Muster Drill

[TDC Nala]

You will not be wearing the lifejackets as you're no longer required to bring them. But yes, everyone has to be counted, even kids, even babies.

 

[abajorek]

You will not be wearing the lifejackets as you're no longer required to bring them. But yes, everyone has to be counted, even kids, even babies.

I have a 3 year old that will need entertaining. OK to bring a silent toy or book or iPhone/iPad with video and headphones for him while waiting for people to show?

 

[cruisecrasher]

I have a 3 year old that will need entertaining. OK to bring a silent toy or book or iPhone/iPad with video and headphones for him while waiting for people to show?

No electronic toys or phones. It's honestly not that long or bad. I took DD when she was three and there's plenty of people watching to do during the drill.

 

[moosecrouse]

What suggestions do you have my family as far as the muster drill goes:

We have a 10 year-old with autism who does so-so with big crowds, and I will still be in my post-surgical boot (not happy to hear that from the doc on Thursday). Should we go early or wait so that we can be more towards the front? My only cruise experience has been DH & I on Carnival and early arrivals ended up against the wall with several rows of people in front of them...

Last summer I travelled with my nephew who is autistic. My SIL made sure to note this before we sailed with the staff. During the muster she mentioned to CM that he has problems with large crowds and they allowed them to stand off to side while rest of party went to their spots. On another note I could believe how wonderful our dining staff was. He is an extremely picky eater. At the time he would only eat chicken fingers & fries. Luckily he loved the ones from the pool deck so BIL bought a plate to our first MDR meal. The head server asked why they had the food with them. He told them to not bring it and that he would be sure to have a plate at the table waiting for him. Needless to say we took extra care of our servers who took extra care of us and made sure to point it out to guest services.

 

[CajunMomof3]

Last summer I travelled with my nephew who is autistic. My SIL made sure to note this before we sailed with the staff. During the muster she mentioned to CM that he has problems with large crowds and they allowed them to stand off to side while rest of party went to their spots. On another note I could believe how wonderful our dining staff was. He is an extremely picky eater. At the time he would only eat chicken fingers & fries. Luckily he loved the ones from the pool deck so BIL bought a plate to our first MDR meal. The head server asked why they had the food with them. He told them to not bring it and that he would be sure to have a plate at the table waiting for him. Needless to say we took extra care of our servers who took extra care of us and made sure to point it out to guest services.

Thanks for this info. We are nervous about how he will do but decided that since he loves WDW so much that a DCL cruise should be fine, we typically try to do things as normally as possible, but I don't want to start the trip on a bad note. It is good to know that the CM are so accommodating.

 

[2CME911]

Agree totally with these suggestions cajunmom. Find a CM as soon as you get to your muster and be upfront with them about your concerns. They will do whatever they can to make the process as atraumatic as possible. Best of luck!

 

[CajunMomof3]

Agree totally with these suggestions cajunmom. Find a CM as soon as you get to your muster and be upfront with them about your concerns. They will do whatever they can to make the process as atraumatic as possible. Best of luck!

Off-topic, but I guess I'm not quite awake yet because when I first read your post I thought you said the CM would make it as TRAUMATIC as possible! I missed the a .... Lol

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Saddly yopur not reqiured to wear the lifevests to the drill anymore.

Hopefully that will change after all the recent incidents, but

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, take the lifevests out of the closet and have EVERYONE try them on and contact all the straps! Its not always as easy to do as it looks and trying to get it connected and adjusted while in a emergency situation, a fire, the vessel rolling/pitching the vessel only on emergency power and the passageways crowded and semi dark is not the time.

AKK

 

[ilovetexas]

Saddly yopur not reqiured to wear the lifevests to the drill anymore.

Hopefully that will change after all the recent incidents, but

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, take the lifevests out of the closet and have EVERYONE try them on and contact all the straps! Its not always as easy to do as it looks and trying to get it connected and adjusted while in a emergency situation, a fire, the vessel rolling/pitching the vessel only on emergency power and the passageways crowded and semi dark is not the time.

AKK

I worry that many of us who are used to cruising get complacent about this. I know I did after they quit making us wear the jackets to the drills. Lately, I've been reminding myself to check out the jackets in the cabins, etc.

Slightly off topic, but I really wish they would (and I know they won't) change policies about bars and pools prior to muster drill. No buckets of beer sold prior to and close ALL bars and pools one hour before scheduled drill. If people are sitting around bored waiting for the bars/pools to reopen, there's a MUCH higher chance everyone will get their rear ends to the drill on time!

 

[kddlm]

First time cruiser so excuse my naive question.....how do you know where your muster station is? Posted on door??

 

[Fielhol]

And not only try on ur vests. But verify you have what you need. ie. enough children's vests for the kids and enough adults for the adults.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I worry that many of us who are used to cruising get complacent about this. I know I did after they quit making us wear the jackets to the drills. Lately, I've been reminding myself to check out the jackets in the cabins, etc.

Slightly off topic, but I really wish they would (and I know they won't) change policies about bars and pools prior to muster drill. No buckets of beer sold prior to and close ALL bars and pools one hour before scheduled drill. If people are sitting around bored waiting for the bars/pools to reopen, there's a MUCH higher chance everyone will get their rear ends to the drill on time!

Hi there Texas!

The thing that really scared me was that my wife and I were on the Fantsay in November, and the 4 lifevests in the cabin had never been opened. They were all still connected/folded as when shipped form the factory.


You make a good point on closing the pools and bars a hour before the muster drill, but you are also right, that it will never happen!


Even if they could have the CM's go around 30 minutres before and remend people the muster drill will be soon! I smiling face there, will get people moving faster then the AP annoucement will!


AKK

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

And not only try on ur vests. But verify you have what you need. ie. enough children's vests for the kids and enough adults for the adults.

Excellent point!

 

[bats]

First time cruiser so excuse my naive question.....how do you know where your muster station is? Posted on door??

It's on your KTTW card .. It will be a letter, say 'A' is the Walt Disney Theatre, 'B' is a restaurant etc. there are signs all over the ship telling you where the letter corresponds to.

 

[k3chantal]

I have a 3 year old that will need entertaining. OK to bring a silent toy or book or iPhone/iPad with video and headphones for him while waiting for people to show?

My 18 month old was fine. We are booked for our next cruise when she will be 4; I don't anticipate a problem. My toddler goes to preschool and I plan on telling her that we need to listen because they are going to 'teach' us how to be safe on the ship just like her teachers like her to listen. Even now at three I know she would behave.

 

[zacaronius]

It doesn't take that long and it always amazes me at how many people feel inconvienced about it. On our last muster drill we were near a family who had to keep being told to stay in a line and basically shut up, and really it wasn't the kids, it was the adults. Its something that only takes 30 minutes or so and is something that is so important in the event of an emergency and so many people act like its going to ruin their vacation. I also always check my lifevests in the room, much easier to do during the day than 3 am if needed!

 

[bumbershoot]

What suggestions do you have my family as far as the muster drill goes:

We have a 10 year-old with autism who does so-so with big crowds, and I will still be in my post-surgical boot (not happy to hear that from the doc on Thursday). Should we go early or wait so that we can be more towards the front? My only cruise experience has been DH & I on Carnival and early arrivals ended up against the wall with several rows of people in front of them...

I would really recommend that, if your 10 year old has a hard time with LOUD noises, that you are prepared *before* muster with earplugs or headphones. The alarm for muster (as it would be with an actual emergency) is LOUD loud loud loud, and if that will increase the 10 year old's stress, make sure you're prepared. My cousin is on the spectrum and he knew to clap his hands over his ears just before the alarm sounded (it wasn't his first cruise). I myself would have liked to have earplugs. You can still hear, it just doesn't *hurt*.

I'd go early. if you are on deck, you'll be in short lines, usually just your cabin, with your backs to the inside of the ship and facing the railing. Next group comes up and lines up next to you. If you are inside a theater or restaurant, you can get a seat.

Nancy

That's how ours was, out on deck, lining up just like that. Thankfully our extended family's cabin was in the same basic area (though 6 decks away) and we were in the same muster station, so we all just went from their room to our spot. Lined up with regards to each cabin and we were good!

I have a 3 year old that will need entertaining. OK to bring a silent toy or book or iPhone/iPad with video and headphones for him while waiting for people to show?

There were plenty of children around us (and with us, though the youngest in our group was 5) and none of them needed extra entertaining. There are so many people around that I expect the 3 year old will be having fun just looking around and chatting with you guys and maybe even being waved at by other families. Even if it were allowed, it really shouldn't be needed.

 

[Disneyholic]

Saddly yopur not reqiured to wear the lifevests to the drill anymore.

Hopefully that will change after all the recent incidents, but

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, take the lifevests out of the closet and have EVERYONE try them on and contact all the straps! Its not always as easy to do as it looks and trying to get it connected and adjusted while in a emergency situation, a fire, the vessel rolling/pitching the vessel only on emergency power and the passageways crowded and semi dark is not the time.

AKK

Also, please check that the room number on your lifejackets in your room match your room number. On one of our cruises when you still had to wear the life jacket to muster, they called our cabin number & when I raised my hand they asked why our jackets said a different number. I said that that is what was in our closet. We had to find our room steward to get the jackets moved to the right rooms. The room numbers are used in a REAL emergency to account for all passengers. If you have the wrong number you will not be counted as you, but as someone else.

Also check out that you have the right size jackets for your little ones.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Also, please check that the room number on your lifejackets in your room match your room number. On one of our cruises when you still had to wear the life jacket to muster, they called our cabin number & when I raised my hand they asked why our jackets said a different number. I said that that is what was in our closet. We had to find our room steward to get the jackets moved to the right rooms. The room numbers are used in a REAL emergency to account for all passengers. If you have the wrong number you will not be counted as you, but as someone else.

Also check out that you have the right size jackets for your little ones.

.......AKK

 

[ilovetexas]

It doesn't take that long and it always amazes me at how many people feel inconvienced about it. On our last muster drill we were near a family who had to keep being told to stay in a line and basically shut up, and really it wasn't the kids, it was the adults. Its something that only takes 30 minutes or so and is something that is so important in the event of an emergency and so many people act like its going to ruin their vacation. I also always check my lifevests in the room, much easier to do during the day than 3 am if needed!

Those people (and there are always those people!) should be warned ONCE, then escorted off the ship!

This, directly from the DCL cruise contract:

Carrier may refuse to transport or may disembark at any port any Guest who may be suffering from contagious or infectious disease, ill health or whose presence in the opinion of the Master may be detrimental to the comfort or safety of other Guests or the crew, or who, in the Master's opinion, might be excluded from landing at destination by Immigration or other Governmental Authorities. In such cases, the Guest shall not be entitled to any refund of fare or compensation whatsoever.