Let's Talk Muster Drills

So, I've now sailed on Princess, Celebrity, NCL, and Carnival and experienced their various methods of doing the muster drill. I found the one on my Carnival Splendor cruise this past April to be by far the most painful...forcing everyone to pack in like sardines and remain standing, repeatedly demanding quiet and threatening to "not start until there's silence" (what is this, the high school cafeteria?), then walking through the crowd with those ridiculous clickers to get head-counts (uh-huh, I'm SURE that's completely accurate).

Yes, obviously, muster drill is important. If there's an emergency, I want to know where I'm supposed to go and what happens when I get there. I understand that they want people's attention so that everyone can get the information. But is it really necessary to do it in this way? We were fortunate in April that it was cool standing on the deck. I was reminded while reading "Ben the Bendy Man"'s review of his recent cruise how difficult an experience it was and how fortunate we were that it wasn't 90 degrees outside while we were enduring it!

Now I ask my more experienced CCL cruisers...do all the Carnival ships do muster like this, or is it unique to the Splendor? We're heading out on Freedom next Sunday and wondering that experience will be like.

This is also a plea for Carnival to start using the scanners for Sign and Sail cards to get an accurate headcount. I'm sure it would be a time saver and actually enhance safety. Princess has the technology; I'd bet they'd share. ;)

So, I've now sailed on Princess, Celebrity, NCL, and Carnival and experienced their various methods of doing the muster drill. I found the one on my Carnival Splendor cruise this past April to be by far the most painful...forcing everyone to pack in like sardines and remain standing, repeatedly demanding quiet and threatening to "not start until there's silence" (what is this, the high school cafeteria?), then walking through the crowd with those ridiculous clickers to get head-counts (uh-huh, I'm SURE that's completely accurate).

 

 

This is also a plea for Carnival to start using the scanners for Sign and Sail cards to get an accurate headcount. I'm sure it would be a time saver and actually enhance safety. Princess has the technology; I'd bet they'd share. ;)

I, too, like the way NCL does theirs. NOT looking forward to Carnival's protocol. You are not the first person on these boards that has described this drill the same way. :eek:

On the smaller ships (paradise, inspiration, Imagination) they go to the theater, casino, lounges, and only a few areas are on the Lido deck. On the Miracle, most stations were outside on the Promenade deck, but the disabled were allowed to sit inside in the gallery.

On a recent Dream cruise we mustered in a dining room the entire few minutes. Very easy.

So, I've now sailed on Princess, Celebrity, NCL, and Carnival and experienced their various methods of doing the muster drill. I found the one on my Carnival Splendor cruise this past April to be by far the most painful...forcing everyone to pack in like sardines and remain standing, repeatedly demanding quiet and threatening to "not start until there's silence" (what is this, the high school cafeteria?), then walking through the crowd with those ridiculous clickers to get head-counts (uh-huh, I'm SURE that's completely accurate).

 

Yes, obviously, muster drill is important. If there's an emergency, I want to know where I'm supposed to go and what happens when I get there. I understand that they want people's attention so that everyone can get the information. But is it really necessary to do it in this way? We were fortunate in April that it was cool standing on the deck. I was reminded while reading "Ben the Bendy Man"'s review of his recent cruise how difficult an experience it was and how fortunate we were that it wasn't 90 degrees outside while we were enduring it!

 

Now I ask my more experienced CCL cruisers...do all the Carnival ships do muster like this, or is it unique to the Splendor? We're heading out on Freedom next Sunday and wondering that experience will be like.

 

This is also a plea for Carnival to start using the scanners for Sign and Sail cards to get an accurate headcount. I'm sure it would be a time saver and actually enhance safety. Princess has the technology; I'd bet they'd share. ;)

On our Inspiration cruise we mustered in one of the lounges. After everyone checked in and the kids got their muster wristbands, they demonstrated the life jackets and gave us the information about what to do in the event of a real emergency.

Then we all lined up (2 lines) and were taken up (stairs) to the deck with the lifeboats on it, where we lined up where our particular lifeboat was. This was done in order of the lifeboats, from the various muster locations. After standing there for about 20 minutes we were dismissed in lifeboat station order.

It seems that the muster drills are done different on each class of Carnival ships. On the Dream class, Dream, Magic and the Breeze, we were assigned to different areas inside, usually in one of the dining rooms or Theater. ....all sitting down. The one on the Sunshine is also inside. Edit: sorry, some are and some are not on the Sunshine. We were assigned in the Theater but our friends a few doors down, had theirs outside.

We have been on Carnival ships with it outside but have never participated in one with the use of clickers???? They always say they have a method of knowing that everyone is present and accounted for ???:confused:

....and don't think that Princess has an accurate count just because they use the scanners. On one Princess cruise, we arrived before the person got their scanner so our cards never got scanned until the drill was over. We asked to have our cards scanned after the drill because we did not want to get feedback later that we did not attend. So, is any system perfect??

It will always be a joke until they start making people take it seriously. It should not take more than 15-20 minutes from start to end, but can take over 45 minutes sometimes because of people that wait until the last possible second to make an appearance. When you are called, go! Don't wait 20 minutes. Don't go to the bar to get a drink. Don't take another 15 minute nap.

Ok everyone can hate me but I want to go to my assigned muster station .I want to know where it is. I believe the problem is with people not the system. Oh and I also listen when they give evacuation instructions on an airplane.

It depends on the ship. Last year on the Magic, we were inside the dining room. On the Valor, we were outside in the San Juan, PR heat.

Last month on the Miracle, were outside and then last week on the Dream, we were in the main theater.

I know the muster drill is a pain, but it is a requirement and I just look forward to getting it over and done with no matter what their method is.

I agree that the "clicker" method can no way be accurate. We did a 1-day on Princess this past May and were inside a lounge. They had hand held devices that they used to swipe your sail & Sign card to take their muster. Much more accurate count. Later they called names of people missing the muster and had them do their muster drill at a later time. Carnival needs to implement this method of taking a count.

I don't mind the muster drills. But honestly in an emergency, I'm probably not going to go running for my cabin for the life vest. They should be maybe in there and at the life boats. And, why assign a life boat when in most emergencies many life boats are not available, like concordia where half were under water.

On the Dream recently we all went to the theater.....honestly kept waiting for when they were going to take us to the boats like all the other times. When they dismissed us......everyone was confused. I heard several people say, "where do we go?" People talked the entire time. We were at the front and didn't realize the short talk about life jackets was going to be it.

Easy....but seriously if there was an emergency we would be in a world of hurt. The emergency better allow for a lot of time for people to go to theater then then move to the boats. I don't necessarily mean for muster to take a long time outside, but it would have been nice if they would have used the microphone and explain that this was the practice.

Celebrity crosses your name and cabin number off of a list. Quick and efficient. Why can't they do something like that instead of holding up the whole drill for the ones that feel they don't need to attend.

On Princess & RCCL they click you in on sore sort of hand held device.

LuLu

Ok everyone can hate me but I want to go to my assigned muster station .I want to know where it is.

I am with you on this. I drag DW every time but she goes.

Funny story. We went on the Elation in Oct. 2009 and then again in Nov. (not B2B) and on the second time I grabbed and put on my life jacket and went to our meeting place. They had changed their procedures in less than a month and we did not need them. DW flung hers to me and had me carry both :o

Procedures could always change but to answer the OP's question your description sounds fair for what to expect on your upcoming sailing.

In a true emergency I would bet that more than half the people that attended a GOOD, well run muster drill would not remember what to do. That is why the crew is suppose to be available and guiding people to their stations. Look at the Costa Concordia. They hadn't even had the muster drill when that happened. Half of their life boats were useless, yet most of the people got off the ship safely.

The drill itself is mandated by the USCG. I am sure it does help and do not advocate not requiring it, but placing so much importance on how its held is over reaching things. Those that will talk and not pay attention will do so whether its held in the theater or in front of the life boats they will need to find. Those that care will pay attention and hear the information. I prefer the indoor drills, but I have been on enough cruises to know what is going to said during the drill and I know how to find my muster station. The "at your life boat" muster drills are better for new cruisers.

What should be done is all should be required to go to their assigned lifeboat station with their life jacket in hand. All passengers should be instructed how to don the life jacket they have as styles vary from ship to ship. Each passenger should demonstrate that he/she/it can wear the life jacket correctly. The passengers should be instructed how to board the lifeboat. All passengers should be checked in to the drill.

Now the only time this happened was on a cruise several years ago aboard the Elation when the Coast Guard was actually on board observing. One cabin did not show up and everyone was held at the station until they were found. This last at the behest of the Ltjg. who was running the operation for the Coast Guard.

While I have no problem with the pseudo drills of the current period, I know what to do in an emergency, I check out on my own the best routes to exit our stateroom and the location of extra life jackets about the ship. I also know how to launch both the life boats and the life rafts. How many of you who complain about the muster can say this?

Doc

Some drills go quickly, others drag on and on. On my last cruise it took over 45 minutes. They were pages specific cabin numbers while everyone stood outside waiting. Finally, a handful of adults, drinks in hand, and a few kids showed up and it was finished rather quickly.

Never saw a clicker. I did ask staff how they knew which cabins didn't show and no one could give me an answer. It's a mystery...

Usually, it's 20 to 30 minutes, really easy.

We take the muster drill seriously and I have a to go bag pack by the night stand. we practice what to do and how every time every trip. I know most think it is worthless but we sailed the Saturday after the Costa Concordia tragedy and let me tell you no one was late or talking during that drill. I hate the way Carnival does muster drill I'm short and being pack looking at every one belt buckles not a pleasant time. I always thought Carnival believed that passengers should know at least where the boats are cause it is know as a party ship.

I always thought Carnival believed that passengers should know at least where the boats are cause it is know as a party ship.

:rolleyes:

Me thinks that when the muster time arrives, five minutes later, the crew should turn all the late comers into a lounge. When the drill is done and the on time passengers are all gone, let the latecomers out for their own drill, having their sail and sign cards individually checked and make sure that crew takes their time. The only way to get people there on time is to penalize or inconvenience them. After all, that's what they are doing to us.

On Carnival..they are all different.

Worst lifeboat drill: On the Valor in San Juan, 9:30 PM, directly out side by the lifeboats (we were assigned a specific muster station number by the lifeboats). While it was the perfect place to assemble, it was loud, no one listening, couldn't hear the instructions, packed out there like sardines and nearly everyone drunk because they were partying all day and into the evening.

Although on Breeze I had to report to main theater/showroom, it was very organized and quiet and everyone listened. Butch, the CD, came on the PA system and relayed the instructions for those of us in the theater, while the crew, placed strategically around various points throughout the theater, "acted out" on how to put on life jackets.

However, after it was over, I still had no knowledge of which lifeboat I was assigned to. So that leaves me to think: If the ship is being flooded with water/going down for whatever other reason and I need to evacuate quickly, why would I want to go to the theater? I feel it would be so chaotic and a death trap. My better senses tell me to go right out to the lifeboats and get on one.

Did anyone watch some of the footage of those getting on the lifeboats on the Concordia? Apparently, they had trouble lowering them (some were stuck) not to mention ship was tilted and almost falling on the lifeboats.

On my recent Breeze cruise, I actually saw the lifeboats taken down for a lifeboat drill by the crew.

I understand the muster drills for San Juan are the worst because it is miserably hot and you have to stand through it twice, once in English, once in Español?

Our worst muster drill was also on the Valor out of San Juan. Everyone was packed in so tight and then a drunk guy threw up, and I mean threw up everywhere! It was awful. And then you had the crying kids bc it was being held at 930 pm and they were tired.

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So, I've now sailed on Princess, Celebrity, NCL, and Carnival and experienced their various methods of doing the muster drill. I found the one on my Carnival Splendor cruise this past April to be by far the most painful...forcing everyone to pack in like sardines and remain standing, repeatedly demanding quiet and threatening to "not start until there's silence" (what is this, the high school cafeteria?), then walking through the crowd with those ridiculous clickers to get head-counts (uh-huh, I'm SURE that's completely accurate).

 

Yes, obviously, muster drill is important. If there's an emergency, I want to know where I'm supposed to go and what happens when I get there. I understand that they want people's attention so that everyone can get the information. But is it really necessary to do it in this way? We were fortunate in April that it was cool standing on the deck. I was reminded while reading "Ben the Bendy Man"'s review of his recent cruise how difficult an experience it was and how fortunate we were that it wasn't 90 degrees outside while we were enduring it!

 

Now I ask my more experienced CCL cruisers...do all the Carnival ships do muster like this, or is it unique to the Splendor? We're heading out on Freedom next Sunday and wondering that experience will be like.

 

This is also a plea for Carnival to start using the scanners for Sign and Sail cards to get an accurate headcount. I'm sure it would be a time saver and actually enhance safety. Princess has the technology; I'd bet they'd share. ;)

Hi

I was on the Freedom July 5-13. Muster was at the lifeboats. It was very hot. Took about twenty minutes. One senior lady in our area fainted from the heat.

I understand the muster drills for San Juan are the worst because it is miserably hot and you have to stand through it twice, once in English, once in Español?

True, but neither was as bad as it sounds. First of all, the safety drill was at 9:30 and the worst of the San Juan heat had passed. Knowing that the drill was hot and outdoors and among many of my fellow cruisers (making it hotter), I was able to dress myself to minimize the heat.

And second, the Spanish translations were immediately after the English announcements, so it's not like they did the whole thing twice.

As for the safety drill, I'm one of those weirdos that likes to get to the muster station by actually walking the steps. You never know when that bit of knowledge might help me, which is the point of the exercise. And I don't even mind the random people I'm stuck with for the half hour or so it takes. There was a thread here a few months ago about checking out others during the drill. I do some of that while soaking in the instructions.