Any news of RCCL going back to in person muster drills?

[t18c97]

It’s been reported that Disney is going back to the in person drills, https://dclfan.com/news/disney-cruise-line-to-return-to-in-person-muster-drills/. I’ve also seen that it was the coast guard that allowed for the video/ check in process as a temporary measure due to COVID and they’re say lines need to go back to the old in person drill,

[mets123]

Why would anyone want to go back to the in person muster drills?

[davekathy]

55 minutes ago, t18c97 said:

It’s been reported that Disney is going back to the in person drills, https://dclfan.com/news/disney-cruise-line-to-return-to-in-person-muster-drills/. I’ve also seen that it was the coast guard that allowed for the video/ check in process as a temporary measure due to COVID and they’re say lines need to go back to the old in person drill,

Note to self. Another great reason for not cruising with Disney. 

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, t18c97 said:

It’s been reported that Disney is going back to the in person drills, https://dclfan.com/news/disney-cruise-line-to-return-to-in-person-muster-drills/. I’ve also seen that it was the coast guard that allowed for the video/ check in process as a temporary measure due to COVID and they’re say lines need to go back to the old in person drill,

It was not the USCG, it was the IMO that allowed the change, and I've been hoping that it would change back.  Just the fact that the poster in your link mentioned that only one member of the party had to go find the muster station is one of the major flaws in this system.

[smokeybandit]

That will be a very, very unpopular change if that happens.

Since when, in the case of a real emergency, would everyone report to their muster stations and calmly wait in line like the muster drill used to be?

No one.

[not-enough-cruising]

8 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

It was not the USCG, it was the IMO that allowed the change, and I've been hoping that it would change back.  Just the fact that the poster in your link mentioned that only one member of the party had to go find the muster station is one of the major flaws in this system.

On Royal, only one member checking in, won't fly.

 

Every single individual must check in at the station, and be scanned and cleared. This is a Disney flaw, not an "E-Muster" flaw.

[chengkp75]

4 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

That will be a very, very unpopular change if that happens.

Since when, in the case of a real emergency, would everyone report to their muster stations and calmly wait in line like the muster drill used to be?

No one.

Fortunately, the maritime safety experts at the IMO are not real interested in popularity with cruise passengers.

 

How would you expect a real emergency muster to look like?  Real curious, as I have read the reports of the Prinsendam sinking and the Star Princess fires, so I know how real emergencies unfold.

[smokeybandit]

1 minute ago, chengkp75 said:

Fortunately, the maritime safety experts at the IMO are not real interested in popularity with cruise passengers.

 

How would you expect a real emergency muster to look like?  Real curious, as I have read the reports of the Prinsendam sinking and the Star Princess fires, so I know how real emergencies unfold.

 

I would expect a real muster emergency to be chaos whether people go down and have their setsail pass scanned or they go wait packed and sweating like sardines for a half hour.

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

 

I would expect a real muster emergency to be chaos whether people go down and have their setsail pass scanned or they go wait packed and sweating like sardines for a half hour.

The chaos that would be from the new muster drill, would be that passengers would not have the experience of walking to their muster stations with everyone else onboard, not just sauntering down when you feel like it.  Also, the chaos of the new drill will be caused by the lack of training of the crew in actually handling hordes of unruly and unwilling guests (during the drill), that would translate to frightened passengers during the actual emergency.  The old method has been tried and found to be the best, over decades of use.  And, standing there, packed and sweating like sardines, may give some guests a bit of humility for the people who are performing duties to save their lives.  Those crew train to save you, without pay, the least you could afford them is a half hour of your precious vacation.

[Oceansaway17]

I feel that it would cut down on all the announcements of lazy folks.

Go back to the old way and do everyone at once and see the crew and crowds to make you realize yes gathering at muster for more than a minute is serious.

[barbeyg]

18 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

The chaos that would be from the new muster drill, would be that passengers would not have the experience of walking to their muster stations with everyone else onboard, not just sauntering down when you feel like it.  Also, the chaos of the new drill will be caused by the lack of training of the crew in actually handling hordes of unruly and unwilling guests (during the drill), that would translate to frightened passengers during the actual emergency.  The old method has been tried and found to be the best, over decades of use.  And, standing there, packed and sweating like sardines, may give some guests a bit of humility for the people who are performing duties to save their lives.  Those crew train to save you, without pay, the least you could afford them is a half hour of your precious vacation.

I know you are absolutely correct, @chengkp75.  I would just miss the quick and easy muster that it is now.  I’m one of those who like being able to get the important tasks done early, but will adapt when/if required.
 

I would especially miss the Cruise Director announcements getting snarkier and snarkier (as the afternoon passes) with the dimwits that don’t show for the easy peasy e-muster. 🙄 j/k

[nelblu]

58 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

I know you are absolutely correct, @chengkp75.  I would just miss the quick and easy muster that it is now.  I’m one of those who like being able to get the important tasks done early, but will adapt when/if required.
 

I would especially miss the Cruise Director announcements getting snarkier and snarkier (as the afternoon passes) with the dimwits that don’t show for the easy peasy e-muster. 🙄 j/k

I loved going to my designated muster station with my life vest on.  Gave you the real feel. 

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, mets123 said:

Why would anyone want to go back to the in person muster drills?

Increased safety. 

2 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

That will be a very, very unpopular change if that happens.

Agree.  

[JeffT237]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Those crew train to save you

The saying "train like your life depends on it because it does" is exactly what your'e talking about, passengers need to realize these drills and exercises are for the crew as much as they are required for the passengers.  I've never worked on a ship however I spent a career doing emergency work.  We trained for many things we rarely or never encountered, but we were always well prepared.  If an actual emergency at sea ever took place the weak link would be the passengers, a well trained crew is the answer to that.  As much as I've enjoyed the convenience of the eMuster drill I'd have no problem if they go back to the physical one.

[SherriZ366]

3 hours ago, davekathy said:

Note to self. Another great reason for not cruising with Disney. 

Agree --- not going to the parks any more either.

[njkruzer]

2 hours ago, nelblu said:

I loved going to my designated muster station with my life vest on.  Gave you the real feel. 

We haven't worn life vests to muster in years!

[SherriZ366]

Although Covid is much better controlled than when e-Muster was instituted, a crowded muster could help spread it from passengers who may have been infected before boarding.  

 

And the last in-person musters focused on a James Bond-type theme video that most people didn't watch after the first time they had seen it.  

 

Dumb idea to bring back in-person muster!!  

[meadowlander]

13 minutes ago, SherriZ366 said:

Although Covid is much better controlled than when e-Muster was instituted, a crowded muster could help spread it from passengers who may have been infected before boarding.  

 

And the last in-person musters focused on a James Bond-type theme video that most people didn't watch after the first time they had seen it.  

 

Dumb idea to bring back in-person muster!!  

Certainly because the passengers who may have been infected before boarding could in no way spread the virus to you anywhere else on the ship. Only at the muster station are you concerned of a virus spreading. 😂

[notscb]

1 hour ago, SherriZ366 said:

Dumb idea to bring back in-person muster!!  

 

I disagree. How many times do folks completely ignore video based trainings in their everyday lives or jobs? In my experience, it's most of the time. When I was on RCL recently, the muster was in the app and you just had to keep scrolling down a certain amount and pressing "next." There was a video that I could turn my volume all the way down for and completely ignore if I wanted to.

 

I feel like the muster drill isn't taken seriously enough with the new version of it, leaving gaps in knowledge and preparation should a real emergency arise. I've also noticed crew being more lackadaisical about it, which is concerning considering their primary job onboard is safety.

[Mikew0805]

I thought this e-muster on Royal was in place and being tested on a ship or two prior to Covid? I believe it was Symphony or Harmony.

[Mikew0805]

What they need to do is stop making idle threats on the announcements that the person cannot sail if they do not complete the e-muster drill, and actually kick them off the ship if they don't by xyz time.. How many sailings do you think it would take before that spread like wild fire and people took it seriously? This problem would resolve itself within a week or so.

 

I know this, because even though I have never missed an e-muster, I came back to my cabin from the casino, on the first night of a cruise and found a letter telling me that since I missed it, I needed to report to a certain lounge (can't remember which one) at 830pm. Well it was almost midnight at that point. So I called Guest Services and explained they made a mistake and I did complete the drill, and my card was scanned at my muster station. They just took my word for it, and said don't worry about it. I was not expecting that response.

 

 

[Straughn]

Back in the pre-Covid days, as we know, a muster drill required you to report, along with all the other passengers, to your assigned location. There were always a few no shows, late arrivals etc that delayed the process for all the passengers. I (jokingly) said one time to a Hotel Director that the solution to that problem was to not open the bars until after the muster drill. He replied, quite seriously, “don’t think we haven’t thought about that.” 

 

[NO_Member_Name]

I see the current emuster system as being more grounded in reality. Live drills always were a waste. If there ever is a real emergency many/most people will forget everything they saw in either the video or a live demonstration (although I'm trying to think of anything that's actually useful), especially if there was something obviously bad going on. All they really need to know is where their muster station is, and I'm sure a bunch will forget that. I'm sure the crew knows this and is ready for it. For that matter, there will be at least some time to give the standard demo while people wait to board lifeboats and I would expect that they do.

 

Just out curiosity, does anyone know what crew training tells them to expect? And, how are things supposed to go beyond the part that passengers currently see.

[PhillyFan33579]

9 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

On Royal, only one member checking in, won't fly.

 

Every single individual must check in at the station, and be scanned and cleared. This is a Disney flaw, not an "E-Muster" flaw.

I have been on 12 RCI cruises this year and on every cruise, without exception, only one person per couple/family had to show up at their assigned muster station to get everyone checked in. 

[PhillyFan33579]

As much as I love cruising, if cruise lines go back to in person safety briefings, that will likely be the end of my cruising days. One big thing I learned during the cruise industry shutdown is there are a lot of great options out there for traveling. While cruising is still my preferred traveling option, the return of in-person safety briefings would likely be enough to tip the scales in another direction for me.