Comments on life vest

[chengkp75]

P&O have muster stations inside the ship (the theatre, or other large public rooms) with a view to taking passengers in batches to the lifeboats if required. This is on the grounds that emergencies don't normally go from "plain sailing" straight into "abandon ship", and so there's no point everyone freezing outside on the open deck - especially in northern waters or at night. (And I would think 1500 passengers in lifejackets on the promenade deck would make it more or less impassable for anyone in the wrong place, passwenger or crew.)

 

Do ships that have musters on the open deck, have contingency plans for less urgent emegencies? Like if the ship hits a rock, and is dangerously but not fatally holed, is there a reserve muster place somewhere inside?

 

Most shipboard emergencies are met and controlled by the crew without the passengers being the wiser, including fire, medical, man overboard, etc. Only if the Captain feels there is a sufficient threat to the passengers will the general alarm be sounded and the passengers required to muster. In your scenario of an allision, if after mustering the passengers to be able to account for everyone, the Captain feels there is no immediate need for abaondoning ship, he would direct the crew to have the passengers move indoors, if the weather was inclement, but remain in public spaces. Mustering would then be taken again if the decision was subsequently made to abandon ship at a later time, again to make sure no one is left behind.

[chengkp75]

10 years ago: Lifejackets on, gathered in show rooms/theaters, escorted in groups to lifeboat loading area, pretend loading, then dismissed. Next group escorted to the loading area... etc.

2 years ago: No lifejackets, but we lined up in rows at the loading area for the briefing. No food, drinks, phones. Crew demonstrated lifejackets and loading.

1 year ago: Lido deck, kids running around, people on phones, lounging around on beach chairs while disengaged crew chatted among themselves as PA blared incomprehensible instructions. We didn't even know which lifeboat we'd report to.

 

I think the middle one was best -- go to where you'd need to be, form orderly rows so that crew can get by and operate equipment, and shut up. Don't think having the jacket ON was helpful, but being ATTENTIVE to the presentation was.

 

As I've said, sad to see the way that safety is compromised for the sake of customer relations and PR.

 

Well said about the "2 years ago" method of mustering. Actually, one of the things I would do during muster drills, would be to walk around the deck and check how the passengers were wearing their lifejackets, and demonstrating on a one on one basis the correct way. This was not my duty during emergencies, as my position of Staff Chief Engineer placed me as the tactical commander for all emergencies, and no one would see me in a real emergency, as I would most likely be the last off the ship. I felt that it was my duty to the passengers to provide my 37 years of seagoing experience to assist them in learning what to do in an emergency. Most people don't know that an improperly worn lifejacket, if you were to jump into the water from the height of most cruise ship's promenade decks, can snap your neck.

[John Bull]

Most people don't know that an improperly worn lifejacket, if you were to jump into the water from the height of most cruise ship's promenade decks, can snap your neck.

 

...........and to make doubly-sure of your demise, it can hold your unconscious head face-down in the water

 

JB :)

[chengkp75]

...........and to make doubly-sure of your demise, it can hold your unconscious head face-down in the water

 

JB :)

 

Spot on. A properly worn type I flotation device is designed to keep an unconscious person face up, but if worn incorrectly it will do just the opposite.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Most people don't know that an improperly worn lifejacket, if you were to jump into the water from the height of most cruise ship's promenade decks, can snap your neck.

If the ship is in such straits that jumping from the height of the promenade deck is a sensible option, then you're probably dead anyway.

[chengkp75]

If the ship is in such straits that jumping from the height of the promenade deck is a sensible option, then you're probably dead anyway.

 

Well, we all know stories of ships where the lifeboats left people behind, and if you can get into the water, you can probably get them to pick you up.

 

I've actually done this, in training, and it can be done safely with proper instruction. The crew on many newer ships are actually required to do this in a modified form. The liferafts are lowered to the sea, and a 6' diameter canvas tube is lowered from the embarkation deck to the sea. The crew members jump into the tube, which have baffles to supposedly slow you down, and you go crashing into the water, or on top of the last poor bastard that went down the chute ahead of you in the raft. It ain't fun.

[sparks1093]

Well, we all know stories of ships where the lifeboats left people behind, and if you can get into the water, you can probably get them to pick you up.

 

I've actually done this, in training, and it can be done safely with proper instruction. The crew on many newer ships are actually required to do this in a modified form. The liferafts are lowered to the sea, and a 6' diameter canvas tube is lowered from the embarkation deck to the sea. The crew members jump into the tube, which have baffles to supposedly slow you down, and you go crashing into the water, or on top of the last poor bastard that went down the chute ahead of you in the raft. It ain't fun.

 

In training that always seemed to be me:o.

[notentirelynormal]

If the ship is in such straits that jumping from the height of the promenade deck is a sensible option, then you're probably dead anyway.

 

Funny you say this. Years ago my mother was talking to the safety officer after the safety drill. She mentioned that she had a fused neck and IF we had to jump off the ship she'd probably break her neck and would die instantly. He said not to worry about it. Most people, if they had to jump from that distance, would be dead as well. He said it was best to wait until the ship deck got closer to the water level and more or less walked in.

[alexspepa]

my last cruise was on Celebrity, and our embarkation station was in one of the specialty restaurants.

 

Two absolutely gorgeous hostesses in very small outfits demonstrated teh life vest procedure.

 

Trust me - every guy in there memorized how to put a vest on.

[attilamom1217]

I have enjoyed reading this thread and there have been some great suggestions.

 

I am a repeat passenger and can figure out how to use my life vest. But I do understand the reason for a muster drill (think Costa Concordia) and knowing where to go in case of an emergency.

 

However, here is my thought - I'm short (5'2" with shoes on) and somewhat claustophobic. When we arrive at the muster station on deck, i find myself surrounded by taller people and squeezed in close together like sardines in a can. Can't we stand with tall people in the back and short people in the front? I can't see what is being shown to me and with the claustrophobia, I need to get out of there as soon as possible.

 

There must be a better way!

 

On some ships, we've gone to the theatre, but most of the time the drill is on the decks.

[chengkp75]

I have enjoyed reading this thread and there have been some great suggestions.

 

I am a repeat passenger and can figure out how to use my life vest. But I do understand the reason for a muster drill (think Costa Concordia) and knowing where to go in case of an emergency.

 

However, here is my thought - I'm short (5'2" with shoes on) and somewhat claustophobic. When we arrive at the muster station on deck, i find myself surrounded by taller people and squeezed in close together like sardines in a can. Can't we stand with tall people in the back and short people in the front? I can't see what is being shown to me and with the claustrophobia, I need to get out of there as soon as possible.

 

There must be a better way!

 

On some ships, we've gone to the theatre, but most of the time the drill is on the decks.

 

When I was with NCL, the muster station leaders and their assistants were instructed to have the guests line up tall at the back, and short in front, so that us vertically challenged types could see and hear the instructions.

[Hlitner]

This post brought back a recent memory. We were on the Westerdam (35 days) and when the Captain gave his standard muster drill speech he added that if anyone needed specific information on how to put on their life vest they should just ask their cabin steward. This is the first time we recall hearing this instruction......

 

Hank

[Taxguy77]

Many of the new life vests are the clip style and it is obvious how to wear them.

The older style with the strings need instruction for a first timer.

 

The last cruise we were on, the jackets were diferent than I had seen. I had jackets on my boat, ski jackets, and had been on 9 or so cruises. Really want to know how to put on anything that MAY save my life!

[MrsPete]

The cabin stewards have enough to do on turn-around day. I wouldn't want to ask them to add this simple task to their already-busy day.

 

It is, however, wise for a cruiser to take a moment on the first day to put on the life jacket and adjust it to his/her size. IF you should need to don the life jacket in a hurry, it'd be nice to know that the straps are ready. Of course, in a real emergency, you may or may not be instructed to return to your cabin to retrieve your life jacket -- they do have others at the muster stations -- still, it's a two-minute task that could be very helpful.

[MiamiSpartan]

I think the cabin steward is already busy enough without adding this to his list of responsibilities.

 

The ship's tv channel has directions for how to put on the life jacket.

Also, at the muster drill the crew demonstrates how to put it on.

 

this.....People need to pay attention....private lessons for the jkts is not needed...