Why can't people get to muster on time?

[hgmizzou]

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"?

 

Exactly! That is my question as well.

[chengkp75]

Exactly! That is my question as well.

 

In my personal opinion, a typical post Concordia muster should take about 30 minutes, from the time of the signal. Allowing for 10 minutes on smaller ships to 15 minutes on the largest ships for everyone to get to their stations, if everyone shuts up the demonstrations can be done in 15 minutes (20 minutes tops) and everyone is back to the party. So, late would be 15 minutes after the signal.

 

During many drills, I would make 8-10 circuits of the promenade deck, checking passengers life jackets (sorry, I think you should still be required to don it at drill, you'd be surprised to know how many people put them on in a way that guaranteed they would float face down), and our drills rarely took over 30 minutes (2200 pax, so smaller ship). Delays would come from the Safety Manager who would ask repeatedly for quiet.

 

Just my opinion.

[CruiseAddict1982]

Exactly! That is my question as well.

 

 

Lol I won't look at you weird! I'll be worrying about how I can beat everyone to the bar

 

 

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[tlatrice]

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

 

Still no answer...

[goodycruising]

I would say that if you are very forward or aft then check out the details on the door of your cabin and when they give the 15 minute before message wait 5 or 10 minutes to head to the muster. Then you should get the about the right time.

 

I wanted to stay near the wall as I have issues standing for long and the attendant was quite abrupt that if I had a disability I should go to some other area and get assistance. No, if I could just be towards the back near the wall that would be all I need. I don't understand why the whole muster experience has to be conducted by the rudest people they can find. It really makes a bad impression on the first part of an expensive holiday you look forward to for months. Others here want to be forward and I want to be near the wall. We get there in good time, so why the rude attitude?

 

I know that the drills are for safety but they could be a lot better handled.

Edited April 14, 2014 by goodycruising

[TravelerThom]

Still no answer...

I thought Msg 152 (posted 40 minutes before your Msg) by someone who has served many years as a ship officer was a quite good answer to "when is 'Late' "

[tlatrice]

I thought Msg 152 (posted 40 minutes before your Msg) by someone who has served many years as a ship officer was a quite good answer to "when is 'Late' "

 

 

Thanks!

[hgmizzou]

In my personal opinion, a typical post Concordia muster should take about 30 minutes, from the time of the signal. Allowing for 10 minutes on smaller ships to 15 minutes on the largest ships for everyone to get to their stations, if everyone shuts up the demonstrations can be done in 15 minutes (20 minutes tops) and everyone is back to the party. So, late would be 15 minutes after the signal.

 

During many drills, I would make 8-10 circuits of the promenade deck, checking passengers life jackets (sorry, I think you should still be required to don it at drill, you'd be surprised to know how many people put them on in a way that guaranteed they would float face down), and our drills rarely took over 30 minutes (2200 pax, so smaller ship). Delays would come from the Safety Manager who would ask repeatedly for quiet.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for. We will look at where our Muster Station is and plan to position ourselves so that we can be there around 10 minutes after the alarm is sounded.

 

As I said, I don't want to delay anything but I don't want to be there 1/2 hour early either. I do believe that the Muster Drills are important and I would never want to do anything to detract from the Crew's responsibilities or make more work for them.

 

Just under 13 days and counting!!! :)

[Desertbelle]

And, you don't just show up at the muster station, you then have to get checked in once there. I have waited for a few minutes while the crew member gets people checked in before me....then we get into our formation. I n 20+ cruises I can't recall there ever being a muster drill longer than 30 minutes, and many are done in 20 minutes.

 

I think late would be arriving at the muster station more than 20-25 minutes after the general alarm. Once, when we took my elderly parents on a cruise, it took us a good 20 minutes to get my mother to her station, and then my sister and I had to sprint over to our station. There were still people checking in when we got there, and a few behind us.

 

If people stopped looking at everyone else as someone trying to cheat the system or get something over on them and just find a little love and patience in their hearts, the world would be a better place.

 

There is an old saying, "Treat everyone you meet with kindness because you don't know what trials they may be going through."

 

 

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[chengkp75]

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for. We will look at where our Muster Station is and plan to position ourselves so that we can be there around 10 minutes after the alarm is sounded.

 

As I said, I don't want to delay anything but I don't want to be there 1/2 hour early either. I do believe that the Muster Drills are important and I would never want to do anything to detract from the Crew's responsibilities or make more work for them.

 

Just under 13 days and counting!!! :)

 

Knowing where the muster station actually is, is the key. If you've never been on this class of ship before, take a few minutes during your first walk around the ship to find the muster station. Then, you can get from just about anywhere on the ship in 10-15 minutes. We train crew to mentally figure routes from wherever they are to their station and get there in 5 minutes, even with the fastest possible route blocked by the emergency (can't walk through the fire to get to their station). We usually "kill" several crew every drill because they walked through a "fire". Use the USCG motto: Semper Paratus (Always Prepared).

[emeraldcity]

I would say that if you are very forward or aft then check out the details on the door of your cabin and when they give the 15 minute before message wait 5 or 10 minutes to head to the muster. Then you should get the about the right time.

 

I wanted to stay near the wall as I have issues standing for long and the attendant was quite abrupt that if I had a disability I should go to some other area and get assistance. No, if I could just be towards the back near the wall that would be all I need. I don't understand why the whole muster experience has to be conducted by the rudest people they can find. It really makes a bad impression on the first part of an expensive holiday you look forward to for months. Others here want to be forward and I want to be near the wall. We get there in good time, so why the rude attitude?

 

I know that the drills are for safety but they could be a lot better handled.

 

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Our last two muster drills were on the Grandeur and we had members of the entertainment staff handling the specifics. They kept it light-hearted, while making sure it was informative.

[w&k]

Knowing where the muster station actually is, is the key. If you've never been on this class of ship before, take a few minutes during your first walk around the ship to find the muster station. Then, you can get from just about anywhere on the ship in 10-15 minutes. We train crew to mentally figure routes from wherever they are to their station and get there in 5 minutes, even with the fastest possible route blocked by the emergency (can't walk through the fire to get to their station). We usually "kill" several crew every drill because they walked through a "fire". Use the USCG motto: Semper Paratus (Always Prepared).

 

I absolutely agree! When we get onboard and find the cabin, the first thing we do is figure out which muster station we have. We then actually go find the station, as the signage can be quite difficult to spot.

 

Once we have determined that we have an outside, standing muster station, I look for the closest A/C sitting spot, and arrive there about 10-15 minutes ahead of the scheduled muster time. We then proceed outside at the end of the 'flood' of folks.

 

However, if we have an inside, seated muster station, we usually show up quite early to get a comfortable seat.

 

I have experienced only one badly inattentive drill, and it was on RCCL Freedom of the Seas on a summer trip that was overrun with groups of teens a couple of years ago. I didn't know it was possible to simultaneously yell at friends, snap gum, listen to high-volume music on earbuds, and text... all while at the muster drill. A couple of crew members attempted to get their attention, to no avail. I was comforted by the thought of the bills from the non-stop texting arriving when they returned home again.

 

The drill that grouched me off the most was on the Carnival Fascination last year. Our muster station was in the theatre, and we sat around staring at the walls for quite awhile while staff members talked into their radios and waved at the passengers from the stage.

 

We were then required to exit the theater, climb up the stairs and stand around outside until everyone on the ship was at their lifeboat station, which took at least another 30 minutes or so. Unfortunately, our section of the theater was the first one called to go up and outside to stand full in the brutal afternoon Florida sun. I got sunburned, and I thought my elderly FIL was going to pass out.

 

That could have been handled MUCH better.

 

No matter how long the muster drill may be, there's a wonderful cruise afterwards!

 

Wendy

[TravelerThom]

I will comment that should there ever be an emergency (extremely small chance, but possible) I am planning on using some common sense in proceeding to my Muster Station. Some of the bodies recovered from the Concordia were found in the person's assigned Muster Station which was underwater:eek:. If my Muster Station is underwater I will use Plan B.

 

Thom

[Folk Singer]

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.

 

 

wouldn't that be nice.

[BillOh]

I know that the drills are for safety but they could be a lot better handled.

 

In a few cases I agree. I was annoyed last April on Allure when I saw seated, and paying attention that the gentlemen speaking all of the important words was speaking in English and that was not his first language. Had I never cruised before I wouldn't have any idea what was going on during his portion of the drill. That statement isn't racist, I'll sit quietly while things are repeated in the additional languages, but if I can't understand the one in my language the cruise line isn't doing their job properly. On the lighter side this gentleman kept saying that if an emergency occurs and your keys are not with you, go ahead to your muster station and a crew member will bring your keys to you. That's awful thoughtful during an emergency, but I'm not sure I want keys weighing me down if I get into the water. Later when he said make sure your keys all have wrist bands, I figured out what he meant. :)

[Deatsch]

Glad to provide some entertainment. <grin>

 

 

 

J Squared - I am wrecking my iPad screen trying to kill that bug!

[critterchick]

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

 

Some will glare and some won't. Because we wait for the horn, we once passed by a crew acquaintance on the way to our station and he led his section in booing us, even though we were absolutely on time. It was just his way of saying hello. I noted that he only did it to us, not the few dozen passengers that were actually late to the drill.

[TahoeBob]

Standing here waiting for muster on Indy. 15 minutes past assigned time and we can't start the drill due to people missing. Holding up whole ship!!!

 

 

Your question asked "why can't" the real problem is "why don't"

 

the reason is that many people think that the world revolves around then and no one else.

[FireStation46]

We had to wait at least 15+ minutes while they hunted down the missing people. I forgot exactly when the do the muster but it was over soon enough once they had it underway. We were lucky, we found seats in the NDR while hearty souls braved the misty wind on deck outside the MDR last March.

[fluffysue]

I wasn't exactly late for the muster drill, but my friend and I were probably one of the last to arrive for it on Oasis. Being it was my first cruise I did not realize that you were supposed to go as soon as you hear the announcement that there is GOING to be a muster drill in x minutes. I guess I thought it was like a fire drill, you go when they sound the alarm (or the horn in this case). If I'd realized that plus taken into consideration the fact that I did not know my way around that huge ship, I'd have headed out sooner. (We had spent the earlier part of the day at a wedding on board, so we did not have a lot of time to familiarize ourselves with the ship). I'm sure this happens a lot to those of us less experienced with cruising. NOW I know and will just plan to head to the vicinity well before the scheduled time.

 

Also we were very lucky that we had seats in the ice theater which was quite comfy, but I gather that is not always the case from what I've read here. The people directing us there and those who conducted it were very pleasant; in fact the whole thing was very upbeat, which was nice as I was prepared for the panic I always feel when flying as the flight attendant talks about how to use your seat cushion as a floatation device. :)

Edited April 15, 2014 by fluffysue

[slyster]

I learned after cruise 1 or 2 not to go down early as it means I'm in the back of the line. I'm a bit claustrophic. So we typically go down a minute or two before the drill is supposed to start. I'm not sure any muster drill has started on time, but I think our serenade cruise a few years ago, we only had to wait a few minutes. that was the fastest time. And no, I don't believe I have ever arrived past the time it's supposed to start. We just start heading down a few minutes before.

Edited April 16, 2014 by slyster

[nascar junkie]

There are people who are chroniclly late to everything. It's a learned behavioral issue similar to a mental illness.

[hgmizzou]

There are people who are chroniclly late to everything. It's a learned behavioral issue similar to a mental illness.

 

Wow! :confused:

[golfer1966]

Standing here waiting for muster on Indy. 15 minutes past assigned time and we can't start the drill due to people missing. Holding up whole ship!!!

 

 

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They were busy putting their towels on their chairs at the pool... ;)

 

All kidding aside, that makes me mad too

[critterchick]

I wasn't exactly late for the muster drill, but my friend and I were probably one of the last to arrive for it on Oasis. Being it was my first cruise I did not realize that you were supposed to go as soon as you hear the announcement that there is GOING to be a muster drill in x minutes. I guess I thought it was like a fire drill, you go when they sound the alarm (or the horn in this case). If I'd realized that plus taken into consideration the fact that I did not know my way around that huge ship, I'd have headed out sooner. (We had spent the earlier part of the day at a wedding on board, so we did not have a lot of time to familiarize ourselves with the ship). I'm sure this happens a lot to those of us less experienced with cruising. NOW I know and will just plan to head to the vicinity well before the scheduled time.

 

Also we were very lucky that we had seats in the ice theater which was quite comfy, but I gather that is not always the case from what I've read here. The people directing us there and those who conducted it were very pleasant; in fact the whole thing was very upbeat, which was nice as I was prepared for the panic I always feel when flying as the flight attendant talks about how to use your seat cushion as a floatation device. :)

 

On every ship that I've been on except Allure, the announcement says to go when you hear the horn. On Allure, the announcement 15 minutes out asked people to start heading to their muster stations. We did not, and still were not late, nor were we the last to arrive.