Saw an "open" Lifeboat last week on Fantasy

[Uncleromulus]

There are different types and sizes of life rafts on cruise ships these days. On the Royal Princess, there are two large rectangular shaped life rafts that can hold 632 passengers each. Each life raft is stored in a small container that is a third the size of a full sized lifeboat. I have circled the container in this photo, which gives you an idea of the container relative to a lifeboat:

The life raft is deployed from the side of the ship. Once it hits the water, it deploys into a square or rectangular ship craft. Passengers board the life raft by sliding down a corkscrew slide. Here are the "simple" 7-part instructions on deploying the life raft:

My wife found a You-Tube video that shows one of these types of life rafts being deployed and passengers sliding into the craft:

Not as exciting as Bear3412's video, but definitely still an "E" ticket in my opinion!

Edited to add: Give proper credit to Bear3412 for the prior video.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Forgot to add--632 people SLIDING off the ship into the raft?? I can see now kids and adults jumping, going upside down, etc etc. Landing on passengers already in the raft---

 

[Uncleromulus]

I believe they load up with those persons who are in the water. It's my understanding that crewmembers are trained to actually "step off" the ship into the water. And, undoubtedly there will be other people who think jumping off the ship is easier than waiting to load the lifeboats.

There may be as many as 1,300 such in the water as there is no room for them on the 16 lifeboats. And of course passengers are not "trained" to step into the water--especially from deck 4!!

And after seeing that open Lifeboat and the 20 or so crew members (servers, Youth counselors, bartenders, room hosts etc) all looking puzzled as the Officer was explaining how to get in the lifeboat--I am not totally confident in a well trained crew!! We sat in a nearby lounge chair during the presentation and I heard a lot of it--no one knew how many passengers the boats held--no one knew if the boat should be filled from the front first or the back. And when the officer had 2 of them come up to open the gate to get to the lifeboat--they couldn't do it! He had the look of exasperation on his face as he had to get a second pair to come up and show the first pair how to do it!!

But enough from me--I sincerely hope no one will ever have to deal with this in real life as I don't envision it going smoothly.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

When it really comes down to it, in a real emergency where it is necessary to load and launch the boasts/rafts, it really doesn't matter who gets in what, everyone's life is important. To the best of my knowledge, on a cruise ship, each passenger is assigned a lifeboat. Each boat does have at least a few or more CMs to guide people into the boats and to the seat points and operate the boat.

Frankly if the boats are launched/gone and a person is still on the ship, they will be thankful to get in the water and swim to the inflated rafts.


AKK

 

[Uncleromulus]

It might not matter to the crew, but it might to the passengers, most of whom (like me prior to this thread) probably believe they will be getting in one of the lifeboats.

Especially Disney Fantasy passengers when there may be over 1,000 small children on board. I don't see that working well with rafts--

Now if it is true that ALL passengers get a lifeboat, that's great--the crew can figure out how the raft system works.

But as I said, hopefully we will never have to find out how it all works (or doesn't work) in real life.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I do not believe it says anywhere n any cruise line information details, every passenger gets in a lifeboat. I would suggest if that is a problem with anyone, they not cruise.

Frankly, one life is as valuable as another.

AKK

 

[Expatriat]

Some might be surprised at how many adults who never learned to swim do cruise. You don't have to like being IN the water to enjoy cruising on a big ship, as they would assume they'd board one of the regular lifeboats in an emergency. So add that to the potential scenario.

As for everyone being assigned a lifeboat, I ask again: To which lifeboats are the guests who are directed to a theatre or restaurant for their drill assigned?

 

[wdrl]

Forgot to add--632 people SLIDING off the ship into the raft?? I can see now kids and adults jumping, going upside down, etc etc. Landing on passengers already in the raft---

If you look at the video that I posted, the corkscrew slide looked to be a fairly safe way to leave the ship and enter the life raft. In the video, the narration says that that life raft method can inflate in 90 seconds and can evacuate one person every 6 seconds. I don't know how quickly other evacuation methods work on ships, but I suspect that it takes more than 90 seconds to prep and lower a lifeboat into the water.

I don't know whether it was by circumstance or design, but the Royal Princess had two aft 632-passenger life raft units, one on the port side, the other on the starboard side. Each was directly next to a door that was next to the large aft lounge, which can easily hold 1,500+ passengers. The lounge is one of the major lifeboat muster stations on the ship. Passengers can congregate in the lounge, away from the elements during an emergency. If evacuation is deemed necessary, it appears that the passengers can be led directly from the lounge to the evacuation slide and they won't have to walk more than 20 feet on the exposed open deck.

I know that some people think its better to have a life boat muster station outside that is right next to a lifeboat. But that puts them on the open deck and in the elements. Keep in mind that if a ship has to be evacuated in a true emergency, it might be because of very bad weather or seas. Being out on an open deck when the weather and/or seas are bad is not a good thing. Also, its possible that the ship has lost power, which means that the decks will be pitching and swaying much more than normal. And another thing: The emergency situation may go on for several hours before the captain decides that evacuation is necessary. I'd rather muster at a station on the inside of the ship than be exposed to harsh weather, rough seas, and pitching decks on the open decks for several hours.

 

[dclpluto]

It will be packed. I'm sure there will be lots of throw up all over the place. Lots of people upset. A bad situation but better than a ship that is sinking.

 

[wdrl]

As for everyone being assigned a lifeboat, I ask again: To which lifeboats are the guests who are directed to a theatre or restaurant for their drill assigned?

I have only been on two DCL cruises and I had a muster station at a lifeboat on the open deck only once. But if recall correctly, the number of passengers at the muster station was much less than than the capacity of the lifeboat we were standing by. In a true emergency, each lifeboat would be filled to capacity. I'm sure passengers from the interior muster stations would be used to fill each lifeboat.

Keep in mind that in a true emergency, some lifeboats and muster stations might not be available. Even if you have a muster station on the open deck next to a lifeboat, it does not mean that you will necessarily be able to use that lifeboat to evacuate the ship.

I'm sure that the ship's emergency evacuation plan accounts for how to get every single passenger from the theaters, restaurants, and lounges, to an evacuation craft. But every emergency situation will be different, and the crew will have to make adjustments as they deem necessary.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

It is my understanding that there is not enough space on the boat decks for everyone to muster, therefore some muster inside.


AKK

 

[DenLo]

The cruise line(s) all take the muster and evacuation of the ship very seriously and have planned meticulously for every event they can think of. However, they constantly have new crew that need training along with keeping old hands trained. The fact that some crew who were being watched fumbled it or looked puzzled means that they are learning and that officer will see to it that they learn it. The passenger's safety is the first concern for the crew and they need to know how to do it. And practice, practice, practice.

We have only taken 30 cruises for around 300 days, but I am confident the crew of DCL, Princess or any of the mainstream lines will do their jobs appropriately. Keep in mind that all of those rafts and boats will be manned by a sailor or officer than knows his stuff. They will see that things are being done correctly.

As to wanting to get on a boat versus a raft, you will not have a choice, you will be assigned based on your cabin. That is the only reasonable method and it is not something you should worry about. I feel that my job as a passenger is to stay calm and keep my family calm. And to follow instructions given by crew.

 

[Plaid Princess]

Does anyone (Tonka's Skipper?) know the passenger size used to determine the number of people the lifeboats hold? Let's face it, while some cruisers are slim and fit, it often seems the majority are not.

Perhaps I am overlooking it, but I see no reference to passenger weight in the linked article. What IS the current passenger "average weight" used to compute lifeboat capacity?

My guess is that for every larger guest, there's a child that takes up half the space (or ends up on mom or dads lap). I imagine that at the end of the day it would average out pretty evenly; especially on Disney with so many kids. Setting a specific weight isn't really a good reference to body size; a very short person could be 150 lbs and take up as much butt space on a seat as a tall person who is 200 lbs.

Keep in mind that all of those rafts and boats will be manned by a sailor or officer than knows his stuff. They will see that things are being done correctly.

As to wanting to get on a boat versus a raft, you will not have a choice, you will be assigned based on your cabin.

Yup. You go to your muster station and the highly trained CM waiting there will instruct you as to which boat to join. Your only job is to go calmly and swiftly to your muster station, and follow instructions to the letter.

 

[Uncleromulus]

So it appears that any passenger (especially with kids) who thinks they will be in an enclosed lifeboat--better think again.

Sorry but I cannot envision how the DCL rafts will be loaded except by folks already swimming in the water---while others are safely aboard an enclosed lifeboat with power.

As to crew training--I only hope they are all "highly" trained. The bunch I saw seemed about as interested in the Officers presentation as I used to be with the lesson in Jr. High Algebra class---

 

[C6PT7]

So it appears that any passenger (especially with kids) who thinks they will be in an enclosed lifeboat--better think again.

Sorry but I cannot envision how the DCL rafts will be loaded except by folks already swimming in the water---while others are safely aboard an enclosed lifeboat with power.

As to crew training--I only hope they are all "highly" trained. The bunch I saw seemed about as interested in the Officers presentation as I used to be with the lesson in Jr. High Algebra class---

Here is an example of a davit launched liferaft. No need to jump into the water.

The lifeboats then herd the liferafts together and tie them up so they are towed and kept together.

 

[Expatriat]

I always select a cabin that enables me to do the muster drill inside the ship. The likelihood of needing to evacuate is slim. If it occurred, yes, I would of course follow the instructions of crew members. Having said that, I would like to point out that on three of my many, many DCL cruises in the last 15 years, there were less than 300 children aboard. It was rare, but it can happen. On the other hand, I've also sailed when an unusual number of passengers appeared to be 300+ lbs. I am not trying to make this a weight issue, but am trying to visualize how everyone would have fit in their tiny allotted space in the lifeboats or rafts.

 

[karl_nj]

I do not believe it says anywhere n any cruise line information details, every passenger gets in a lifeboat. I would suggest if that is a problem with anyone, they not cruise.

Frankly, one life is as valuable as another.

I don't see where the value of the life of a passenger vs a crew member comes into play. The issue is around training. I'm pretty sure that only lifeboats are mentioned during the passenger muster drill, I'll have to listen for this next time. I know for sure that they have not explained the steps in using a slide to evacuate the ship. I would hope that the crew is familiar with this method if this is what evacuation procedures require.

On the other hand, I don't recall if they explained this on DCL, but I do know that on Cunard they recommend stepping off the ship rather than jumping, if one ends up needing to leave the ship w/o a lifeboat. You are supposed to use one hand to hold your nose and the other to hold your life jacket. I assume to avoid having the life jacket break your neck...

And based on what happened on the Costa Concordia, it does seem that you might end up having to make some difficult decisions anyway. So even if you are "meant" to be put into a lifeboat, a raft might be better then nothing.

 

[C6PT7]

I don't see where the value of the life of a passenger vs a crew member comes into play. The issue is around training. I'm pretty sure that only lifeboats are mentioned during the passenger muster drill, I'll have to listen for this next time. I know for sure that they have not explained the steps in using a slide to evacuate the ship. I would hope that the crew is familiar with this method if this is what evacuation procedures require.

On the other hand, I don't recall if they explained this on DCL, but I do know that on Cunard they recommend stepping off the ship rather than jumping, if one ends up needing to leave the ship w/o a lifeboat. You are supposed to use one hand to hold your nose and the other to hold your life jacket. I assume to avoid having the life jacket break your neck...

And based on what happened on the Costa Concordia, it does seem that you might end up having to make some difficult decisions anyway. So even if you are "meant" to be put into a lifeboat, a raft might be better then nothing.

As above, absolutely do not jump off the ship from the lifeboat deck wearing your lifejacket. It will snap your neck.
A small drop of say 10 feet, put your arm through the neck hole and hold the jacket over your shoulder, whilst crossing your arms and feet and as above, pinch your nose.
Above 10 feet, through the jacket where you will land then jump, arms crossed whilst pinching your nose and your feet crossed.

 

[lilouisianagal]

Well if you are in a situation where you will need to load into a lifeboat (the noise is kinda hard to miss), get your tail to your lifeboat station.

 

[C6PT7]

I don't see where the value of the life of a passenger vs a crew member comes into play.
And based on what happened on the Costa Concordia, it does seem that you might end up having to make some difficult decisions anyway. So even if you are "meant" to be put into a lifeboat, a raft might be better then nothing.

I think Tonkas Skipper was saying that all lives are equally valuable, and that the cruise lines are willing to put the lives of their crew before their passengers.
When a crew member decides to serve the passengers aboard a ship, they make that decision to put others lives ahead of theirs in a dangerous situation. Be it a firefighter, first responder to a medical emergency, or to be a lifeboat or liferaft personnel or captain.
They are picked because they are deemed suitable leaders to do the job that would be needed. And as Uncleromulus stated that many of the crew being taught the methods to launching a lifeboat seemed uninterested, I wonder why!? I am assuming they are new hires and this is part of their training to become lifeboat captains or assembly leaders, for no extra pay, and hours and hours of further training and tests consistently.
Only those deemed suitable and capable would be put in the position.