Cruise Lines Speak Out About Muster Drill Decisions

Table Of Content

• Cruise Muster Station and Muster Drill: What Are They?
• What is a muster drill on a cruise ship?
• Practice the Use of Life Jackets
• What's Working with New Digital Muster Drills
• When Are Cruise Ship Muster Drills Carried Out?
• The 1-item upgrade you need for a better cruise ship cabin experience (it’s already in your house)
• Cruises

Most cruise lines seem to have moved away from the Traditional Muster Drill, where you assemble at your Muster Station – often on the promenade deck – and stand and listen to the safety announcements given by the crew. From here, the crew will submit their attendance record to the relevant officer, ensuring that all passengers on board the ship have completed the muster drill. This is one of the most critical components of any muster drill, as knowing how to wear and secure a life jacket correctly is an essential part of maritime safety. The specific timing of a muster drill can vary from one cruise line to the next, but they must be carried out within 24 hours after the ship has departed for the first time.

Cruise Muster Station and Muster Drill: What Are They?

An e-muster drill, or electronic muster drill, is a type of virtual muster drill that is beginning to phase out traditional, in-person muster drills. Come prepared to listen to instructions and learn where to find life jackets, how to wear them, and where the escape routes are in case of emergency. We also recommend using the bathroom before attending the muster drill. Attending a muster drill is required when cruising and you may not skip. The practice drill includes basic cruise ship safety information that every traveler should know.

What is a muster drill on a cruise ship?

Crew members will also explain the best escape routes in case people need to leave the ship in an emergency situation. Think of muster drills as a required class for cruise ship safety and how you’ll exit the ship safely in the case of an emergency. Every ship has designated muster stations, which are meeting points for passengers during an emergency, typically on the open decks by the lifeboats. Regardless if you’re on the cruise ship for 3 weeks you must attend all of the muster drills that are carried out. Even if you have been on previous cruises with the same cruise line you are still obliged to attend.

Practice the Use of Life Jackets

In some instances, you may be kicked off before the ship event sets sail. A Muster Drill is a safety drill completed on a cruise, designed to show passengers what to do in the event of an emergency. The Muster Drill is often referred to as the ‘Lifeboat Drill’ or ‘Safety Drill’.

Make sure the crew member has logged you down for attending the muster drill or you will have to do it again! Often this is done by showing your cruise card or giving the number of your cabin / cabins. On some cruise liners, crew will scan your cruise card to markdown you’ve attended.

When Are Cruise Ship Muster Drills Carried Out?

Norwegian Cruise Line to Reintroduce Virtual Muster Drills - Cruise Industry News

Norwegian Cruise Line to Reintroduce Virtual Muster Drills.

Posted: Wed, 22 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The sooner everyone shows up, the sooner everyone can get back to the fun things onboard! In the end, the drill is to benefit you in the event of an emergency. There will always be crew members able to assist; however, it is important that you know what to do to keep yourself safe. If you miss the initial drill, you may be given a second opportunity to complete the safety briefing. If, for whatever reason, you fail to attend it again, you face getting forced off of the ship at the next port of call without receiving a refund.

I took my first cruise when I was 11 and I’ve been hooked ever since. Once you have carried out your Muster Drill on your day of Embarkation, you need never complete another one. I remember standing about on the Promenade deck of the Costa Luminosa for what seemed like ages, waiting for other guests to show up.

Muster 2.0: a new kind of safety drill for cruise passengers - Ship Technology

Muster 2.0: a new kind of safety drill for cruise passengers.

Posted: Wed, 09 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Muster drills for disabled passengers

Disney Magic is the original Disney ship, these days offering three- to five-night Bahamian itineraries from Florida's Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral. Young passengers will love dining at the "Tangled"-inspired Rapunzel's Royal Table or enjoying a slice at Pinocchio’s Pizza. They'll learn from Spider-Man and the like at the Marvel Super Hero Academy, be wowed by fireworks at sea, and get the chance to be made over like princes and princesses at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Adults can claim a moment of alone time at the kid-free piano bar, Keys, or with a treatment at Senses Spa & Salon. He added that they were seeing a higher percentage of compliance with the new format than they’d had with traditional mustering.

Cruises

As lines slowly rolled back their coronavirus protocols and returned ships to full capacity, two major companies — Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line — reverted to fully in-person drills, citing safety. Other major lines say they'll continue to offer e-muster and claim there's nothing unsafe about it; Norwegian has since reversed course and reinstated the popular e-muster drills after complaints. Indeed, Chiamis might have hit the nail on the head regarding why some lines are reverting to traditional mustering.

SOLAS, or Safety of Life at Sea, is an international treaty that was formed following the sinking of the Titanic in 1914. When the ship sank, there were only enough lifeboats onboard for roughly half of the passengers. If you are on a ship with a large percentage of international guests, the drill may take longer, as the crew will make the announcements in multiple different languages.

This is because they are a legal requirement set out by international maritime regulations, most specifically, the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), which sets out all safety standards for ships operating on open water. Once the allotted timeframe for completion has expired, crew members will verify that all passengers have completed their e-muster drill training. Whether you have been on numerous cruises or are preparing for your first cruise vacation, you probably have questions about muster drills.

Typically, the cruise ship will also sound the emergency alarm to familiarize passengers with the ear-piercing noise. A muster drill (also known as a lifeboat or a boat drill) is one of the most important things all cruise lines must do before the ship departs for the first time. It’s the only boring part of your vacation but it’s a legal requirement to help keep you safe in the event of an emergency.