Lifeboat Drill for evening departure in San Juan

Does anyone know what time the lifeboat drill would happen on Summit if sailaway time from San Juan is at 8:30pm? I’m used to it being one hour before sailaway but that is on cruises that sail at 4 or 5pm. If they did that on this cruise it would be at 7:30pm which is smack in the middle of dinner and the show. If they do it earlier in the day, before 6pm, does that mean everyone needs to be onboard by 4 or 5pm? I think typically you are required to have checked in at least 90 minutes before sailaway, so is it pushed back further on this cruise in order to allow all pax to attend the drill and not conflict with evening activities? We have a January cruise on Summit and just trying to figure out timing for our boarding day.

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It’s been a couple of years since we sailed on the Summit out of San Juan, but the muster drill was around 7:15. We made sure to eat before the muster drill so it didn’t interrupt us.

When we last sailed Summit out of San Juan in 2015 sail-away was at 8:30 and muster was at 7:45.

We were on The Summit again in December and the muster drill was at 7:30ish but get there early if you are in a station with seating. Not every location has seats.

When we last sailed Summit out of San Juan in 2015 sail-away was at 8:30 and muster was at 7:45.

They seem to have no problem with delaying the departure out of San Juan when necessary, as they will hold the ship if VIPs or large groups are late arriving.

When that happens, they even make an announcement on the PA system to tell everyone the reason for the delay.

If you go to your muster station early, you may be sitting there for a half-hour or longer before they begin.

But if you wait for the last announcement before you go, there may be no vacant seats available, unless your muster station is the theater, which seems to have enough seats for everyone.

You do need to go to your assigned muster station. You can't just pick another one that has available seats.

There is usually only one show on the first night, and it doesn't begin until after the muster drill is over.

They stop seating people for dinner about 45 minutes before the muster drill, and resume after it is over.

Everything on the ship shuts down during the muster drill.

This can sometimes be very upsetting to newcomers who have patiently been waiting in line at guest relations or shore excursions for 30 minutes, and then just when they are next in line, everything shuts down.

We have sailed on the Summit out of San Juan 4 times. Muster drill has been about 7:45 pm. Either we eat early to finish prior to Muster drill or wait until after. They have the later departure due to accommodate same day flights. We always fly in day prior and stay in Condado. Too many stories of people missing disembarkation due to issues with flights.

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Does anyone know what time the lifeboat drill would happen on Summit if sailaway time from San Juan is at 8:30pm?

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In January and April this year it was between the two MDR dinner seatings. It made for a very crowded late dinner experience (a small line waiting to be seated a bit past 9pm) in Luminae on both trips.

We were on the Summit in January. I am looking at their newsletter for embarkation day and it says, "General Emergency Drill 7:45 pm. At the sounding of the ship's alarm, proceed to your Assembly Station as indicated on the inside of your stateroom door or on your SeaPass card. Have your SeaPass card in hand. Participation is mandatory according to SOLAS regulations. Please also reference the in-stateroom video for safety information."

The Sailaway Party was at 8:30 pm by the pool on 10.

The food venues were open as follows:

Oceanview Cafe (10) open 24 hours; dinner selection at 5:30 pm-9

Pool Grill (10) 11:30-5:30

Spa Cafe (10) noon - 2:30

Cosmopolitan Restaurant (4 & 5) early fixed seating 5:45pm, late fixed seating 8:30 pm, Select Dining 5:30-9

Lumanae 5:45-9

Blu 5:45-9

Cafe Al Bacio 11am-midnight

Tuscan Grill 6pm-9:30

Sushi on Five noon-11 pm

Qsine 6pm-9:30

There was only one main show on embarkation day that started at 9:45pm

Be thankful, back in the day when the departures were at 11 PM the Muster Drill was about 10:30 PM, made for a very long day with flying and such.

J.

Thank you all for this information. Very helpful! Looks like we will just plan on eating dinner early in Luminae at 5:45 and then enjoy sailaway after the muster drill from our penthouse balcony. Don’t usually like to eat that early but can deal for one night.

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That sounds like the perfect plan! Enjoy your cruise and the penthouse suite!