Why can't people get to muster on time?

[Folk Singer]

On my Adventure TA out of Southampton last year some people were put ashore before we cruised for that very reason.... they were (drunk &) incapable of actually making Muster..... one actually refused to go.... we departed late as a result.

 

Again on Adventure, this time out of San Juan, there were people still boarding at Muster....

 

Linda

 

 

I heard that has happened. Saw people coming to board too late and were turned away, right during the muster.

[NorbertsNiece]

I heard that has happened. Saw people coming to board too late and were turned away, right during the muster.

 

The occasion I witnessed was a large group.... may have been part of an RCCL flight..... they were boarding as we mustered.... my room steward said they have a separate muster another time but I've no idea how that is arranged.

[alfaeric]

I heard that has happened. Saw people coming to board too late and were turned away, right during the muster.

 

We saw a similar situation as NN did in San Juan- and for it, the situation must be pretty common. The ship does not leave until 8pm, and I'm pretty sure all aboard is at 7 or 7:30pm, whereas the muster drill is at 4 or 5pm (I can't recall).

 

The entire time we were mustered, people were boarding.

 

As we were told, all of the later people had their own drill that they were required to attend.

 

But you can't really turn away people who were still on time for departure but later than the drill. It happens.

[Cindy]

We don't go late, but I've found on recent cruises my cabin attendant usually wants us to go early, probably so they can tag the cabin as vacant. I always politely tell them I will be on my way as soon as the drill starts. Last week, our stewardess started trying to get us to go as soon as they made the first announcement...the one that says in 15 minutes the bars will close in preparation for the muster drill.:rolleyes: I tend to be claustrophobic, and I can't stand getting there early and being pinned up against the wall.

[temple1]

This is a pet peeve of mine! :mad:

 

I don't rush down prior to the drill, but I do try to find out in general where my muster station is located when we get to our state room. Personally, I think the cruise lines should implement a fine of some sort. Not for those who are lost, but the ones they find hiding in their staterooms.

[Mach1]

I rarely agree with Matt on anything but there is no benefit to get there early. Not a fan of being squashed like a sardine. There always seems to be at least one drunk making a fool of themselves and at that time of the day, you're lucky if you're standing in the shade. If the muster is outdoors, I'll never be early but I won't be late.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Exactly.

 

We don't go running when they call the drill.

 

But we do not hide in the cabin or arrive late.

 

We just try to be the last few in our group.

 

After so many cruises, you know learn to pace things just right...

 

I have to agree with you guys on this - we wait for the signal - then head to our station. No big rush, no running for one last drink either. However, it seems we are still staning there waiting for others to show.

 

I like to pace it just so - so I am not in the back behind a big row of people, I am just to claustrophobic to stand there with so many people on a tiny deck.

 

:)

[DirtyDawg]

I must admit that I never rush to the muster drills so I'm never in the first 50% of the people who get there. For me these drills are a necessary evil, but not something I look forward to, just like visits to the Dentist.:eek:

Edited April 14, 2014 by DirtyDawg

[iheartbda]

I have to agree with you guys on this - we wait for the signal - then head to our station. No big rush, no running for one last drink either. However, it seems we are still staning there waiting for others to show.

 

I like to pace it just so - so I am not in the back behind a big row of people, I am just to claustrophobic to stand there with so many people on a tiny deck.

 

:)

I understand the claustrophobia but, if you're leaving from a cold place, like Baltimore in Feb. being in the back row has its advantage. All those people provide a buffer from the wind and cold.:D

[EatonDoolittle]

PAX who miss muster will be (or are supposed to be) given a make up date and time for muster. Failure to appear for that is grounds for the cruise line to debark the passenger at the next port of call without any refund or recompense.

 

Holland America takes roll, says they will disembark you, tells you several times and through several mediums that they will, and then follows through.

 

There are a few threads over on the HAL board about people put ashore, not allowed to sail.

Maybe not recently (I haven't sailed them in a year or so) , but when they first started, right after the Costa Concordia, evidently people did not take them seriously.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

So the 'muster drill' is at 4pm, which is what time the alarm sounds, right? Has anyone said when you are considered "late"? 4:05? 4:10? 4:15? And for those who are "early", how early are you? 3:45? 3:50? 3:55? 4?

[Clarea]

So the 'muster drill' is at 4pm, which is what time the alarm sounds, right? Has anyone said when you are considered "late"? 4:05? 4:10? 4:15? And for those who are "early", how early are you? 3:45? 3:50? 3:55? 4?

If they say the muster drill is at 4pm, that that is when the alarm sounds. They will start announcing the muster drill 30 minutes before the alarm.

[vivianmarie244]

I definitely make it to muster on time. Or what I consider on time. I leave my room when the alarm sounds. I don't run, I walk to my muster station. That is how I think it's supposed to work. But I will say, I just about had a panic attack on our last cruise. We were standing so closely packed on the deck that I was feeling very claustrophobic. I actually thought I was about to faint or something. I don't intend to be late on our next cruise. But I will definitely take me time in hopes that I don't get stuffed in the middle of the group again.

[FLACRUISER99]

I must be missing something, in over 80 cruises I have never sailed late due to someone arriving late at muster. I don't understand the problem except folks being impatient. There are all kind of folks onboard including new cruisers that have no idea on what to do and everyone cannot arrive at the same time. Also no one has defined what late is 5,10,15,18,20 or some other arbitrary time after the emergency signal. BTY HAL has removed folks from the ship that refused to go to muster.

 

So the 'muster drill' is at 4pm, which is what time the alarm sounds, right? Has anyone said when you are considered "late"? 4:05? 4:10? 4:15? And for those who are "early", how early are you? 3:45? 3:50? 3:55? 4?

I asked the same question on post #59 & no one seems to have the answer.

[Beachdude]

I must be missing something, in over 80 cruises I have never sailed late due to someone arriving late at muster. .

 

Oh I'll bet you have, you just didn't realize it. I can think of two cruises just off the top of my head. The worst for us was a Disney cruise where we stood facing the hot sun for almost an hour. I don't know if they ever found the missing cruisers, but they were forced to end the drill when a few elderly passengers started passing out. Same kind of deal on a Voyager of the Seas cruise, but the muster was on a much cooler day. We left real late that day.

 

Burt

[susieatsea]

LOL funniest thing ever

 

 

I am still laughing...:D

[FLACRUISER99]

Oh I'll bet you have, you just didn't realize it. I can think of two cruises just off the top of my head. The worst for us was a Disney cruise where we stood facing the hot sun for almost an hour. I don't know if they ever found the missing cruisers, but they were forced to end the drill when a few elderly passengers started passing out. Same kind of deal on a Voyager of the Seas cruise, but the muster was on a much cooler day. We left real late that day.

 

Burt

Nope, I have sailed late many times. However I have never sailed late due to someone arriving late at muster. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, just never to me.

[EVALUATOR]

I asked the same question on post #59 & no one seems to have the answer.

 

Kind of like the MDR...

 

If the doors open at 6:00, there are people waiting in front of them at 5:30. And then some wait for the crowd to thin and enter a few minutes later. Those waiting at 5:30 would complain about those entering at 6:05.

 

I never missed a muster but got letters saying we did.

 

Mrs E. could not stand for long periods, or have people bumping into her. We got there on time for us, but definitely "late" as far as when others thought we should be there for the muster.

[BillOh]

Now that you don't have to put on the life jackets not as bad, but Royal doesn't help by punishing the people who get there early. I've done 5 Muster's in Miami, one in Tampa and one in Fort Lauderdale. (Not counting 2 on Allure where we had comfortable seats) But if you are one of the first there, they line you up against the wall and fill in front of you with late arrivals, so that is one motivation for people to arrive late. The people who get there first stand for 30 minutes or more packed in like sardines and in the heat. Next Month, I may pull a trick that doesn't put me out first, but on the other hand doesn't keep people waiting. (If my Jewel Muster is out on the outside deck, I'll walk to that level and hang in the AC until the bulk of the crowd is out there and follow them out. I had back surgery 1/10 and standing 30-40 minutes would not be comfortable.

[LMaxwell]

You should be able to arrive to your muster station in 10 minutes from any location of the vessel; certainly in under 15. Let's use a little common sense people. Given the ample prior warnings, when the alarm goes off stop whatever activity you were involved with and calmly walk to your muster point.

 

Again, I really can not see this taking more than 15 minutes maximum from the time the alarm sounds. I've never had a cabin or been in a public venue that I could not walk to my muster station in 10 minutes or less. If you require crew assistance due to limited mobility they will help you.

[TravelerThom]

If they were waiting for stragglers the drill had not yet begun...only the signals to indicate to move towards station. The crew does not begin giving out information until all are present. So...mark the frame zero.

I totally disagree. A significant part of a Muster Drill is "mustering", which means to assemble. The Muster Drill commences when the notice to assemble (7 shorts followed by one long) is given. The information given after you have mustered (assembled) is but a part of a Muster Drill.

 

Thom

[onthelake]

I posted this before, and the lady whose nephew refused to wear anything but shorts (at that time in the thread) had a melt down over it. I find it true in this case as well.

 

Polite society has rules, whether we choice to follow them is up to the individual.

 

OK, none of my business but that thread had to do with an aunt asking questions to help her brother mitigate potential problems with an autistic son. Sensory issues can cause huge problems. Through the thread she found out about the autism at sea program RCL has and was happy to find out there was a centralized program to work with to enable her brother's family make the most of their cruise. They were perfectly willing to eat in the WJ if necessary and were not trying to get out of muster.

 

Most people want to do the right thing and are asking questions in order to make an informed choice. Why slam them once and when you get a chance, slam them again?

[hgmizzou]

I'm a "limited experience" cruiser so I am just looking for clarification here. I want to confirm that the Muster Drill is all one exercise. Is it correct to wait until the horn blasts to head to our Muster Station? I will definitely look at the sign on the back of the door to know where we are supposed to go, but I don't want to stand for an hour (knee replacement) if I don't have too. I don't want to hold anyone up either.

 

I understand that no one wants to wait on people who are late. "What is late" has been asked a number of times on here. I want to make sure I do the drill correctly, in the minimal amount of time, resulting in as stress free an experience as possible for everyone.

 

Just like all aspects of this cruise, I am just looking for clarification for planning purposes. If we aren't supposed to head to our stations until the alarm is sounded - that is what I want to do - without being "those people" who are considered late.

[BillOh]

 

I understand that no one wants to wait on people who are late. "What is late" has been asked a number of times on here. I want to make sure I do the drill correctly, in the minimal amount of time, resulting in as stress free an experience as possible for everyone.

 

In most drills they take attendance and don't start the drill portion until the crew signals everyone is there, or people have stopped arriving and they have their list of whom to go after. On many ships the bulk of people are outside on the promenade deck. Most people get to that deck via the stairs. Even when people make an effort to be on time traffic in the stairwells means some good meaning people get there after people who are on closer decks. My definition of late is once the stairwells are empty and the majority of people have had time to get where they need to go. I frequently wait in the lobby of the stairwell and go outside once the crowd in the stairwell diminishes, but not to a complete stop. Frequently the last people showing up have drink in hand and were chased out of bars.

 

PS, I see your on Allure, it uses many more places to muster and less of them are standing against a wall in the heat. Both times I was on Allure I mustered in the Aquatheater and getting there early meant getting a good seat! I always wanted to go directly from Muster to the port bridge wing on deck 14 for sailaway, so I got to Muster early, got Aisle seats in the last row and bolted once it was over.

Edited April 14, 2014 by BillOh

[S.A.M.J.R.]

If they say the muster drill is at 4pm, that that is when the alarm sounds. They will start announcing the muster drill 30 minutes before the alarm.

Right. Got that. What I'm trying to find out is, if we wait until the alarm goes at 4, walk from wherever we are at the time to our muster station (which could take 10-15 minutes depending where we are and the crowd), and we walk in to our muster station at 4:12, are we going to get glared at (by fellow passengers) for "being late"?

 

Honestly, they can glare all they want, it won't bother me. My DW & teen DD, maybe. :p

[finz2u]

At least now we are not standing there sweating into them nasty life jackets that you use to have to carry with you

 

My first muster drill, I was with a group of Jimmy Buffett fans, and remember the man next to me complaining that it was so hot and sweaty, his temporary tatoo had washed off. Happy times.