Saw an "open" Lifeboat last week on Fantasy

[C6PT7]

The good news is that it's 2016. We have things like GPS, cellular, Coast Guard, etc. I can't imagine you'd be in the lifeboat too long, especially in the Carribbean where there are lots of other boats close.

No comfort for those on a TA cruise or Alaska though!

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

All of this true....lots of ships wandering around the Gulf, Caribbean and Bahamas and fewer around Alaska and in a crossing. With state of the art electronic, the lifeboats will be found pretty fast as the location of the vessel will be known.

It is still likely it will be hours before a rescue ship can get to the area of the lifeboats and transferring from a lifeboat to a large vessel will require reasonably minor/ low/smooth sea conditions.

This is why paying attention during muster drills, is so important. Why checking on your life vests in your cabin to make sure the right number and sizes are there, and TO TRY THEM ON! To fully read and understand the emergency card on the back of your cabin door.


AKK

 

[LADYnTRAMP]

We watched a lifeboat drill at Castaway Cay a couple of weeks ago. They threw a dummy into the water, lowered a boat and set about "rescuing" it. Then they reattached the boat and brought it back up. DD was fascinated.

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Cool pics! Thanks for sharing!

 

[ladyofthetramp]

All of this true....lots of ships wandering around the Gulf, Caribbean and Bahamas and fewer around Alaska and in a crossing. With state of the art electronic, the lifeboats will be found pretty fast as the location of the vessel will be known.

It is still likely it will be hours before a rescue ship can get to the area of the lifeboats and transferring from a lifeboat to a large vessel will require reasonably minor/ low/smooth sea conditions.

This is why paying attention during muster drills, is so important. Why checking on your life vests in your cabin to make sure the right number and sizes are there, and TO TRY THEM ON! To fully read and understand the emergency card on the back of your cabin door.


AKK

Have to agree-pay attention at the drill. If you look around at one, most people do not. At our last drill, the lead would not release us if she saw a phone being used. You probably will not have an emergency on your cruise, but you never know. Better to have heard and know what to do than to try and figure it out in the midst of an emergency. We always check our life vests and ensure we have the right sizes for our family. Then we go have fun!

 

[Dakota Red]

We were on NCL Jewel and they use the life boats to tender in to Honduras. When we were on shore the weather picked up some. When we got in the life boat to go back to the ship they said it was going to be a sporting trip back and oh how it was!!! Waves were crashing over the top of the boat, when we hit waves it jarred you pretty hard. Kids were crying adults looked sick it was a great time.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

We were on NCL Jewel and they use the life boats to tender in to Honduras. When we were on shore the weather picked up some. When we got in the life boat to go back to the ship they said it was going to be a sporting trip back and oh how it was!!! Waves were crashing over the top of the boat, when we hit waves it jarred you pretty hard. Kids were crying adults looked sick it was a great time.

It is great to hear of another who loves a good boat ride!

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

All of this true....lots of ships wandering around the Gulf, Caribbean and Bahamas and fewer around Alaska and in a crossing. With state of the art electronic, the lifeboats will be found pretty fast as the location of the vessel will be known.

It is still likely it will be hours before a rescue ship can get to the area of the lifeboats and transferring from a lifeboat to a large vessel will require reasonably minor/ low/smooth sea conditions.

This is why paying attention during muster drills, is so important. Why checking on your life vests in your cabin to make sure the right number and sizes are there, and TO TRY THEM ON! To fully read and understand the emergency card on the back of your cabin door.


AKK

Good advice. I have never tried on the life jacket before. I'm assuming the adult ones are 1 size? I'm 5'3" 115 lbs and I hope it won't be too large. Guess I'll find out soon.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Good advice. I have never tried on the life jacket before. I'm assuming the adult ones are 1 size? I'm 5'3" 115 lbs and I hope it won't be too large. Guess I'll find out soon.

There was 1 size on the Fantasy a few weeks ago. It fit both my wife and I. I would expect you will be fine. Only the kids may have their own size, but I did not check that.

Have a great cruise.

AKK

 

[Starwind]

As reference:

There is video circulating online now of an incident a couple years ago involving the overturn and sinking of a catamaran full of tourists, off the coast of IIRC Mexico. (note: the video is disturbing to watch; two of the tourists did not survive)

It took 1 hour for the first ship to reach them for rescue - an ocean-going container cargo ship (visible near the end of the video). Of course, there wasn't much warning the boat was in distress and essentially none it was going to capsize. Most people had enough time to put on life jackets before it went over.

Presumably in most circumstances with a cruise ship there would be advance warning (i.e. TIME) of the emergency leading to the need to abandon ship and other ships in the area would be aware of the emergency and be prepared to respond or even proactively re-position closer.

I do have to say for the DCL cruises (Bahamas, E. Caribbean) we have been on I have always been reassured by the sight of other ships in the shipping channels -- I like looking out at the sea and I notice the other ships, both in daytime and by their lights at night (which are kind of pretty...). Our first cruise I was actually quite surprised with *how many* other ships there are.

What I don't know is how far away they actually are // how long it would take them to come to the aid of a ship in crisis.

SW

 

[C6PT7]

Good advice. I have never tried on the life jacket before. I'm assuming the adult ones are 1 size? I'm 5'3" 115 lbs and I hope it won't be too large. Guess I'll find out soon.

Everyone, please pleas please follow the instructions on your cabin tv to try try on your life jackets when you get access. Yes I know it's overwhelmingly exciting to get on the ship, and check out your cabin and find the tv stations, charge your mobile and tablets, but please do as they ask, and make sure everyone has one and they fit by trying them on.

And at your muster stations, it is hot, it is humid, it is a pain, but it is for everyones benefit that everyone knows what to do. Just imagine the chaos if even half of the passengers have no idea what to do, where to go because they are to occupied to pay attention if you do abandon ship.

Your life could depend on it if the brown stuff hits the fan. And your lack of attention could cause others to lose theirs if you delay things and are unprepared.

 

[C6PT7]

I do have to say for the DCL cruises (Bahamas, E. Caribbean) we have been on I have always been reassured by the sight of other ships in the shipping channels -- I like looking out at the sea and I notice the other ships, both in daytime and by their lights at night (which are kind of pretty...). Our first cruise I was actually quite surprised with *how many* other ships there are.

What I don't know is how far away they actually are // how long it would take them to come to the aid of a ship in crisis.

SW

@Tonka's Skipper knows of an incident where another cruise line couldn't even launch their rescue boat to save one of their own and disney did.
I hope he can provide all of the info, but if they cannot launch a rescue boat, *some* lines might not be up to the job of rescuing you!

If I were in a lifeboat, a disney ship would be a very welcome sight coming to our rescue!

 

[Starwind]

@Tonka's Skipper knows of an incident where another cruise line couldn't even launch their rescue boat to save one of their own and disney did.
I hope he can provide all of the info, but if they cannot launch a rescue boat, *some* lines might not be up to the job of rescuing you!

If I were in a lifeboat, a disney ship would be a very welcome sight coming to our rescue!

Having watched some of the lifeboat and rescue drills DCL ships do when in port (fascinating if one gets the chance to watch), I think I would also be pretty darn happy if a Disney ship showed up to the rescue !

SW

 

[C6PT7]

Good advice. I have never tried on the life jacket before. I'm assuming the adult ones are 1 size? I'm 5'3" 115 lbs and I hope it won't be too large. Guess I'll find out soon.

At 5'3" 115 ibs you will most likely fit fine so do not worry. It may be more cumbersome for you than taller people but you would float a lot easier than say a 6'6" 300 lbs passenger.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Here is a picture of the way DCL goes further in training.......not just a video or just putting a boat in the water, they fully inflated a life raft and have the CM's practice getting in and out. This was taken 3 weeks ago at CC.

AKK

 

[kamik86]

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.

I haven't read the rest of this thread and haven't sailed on disney but I do know on Princess they do mention that you may be assigned raft where you will slide down a tube into a boat already in the water.

They also show you how to take to the water if necessary.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Everyone, please pleas please follow the instructions on your cabin tv to try try on your life jackets when you get access. Yes I know it's overwhelmingly exciting to get on the ship, and check out your cabin and find the tv stations, charge your mobile and tablets, but please do as they ask, and make sure everyone has one and they fit by trying them on.

And at your muster stations, it is hot, it is humid, it is a pain, but it is for everyones benefit that everyone knows what to do. Just imagine the chaos if even half of the passengers have no idea what to do, where to go because they are to occupied to pay attention if you do abandon ship.

Your life could depend on it if the brown stuff hits the fan. And your lack of attention could cause others to lose theirs if you delay things and are unprepared.

I always watch and listen, especially at muster. My biggest concern are the small group that shows up at the drill (after drinking), does not pay attention and talks even when told to be quiet. Have seen that too many times.