Life Jackets

i notice from some pics and videos that have been posted on Britannia that people were wearing life jackets to muster. We were on Oceana in 2015 and have cruised with other lines and never once taken our life jackets to the muster station. Can anyone who’s been on the shipmcomment please thanks.

Always taken live jackets to muste on P&O. Don’t wear them on the way to & from the muster. You test that they fits& that you can put it on OK. On much smaller ships sometimes the life jackets are distributed at the muster station.

You carry them to muster, they show you how to put them on. You then practice putting them on. Then take them off straight after and return them to your cabin.

Editing - sorry posted at same time as above

Yes we have always been told to take our life jackets to the muster station for the drill,always thought it would have been nice if they had been stowed in better shape at the begining of each cruise,sadly the drill degenerated into something akin of a Brian Rix farce(oh dear showing my age again!) on Britannia both times we have been on her,don't know if that is just a problem organising such a large number of people,thought they would have the hang of it by now!

You also have your cruise cards scanned now to prove attendance.

They have changed from simply taking the life jacket to actually demonstrating you can put it on, and now proving you turned up by having your card scanned.

The changes were made after another Carnival Corp brand's safety processes demonstrated they were inadequate.

On that brand they now line you up in groups of 12 wearing your lifejacket (12 being the number who fit on each bench in the lifeboat).

Has this been a change since 2015 as we didn’t on Oceana in the Med.

We took them on Oceana repositioning to Malta cruise this March.

Has this been a change since 2015 as we didn’t on Oceana in the Med.

As far as I know apart from swiping the cruise cards there has been no changes since we started in 2001. You always were asked to try the life jackets on.

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As far as I know apart from swiping the cruise cards there has been no changes since we started in 2001. You always were asked to try the life jackets on.

 

 

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Agreed, no other changes to the procedure on our recent Oceana cruise. Including the fact that some people still put on their life jackets before being asked to do so by the crew, much to their annoyance.:)

As far as I know apart from swiping the cruise cards there has been no changes since we started in 2001. You always were asked to try the life jackets on.

 

 

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You used to be asked to try them on if you wanted to. If you didn't want to you could just leave.

Now they insist you put them on and check you did so correctly before you leave.

So it is a significant change.

Thanks everyone. We certainly weren’t and we it was the first muster we’d had on deck. Celebrity, Norwegian it was always held in a theatre or inside the ship somewhere. Never even touched a life jacket and we’ve done five cruises, one with P&O. I did think we should be shown how to do it properly on ourselves.

Celebrity and Norwegian haven't had a ship sink.

Carnival Corp have which has perhaps changed their mindset.

Celebrity and Norwegian haven't had a ship sink.

 

Carnival Corp have which has perhaps changed their mindset.

We are Britannia next month and I think from memory (or I may be mixing up with another ship) they have the new style lifejacket with a strap that goes between the legs, very awkward if you are wearing a skirt!

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You used to be asked to try them on if you wanted to. If you didn't want to you could just leave.

 

Now they insist you put them on and check you did so correctly before you leave.

 

So it is a significant change.

Perhaps we have just always done it. Interestingly it was almost the same on Princess.

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More important to do it on Britannia as the life jackets are different.

The only people it benefits to try it on are those people you see making a complete mess of the straightforward task of putting on a life jacket.

For an object which is designed to be obvious to fit whilst the ship is sinking and water is lapping around your ankles, some people do seem to struggle.

We were on Oceana in 2015 and we, like all other passengers, were required to take our life vests to the muster stations, which took place around the ships in the theatres and bars.

We’ve always carried our life jacket to our muster venue, done the try on then carried them back to the cabin. Personally, I think everyone should do it each time, regardless of how many times you’ve done it before. You can always help new cruisers or people struggling with fastenings etc - and no Insanemagnet, it’s not obvious to a lot of people how to put the jacket on the right way round, how to adjust straps etc. The new style on Britannia is a case in point.

and no Insanemagnet, it’s not obvious to a lot of people how to put the jacket on the right way round, how to adjust straps etc. The new style on Britannia is a case in point.

It is obvious to me.

For those who have difficulty I am happy for them to take the extra lessons.

I do however have a concern that if they can't work it out in the warm dry theatre, who knows what is going to happen to them when the ship is at a 40 degree list and the water is rising.

Have always taken life jackets to muster station with P&O. Our first cruise on Oceana was in 2010 and have sailed on her a number of times since. Personally think it is a good idea as we always get in a twist when trying them on. Better then than in an emergency.

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Ps Just seen post re Britannia ... tip the jackets are a pain as they go between your legs. Not very lady like in a skirt but gave us a laugh. :-)

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It always makes me cringe when people try the whistle. Do they think they are sterilised each cruise?

Ps Just seen post re Britannia ... tip the jackets are a pain as they go between your legs. Not very lady like in a skirt but gave us a laugh. :-)

 

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The life jackets still go about the neck as they have done for years. There is an additional crotch strap which goes between your legs. I think this is to stop the jacket riding up should you jump into the water. Affixing this strap is very difficult for women wearing skirts exacerbated by being in Muster Station A, the theatre where everybody has to put the jacket on with only a single theatre seat as your space.

Regards John

The life jackets still go about the neck as they have done for years. There is an additional crotch strap which goes between your legs. I think this is to stop the jacket riding up should you jump into the water. Affixing this strap is very difficult for women wearing skirts exacerbated by being in Muster Station A, the theatre where everybody has to put the jacket on with only a single theatre seat as your space.

 

Regards John

Thanks for the tip I’ll wear trousers.

The life jackets still go about the neck as they have done for years. There is an additional crotch strap which goes between your legs. I think this is to stop the jacket riding up should you jump into the water. Affixing this strap is very difficult for women wearing skirts exacerbated by being in Muster Station A, the theatre where everybody has to put the jacket on with only a single theatre seat as your space.

 

Regards John

crotch straps should always be worn, I cringe when I see numerous TV presenters and personalities on a rib or other small craft without them, their LJ being in some cases almost round their neck