Skipping the Muster Drill

[Stevie Lawson]

My top tip is to take a slightly wet facecloth (flannel) and put it round the back of your neck, then put the lifejacket on. That way you don;t get the sweat and yuck of the last 1000 guests to use this for the drill>>>

[ORANGEinINDY]

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

Might be a LONG line:eek:

[ElvisandTracey]

I guess I am the only one who actually LIKES the drill-to me, I don't really feel like a cruise is starting until the drill starts, it's like the opening bell on Wall Street or the horn at the race track-after it's over, you know what's about to happen. Plus it's a great way to get an early look at the people you are cruising with-wonderful people watching opportunity-

 

I think it's funny that so many people hate it so much-15 minutes of boredom followed by a week of paradise-I'll take it.

 

And by the way, anyone on one of my cruises that hides and makes us all wait because you are immature and think it's funny, see my DH Elvis, he'll explain in detail why you should be on time like the rest of us (once you see Elvis, you'll understand!!):D :eek:

[PhinsAndGills]

I think it's funny that so many people hate it so much-15 minutes of boredom followed by a week of paradise-I'll take it.

Your post made me think of something. I have friends who do the "Come to our timeshare meeting and get a vacation" trips ALL THE TIME and THEY LOVE IT! They go to the meeting, say "hey no thanks, but thanks for the free food and refreshments anyway, show us to the pool". They've gotten to go some great places for CHEAPO because they are willing to sit through a 3 or 4 hour "speech and preach" about timeshares. I bet THEY would think the muster drill was HEAVEN! I can hear them now "You mean there's people that actually b*t*h about a 20 minute drill!?!?!"

[rmillsap]

Try this link

 

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/cruiseship.htm

[PhinsAndGills]

On voyages that will last more than one week, the first drill will be held before the ship gets underway (passengers who embark at the last minute sometimes miss this drill), with additional drills at least once a week thereafter.

REALLY?!?! The longest cruise I've been on is a 7-day. Do they REALLY make you do 2 muster drills for longer cruises?

I liked the part about "practice for the crew". I guess it's not "all about us" so much, huh? ;)

[parrotthead]

I liked the part about "practice for the crew". I guess it's not "all about us" so much, huh? ;)

:( We are but pawns for the crew to 'practice' with...:eek:

[odis]

I've been looking at these boards for about a year and I guess we can now add this to the list of all the threads that bring out people's self-righteous indignation. The list includes:

 

1. Bringing your own alcohol

2. Dinner attire

3. Children

 

I'm sure there are others.

 

If a person wants to skip the drill, fine. They just have to live with the consequences.

[SuzieTrue]

Being a teacher, we do drills all year. In the fall we do fire drills. Kids need to know where to go since they are in a different room. Also, what happens if you are not in your regular room. In the spring, we switch to tornado drills. Again practice means less panic. I've had students move in from CA who have described earthquake drills. It's the way to go!

[odis]

I forgot to put these on the list:

 

4. Sharing soda cards

5. Saving chairs (whether in the theater, lounge, or on deck)

6. Tearing off the "Do Not Remove" tag from a mattress

[kevnick0814]

We finished our first cruise on 2/12, on The EOS, and our introduction to Muster was watching a woman exhale her previous days menu BEFORE we left Port of Miami!

Now, not having cruised before and not knowing how MY stomach would react...a little scary! Thankfully, everything turned out fine.

 

Bottom line; just go to the drill. 20-30 minutes out of a week? Seems silly to try and hide. ;)

[cruiseknots]

Amen odis.

 

"They bought their tickets....they knew what they were getting into.....I say let'm crash!"

[ElvisandTracey]

I've been looking at these boards for about a year and I guess we can now add this to the list of all the threads that bring out people's self-righteous indignation. The list includes:

 

1. Bringing your own alcohol

2. Dinner attire

3. Children

 

I'm sure there are others.

 

If a person wants to skip the drill, fine. They just have to live with the consequences.

 

It is not "fine" if their choice to "skip it" delays the rest of us while the crew looks for them high and low. I don't much care about what other people do as long as it does not inconveniece others. Once the rest of us are affected, I care. Come to the drill and get it over with, I promise there will still be enough food and drink left for all when we are finished!!:D

[GMoney]

I agree Odis!

[Nliedel]

It is not "fine" if their choice to "skip it" delays the rest of us while the crew looks for them high and low. I don't much care about what other people do as long as it does not inconveniece others. Once the rest of us are affected, I care. Come to the drill and get it over with, I promise there will still be enough food and drink left for all when we are finished!!:D

 

I thought they closed the bars about 15 minutes prior to and during the drill?

 

I agree just get it over with. Go, be on time, don't mess with everyone's vacation while you hide out like a giggling teenager smoking your first cigarette in the boys room (OK I just gave myself away).

[PhinsAndGills]

I'm sorry, but this WHOLE thread is just making me GIGGLE.

I PITY the poor first time cruiser reading this. We all make it sound like we're going to be drawn and quartered before the ship sails.

I have a couple new "muster-time" games I'm going to play:

1. Spot-the-drunk (self explanatory)

2. Conspiracy Theory (in which I'm on the lookout for evil crew members looking to prey on innocent musterers to be pawns of their evil plot)

3. Mission Impossible (in which I wear a black suit and sunglasses, humming the theme to mission impossible. Occasionally grab a first time cruiser and yell "HIT THE DECK" as I tackle them... (Okay I won't really do this one, but I'll get a good chuckle out of imagining myself doing this...)

4. Post-drill 300 meter bar dash (again, self explanatory)

HEY - NEW THOUGHT! - Maybe for 30 minutes after the drill, the bars should serve a drink called a "muster". It is only served at certain bars based on your cabin number. The bars should be the farthest from your cabin as possible and it's free if you show up in your life vest! We all might need some alcohol to disinfect the vest anyway. Gives a whole new meaning to "WET YOUR WHISTLE”

 

Yes, I go. No they're not my favorite part of cruising but, hey, if I MUSTer, I MUSTer.

[jander]

Odis....You missed smoking'''

[parrotthead]

OH, PhinsAndGills I had to laugh at that one...I love the Mission Impossible one...But, the muster 'boatdrink' is the one that gets my vote!! I think you should approch RCI with that one...an incentive...only the first 20 people at their assigned station got the boatdrink coupon and then only the first 15 from each to make it to the bar, blowing whistle all the way, in vest get the drink...gotta make it interesting!

[First-Due]

QUOTE=PhinsAndGills]I'm sorry, but this WHOLE thread is just making me GIGGLE.

I PITY the poor first time cruiser reading this. We all make it sound like we're going to be drawn and quartered before the ship sails.

 

You are so right!!!!! Listen folks, the Muster Drill is 1 VERY small BUT an important part of your hard earned vacation. Of of us here at Cruise Critics love coming here to the boards for advice, tips, do's, don'ts, etc. I agree with PhinsAnd Gills on the 1st timer. The first timers come here to ask seasoned veteran cruisers for advice. You can't please everyone and as Cruiseknots stated before about HOW the drill is done, yeah maybe it's time to maybe UPDATE the drill, but for now it's the law and that's it plus every safety tip that is offered should be taken for what it's worth.

[ElvisandTracey]

I bet if they passed out FREE drinks at the muster no one would ever complain again about going!!:D There would probably be a line of people trying to get to the muster first!!! The drink should be called the MUSTER MASTER, and it can be served cold or warm, depending on how the weather is doing at your particular drill.

[MszKitty]

I just got off the Monarch and this is the first time this has happened.....as my husband & I were lining up, we were told we had to split up....men at the back of the lines, women and children in the front of the lines. I've heard the old saying "women and children first", but they really made everyone split up ...women and children were in the front of the lines, men were in the back. I don't know if it was just how the safety team at our muster station handled it, or if they did it at all the muster stations.

[PhinsAndGills]

I just got off the Monarch and this is the first time this has happened.....as my husband & I were lining up, we were told we had to split up....men at the back of the lines, women and children in the front of the lines. I've heard the old saying "women and children first", but they really made everyone split up ...women and children were in the front of the lines, men were in the back. I don't know if it was just how the safety team at our muster station handled it, or if they did it at all the muster stations.

Two Majesty's and a Mariner they did not do this. My honeymoon on the Enchantment, they did.

[ElvisandTracey]

MszKitty: Never did this to my family on the Monarch-strange. Been on her several times, never separated-but the last time I sailed her I had 3 cabins all next to each other, and my cabin went to a horrible muster station 3 floors away outside, while the other 2 cabins got a great one in one of the bars, sitting down and relaxing!!

 

My cabin must have been right on the line where the 2 stations were separated-rats!! On all my RCI crusies I have never been lucky enough yet to have an indoor muster, always outside far, far away!!:eek:

 

I'll let you know if they separate me and DH on March 17-hope not, but oh well if they do!!:D

 

I hear the rest of the cruise was fabulous!!

[parrotthead]

I just got off the Monarch and this is the first time this has happened.....as my husband & I were lining up, we were told we had to split up....men at the back of the lines, women and children in the front of the lines. I've heard the old saying "women and children first", but they really made everyone split up ...women and children were in the front of the lines, men were in the back. I don't know if it was just how the safety team at our muster station handled it, or if they did it at all the muster stations.

Interesting...since my little 'Family' is all female, we wont be split if they do this...hey, this is the first time something has ever worked out in my favor!!!;)

[Rala]

Indoor muster stations are the best. Ours was the Schooner Bar on Serenade. Came time for muster drill, I sent hubby back to the cabin for our life vests, put it on and just stayed right there on my barstool sippin' my Cosmo! Heaven!!!