Emergency drill

[waterbug123]

 

I have attended weekly fire/boat/safety drills for 42 years, and continually learn something new every time I do a drill.

 

Seriously? I've attended 35 muster drills and and the last time I learned anything new was when Royal changed it up to no longer require you to first get your life vest from your cabin.

[chengkp75]

Seriously? I've attended 35 muster drills and and the last time I learned anything new was when Royal changed it up to no longer require you to first get your life vest from your cabin.

 

Seriously, because what you get out of a drill is what you put into it. If you sit there passively and don't apply your intellect to ways to improve your own safety, then you won't gain anything. That may have been the last time you were told anything new, but have you ever tried to learn something new through your own efforts.

[Charles4515]

Seriously? I've attended 35 muster drills and and the last time I learned anything new was when Royal changed it up to no longer require you to first get your life vest from your cabin.

 

 

 

If you don’t learn anything else you should have at least learned where your muster station is located.

 

 

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[Charles4515]

 

 

 

I've not seen the RCI/Celebrity video, but I know it is a response to the complaints that nothing was being communicated in the past, or that people weren't paying attention. Whether it works, and whether it continues is up for research, but at least it is an attempt to make the muster more informative.

 

 

 

 

 

I have seen the video. I expect that they contracted it out to a professional firm that makes safety videos. Given that the viewers are an international audience of different languages and ages, and different cruise histories, there is a lot of simple animation. That simplicity may turn off more experienced or worldly passengers who just want to get out of there.

 

 

 

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[Texed]

I put forth my perspective, that of a professional mariner with 42 years at sea, several on cruise ships.

 

Sir,

I have been reading your input and your perspective for years. I want to thank you for your posts. They are always interesting and informative. :)

[bobnj]

The airlines have the safety demo on every flight and we all must watch them. The people who do not watch or listen will slow everyone else down. It is only takes a small amount of time, so it is not a big deal.

[Bo1953]

THIS! (y) Over 20 cruises here and we certainly should know by now what to do. :confused:

 

Yeppers, like frequent fliers on airlines, they should certainly know what to do, then again ANY emergency can be very different from the previous one.

 

As well, sections, life boats, approaches and policies might subtly change too...

 

bon voyage

[Charles4515]

Yeppers, like frequent fliers on airlines, they should certainly know what to do, then again ANY emergency can be very different from the previous one.

 

 

 

As well, sections, life boats, approaches and policies might subtly change too...

 

 

 

bon voyage

 

 

 

Yes. Even with frequent cruises the ships are different. Most don’t take 50 cruises on the same ship, in the same cabin.

 

Also the muster drill is important not only for the passengers. It is important for the crew. When there is an emergency the crew needs to be trained what to do. How would the crew learn if they didn’t have drills with real passengers?

[TrikerDave]

I for one hope that the crew receives much more extensive training than the passengers!

 

 

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[chengkp75]

I for one hope that the crew receives much more extensive training than the passengers!

 

 

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The crew do more training than the passengers, but as noted above, the only time the crew gets to train with unruly and uncooperative passengers is during the muster drill.

[TrikerDave]

If they wanted training on dealing with the unruly and uncooperative they should have volunteered at Walmart last Friday!

 

 

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[waterbug123]

Seriously, because what you get out of a drill is what you put into it. If you sit there passively and don't apply your intellect to ways to improve your own safety, then you won't gain anything. That may have been the last time you were told anything new, but have you ever tried to learn something new through your own efforts.

 

Don't get me wrong, I understand the importance of knowing where to muster and general safety and all that, I just honestly can't see how there's that much more to learn from attending a drill a 100 times.

 

 

If you don’t learn anything else you should have at least learned where your muster station is located.

 

Muster station is printed on your Sea Pass. So you find out where it is before the drill ever takes place. ;)

[ECCruise]

 

 

 

Muster station is printed on your Sea Pass. So you find out where it is before the drill ever takes place. ;)

 

When did they start doing that? Always only seen the muster station number on the card.

[PBC29]

I think they should do two drills 1) the current version 2) Real world scenario - have the alarms go off at a random time even if it's when most are sleeping.

[ReneeFLL]

In all honesty, I thought the video was stupid as well.

 

I agree. I actually had a hard time paying attention and not nodding off. This has only happened when they have had that stupid video. And I am one of those who likes to pay attention to what is being said. I hope they change that video out soon. I give it a complete (n)(n)(n)(n).

 

To put it bluntly, a passenger's responsibilities during a muster are: know where to go (and how to get there), get there in a timely fashion, shut up, and wait for instructions.

 

Exactly, very well said. I especially like the shut up part. Just because someone doesn't want to pay attention they should stand there quietly so others can hear what is being said. I think it's very disrespectful when they do this.

[Beejay4016]

I like the HAL drills. Everybody assembles on deck once the appropriate siren sounds. You assemble by your allocated lifeboat, the number and location of which is displayed in your stateroom, and a roll call is taken. The person who will be in charge of your lifeboat then displays how to put on the life jacket etc. Just as it's important to watch the safety drill on an aircraft, so too on a ship. It's not fun and games; it can save lives.

[Dimarie40]

We recently did a b2b on the Equinox, so two musters, two different locations on the ship. The first was in the MDR where everyone had a seat and almost everyone paid attention even to the ridiculous video. The second was in the area outside the Celebrity Theatre. What complete and utter shambles! They had a couple of rows of chairs set up, everyone else had to mill about in the area. People were sitting on the floor, perched on planters, even on and up the stairs. The video was impossible to see or hear, consequently people were restless and talkative. After the videos there was a very long pause until the Captain came on and declared the drill over. There was a lot of muttering and whinging!!

 

I came away from that debacle shaking my head and wondering why it had to be so hard. Surely a simple demonstration of how to put on the life vest then someone on a microphone running through the list of must do's. Then a reminder about hygiene/washing hands etc and done. Five minutes tops and everyone would have had all the information they needed and we could all get on with enjoying our cruise. I did make several suggestions to Celebrity by way of the post cruise survey. I live in hope someone in authority might take notice.

[Wiltonian]

Get rid of the inane video for a start. /quote]

 

Truly embarrassing. Unbelievably misjudged.

 

Stuart

[sanger727]

The muster drills are very similar to airplane safety videos. Was traveling around Australia using 1 airline and watched a video full of models probably 10 times. Just trying to add entertainment value to something most people ignore.

 

Not really sure what’s complicated about the muster situation. Short of a practice drill where they actually load you into lifeboats you aren’t going to have a clear understanding of what will happen. All you really need to know is where to go when the alarm sounds and then let the crew members lead you. That’s what they train and practice for.

 

And simply by showing up to the muster drill you already get an A in that. You were able to go to your muster station, upon request, not using the elevators, and without a drink in your hand. If you can manage that in an actual emergency you are ahead of the curve.

 

 

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[dkjretired]

Ten years ago you would find the same type of thread asking why we have to stand on the hot deck for muster. Also why does the talk have to be done in five or so languages while we stand on the hot deck. Guess you can’t satisfy everyone.

[Marelaine]

Information presented at a 4 y/o level would be too difficult for many today.

 

Amen!

Also, those who think they know everything would be the first to opt out of attending. In an emergency, they would hold the rest of us up. The drill takes 1/2 hour of our time. NBD

We go early so we can get a seat at the entry way. We are the first out the door at the end.

[richsea]

Loved the new video on Equinox!!! Certainly more entertaining than the new theater show!

 

I also suspect that many of those complaining about having to attend the muster drill would be the first complaining about how a real emergency was handled.

 

chengkp75, thanks for sharing your perspective. In fact, thanks for all of your posts.

[Charles4515]

Ten years ago you would find the same type of thread asking why we have to stand on the hot deck for muster. Also why does the talk have to be done in five or so languages while we stand on the hot deck. Guess you can’t satisfy everyone.

 

 

 

Yes, ten years ago people would post bragging how they hid and avioded the muster drill. Probably those who refuse to do the muster drill will be kicked off the ship these days. Don't know about Celebrity but they are on some cruise lines.

Edited November 30, 2017 by Charles4515

[Bo1953]

The muster drills are very similar to airplane safety videos. Was traveling around Australia using 1 airline and watched a video full of models probably 10 times. Just trying to add entertainment value to something most people ignore.

 

Not really sure what’s complicated about the muster situation. Short of a practice drill where they actually load you into lifeboats you aren’t going to have a clear understanding of what will happen. All you really need to know is where to go when the alarm sounds and then let the crew members lead you. That’s what they train and practice for.

 

And simply by showing up to the muster drill you already get an A in that. You were able to go to your muster station, upon request, not using the elevators, and without a drink in your hand. If you can manage that in an actual emergency you are ahead of the curve.

 

 

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s - not sure about the drink part though... :D

 

bon voyage

[QueensChick]

I put forth my perspective, that of a professional mariner with 42 years at sea, several on cruise ships.

 

 

 

I have attended weekly fire/boat/safety drills for 42 years, and continually learn something new every time I do a drill.

 

 

 

For those of you who feel that "we've done this many times, and know it by heart", remember who is ultimately responsible for your safety; the person who looks back at you in the mirror. Try doing this; each time before muster, decide where you will be, and where a potential fire will be on the ship, and then decide the best way to get from where you are to your muster station without going through or above the area of the fire. It is a tool we use to train crew on emergency teams. If you feel that you are not getting any information from the safety briefing during the drill, run this exercise in your head, and then after the drill, see if your route would actually work.

 

 

 

I've not seen the RCI/Celebrity video, but I know it is a response to the complaints that nothing was being communicated in the past, or that people weren't paying attention. Whether it works, and whether it continues is up for research, but at least it is an attempt to make the muster more informative.

 

 

 

As to the ship sinking in minutes, let's discuss a few points about that. Remember, first, that the passenger muster has literally nothing to do with getting into lifeboats and leaving the ship. There are far more instances where the passengers will be mustered and the Captain has no intention of ever putting people into the boats and abandoning the ship. The purpose of the muster is to get the passengers into known, controllable areas, and to make accountability to ensure everyone is accounted for, so that emergency teams do not have to expend time and resources searching for passengers, and can concentrate on the emergency.

 

 

 

Next, unless your ship has been torpedoed or bombed and breaks in two, ships don't sink within minutes, and most do not "roll over" before doing so. Look at the Concordia. She had a huge gash in one side, and there was nothing on God's earth that was going to keep that ship afloat, but if she had not drifted back to shore on Giglio, she would have sunk upright, and a couple of hours after the allision. The grounding on Giglio is what caused her to roll on her side.

 

 

 

Also looking at the Concordia, the major fault, and the cause of loss of life, was the fact that the muster was not signaled in a timely fashion. Had it been done within minutes of the allision, when the Captain was informed that the ship was flooding, the passengers would have all been grouped and accounted for, information could have been passed to crew, and boats readied. Even given the short time between the decision to abandon the ship and her rolling on her side, 23 of 26 lifeboats were launched.

 

 

 

To put it bluntly, a passenger's responsibilities during a muster are: know where to go (and how to get there), get there in a timely fashion, shut up, and wait for instructions.

 

 

 

I’d like to take a moment to thank you for your consistently interesting and informative posts.

 

 

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