Mandatory life boat drill

[hrhdhd]

I've been on two muster drills and both consisted of waiting for about 45 minutes while people funnelled in and they called the stragglers before any actual instructions began. You're not missing anything if you're using your phone at that time.

I am so glad I can live without my phone for 45 minutes.

 

[cwis]

Safety is difficult because it takes a lot of training to remember emergency procedures. This is neither easy nor intuitive.

One question to those who are flying a lot: in case of a drop of air cabin pressure, do you remember where to put the mask on? your nose? mouth? both? Few frequent travelers actually know.

 

[TestingH2O]

One question to those who are flying a lot: in case of a drop of air cabin pressure, do you remember where to put the mask on? your nose? mouth? both? Few frequent travelers actually know.

Pull hose to activate flow of oxygen. Nose and mouth. The bag may not fully inflate but oxygen is flowing. Secure my mask before my daughter's. I listen and they demonstrate.

 

[T & R]

do you remember where to put the mask on? your nose?

Man, you'd have to have a big ol' beak to fit that thing on just your nose.

 

[cwis]

Pull hose to activate flow of oxygen. Nose and mouth. The bag may not fully inflate but oxygen is flowing. Secure my mask before my daughter's. I listen and they demonstrate.

That, and do remember to breathe normally!

Congratulations: most people won't remember a single item of that list. When it happens and someone posts the video on YouTube, almost everyone is having the mask on their mouth only.

 

[T & R]

almost everyone is having the mask on their mouth only.

As I've gotten older, I have noticed more and more mouth breathers in the world. Just saying.
.

 

[lilsonicfan]

I think it's interesting how the muster drill is different depending on where your muster station is. We had one in the theater when we were on the Fantasy. We didn't have to bring life jackets, and two of my kids fell asleep in the theater on our laps. On the EBTA we were on deck 4 outside and were asked to stand in single file lines from back to front, deck railing being the front, with very little space between you and the guests around you. This wasn't a huge deal, except that their check-in system wasn't working and some guests were late/in the wrong space so we stood in that tight space in the humid Miami environment forever. One mom had to leave because her little girl was getting sick. All I could think was, gee, wish my muster station was in the theater. But I did pay attention

On our MSC cruise in the Med with 4 embarkation ports on a 7 night cruise, they do muster drills every single day. There was a muster drill for all those who embarked, but even though we waited, I'm guessing there are some people who thought they could miss it - so those people were asked to attend the makeup drill the following day, or the drill for whoever embarked the next day. Made for a lot of announcements, but safety first!

 

[Heelish]

Sorry if this sounds harsh... but you are asking whether you have to go to a life saving safety drill or sit in a lounge chair (and not attend the drill). To me, its a simple choice.

Titanic 2 aint happening anytime soon...

 

[ironz]

Titanic 2 aint happening anytime soon...

The Costa Concordia disaster was not that long ago.

 

[vegs1]

I think another thing to consider is to be sure and tell your children what to do if they aren’t with you in an emergency. Immediately, many will look to their parents who may not be with them.

 

[Starwind]

The Costa Concordia disaster was not that long ago.

And the Viking Sky even more recently.

 

[ahain]

I think it's interesting how the muster drill is different depending on where your muster station is. We had one in the theater when we were on the Fantasy. We didn't have to bring life jackets, and two of my kids fell asleep in the theater on our laps. On the EBTA we were on deck 4 outside and were asked to stand in single file lines from back to front, deck railing being the front, with very little space between you and the guests around you. This wasn't a huge deal, except that their check-in system wasn't working and some guests were late/in the wrong space so we stood in that tight space in the humid Miami environment forever. One mom had to leave because her little girl was getting sick. All I could think was, gee, wish my muster station was in the theater. But I did pay attention

On our MSC cruise in the Med with 4 embarkation ports on a 7 night cruise, they do muster drills every single day. There was a muster drill for all those who embarked, but even though we waited, I'm guessing there are some people who thought they could miss it - so those people were asked to attend the makeup drill the following day, or the drill for whoever embarked the next day. Made for a lot of announcements, but safety first!

I have been in both muster situations like you. I just always assumed that the "on deck" muster (where they require you to stand in tight-packed single file "stacks") is set up that way because that is how they would want you to queue up for the life boats if it was an actual evacuation.

 

[MomOTwins]

I am so glad I can live without my phone for 45 minutes.

What a snarky thing to say. Obviously I can live without my phone for 45 minutes: I was responding to the criticism that looking at your phone while at muster must mean you aren't listening to instructions; that is simply not true. If someone was looking at a navigator or reading a book while waiting around at the muster, I would hardly say to them "I'm so glad I can live without reading for 45 minutes." It's something to pass the time.

 

[Heelish]

And the Viking Sky even more recently.

Turbulence happens on planes too...
Titanic 2 aint happening anytime soon, ESPECIALLY if you sail in the Americas.

 

[otten]

Pull hose to activate flow of oxygen. Nose and mouth. The bag may not fully inflate but oxygen is flowing. Secure my mask before my daughter's. I listen and they demonstrate.

You're likely the exception. When there was a cabin depressurization on a flight a year or two ago pictures showed passengers wearing their masks improperly. There have also been cases where passengers died because they inflated their lifejackets before getting off the plane.

It's also impossible to know how you would actually respond unless you've been there.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

I am so glad I can live without my phone for 45 minutes.

I turn mine off once on board and put it in the safe. It's part of the attraction of cruising for me.

 

[hrhdhd]

What a snarky thing to say. Obviously I can live without my phone for 45 minutes: I was responding to the criticism that looking at your phone while at muster must mean you aren't listening to instructions; that is simply not true. If someone was looking at a navigator or reading a book while waiting around at the muster, I would hardly say to them "I'm so glad I can live without reading for 45 minutes." It's something to pass the time.

Social science research tells us that people do what they see other people doing. If someone is using a phone during what is supposed to be phone-free time, it just makes it easier for others to use theirs and rationalize that it can't be that bad because "everyone else is doing it." And multitasking is a myth, so someone may think the drill hasn't started when it has because he or she is distracted by using the phone.

Look at the examples given here of people not putting their oxygen masks on properly. Forget the masks not being on properly; the more important question is who is recording that in the middle of an emergency so it can be shared and posted somewhere? Why not put the phone down and pay attention to the captain and crew in an emergency rather than recording random strangers freaking out on a plane?

SMH.

 

[bumbershoot]

Maybe Disney handles things different but we were on a cruise from Tampa delayed due to fog and we didn't know what the actual embarkation time changed to so we showed up late while everyone was already doing the drill. They told us to go to the make-up drill the next day.

The difference is that you weren’t onboard *and they knew that*. No one was looking for you, because you weren’t there.

And then there were makeups offered.

I think the only cases for exemption would include the few who might need accomodations, like autistic kids who can't stand the loud noise for that long. If I recall, in a case like that, alternate arrangements are made, but they still have to be accounted for.

I don’t think that’s actually something they make an exception for, other than possibly letting the people change mister stations to someplace quieter or with seats.

For anyone with issues with noises, I strongly recommend earplugs. Good ones. And to be aware of when muster is going to start so they can be prepared.

I was on a Costa cruise a while back in Italy.

Yes, well, as others have said, it was Costa in Italy that changed it all.

However, I really wish they had done the drill earlier and not during dinner time.

It’s weird that they had already started dinner. Their sister company Royal delays dinner that first night out of PR so muster can happen.

Was it not mandatory on those or were you asking specifically about Disney as you hadn’t sailed with them before?

I think she said something like she didn’t believe the people waiting made up everyone in the staterooms. That perhaps you just needed someone from the room. with that belief it makes sense that she wondered if she could just send a representative as well.

It seems like the drills would go much quicker if everyone reported to their station and checked in on time.

I feel like every time, they are waiting on people to show up to start the drill.

So this is a pet peeve of mine. I comply with what society wants but I think it’s wrong wrong wrong.

Most people say to go to muster early. So they are there when the sirens/horns go off. If everyone’s there, that allows it to go faster.

But that doesn’t prepare anyone for an emergency. It’s not good practice. It’s far better if people started towards their stations after the alerts start. That is much more realistic. I think they should do that.

Few others feel that way.

But you might be waiting for those people doing it the way that makes sense, rather than slackers.

Forget the masks not being on properly; the more important question is who is recording that in the middle of an emergency so it can be shared and posted somewhere?

That’s what I wondered. Anyone can panic in a scary moment. But to film? That’s not right.

 

[YawningDodo]

I have been in both muster situations like you. I just always assumed that the "on deck" muster (where they require you to stand in tight-packed single file "stacks") is set up that way because that is how they would want you to queue up for the life boats if it was an actual evacuation.

I thought a lot about the lifeboat arrangements during muster...my station was in AP in a back corner of the room. Very comfy for the drill; I got to sit down in the air conditioning for the whole thing. But it made me think...did that mean I was going to be one of the last people to get put on a lifeboat if the worst happened? I asked around about lifeboat assignments and learned that my station was assigned to an inflatable raft. My assumption is that procedures would have them clear the outside deck of people (and traditional lifeboats) first, then pull all the people out of the indoor muster stations to put them in the inflatable rafts. Granted, that's an assumption...but it has me think that for all the discomfort at the drill, I'd kind of rather be assigned one of the tight-packed outdoor muster stations.

 

[Dug720]

I thought a lot about the lifeboat arrangements during muster...my station was in AP in a back corner of the room. Very comfy for the drill; I got to sit down in the air conditioning for the whole thing. But it made me think...did that mean I was going to be one of the last people to get put on a lifeboat if the worst happened? I asked around about lifeboat assignments and learned that my station was assigned to an inflatable raft. My assumption is that procedures would have them clear the outside deck of people (and traditional lifeboats) first, then pull all the people out of the indoor muster stations to put them in the inflatable rafts. Granted, that's an assumption...but it has me think that for all the discomfort at the drill, I'd kind of rather be assigned one of the tight-packed outdoor muster stations.

There are other ways to get off beyond the rafts. Odds are high those stations going to rafts (they are heavy-duty things with tent-like covers - not beach floats) would be led down corridors to the rafts.