Boat Drill

[CajunLiner]

This just drives me nuts. Each of the things I left in the quote above come back to one thing--some people think the rules don't apply to them.

 

First your wife was told to put her life jacket on. She didn't. Why? Because she thought the rule did not apply to her.

 

Another woman doesn't put her life jacket on the entire time. Why? Because she thought the rule did not apply to her.

 

People, you aren't that special. When you are asked to do something by the people in charge, why do you think you are the only ones to whom the rule does not apply. I just don't get it. I don't like life boat drills at all. After six X cruises I am pretty sure I know the entire thing well enough to do the announcements myself. Couldn't I just stay in my cabin? Couldn't I go to the drill but sit there and talk with my friends. Do I have to pay attention?

 

Of course I do. Why, because it is the right thing to do.

 

Me thinks we should all take the Dr.'s advice! It seems everyone finds these drills a bit annoying, more so after you've cruised a few times as the good Dr. mentioned, but more importantly we all know how important they are. If we all participated with the attitude that following the rules is the right thing to do, the drill would be that much less annoying (and we'd encounter fewer problems on board in general!)

 

Donna

[Lois R]

Lois - Looks like you'll be on Mercury again in October of this year... Im expecting to head back there in September (though i dont have my assignment papers yet, so we'll see for sure). We should try to connect :)

 

Bill, sounds good to me:)

First time visiting Vancouver, Victoria and Naniamo!

 

Is it October yet?:D

[blong2200]

HI all!

 

Question.......we are on the Jan. 14,2008 sailing from San Juan on the Galaxy, which leaves at 10 P.M. Anyone have any idea when they have the Muster Drill when you leave that late at night?

 

Beth in Georgia

[Schplinky]

I disliked our muster drill on Constellation (and I'm actually a big fan of the practice). We were sent to the rendezvous lounge for instructions first but there were too many people and we could not see the people demonstrating. Many people around us chattered about how tedious this all is and how they've attended too many drills to learn anything new. How rude! We listen every time but we could not hear a thing due to these "veteran" cruisers.

 

Then, we were led to the actual lifeboat and were dismissed after a few announcements. I think it very rude, also, how grown adults will moan and complain as the brief announcement is made in other languages (and I speak a couple of these languages; all they're saying is that our French (or other) speaking guests should tune in to channel (whatever) for important safety announcements). What do English-speaking north americans think? That others should just fend for themselves so they can get back to their cocktails?

[Pontius Navigator]

This just drives me nuts. Each of the things I left in the quote above come back to one thing--some people think the rules don't apply to them.

 

First your wife was told to put her life jacket on. She didn't. Why? Because she thought the rule did not apply to her. .

 

Koob, on having this drawn to my attention I take exception to your tone.

 

She was NOT told to put he lifejacket on in a way that was understandable. She did put her lifejacket on, and keep it on, when told to do so by one of the staff.

 

She did NOT think the rule did not apply to her. Her confusion, as a regular cruiser, arose because this was the FIRST time that this instruction was given.

 

As I have said before, on every other cruise we were SHOWN how to don the jacket. On this cruise, given the muster station we could not see the crew, they could not see us, and no one checked that it was worn properly.

 

Someone else commented that it was not completely simple. I have worn a lifejacket for over a year in accumulated time, by wife for less than one hour. My initial comment stands, I do not believe the drill was well done.

 

I accept the reasoning for wearing the jacket to and from the cabin. I accept the logic of taking us to lifeboat stations.

[Pontius Navigator]

Schplinky, you seem to be agreeing with me that things could be better on the Connie and you were not on the same cruise!

[NorCalCruiseGuy]

 

NorCalCruiseGuy - 15 or 20 minutes on deck... imagine having to get into those lifeboats?? they hold 150 people (most do anyways). Thats tight quarters for 150 people. Ever taken a Celebrity Tender boat? Tenders have a max capacity of 150 for emergencies... for tendering, they'll put only about 100/110 in there to get a really full tender... most run less than that. Imagine that same boat carrying 40/50 more people...with lifevests. I can't imagine thats fun - and its not something i parcticularly care to expericence :)

 

 

Well, I guess all of this "incovenience" and "uncomfotable" stuff is better than going down with the ship. Now that is a REAL inconvenience.

 

I guess we go off on our crusies and don't really think about the possible dangers at sea which are real and sometimes do happen. I for one would rather be a bit "inconveniened" for a few minutes, and yes, maybe even a little "uncomfortable" if it will make the difference between ending up on a lifeboat or at the bottom of the sea.

[Schplinky]

Schplinky, you seem to be agreeing with me that things could be better on the Connie and you were not on the same cruise!

 

I am agreeing with the fact that people need to be more respectful of the drill (and of each other during it) but i am also trying to be respectful while I post.

[TravelerThom]

I have not sail on Connie, so I certainly cannot comment on Muster Drills there, but I have sailed on six different X ships [some more than once], and find it surprising that the Connie experience described is so vastly different than I have encountered. I personally thought the directions on the vests were easy to understand, but on EVERY X cruise I have been on, after we assembled at the muster station the Cruise Director [who was on the Bridge] came on the speakers and very clearly discribed in detail how to don the life vest as a number of X employes at each muster station demonstrated each step. This was repeated in appropriate languages other than English, and use of child's life vest and infant's "floating cot" were explained and demonstated. Several crew members were circling the room, helping anyone who was having problems and making sure that things looked right. Then as we exited to the promenade deck [under the life boats] crew members stationed at the doors visually made sure that the life vests were properly attached.

 

In addition to safety issues from life vests dragging and tripping others, another reason for requiring the donning of life vests is so that you have had the experience of wearing them prior to actually needing them. Surely the best time to encounter having to walk down the stairs in a life vest is not, God forbid, while the ship is sinking. Finally, least I be accused of being an apologist for X, let me say that I can find plenty of things that are far from perfect [certainly starting with Customer Service in Miami].

[hajekfam]

Everytime we have gotten to our cabin on a Celebrity ship, the TV is on with a continuous loop info about the lifeboat drill - and how to put on the life jacket. Info about the muster stations and I believe the jackets is also on the cabin door.

[Pontius Navigator]

So, logically we all board, we go to our cabin. We watch the TV, we read the door notice, we don our lifejacket, we proceed to our muster station following the instruction on the door and watched by the crew in silence. We stand silently and alone in the muster station as know what to do.

 

When instructed by the broadcast we follow our guide to the boat deck, stand silently in rows and columns before dispersing.

 

No need for broadcast instructions, demonstrations by staff, roll-calls or checking.

 

That simple?

 

No of course not.

 

It is an opportunity for the staff to display professional competence, reassure the timid, check the careless and generally display how a terrifying emergency will be handled in a calm and non-dramatic manner.

 

My initial post seems to have sparked a volume of largely defensive or condemnatory comment. Someone admitted that donning a lifejacket could be confusing. My wife was confused by the different drills from her previous experience. I also said another woman never donned her life jacket at anytime. This does not demonstrate professional competence by the staff. I asked if this was standard for Celebrity. It seems it was as most of you commented on passengers talking and passengers trailing straps.

 

On our other cruises, where we sat in the muster stations, theatre, cinema, or dining room, we could see the ships officers and they could see us. If there was talking they could quell it with a glance.

 

I agree with the base line, do as you are told but would suggest that Celebrity might have executed the drills better.

[hajekfam]

Sorry your lifeboat drill experience was bad, but we have never encountered that on Celebrity.

Celebrity does not do roll checking - but they do count the passengers. I have seen crew with hand counters counting the passengers as they go out to the lifeboat.

Also, there are personal who search the ship and make sure all passengers are out of their rooms and other public areas not being used for muster. We did a back to back (transatlantic, Caribbean) when the crew had an intensive life boat drill in between the two cruises. The cabin stewards check out each cabin and put a red card in the keycard slot to show that the cabin was checked and is empty.

Unfortunately, you had some rude people on your ship (the women who never put on her life jacket, the people who talked through the drill). We have noticed that a lot of passengers go to their cabins and grab their life jackets prior to the drill time. They then go up to the muster station and wait for the drill announcement (without wearing their life jackets). Normally a crew member reminds them that they need to wear their life jacket for the drill. And I know the crew has helped others with their jackets - on my very first cruise which was Celebrity, the crew member told me I had the strap too low and showed me what to do.

We have not had any problem with any of our Celebrity cruises hearing the staff and having them show us the proper techniques of wearing a life jacket and what to do if there was an actual emergency: There are extra life jackets available if you are unable to get your's from the cabin; If you are in your cabin, also bring your medications and a blanket; In an actual emergency, you might not actually go to that particular life boat, but be directed to a different location depending on the circumstances.

The drill is just so that you have a feeling of what to do in case of an emergency. There was an article in a magazine quite some time ago about how to survive a disaster. They brought up the point that your brain freezes for several seconds before you react. If you have had a drill and practiced what to do, you can actually work on "automatic".

[lucky white heather]

Sorry your lifeboat drill experience was bad, but we have never encountered that on Celebrity.

Celebrity does not do roll checking - but they do count the passengers. I have seen crew with hand counters counting the passengers as they go out to the lifeboat.

Also, there are personal who search the ship and make sure all passengers are out of their rooms and other public areas not being used for muster. We did a back to back (transatlantic, Caribbean) when the crew had an intensive life boat drill in between the two cruises. The cabin stewards check out each cabin and put a red card in the keycard slot to show that the cabin was checked and is empty.

Unfortunately, you had some rude people on your ship (the women who never put on her life jacket, the people who talked through the drill). We have noticed that a lot of passengers go to their cabins and grab their life jackets prior to the drill time. They then go up to the muster station and wait for the drill announcement (without wearing their life jackets). Normally a crew member reminds them that they need to wear their life jacket for the drill. And I know the crew has helped others with their jackets - on my very first cruise which was Celebrity, the crew member told me I had the strap too low and showed me what to do.

We have not had any problem with any of our Celebrity cruises hearing the staff and having them show us the proper techniques of wearing a life jacket and what to do if there was an actual emergency: There are extra life jackets available if you are unable to get your's from the cabin; If you are in your cabin, also bring your medications and a blanket; In an actual emergency, you might not actually go to that particular life boat, but be directed to a different location depending on the circumstances.

The drill is just so that you have a feeling of what to do in case of an emergency. There was an article in a magazine quite some time ago about how to survive a disaster. They brought up the point that your brain freezes for several seconds before you react. If you have had a drill and practiced what to do, you can actually work on "automatic".

 

This is just exactly what we said about the Celebrity boat drill in the second response on this thread... we found that of the many cruiselines we have sailed Celebrity was one we fairly confident about..in other words we thought we might know what to do in the event of disaster striking .....we also have seen them put the red cards in the door slots to show cabins have been vacated and checked out (during a B2B we did too) ...and of course we always take the drill seriously...this is not a fun experience nor should it be...they have drills going on even when pax are not involved...simply crew practising how to tackle an emergency ..all for our benefit . I don't want to sound flippant..but what on earth is there any argument about...we all need to know the correct instructions and comply! No messing!

[Amlee]

Only once have I been in a drill that had a place for me to sit. The rest I have been lined up like cattle in the hot sun while I was told this is where I need to be is something was to happen.

 

That being said. I'm sorry, but if in the event that something was to happen. I will not walk past a life boat in order to walk to my room get a vest and return back to a life boat. I will get in line at the first life boat I come across!

 

 

 

hahaha - the other thing to remember about those wistles (kinda goes along with the germ thing....) you're not the first person to wear that life jacket! think of all the folks who have worn that life jacket before you... and blown the whistle too!

 

YUK! :eek:

 

GROSS! I cringe ever time I hear or see someone blowing on one of those thing.

[Pontius Navigator]

The most significant difference between other ships I have been on and Celebrity is that only on Celebrity were we taken to the lifeboat stations.

 

Now a different question.

 

How many people noticed the immersion suits? Have you ever seen an immersion suite demonstrated? What is Celebrity's policy on immersion suits?

[Karynanne]

The most significant difference between other ships I have been on and Celebrity is that only on Celebrity were we taken to the lifeboat stations.

 

Now a different question.

 

How many people noticed the immersion suits? Have you ever seen an immersion suite demonstrated? What is Celebrity's policy on immersion suits?

 

I have cruised Celebrity numerous times, and have never heard of "immersion suits". Why do you ask?

[Pontius Navigator]

I have cruised Celebrity numerous times, and have never heard of "immersion suits". Why do you ask?

 

I ask as in 'why do you climb the mountain' because it is there. There are immersion suits on Constellation. Clearly you do not know what they are. Can I have yours?

 

In the event that there was a disaster in Arctic Waters your time of survival in the sea, in ordinary clothing, is measured in minutes. With an immersion suit you might survive for 30 minutes of so. Once in the lifeboat, even having been immersed in the sea your chances of survival will extend considerably.

 

An immersion suit should be used with water temperatures below 10 celsius degrees 40 farhenhite. If you could guarantee dry boarding then you might not need an immersion suit.

[Amlee]

Disney: We were taken out on the deck where our life boats are located. They line you up 4 or 5 deep in a line. Your life jacket has your cabin number on it. A CM with a clip board walks around marking off cabin numbers on his or paper. He or she then reports when all the cabins for that area has arrived. Then a quick show and tell on how to fasten the life jacket is worked and told this is where to report in the event something happens. I also know that Animator's is considered a muster station.

 

Carnival Fantasy: We also went out and stood on deck beside the life boat and waited until the all clear.

 

RCI's Sovereign of the Seas: Like Disney and Carnival both times I was out on deck near a life boat.

 

RCI's Mariner of the Seas: This was the only time I was put in a lounge area with no windows. I might have felt better if we were on a deck with publice access to the outside, but that wasn't the case. But not once were we told how to get out of that lounge to a life boat. It was a quick this is how you fastened your jacket, this is where you have to be to get to your life boat. I was NOT crazy about the set up at all.

[Pontius Navigator]

RCI's Mariner of the Seas: This was the only time I was put in a lounge area with no windows. I might have felt better if we were on a deck with publice access to the outside, but that wasn't the case. But not once were we told how to get out of that lounge to a life boat. It was a quick this is how you fastened your jacket, this is where you have to be to get to your life boat. I was NOT crazy about the set up at all.

 

This was our experience on P&O and Cunard as the favourite muster stations were the cinema and theatre. They said we would be warm and secure and then could be led out to whatever life boat station was best.

 

That sort of makes it 50-50.

 

I know on my father's ships they went further and swung the lifeboats out too; they didn't go as far as boarding the passengers. I also recall one drill where all the lifeboat on one side were lowered, disconnected from the falls, circled around and then picked up again.

[CatServants]

Hi,

 

I've seen... ...a glass M-class elevator stalled by life vest belts caught in the door! Needless to say, the other passengers in that elevator gave that man a real what-for! CM

 

 

 

 

:eek::D:eek: I thought the worst had already happened to me when people can't wait to get back to the cabin to remove their vests. I've been hit (gotta LOVE Disney) multiple times (by children and adults - mostly with flying vests & elbows), and tripped by dragging straps. But stuck in the elevator because of straps? Not an auspicious beginning!:rolleyes: Thankfully I always take the stairs after the drill. You know, the stairs? Also known as the "shove zone".;) Oh well, a small price to pay for safety and responsibility. And a good excuse for imbibing in something...ahem...bracing.;)

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[raudacruise]

I am probably going to get flamed for this but what the heck.

 

1. Does anyone even remember where their muster station is after the first day? Do you even remember its printed on your life jacket and on your door?

 

2. Ships have lifeboats and life jackets. Stayed on the 25th floor of a hotel a few weeks ago and no instruction on how to use the parachutes. OK they didn't have parachutes and it was in Vegas where you can't open the windows anyway.

 

Having said all that, ship emergencies do occur. A friend was on his honeymoon when Empress of the North (kind of a riverboat ship) ran aground in Alaska last May. Everyone got of OK. But as I mentioned above, they really didn't have a good idea of what to do except follow the crew members. In fact, most them were picked up by private boats that heard the SOS vs. going into lifeboats.

 

Finally:

 

3. Why does each cruise line interpret this "Law of the Sea" a different way? On Princess, you go to a lounge (your muster station) and watch crew members put on their jackets and then jostle with folks. On Royal Carib you can actually opt out sometimes to a certain extent. Take the elevator and sit in the casino if you (or one with you) is disabled. On Celebrity, they seem to have the most extensive one.

 

Some thoughts on this. Don't believe I don't believe in safety. But we've had more experiences with folks throwing cigarettes over the side (which can get sucked into cabins below) than any other safety issues.

[bunting]

All the while there was music playing as well.quote]

Hi Pontius, no excuse but its possible the music was being played to assist the crew in identifying any upper deck loudspeakers that were not working...during crew drills on Royal the electricians use to do the same trick and then crew stationed at muster stations would report if they heard nothing playing during the drill. Of course, if this is the reason, IMHO not the best time to check it during pax drill since it would distract from the evolution. It would have been best doing it before the drill. Just my thoughts on that one which of course might have another reason.

 

Royal use to have the jackets put on in the cabin to assist in the traffic flow to the stations, crew were trained to look for the number displayed on the jacket and guide people in the right direction, possibly this is the same with Celebrity?

[Pontius Navigator]

You know, the stairs? Also known as the "shove zone".;)

 

That's my girl, that part of ship used by everyone on day one and rarely thereafter. :)

 

Bunting its possible the music was being played to assist the crew in identifying any upper deck loudspeakers that were not working

 

Indeed quite possible but listening to the ships broadcast wold have achieved the same ends?

[Pontius Navigator]

1. Does anyone even remember where their muster station is after the first day? Do you even remember its printed on your life jacket and on your door?

 

I remember the first, I recall the second, I know th eroute was left out of my cabin and down the first stairs to the left. Thereafter I cannot recall whether it was deck 4 or 5.

 

2. Ships have lifeboats and life jackets. Stayed on the 25th floor of a hotel a few weeks ago and no instruction on how to use the parachutes. OK they didn't have parachutes and it was in Vegas where you can't open the windows anyway.

 

At the Hilton in Izmir we were only 4 floors above the helicopter platform.

 

they really didn't have a good idea of what to do except follow the crew members.

 

Our plan was over the balcony and onto the roof of the tender below :)

 

3. Why does each cruise line interpret this "Law of the Sea" a different way?

 

Again my initial question and in contrast to every airline I have flown on which are near identical.

[CatServants]

That's my girl, that part of ship used by everyone on day one and rarely thereafter. :)

 

 

That's the place!;)