Skipping the Muster Drill

[RevSmith]

I've met some really nice people who I have gotten to know during the cruise during munster drill...why would you miss this opportunity?

[Lewdog]

Those of you who have hiding spots...be sure to go to those same locations in an emergency too!

[NengEuis]

Great thread...thanks for the laughs. :D

[intrepid_guy]

If there is a problem its not likely that one could even get back to their room to get their life vest

LindaandJeff -

Actually, if you are not in your room AT THE TIME of the emergency then you should NOT go back to your room to get your life vests. You should proceed directly to your muster station where there are already enough life vests for everyone on the ship. How do I know that? Going to muster drills.

 

Oh, and I always read that safety card on airplanes, no matter how many times I have flown.

 

~Intrepid

[Weez]

Wouldn't that make it even more of a hassle, though, for those who do have to attend? They'd end up being there longer while the staff went around and checked off who was there and sorted out who didn't have to be there (because you know darn well there would be screw ups with the list).

 

Also, like someone else said, even if you've been on 100 cruises, you still need to know where your lifeboat station is. If you sail on a new ship, you'd need to go to the drill to find that out. Even if you're sailing on a ship you've been on before, you never know if things have changed.

 

In addition to being a safety requirement, I'm sure it's just easier to make everyone comply, rather than trying to separate who had to attend and who doesn't.

 

Yes, it more then likely would be a hassle and not workable, that's why I said due to the safety involved its probably not possible. As dr.evil stated, the first thing i do when i sit in my seat on a plane is look for the best exit. I always know where the closest exit is well before the safety video begins playing.

[Ohunion Cruzers]

Yes, it more then likely would be a hassle and not workable, that's why I said due to the safety involved its probably not possible. As dr.evil stated, the first thing i do when i sit in my seat on a plane is look for the best exit. I always know where the closest exit is well before the safety video begins playing.

 

 

THEN is a point in time. THAN is a measure of quantity. Are you sure you worded this correctly?

[BobBeaSea]

Even folks who have had to much to drink make it to "mustard drill" :D Can you say whistle. For me, 3 cruises, 3 muster drills, 3 times asked for cabin #, 3 times quite painless...:)

[JulieMcCoy]

Can't find the original post on this, but paraphrasing a post by someone with a good sense of humor on one of these boards within the past couple of months:

 

"My husband and I, and many of the people around us, were in our bathing suits at the muster drill. A couple of young women near us were talking to each other, not paying any attention to the drill. I leaned over and said to them, 'You're not wearing your bathing suits. You're going to get awfully wet if they choose you for the demonstration.' They quieted down very quickly." :D

 

Someone earlier mentioned the Darwin Awards. I'm reconsidering my original position that everyone should attend the drill. Now I think that nonattendance may be a good way to weed out (in the event of a real emergency) all those folks who don't attend the drill, don't follow dress recommendations for dinner, don't tip the staff, don't buy travel insurance, bring travel irons, and, of course, are chair hogs. ;) Gosh, I love cruising...and all the varied people who help make it so interesting!

[PhinsAndGills]

I've been checked off every time (all 4 cruises). We could come up with some very interesting "consequences" for pax not showing up to drill, or being the last to show up to drill...

1. You have to be the last to get your deck chair on at sea days

2. you have to be last in line for all buffets

3. you're the last to tender

OH, that gives me an idea too, if you don't attend muster, you missed vital small-boat information and don't have the proper "skills" to tender and therefore cannot go ashore for tender ports...

 

hee hee...

 

If only WE made the rules...

[JulieMcCoy]

...missing muster means you're not eligible to drink alcohol onboard, since your judgment is already impaired.

[cruizinrican]

HAHAHA! You guys are so funny! I love it!!!

[heartofamerica]

I was on the HAL Zuiderdam, and because of a late flight, we didn't board until about 15 minutes before the ship set sail (whole different story) and after the muster drill. We had a card in our cabin AND got a phone message that we were to report to the muster station at 9 a.m. the following morning.

[cruiseknots]

I can't believe how many people think that skipping the boat drill is like committing suicide. Just because someone skips the drill doesn't mean that they wouldn't be able to get to their muster station. Some people have a better situational awareness than others, and some don't. Most modern cruise ships have similar layouts compared with the older ones. Chances are if you could find the boat station on one ship, you will be able to find it on another. I realize that there are many people who need to go through the drill to feel more secure about a possible emergency. But it's kind of scary to see that many people who think that just because they attend the drill they will survive and those who don't won't. Like I asked in a earlier post....what do you actually learn from the boat drill?

 

It seems that many of you might be getting a false sense of security by attending the drill. I have yet to see a ship sink completely level. What are you going to do when the ship is listing 45 degrees to the side of your boat station? Those stations would be unusable. What are you going to do then? Wait for the limited English speaking crew members to tell you where to go? My family and I will be way ahead of those of you that try to get to your unusable station. It is you that will be last in the remaining boats or rafts.

 

I also stated in an earlier post that I am not saying "skip the drill". I always attend and usually one of the first to arrive. I just always find myself thinking that there could be a much better and more informative way of doing it that would prepare passengers for what it might be like in a REAL emergency. Think about it....sprinklers running while trying to climb stairs, noise, limited or no visibility, unusual listing or pitch of the ship, fire, thousands of panicking passengers and crew, water entering on one side...etc. At which life boat drill were you instructed to count doors and floors to a primary and secondary exit? What about placing a wet cloth over your mouth for smoke? Where to go if your station is unusable? Where to find first aid if injured? Where does the band play as the ship goes down?

 

Do a quick search on incidents aboard the Celebration, Ecstasy, Tropicale, Scandinavian Star, and Scandinavian Sky. I know there are many more, but cannot think of them. See what passengers aboard those cruises had to say about the handling of their emergencies. If safety were a top priority aboard cruise ships, why is there not a channel on the TV dedicated to this? Think about how chaotic a real emergency aboard a cruise ship would be. I know that you can't prepare for every emergency, but the current boat drill is a joke. By reading some of the posts here it's hard to believe that many of you think that attending or skipping the boat drill is a life or death decision. A little common sense goes a long way.

[alphakitty]

Yes, it more then likely would be a hassle and not workable, that's why I said due to the safety involved its probably not possible. As dr.evil stated, the first thing i do when i sit in my seat on a plane is look for the best exit. I always know where the closest exit is well before the safety video begins playing.

 

Off topic but ......Exits....good advice Weez! Know where your exits are. I always check, when in the dining room, the theaters, etc. On land and on sea. Yesterday was the 3rd anniversary of the Station nightclub fire here in RI. A horrible tragedy that taught me to always know where the exits are.

[ORANGEinINDY]

and.....you can blow your whistle!:rolleyes:

You really like that whistle.. don't you:D

 

Why would anyone skip the mustard drill??? ;) I love Mustard!!!:p

That really spices up this thread.... I have to condiment.. (or is that compliment) you on that post.

[parrotthead]

That really spices up this thread.... I have to condiment.. (or is that compliment) you on that post.

Indy, lettuce discuss this. If youare late for the mustard drill, can you still katchup, or are you left behind? I don't relish this idea of missing it, I was just wondering.:p

[Nliedel]

This was a great read. Now someone should post about letting their little perfect baby in the pool with a diaper on. LOL!

[parrotthead]

This was a great read. Now someone should post about letting their little perfect baby in the pool with a diaper on. LOL!

:eek: You mean that's not allowed??;) :p

[Lightsluvr]

is for the bozo(s) found hiding during muster drill get escorted off the ship immediately. No pass GO, no $200 compensation, just send his cutesy butt to the dock. We can wave at the sorry putz during sailaway...while he/she wait for the Coast Guard.

 

LL

[Nliedel]

:eek: You mean that's not allowed??;) :p

 

Nope, but you can smuggle booze onboard and not tip and post about it. That's always good for about 8 pages :p

[madisonms]

How about this?! Those fools who are caught trying to skip the drill should be forced to wear their life jackets for the next 24 hours on the ship. Sort of like a scarlet letter. That way we all know who they were!

 

Bet they would never skip it again!

[ORANGEinINDY]

Indy, lettuce discuss this. If youare late for the mustard drill, can you still katchup, or are you left behind? I don't relish this idea of missing it, I was just wondering.:p

ORANGE you glad I didn't try to start something? It MAYO gone on for ever and ever! and that would have put us in a PICKLE...OLIVE the MUSTARD drill as well.. and after a few margaritas LIME up to do it.

[Nliedel]

How about this?! Those fools who are caught trying to skip the drill should be forced to wear their life jackets for the next 24 hours on the ship. Sort of like a scarlet letter. That way we all know who they were!

 

Bet they would never skip it again!

 

I have a better one. They have to get in the kiddie pool with every kid in diapers on board in it. I like that better :)

[ORANGEinINDY]

This was a great read. Now someone should post about letting their little perfect baby in the pool with a diaper on. LOL!

:eek: You mean that's not allowed??;) :p

I ALWAYS wear mine....

[Nliedel]

I wonder if they should start giving pat downs for Depends?