Lifeboat drill

[Mrs f.]

Is the lifeboat drill before or after we pull out? Departure is at 6pm.

[petcoke]

21 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

Is the lifeboat drill before or after we pull out? Departure is at 6pm.

before

[LHT28]

Usually 5:15 to 5:30 pm

[Paulchili]

34 minutes ago, Mrs f. said:

Is the lifeboat drill before or after we pull out? Departure is at 6pm.

One needs to know what to do in an emergency before the emergency might arise at sea - hence the drill must be done before one sails.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Paulchili

[Mrs f.]

Thanks. Somehow I thought it was right after departure.....we should  be on ship by........at the latest? I called Oceania  and the girl didn't seem to know.

[LHT28]

usually you need to be onboard 90 min prior to sailaway

I would aim for 2 hrs prior  though ..but that is me

[Mura]

The phone staff isn't always as up on details as they should be!

 

In the good old days it wasn't unusual to have the boat drill after departure.  I think the Princess fire a few years ago changed that.  For a number of years now the drill is always around 5:15-5:30, in our experience more usually 5:15. 

 

On several recent cruises I arranged Meet & Greets for right after, and even people who had 6:30 dinner reservations were able to make an appearance.  If your cruise is port intensive (especially if there are no sea days at all), it seems best to do it on the first day.  This is especially true when people have set up private tours and would like to meet the others on their tour in advance.

 

Mura

 

 

[Starlaker]

Our lifeboat drill on the Regatta last month was a bit different than previously.  Before, it was held in various indoor locations on the ship where they made the announcements, showed how to put on your vest, and then dismissed you.  This time we had to file out to the lifeboats after the announcements and demonstrations and line up along the deck.  We also had to have two life boat drills as our cruise was more than 8 days.  I guess the regulations are getting tighter.

[sitraveler]

9 minutes ago, Starlaker said:

Our lifeboat drill on the Regatta last month was a bit different than previously.

On the small ships, unless there is poor weather, you always go to the area under the lifeboats.

[Mura]

I agree with Lou.  Whenever we have been on an "R" ship -- and this goes back to Renaissance days -- we met in a large room (GDR, e.g.) and then filed out to the lifeboats for what often was a LONG wait until everyone was in place.  On the "O" ships, we have skipped this step. 

 

I think the rule is a drill every 14 days so when you're on longer cruises you can indeed have more than one drill.

 

Repetition doesn't hurt when you are talking about possible emergencies.

 

Back in 2009 we boarded Regatta very late for a TA (I'd had to get my passport issued on an emergency replacement basis in Miami and so we were very late getting to the ship).  There was another couple who'd been delayed by bad weather from Boston. I just refused to go to the boat drill since we were exhausted, had just gotten on board, and had been through many drills before.  This was permitted. (I don't know if the Boston couple refused as well!)

 

I don't think it would be permitted today, however!

 

Mura