World Voyage Muster Drills Question

[Louise D]

I was always led to believe that lifeboats for Grill passengers were equipped with ice buckets and iPod docking stations.

What does one wear onboard a lifeboat during the daytime that would match that horrible orange colour. I would certainly have to insist they repaint mine to a more genteel colour.

 

Thankfully, in womenswear, I am currently taking delivery of a lot of orange, bright cherry and coral, so I have a good selection of garments for the life boat.

 

I also have a store of 5 pound notes to wave under the noses of any crew members who might otherwise be tempted to turn back the lifeboat to pick up struggling Britannia passengers.

[pmb1]

... What does one wear onboard a lifeboat during the daytime that would match that horrible orange colour. I would certainly have to insist they repaint mine to a more genteel colour.

Duh! They aren't orange inside. Within, each is the natural shade of the marble veneer with which it has been lined. And, as I'm sure you already know, very thinly sliced Carrara marble is translucent white, soothing, and fireproof. Can you think of a better material for decorating a Grills lifeboat?

[Whitemarsh]

Thankfully, in womenswear, I am currently taking delivery of a lot of orange, bright cherry and coral, so I have a good selection of garments for the life boat.

 

I also have a store of 5 pound notes to wave under the noses of any crew members who might otherwise be tempted to turn back the lifeboat to pick up struggling Britannia passengers.

 

Excellent idea. Always good to be prepared.

 

I'm presuming there will be an a la carte' menu available in the Grill lifeboats, but I do hope we're also able to go off-menu.

[pepperrn]

I also have a store of 5 pound notes to wave under the noses of any crew members who might otherwise be tempted to turn back the lifeboat to pick up struggling Britannia passengers.

Excellent idea. Always good to be prepared.

Well, Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon agreed with your excellent idea and preparations, ‘cus that’s what he did in 1912 (as I’m sure you knew ;) )(see post #45). Only he described the transaction in different terms :rolleyes: .

 

A thought struck me, with in-cabin safes, there will be no queuing at the Purser’s Desk to retrieve one’s jewels, making the evacuation so much easier; no need to descend to the lower decks at all. Straight from suite to (orange) yacht. Will strategically placed champagne refreshment points be available en-route? (if so, I may be tempted to book Grills in future).

[Louise D]

Excellent idea. Always good to be prepared.

 

I'm presuming there will be an a la carte' menu available in the Grill lifeboats, but I do hope we're also able to go off-menu.

 

It rather depends on whether you are in a PG lifeboat or a QG lifeboat.

 

In a PG lifeboat, there is no assigned chef. Therefore, the repast will be limited to a selection of cold items served on a bed of ice such as sweet and savoury mousses, salads, cold joints of beef, parfaits and ice creams.

 

In contrast, each QG lifeboat travels with its own chef, who not only carries out ice carving demonstrations to keep up passenger morale, but carries basic staples together with a supply of beluga caviar, smoked salmon, white truffles, foie gras, ortolans, wagyu beef and Kopi Luwak coffee (pre-digested by an Asian Palm Civet). You are invited to propose any dish using any or all of the above ingredients.

 

Personally, I would give the civet cat droppings a miss.

[Whitemarsh]

Well, Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon agreed with your excellent idea and preparations, ‘cus that’s what he did in 1912 (as I’m sure you knew ;) )(see post #45). Only he described the transaction in different terms :rolleyes: .

 

I've read a few books on the Titanic and it's my opinion that Duff-Gordon gets a bad rap. Considering that the crew's pay ceased immediately once Titanic disappeared under the waves it's not beyond comprehension that Duff-Gordon was simply being generous to the men that he and his wife shared a lifeboat with.

 

The Duff-Gordons also get a bad rap for lifeboat number 1 being nearly empty. I don't know why as they weren't responsible for filling it, nor did they stop anyone from getting in it when it was being lowered from Titanic.

 

 

 

In contrast, each QG lifeboat travels with its own chef, who not only carries out ice carving demonstrations to keep up passenger morale, but carries basic staples together with a supply of beluga caviar, smoked salmon, white truffles, foie gras, ortolans, wagyu beef and Kopi Luwak coffee (pre-digested by an Asian Palm Civet). You are invited to propose any dish using any or all of the above ingredients.

 

Personally, I would give the civet cat droppings a miss.

 

As would I. Isn't it strange what some people like. Also, there are other concerns as well.

[Louise D]

Well, Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon agreed with your excellent idea and preparations, ‘cus that’s what he did in 1912 (as I’m sure you knew ;) )(see post #45). Only he described the transaction in different terms :rolleyes: .

 

A thought struck me, with in-cabin safes, there will be no queuing at the Purser’s Desk to retrieve one’s jewels, making the evacuation so much easier; no need to descend to the lower decks at all. Straight from suite to (orange) yacht. Will strategically placed champagne refreshment points be available en-route? (if so, I may be tempted to book Grills in future).

 

It is interesting that Sir Cosmo only promised them each 5 pounds, and I am not sure if they actually were paid the money by him after they were rescued. It has always been (and no doubt remains) pretty difficult to extract ready cash from any member of the upper class.

 

NB all Cunard ships still provide a safe deposit facility, although I doubt many passengers use it.

[Louise D]

As would I. Isn't it strange what some people like. Also, there are other concerns as well.

 

I would expect that PETA would disapprove of most of my list of gourmet ingredients.

 

In fact I disapprove of most of my list.

[pepperrn]

I've read a few books on the Titanic and it's my opinion that Duff-Gordon gets a bad rap. Considering that the crew's pay ceased immediately once Titanic disappeared under the waves it's not beyond comprehension that Duff-Gordon was simply being generous to the men that he and his wife shared a lifeboat with.

Well the Board of Trade enquiry under Lord Mersey agreed with your view. The press coverage of the time however ensured that he retired from society and became a bit of the recluse (although not as much as Ismay).

The Duff-Gordons also get a bad rap for lifeboat number 1 being nearly empty. I don't know why as they weren't responsible for filling it, nor did they stop anyone from getting in it when it was being lowered from Titanic.

Very true. However, the description "Private lifeboat No. 1" stuck for a long time. Interestingly it was depicted in 1957 in "A Night to Remember" but not in "Titanic" in 1953 or 1997. As you say, they didn't fill the lifeboat, or prevent others on the boat deck from joining them.

Best wishes :) .

[pepperrn]

It is interesting that Sir Cosmo only promised them each 5 pounds, and I am not sure if they actually were paid the money by him after they were rescued.

I'm sure that I read (although it will take me a few minutes to find the reference, and in which book... ) that he wrote out a cheque to each, in the lifeboat, on anything they had to hand (lifebelts etc). He was then as good as his word and swapped the temporary cheques for "proper" ones or a £5 note later. I'm sure I've seen a photograph of one of the crew members holding a temporary "cheque", and more recently heard of one going under the hammer at an auction (but I could so easily be wrong of course :o , my apologies if I'm mistaken).

All best wishes :) .

[Whitemarsh]

I would expect that PETA would disapprove of most of my list of gourmet ingredients.

 

In fact I disapprove of most of my list.

 

Oh look we all have to eat, but I do think we can all probably live without the poo-coffee.

 

I've never met anyone that drinks it. :eek:

 

I'm sure that I read (although it will take me a few minutes to find the reference, and in which book... ) that he wrote out a cheque to each, in the lifeboat, on anything they had to hand (lifebelts etc). He was then as good as his word and swapped the temporary cheques for "proper" ones or a £5 note later. I'm sure I've seen a photograph of one of the crew members holding a temporary "cheque", and more recently heard of one going under the hammer at an auction (but I could so easily be wrong of course :o , my apologies if I'm mistaken).

All best wishes :) .

 

I think you're right with the chain of events Pepper. I too remember reading this account.

[Louise D]

I'm sure that I read (although it will take me a few minutes to find the reference, and in which book... ) that he wrote out a cheque to each, in the lifeboat, on anything they had to hand (lifebelts etc). He was then as good as his word and swapped the temporary cheques for "proper" ones or a £5 note later. I'm sure I've seen a photograph of one of the crew members holding a temporary "cheque", and more recently heard of one going under the hammer at an auction (but I could so easily be wrong of course :o , my apologies if I'm mistaken).

All best wishes :) .

 

It seems you are correct in that Sir Cosmo wrote each of the men a cheque drawn on Coutts once they were taken aboard the Carpathia. A picture of one of the cheques can be viewed at the link below.

 

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/print/i-was-saved-from-the-titanic-lady-duff-gordon.html

[Whitemarsh]

It seems you are correct in that Sir Cosmo wrote each of the men a cheque drawn on Coutts once they were taken aboard the Carpathia. A picture of one of the cheques can be viewed at the link below.

 

http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/print/i-was-saved-from-the-titanic-lady-duff-gordon.html

 

Thank you for that link, it was very interesting reading and quite sad.

[ToadOfToadHall]

It is something we should all take seriously and give thought to.

 

Why ? It's "tick box" Health and Safety.

 

And as someone who sometimes has to visit customer's sites that contain hazards I see more than my fair share of this "tick box" culture. Not only is it utterly pointless, it actually turns a very serious subject to point of stupidity and makes a mockery of it. But, we're ticked the box, so everything is fine now (fine, as in "if something goes wrong/someone gets hurt then we (the company) are fine because we "ticked the box").

[pepperrn]

Why ? It's "tick box" Health and Safety

My apologies, my clumsy wording. So sorry :o .

 

I should, of course, have written:

"It is something the rest of us should take seriously and give thought to".

 

I'll try harder next time to word my posts correctly.

 

Best wishes :) .

[ToadOfToadHall]

My apologies, my clumsy wording. So sorry :o .

 

I should, of course, have written:

"It is something the rest of us should take seriously and give thought to".

 

I'll try harder next time to word my posts correctly.

 

Best wishes :) .

 

That's fine. You carry on believing the musters they carry out on board have an actual purpose if it makes you feel safe (which is, after all, the whole idea of them - i.e. to give passengers the "feeling of being safe" without actually making a single bit of difference to "actual safety").

[pepperrn]

That's fine. You carry on believing the musters they carry out on board have an actual purpose if it makes you feel safe (which is, after all, the whole idea of them - i.e. to give passengers the "feeling of being safe" without actually making a single bit of difference to "actual safety").

Thank you, most kind of you.

 

However, I don't believe that I wrote anywhere that the on-board practice musters make me "feel safe".

 

In fact I tried to give the opposite impression when I said "It is something we should all take seriously and give thought to. When we attend in daylight, on a moored ship, in the relative calm of embarkation day, how many of us think about getting to "our" lifeboat late at night, in pitch black, on a sloping deck... Or with thick smoke, or even fire blocking our "usual" route? Or maybe from a bar or the nightclub, slightly drunk and not thinking clearly. Your partner or children went to bed early... or are in a different part of the ship. Do you find them? Do you know the ship well enough to know routes to your muster station from any part of the ship?"

 

Indicating, I had hoped, that the "routine" (or "tick box") practice muster carried out at the terminal will not resemble the reality of an emergency situation in any shape or form. I was hoping (but obviously failed) to get people to think beyond the "tiresome/do we have to?/done it all before" interruption to their sailaway festivities. To get them to think, not behave like sheep, in a real disaster at sea.

 

But I failed to get that across, as I noted above, my fault I'm sure. I am so sorry.

[ToadOfToadHall]

Pepperrn,

 

It seems I misunderstood your last but one post when you said "It is something the rest of us should take seriously and give thought to".

 

What I thought you were alluding to was : Well, we'll (i.e. "the rest") take it seriously, even if you don't.

 

But that was clearly not what you meant, because you clarified it in your last post. I suppose that's the problem with written exchanges on forums; if we had been talking face to face, any misunderstanding/misinterpretation would have been picked up in an instant.

 

So it looks like it's my turn to say sorry for myself misunderstanding you.

[pepperrn]

Pepperrn, It seems I misunderstood your last but one post when you said "It is something the rest of us should take seriously and give thought to". What I thought you were alluding to was : Well, we'll (i.e. "the rest") take it seriously, even if you don't. But that was clearly not what you meant, because you clarified it in your last post. I suppose that's the problem with written exchanges on forums; if we had been talking face to face, any misunderstanding/misinterpretation would have been picked up in an instant. So it looks like it's my turn to say sorry for myself misunderstanding you.

Hi ToadOfToadHall,

 

I agree with you, in that we're singing from the same hymn sheet here, and I esp agree with your highlighted point above.

 

As I so often agree totally with your posts on CC, I wondered if there might be confusion between us on this occasion.

 

May I apologise for my part in that :o .

 

All best wishes to you, and many happy (and safe) sailings for the future :) .

[ToadOfToadHall]

Hi Pepperrn,

 

"As I so often agree totally with your posts on CC, I wondered if there might be confusion between us on this occasion".

 

That very thought did cross my mind as well !!

 

Coming back to the muster thing. I suppose I'm very cynical because a few years ago I undertook 5 days of off-shore survival training (to be allowed to work on an oil-rig for a few days). We did things like first-aid, fire-fighting, escaping for a smoke filled room (with real fires !) without BAs and then moving around very confined spaced with a BA, how to find your way out of a room when you have no viability, life boat piloting, launching etc. Also being turned upside down and being strapped into a helicopter simulator and then being lowered under the water. Also we did a platform abandonment exercise, in the dark, in cold water, with hoses being sprayed to simulate the sea, plus flashing lights and sirens, noise of collapsing metalwork etc.

 

That sounds a lot, but it was only 5 days, so it's basic training. So when I sit and listen to the muster information...well, you can work out what goes though my mind as to it's usefulness !!

 

Take care

 

Toad

[brigittetom]

I, for one, do take the muster drill seriously and yes, I can find my way there under all sets of circumstances......except the late night scenario. But I actually do have confidence that the staff has had the training to direct passengers from various parts of the ship.

 

I've never actually asked....although I may next time....do they designate staff to every public area of the ship in case of an emergency? They are certainly in place to direct us to the muster stations.

[seasidegal]

 

I'd like to think that Britannia passengers would show a little consideration and die quietly. ;)

 

:D:D:D

 

We will in the future pack duck tape so as to assure our mouths

do not utter a sound as we sink beneath the sea. ;)

 

 

 

ToadOfToadHall and pepper:

 

 

You both have displayed how gentlemen settle a disagreement/misunderstanding.

 

Thank you!

 

seasidegal

[glojo]

What concerns me is that these crews all undergo similar training and when the Concordia was abandoned we read of lifeboats making several trips from shipto shore offloading passengers.

 

This might appear perfectly acceptable but do the crews have an up to date list of who should be in their lifeboat and do they leave the ship with only a few paasengers in the boat?

 

I am not acting as judge nor jury and am only asking the question as to me these muster drills should be taken seriously, the crews should and no doubt are extremely professional and should they know who is on their boats and by default, who is missing?

[cunardaddict]

I've never actually asked....although I may next time....do they designate staff to every public area of the ship in case of an emergency? They are certainly in place to direct us to the muster stations.

 

Definitely yes, each member off staff has a designated duty and a place to go to. This can easily be observed during any drill/excercise on board.

[pmb1]

I was most impressed by the crew emergency drill on QM2 Wednesday, July 24, 2013. This is what I blogged at the time:

 

At 10:00AM Deputy Captain Gozdzik conducted a crew drill that involved a simulated fire in the crew quarters in fire zone 2 complete with fake smoke. The drill lasted over an hour and involved the crew checking all passengers cabins and manning lifeboat and life raft stations. In addition to broadcasting orders to the crew the Deputy Captain announced what the instructions to passengers would be at each phase of a real emergency; for example, "If this were a real emergency, passengers with children in the Zone would be instructed to go to the Zone for their children and passengers traveling with pets would be instructed to go to the kennels for their pets." It was the most thorough drill, complete with frequent status reports (e.g. "The fire is now out."), that I've ever heard on board. When I walked back to our cabin at 11:30 I saw that there was a big yellow "CLEAR" notice placed over each cabin door handle, something that I've never seen before.