Changing Muster Stations

[groundloop]

My wife, adult daughter, and myself are cruising on Carnival Glory soon with our daughter in her own cabin next to ours.  When we booked this cruise my wife and I had a much better rate than our daughter so it's booked with my wife and daughter in one cabin and me in the other, and I'll just get a spare room key for my wife once on board.

 

As it turns out I'll have a different muster station than my wife and daughter.  I've never seen this asked before, and I'm assuming the answer is a resounding NO since we're dealing with life boat capacity, but I'll ask anyway....... is it possible to have my muster station changed?

[groundloop]

39 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

When is the last time a Carnival passenger had to enter a lifeboat I wonder. To my knowledge it has never happened.

 

I didn't ask if passengers have ever had to get in a lifeboat, but thanks for the help anyway.

 

I recall reading that when Freedom had the stack fire passengers were initially sent to their muster stations.  In such a case it would be nice to be able to keep my family together.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by groundloop

[ProgRockCruiser]

44 minutes ago, groundloop said:

is it possible to have my muster station changed?

When you go get your extra room keys at CS, that would be the place/time to ask.  Anything you find out here is pure speculation, since I don't recall this ever being a topic before, so no-one has specific experience to report (which might be outdated anyway if the cruise line changed policies, etc).

 

If you do that, please do report back so we have at least one data point / anecdote.

[groundloop]

2 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

When you go get your extra room keys at CS, that would be the place/time to ask.  Anything you find out here is pure speculation, since I don't recall this ever being a topic before, so no-one has specific experience to report (which might be outdated anyway if the cruise line changed policies, etc).

 

If you do that, please do report back so we have at least one data point / anecdote.

 

Yep, that's the plan.  In over 20 cruises with Carnival I've never come across this before.  I figured that the best chance of finding someone who'd experienced this would be the CruiseCritic panel of experts.

[shof515]

If the first letter of the muster station is the same and the number is different, you are generally in the same muster station. like A1 and A3 they are the same muster station just in different sections 

 

if you are A1 and the other cabin is B2 that is two completely different muster stations 

[firefly333]

I would be surprised if they allowed muster station changes with how full ships are sailing. Muster stations have a set number of seats in the muster boat as you know. Many times people post they cant add a 3rd to a cabin, muster station is full. 

 

Possible but never heard it allowed. Post when you get back if allowed.

 

Put a different way, if they could just change change muster stations then they wouldnt run into cant add to your cabin because muster station is full .. they would just move the extra person to a different station.

Edited November 3, 2023 by firefly333

[jsglow]

You've mentioned that your daughter is an adult. I wonder how the situation is handled when MINOR children, who are allowed to be in a nearby cabin (max something like 3 doors down if my memory serves from 20 years ago... don't quote me) are in a different Muster Station than their parents? I strongly suspect Carnival has a policy for that.

 

Yes, kindly report back @groundloop. Enjoy your cruise.

[Elaine5715]

It has been asked and Muster Stations were not changed.  

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, notscb said:

It matters to OP. That's why.

 

Obviously but if there is a reason such as a member of the other party has handicap needs or something, then maybe they can be accommodated. But "they might be out of earshot for 5 minutes while we do our safety drill" isn't good enough to be accommodated is my guess.

[mz-s]

7 hours ago, jsglow said:

You've mentioned that your daughter is an adult. I wonder how the situation is handled when MINOR children, who are allowed to be in a nearby cabin (max something like 3 doors down if my memory serves from 20 years ago... don't quote me) are in a different Muster Station than their parents? I strongly suspect Carnival has a policy for that.

 

Yes, kindly report back @groundloop. Enjoy your cruise.

 

Minor children are never separated from their parents or guardians. That is mentioned in every muster drill I've attended since my first Carnival cruise.

[Elaine5715]

On 11/3/2023 at 5:54 PM, mz-s said:

 

Obviously but if there is a reason such as a member of the other party has handicap needs or something, then maybe they can be accommodated. But "they might be out of earshot for 5 minutes while we do our safety drill" isn't good enough to be accommodated is my guess.

There is a separate muster station for that

[JoeMo]

On 11/3/2023 at 8:14 AM, groundloop said:

My wife, adult daughter, and myself are cruising on Carnival Glory soon with our daughter in her own cabin next to ours.  When we booked this cruise my wife and I had a much better rate than our daughter so it's booked with my wife and daughter in one cabin and me in the other, and I'll just get a spare room key for my wife once on board.

 

As it turns out I'll have a different muster station than my wife and daughter.  I've never seen this asked before, and I'm assuming the answer is a resounding NO since we're dealing with life boat capacity, but I'll ask anyway....... is it possible to have my muster station changed?

This happened to us last week. Myself with older daughter and one grand in one cabin, My wife, Son in law and two grands in cabin next door. We had two muster stations on different decks. I was told if you need a life jacket and muster station, they are not gonna be that picky. We made a game of it when we first boarded. Last person to the Lido mid elevators after mustering had to buy everyone else a Guys Burger (with double fries). I lost. After lunch we went to the Pursers desk to get more room keys.

[chengkp75]

On 11/3/2023 at 12:30 PM, 1stresponder2086 said:

It seems common sense in the event of an emergency of that nature, muster station will not be checking cards

This is not correct, and shows how misunderstood the purpose of the muster is, and why the "new" muster procedure is not adequate to meeting the safety needs of the passengers.

5 hours ago, JoeMo said:

I was told if you need a life jacket and muster station, they are not gonna be that picky.

This also is not correct.

 

The muster of passengers, whether for a drill, or in an actual emergency, is not about getting into lifeboats and abandoning the ship.  It is about accounting for every passenger in an emergency situation that may never escalate to abandoning the ship, nor even a situation where abandoning would be considered (like a man overboard situation).  So, it is of utmost importance in an actual emergency to have everyone counted (by card if that is the procedure used onboard), and in a known location (their proper muster location so they are checked in properly).  This allows the emergency teams to either concentrate on the emergency if all passengers are accounted for, or to search certain areas for passengers known to be missing.

 

Passenger muster would be called long before an emergency got to the point where the Captain decides to abandon ship.  Just look at the Star Princess fire, or other more recent fires like Grandeur of the Seas, where passengers were mustered for accountability, but where there was no consideration of abandoning ship, even though the emergency took hours to resolve.

 

And, even if you were to go directly from your muster station to a lifeboat, don't you think it would be important for the Captain to know that everyone has been accounted for, and no one is being left behind?  The only way that can be done is by an accurate muster count.

 

I have handled maritime emergencies for decades, aboard all kinds of ships, including cruise ships, and know the importance of an accurate "head count", even with a small crew of 20 or so, let alone thousands of untrained passengers.

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

This is not correct, and shows how misunderstood the purpose of the muster is, and why the "new" muster procedure is not adequate to meeting the safety needs of the passengers.

This also is not correct.

 

The muster of passengers, whether for a drill, or in an actual emergency, is not about getting into lifeboats and abandoning the ship.  It is about accounting for every passenger in an emergency situation that may never escalate to abandoning the ship, nor even a situation where abandoning would be considered (like a man overboard situation).  So, it is of utmost importance in an actual emergency to have everyone counted (by card if that is the procedure used onboard), and in a known location (their proper muster location so they are checked in properly).  This allows the emergency teams to either concentrate on the emergency if all passengers are accounted for, or to search certain areas for passengers known to be missing.

 

Passenger muster would be called long before an emergency got to the point where the Captain decides to abandon ship.  Just look at the Star Princess fire, or other more recent fires like Grandeur of the Seas, where passengers were mustered for accountability, but where there was no consideration of abandoning ship, even though the emergency took hours to resolve.

 

And, even if you were to go directly from your muster station to a lifeboat, don't you think it would be important for the Captain to know that everyone has been accounted for, and no one is being left behind?  The only way that can be done is by an accurate muster count.

 

I have handled maritime emergencies for decades, aboard all kinds of ships, including cruise ships, and know the importance of an accurate "head count", even with a small crew of 20 or so, let alone thousands of untrained passengers.

Exactly. And it takes time to account for everyone. We used similar procedures in the Navy and when we had apparent man overboard it took 20 to 30 minutes to account for everyone. We did two musters and both confirmed the missing man was unaccounted for. We then started a compartment by compartment search (no one witnessed him going over the side, he just went missing). He was found sleeping in a boat on the hanger deck and was sentenced to 3 days bread and water in the brig for his nap and the trouble it caused for a carrier battle group.

[Iamthesea]

How do you know that you will have different muster stations? 

 

I will be cruising with my two adult daughters and two grandchildren.  We have side-by-side staterooms, but not connecting.  Never occurred to me that we could be separated in case of an emergency.

Edited November 5, 2023 by Iamthesea

[shof515]

28 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

How do you know that you will have different muster stations? 

 

 

 

muster station is on your boarding pass

[Iamthesea]

Thanks!  That explains how the OP knew.  I have a while before the boarding pass is issued.

[LindaO]

I can tell you the answer is No.   I can also tell you that if, and that is a big IF, you have to board the survival crafts and you are not assigned to the same craft, you will be allowed to stay together.   But, your concern should be well below .005 percent chance of ever having to deal with this.   

 

[ledges1]

I have watched people during the muster drill demonstrations. They are not paying attention. Many will not even be able to remember the location of their muster station. I do not want to be on a cruise ship with a real emergency that requires abandoning ship. I fear the staff preparation is not adequate (I have no knowledge). The age, weight, language barrier (staff/cruisers) and mobility of many of the cruisers could complicate the process and lead to loss of life. I have witnessed the rudeness of cruisers debarking at the end of a cruise, add a true emergency and it may be chaos.

[mz-s]

9 minutes ago, ledges1 said:

I have watched people during the muster drill demonstrations. They are not paying attention. Many will not even be able to remember the location of their muster station. I do not want to be on a cruise ship with a real emergency that requires abandoning ship. I fear the staff preparation is not adequate (I have no knowledge). The age, weight, language barrier (staff/cruisers) and mobility of many of the cruisers could complicate the process and lead to loss of life. I have witnessed the rudeness of cruisers debarking at the end of a cruise, add a true emergency and it may be chaos.

 

That is the fear, that when e-muster is actually put to the test, it will be found wanting. I pray it is never truly put to the test.

[chengkp75]

8 hours ago, JoeMo said:

EVERY muster station has a card reader. If the ship was sinking, and I showed up with a life jacket, Are you sure they will send me to a far & distant muster station so I can be properly scanned ?

I'm calling BS

Call BS all you want.  Until you have participated in the organization and operation of an abandonment drill or actual emergency, you don't know what would go on.  I have, and do.  And, unlike the hollywood interpretations of ships sinking, it does not happen immediately.  And, with the notable exception of the Costa Concordia, where leadership failed utterly, the muster would be announced long before people needed to go to boats.  Even the Concordia, which is considered to be the absolute worst case scenario of damage to the ship, with 5 watertight compartments flooding, it still took over an hour for the ship to reground on Giglio and heel over (which was caused by the regrounding, not the flooding).  Forensic analysis shows that if the ship had not drifted back to Giglio, it would have remained afloat longer, and would not have rolled over, but sunk upright, slightly down by the stern.

 

7 hours ago, 1stresponder2086 said:

So when the ship has a fire in the aft dining room, which according to carnival maps are muster stations, where do you go then?  Haven't been in an emergency have you.  Depends on the location of the the issue. It's not complicated 

There are alternative muster stations set up in the ship's emergency plans.

 

7 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

That is the fear, that when e-muster is actually put to the test, it will be found wanting. I pray it is never truly put to the test.

There was a muster of passengers on an RCI ship a few months ago, for a man overboard situation.  People onboard reported that it was chaotic (even though it was announced that this was for a man overboard, not a fire or sinking) because people did not remember what deck their muster station was, and the excuse was "well, it was 7 days ago that they showed us where it was".  Also, crew, having lost the training of actually herding thousands of passengers at one time to their stations, did not react well.  There are numerous examples of emergencies where the passengers were mustered after having the old "in person" muster drill, that went off smoothly.  The kinds of comments about instances like the RCI muster, shows that the e-muster has removed training from the drill in favor of "the passenger experience" (i.e. comfort).

[sparks1093]

19 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Call BS all you want.  Until you have participated in the organization and operation of an abandonment drill or actual emergency, you don't know what would go on.  I have, and do.  And, unlike the hollywood interpretations of ships sinking, it does not happen immediately.  And, with the notable exception of the Costa Concordia, where leadership failed utterly, the muster would be announced long before people needed to go to boats.  Even the Concordia, which is considered to be the absolute worst case scenario of damage to the ship, with 5 watertight compartments flooding, it still took over an hour for the ship to reground on Giglio and heel over (which was caused by the regrounding, not the flooding).  Forensic analysis shows that if the ship had not drifted back to Giglio, it would have remained afloat longer, and would not have rolled over, but sunk upright, slightly down by the stern.

 

There are alternative muster stations set up in the ship's emergency plans.

 

There was a muster of passengers on an RCI ship a few months ago, for a man overboard situation.  People onboard reported that it was chaotic (even though it was announced that this was for a man overboard, not a fire or sinking) because people did not remember what deck their muster station was, and the excuse was "well, it was 7 days ago that they showed us where it was".  Also, crew, having lost the training of actually herding thousands of passengers at one time to their stations, did not react well.  There are numerous examples of emergencies where the passengers were mustered after having the old "in person" muster drill, that went off smoothly.  The kinds of comments about instances like the RCI muster, shows that the e-muster has removed training from the drill in favor of "the passenger experience" (i.e. comfort).

And so many people overlook the crew training aspect. Our participation is limited by how often we sail, let's say once a year. The crew go through it every week of their contract. That's a lot of training to forego. (Plus they have new passengers to handle every week which enhances their training.)

[jppmp]

On 11/3/2023 at 6:21 PM, mz-s said:

 

Minor children are never separated from their parents or guardians. That is mentioned in every muster drill I've attended since my first Carnival cruise.

We actually encountered this on one of our cruises.  My wife and I were in one room and our minor kids were right next door.  As luck would have it, the kids were in a different muster station.  We talked with the cabin steward and he directed us to take the kids with us to our station and tell the person checking us in the reason why they were with us.  No one batted an eye.

 

I will add this was probably 15 years ago, so things for sure could have changed.

[ontheweb]

On 11/5/2023 at 2:30 PM, chengkp75 said:

So, when the muster leader takes his station to a boat, what happens if there are more people than the boat can carry?  Or does he/she say "hey, you, you have to stay behind and join this other station, even if this was your station, because I've got a full boat"?  Have you ever been in a fully loaded lifeboat?  I have, and there is barely enough room to breath, let alone add another person.  Have you even been in a maritime emergency at all?

Hopefully we will never have to find out what would happen in that scenario.

[ldubs]

On 11/5/2023 at 11:30 AM, chengkp75 said:

So, when the muster leader takes his station to a boat, what happens if there are more people than the boat can carry?  Or does he/she say "hey, you, you have to stay behind and join this other station, even if this was your station, because I've got a full boat"?  Have you ever been in a fully loaded lifeboat?  I have, and there is barely enough room to breath, let alone add another person.  Have you even been in a maritime emergency at all?

 

This scenario is bound to happen and hopefully part of the training.  What are they trained to do with the excess passengers in the group?