NOORDAM March 15 lifeboat drill

[rkacruiser]

I have been thinking about this for some time and the incident on Star Princess has brought my question up again in my mind.

 

The passengers on Star Princess were at their Muster Stations for several hours. Given that HAL musters their passengers on the Lower Promenade Deck, under the lifeboats, where the conditions are crowded and there is no place to sit, except on the deck, what would the crew have the passengers do if they (we) have to remain at our Muster Stations for some length of time?

 

Does anyone know?

[RuthC]

what would the crew have the passengers do if they (we) have to remain at our Muster Stations for some length of time?

If memory serves (no guarantees anymore), the last time this happened on HAL was the crisis on the Prinsendam when she sank off Alaska. There are posters on this board who were there. It might take a bit of time for them to find the question and answer, though.

[sail7seas]

The only possible answer that I know of is they would do the most professional, safest, most reasonable thing for everyone's safety. No one can promise luxurious comfort in the event of emergency. But HAL does promise, with very good training and experience behind their position, to take the very best care of all souls aboard as possible. And I don't doubt that for a minute.

[YankeesFan224]

Bebsf

 

No offence taken again its your opinon and that is fine. I just feel that its a matter of preference, I am not jepordizing anybodys situation by reading the directions on my own and informing myself on where I have to go and do in case of an emergency. Its not a case of being lazy its a case of relevance I dont need the instruction of the crew its all text book rules and regulations I watched the info on TV, I read the instructions on the door and at is fine for me. I have also sat through at least 8 of them before I stopped attending. Again just a matter of prefrence.

 

Dave

[RuthC]

As for lifejackets, if someone doesn't have time to get back to their cabin for a lifejacket, they should have plenty of spares up on deck to give them. No reason someone should be at the drill without one. That's the crew's failing to have allowed it.

I can appreciate that during an emergency not everyone will be able to return to their cabin to retrieve their lifejacket. But for muster drill at sail-away (or during a longer cruise) there's no excuse for not having your jacket with you.

After all, it's not as if the drill is a surprise. The TV is blaring info about the drill when you first enter your cabin. It's in the Daily Program. The CD announces all-too-often that it will be coming up. You see people heading to their stations (all vested-up) a good half-hour before the alarm sounds.

It's not the crew's failing if someone doesn't have a lifejacket---it's the irresponsible passenger's.

[Bucky3]

We have been on over 20 cruises and I listen to everything that is said. Never have I heard for men to move to the back during muster - only that women and children would board life boats first in a real emergency. I include our only trip, so far, with HA. It was the Oosterdam.

[peaches from georgia]

I do find it interesting, YankeesFan224, that it apparently is just a myth that HAL will 'come get you' and make you do muster by yourself if you fail to attend the regular drill. We had always been assured that all rules are followed and every name not checked off the list would be contacted for sure. In your case it was not just you either, but your brother also.

[RuthC]

I missed a drill once---was in-transit and the shore excursion didn't get back until the drill was disbanding. I had a letter under my door the next day "inviting" me to a make-up drill.

[anley]

The bottom line with anything like this drill is that if the times comes when there is an emergency you can react without thinking.

The other point is consideration for your fellow passengers who have to stand out on deck waiting 10 or 15 minutes extra while the crew tries to check off you WHO ARE NOT THERE:confused::confused:

[ekerr19]

I have to say I was highly irritated with some of the fellow pax in our lifeboat on the recent Noordam sailing. A group of women showed up late, dragging their jackets along behind them, drinks in hand - clearly more than a little enebriated. They talked and laughed continuously and many folks could not hear their cabin numbers being called.

 

While one of the officers tried to get them properly attired in their jackets, they kept flirting and trying to take off the jacket and tie the officer up with the straps.

 

One of the men behind me made the comment, "in the event of a true emergency, those broads are gonna kill us all", which pretty much summed it up for me.

 

It's not a joke, it's not play time, it's a safety exercise for the benefit of the passengers - even if you are one of those rare individuals who think it unnecessary (as these women did) - at least have some respect for the rest of us who care about our own lives.

[FoxyTerrier]

We have been on over 20 cruises and I listen to everything that is said. Never have I heard for men to move to the back during muster - only that women and children would board life boats first in a real emergency. I include our only trip, so far, with HA. It was the Oosterdam.

 

I think I remember this correctly that they want the young and taller men at the back (ie stronger too). My DH and DS are these and I alway make sure my father 80+ is in the middle of the group (don't want to hurt his feelings but he's older now but no sissy either - it's hard for these older WWII career military types) and with my mother as she needs help walking and would need help in a real emergency. I hate it when DH, DS and myself get assigned a different muster station as I like to keep an eye on my parents. I usually make sure they are at their station and then I go to mine.

[gizmo]

We have been on over 20 cruises and I listen to everything that is said. Never have I heard for men to move to the back during muster - only that women and children would board life boats first in a real emergency. I include our only trip, so far, with HA. It was the Oosterdam.

I have heard them ask the men to move to the back on every Hal cruise.

[ekerr19]

I have heard them ask the men to move to the back on every Hal cruise.

 

Me too - my husband & son always go to the back and my daughter & I stay closer to the front, allowing more elderly women the very front.

 

We have heard this on each and every cruise and it has always been announced - more than once.

 

I guess I do have a gripe when it come to lifeboat drill. IMO, it's not exactly "rocket science" and should not take nearly as long as it does at times. It seems to be getting worse instead of better too - maybe it's just that we were last on a Vista class and there are a lot more passengers. :confused: