LIVE! Muster Torture on Navigator!

[Honeybearhollow]

Currently 85 degrees and humid in Miami. We've been standing outside in the hot sun with 1000 other people less than a foot apart for the last 35 minutes. The lady next to me on my left felt like she was going to pass out. A girl on the right has a nosebleed. I'm pouring sweat, as is everyone else.

 

 

 

Why hasn't this been moved inside like on other ships?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Honeybearhollow]

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I agree that muster on the Navigator in February was the worst experience I have ever had on a ship. People were fainting, it was hot and we were standing for almost an hour. My husband and I are 75 and unable to stand for long periods of time. I have knee problems and my husband has had a heart attack. There is no excuse for passengers to be treated in this way. I am sure those in charge would say that the disabled were allowed to sit inside, but we dod tell them that we were unable to stand any longer and we were told that it was almost over. It was quite a bit longer after that. It will keep us from sailing on the Navigator again.

 

 

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[Honeybearhollow]

I agree that muster on the Navigator in February was the worst experience I have ever had on a ship. People were fainting, it was hot and we were standing for almost an hour. My husband and I are 75 and unable to stand for long periods of time. I have knee problems and my husband has had a heart attack. There is no excuse for passengers to be treated in this way. I am sure those in charge would say that the disabled were allowed to sit inside, but we did tell them that we were unable to stand any longer and we were told that it was almost over. It was quite a bit longer after that. It will keep us from sailing on the Navigator again.

 

 

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[goldiep]

Hey, first cruise was Carnival Destiny out of San Juan in June. Yep, you guessed it- outside in the life jackets, crammed together like sardines. Took a long time. I nearly did faint and grabbed the DH to keep from falling. And I was so relieved when they let us go that, no, I couldn’t have told you where my muster station was.

 

 

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[BunnieBear]

I'll swap with you...

 

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[lilant]

I'd be asking for on board credit.

 

 

 

Your joking, right?

 

 

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[Paulxyz2004]

SOLAS requires the muster to be as near the lifeboats as possible, which means on any ship that has sufficient promenade deck space to hold the muster, it will be there, and will be there for the life of the ship. Only ships that have been built with reduced size outside deck areas (square footage per passenger) will have indoor muster locations, and these need to be designed from newbuild to meet the requirements of area, volume, ventilation, and number and size of ingress/egress points, as well as paths to the boats. It is not a decision the cruise lines can make to move muster locations, it must meet class and flag state approvals of meeting the requirements of SOLAS.

 

Thanks for pointing out what should have been obvious for everybody. Great explanation as always.(y)(y)(y)

[chengkp75]

There is no excuse for passengers to be treated in this way. It will keep us from sailing on the Navigator again.

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So, if there was an actual emergency during a sea day in the middle of the Caribbean, where the sun and heat are comparable, you would expect to be "treated better", while the emergency is handled, maybe for several hours? I realize that most people who go on cruises have never had to train for actual life threatening emergencies, but that is what a muster drill is, and to be effective, training needs to be as close to the real thing as possible. The muster drill is not something the cruise lines do to annoy passengers, it is something that is done to help you learn to save your life. In an emergency, you cease to be a passenger, and become a liability that the crew is charged with keeping safe. At that point, your personal comfort moves way down the priority list, well below staying alive.

 

And if this is going to keep you from sailing on Navigator again, I guess you'll have to cross off the other 4 ships of the Voyager class, since their muster drills and locations will be the same.

[YlangYlangF9PB3E]

We had a recent, similar experience. Waited and waited for the drill to begin; kept hearing announcements of passenger names. Seemed that several people decided that they really didn't have to show up at muster,

and the rest of the 4000+ passengers had to stand and wait for the crew to find them. After about 25 minutes a small group of 20-somethings were shown to their muster station. One blue-haired girl was giggling as she passed in front of me and I wanted stick my foot out to trip her. Seriously.

[BunnieBear]

That's who's to blame, inconsiderate passengers, not the cruise line who's incentive is to keep you safe.

 

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[zebra36]

We had a recent, similar experience. Waited and waited for the drill to begin; kept hearing announcements of passenger names. Seemed that several people decided that they really didn't have to show up at muster,

and the rest of the 4000+ passengers had to stand and wait for the crew to find them. After about 25 minutes a small group of 20-somethings were shown to their muster station. One blue-haired girl was giggling as she passed in front of me and I wanted stick my foot out to trip her. Seriously.

That usually is the problem, inconsiderate passengers who choose to show up well after the stated time for the drill to begin.

[andrew2346]

So, if there was an actual emergency during a sea day in the middle of the Caribbean, where the sun and heat are comparable, you would expect to be "treated better", while the emergency is handled, maybe for several hours? I realize that most people who go on cruises have never had to train for actual life threatening emergencies, but that is what a muster drill is, and to be effective, training needs to be as close to the real thing as possible. The muster drill is not something the cruise lines do to annoy passengers, it is something that is done to help you learn to save your life. In an emergency, you cease to be a passenger, and become a liability that the crew is charged with keeping safe. At that point, your personal comfort moves way down the priority list, well below staying alive.

 

And if this is going to keep you from sailing on Navigator again, I guess you'll have to cross off the other 4 ships of the Voyager class, since their muster drills and locations will be the same.

 

Very true. My 2 AM emergency muster included drunk people, people in their underwear, babies without formula, and elderly people passing out, children asking if they were going to have to jump, and lifeboats lowered, helicopter circling, smoke billowing into the night sky, crew screaming at passengers, people begging to use the bathroom (which btw were non functional and filled with you know what), crew running past you in muster with hoses, vomiting, another cruise ship in the distance called to help receive passengers, people learning that if their families were at separate muster station that REALLY meant you were not together, no water for a couple hours..for 3 hours. I could go on but yes you were no longer a passenger at that point.

 

I'm not really sure that the muster helped at all. The crew was very very good about helping people get to their muster station by being posted everywhere but people were running with lifejackets and bumping into each other. Like a door buster at Walmart is all I can think of. Some of the cabins and hallways had smoking in them so I would imagine those people were extra terrified.

 

I feel lthe muster is more for the crew. They absolutely know what they're doing and they do it very well because they've done it many many many times.

 

I still don't love standing out in the blazing heat or freezing cold in master waiting for people that don't think they need to show up or that they can show up late. But I certainly know appreciate it.

[hmorrow]

I'll be on the Navigator over New Year's Eve(no- I'm not canceling because of the muster) and I'll report back!.

Helaine

[chengkp75]

Very true. My 2 AM emergency muster included drunk people, people in their underwear, babies without formula, and elderly people passing out, children asking if they were going to have to jump, and lifeboats lowered, helicopter circling, smoke billowing into the night sky, crew screaming at passengers, people begging to use the bathroom (which btw were non functional and filled with you know what), crew running past you in muster with hoses, vomiting, another cruise ship in the distance called to help receive passengers, people learning that if their families were at separate muster station that REALLY meant you were not together, no water for a couple hours..for 3 hours. I could go on but yes you were no longer a passenger at that point.

 

I'm not really sure that the muster helped at all. The crew was very very good about helping people get to their muster station by being posted everywhere but people were running with lifejackets and bumping into each other. Like a door buster at Walmart is all I can think of. Some of the cabins and hallways had smoking in them so I would imagine those people were extra terrified.

 

I feel lthe muster is more for the crew. They absolutely know what they're doing and they do it very well because they've done it many many many times.

 

I still don't love standing out in the blazing heat or freezing cold in master waiting for people that don't think they need to show up or that they can show up late. But I certainly know appreciate it.

 

The muster helped greatly, even though I was not there. The muster is primarily about accountability, about getting all passengers into controlled areas and accounted for, so that the emergency teams do not have to concentrate on finding lost people, but on handling the emergency.

 

The muster drill is as much for the crew as the passengers, as this is the only time the crew get to train in their job of directing hordes of complaining and uncooperative passengers, with real complaining and uncooperative passengers.

[BunnieBear]

It's the crew that deserve an On Board Credit compensation for putting up with uncooperative passengers.

 

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[Markanddonna]

Perhaps there should be a notice that anyone who arrives after the assigned time will be required to attend a muster drill the next morning at 6AM or be removed at the next port of call.

 

We were recently on the Explorer which required an outside muster but anyone with physical problems was invited to one inside the ship.

[Biker19]

And if this is going to keep you from sailing on Navigator again, I guess you'll have to cross off the other 4 ships of the Voyager class, since their muster drills and locations will be the same.

Along with all the other ships (like Vision class) which have muster drills outside.

 

Biker, who is waiting for the opposite weather complaint - Grandeur in the middle of the winter.

[Paulxyz2004]

Perhaps there should be a notice that anyone who arrives after the assigned time will be required to attend a muster drill the next morning at 6AM or be removed at the next port of call.

 

We were recently on the Explorer which required an outside muster but anyone with physical problems was invited to one inside the ship.

 

First there already is an additional Drill the next day for those who failed to report to the one on the first day.

 

You bring up an interesting point though. What is considered being late? What do you consider the assigned time? Are you saying that if the Drill is scheduled for let´s say 4pm, everybody should be at their assigned Assembly station by 4pm latest?

 

I´m asking this in all honesty and I´m real curious about your and others opinion on this, as if I understood you correctly I am one of those latecomers, because I have a different opinion about this.

 

To me a drill like this should be as realistic as possible and I will not gather at my Assembly station 15 min. early. I will leave my cabin to make my way to the Assembly station when they sound the alarm. That to me is the signal to make my way down and that´s what they tell you onboard. If they want me down there for the alarm they certainly need to change their instructions. I´ve never been the last one to arrive and usually plenty of people arrive after me, but I´m most likely among the last 1/4 to arrive.

[CarpeCerevisi]

Keep in mind that passengers are not required to head to their muster station until after the general alarm has sounded no matter how long people have been waiting there. Of course it shouldn’t take much more than 5 minutes to get to your station. If I know I’m going to be standing outside I usually get there between 5 and 10 minutes before the alarm, if inside I might head there earlier.

 

 

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[Bookish Angel]

Along with all the other ships (like Vision class) which have muster drills outside.

 

Biker, who is waiting for the opposite weather complaint - Grandeur in the middle of the winter.

 

Been on Grandeur a couple of times in below-freezing temps and/or rain and blowing snow. Dress appropriately! I think the low temps move things along a bit better than in warmer temps.

[Goofyfanatic]

It's the crew that deserve an On Board Credit compensation for putting up with uncooperative passengers.

 

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And that includes the OP who was using their cell phone

 

Last cruise we were waiting for everyone to show up at Muster I forgot what I was doing and pulled out my cell phone to see if I had any messages. Within a few seconds I got dressed down by the crew member in charge and you know what. I DESERVED IT.

 

I can not imagine taking out my cell phone and starting a thread to bring up a first world problem during a Muster.

[chengkp75]

First there already is an additional Drill the next day for those who failed to report to the one on the first day.

 

You bring up an interesting point though. What is considered being late? What do you consider the assigned time? Are you saying that if the Drill is scheduled for let´s say 4pm, everybody should be at their assigned Assembly station by 4pm latest?

 

I´m asking this in all honesty and I´m real curious about your and others opinion on this, as if I understood you correctly I am one of those latecomers, because I have a different opinion about this.

 

To me a drill like this should be as realistic as possible and I will not gather at my Assembly station 15 min. early. I will leave my cabin to make my way to the Assembly station when they sound the alarm. That to me is the signal to make my way down and that´s what they tell you onboard. If they want me down there for the alarm they certainly need to change their instructions. I´ve never been the last one to arrive and usually plenty of people arrive after me, but I´m most likely among the last 1/4 to arrive.

 

You are absolutely correct. When the crew do their drill for the USCG, if the inspectors see crew heading for their stations before the signals, they will stop the drill and have it started over again.

[LXA350]

:lips-sealed:The muster drills can take their time at times and it is not the highlight of the cruise but be thankful every time you cruise you only need to attend to your station once and at a drill in port and not in a real emergency situation.

 

If someone has health problems they should immediately contact attendant at the muster station and a solution will be found if such persons can't stand for a long time etc. For people that are not used to move a lot in daily life a little hint, eat less and on top less unhealthy food when having your first windjammer meal or anything else to eat after boarding the ship and drink a lot of water which keeps you hidrated and will make it easier to stand outside for a longer period of time... :D

 

Asking for on-board credit because the drill took "too long" is absolutely ridiculous and such comments can only come from the Pinnacle or Pinnacle in the making passengers that book the cheapest deals and complain about everything to get on-board credit. I feel sorry for the crew that they need to serve these kind of passengers especially the herds on the crossings and on top with a smile, what they are thinking about those complainers is luckily their secret :lips-sealed:

[alfaeric]

At least if there is a real emergency, you'll know where your lifeboat is. I think all muster's should be outside. Do you think in a real emergency, everyone would CALMLY go to the dining room?

I think not.

Helaine

 

SOLAS requires the muster to be as near the lifeboats as possible, which means on any ship that has sufficient promenade deck space to hold the muster, it will be there, and will be there for the life of the ship. Only ships that have been built with reduced size outside deck areas (square footage per passenger) will have indoor muster locations, and these need to be designed from newbuild to meet the requirements of area, volume, ventilation, and number and size of ingress/egress points, as well as paths to the boats. It is not a decision the cruise lines can make to move muster locations, it must meet class and flag state approvals of meeting the requirements of SOLAS.

 

One must put these two posts together.

 

Next time you are on a ship with an inside muster, look around- you should see a path from where you are directly to where the lifeboat would board. So having the muster drill inside isn't some kind of easy decision- it's planned out well in the design phase of the ship.

 

In other words, you can't just move it inside for the sake of moving it inside. The #1 consideration is meeting the requirements that chengkp75 points out. If you can meet that at a more comfortable location, awesome.

[pa247]

OP, as you had your electronic device at muster you you should have been watching these safety videos to pass the time.......

 

OK, you might come away from Muster not knowing where the lifeboats are but you would come away in a much better mood!:D

 

 

 

What a great commercial. Too funny!

 

 

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