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Uh Oh...Time to Muster

cruisePAC

By cruisePAC,
in Royal Caribbean International

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shippmates

shippmates

Posted
Posted

We had to muster on the Grandeur sailing in May. There was a severe fire in the mooring section of the ship. We all went to our muster stations around 2:30 AM and stood on the deck with the lifeboats staged for 4 hours until the all clear was given. It could have been a very scary ordeal but the crew did an awesome job keeping us informed as to what was happening. Once we got to Freeport we were flown back to Baltimore and made our way home. I highly recommend everyone attend the muster drill and pay attention because you never know when you may need that information.

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cougfan

cougfan

Posted
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On our very first cruise, in the Med, we had to muster at 11PM. The Captain came on the speaker in our room and said that someone had seen something go overboard and we were to go to our muster stations without our lifejackets. We spent two hours out on deck. It was formal night and I felt sorry for the women still in their fancy cocktail dresses and the older folks in their pajamas. From the pages over the loudspeakers we deduced that they were looking for a crew member. We found out later that he had jumped overboard. We spent the rest of the night circling around looking for him and then sailed to our next stop after some other ships showed up. We did miss our stop in Mykonos.

 

Julie

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EMBFlyer

EMBFlyer

Posted
Posted
Julie, it seems odd you had to muster for a man overboard. Which cruise line were you on? What was the reason they wanted everyone to convene? Did they expect the passengers to do anything to help locate the guy?

 

Not to speak for the other person, but I believe they muster everyone because it's very easy way to get a count of everyone on board.

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Beach4me

Beach4me

Posted
Posted

Yep - many years ago on a Princess cruise to Alaska. The first Sun Princess (it was 1980) . There was a fire in the linen storage area across from our cabin.

 

The smoke was so intense it was amazing.

 

After they got the fire out, we were all allowed to go to public lounges/areas but were not allowed back down in the passenger area until well after dinner. They had open bar for everyone that night. Of course, I was too young but I filled up on my share of Diet Coke!

 

btw - by the time they allowed us back into our cabin much later that night, they had aired out and cleaned our cabin. They also cleaned everything we'd brought onboard. There was still a faint smell of smoke in our hallway - but you'd have never known anything happened when you were inside our cabin.

 

I learned very early on that things can go wrong on a ship (as with anywhere!) and have never been one to laugh off muster drill.

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JasonTehGreat

JasonTehGreat

Posted
Posted
Julie, it seems odd you had to muster for a man overboard. Which cruise line were you on? What was the reason they wanted everyone to convene? Did they expect the passengers to do anything to help locate the guy?

 

I think it is to check all of the passengers to try and figure out who went overboard.

 

My cousin told me a story once from when he was in the Navy and some idiot thought it would be funny to throw a life-jacket off of the deck of the aircraft carrier at like 3AM. The watch people saw the strobe-light in the water and the orange from the jacket and EVERYONE, all 5000 or how ever many crew were woken and sent to their work or assembly stations until every single person was accounted for. Needless to say....they weren't happy.

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cyntil8ing

cyntil8ing

Posted
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Last year on a HAL cruise, I heard the 7 short blasts followed by a long. It was mid-afternoon on a sea day and I was reading in the cabin. My dh was at a cocktail mixology class. The captain announced there was a small fire localized to two cabins and we did not have to report to our muster stations, but were to avoid deck 7 mid-ship starboard. Our cabin was deck 8 mid-ship starboard. I was concerned! But 15 minutes later, we were given the all clear.

 

My husband's mixology class didn't miss a beat, other than the activities staff member not drinking his cocktail.

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A&L_Ont "Live from...." Rare

A&L_Ont

Posted
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We had to muster on the Grandeur sailing in May. There was a severe fire in the mooring section of the ship. We all went to our muster stations around 2:30 AM and stood on the deck with the lifeboats staged for 4 hours until the all clear was given. It could have been a very scary ordeal but the crew did an awesome job keeping us informed as to what was happening. Once we got to Freeport we were flown back to Baltimore and made our way home. I highly recommend everyone attend the muster drill and pay attention because you never know when you may need that information.

 

We have cruised 18 times and not yet had to muster. We listen carefully every time. It amazes me that we have seen people on their phones, sleeping or chatting during the muster drill.

 

I fly a lot and I still pull out the emergency flyer, check where my life jacket is, and scope out the emergency exits. It only takes seconds and that might be all you have to escape.

 

One is as only preapred as their best plan and if you do not know where to start you aren't putting your best foot forward.

 

Andrew

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mein18

mein18

Posted
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Although I do not recall our first cruise back in 1982, during the other muster drills we have attended, many do not pay attention and create so much diversion by talking, yelling to a friend 3 lines down, complaining they must stand there, etc, etc that it is very difficult for anyone else to hear or follow what is being said. It will probably be those same who panic and complain they were not instructed and endanger the other passengers if a real muster would occur.

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RSLeesburg

RSLeesburg

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How do young children usually do during muster? I think our son will be fine getting down there and he "can" be patient when he wants. But, he will not understand the importance of the drill or why he should stand around when there are so many new things on the ship to see and do :)

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Arizona Cruz Chic

Arizona Cruz Chic

Posted
Posted
Although I do not recall our first cruise back in 1982, during the other muster drills we have attended, many do not pay attention and create so much diversion by talking, yelling to a friend 3 lines down, complaining they must stand there, etc, etc that it is very difficult for anyone else to hear or follow what is being said. It will probably be those same who panic and complain they were not instructed and endanger the other passengers if a real muster would occur.

 

 

I've seen this also on a few cruises. You're right, they will be the first to panic and complain!!

 

***

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sealeggs

sealeggs

Posted
Posted

In August 2011 we were on the Nordic Empress coming back from Bermuda and the engine room caught fire. We were mustered and waited at our stations for about 2 hours before we were allowed to go inside to sit. We waited in the common areas of the ship in life jackets and this was on formal night. We were well compensated as were at the end of our cruise. We had to return to Bermuda and RCI flew us back to New York and then they gave a free 1 week cruise voucher to everyone on board for the inconvenience.

 

Oh I also forgot to say the next day as we were heading back to Bermuda the Captain held a complimentary Happy Hour for 2 hours on the pool deck.

 

Now that is probably our most memorable cruise.

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Thetrail

Thetrail

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Posted
Just curious...while cruising has anyone ever had to muster? You know, a REAL muster - you heard 7 short blasts followed by 1 long blast, you put on your lifejacket, and you headed to your muster station. What happened after that??
30 plus cruises, never.:)....K.O.
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mein18

mein18

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I'm surprised to read about several fire stories... what usually causes them? Electrical issues?

 

I can already anticipate what 99% of the uneducated answers will be just so they can turn this thread into another subject.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

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mein18

mein18

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How do young children usually do during muster? I think our son will be fine getting down there and he "can" be patient when he wants. But, he will not understand the importance of the drill or why he should stand around when there are so many new things on the ship to see and do :)

 

Trust me the kids although a little anxious are usually better behaved than the adults. It is usually packed in so just keep them near you so they do not get pushed away for someone trying to get near a friend to talk to or to gain their space so they are not too inconvenienced.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forums mobile app

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