A new muster drill procedure on Royal. Could DCL adopt it as well?

[Intr3pid]

Processes can be patented, my guess is that’s what it was awarded for, not the tech.

Agreed, but a specific method/process is patented - meaning other cruise lines can add or modify some of the steps to get around it. Simply transferring a well-known business practice to an online version isn't typically something you can protect with a patent.

 

[o&smom]

I still miss when you had to wear your life jackets to your muster stations. Makes me sad seeing them up on the shelf in the closet when I unpack on embarkation day. Call me crazy!

 

[tvguy]

We cruised Celebrity last October. The muster drill was a video presentation in the dining rooms. It was okay, but the muster drill is a cruise tradition we enjoy.

 

[mousefan73]

I love this idea! On our previous cruises on the Fantasy, we have felt particularly crammed together with the other folks at our muster station. I find it tough to hear and see, and then you have to fight the crowds when the drill is over. I think I would get more info from a video than a crew member talking on a bullhorn.

Agree 100%. Especially for smaller, shorter people. My mother cannot see or hear anything during the Muster drill due to her size. I think the most important part of the Muster drill is actually knowing how to get to your master location and from what I understand you still have to physically go there correct?

Another idea I’m surprise the cruise Lines haven’t tried is doing the muster information drill during embarkation in the cruise terminal. There are hundreds of people sitting around waiting. Have staggered arrival times ( and keep to it !!) check people in and move them into a waiting hall to watch a video and then board ( kinda like boarding for Soarin). Then have them check in at their muster location.

 

[JM23457]

The ideal situation, in terms of safety, comfort & convenience, would be to have passengers required to watch a safety video, then put on their life jackets properly (not just carry them), and go to their muster station. This would be on their own schedule during embarkation day.

The most critical parts of muster are knowing to wear your life jacket & how to put it on, and where to go in an emergency. This would satisfy both safety requirements better than the current muster, which doesn't require guests to actually put on their life jackets.

Requiring the passengers to actually put on their vests themselves is a much more effective form of instruction than CMs standing on deck demonstrating to a passive audience how it's done.

 

[monkeydawn]

I totally agree with this. Safety is of utmost importance, especially on a boat at sea. Knowing the sound of the horn is important and I agree, if left to their own devices, many people won’t watch the drill. I can’t say I love going to it but I know why I do so it’s just something to put up with. I hope they come up with something that ensures participation.

Maybe a short 5 question quiz after that allows for missing one but you miss more and you have to rewatch before you can continue. If you fail the second chance you must report to a traditional muster drill. Check in must be completed an hour before the drill to allow for proper lists to be given to each station on which guests should be participating.

I'd also make all first time cruisers (to each particular line) participate in the traditional muster drill.

TV, app, a live session for those who don’t like electronics; even have it available on the website - multiple options is the way to reach multiple learning types. They have their own terminal at PC; have it on a continuous loop for those waiting for their Group Number to be called.

I like the whole utilizing the time while you are waiting for your boarding group to be called idea. Make the video on the app available from the time you check in until an hour before muster and have a few stalls available in port for those that dont have the ability to use the app.

 

[hrhdhd]

If you dislike being at your muster station for a drill, wait until you are there for an actual emergency.

 

[JM23457]

If you dislike being at your muster station for a drill, wait until you are there for an actual emergency.

Fortunately that has an extremely small chance of happening on any given cruise.

 

[KVH]

Fortunately that has an extremely small chance of happening on any given cruise.

At least 16 sinkings in the last thirty years . . .

 

[JM23457]

At least 16 sinkings in the last thirty years . . .

Out of hundreds of thousands of sailings. As I said, an extremely low chance of an emergency occurring. You're in a lot more danger just driving to the port.

 

[auntlynne]

If you dislike being at your muster station for a drill, wait until you are there for an actual emergency.

You are so right.

 

[FigmentSpark]

They could make everyone watch the video before they are checked in, right at counter stalls. They could see if you're watching or not. Then, once you're on board, you have to report to your station before your key is fully activated (like you can get in your room, but can't do anything else). Key needs to be scanned by a crew member who verifies you are all there and "opens" your key for use. Maybe you are assigned a time to show up, but that can be difficult because people might be in a line or eating or resting and not realize the time. Still have a muster sound so all who have not reported must now report.

Or just have the muster, but people can leave once they've scanned in, since they watched the video. Have all crew members reporting to their stations in case of questions.

 

[belle032]

I'm all for it and believe this will be common practice in the near future. But I also think it would be a great benefit to families traveling with small children, those in wheelchairs & scooters or who are mobility impaired, those with special needs, etc. I know that cruise lines make special arrangements for people in those categories, but this would almost level the playing field even more.

 

[hrhdhd]

Fortunately that has an extremely small chance of happening on any given cruise.

Children drowning in a cruise ship pool is also unlikely, but several lines have lifeguards at their pools.

Passengers get mustered on cruises for reasons other than the need to abandon ship. Fire, for example, occasionally causes a captain to initiate the muster sequence.

Attending a relatively short drill to ensure everyone has some familiarity with the process is a good idea. I'd rather they keep the drill and enforce behavior standards during the drill (e.g., no cell phone use).

 

[JM23457]

Children drowning in a cruise ship pool is also unlikely, but several lines have lifeguards at their pools.

Actually, drowning is a leading cause of death among children. It is the #1 cause of accidental death for kids ages 1 - 4, and the #2 cause of accidental death for kids ages 1 - 14 (right behind car crashes). I've personally seen multiple children in real distress in the water be rescued by lifeguards before.

So there is nothing unusual or unlikely about children drowning. That happens regularly, unfortunately. Unlike a real cruise ship emergency, which is very unusual & unlikely.

I never said to not have muster at all. I described a modified muster that would allow people to not be squashed together in a tight group for 20 minutes at a time. People would watch an instructional video independently, put on their life jackets (a part of the traditional muster drill that is currently neglected), and go to their muster location on their own schedule.

 

[tarheelz]

While I understand that mustering drills are no fun, they serve a lifesaving purpose.

The quality of any drill is the "doing" of the physical activity: You want your children to made the walk to the station with the in-the-moment attention and understanding of why they are doing so. (Think school fire drill.)

The quality of any drill should be performed under circumstances as similar to the actual situation as practical. We muster at stations because that is how the flow for an evacuation would work in an emergency. You do not proceed to a life raft until first a critical number has gathered and reported (mustered). Evacuation doesn't occur one by one or even family by family.

If this is adopted industry-wide, you can bet that following the next cruise ship debacle, the fingers will be pointing as who thought a real mustering drill should give way to providing more AquaDuck flexibility.

 

[sethschroeder]

Actually, drowning is a leading cause of death among children. It is the #1 cause of accidental death for kids ages 1 - 4, and the #2 cause of accidental death for kids ages 1 - 14 (right behind car crashes). I've personally seen multiple children in real distress in the water be rescued by lifeguards before.

So there is nothing unusual or unlikely about children drowning. That happens regularly, unfortunately. Unlike a real cruise ship emergency, which is very unusual & unlikely.

I never said to not have muster at all. I described a modified muster that would allow people to not be squashed together in a tight group for 20 minutes at a time. People would watch an instructional video independently, put on their life jackets (a part of the traditional muster drill that is currently neglected), and go to their muster location on their own schedule.

It can be the leading cause and also extremely unlikely.

Supposedly there are only like 300 cruise ships globally if there were only 300 kids you likely would only here of 1 or 2 deaths every 30 years. In 2018 unfortunately 510 kids 0-4 drown in a pool of 19,810,275 children that age or 0.0025% of children. If I did the math right that means for the 300 cruise ships they would need to have 11,653,102.94 sailings between incidents to equal the same percentage of incidents.

Unless the ship observes them watching the information I doubt many would really read up on the procedures and most families would just have that one person click through it most likely. Can't say that is right or wrong.

 

[monkeydawn]

Unless the ship observes them watching the information I doubt many would really read up on the procedures and most families would just have that one person click through it most likely. Can't say that is right or wrong.

Thats why I think there should be a quick test after watching the video. And randomize the test.

 

[tinkerone]

You have arguments on both sides. Both are good and both are valid.

I have seen people pay attention at the drills, I have seen people talking through the whole thing to the point of distraction for others. I have seen children crying through it all. I have seen people try and sit down in an area that would make it a safety hazard because they are tired and hot. I have seen, on these boards, people say they don't care about instructions, they will go to the nearest boat and just board there. They don't get the fact that doing this puts themselves and others in more dangers...or they don't care which I think is more likely.

I have been to muster drills 20 times plus and I still try and pay attention, something new may come about and it does change from time to time. I was surprised the first time I found we did not wear the life jackets to our stations. For me, I think I will get more out of it watching in my stateroom free from distractions. Parents with small children who may not be able to pay close attention at a group gathering because their children are antsy may get more out of it in the stateroom when they can have time to watch it at their leisure. Those who take this seriously will most likely get the same by watching in their staterooms but those who don't take it seriously are the ones who also would not take it seriously at a group gathering either. We each have to make a choice, this makes my choice easier for me. Everyone else can make theirs.
JMO, I like it.

 

[Sherrilatte]

I don't think it really matters one way or the other how the drill is presented. Most of it seems pretty darn close to security theatre regardless.

Being persnickety today, I'd ask whether we have any quantifiable proof that the traditional method ACTUALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE in an emergency situation? Why don't we ask Costa Concordia guests? Then again, I'm wondering how sitting in a frickin' dining room prepares one for the absolute chaos of abandoning ship. And this assumes daytime, good weather, and calm seas.

As a retired Coastie, a little information that's retained subconsciously is better than no info at all. I would hate to be on a vessel with a majority of clueless individuals...it ACTUALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.