Strategies for the dastardly life boat drill?

[Daniel A]

2 hours ago, Clampram said:

Don't bash me! I love Princess and I love my safety and that of my hubby. The lifeboat drill is very important, of course

For the last bunch of cruises, the life boat drill has been making me crazy. We like to be on the Lido forward for a cabin, so our assigned area for the drill seems to always be the art gallery. Since we are prompt and we do what we are told, we always get there early. There is no where to sit and everyone ends up standing in this crowded space for over an hour. The presentation is usually about 15 minutes and then it's a mad stampede for the elevators/stairs.The presentation is so "dumbed down" I find myself gritting my teeth.

What can I do to get through this drill and come out smiling? Drink more???

Drinking can solve a host of temporary problems.  When you leave your stateroom to go down to the drill don't forget to put the mandatory safety drill on your TV so you don't need to listen to Captain Stubbing a second time before you can see anything else on the tube.  If I had to go to the drill in the art gallery, I'd do as the others say about sitting down and reading your kindle while you send DH or DW off for more beverages.  After the drill, DW & I always kill time at Crooners while everyone jostles their way into the elevators like sardines.  By the time we leave Crooners either the elevators aren't that crowded or I just don't care anymore.

[1965]

My one & only complaint on our last cruise on the Caribbean was the muster drill. Our assigned meeting place was in the churchill smoking lounge. I have asthma so was afraid to even stick my head in. The crew member at the door allowed several of us to stay outside the lounge for our drill. We did have a place to sit & I was grateful we were able to stay out of the lounge. But a smoking area does not seem a good place for that type of gathering. 

[Hlitner]

My goodness, what a bunch of cry babies.  Many of us still remember when every cruise line had passengers muster on deck (near their lifeboat) where everyone had to stand for the entire drill.  And it could take a long time because they would actually take attendance by calling out each cabin# and name.  Some cruise lines/ships still have musters outdoors.   Princess makes it relatively easy by mustering inside and the drill usually takes about 20 minutes.  

 

As to the fiasco after the drill, that is certainly a problem for those with physical limitations.  But for plenty of others it is simply a matter of using the stairways rather then waiting and fighting one's way in to crammed elevators that will stop at every deck.

 

Hank

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, richsea said:

The point of the post is that there are only 2 chairs there. Doesn’t matter how early they get there.

That's bad, having just two chairs in the muster station. Just imagine in a real emergency, people could be at the muster station for hours.

[OCruisers]

6 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

 Just imagine in a real emergency, people could be at the muster station for hours.

 

Exactly !!!  It would be a BIG problem being at a muster station for hours without a place for EVERYONE to have a seat.  

[Mike45LC]

My last Princess cruise, they did not check people in or take attendance for the Muster Drill.  Maybe they did take attendance secretly, with Medallions, but I was not aware of it.

 

I had my Kindle and there was plenty of seating.  After the really dumbed down nonsense, we stayed in the muster area (Crooners) for 30 minutes, and the elevators and stairs were still crowded.

 

[Host CJSKIDS]

4 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

That's bad, having just two chairs in the muster station. Just imagine in a real emergency, people could be at the muster station for hours.

As someone who sat in a muster station for I don’t remember, 8 hours or so back on the Star Princess when it had the fire, I can tell you I was happy to have had a seat. I can’t imagine if it was in the art gallery where we had a drill once recently. 

[Wehwalt]

It was easier to do a quick exit when everyone had to put on their life jacket. Have it ready, be near a crew member who can give nod of approval, and be out the door while most people are still gazing uncertainly at that mass of orange in their laps. While of course still giving full time and attention to the vitally important safety drill. 

[debsjc]

Having never sailed on Princess before, I am just wondering how they can make it take an hour? Most of the other cruise lines I have been on are 15-30 mins. 

[MissP22]

26 minutes ago, debsjc said:

Having never sailed on Princess before, I am just wondering how they can make it take an hour? Most of the other cruise lines I have been on are 15-30 mins. 

The actual time spent listening to the spiel is only 15 minutes but the time it takes to get there, wait for it  to begin, here the talk & get back to your cabin all added together might approach 45 minutes. 

Some folks exaggerate the time spent for the whole ordeal.  

[Clampram]

13 hours ago, jangor said:

So you have to stand for 10-15 minutes.  If standing is a physical problem, talk to guest services; otherwise, simply endure.

The talk is about 15 minutes but you wait 35 - 40 minutes for it to start.....you missed the point ! LOL!!

[MixerDave]

13 hours ago, Gwendy said:

Princess really needs to get their act together, really badly organised compared to other cruise lines. Last cruise we were directed to theatre, no just go to wheel house bar, it’s full just stand somewhere,  start drill, nearly over and automated one from bridge comes in, let’s do it again meanwhile people just about keeling over from length of time standing in hot stuffy area.

who knows how they would cope in a real emergency.

oh I forgot the other drill on a sea day, where rough conditions made standing just about impossible but jammed into wheelhouse bar again

Get their act together - I was on a RCCL cruise from Tampa in April - muster drill was on the deck - had to stand in columns - thought I was in first grade.

[john_galt]

RCI Song of America, 1988. Back when muster drill was on deck and they called roll. 

 

[Daniel A]

3 hours ago, debsjc said:

Having never sailed on Princess before, I am just wondering how they can make it take an hour? Most of the other cruise lines I have been on are 15-30 mins. 

Because they wait for every pax to arrive at their muster station.  There are some pax who take their sweet time while making everyone else wait.  If everyone just did what needed to be done, it would be over quickly.  I would like to see them do the drill right away for everyone who was there on time and then do a second drill right after.  This way the late comers will have to wait for the rest of us...

[pablo222]

2 hours ago, Clampram said:

The talk is about 15 minutes but you wait 35 - 40 minutes for it to start.....you missed the point ! LOL!!

Easy solution for you:

 

STOP GOING SO EARLY.

 

Wait until the stairway guides are called to the muster stations, and then make

you way to the muster station.

 

Or, even easier -- land vacation.

[MixerDave]

3 hours ago, john_galt said:

RCI Song of America, 1988. Back when muster drill was on deck and they called roll. 

 

Royal Caribbean still does it - one of the reasons I will never sail them again!!

[Bwana Tom]

16 hours ago, Hlitner said:

My goodness, what a bunch of cry babies.  Many of us still remember when every cruise line had passengers muster on deck (near their lifeboat) where everyone had to stand for the entire drill.  And it could take a long time because they would actually take attendance by calling out each cabin# and name.  Some cruise lines/ships still have musters outdoors.   Princess makes it relatively easy by mustering inside and the drill usually takes about 20 minutes.  

 

As to the fiasco after the drill, that is certainly a problem for those with physical limitations.  But for plenty of others it is simply a matter of using the stairways rather then waiting and fighting one's way in to crammed elevators that will stop at every deck.

 

Hank

I totally agree; "what a bunch of cry babies". It sometimes seems that so many people today simply look for something to complain about. If it isn't this drill it is the buffet food, the smokers on board, the long lines at the service desk, the lack of available seats in the theater, a change in a cruise itinerary to avoid bad weather, the slow elevators, or even the ultimate complaint of them all - few pads of butter on the dinner table. Fifteen minutes out of a person's life to get through the drill won't kill anyone. Princess makes it so easy to get the passengers through this required process it is truly a sad thing when people complain about it. Dealing with the public can be a real pain in the butt even when they are on a cruise. 

Sit back and enjoy your cruise and don't get sidetracked with what you might see as a major irritation, which in reality is only a very minor inconvenience.  

Tom

[john_galt]

1 minute ago, Bwana Tom said:

"what a bunch of cry babies"

The "my ice cream was too cold" people...

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, MixerDave said:

Royal Caribbean still does it - one of the reasons I will never sail them again!!

There are many reasons why we no longer cruise on RCI, but the muster drill is the least of it!  If folks are going to whine about a muster drill (less than 30 min out of your  cruise) then one can only imagine what happens when there is a real problem.  Muster drills are for your safety and is also an important part of the crew's constant training.  We had relatives on the ill-fated Viking Sky cruise (that nearly ran aground off Norway) who had to be evacuated off the deck of the ship (at 3am) by Norwegian helicopter.  The folks on that cruise were grateful for how the crew reacted in a true emergency and the familiarity gained from the muster drill may have actually saved lives.  

 

For those that have so much trouble with the muster drill we suggest they simply stay home or find another method of travel.

 

Hank

[donaldsc]

4 hours ago, Daniel A said:

Because they wait for every pax to arrive at their muster station.  There are some pax who take their sweet time while making everyone else wait.  If everyone just did what needed to be done, it would be over quickly.  I would like to see them do the drill right away for everyone who was there on time and then do a second drill right after.  This way the late comers will have to wait for the rest of us...

 

Totally agree except that the makeup drill should be outside, last 4 times as long and have no chairs.  That will teach them that being on time has its advantages.

 

DON

[MixerDave]

34 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

There are many reasons why we no longer cruise on RCI, but the muster drill is the least of it!  If folks are going to whine about a muster drill (less than 30 min out of your  cruise) then one can only imagine what happens when there is a real problem.  Muster drills are for your safety and is also an important part of the crew's constant training.  We had relatives on the ill-fated Viking Sky cruise (that nearly ran aground off Norway) who had to be evacuated off the deck of the ship (at 3am) by Norwegian helicopter.  The folks on that cruise were grateful for how the crew reacted in a true emergency and the familiarity gained from the muster drill may have actually saved lives.  

 

For those that have so much trouble with the muster drill we suggest they simply stay home or find another method of travel.

 

Hank

I don't have a problem with the muster drill as such - my problem is standing outside regardless of the weather.  Why can't RCI do as Celebrity (a sister line) and hold the drill in the dining rooms or other space like the theater and show an informative film? 

[more cruises]

If our muster is in an area that has seating we go early to be sure we get a seat.  If it has no seating then we go late, maybe even a little later than you think.  That way we’re not squished into the masses.  That’s been really helpful on the cruise lines that want to pack you like sardines on the promenade deck.

 

i really like the idea of going early and hanging out in a bar, etc, close to your muster and then just dash in at the last minute.

 

[Thrak]

I think the art gallery is an idiotic place for muster. One would think there "should" be a better option available. We go wherever we are told to go and just deal with it. Fortunately we've never had muster in such a weird place. I would think the casino would be just as bad but don't know if they do muster there. We've had it in the theater and were glad of seats as we had to wait until the theater was entirely full before it started.

[Daniel A]

3 hours ago, Bwana Tom said:

I totally agree; "what a bunch of cry babies". It sometimes seems that so many people today simply look for something to complain about. If it isn't this drill it is the buffet food, the smokers on board, the long lines at the service desk, the lack of available seats in the theater, a change in a cruise itinerary to avoid bad weather, the slow elevators, or even the ultimate complaint of them all - few pads of butter on the dinner table. 

I think you forgot to add complainers who complain about other people... 

[c-boy]

that's to keep em' in check...