have you ever....

[Carlz]

shhhhh! Have you ever tried to skip the muster drill? (is that what its called? where you grab you lifejacket and walk up the stairs, the stairs, the stairs to get a drill on safety?)

 

As I'm booked in the cheap bowels of the ship I'm worried my recently cut n diced knee wont cope with the stairs.... on the Sun we had to climb many flights of stairs...is the Star the same??

 

Could I hide in my cabin...or should I get a note from my mum, I mean my doctor?

[Croozin']

My understanding is that there is NO way you can skip it as staff check rooms! In our muster drill on the Sun, we heard them calling a number of names and room numbers which we assumed were people who thought they could skip it :)

 

We had to make sure we didn't fall asleep during the drill - not because it was boring, it did contain need-to-know information, but because at that stage we were working on over 30 hours straight of being awake!! My poor husband was even worse than me, kept nodding off and I had to keep kicking him!

[strawberrypatch81]

I really liked the muster drill because the cruise staff kept everyone laughing and it didn't feel quite as boring.

 

But yes, every passenger has to do the muster drill.

[jannandjohn]

shhhhh! Have you ever tried to skip the muster drill? (is that what its called? where you grab you lifejacket and walk up the stairs, the stairs, the stairs to get a drill on safety?)

 

As I'm booked in the cheap bowels of the ship I'm worried my recently cut n diced knee wont cope with the stairs.... on the Sun we had to climb many flights of stairs...is the Star the same??

 

Could I hide in my cabin...or should I get a note from my mum, I mean my doctor?

On our last cruise, our butler ,whom we shared with our friends, crossed our cabin no's off the list and then served us all a champers while it was on !!!...I won't say who he is though, he might get the sack!!

(although our Concierge also visited us all at that same time)

[Carlz]

ok...looks like I'll have to bribe ;) someone to find out what time it will be...head up 15minutes early via the lift and get DH to bring my lifejacket??? that might work!!!

 

I agree I enjoyed the experience last time and think it contained invaluable safety information that no one should miss.

 

It's just my dinged knee...stairs are it's natural enemy at the moment:(

[Carlz]

On our last cruise, our butler ,whom we shared with our friends, crossed our cabin no's off the list and then served us all a champers while it was on !!!...I won't say who he is though, he might get the sack!!

(although our Concierge also visited us all at that same time)

 

wow what a nice butler! champers! lucky you!

 

 

 

unfortunately I don't think you get a butler in the bowels of the boat!:)

[aussiedisneyfan]

If you seriously think you will have problems with the stairs let them know and they might be able to organise the lifts or let you miss it. After all it is broadcast the next day on tv for people who missed it.

[Carlz]

Hey ADF- thanks- I'm hoping I will be all okey-dokey as it's still quite a few weeks away...I'm pretty sure they will be kind if I really can't do it...I mean what's the worst that can happen- by the time I hobble up the speech will probably be over! lol

 

Foundlove I promise your secrets safe with me! hehe

[gooch47]

We haven't attended one in many, many cruises. They were all on Princess. We take our life jackets and hide out on the balcony. Not recommended for first time cruisers, though.

 

On RCCL, though, they do take attendance. We'll be taking one of them next March and will have to go.

 

We probably should go to the one in November on the Sun.

[chaz cruiser]

sssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ;) Don't tell but we haven't been for the last few cruises either. We always go when on a new ship, so will go in January on the Dawn. And we always encourage new cruisers to go. They are very important. A hint if you are worried about the stairs is to go to the muster area early before they turn the lifts off. Plus then you are guaranteed of getting a seat. My Nan hasn't been for years and "hides" in the cabin.

 

Last cruise we unpacked while the drill was on and noone even knocked on the door let alone checked on us and there was 5 of us in the cabin and to be honest we weren't particularly quiet.:rolleyes:

 

Again I suggest that any newbies (sorry are we allowed to use that term?, maybe I should say virgin cruisers) must attend the drill. And remember carry your life jacket, do not put it on and make sure your straps aren't dragging behind you...

 

Cheers,

Charmain:)

 

Stands back waiting to get flamed!! Now where did I put that fire proof suit.. Darn I think it is getting dry cleaned with the safari suit...

[bee_squared]

My wife has had spinal surgery (still recovering/restricted) and will not cope well with the stairs. When is the drill... just before departure or just after? At least she can use the lift to get to the area she needs to be early.

[gooch47]

For those of you who can't handle the stairs for the drill, may I recommend that you notify the purser's desk? If you can't handle them for the drill you may want and need help in the unlikely event of a real emergency.

 

They will assign a crew member to assist you.

[marconi]

Its not in your interest to miss it because you are able to see your muster station in case of a real emergency.If you are unable to get there due to any incapacity you should always tell the pursers on boarding and they will organize for a crew member to escort you to your muster station as they did for my mum.Remember the ship that sank a few months back in greece and you will agree that it is wise to participate as it is your life you are playing with.Sorry to sound like a moron but i think that it isn't responsible to miss it.

[gooch47]

I agree mostly, but most of the ships we sail on are sister ships to something we have sailed on before and we are already very familiar with where our muster station is. I always check the back of the door to see which lounge or whatever we are assigned to.

[above sea level cruiser]

I agree mostly, but most of the ships we sail on are sister ships to something we have sailed on before and we are already very familiar with where our muster station is. I always check the back of the door to see which lounge or whatever we are assigned to.

 

 

And if your part of the ship is underwater? - How dare you suggest passengers skip the muster drill!!!!!!

[kaseyoz]

no havent missed any.

 

wish i had missed the carnival fantasy one though.

 

after going to the muster station you are all also trooped up to where you will get on the lifeboat and then have to stand for what seemed like ages in tight lines with your life jackets on!!!Just after it finished everyone dashes off for sailaway.

 

Makes our drill seem almost like a fun "show"

[aussiedisneyfan]

They do that on Celebrity as well. We all had to stand outside in lines and it did feel like ages.

[sailawaysally]

If you let the stewards know that you need to use the lifts they will take you up early because I was surprised to see a lady in a wheelchair with oxygen etc at the drill but they had taken her up in the lifts earlier. I am sure they make an announcement to that effect. While talking about wheelchairs I was amazed at how many people with either wheelchairs or walking frames etc were on the cruise. I admire them for not letting anything put them off cruising. I spoke to one lady who said she doesn't get this kind of service anywhere else but on the cruiseship so she cruises every year with no worries. Hope I can afford to do that when I'm that old or incapacitated.

[frog cruiser]

SSSSSHHHHhhhhhhh!! i am one of the naughty ones....

 

I have found that they don't check the crew cabins so i have hidden there for my last 2 cruises....

 

Chris was working though on those...this next cruise, I will have to attend muster...No Chris....nowhere to hide!!!

 

kaz

 

Mum alsp hides in our cabin sssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh! and the last couple of cruises I joined her.But after 50 between us we know how to put on a life jacket

[AuzzieCruiser]

It's interesting to see how different cruise lines do their muster drills.

On Celebrity, we gathered at our Muster Stations, and were then taken out to the lifeboats. On Royal Caribbean we gathered in the Muster Stations and were then taken out to the lifeboats, where you had your cabin numbers marked off and checked. On Princess it was just done at your Muster Stations, without going outside. I kept on giggling through the recorded safety announcement on Princess, as the announcer sounded very prim and proper, especially when he was talking about the 'survival craft'.:rolleyes:

My mum has problems with stairs. On our first cruise, the crew noticed she was struggling down the stirs to the Muster station, so they told her she could use the lift. Now she leaves about 5 minutes before the drill is due to begin. They start dead on time too. Never have been one minute late!!:eek:

So what is the go with P&O's drills?

[aussiedisneyfan]

Oh, and the Celebrity ones you have to wear your lifejacket to the muster and leave it on the whole time.

 

Jarrod, don't do that on the Aussie ones or you will get the crap teased out of you.

[Carlz]

Memories of muster on the pacific Sun: in typical Aussie fashion everyone trudged up the staircases with a little adventurous excitement and a lot of whinging and we all sat around listening to someone give an explanation of the stations and how to put on the lifejacket while one of the cruise entertainers made funny faces and generally kept us entertained. Then we all went back to our cabins to put the lifejackets away... and that was it (two years ago)....

[SeaDog-46]

Good for you Marconi for telling it straight.

Not going to the muster is breach of the Australian federal "Navigation Act" 1912 as ammended & all acts that the different flags operate under. This puts the person in the same position as those disruptive passengers that get put ashore at the next port for breaking the rules.

If the emercency bells go you need to know what to do in the shortest time possible. NOT KNOWING PUTS YOUR LIFE AT RISK.

Read the UK findings on the Star Princess fire - it started on a balcony - caused by a smoker. Luckely only one person died before the crew got the fire under control.

I hate to think what will happen if one of these large cruise SHIPS has a serious emergency & they have to abandon ship into the lifeBOATS. It will not be like Titanic - women & children first - those days are long gone.

So if you decide to give the emergency muster a miss - you only have yourself to blame if you don't survive.

[Fires]

Is the muster drill something you should miss?:eek:

 

After many years working in and with emergency services I still wonder at why people would ignore information that might potentially save their life or someone elses.

 

Safety procedures change so even if you think you know, you might be wrong.

 

If you don't take a little time to familiarize yourself with your safety equipement and the procedures on a cruise ship, are you really helping your chances?

 

Terry

[qld cruiser]

Is the muster drill something you should miss?:eek:

 

After many years working in and with emergency services I still wonder at why people would ignore information that might potentially save their life or someone elses.

 

Safety procedures change so even if you think you know, you might be wrong.

 

If you don't take a little time to familiarize yourself with your safety equipement and the procedures on a cruise ship, are you really helping your chances?

 

Terry

 

Hi Terry, I agree with you on that.

No matter how many cruises people do, even on the same ship, most times you will be at a different muster station for different lifeboats.

In an emergency, (you may know how to put on a life jacket), but would you know where to go.???

I still attend every one. you never know what could happen someday.

 

so, all the bad girls and boys on CC, you now must all go to the naughty corner.

kind regards, Lorraine:) :)