security drill

[beachfanatic]

please ewxplain the security drill   what does your first day look like?

[publicpersona]

I just skimmed this but looks to be fairly accurate. You won't have any trouble figuring it out. For one thing, the instructions will be playing your cabin's TV when you get there. At a designated time (see your daily schedule), you watch a video on your TV and then proceed (without life jackets) to your muster station. They may ask you to dial a number on the phone to confirm that you watched the video. Your muster station will be on your room key card as well as the back of the stateroom door. When you get to the muster station, they will scan your card and mark you complete.

 

This process is evolving over time, especially as a result of COVID. Other lines are even simpler as they don't require everyone do it at the same time, but MSC does. Back in the olden days, the muster drill involved putting on your life jacket and going to stand outside in the sun for half an hour. Thank your lucky stars we don't have to do that any more.

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

3 hours ago, beachfanatic said:

please ewxplain the security drill   what does your first day look like?

On Seascape for April 20, 2024 sailing new procedure in place for muster drill. Ship cleared to board at 11 am. Butler escort to cabin stopped at our muster station to scan cards before going to cabin. Saw the no one was present yet to scan card so we proceeded to cabin to drop off carry on luggage. At 11:30 am pink ball cap scanner was at muster station to scan cards. We took the elevator down to muster station and scanned our cards and took elevators back to cabin. Then watched video to know number to call to confirm we watched video. Hang up. Done. Easiest muster drill in the cruise market today. MSC even allows for a muster check in the following day at 9:30 am in Chora theatre for those that miss embarkation day drill.

[publicpersona]

5 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Easiest muster drill in the cruise market today

 

So MSC no longer requires that everyone do it at the same time? I could have sworn someone was posting about that in the last few days.

 

That certainly makes it easi*er*, but I would differ about easi*est* until they allow you to watch the video in the app (even while you are in the terminal) and then not have to confirm with anyone.

[DaKahuna]

35 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

So MSC no longer requires that everyone do it at the same time? I could have sworn someone was posting about that in the last few days.

 

 I think it varies by ship.  I've read that what @morpheusofthesea posted is valid for Seascape but may not be on Seashore. 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

2 hours ago, publicpersona said:

So MSC no longer requires that everyone do it at the same time? I could have sworn someone was posting about that in the last few days.

 

2 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I think it varies by ship.  I've read that what @morpheusofthesea posted is valid for Seascape but may not be on Seashore. 

 

I can only speak to what I experienced and when. It was something I was unaware of until our personal butler brought it up while escorting us to our cabin from the terminal. Just another butler service that one will not find on other cruise lines.

Edited June 2 by morpheusofthesea

[GeoHack]

2 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I think it varies by ship.  I've read that what @morpheusofthesea posted is valid for Seascape but may not be on Seashore. 

 

I was on the Seashore 4/21-4/28 in the yacht club and they we're making everyone go at the same time which is just silly. May have changed since then though. Honestly they can easily just have 1-2 people with the scanners at each station and let you scan as you board vs having 4 people at each station for the 2 hours when they make everyone come down. Doesn't cost them anything more in worker hours and makes it more enjoyable for the cruiser.

[jean87510]

Today my daughter and I walked from 19 to 7, scanned cards, walked back up to 19 on the Seashore.  No option for elevator as realistically these will probably not be available in an emergency.  This was what we were told.

 

We went down with non yc.  No butler holding a paddle unfortunately.

Edited June 3 by jean87510

[Illbcruzn4life]

6 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I think it varies by ship.  I've read that what @morpheusofthesea posted is valid for Seascape but may not be on Seashore. 

 

On Seashore in April we watched the video in our cabin, dialed 881 on the phone and at 3:30pm we went to our muster station to get our cards scanned.

[Illbcruzn4life]

4 hours ago, GeoHack said:

I was on the Seashore 4/21-4/28 in the yacht club and they we're making everyone go at the same time which is just silly. May have changed since then though. Honestly they can easily just have 1-2 people with the scanners at each station and let you scan as you board vs having 4 people at each station for the 2 hours when they make everyone come down. Doesn't cost them anything more in worker hours and makes it more enjoyable for the cruiser.

that would make too much sense.

[Illbcruzn4life]

7 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

On Seascape for April 20, 2024 sailing new procedure in place for muster drill. Ship cleared to board at 11 am. Butler escort to cabin stopped at our muster station to scan cards before going to cabin. Saw the no one was present yet to scan card so we proceeded to cabin to drop off carry on luggage. At 11:30 am pink ball cap scanner was at muster station to scan cards. We took the elevator down to muster station and scanned our cards and took elevators back to cabin. Then watched video to know number to call to confirm we watched video. Hang up. Done. Easiest muster drill in the cruise market today. MSC even allows for a muster check in the following day at 9:30 am in Chora theatre for those that miss embarkation day drill.

I'd argue that one.

[BirdTravels]

57 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

I'd argue that one.

We were just on the Seascape and it was pretty easy. At some point, check-in at your muster station for a scan. In your room, watch the safety video and dial the phone to confirm you did it. 

 

We have sailed on Royal and NCL this year and it is pretty much the same (except for dialing your phone). 

[morpheusofthesea]

6 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

I'd argue that one.

Your example did not use the elevators?

Edited June 3 by morpheusofthesea

[JamieLogical]

It sounds like they are loosening up the muster drill on some ships, so it might be helpful to know which ship the OP is on. My most recent MSC sailing was the Divina out of Miami in February. Muster for that sailing was the same as all my previous MSC sailings.

 

At a designated time, they will make an announcement asking everyone to return to their staterooms to watch the safety video on their TV. Once the video is done playing, they will display a phone number for you to call from your stateroom phone. Then, at some point after all of that, they will start calling people down to their muster stations deck-by-deck. During this whole procedure, there will be limited elevator operations for people with mobility issues only. Everyone else is expected to use the stairs. All bars and venues are closed for the duration of the drill and do not re-open until at least 75% of passengers have checked in at their muster stations.

[ray98]

I can tell you on the Seashore this week they still did the 'ol stampede.  Everyone watched the video at the same time and they called all the passengers in two groups, 5 or 6 decks in each.  Total chaos.  Everything was shut down for an hour before they got it sorted out.  MSC can't get out of their own way sometimes.

[publicpersona]

On Magnifica today and it’s the everybody at once stampede. 
 

While not as easy as, say, Celebrity, I am grateful I don’t have to stand in the sun with a life jacket on any more. 

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

It sounds like they are loosening up the muster drill on some ships, so it might be helpful to know which ship the OP is on.

 

 We'll be on Seascape in September and will let you know if the drill is as @morpheusofthesea experienced or the same as we experienced on Divina in February.  I am hoping it is the former. 

 

 I did not experience any issue grabbing an elevator and going back up to deck 15 instead of fighting the crowds on the stairs.  I don't know if it was because of the magic YC room car that summoned the elevator or not but I am was not complaining. 

 

 

Edited June 3 by DaKahuna

[DaKahuna]

3 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

All bars and venues are closed for the duration of the drill and do not re-open until at least 75% of passengers have checked in at their muster stations.

 

 I cannot remember if the bar in the Top Sail Lounge actually closed for the drill or not.  I'll have to check that out on Seascape as well. 

 

[robc1972]

Last week on Seascape, you watch a video in your cabin, dial a number on the phone and then go to your muster station and get your card scanned.
No stampede or anything else that made the process difficult.

Bars were open during the entire process, after one announcement close to departure time to go and watch the video, cards not yet scanned could not get a drink until they did.

Edited June 3 by robc1972

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, robc1972 said:

cards not yet scanned could not get a drink until they did.

Now this is interesting !

[publicpersona]

Clearly this varies ship to ship. On Magnifica today and so far they have made it an hour-long ordeal with announcements every five minutes.

 

I’ve got to say watching the video in an app and stopping by the muster station during the first few hours onboard to be scanned is a lot smoother for everyone. MSC should consider this simplification. 
 

P.S. We have now had the every five minute announcement for an hour and a half.

Edited June 3 by publicpersona

[SunshineCoast]

On 6/2/2024 at 4:53 PM, beachfanatic said:

please ewxplain the security drill   what does your first day look like?

Just off Virtuosa.  Security drill was a joke.  Nice easy system.  Everyone told to go to their cabin at 4 o clock and watch safety drill on their TV.  Then after next tannoy instruction - report in person to your appropriate 'area' - indicated on  cruise cards.  This was easy and efficient.  However, a few hours later messages still going out for people to 'report in'.  The following morning, after 8 hours at sea, yet more messages going out for anyone who had not yet 'reported in' to go to the Theatre and a crew member was posted at each set of stairs/lifts.  As this was only a 2 day cruise, many people were very drunk within a few hours of boarding - yet the ship sailed with a considerable number of people not completed the 'mandatory' safety drill.  

[ray98]

1 hour ago, publicpersona said:

Clearly this varies ship to ship. On Magnifica today and so far they have made it an hour-long ordeal with announcements every five minutes.

 

I’ve got to say watching the video in an app and stopping by the muster station during the first few hours onboard to be scanned is a lot smoother for everyone. MSC should consider this simplification. 
 

P.S. We have now had the every five minute announcement for an hour and a half.

Its a joke.  MSC should send some of their management on the competition if they can't come up with ideas on their own.

[Best Cat Mom]

4 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

I cannot remember if the bar in the Top Sail Lounge actually closed for the drill or not.

Each time we did the drill, we did it at the very beginning and usually were the only ones walking back up the staircases, while the masses were heading down. We always returned directly to TSL and they always served us as soon as we arrived. I suspect they use that old-fashioned "honor system" expecting that everyone who goes into the bar after the drill has completed the drill. It's not like they scan our cards to find out. LOL

[DaKahuna]

7 hours ago, publicpersona said:

P.S. We have now had the every five minute announcement for an hour and a half.

 

 We hated that.  

 

 With that said, we also ran into the same announcement over and over about mustering on our Celebrity cruise last month as well.