Why Can't Cruise Lines Do Muster Drills Better?

Like this:

Who should star in your favorite cruise line's safety video?

:)

Like this:

 

Who should star in your favorite cruise line's safety video?

 

:)

Alan Alda

They can't do them better because you can't herd cats. EM

They can't do them better because you can't herd cats. EM

Very true, but what about the other 98% of the room that are not CC members? :D

Air New Zealand was possibly the first airline to revamp their safety videos. Here are a couple of their Lord of the Rings / Hobbit ones.

Cruise lines could take lessons from these. But some cruise lines need more than videos, they need suitable spaces where people can sit for the muster drill. On our last Celebrity cruise we had to stand for what seemed like ages, jampacked, in a space with insufficient air-conditioning, and were expected to watch a video which was only screened in two places, neither of which I could see from where I was standing. We also couldn't see or hear the person conducting the drill and if that had been our first cruise it would not have taught us anything.

Princess do the best muster drills that I have experienced so far, but even theirs could be improved by an eye-catching video.

Air New Zealand was possibly the first airline to revamp their safety videos. Here are a couple of their Lord of the Rings / Hobbit ones.

 

Cruise lines could take lessons from these. But some cruise lines need more than videos, they need suitable spaces where people can sit for the muster drill. On our last Celebrity cruise we had to stand for what seemed like ages, jampacked, in a space with insufficient air-conditioning, and were expected to watch a video which was only screened in two places, neither of which I could see from where I was standing. We also couldn't see or hear the person conducting the drill and if that had been our first cruise it would not have taught us anything.

 

Princess do the best muster drills that I have experienced so far, but even theirs could be improved by an eye-catching video.

You are spoiled :). Go on most of the HAL ships (their newest are the exception) and you will have to stand (not sit) outside on the Promanade deck while you listen to the various instructions. If its hot...or if you happen to be on the sunny side....it is just too bad.

Hank

You are spoiled :). Go on most of the HAL ships (their newest are the exception) and you will have to stand (not sit) outside on the Promanade deck while you listen to the various instructions. If its hot...or if you happen to be on the sunny side....it is just too bad.

 

Hank

I've always understood about standing around to hear the safety instructions. They're important. But we've attended a few muster drills, back when all the lines kept us standing in the sun/cold/whatever, where they continued after the essential instructions to talk about hand-washing (ok, also somewhat important) smoking policies, that evening's entertainment, and bingo! At least they don't do it quite like that any more.

Although on our recent Solstice cruise, our muster station was Michael's Club, which is not huge, and doesn't have that much seating. There were so many people in there that everyone was packed in tightly, and the temperature and humidity shot up just from the press of bodies. I had people pressed against me on all four sides, and started to feel a bit claustrophobic. I can only imagine what all of us being in a lifeboat, wearing bulky life jackets, would be like! Although I would guess that probably no one would be talking about bingo. :D

On all my cruises it was obvious that the late arrivals and constant talking of passengers were largely responsible for the time wasted. On a couple, when everyone seemed to show up promptly, and everyone shut up and listened, the drill was over in a ver few minutes. I have never experienced hand-washing exhortation, smoking policy or entertainment schedule discussion.

It is pretty clear that the inconvenience such drills impose upon passengers is self-inflicted.

On all my cruises it was obvious that the late arrivals and constant talking of passengers were largely responsible for the time wasted. On a couple, when everyone seemed to show up promptly, and everyone shut up and listened, the drill was over in a ver few minutes. I have never experienced hand-washing exhortation, smoking policy or entertainment schedule discussion.

 

It is pretty clear that the inconvenience such drills impose upon passengers is self-inflicted.

Best response so far on this thread!

On all my cruises it was obvious that the late arrivals and constant talking of passengers were largely responsible for the time wasted. On a couple, when everyone seemed to show up promptly, and everyone shut up and listened, the drill was over in a ver few minutes. I have never experienced hand-washing exhortation, smoking policy or entertainment schedule discussion.

 

It is pretty clear that the inconvenience such drills impose upon passengers is self-inflicted.

Perhaps if the cruise lines made the Muster experience more interesting (see the videos) and less painful (see lisiamc's and Hank's comments) more people would show up on time, shut up and listen.

I can't understand why the cruise lines can't produce videos like the Air New Zealand and British Air ones. Heck, they already have entertainment departments at Head Office. Maybe the cruise lines don't make entertaining safety videos because the hotel staff don't trust the entertainment department to produce good ones.;)

Like this:

 

Who should star in your favorite cruise line's safety video?

 

:)

Although there are several possibilities, my first choice would be Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean). His bit at the end of the British Airways video is what got my vote. :D

On all my cruises it was obvious that the late arrivals and constant talking of passengers were largely responsible for the time wasted. On a couple, when everyone seemed to show up promptly, and everyone shut up and listened, the drill was over in a ver few minutes. I have never experienced hand-washing exhortation, smoking policy or entertainment schedule discussion.

 

It is pretty clear that the inconvenience such drills impose upon passengers is self-inflicted.

Totally agree!

Alan Alda

Although there are several possibilities, my first choice would be Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean). His bit at the end of the British Airways video is what got my vote. :D

That would be an interesting pairing.

If they did a safety video, I'd like to see James Cameron directing Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet again in a Titanic themed one.

You are spoiled :). Go on most of the HAL ships (their newest are the exception) and you will have to stand (not sit) outside on the Promanade deck while you listen to the various instructions. If its hot...or if you happen to be on the sunny side....it is just too bad.

 

Hank

Been there, done that! Not on HAL but on RCI and Carnival, and on both of those you couldn't hear what was being said either.

The worst muster drill was on Carnival--where we met at a muster station and then a guide took us to the lifeboat far away. I'm not sure if they still do the muster drills like that or not. Back when HAL used to read a roll of passengers supposed to be at each muster station was horrible, especially if you were on the sunny side of the ship on a hot day. They now scan the cruise cards but it's still outside. Princess has been the best--mustering inside, scanning cruise cards as passengers enter the room.

You are spoiled :). Go on most of the HAL ships (their newest are the exception) and you will have to stand (not sit) outside on the Promanade deck while you listen to the various instructions. If its hot...or if you happen to be on the sunny side....it is just too bad.

 

Hank

Very true about HAL. Have stood outside in all kinds of weather.

On all my cruises it was obvious that the late arrivals and constant talking of passengers were largely responsible for the time wasted. On a couple, when everyone seemed to show up promptly, and everyone shut up and listened, the drill was over in a ver few minutes. I have never experienced hand-washing exhortation, smoking policy or entertainment schedule discussion.

 

It is pretty clear that the inconvenience such drills impose upon passengers is self-inflicted.

I totally agree!!!

We were on the Navigator of the Seas out of Southampton in May and experienced the worst muster drill ever. The staff did a very poor job of informing the passengers that they needed to muster so it was quite a long wait in the sun on a hot day. A woman behind us collapsed which effectively ended the muster drill before they had even gone through the roll call.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Why can't cruise lines do muster drills better?

We can - very easily.

 

But the guys in the suits ask, "Why should we?

 

Is Air New Zealand more profitable as a result of their better safety videos? No.

Is Air New Zealand considered safer as a result of their better safety videos. No.

Have fewer Air New Zealand passengers died since the new safety videos started? No.

How many people have told you they are cancelling their Qantas/Singapore/United/American/Virgin flight and changing to New Zealand Air because of the better safety videos? None.

 

If you normally cruise on Princess, but discover that some other line has started a really creative muster drill, will you cancel Princess and change to the other line?

Highly unlikely.

 

If the mass market cruise lines cannot see a clear financial advantage to doing something, it just isn't going to happen.

The only reason Mrs. Dawg found the British Air video was she was looking at flights to England. We normally would fly Air Canada but she booked BA instead. The flights cost about the same so BA got two new customers partly based on the safety video and the positive PR factor it has.

P.S. She didn't check on the United flights out of Buffalo for some reason.

2????????

Really, 2?????

Do you honestly think that 2 passengers changing carriers will influence a multi-national company's policies?

If 2 million passengers changed carriers based on safety videos, the "suits" might notice it - or not.

If 20 million passengers changed carriers, they would probably send a few memos and discuss it at a meeting.

Are you so naive to believe that a few passengers changing their travel patterns will cause a major multi-national travel company to change it's operations?

No I am not naive. (Read my posts here on CC for more information). You said;

How many people have told you they are cancelling their Qantas/Singapore/United/American/Virgin flight and changing to New Zealand Air because of the better safety videos? None.

And I just pointed out ( ie. told you) that BA gained 2 customers partly due to their video.

So to quote you again "Are you so naive to believe ..." that absolutely no passengers would change to Air New Zealand or British Airways due to their safety videos out of the millions who fly those routes each year? :rolleyes:

Why can't cruise lines do muster drills better?

We can - very easily.

 

But the guys in the suits ask, "Why should we?

 

Is Air New Zealand more profitable as a result of their better safety videos? No.

Is Air New Zealand considered safer as a result of their better safety videos. No.

Have fewer Air New Zealand passengers died since the new safety videos started? No.

How many people have told you they are cancelling their Qantas/Singapore/United/American/Virgin flight and changing to New Zealand Air because of the better safety videos? None.

 

If you normally cruise on Princess, but discover that some other line has started a really creative muster drill, will you cancel Princess and change to the other line?

Highly unlikely.

 

If the mass market cruise lines cannot see a clear financial advantage to doing something, it just isn't going to happen.

So why does Air New Zealand keep on making those amusing safety videos? Presumably because they perceive some value from them.

Since the muster drill is one of the first day experiences on every cruise we don't know how much a bad muster drill experience colours people's overall expectations for the remainder of the cruise. Are people more critical of minor faults, slow service, food not to their liking, and so on. Are people on Princess more relaxed on that first evening than those on HAL, Carnival, RCI, Celebrity etc.

So why does Air New Zealand keep on making those amusing safety videos? Presumably because they perceive some value from them.

 

Since the muster drill is one of the first day experiences on every cruise we don't know how much a bad muster drill experience colours people's overall expectations for the remainder of the cruise. Are people more critical of minor faults, slow service, food not to their liking, and so on. Are people on Princess more relaxed on that first evening than those on HAL, Carnival, RCI, Celebrity etc.

We like Celebrity the best out of the mass market lines partially due to their restrictive smoking policies. If another line had those smoking policies and a less painful Muster Drill, I'd seriously consider switching.

And no, CHPURSER, I haven't done a marketing research study to see how many other Celebrity cruisers would consider switching as well. But I'll get back to you once X writes me that big consulting fee cheque. :)

Why can't cruise lines do muster drills better?

We can - very easily.

Very easily? No, I highly doubt that.

Air New Zealand was possibly the first airline to revamp their safety videos. Here are a couple of their Lord of the Rings / Hobbit ones.

 

Cruise lines could take lessons from these. But some cruise lines need more than videos, they need suitable spaces where people can sit for the muster drill. On our last Celebrity cruise we had to stand for what seemed like ages, jampacked, in a space with insufficient air-conditioning, and were expected to watch a video which was only screened in two places, neither of which I could see from where I was standing. We also couldn't see or hear the person conducting the drill and if that had been our first cruise it would not have taught us anything.

 

Princess do the best muster drills that I have experienced so far, but even theirs could be improved by an eye-catching video.

What good is a cutesy, eye-catching video if you can't see or hear it's? As another poster pointed out, much of the problem with muster drills is latecomers and boisterous pax.

I love the safety videos some of the airlines have. Unlike cruise ships, their audience is sitting and all can all watch see the screens. With regard to a cruise ship, I've been to many muster drill and depending on location, there would be no way for all to be able to see a screen and that is probably why the cruise ships will never be as creative as some airlines with their safety information.