skipping the muster drill

[Tanker4]

I'm under the impression that the muster drill is a legal requirement, not sure about US law, but I supose it might be possible to "go legal" on someone who outright refuses and is being difficult/insane. Folks seem to do the same kind of stuff at the TSA check points in the airports where US federal law does apply, then they wonder why they are being "harrased".

 

In any case I like others find the muster drill to be a positive part of the cruise experiance, what am I doing that's so important that I can't attend and support my fellow crusiers in a drill?

 

As an aside, drowning is the least of my concerns in modern day cruising, for me its fire, and knowing your exits in a fire will save your life.

 

Very well put. I vividly remember from my sea days in the Navy that a fire at sea is the most feared situation that a mariner can face.

[freedomrider]

Nope, they didn't last week on my CCL cruise. It was a free for all. The crew member at our station didn't have a clip board to write down numbers. They didn't organize people by height, which is usually what I see happening on RCCL ships, so the kids and shorties didn't get up front and were smothered by the taller people.

 

I couldn't imagine skipping one though.

 

I've been on only 2 cruises. One with RCCL and one with Carnival. Yes, it would have been easier to skip the Carnival drill due to lack of "roll call", if you will. However, in my limited experience, that was the only difference in the 2 drills. No lining up by height, sex, age, etc. They both amounted to knowing where your muster station is and that was about it. No life jacket demonstration (not that I needed it, but some might appreciate it). Except for the clipboard there was no difference.

[BecciBoo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiM5JLr0ptM&feature=channel

 

If only it could be done this quickly:o;)

[Aubiecruiser]

We rarely go to the muster drill, my FIL talks to the cabin boy before hand and slips him a "few". They usually don't bother us.

But on one last cruise we were having a party in my FIL suite when they tried to make us with that muster drill thing. We told the person we didn't have to go but they insisted. Well things got kind of ugly, we demanded to see the Captain but they said he was "Too Busy". Needless to say, we did attend but we refused to wear those life preservers. Now thay I have been to it, I won't need to go anymore on my next cruise.

 

 

Note to self:

Never cruise with this guy. Talk about being selfish..........:rolleyes:

Aubie

[lady_cruiser]

Does anyone else enjoy the muster drill?

 

It's one of the things on embarkation day that make you go "wow...we are really cruising!"

 

I have yet to cruise with RCI so not too sure how long the muster drill goes for, but on the cruises I have done, muster drill only runs for 15 minutes or so.

 

We enjoy it because conversations are always started with the people around us. Then during the week if we run into each other we have that ice breaker that gets us started talking about what we have been doing since the drill!

[numberguy]

FWIW, NCL checks you off a list that each station attendant has. Not just the cabin, but the names in the cabin. No lining up by height, though.

 

--Michael

[ksuds]

I can honesty say we do not attend. Not because I am too good to go. I will attend every muster drill as soon as they do not require me to wear the life preserver during the drill. I have an issue with the cleanliness. I see sweaty people dripping their sweaty germs all over them, they smell, then they expect me to put that on. I don't think so. On a airplane I watch a video on how to buckle my chair.....I can easily watch a video on how to put the life jacket on.

I have been on over 80 cruises and have never seen a ship get delayed due to the muster drill.

Yes, US Coast Guard requires.....however when I went on my Hawaiian cruise, our ship did not do the muster drill until day 2 at sea...........good thing we didn't sink overnight...........

[RevSmith]

We rarely go to the muster drill, my FIL talks to the cabin boy before hand and slips him a "few". They usually don't bother us.

But on one last cruise we were having a party in my FIL suite when they tried to make us with that muster drill thing. We told the person we didn't have to go but they insisted. Well things got kind of ugly, we demanded to see the Captain but they said he was "Too Busy". Needless to say, we did attend but we refused to wear those life preservers. Now thay I have been to it, I won't need to go anymore on my next cruise.

Tell your FIL, who seems to be filled with knowledge, and I might add this post proves "the apple not falling far from the tree adage" (and seems to be spreading to in -laws), that if there ever is an emergency and one of your family members gets hurt or God forbid worse, you have no recourse, you can NOT sue or collect any damages, because you did not comply with the rules. If I were you I would go to the drill, it is not always a good idea to follow blindly...sometimes the leaders are going in the wrong direction.

[bluecookies]

I don't think I've ever been lined up by height. One time they put the women and children in the front and the men in the back. The other two times there was no order.

[FreeHippie]

 

I can honesty say we do not attend. Not because I am too good to go. I will attend every muster drill as soon as they do not require me to wear the life preserver during the drill. I have an issue with the cleanliness. I see sweaty people dripping their sweaty germs all over them, they smell, then they expect me to put that on. I don't think so. On a airplane I watch a video on how to buckle my chair.....I can easily watch a video on how to put the life jacket on.

 

I have been on over 80 cruises and have never seen a ship get delayed due to the muster drill.

 

Yes, US Coast Guard requires.....however when I went on my Hawaiian cruise, our ship did not do the muster drill until day 2 at sea...........good thing we didn't sink overnight...........

I've seen the cabin ppl clean them the last 2 times was on the Conquest but as a Retired INS Claims Adjuster if i was u clean it yourself do to if anything happens the company u sailed on will not honor the claim u put i'm not a guy who likes the rules but rules r rules

[FreeHippie]

Ok i know someone out can tell me what is the weather is like in Jammica in mid March to mid April we are trying to plan our next Cruise Thxs

[hotrod1954]

This poster posted the IDENTICAL post 15 months ago on another muster drill thread.

 

Ignore him. He is either on Cruise Critic to stir the pot (all of his posts are like this) or he is irremedial.

I'm sure he would be disembarked if he really tried this

[mation101]

I have cruised w/ RCCL since 1980, and remember even back then they would call cabin#'s and ask that one person in that cabin yell out the # of people in that cabin.

 

If you dont yell back they will mark you absent. Im sure there are people that do not hear their # because of all the chit chat.

 

Now please dont write back saying this isnt accurate or Im wrong, because on pretty much all of my cruises they have done this or something similar. There have been a few espeicially when its held in a lounge where they do not do this.

 

You will also notice that the staff with the clipboard is watching people walk to their area and are checking off the #s by what is on the lifevests.

 

My husband who gets up at 4-5am every morning has seen the absentees doing the muster drill the next AM very early with vests on, so for those of you that think you are above the drill I hope you enjoy your early wake-up call the next day.

[crusinmama06]

I don't think I've ever been lined up by height. One time they put the women and children in the front and the men in the back. The other two times there was no order.

 

Maybe that's why I am used to being in the front, woman and children. :D Me and the peanuts are always up front. But not last week. Major squishing. ;)

[LuvBNatC]

The only time I ever skipped a muster drill was on a back-to-back where I'd attended it just the week before. While I was hiding out in my cabin, the captain let himself in with a master key. He was very embarrassed to find me (another officer told me later he was possibly trolling for an empty cabin to put a lady friend closer to his quarters--I'd just been moved to that cabin, so it was an honest mistake).

 

I never heard anything else nor had to attend a makeup drill, but the captain did send bottles of wine and aquavit during the week. So my advice if you plan to skip the drill is, spend the time wisely. Try to catch the captain doing something compromising.

[chiapet]

...I never heard anything else nor had to attend a makeup drill, but the captain did send bottles of wine and aquavit during the week. So my advice if you plan to skip the drill is, spend the time wisely. Try to catch the captain doing something compromising.

 

That's pretty funny :)

 

On our last HAL Westerdam cruise this past April ... the capt actually came over the PA system during the muster drill and told everyone to "... shut up ..." b/c people were talking and messing around so much that it was holding things up.

 

In his defense, the drill is supposed to be taken seriously and done quickly so that we can all get the heck out of there to start our trip ;)

[Rala]

This poster posted the IDENTICAL post 15 months ago on another muster drill thread.

 

Ignore him. He is either on Cruise Critic to stir the pot (all of his posts are like this) or he is irremedial.

 

Carol, thanks for the heads up. After posting, I went back and read some of this "person's" other posts. I am amazed that some of the posts are still accessible and not poofed. He/ she definitely has some issues. I wonder if his/her computer gets all damp and moldy under that bridge!!!!!

 

I agree that "ignore" and "irremedial" are apt for this situation!

[bluecookies]

I have cruised w/ RCCL since 1980, and remember even back then they would call cabin#'s and ask that one person in that cabin yell out the # of people in that cabin.

 

If you dont yell back they will mark you absent. Im sure there are people that do not hear their # because of all the chit chat.

 

This was the way it was for our first cruise, and that was only in 2004.

[bajathree]

I think skipping the muster drill is a new suite perk for RCCL:D

[cruzincurt]

I was just browsing the Carnival boards and noticed someone posted a thread on them skipping the muster drill. They were proud of themselves and a number of others (though not all) approved and said they skip too.

 

And they wonder why people keep falling off Carnival ships.:rolleyes:

[mjldvlks]

We rarely go to the muster drill, my FIL talks to the cabin boy before hand and slips him a "few". They usually don't bother us.

But on one last cruise we were having a party in my FIL suite when they tried to make us with that muster drill thing. We told the person we didn't have to go but they insisted. Well things got kind of ugly, we demanded to see the Captain but they said he was "Too Busy". Needless to say, we did attend but we refused to wear those life preservers. Now thay I have been to it, I won't need to go anymore on my next cruise.

 

There is always someone that believes they are above the rules or the rules don't apply to them. I hope I am never on a cruise with you, especially in an emergency - running around in a panic looking for your muster station. I also feel sorry for any cabin attendant that is assigned to your room....my guess is you mistakenly think you are better than they are also.

 

So if all of us that have cruised before did not go to the muster drill on our recent Indy Transatlantic - we had over 2,000 or so that were platinum and above - not to mention those that had cruised before would that have been ok? Our drill station was in the dining room - which I would have had no idea where exactly to go if we had not attended.

 

So quit thinking about yourself and have some consideration for the 1,000's of other passengers that do follow the rules so that if there is ever a real emergency, they know what to do on that particular ship.

 

I am weary of people thinking the rules/laws don't apply to them because they are special.......... Mary

[aloha of the seas]

I have always enjoyed the muster drill. I think I have pix of me in my lifejacket from every cruise. It is just another way of knowing that the cruise is officially started.

 

I have noticed something recently that has lengthened the drill. Making the annoucements in 6 languages. Remember as the ships get bigger, it will take longer to assemble to crowd. I don't even want to think about how long it will take for the Oasis. Fortunately the lifeboats are bigger. Good Sailing, Murf

[PhoenixCruiser]

At least RCCLRULES finally has the correct stateroom categories for the RCCL cruises he has supposedly taken :cool: Progress is good, lol.

 

Rala, take him and his posts for what he intends -- to provide humor which results in ticking off other posters -- absolutely not serious at all :p

 

In fact he gave me a reminder to call my lawn "boy" ;)

 

###

[amybeth4]

I have cruised w/ RCCL since 1980, and remember even back then they would call cabin#'s and ask that one person in that cabin yell out the # of people in that cabin.

 

If you dont yell back they will mark you absent. Im sure there are people that do not hear their # because of all the chit chat.

 

Now please dont write back saying this isnt accurate or Im wrong, because on pretty much all of my cruises they have done this or something similar.

 

I definitely remember that!! But it didn't happen to me on a recent cruise. They just wrote down our cabin number (printed on the life preserver) as we walked by.

[abridalmaven]

Does anyone else enjoy the muster drill?

 

It's one of the things on embarkation day that make you go "wow...we are really cruising!"

 

I have yet to cruise with RCI so not too sure how long the muster drill goes for, but on the cruises I have done, muster drill only runs for 15 minutes or so.

 

Yes, it seems like a jump start to an exciting trip.:D