class ship I have sailed, since I needed that accommodation.

I have never been allowed to attend an indoor muster on any Vista or Signature class ship. When I have asked about it, I have been told there is no such thing, which is how I ended up feeling helpless in my cabin on the NA.

I have not sailed on the Prinsendam since I started needing the indoor muster, so don't know what the practice is on that ship.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I have been allowed to attend an indoor muster on every S- and R-class ship I have sailed, since I needed that accommodation.

I have never been allowed to attend an indoor muster on any Vista or Signature class ship. When I have asked about it, I have been told there is no such thing, which is how I ended up feeling helpless in my cabin on the NA.

I have not sailed on the Prinsendam since I started needing the indoor muster, so don't know what the practice is on that ship.

 

Ruth, I'm sorry to hear about your situation on the NA. That is distressing to learn. What was the outcome? Did anyone eventually come to your assistance? I will be traveling on the Eurodam soon with my sister, who is recovering from a total knee replacement. She will have a walker, and her able-bodied companion (me), but is there anything we should be aware of, or prepared for, regarding muster? Thank you.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I have been allowed to attend an indoor muster on every S- and R-class ship I have sailed, since I needed that accommodation.

I have never been allowed to attend an indoor muster on any Vista or Signature class ship. When I have asked about it, I have been told there is no such thing, which is how I ended up feeling helpless in my cabin on the NA.

I have not sailed on the Prinsendam since I started needing the indoor muster, so don't know what the practice is on that ship.

 

This makes no sense. Just because they're different classes of ship, they shouldn't change the level of service offered to passengers. And leaving you stranded is inexcusable!

[RuthC]

Ruth, I'm sorry to hear about your situation on the NA. That is distressing to learn. What was the outcome? Did anyone eventually come to your assistance? I will be traveling on the Eurodam soon with my sister, who is recovering from a total knee replacement. She will have a walker, and her able-bodied companion (me), but is there anything we should be aware of, or prepared for, regarding muster? Thank you.

Because HAL had not had indoor musters for the disabled in any of my previous Vista/Signature cruises, I had gone to the Front Desk to ask what to do, since I could not get to the outdoor stations by myself. I had been advised to wait in my cabin, and someone would come to get me.

So, I waited. And waited.

Eventually, my cabin steward came in on the room check, and I told him why I was waiting. He said when he was done checking rooms he would come back for me, which he did---with a wheelchair.

Eventually he got me outside at my station, then returned for me after muster was over; I didn't have to wait too long then.

 

I wasn't so concerned about missing muster, but had it been a real emergency I would have been in a quandary. Wait for assistance that may or may not come? Or take care of myself and get to the promenade deck, and deal with whatever happens there.

I made my decision for my best interests, but not everyone would have been able to get outside to abandon ship without assistance.

It is not a good system, and I made my displeasure known. I haven't had a muster since, so don't know what HAL is doing.

 

I recently had a total knee replacement, and know I will not be able to stand at my upcoming muster. Hope your sister can, or can be indoors, or can ask for wheelchair assistance to sit outdoors.

[cruiserhal]

LOL! No, I would have pushed you under the nearest table if it had been you!

 

I knew you would take care of me. :)

 

Still haven't had time to look at the pictures. 2 of our bags arrived a few days late (got caught on the underground luggage belt in Newark) and I'm still trying to catch up with mail/email and other obligations including looking at our next cruise.

 

Hope you and your husband are doing OK.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Because HAL had not had indoor musters for the disabled in any of my previous Vista/Signature cruises, I had gone to the Front Desk to ask what to do, since I could not get to the outdoor stations by myself. I had been advised to wait in my cabin, and someone would come to get me.

So, I waited. And waited.

Eventually, my cabin steward came in on the room check, and I told him why I was waiting. He said when he was done checking rooms he would come back for me, which he did---with a wheelchair.

Eventually he got me outside at my station, then returned for me after muster was over; I didn't have to wait too long then.

 

I wasn't so concerned about missing muster, but had it been a real emergency I would have been in a quandary. Wait for assistance that may or may not come? Or take care of myself and get to the promenade deck, and deal with whatever happens there.

I made my decision for my best interests, but not everyone would have been able to get outside to abandon ship without assistance.

It is not a good system, and I made my displeasure known. I haven't had a muster since, so don't know what HAL is doing.

 

I recently had a total knee replacement, and know I will not be able to stand at my upcoming muster. Hope your sister can, or can be indoors, or can ask for wheelchair assistance to sit outdoors.

 

Ruth, thanks for your response, and I'm glad your cabin steward was "on the ball". But it shouldn't have come to that point. I will report back here regarding our own muster experience on the Eurodam. My sister and I will be doing one of our live blog/thread thingies from the Eurodam, May 20-27, rt Seattle to Alaska.

 

Lizzie68, thanks for starting this thread. It's been an eye-opener for me.

[RuthC]

I will report back here regarding our own muster experience on the Eurodam. My sister and I will be doing one of our live blog/thread thingies from the Eurodam, May 20-27, rt Seattle to Alaska.

Wishing her the best of experiences, and looking forward to your reports.