MUST I?

[Acrusa]

Just received the muster video from Oceania. 

Does that mean there is no Muster on board?

[MEFIowa]

Will depend on your specific cruise. But on Riviera (12/2021) and Sirena (11/2022) when we embarked, we had to go to our Muster Station to check it. And you need to watch the video.

[pinotlover]

+1 to the above. However, I believe I’ve recently read they have reinstated the mandatory drill.

[Mrs f.]

On our January Regatta cruise all we had to do was watch a video beforehand.   But I heard that many cruise lines are reinstating the in person muster drill.  

Edited February 7, 2023 by Mrs f.
Spelling

[Flatbush Flyer]

Muster drills are supposed to be on again at O.

Thank God someone at O figured out that few folks watch the video.

[2552phxcrzr]

Currently, in person muster drill on embarkation day for each segment of the world cruise on Insignia … including going out to the lifeboat stations.  The secondary muster, if you are on a segment/cruise that is 14 days +, is done over the P/A system … you listen to it wherever you happen to be; do not have to go to muster stations for that one (at least we have not had to yet).

[banjineer]

Currently on Riviera.  We had an in-person muster drill at 5:15 pm on day 1

 

When we boarded, we were told not to bring life jackets.  We later recieved a call in our cabin and told to bring life jackets. After the 5:15 drill start, an announcement was made to not bring life jackets - too late.  Some brought life jackets some didn’t.

 

Our muster station was A5 down in the theater.  No one was telling folks A2 and 4 were via the left entrance and A1,3,5 were the right entrance. And once at the correct entrance, there was no communication as to specific lines for A1, A3, and A5 stations.  A real mess for a while but it finally got straightened out. We had to all watch another video and then free to go

[Twiga]

I got off the Sirena today after a B2B2B.  On the first leg the muster drill was a 2 minute check-in at Baristas, then watching the video in our room.  The second leg was the first in-person muster drill. We met in the Grand Dining Room.  However, there was no organization as to which section you were to go to (B4, B5, B6, etc.).  It took a long time for everyone to find their section and check-in there.  It would have helped if the cruise director, in her announcement about the muster drill, had said where to go once at your muster station. A crew member then explained the emergency instructions, life jackets were put on, then we all went back to our rooms.

 

On the third leg, it was much the same, but the crew member said we would go stand under our assigned life boats.  But after the life jacket demonstration the cruise director ended the drill and said we could go back to our rooms.  I wish we had gone to stand under the life boats as I doubt many of the passengers could follow any directions in the case of an emergency, much less find the appropriate life boat.  

[LHT28]

3 hours ago, Twiga said:

On the third leg, it was much the same, but the crew member said we would go stand under our assigned life boats.  But after the life jacket demonstration the cruise director ended the drill and said we could go back to our rooms.  I wish we had gone to stand under the life boats as I doubt many of the passengers could follow any directions in the case of an emergency, much less find the appropriate life boat.  

In an emergency aren't you suppose to go to your muster station & await further instructions??

[DrKoob]

I just do not understand why they are going back to in-person muster drills. They are one of the worst parts of cruising. Great place to catch any virus. No room to sit for people like my wife who have had hip replacement and can't stand for that long. Someone please explain why they have gone back to it. 

 

BTW: if your answer is that people aren't watching the video, do you think they pay any more attention while standing in the hot sun? Or crammed in a bar someplace? Have them watch the video and don't let the television in their room be changed to another channel until it has played all the way through. Then have them go and check in at the.muster station. Insure they do this by not allowing the use of their sea pass card to buy anything until they have checked in. This includes all beverages. 

[Spotbattman]

Boarded Marina yesterday. Full muster done -  bar a visit to the lifeboats.

[ssawjo]

11 hours ago, DrKoob said:

 

 

BTW: if your answer is that people aren't watching the video, do you think they pay any more attention while standing in the hot sun? Or crammed in a bar someplace? Have them watch the video and don't let the television in their room be changed to another channel until it has played all the way through. Then have them go and check in at the.muster station. Insure they do this by not allowing the use of their sea pass card to buy anything until they have checked in. This includes all beverages. 

This was exactly what was done last summer on the Insignia.  Watch the video to the very end (about 15 minutes) (or have it playing is the background) and only then can you access another channel.  Show up at muster station, card key checked, and off you go.  Worked for us.  

 

I can see people turning the TV on to the muster video, then leaving the room and checking in.  I guess that is cheating.  

 

It is ashame that some always ruin a good thing for everyone else.

[Flatbush Flyer]

20 minutes ago, ssawjo said:

This was exactly what was done last summer on the Insignia.  Watch the video to the very end (about 15 minutes) (or have it playing is the background) and only then can you access another channel.  Show up at muster station, card key checked, and off you go.  Worked for us.  

 

I can see people turning the TV on to the muster video, then leaving the room and checking in.  I guess that is cheating.  

 

It is ashame that some always ruin a good thing for everyone else.

Even with folks watching the video, the problem remains that not performing an actual drill leaves many folks still clueless about the process and challenges of doing it in an actual emergency situation. 
 

[shepherd really]

3 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Even with folks watching the video, the problem remains that not performing an actual drill leaves many folks still clueless about the process and challenges of doing it in an actual emergency situation. 
 

If you have any actual proof that muster drills in any way improve passenger safety, now would be the perfect time to provide it.

[Flatbush Flyer]

29 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

If you have any actual proof that muster drills in any way improve passenger safety, now would be the perfect time to provide it.

Actually, at the meeting of IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee in late 2012, the SOLAS related discussions regarding the value of Muster drills did include the results of  research conducted at several IAMU colleges which demonstrated their value while also highlighting the data regarding the impact of  poor muster practices (and other concerns) on the safety records of commercial ships (including cruise ships). Sadly, lobbying efforts by CLIA influenced the decision resulting in an allowance for “digital” alternatives.

 

In a quick scan for current research, at least at IAMU institutions, you’ll find some interesting results that have supported the decision of an increasing number of cruise lines to return to “in person” drills.

 

Clearly, that cruise lines are also concerned about passengers not watching the videos speaks to the industry wide agreement as to the importance of adequate muster drilling.

 

If you really want/need to see an annotated bibliography or more specifics on the available research, I could certainly assist you. However, I doubt that you’d want to pay the consultation fee. Other than that, you can start with Google and get pointed in the right directions.

 

BTW, discussions at IMO regarding Safety & Security can be very interesting. I know because I participated in post-911 MARSEC discussions that influenced the early development of more robust security training and exercise criteria for ship and port security officers. 

[loriva]

Surprised no one has posted this:   https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-ship-muster-drill-changes-reasons/

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

@Flatbush Flyer thanks for the informed response to an unserious question.  IMHO it's not just about watching the videos – I believe that the best muster drills should involve walking from your cabin to the muster station, to develop 'muscle memory' on where to go.

[lj77346]

Currently on the Riviera (Feb. 20 sailing). Although there was an in person muster drill on the previous two cruises, there was not an in person drill today. We just went to the muster station when boarding the ship and didn’t have to go there when the captain was reading the instructions around 4:45.