Muster Drill - siren?

[MommaBerd]

I have a kid who is sensitive to loud sounds and particularly in a "stressful" situation. The poor kid has anxiety issues, too, so, I want to prepare him as much as possible for the muster drill. Does the drill involve loud sirens or bells? Thanks so much!

 

[MommaBerd]

I have a kid who is sensitive to loud sounds and particularly in a "stressful" situation. The poor kid has anxiety issues, too, so, I want to prepare him as much as possible for the muster drill. Does the drill involve loud sirens or bells? Thanks so much!

NEVERMIND - I just found a video on YouTube. Guess I should have searched BEFORE I asked.

 

[bumbershoot]

Very very loud alarms.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I would suggest maybe ear muffs a simple way to keep the loud noise to a minimum for the little guy.



AKK

 

[MommaBerd]

Thanks - I might need to bring some headphones or something.

 

[MommaBerd]

@Tonka's Skipper - you beat me to it!

 

[anricat]

We bring earplugs for our DD. It doesn't last long, but it is loud!

 

[love~disney]

I have a kid who is sensitive to loud sounds and particularly in a "stressful" situation. The poor kid has anxiety issues, too, so, I want to prepare him as much as possible for the muster drill. Does the drill involve loud sirens or bells? Thanks so much!

I didn't even think about this!! Thank you for bringing this up. My boys are really sensitive to loud noises as well and have some anxiety. THANK YOU!!

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

@Tonka's Skipper - you beat me to it!

lol....Have a great Cruise!


AKK

 

[SpaceSquirrel]

Do you HAVE to attend the muster drill on DCL? On other lines we haven't.

 

[scgustafson]

Do you HAVE to attend the muster drill on DCL? On other lines we haven't.

Absolutely, it is an International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) requirement.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do you HAVE to attend the muster drill on DCL? On other lines we haven't.

Were the other cruises where you didn't before the Costa Concordia incident? Since then cruise lines are requiring everyone to attend before the ship departs. Although, I've read that Princess doesn't require B2B people to attend on their second leg. Don't know if that's true.

I do know that Holland America has put people ashore who refused to attend the muster drill since the crack down on attendance.

 

[Bishoparc]

Another suggestion that may help, to at least cut down on the stress part, is to arrive at your muster station earlier than the official drill time. While you can't leave the drill early, you can at least check-in earlier rather than waiting till the alarm sounds to head down. We usually try to get there about 15 minutes early.

Hope the suggestions help and that you have a wonderful cruise.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Another suggestion that may help, to at least cut down on the stress part, is to arrive at your muster station earlier than the official drill time. While you can't leave the drill early, you can at least check-in earlier rather than waiting till the alarm sounds to head down. We usually try to get there about 15 minutes early.

Hope the suggestions help and that you have a wonderful cruise.

There have been reports that people arriving early to just wait for the drill at their muster location are being told that they can't.

 

[Bishoparc]

There have been reports that people arriving early to just wait for the drill at their muster location are being told that they can't.

Interesting. We did it on 1/29/16. Definitely not extremely early but you could at least be close 10 minutes out if nothing else.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Interesting. We did it on 1/29/16. Definitely not extremely early but you could at least be close if nothing else.

I know, I mean, how can they really monitor it? Our last cruise, we were in our room, so can't confirm whether it's not allowed or not. But, I believe I recall that one of our cruises in 2014 they were sort of "checking" people who were hanging out in the muster areas just before the drill. But I think they stopped doing that about 5-10 minutes prior.

 

[Bishoparc]

Hmm. We got there about 10 minutes early on our last one and they were scanning cards already and there were already a bunch of folks checked in. Maybe some regulation has changed where they want it to feel like an emergency more but I'd think they'd like at least a few people early or right on time to try to get it done as timely as possible. We shall see. I'll be on again on 4/29. Will let you know how it goes.

The purpose is to simulate an actual emergency so waiting till the alarm goes off to head down is definitely ok.

 

[MommaBerd]

Thanks for all the info. I think the more prepared he is, the better he'll be. I told him that it's like a fire drill or tornado drill, where it's to prepare us just in case something should happen.

 

[mrp4352]

We like to at least get to deck 4 while the elevators are still in service!

 

[jrabbit]

and you are "supposed" to be in your room at the beginning of the drill - they make the announcement and then sound the alarms

Seven Short Blasts, followed by a Long One. They are all loud. when they announce that they are going to sound the alarm - earplug / headphone up.

and after 16 DCL cruises, you would think that I would remember if they sounded the alarm again while at the muster station - I don't think that they do.

But it is crowded and noisy up at the muster stations.