Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Holland America Munster Drill

lovenorwegiancruiseline
 Share

Recommended Posts

kwb101

kwb101

Posted
Posted

I have problems standing for very long. On Zuiderdam in August, I was allowed to bring my Walkstool (lightweight folding seat) to the muster and sit at the back of a line, against the side of the ship. The drill took about 20 minutes, and i was most grateful not to have stood throughout.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted

It may very well depend on which ship you are sailing.

The smaller ships have an area in the atrium, right near the muster stations, where the disabled can attend the drill while sitting comfortably.

The larger ships haven't had this amenity. Once on a larger ship I was allowed to sit on a bench at another station, while a different time I was just allowed to go. On another cruise a wheelchair & pusher was sent to fetch me, but I learned that if my life depended on that I would just get myself to the station whatever way I could. In more recent years I have had a rollator, so I had something to sit on.

The Koningsdam has inside muster stations, so the gentleman can sit.

I suggest that you take this up with the Front Desk after boarding, leaving sufficient time to work out a plan, and let you know what the plans are.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sevenseasnomad

sevenseasnomad

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, lovenorwegiancruiseline said:

I will be travelling with an elderly gentleman wo has mobility issues? During the munster drill, does HAL provide special accommodation for people with special needs?

No, they do not.  Get a doctor's excuse before leaving home.  When my DH was first diagnosed with cancer and going through chemo, the doctor approved our cruise but didn't want him in crowds.  He wrote a letter stating his reasons for the ship personnel having DH excused from the drill.  

 

When we boarded, we took the letter to the front desk, who called medical.  Medical released him from the drill; however, during the drill DH had to sit in the infirmary.  That was okay with us.  There was a problem, though, when I checked in with the staff at our station.  They insisted that DH had to be there.  I simply stated that they should call medical to confirm his presence in the infirmary.  They did, and that was the end of it.  

 

You did not indicate which ship you & your friend are sailing on.  As others have stated, K has its (and eventually NS will have) muster drills inside---our station was in the MDR.  On the other HA ships, the deck gets rather crowded, and sometimes passengers might accidently bump into someone else.  If your friend has any type of mobility/balance issue, it isn't the best situation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
oakridger

oakridger

Posted
Posted

Last February going to the Oosterdam I sprained my ankle on the way to the ship for embarkation.  They did bring me in on a wheelchair and the steward brought me a bag of ice when I got to my  room.  I called the front desk immediately and told them I couldn't walk to the muster drill and they allowed me to remain in the cabin. The steward came to the cabin during the muster drill and at first was concerned that I would have a problem by not attending but he was relieved that I had already called and gotten permission to stay in the cabin.  I really appreciated their flexibility with this rule.  I would never skip the drill otherwise!

 

~Nancy

Link to comment
Share on other sites
OlsSalt

OlsSalt

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, POA1 said:

Because of the time of year, I really though this was a Halloween 🎃 related thread. 

 

I was wrong. 

 

Maybe you got this mixed up with the thread asking if they have dancing on the Amsterdam - doin' the mash...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

Posted
Posted

It is a mixed bag as to what and where and how things are handled for those of us with mobility issues.  I use a rollator and DH can no longer stand for long periods of time.

 

This new system where you have to go back to your cabin and wait for the final whistle to report to your life boat station (on most ships) is terrible.  We were late 2 out of the last 3 times as we could not get an elevator to get down to the drill until after it was already started.  So we talked to our concierge who arranged for us to sit with the nurse in the Attrium.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Recruiter66

Recruiter66

Posted
Posted

My only big complaint with Holland America is their muster drill protocol.  A muster drill is knowing what to do during a disaster, where to go, how to use your life jacket.  It is mandatory.   Now for the problem, they require everyone to be at their muster station at a certain time and then they make you stand there for like 30 minutes or more NO CHAIRS.  We are always on time and we always have to wait for the late people, it is crowded hot and uncomfortable.  The actual drill takes like 5 minutes.  On Princess they did it in the show room.  I don't understand this.  If you have a mobility issue come as late as possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Djptcp

Djptcp

Posted
Posted

I have standing issues and on every HAL cruise we have taken, latest was Nov. 2016, there was always a special location for special needs passengers for the muster drill where we could sit. Crew showed how to use the safety jackets, etc. and you could hear the instructions over the PA system. When we sail on the Oosterdam in Feb. I was planning on contacting our concierge in the Neptune Lounge to find out where to go. If you think the special needs locations are no longer offered, I will contact the HAL special needs dept. before we cruise to find out what to do in Feb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mancunian1

mancunian1

Posted
Posted

Ruth is correct in saying it depends on which ship you travel on.  I did not know about the indoor arrangements on the smaller ships, thank you Ruth.   However, I did have success on Nieuw Amsterdam.  I arrived fairly early and was walking badly along the deck with my stick when a fellow passenger pulled out one of the deckchairs - closed up by the staff for the muster.  I was not sure what to do - did not want to offend a kind fellow passenger, but knew they would have none of this, so I headed slowly toward the chair.  Before I could think of sitting down I was intercepted and the  boat leader got another staff member to take me to one of the lounges where there were one or two others.   It was a very long drill and by the end  the room was filling in with half collapsed passengers.

 

I have written to HAL about this.   I do not see why HAL is the only line I have been on who gets the passengers on deck.   In the event of an emergency in nearly all cases they would get you to a public area and not to the deck until they were absolutely sure.  If they consider it such an important safety feature are they putting at risk those passengers on Konigsdam, and presumably the Nieuw Statendam where they cannot get all the passengers on deck!!!   Makes you wonder at the thinking.

 

However, the thing that really got me writing to them (as well as the above) was when they decided the drill could not start until all passengers were present, and we have been on some very long drills because of that.   I pointed out that this was totally wrong, they should instead say the passengers who have not reported should be told to go immediately to front office where an officer would be waiting for them, and they could not penalise other passengers in this way.   I also said that depending on their own age how would they feel about their elderly parents or grandparents standing in heat in this way.   Needless to say I did not have a reply.

 

Krazy Kruisers I am afraid I ignore the going back to your cabin and get at least to the deck before we are told in a drill.   You are not supposed to use the lifts and there is no way I can walk up or downstairs in a crowd in a hurry.   I also do not understand how if someone comes for you (we always register for this after the drill) they can collect you in the wheelchair, as I was under the impression that in a real event not a drill they would have to carry you down the stairs.

 

On two cruises ago the weather was very very hot at Fort Lauderdale, not everyone turned up - surprise, surprise and we were kept for three quarters of an hour.   People were taken ill, someone at the next lifeboat they had to come with a stretcher.  

 

The muster drill totally ruins any joy of being onboard because I dread the whole event.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail Beyond the Ordinary with Oceania Cruises
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: The Widest View in the Whole Wide World
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...