Muster Drill begins and baby/child napping

[larronry]

There was a thread started on the Carnival forum about people skipping the Muster drill and it got me thinking what would I do if my son fell asleep before the Muster Drill. His normal nap time would be right through the Muster drill. I've got my plans to make sure I don't have to carry him up the stairs by making sure that one of us is already up there at or near the station with him and the other is responsible for bringing the life jackets. But what if he's sleeping? Do I wake him? Does one of us go and the other stay with him? I don't have a clue.

[cruisead]

You don't have a choice about the muster drill. You must go. I know that on some lines, if you are missing, you get a call from a ship's officer and basically scolded about not being at the drill. Bring the child asleep in the stroller. That's the easiest thing to do. The child won't need to be wearing the life jacket, like you will, so you don't have to worry about waking him up. Just put him down for his nap in the stroller and when it's time to go to the drill, go a few minutes early with the stroller and you'll be fine.

[larronry]

You don't have a choice about the muster drill. You must go. I know that on some lines, if you are missing, you get a call from a ship's officer and basically scolded about not being at the drill. Bring the child asleep in the stroller. That's the easiest thing to do. The child won't need to be wearing the life jacket, like you will, so you don't have to worry about waking him up. Just put him down for his nap in the stroller and when it's time to go to the drill, go a few minutes early with the stroller and you'll be fine.

Stroller option not an option. 9 months old he'd sleep in a stroller. Now he won't. Not even as exhausted as he was in Disney would he sleep in his stroller. If I have to wake him that will be the one time that I will not apologize for his behavior. When he had pneumonia last week I had to wake him for his breathing treatments. I am scratched all over my face for it. No one will hear what is being said but that won't be my problem and I will not parent him for that. But my plan is for him to stay awake and go from Muster station to nap, but 2 year olds just don't always follow mommy's plan.

 

On the Carnival Thread people skip it. Disney my neighbors had just boarded and they skipped it. I had never thought about not going until I saw that thread on Carnival. Last time I was on Carnival I was out on the Lido with my Life Jacket on for a 1/2 hour because someone didn't show so and they waited till they did. I was surprised to read that people skip it.

[NoelsCat]

My situation is different because my son will sleep through anything -- so I would just carry him and hold him through the drill (would suck for me as he is nearly 34 lbs) -- however, considering your description of your son's reaction, I think I would ask the steward for permission for one of you to skip the drill if your son is sleeping. On my last cruise on celebrity, our neighbor was allowed to skip because she was pregnant and it was hot. So, I would at least try that before waking him up.

[shellie100]

There was a thread started on the Carnival forum about people skipping the Muster drill and it got me thinking what would I do if my son fell asleep before the Muster Drill. His normal nap time would be right through the Muster drill. I've got my plans to make sure I don't have to carry him up the stairs by making sure that one of us is already up there at or near the station with him and the other is responsible for bringing the life jackets. But what if he's sleeping? Do I wake him? Does one of us go and the other stay with him? I don't have a clue.

 

 

I had to wake up Tommy once for muster drill and he cried for most of the drill. I felt bad for everyone, but what could I do, you know?!?!? Maybe you could wake him up a while before muster and give him some time to come out of sleep?

[larronry]

My situation is different because my son will sleep through anything -- so I would just carry him and hold him through the drill (would suck for me as he is nearly 34 lbs) -- however, considering your description of your son's reaction, I think I would ask the steward for permission for one of you to skip the drill if your son is sleeping. On my last cruise on celebrity, our neighbor was allowed to skip because she was pregnant and it was hot. So, I would at least try that before waking him up.

OK our kids were born about a month apart and they are both heavy although yours is heavier then mine so I feel sorry for you. Mine is about 30.8 lbs.

 

Glad to know it was possible on Celebrity so if it happens I can asked and worst case scenario is I'm told "no". I can then ask him whose available to babysit for 20 minutes or so and I'll pay for the full hour. LOL My husband will give me a dirty look.:mad:

[NoelsCat]

LOL, glad to know mine isn't the only one who is heavy. His best friend is three and she weighs less than he does!

 

The babysitter idea is GREAT... didn't think of that. I would be willing to pay for an hour ... so worth it. If you get a dirty look, hand your son to your dh and let him deal with it all! :)

 

I wish the stroller would work. My son will NOT sleep in a stroller.

[crusinmama06]

Like others said, no it's not a option to skip. BUT, if the child does become upset, it's likely that the crew will allow you to step out. Like on RCCL, my youngest started getting a little upset so they let one of us step inside with her. :) I saw it done on Carnival too.

 

IF it were my chilld, then I would just try to carry them sleeping on my shoulder. But it gets kind of loud, so that might not be possible.

[98Charlie]

There was a thread started on the Carnival forum about people skipping the Muster drill and it got me thinking what would I do if my son fell asleep before the Muster Drill. His normal nap time would be right through the Muster drill. I've got my plans to make sure I don't have to carry him up the stairs by making sure that one of us is already up there at or near the station with him and the other is responsible for bringing the life jackets. But what if he's sleeping? Do I wake him? Does one of us go and the other stay with him? I don't have a clue.

 

So if a real emergency happened on your ship and your son had just fallen asleep for his nap during his ``normal nap time,'' what would you do? would you leave him behind in the cabin or figure out how to get him up to the life boats to save his life?

 

A muster drill is a mandatory procedure on ships for all of us, napping children, parents and everyone else. It's there to help us practice what we should do in a real emergency.

 

I'd hate to think a parent wouldn't pick up a sleeping child and exit the cabin to the designated muster drill station in time of an emergency.

 

Don't think about the muster drill as just another mandatory thing you have to check off your check list for the cruise like finding your cabin or unpacking your clothes.

 

The muster drill is there to help you save the lives of your children as well as yourselves. If your child is sleeping at the time the muster drill announcement is sounded, then act like the sound is there to help save the lives of your family and pick your child up and head for the muster station.

 

Children are much more resiliant to these ``inconveniences'' than adults. Little ones can go back to sleep, specially when they are cuddled in the arms of a protecting parent who needs to know everything there is to know about keeping their own child safe in time of an true emergency.

 

Dianne

[LostAgain]

On our last cruise, we were standing at Muster Drill for quite awhile. We were told that this was because some people had not shown up; therefore, we all had to wait for everybody to be found and accounted for. Please don't do that to your fellow passengers. There was an elderly woman standing with me in line; she was excused so she wouldn't have to stand so long, so perhaps you and your son could be excused after having been counted.

[larronry]

So if a real emergency happened on your ship and your son had just fallen asleep for his nap during his ``normal nap time,'' what would you do? would you leave him behind in the cabin or figure out how to get him up to the life boats to save his life?

 

A muster drill is a mandatory procedure on ships for all of us, napping children, parents and everyone else. It's there to help us practice what we should do in a real emergency.

 

I'd hate to think a parent wouldn't pick up a sleeping child and exit the cabin to the designated muster drill station in time of an emergency.

 

Don't think about the muster drill as just another mandatory thing you have to check off your check list for the cruise like finding your cabin or unpacking your clothes.

 

The muster drill is there to help you save the lives of your children as well as yourselves. If your child is sleeping at the time the muster drill announcement is sounded, then act like the sound is there to help save the lives of your family and pick your child up and head for the muster station.

 

Children are much more resiliant to these ``inconveniences'' than adults. Little ones can go back to sleep, specially when they are cuddled in the arms of a protecting parent who needs to know everything there is to know about keeping their own child safe in time of an true emergency.

 

Dianne

Oh I wish it were that easy. If it were a real emergency of course I would wake my child but we're still in port and there's not emergency. But my son get woken up and then go back to sleep nope. I spent last week with his pneumonia waking him up at midnight and staying up with him till 3 am until I could finally get him back to sleep every night from Monday until our last night Saturday night. So if he falls asleep wake him up about 4 ish. He should go back to sleep around 7. Hmmm and dinner is at 8:15. Guess who doesn't get to go to dinner. That's right Mommy. And no room service not an option because the vegetarian menu isn't on the room service menu and buffet is not a dinner option on Celebrity.

 

And my son won't get picked up and stay asleep even if it was perfectly quiet and considering we are on deck 2 it's just too many decks to carry a 30+ lb baby calmly and smoothly while being pushed during a muster drill.

 

Like I said not my goal.

 

My goal is to have him and one of us at the Muster station ahead of time so that we don't have to worry about carrying him in the crowded stairwell. So he shouldn't be in the cabin to fall asleep but at some point we'll be in our cabin and he could surprise us and crash.

 

Disney our first day he kept going until about 9:30 without a nap because he was so over stimulated so maybe that will happen this time and that was without a single tantrum except when we tried to put him in the port-a-crib. No we won't be trying that.

 

BTW you wouldn't be the one saying that children are much more resiliant to these if you were at the table next to ours at dinner and my son were cranky. I'm not asking this question because it's an inconvenience to me I'm asking opinions because I'm thinking of the other passengers not just at the muster station but everyone at the late seating on that ship who will hear my son scream until I take him out of the room.

[crusinmama06]

Hmmm and dinner is at 8:15.

 

You are taking a 2 year old to late seating? Heaven help ya! :p ;)

[NoelsCat]

You are taking a 2 year old to late seating? Heaven help ya! :p ;)

 

Yes, I think I remember her saying that the other couple going with her refused anything but the late seating.

[NoelsCat]

So if a real emergency happened on your ship and your son had just fallen asleep for his nap during his ``normal nap time,'' what would you do? would you leave him behind in the cabin or figure out how to get him up to the life boats to save his life?

...I'd hate to think a parent wouldn't pick up a sleeping child and exit the cabin to the designated muster drill station in time of an emergency...

 

Of course she wouldn't leave him behind in a real emergency. How silly. That is like saying that someone who doesn't do a fire drill would stay and burn in a a real fire. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to read where the muster station is located and how to put on a life jacket...

 

 

Children are much more resiliant to these ``inconveniences'' than adults. Little ones can go back to sleep, specially when they are cuddled in the arms of a protecting parent who needs to know everything there is to know about keeping their own child safe in time of an true emergency.

 

Correction. YOUR child may have been able to go back to sleep. YOU may have been able to carry a 30 lb toddler up flights of stairs.

 

Dianne

 

Quite frankly, every kid is different and every parent has different challenges to meet. Most of us are doing the very best we can with our situations. Stating that skipping the drill is in your opinion, a bad idea is certainly acceptable. Implying that someone doesn't care about their child or that they would abandon them for their own convenience in an emergency is NOT.

[larronry]

You are taking a 2 year old to late seating? Heaven help ya! :p ;)

 

Yes, I think I remember her saying that the other couple going with her refused anything but the late seating.

My husband too because they both want to attack the Sushi which is from 5 to 10 and they need a little break between sushi and dinner. That's why I've been freaking out. He normally eats between 5 & 5:30 and goes to bed between 7 & 7:30.

 

I'm trying to shift his schedule before we go. I'm planning to start after Thanksgiving. My problem is no matter when I put him to bed he gets up at the same time.

[Kerry's Girls]

Re the muster drill - when I cruised with my husband who was very ill, we couldn't skip muster because they always bang on and then enter every cabin to make sure all are empty. He was made to get out of bed, into the wheelchair and out to muster, no matter how poor he felt.

 

These days when I take my twins, the staff is always very good about letting me stand where it's comfortable (Princess musters in the lounges anyway - but on Carnival we were allowed to check in and then stand inside).

 

Best,

Mia

[larronry]

Princess muster drills are a dream. I've never experienced anything so easy in my life. My last one on Carnival was h%^$l. Celebrity I had to stand in the Casino for at least 15 minutes before going I believe it was up 1 or 2 levels and then stand outside for another 10 minutes. Obviously I have no idea where my muster station will be this time but if they think I'll manage to get him to stand still and quiet well this will be entertaining.

 

Why is it that it seems some people get away with skipping it every cruise because they want to (the thread over on the Carnival Forum) and others who may need to can't ie your husband. You know that's just ridiculous.

[BethCarp]

So if a real emergency happened on your ship and your son had just fallen asleep for his nap during his ``normal nap time,'' what would you do? would you leave him behind in the cabin or figure out how to get him up to the life boats to save his life?

Yep, it's every man woman and baby for himself. :rolleyes:

I'm trying to shift his schedule before we go. I'm planning to start after Thanksgiving. My problem is no matter when I put him to bed he gets up at the same time.

I wouldn't even worry about the schedule. Being in a new place it's bound to be screwed up anyway. He might be so absorbed in his new surroundings that he won't be interested in sleeping at the normal time. Worry about it when the time comes.

Princess muster drills are a dream. I've never experienced anything so easy in my life. My last one on Carnival was h%^$l. Celebrity I had to stand in the Casino for at least 15 minutes before going I believe it was up 1 or 2 levels and then stand outside for another 10 minutes.

Yikes. On RCI it was really easy too. We didn't have any trouble with crowds getting to the station. It took us a few minutes to figure out the kids' jackets and once we got those on we walked right down to the station. Most everyone was there already. We checked in and heard some sort of announcement in English. After that, they let all the kids go while the announcements were read in other languages. The whole thing took less than 10 minutes from the time we left our room.

[MoniqueS]

My boys slept through one and the cabin steward just told us not to bother and nothing bad ever happened. This was on RCCL.

 

Re: the kids schedule. I typically spend the first few days getting upset because the kids won't sleep on schedule and then relax more the latter part of the trip. Now I am just going to throw the idea of a schedule right out the window so I can enjoy the whole trip without stressing about it.

 

Monique

[larronry]

My only thing with the schedule is eating. I know that those who have been on Celebrity might be a little bit more aware then those who haven't. Most ships you go on you can always get food. The buffet on most ships is always open. But on Celebrity with the exception of hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza you can not get food all day long and my son won't eat any of that. Buffet closes at 2 pm and doesn't open again. They do have a pasta bar for dinner and I'm not sure when it opens but I'll assume around 5 when the sushi bar opens. And Casual dining requires a reservation and is not buffet. So no I don't expect my son to be on schedule but he can't have lunch at 3pm either.

[trunabiscuit]

We were on Disney Wonder in May 2006 and when the cabin steward came to bring my 6-month-old an infant life jacket, he said it was fine for my husband and three-year-old daughter to go while my son and I stayed in the cabin. Good luck to you, either way!

[larronry]

The Disney Wonder was the ship my neighbors were just on, but they skipped because they had literally just boarded and hadn't even gotten to their cabins yet.

 

I'd really be happy though if he'd nap from 5 -8 and I took him straight to dinner.

[BethCarp]

We were on Disney Wonder in May 2006 and when the cabin steward came to bring my 6-month-old an infant life jacket, he said it was fine for my husband and three-year-old daughter to go while my son and I stayed in the cabin. Good luck to you, either way!

You know, you could try that. Have your DH go down and say that you and your son are "right behind me" and maybe they'll mark you down and not notice that you're not there. It's worth a shot.

[Desertbelle]

As far as I can remember, the stewards are responsible for checking every cabin and making sure that everyone is out and sometimes they leave the doors open afterward to verify that they have been checked and cleared. Their supervisors check them to make sure they have done their job.

 

It would seem that all that would wake the little fellow up.

[crusinmama06]

My husband too because they both want to attack the Sushi which is from 5 to 10 and they need a little break between sushi and dinner. That's why I've been freaking out. He normally eats between 5 & 5:30 and goes to bed between 7 & 7:30.

 

I'm trying to shift his schedule before we go. I'm planning to start after Thanksgiving. My problem is no matter when I put him to bed he gets up at the same time.

 

Holy cow! You are going to have alot of work on your hands. :( I seriously feel bad. My kids have the same schedule as your son. They eat at 5:30 and are in bed by 7-7:30. I have tried to take them to dinner late (during special occasions) and even my 7 year old dissolves into a crying mess by about 9pm. :(

 

Best of luck mama! :D