Muster - newbie question

[jamell]

Hi, off on our first cruise in a few weeks and have a question about the muster drill. Do you get told when you board what time and where you need to be. I am worried that we could be exploring the ship and get called only to find we are a long way from our cabin and life jackets. Thanks Chris

[john watson]

Hi, off on our first cruise in a few weeks and have a question about the muster drill. Do you get told when you board what time and where you need to be. I am worried that we could be exploring the ship and get called only to find we are a long way from our cabin and life jackets. Thanks Chris

 

Typically it will be 4pm and often this is announced and published in the daily newsletter. The television in your cabin will usually be left on the appropriate channel to explain all the details. The notice on your cabin door will show the route of how to get to the Muster Station and which one it is. Your life jacket will have a letter A,B,C etc. which will correspond with your station. At 15 -20 minutes before the drill crew in yellow hats will start manning the stairs to direct people. If you have children with you appropriate age/weight jackets should be supplied and in your cabin.

 

Everyone needs to take jacket and cruise card. Getting there early will help get a seat. Leaving at the end be prepared to walk back up the stairs.

 

Regards John

[mercury7289]

Details, as well as your life jackets will be in your cabin

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

You will not miss muster drill. The daily programme in you cabin will tell you when. It will be announced well in advance and several times on the public address system. About half an hour before bars and the buffet will close, and some passengers will start wondering round with life jackets. As it gets closer staff will be stationed on landings to direct you. Muster drill. Is impossible to forget or miss.

 

 

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[yuvraj]

This is what I do ...

 

When I get into my cabin, I find out where my muster station is. Usually it is in the same part of the ship as the cabin but it is good to know exactly where. The information will be on the door.

 

As others have said, it is usually around 4:00 pm but I like to check. The information will either be on the literature in the room. If not I would ask someone like the cabin steward if I manage to catch him/her. If not, you will come across crew members while you wander around the ship. They will all know.

 

It is a pain but you are required to go back to your cabin to get your life jacket before going to the muster station so I do this in good time. I don't wait for the announcement.

[timbs32]

If you are someone in your party has difficulty standing for long periods I definitely recommend going down early so that you get a seat.

 

On my first and only cruise so far... we didn't particularly leave late, but all the seats were taken and we had to wait standing up for 20 mins before they even started in a stuffy crowded room.

 

Ok for me but my mum very nearly blacked out and had to lie on the bed afterwards for a while.

[janny444]

Hi...as already said you will not miss the muster drill you will have plenty of warning before it takes place. Make it your first " exploration"...finding out where your muster station is and finding where you will need to be. It is not something you can dodge ...it is compulsory and they scan your cruise cards to make sure you have attended so take all room occupants cruise cards....not just one to get back into your cabin. When the muster has been completed it can be a bit of " scramble" getting out of the venue then using stairs/lifts and isn't always a good impression at the start of your first cruise but rest assured it all calms down after the initial embarkation/Muster/meal in buffet into a true cruise mode.

[jamell]

Thank you all for your informative replies,

[jody75]

Don't know what happens on cruises from UK but on cruises from Barbados they didn't even check if we attended.

[terrierjohn]

Don't know what happens on cruises from UK but on cruises from Barbados they didn't even check if we attended.

On our last 2 cruises they have checked our cruise cards on an electronic reader, so presumably no shows can be named and shamed.

[bee-ess]

This is what I do ...

 

When I get into my cabin, I find out where my muster station is. Usually it is in the same part of the ship as the cabin but it is good to know exactly where. The information will be on the door.

 

As others have said, it is usually around 4:00 pm but I like to check. The information will either be on the literature in the room. If not I would ask someone like the cabin steward if I manage to catch him/her. If not, you will come across crew members while you wander around the ship. They will all know.

 

It is a pain but you are required to go back to your cabin to get your life jacket before going to the muster station so I do this in good time. I don't wait for the announcement.

 

Trouble is that you still have to wait for all the latecomers before they start.

[Cristaltips]

Trouble is that you still have to wait for all the latecomers before they start.

I find that really annoying. It’s bad enough having to do muster drill ( I know it’s essential and God forbid if we ever had to put it into practice) but to have to wait for latecomers really cheeses me off. It’s really inconsiderate to those already there.

[Bartswife]

Another newbie here. What do you consider latecomers. Those who arrive at muster at the last minute or those deliberately go over the time told to meet. Sure I'm not alone in hating stuffy overcrowded rooms so would like to go as late as possible without inconveniencing others.

[Guest ccpm]

Another newbie here. What do you consider latecomers. Those who arrive at muster at the last minute or those deliberately go over the time told to meet. Sure I'm not alone in hating stuffy overcrowded rooms so would like to go as late as possible without inconveniencing others.

 

While I understand what you are saying if you want a seat you will need to be there early or on time. However there are those who think any time they like to drop by is the time muster should be. Now that cruise cards are swiped staff wait for stragglers for a while which is darn annoying.

[Cristaltips]

Another newbie here. What do you consider latecomers. Those who arrive at muster at the last minute or those deliberately go over the time told to meet. Sure I'm not alone in hating stuffy overcrowded rooms so would like to go as late as possible without inconveniencing others.

 

I would consider anyone who isn’t in the room at the time specified to be late. Eg If it’s due to start at 4.00, you should be in your seat ready to start at that time. By the way, the rooms may be overcrowded but certainly not stuffy due to air conditioning.

[Bartswife]

While I understand what you are saying if you want a seat you will need to be there early or on time. However there are those who think any time they like to drop by is the time muster should be. Now that cruise cards are swiped staff wait for stragglers for a while which is darn annoying.

I don't need a seat so will leave those for people who really do. If it's acceptable to arrive couple of minutes before the given time then that's what we will do. im usually a person who arrives anywhere excessively early but don't fancy the stuffy room:o

 

Thankyou

[Bartswife]

I would consider anyone who isn’t in the room at the time specified to be late. Eg If it’s due to start at 4.00, you should be in your seat ready to start at that time. By the way, the rooms may be overcrowded but certainly not stuffy due to air conditioning.

Ah ok, just an earlier post said their mum almost blacked out in the stuffy room.

[janny444]

Hi....done a few musters but never had a " stuffy" room ....all the public rooms are air conditioned

[silversurf]

On our last cruise my partner insisted we wait in our cabin until called. I use a wheelchair so had to use the lifts to get to muster. All lifts were occupied until 10 minutes after muster time so we were very late arriving.

Shalln’t do that again, if you really need the lift get there early.

[terrierjohn]

I would consider anyone who isn’t in the room at the time specified to be late. Eg If it’s due to start at 4.00, you should be in your seat ready to start at that time. By the way, the rooms may be overcrowded but certainly not stuffy due to air conditioning.

If you listen to the announcements you will note that they request that, "when you hear the emergency signal you should collect your LJs and proceed to your muster station," not be there when the signal sounds. In real life you won't be warned about the time the ship hits the Iceberg!;)

[Cristaltips]

If you listen to the announcements you will note that they request that, "when you hear the emergency signal you should collect your LJs and proceed to your muster station," not be there when the signal sounds. In real life you won't be warned about the time the ship hits the Iceberg!;)

 

And in real life, the lifeboats won’t wait for latecomers!!!:')

[Mrs Tinkywinky]

I find that really annoying. It’s bad enough having to do muster drill ( I know it’s essential and God forbid if we ever had to put it into practice) but to have to wait for latecomers really cheeses me off. It’s really inconsiderate to those already there.

Last year on our cruise we had to wait over 30 minutes once we had all got to the muster station as one coach had been delayed. We were informed that there would be a wait but there were still those who moaned and groaned. So sometimes there may be a valid reason for the lateness.