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Lifeboat drill on Zaandam


jwh
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Just wondering what the procedure is for lifeboat drill on Zaandam (or any of the HAL ships).   Do passengers wear their life jackets and meet at the assigned lifeboat or is it done without wearing life jackets or meeting somewhere other than near the assigned lifeboat?   Do they call out the cabin numbers and wait for response from the occupant with how many passengers etc.   

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On all ships but the 2 newest (Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam) you will muster under the lifeboats.  You do NOT take your life jacket.  I am pretty sure all ships now have scanners at the life guard stations and they only call out cabin numbers of people who were not scanned.

 

HAL drill is unusual in that it is 2 or 3 stages.  What has been the first stage is the first alert for crew to start preparation.  The next stage indicates a more serious emergency and you are directed to return to your cabin and get warm clothing, etc.  At that stage the crew will be preparing for the drill, stowing the deck chairs and in a real emergency would be preparing the life boats.  At the final stage you report to your muster station.  I think on my last cruise the first stage was not mentioned directly and pax started with the second stage.

 

Roy

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On the Zaandam in May/June they sounded the first alarm to alert the crew.  With the second alarm the passengers were directed to return to their cabins.  At the third alarm the passengers were directed to their muster stations; no life jackets.  Your muster station will be on your ship card.  When you get to your assigned station there will be someone with a scanner.  Once your card is scanned you stand back with the rest of your group while they go through the drill.  Enjoy your cruise!

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The reason for NOT bringing your life jackets to the muster drill is because many people would just partially put them on or carry them, and the loose straps and buckles would be tripping other guests when using the stairs.  You are not supposed to use the elevators during the muster drill, simulating an actual emergence, so everybody except mobility challenged people must use stairs.  People were tripping and falling down on those life vest straps.

The 3 tier HAL system works well, but many times, some people will order that "last drink" when the first stage of the muster drill is called.  When attendance is taken, usually by scanning your keycards, everybody is standing around waiting for the "last drink" stragglers to honor us with their presence at the muster station.  

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17 hours ago, rafinmd said:

 

Thanks for clarifying the procedure.   Not sure I understand the reasons for the second stage  i.e.  why would you need to go back to your room and then be called again to the muster station?   Wouldn't people just go from stage 1 (wherever they might be on the ship at that stage), to the muster station?

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23 minutes ago, jwh said:

Thanks for clarifying the procedure.   Not sure I understand the reasons for the second stage  i.e.  why would you need to go back to your room and then be called again to the muster station?   Wouldn't people just go from stage 1 (wherever they might be on the ship at that stage), to the muster station?

Because the drill simulates what would happen in a real emergency. If the emergency were to take place in a cold area,  evacuees could be in a lifeboat for who knows how long, so coats and other warm clothes would be a necessity. The same goes with medications for those evacuees who must have them.

Edited by Cruise_More_Often
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1 hour ago, jwh said:

Thanks for clarifying the procedure.   Not sure I understand the reasons for the second stage  i.e.  why would you need to go back to your room and then be called again to the muster station?   Wouldn't people just go from stage 1 (wherever they might be on the ship at that stage), to the muster station?

 

The main reason is because your life jackets are in your cabin, and you need those before you report to your muster station.

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1 hour ago, KroozNut said:

 

The main reason is because your life jackets are in your cabin, and you need those before you report to your muster station.

 

21 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

Leave your life jackets in the cabin.

 

 

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I have experienced several real-life fires on HAL ships.

 

One was a fire in an ice machine on Deck 4 during one of my CC Meet & Greets in Alaska where the warning was sounded and the crew put out the fire with no other actions required of the passengers.  The ship was in dead silence after the alarm sounded and the fire crews were sent to the incident.  The Captain gave the passengers a running account of what was happening.  Another incident was a fire in the crew officer's lounge in the Caribbean that also did not progress past the first alert.  Again, the ship was in dead silence awaiting word from the Captain.

 

The first alert is for the crew to respond to the site of the incident and they don't want passengers scurrying about blocking the response force.  The second level alert is to gather passengers in their staterooms to gather meds and put on warm clothes while awaiting further instructions as the crew continues to address the incident.  The third level of alert, to report to your muster station, is only for a posible evacuation of the ship.

 

 

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11 hours ago, caribill said:

 

 

 

Yes, you leave your life jacket in your cabin for the DRILL on embarkation day, but obviously in a real emergency, you would go to your cabin and GET your life jacket, and put it on. That, and the aforementioned warm clothing and medications, are the reasons for going back to your cabin before reporting to your lifeboat station. And as said, the drill tries to simulate that as much as possible.

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12 hours ago, Crew News said:

I have experienced several real-life fires on HAL ships.

 

I have experienced a few with the most memorable being during Volendam's Asia Pacific cruise.  I was attending a party being held by my travel group in the Explorer's Lounge.  Several of the Senior Officers were in attendance:  the Captain, the Hotel Manager, the CD, etc.  The fire alarm sounded and all of the Officers and staff in attendance literally ran to where they were supposed to go.  (We guests stood looking at each other, drinks in hand, what do we do next?)  A minute or so later, the Staff Captain runs by the Lounge for the mid-ship stairs and heads down to the deck where the PA informed us where the fire was and the firemen appear still dressing in their outfits with a cart of equipment they may need.  They then start down those stairs.  Very shortly, Captain Harris comes on the PA and announces that the emergency is over.  There was a trash basket fire in a crew member's cabin and it was out.  This was my first opportunity to watch how the crew would perform in an emergency.  It was most interesting to observe. 

 

In other emergency situations, I have witnessed how the crew react and I must say that I have been extremely impressed each time.  I feel more safe during a cruise than I do at home or when I am driving.

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Thanks to all for your responses.  I'm not trivialising the importance and am not unfamiliar with lifeboat drills.   Just haven't come across the 3-stage format before.  So we are in fact partaking in a role-play type situation then?   Except that,  for drill purposes only, after returning to the cabin we don't need to dress in warm clothing , bring meds etc..etc do we??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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24 minutes ago, jwh said:

So we are in fact partaking in a role-play type situation then?   Except that,  for drill purposes only, after returning to the cabin we don't need to dress in warm clothing , bring meds etc..etc do we??

 

Your "role playing" comment is not one of which I have considered.  But, yes, it probably is.  Dress in warm clothing:  No.  Medicine, passport, important documents such as money in your safe, etc.:  No.  Not for the Muster Drill.  But, if this Drill is announced unexpectedly for us guests:  there would be a reason for such.  Pay attention and follow the very clear directions that are issued.

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20 hours ago, jwh said:

Thanks for clarifying the procedure.   Not sure I understand the reasons for the second stage  i.e.  why would you need to go back to your room and then be called again to the muster station?   Wouldn't people just go from stage 1 (wherever they might be on the ship at that stage), to the muster station?

Second stage in a real emergency is when the crew would stow everything on deck and prepare the lifeboats.  They don't want passengers in the way and a safety hazard.  Lifeboat equipment can be dangerous- the reason they close the area when lowering for tender ports.

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2 hours ago, jwh said:

Thanks to all for your responses.  I'm not trivialising the importance and am not unfamiliar with lifeboat drills.   Just haven't come across the 3-stage format before.  So we are in fact partaking in a role-play type situation then?   Except that,  for drill purposes only, after returning to the cabin we don't need to dress in warm clothing , bring meds etc..etc do we?

 

 

NO, you don't.

You leave your life jacket in your cabin for the DRILL on embarkation day, but obviously in a real emergency, you would go to your cabin and GET your life jacket, and put it on. That, and the aforementioned warm clothing and medications, are the reasons for going back to your cabin before reporting to your lifeboat station. And as said, the drill tries to simulate that as much as possible.

 
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11 minutes ago, frankc98376 said:

Second stage in a real emergency is when the crew would stow everything on deck and prepare the lifeboats.  They don't want passengers in the way and a safety hazard.  Lifeboat equipment can be dangerous- the reason they close the area when lowering for tender ports.

 

Also, although there will be some life jackets on deck in a real emergency, the procedure is for passengers to go back to their cabins and get their life jackets (and warm clothes) before reporting to their lifeboat station.

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9 hours ago, jwh said:

Thanks to all for your responses.  I'm not trivialising the importance and am not unfamiliar with lifeboat drills.   Just haven't come across the 3-stage format before.  So we are in fact partaking in a role-play type situation then?   Except that,  for drill purposes only, after returning to the cabin we don't need to dress in warm clothing , bring meds etc..etc do we??

 

 

 

Depends if your muster station is outside and what the weather is. If it is cold outside, you probably want to wear a jacket or other warm clothing as you may be out there for about 30 minutes.

 

We were on one cruise (not HAL) out of Galveston in winter and it was very windy and the temperature was in the 40s. We had warm jackets on. Nobody else did and they were shivering the entire time at our outside muster.

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There is a book that was written about the experiences the guests on Prinsendam I experienced in the Gulf of Alaska when a fire erupted on board and the ship had to be evacuated.  It was the middle of the night, King Neptune's seas were angry, it was windy and cold, the lifeboats were open/most uncovered, and some of the guests left the ship in their nightclothes, wearing nothing else other than their lifejacket.  Everyone survived, but reading about those experiences makes it very clear as to why warm clothing needs to be obtained if it is required during an emergency.  And, I think that would apply to wherever one is sailing.  

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42 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

There is a book that was written about the experiences the guests on Prinsendam I experienced in the Gulf of Alaska when a fire erupted on board and the ship had to be evacuated.  It was the middle of the night, King Neptune's seas were angry, it was windy and cold, the lifeboats were open/most uncovered, and some of the guests left the ship in their nightclothes, wearing nothing else other than their lifejacket.  Everyone survived, but reading about those experiences makes it very clear as to why warm clothing needs to be obtained if it is required during an emergency.  And, I think that would apply to wherever one is sailing.  

Wow, This sounds fascinating! What is the title and author of the book, please?

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18 minutes ago, Moriah said:

Wow, This sounds fascinating! What is the title and author of the book, please?

There may be more than one but "Burning Cold" by H Paul Jeffers comes to mind.

 

Roy

Edited by rafinmd
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The three stages slso allow for changes appropriate to the situation to be made. There was a  "smoke"  event on the Westerdam during one of the legs in Asia last fall, The response fexibility allowed  the crew to clear some of the rear cabins until the source of the smoke was found and the smoke had abated, ithe source was a burnt out fan motor on one of the bake ovens in the galley and the HVAC had spead the smoke through the aft section of the ship. We had a running commentary from the captain as the event  unfolded. Fortunately the ship had more than one bake oven so we still had those excellent fresh rolls!!!

Edited by old mike
grammar
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