NOT requiring lifejackets at Muster Drill? Good or Bad??

[mtchg]

...I assumed that requiring life jackets at drills was maritime law; but apparently that has changed.

 

My last cruise was with CCL last September and they still used the jackets. As a veteran cruiser I agree it will be less hassle; but from a safety standpoint; hmmm mixed feelings.

 

And yes, we always take a pic of us in the life jackets at the drill;

 

Is this a cruise industry wide change, just RCI..

 

Pros and Cons..what do you think?

 

Mitch

[Clarkk W Griswald]

I think it's a good thing we don't have to drag them along. No one one will fall down the steps from tripping over the long straps!

[mtchg]

..the crew at Carnival kept stressing not to drag the jackets, so in the long run maybe it's

safer to not require it.

 

Mitch

[kathyemma]

We sailed on Carnival Nov 2009 - they did not make us wear the jackets. I thought it was WONDERFUL! We were able to go directly to the pool deck after drill. I hated dealing with everyone running back to their rooms to drop off the jackets. And I agree, too many people fell on the straps - so might be safer without them.

 

Kathy

[MrPete]

Just like they don't make us put them on in a plane, I don't think I'm too concerned on a ship. I just want to know where my lifeboat is.

 

I also try to landmark different things along my path form the cabin to the station (like on a plane, I count the chairbacks to the exit). In an emergency, nothing guarantees there will be lights, or the lack of smoke.

[1BDNANA]

I have always wonderd why they have them in your room and not in the life boats.If they did have reason to use them can you see 2000 people trying to find their loved ones and make it up or down to their rooms at the same time that others are going to the boats with their life jackets.

[printingchick]

Mr. Pete makes an excellent point. We don't don the life vests on an airplane. We're just shown how to use them.

 

I see NO possible way to look at this as a negative. I'm not one of those folks who gripes about the muster drill, but not having to wear those hot, cumbersome vests, then return them to your cabin, is a HUGE plus!!!

[Clarkk W Griswald]

And yes, we always take a pic of us in the life jackets at the drill

 

I do agree that the only downside is missing the perfect cruising photo op, though.

[Mark_K]

I have always wonderd why they have them in your room and not in the life boats.If they did have reason to use them can you see 2000 people trying to find their loved ones and make it up or down to their rooms at the same time that others are going to the boats with their life jackets.

That's so you'll still float even if you can't make it to a lifeboat.

[Aquahound]

There is a comfort and convenience element here that is causing people to love the new policy of not wearing the life jackets. I can understand. My last muster drill on the Radiance was so nice to not have to wear those things.

 

One thing that people seem to overlook is that not all conceivable emergencies will allow access to the life boats. When the Star Princess was burning, do you think people would have been able to use any of the lifeboats on the port side? No way. What if the ship starts to roll like the recent sinking down in the Antarctic? What if there is a major fire preventing you from descending or ascending to the particular deck where the lifeboats are loaded?

 

This is all very unlikely, but I am opposed to them taking the life jackets away from the cabins. If they don't want to require them at the drills, fine, but the lifeboat deck should not be the only location where they are kept.

[mtchg]

...I agree, i would feel better if they stayed there.

 

Mitch

[Aquahound]

...I agree, i would feel better if they stayed there.

 

Mitch

 

As of my Radiance cruise last month, the life jackets were still in the rooms. However, it is reported that is not the case on Oasis. Perhaps someone else can confirm. If so, that's the way RCI is going with it.

[Clarkk W Griswald]

I don't think there is any plans of removing life jackets from the cabins. They just stopped requiring that you bring them to muster drill.

[Desert Cruizers]

It has veen 3 1/2 yrs since our last Princess Cruise, there we carried our Life Jackets and put them on in the Theater upon instructions then could leave anytime afterwards, not sure if this has changed. Our last RCL cruise in 08 we wore them to the Promenade Deck and stood for several minutes. During a drill people are more relaxed, yet believe in an actual emergency, it will be a serious matter and people will be wearing their life jackets properly.

[bbqman]

...I agree, i would feel better if they stayed there.

 

Mitch

The life jackets will still be in the rooms.

[printingchick]

There is a comfort and convenience element here that is causing people to love the new policy of not wearing the life jackets. I can understand. My last muster drill on the Radiance was so nice to not have to wear those things.

 

One thing that people seem to overlook is that not all conceivable emergencies will allow access to the life boats. When the Star Princess was burning, do you think people would have been able to use any of the lifeboats on the port side? No way. What if the ship starts to roll like the recent sinking down in the Antarctic? What if there is a major fire preventing you from descending or ascending to the particular deck where the lifeboats are loaded?

 

This is all very unlikely, but I am opposed to them taking the life jackets away from the cabins. If they don't want to require them at the drills, fine, but the lifeboat deck should not be the only location where they are kept.

 

It doesn't matter WHERE they store the life vests. They could be an emergency that prevents you from returning to your cabin as well. We spend far more time OUT of our cabins during a cruise than in them.

[cruznjan]

The down side is not knowing how to put it on properly.

[Aquahound]

It doesn't matter WHERE they store the life vests. They could be an emergency that prevents you from returning to your cabin as well. We spend far more time OUT of our cabins during a cruise than in them.

 

Whether you realize it or not, you just agreed with me. ;)

[amybeth4]

I think it's fabulous. People panic in an emergency and wouldn't remember to make sure the straps aren't dragging on the floor. Also, if I'm on deck 11 and my cabin is on deck 2, you think I'm gonna get to my cabin with any kind of speed in order to get my life jacket and then trek to my muster station?

 

They DO have jackets around the ship to give you in the .0001% chance that you'll need it. (Yes I made that figure up...don't ask me for the source, haha.)

 

Best part of COURSE is that it gets me to the sail away party MUCH faster now. :)

[Aquahound]

They DO have jackets around the ship to give you in the .0001% chance that you'll need it. (Yes I made that figure up...don't ask me for the source, haha.)

 

But without doing a Google search right now, do you know where those life jackets are? If so, do you think everyone else does? What if the emergency is at night while most of the ship is sleeping...in their rooms? All I'm saying is that it's better to have them available in more than one location.

 

My opinion is based on 16 years in and working for the USCG. I've seen some things and trained on scenarios most vacationers never consider.

 

Of course...people like me exist because of people who don't want to think about possible emergency scenarios. That's fine. I'm good with that.

[amybeth4]

But without doing a Google search right now, do you know where those life jackets are? If so, do you think everyone else does? What if the emergency is at night while most of the ship is sleeping...in their rooms? All I'm saying is that it's better to have them available in more than one location.

 

Of course, my opinion is based on 16 years in and working for the USCG. I've seen some things and trained on scenarios most vacationers never consider.

 

Aren't they in big white bins on the decks? Also, except for the Oasis (based on what people have said), they're STILL in your cabin. They were on the floor of my closet on the Liberty in Nov., long after they stopped requiring you to bring them.

[Aquahound]

Aren't they in big white bins on the decks?

 

Where? The only place I've seen those big white bins was on the lifeboat deck.

[YoungDiamond]

finally, this is great. I have seen two people go tumbling down the steps bc of the straps. I wonder if there was a law suit against one of the lines?

[katiel53]

I like not having to take the life jackets to the muster drill. My husband can't walk up/down stairs and I have difficulty going down stairs. Without the life jackets, we can more comfortably, go to the drill. Another plus is not having to listen to people blowing the whistles, lol.

 

We sailed on Carnival Dream last week and didn't have to take the life jackets. So, I am guessing, it's not just RCCL that is implementing this policy.

[amybeth4]

Where? The only place I've seen those big white bins was on the lifeboat deck.

 

Sounds like a good place to me, lol. So all the people in or near their cabins can go GET their life jackets and all the drunkies eight decks away can get them from the bins or from the ones probably on the life boats. The ship's not gonna sink in 30 minutes.

 

Good Lord, the ship's not gonna sink! :)