Cruise Ship Lifeboat Tour. Is P&O the same ?

[kalos]

I came across a fascinating video and thought wow ! never knew the half of it . 

We just amble by them possibly look up at how many they seat, even jump in one on 

a tender port run to and from shore .

 

My question is P&O, Cunard or any other do they all operate the same ,should the

worst happen ?

I know we have posters who have worked on the ships and would be great to  hear 

their input on ships of the IONA / ARVIA  size ships ,or any of the fleet really .

 

Will leave you with the film .......   Thanks for watching .

 

 

[molecrochip]

Broadly, most of the requirements are set out by the SOLAS and other legislation.

 

Not every lifeboat is designed to sit on the floor.

[kalos]

Thanks for that Moley ,I cannot recall seeing those for the choice of a better word ...

"Bum " marks on the floor of the tenders we have used with P&O.

I had an inkling that the SOLAS regs would cover most of the onboard stuff .

 

Just found the video amazing ,will look at them boats in a different light should I stroll under one of the life boats.. Thanks for your input .

Edited July 23, 2023 by kalos

[Presto2]

Made me think of the scene from Keeping up Appearances when Onslow and Daisy have a look at a lifeboat. If you've not.seen the episode you won't have a clue what I am on about!

[kalos]

1 minute ago, Presto2 said:

Made me think of the scene from Keeping up Appearances when Onslow and Daisy have a look at a lifeboat. If you've not.seen the episode you won't have a clue what I am on about!

 

Oh you mean that film where they plonk you on the Captains table ..To eat with the crew .🙃

[Presto2]

8 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

Oh you mean that film where they plonk you on the Captains table ..To eat with the crew .🙃

Exactly. Love it. Never fails to make me smile 

[kalos]

In the life boat film I noted very little mention of when nature calls .

Pleased to see for the fine diner's  among you , rather than the biscuit ,there is

the option of line caught fish .Regrettably serve yourself .

[jeanlyon]

I would definitely not want to be abandoning ship on one of the huge monsters.  I just cannot imagine everyone getting into a lifeboat.  Also, if it tips over like the Costa Concordia, then one side of the ship is unuseable.  Doesn't bear thinking about.

[Beckett]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Exactly. Love it. Never fails to make me smile 

Wonderful episode. Hyacinth and Onslow's jive at the very end was outstanding. J.xx

[molecrochip]

59 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I would definitely not want to be abandoning ship on one of the huge monsters.  I just cannot imagine everyone getting into a lifeboat.  Also, if it tips over like the Costa Concordia, then one side of the ship is unuseable.  Doesn't bear thinking about.

If the ship is in that much trouble, I think you wouldn’t think twice.

 

The problem is that the CC didn’t list that far to begin with. Proper rules should have meant that they lowered and sailed those lifeboats immediately. It would have slowed the list and meant that there would have been more boats available for evacuation.

 

6 days is an extreme. Expectation that for most parts of world, another ship could assist within 12 hours.

[carlanthony24]

First met Lucy on Oceana when she was working in the shops. Lovely person.
 

Lifeboats on the Oceana if I remember they were not comfy just rock hard. All had rations like described in the video. I believe the lifeboats on Celebrity beyond for instance have leather seats. The tenders also are able to be used as lifeboats. 

[Presto2]

31 minutes ago, carlanthony24 said:

First met Lucy on Oceana when she was working in the shops. Lovely person.
 

Lifeboats on the Oceana if I remember they were not comfy just rock hard. All had rations like described in the video. I believe the lifeboats on Celebrity beyond for instance have leather seats. The tenders also are able to be used as lifeboats. 

The life boats are amazing on the Edge class ships. The area you use to get on to the tenders is like no other. Probably hasn't done us a favour sailing on Edge as we can't help but compare. Just haven't got the money to do it alot !!!

[jeanlyon]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

If the ship is in that much trouble, I think you wouldn’t think twice.

 

The problem is that the CC didn’t list that far to begin with. Proper rules should have meant that they lowered and sailed those lifeboats immediately. It would have slowed the list and meant that there would have been more boats available for evacuation.

 

6 days is an extreme. Expectation that for most parts of world, another ship could assist within 12 hours.

Yes agree, but even so, evacuating that many passengers into liferafts doesn't bear thinking about.

[Presto2]

9 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Yes agree, but even so, evacuating that many passengers into liferafts doesn't bear thinking about.

I don't think that we can compare what happened with the CC to what should happen in an emergency. Unless the Captain wants to know what not to do...

[molecrochip]

I would say that P&O and Cunard’s emergency response procedures were some of the best, and that was before the CC Captain made some bad choices.

 

As you would expect, everything has been reviewed, updated, tested, practiced, rinse and repeat since then. I wouldn’t choose to be on the ships otherwise.

[kalos]

8 hours ago, molecrochip said:

As you would expect, everything has been reviewed, updated, tested, practiced, rinse and repeat since then. I wouldn’t choose to be on the ships otherwise.

 Fully agree, all ship companies learn from all ships incidents such as the C C disaster and 

the life boat tragedy on Tomson Majesty .

Most safety regs/ laws are built /adapted from such incidents .

So same as you I put my faith /trust in them ,otherwise I also would not set foot on a ship either.

[9265359]

On 7/24/2023 at 12:03 AM, molecrochip said:

I would say that P&O and Cunard’s emergency response procedures were some of the best, and that was before the CC Captain made some bad choices.

 

As you would expect, everything has been reviewed, updated, tested, practiced, rinse and repeat since then. I wouldn’t choose to be on the ships otherwise.

 

I just find it interesting that pre-CC the P&O embarkation lifeboat drill involved going to your muster station with your lifejacket, listening to someone tell you the drill, putting the jacket on, and then leaving.

 

And yet now post-CC the 'reviewed and updated' process involves walking past someone whilst your mind is focused on finding the buffet, and then turning off the annoying looped film that is playing a video when you finally get into the cabin and want to unpack.

 

Hard to see how that change of process better prepares passengers for knowing where they need to go and what they need to bring if it all goes horribly wrong.

 

[molecrochip]

The changes you mention are specifically post Covid not post Costa Concordia.

 

The most important part of the process is understanding the general emergency signal, and knowing where to go. There would be time in a proper muster to sort life jackets once there.

 

The captain’s announcement is still made.

 

It’s worth noting that pre-Covid, P&O we’re already rolling out a new muster still where taking your life jackets was not required. The video in your cabin is really a reinforcement.

[9265359]

2 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

The most important part of the process is understanding the general emergency signal, and knowing where to go. There would be time in a proper muster to sort life jackets once there.

 

Yes, but scanning your cruise card in an unfamiliar lift lobby, a lift lobby that looks like every other lift lobby, moments after you boarded whilst your mind is on other things is not likely to be a memorable location when things go wrong.

 

And as for the emergency signal - I suggest if they did a straw poll of passengers the following day, let alone a week or two later, and asked what it was then I doubt they would get a significant number who had any clue at all.

[zap99]

On 7/23/2023 at 7:12 PM, jeanlyon said:

I would definitely not want to be abandoning ship on one of the huge monsters.  I just cannot imagine everyone getting into a lifeboat.  Also, if it tips over like the Costa Concordia, then one side of the ship is unuseable.  Doesn't bear thinking about.

Will you stay on board then🤣

[Ardennais]

1 hour ago, 9265359 said:

 

I just find it interesting that pre-CC the P&O embarkation lifeboat drill involved going to your muster station with your lifejacket, listening to someone tell you the drill, putting the jacket on, and then leaving.

 

And yet now post-CC the 'reviewed and updated' process involves walking past someone whilst your mind is focused on finding the buffet, and then turning off the annoying looped film that is playing a video when you finally get into the cabin and want to unpack.

 

Hard to see how that change of process better prepares passengers for knowing where they need to go and what they need to bring if it all goes horribly wrong.

 

I agree and I’ve been saying this for some time, 

[Megabear2]

2 hours ago, Ardennais said:

I agree and I’ve been saying this for some time, 

Whilst it might be new to P&O the muster on the Oasis class of RCI has never included a life jacket drill.  Yes, you did go to your muster station and get your card scanned which was mainly a familiarisation.  There are no life jackets in any cabins on these ships as they are issued from a direct store if you are called to muster in an emergency.  

 

All the drill involves is the familiarisation and watching a video in much the same way as happens now on P&O.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, 9265359 said:

 

I just find it interesting that pre-CC the P&O embarkation lifeboat drill involved going to your muster station with your lifejacket, listening to someone tell you the drill, putting the jacket on, and then leaving.

 

And yet now post-CC the 'reviewed and updated' process involves walking past someone whilst your mind is focused on finding the buffet, and then turning off the annoying looped film that is playing a video when you finally get into the cabin and want to unpack.

 

Hard to see how that change of process better prepares passengers for knowing where they need to go and what they need to bring if it all goes horribly wrong.

 

If you remember these took place in hot overcrowded lounges with lots of people with frayed tempers wishing they were somewhere else.

Not the best scenario for absorbing crucial safety information, much better to watch and listen to the video repeating the same info several times as you unpack your luggage before a leisurely stroll around the ship to find a tempting bar to  start your holiday cruise.

[terrierjohn]

4 hours ago, 9265359 said:

 

I just find it interesting that pre-CC the P&O embarkation lifeboat drill involved going to your muster station with your lifejacket, listening to someone tell you the drill, putting the jacket on, and then leaving.

 

And yet now post-CC the 'reviewed and updated' process involves walking past someone whilst your mind is focused on finding the buffet, and then turning off the annoying looped film that is playing a video when you finally get into the cabin and want to unpack.

 

Hard to see how that change of process better prepares passengers for knowing where they need to go and what they need to bring if it all goes horribly wrong.

 

So you're asked to go to your muster station in an emergency, which may result in you abandoning ship, leaving behind all your holiday clothing and personal possessions and possibly being tossed around in a small unheated lifeboat for several hours, or even in the sea or a smaller life raft if you're unlucky, and you have no idea what you should take with you????

If that's the case then maybe you should not be taking a cruise holiday.

[kalos]

53 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

If you remember these took place in hot overcrowded lounges with lots of people with frayed tempers wishing they were somewhere else.

 

The worst one we had was on the TA Azura in Bridgetown and told to go to the Malabar

at 8pm .then altered to 10pm, due to a late plane arrival.

By the time they started the drill I would say 1/4 of the room were nodding off or were asleep.

 

I have always been of the opinion that taking the life jackets with you was a waste of time ,

a demo was just as good . After all you never get them when your sat on your Boeing 

737-800 asking everyone to put them on  do you ?

A lot of people would look at them as toys and start playing with the light or whistle anyway .

 

The best drills we have had was ,made to stand under your life boat and instructed from there as what to do in an emergency . I realise that bigger numbers ,it is better to have assembly points for these drills .

It may not sink in whichever way P&O choose to do these drills and if the worst comes to 

the worst ,some will be sat in a life craft ,in their shorts T-shirt and flip flops, feeling crap

due to not having their medication with them . 

Saying "No one told me take medication and a warm layer of clothes "

 

Oh yes they did !!!!    

Edited July 25, 2023 by kalos