Are there bags for use in each cabin?

[doglover214]

As a Crystal cruiser, it was very convenient on each cruise to be provided with a bag to use. I’ll be boarding the Sojourn in a week, and wonder if Seabourn has something similar to use. 
I would not want to bring my Crystal tote with me. Wouldn’t look nice!

[Catlover54]

This is the bag we got last month on Quest, identical to what we were getting pre-Covid, so likely this is what you'll get:(one per cabin)

 

[doglover214]

That’s perfect. Thank you. 

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, doglover214 said:

As a Crystal cruiser, it was very convenient on each cruise to be provided with a bag to use. I’ll be boarding the Sojourn in a week, and wonder if Seabourn has something similar to use. 
I would not want to bring my Crystal tote with me. Wouldn’t look nice!

Why not

We see a lot of branded cruise ship logos from all lines.

My Titanic bag is a bit worn but you can still see the White Star logo.😀

Edited October 29, 2022 by Mr Luxury

[nancygp]

2 hours ago, doglover214 said:

As a Crystal cruiser, it was very convenient on each cruise to be provided with a bag to use. I’ll be boarding the Sojourn in a week, and wonder if Seabourn has something similar to use. 
I would not want to bring my Crystal tote with me. Wouldn’t look nice!

As a previous long time crystal cruiser, I believe the bag you are referring to was a large bag with no zipper and more like a large tote for beach towels and/or toting to and fro the laudry..not quite the same as the picture catlover posted.  There was a crystal Society tote bag but it was in the room on every cruise, received once 

 

Nancy 

Edited October 29, 2022 by nancygp

[lincslady]

There should be a bag in every suite on every cruise, and they have varied over the years - sometimes with a zip to close them, sometimes not.  Always useful, IMO.

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

My Titanic bag is a bit worn but you can still see the White Star logo.😀

 

Do you still have your life jacket?  😁

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Do you still have your life jacket?  😁

We could have used that life jacket on a recent MSC Seashore cruise.  Their current protocols do not include passengers even seeing a lifejacket.  There are none in the cabin and none visible when you get checked-in at the muster station.  All the lifejackets are stored (somewhere) to only be given out in the case of a real emergency.   

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

36 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We could have used that life jacket on a recent MSC Seashore cruise.  Their current protocols do not include passengers even seeing a lifejacket.  There are none in the cabin and none visible when you get checked-in at the muster station.  All the lifejackets are stored (somewhere) to only be given out in the case of a real emergency.   

 

Hank

 

How can the USCG approve of such a practice?  

[Hlitner]

Just now, rkacruiser said:

 

How can the USCG approve of such a practice?  

We had the same thought when on the ship.  I posted this somewhere else on CC (a couple of weeks ago) and it got little reaction).  I assume that they technically meet the SOLAS requirements and assume they have the appropriate number of required life jackets stored at the lounges used as mustering stations.  But passengers never got to see, hold, or try on their life jackets.  For us, it was a very strange feeling, and I did not like knowing we had no life jackets sitting somewhere in our suite

 

Muster drills have become very lax on nearly all the cruise lines.  In the old days we had to go to the outdoor boat stations, learn how to put on and secure our life jackets, etc.  Now, we get an in-cabin video (which we assume most folks completely ignore) and must then check-in (which takes 5 seconds) at the appropriate muster lounge.  Very scary.  This is going to cause big problems when some ship has a real muster emergency.  And then we will have the usual finger pointing.

 

Hank

[Mr Luxury]

19 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We could have used that life jacket on a recent MSC Seashore cruise.  Their current protocols do not include passengers even seeing a lifejacket.  There are none in the cabin and none visible when you get checked-in at the muster station.  All the lifejackets are stored (somewhere) to only be given out in the case of a real emergency.   

 

Hank

I heard that the life jackets are in an MSC container somewhere. 😳

[Mr Luxury]

20 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Do you still have your life jacket?  😁

No,I gave it to a guy named Ismay,never did get it back.

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, Mr Luxury said:

"...a guy named Ismay..."

Well played, sir.

Well played, indeed.

 

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Hlitner said:

I assume that they technically meet the SOLAS requirements and assume they have the appropriate number of required life jackets stored at the lounges used as mustering stations. 

 

An appropriate question to ask the Officer (or whomever) at the Muster Station when one checks in is "where are the lifejackets stored at this Station".  

 

20 hours ago, Hlitner said:

This is going to cause big problems when some ship has a real muster emergency.  And then we will have the usual finger pointing.

 

Agree!

[breadandbutter]

22 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We could have used that life jacket on a recent MSC Seashore cruise.  Their current protocols do not include passengers even seeing a lifejacket.  There are none in the cabin and none visible when you get checked-in at the muster station.  All the lifejackets are stored (somewhere) to only be given out in the case of a real emergency.   

 

Hank

Carnival Mardi Gras is doing the same thing.

[Hlitner]

51 minutes ago, breadandbutter said:

Carnival Mardi Gras is doing the same thing.

I hope that one of the professional mariners comment on this thread.  But, unless I have this wrong, SOLAS requires that Life Jackets be placed in easily accessible places and their position should be clearly marked   On most of our cruises (over about fifty years) there were always Life Jackets in the cabin and additional Lifejackets in lockers on the boat deck (which were clearly marked).     I imagine the Life Jackets on the Seashore are in clearly marked places, but we never noticed any of these places and they were never pointed out to us when we check-in at our muster station (which was simply an indoor lounge).   

 

Those of us who have cruised for a few years would have noticed many changes in how muster drills have been handled.  At one time folks were to either put on or carry their life jackets from their cabin to the muster stations (which were usually outdoors near one's assigned life boat).  At those drills you would get to see and listen to the staff assigned to your specific life boat.  

 

As ships have eliminated the wide promenade deck (generally used as a boat deck) changes were made.  Most lines moved away from having passengers put on their life jackets and go to their muster stations because there were too many injuries from folks tripping over straps allowed to drag on the floor.  In many cases, muster stations were moved to indoor public rooms (one can imagine how well this would work if part of the ship were to fill with smoke).  It was common for staff to demonstrate how to put on a life jacket and passengers were often than asked to put on their jackets so they could learn the procedure and how to fasten the straps.  

 

But now we generally get an in cabin video.  Like many folks, we play this video while we are unpacking and seldom pay much attention.  The system can ascertain that every cabin plays the video, but there is no way to know how many actually watch.  Even when we had to go to real muster stations, be quiet, and listen to instructions there were some folks who ignored the speakers.  Now, with only cabin videos we would assume even more folks completely ignore the instructions  

 

In a real emergency we are completely at the mercy of crew, many of whom are relatively new and inexperienced.  When I think of the modern history of real emergencies, I can recall the Oceanos where the ship's Captain abandoned his ship (a contract entertainer actually was the real hero who went to the bridge and handled some of the evacuation procedures) or the Costa Concordia where the Captain "accidently" fell into his lifeboat as thousands were left on the ship!  Not a great track record of how to handle emergencies.  We would all like to think that the crew on any ship is well trained and will do the right thing, but that is an unknown thing until there is a real emergency.

 

Hank

[Mr Luxury]

Not ideal is it Hank

[no1talks]

31 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

"Even when we had to go to real muster stations, be quiet, and listen to instructions there were some folks who ignored the speakers.  Now, with only cabin videos we would assume even more folks completely ignore the instructions."

"It's muh vacation! I paid muh money and I'm gonna do what I want!"*

*For additional instances, please see responses in dress code posts.

[cruiseej]

I see some potential advantages to this change, though. If you were in the Observation Lounge when an emergency signal was sounded, you would have needed to return to your suite to claim your life jacket, then proceeded to your muster station. If the life jackets are all stored at the muster station or near the lifeboats, then no one needs to fetch them and clog the hallways, and there's no danger of people tripping over the straps while rushing to their stations — overall a more expedient and safer experience. 

[rkacruiser]

29 minutes ago, cruiseej said:

I see some potential advantages to this change, though. If you were in the Observation Lounge when an emergency signal was sounded, you would have needed to return to your suite to claim your life jacket, then proceeded to your muster station. If the life jackets are all stored at the muster station or near the lifeboats, then no one needs to fetch them and clog the hallways, and there's no danger of people tripping over the straps while rushing to their stations — overall a more expedient and safer experience. 

 

I understand your point.  Please, someone, correct me if my memory is incorrect.

At some point in time, when the go to Muster Stations was sounded, wherever one was on the ship, one was to proceed directly to their Muster Station.  Then, at least on HAL I know for sure, a series of stages leading to a possible Abandon Ship signal was instituted with the first being for a guest to proceed to their stateroom and await further instructions.  Then, if needed, go to Muster Stations after dressing warmly, taking needed medicines, passport, money/credit cards, taking one's lifejacket with them, etc.

 

 

22 hours ago, no1talks said:

"It's muh vacation! I paid muh money and I'm gonna do what I want!"*

*For additional instances, please see responses in dress code posts.

 

I was going to click the Ha, Ha icon when I read your post.  But, this attitude is too prevalent in our society, I think, and it is not funny.  

[donaldsc]

On 10/29/2022 at 7:53 AM, doglover214 said:

As a Crystal cruiser, it was very convenient on each cruise to be provided with a bag to use. I’ll be boarding the Sojourn in a week, and wonder if Seabourn has something similar to use. 
I would not want to bring my Crystal tote with me. Wouldn’t look nice!

 

Does anyone really are what name is on the bag?

 

DON

[Asquare]

16 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Does anyone really are what name is on the bag?

 

DON

LOL…only to the people carrying the bag.  
Seabourn is a “special treat” for us (maybe every 5th cruise) so forgive a recent Princess antidote.  On recent Princess cruise there were a number of passengers toting their “luxury branded cruise” tote bags around on excursions; one particular group was acting particularly entitled to the point that the guide called them out…”Did our XXX cruisers make it back on the bus on time?”  The group was always the last to be accounted for and made our Halifax excursion run so late we had no free time in port!

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, Asquare said:

LOL…only to the people carrying the bag.  
Seabourn is a “special treat” for us (maybe every 5th cruise) so forgive a recent Princess antidote.  On recent Princess cruise there were a number of passengers toting their “luxury branded cruise” tote bags around on excursions; one particular group was acting particularly entitled to the point that the guide called them out…”Did our XXX cruisers make it back on the bus on time?”  The group was always the last to be accounted for and made our Halifax excursion run so late we had no free time in port!

 

If you have the need to show off - how about this.  I just recently came off a wonderful Star Clipper cruise in the Greek Islands. For those of you who don't know about Star Clipper, they have three full rigged sailboats.  The Star Flyer is a 4 masted barkentine w 36,000 sq ft of sail.  The next time that someone starts telling me about their wonderful last ship, I will wear my Star Flyer t-shirt and proclaim that "What you were on isn't a real ship since it doesn't have sails.  This is a real ship!!!"  BTW - sailing an entire day on a ships heeling at 14 degrees is a real blast.  Climbing a mast with the ship heeling at 14 degrees which I did not do but some of the passengers did must be an even bigger blast.

 

Not serious but I should do it.  LOL!!

 

DON

[rkacruiser]

The only time that I care what the name of the cruise line is on a bag is when I am at a pre-cruise hotel and/or airport and see someone with a bag from the cruise line on which I will soon sail.  It's a conversation starter and has proven to be an interesting one.  Speaking with a soon-to-be fellow shipmate is an "upper" for me and permits follow-up conversations, at times, once onboard.  

[Catlover54]

9 hours ago, Asquare said:

LOL…only to the people carrying the bag.  
Seabourn is a “special treat” for us (maybe every 5th cruise) so forgive a recent Princess antidote.  On recent Princess cruise there were a number of passengers toting their “luxury branded cruise” tote bags around on excursions; one particular group was acting particularly entitled to the point that the guide called them out…”Did our XXX cruisers make it back on the bus on time?”  The group was always the last to be accounted for and made our Halifax excursion run so late we had no free time in port!

 

Maybe former luxury pax are just carrying the "luxury" cruise brand bags because that is what they had at home when packing , and what they like because they are better quality (zippers, compartments, waterproof),  than the cheap and wide open flimsy cloth sacks some cruise lines give out (and which I have even seen given out on some  "luxury" cruises).  

However, I do prefer more subtle labeling of complimentary cruise line brand bags.

 

Being late and acting "entitled", however, is another story, and is unfortunately not limited to luxury cruisers.