Skipping Lifeboat Drill?

[Buckaroo's Dad]

If I have to wait around in the sun and heat and wearing that uncomfortable life jacket because some lazy moron isn't there they will be receiving phone calls at 2:00 and 3:00 am every night.

Darn bffttsiu, don't you think 2 calls in the early morning hours is excessive? Why not just start with castration?...

 

[Grumbo]

If I was a cynical person I'd say maoy-2's post is the PERFECT troll post to get everyone worked up. Especially for a first post on a forum
Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Talking Hands
Ok they read out the cabin numbers. Now how am I supposed to realize they are calling mine? Geez I hope the interpreter is there for that. I'm sure it is a noisy situation and I will miss them calling my number. Unless I can see the guy's face I'll have no clue. I hate it when they call out numbers. Just give me a list to check my name off on and I am a happy camper.

Lisa--does DCL know that you are hearing impaired? If so, I'm sure that they will be aware of your needs and you'll be taken care of. If not, simply let the crew member at the station know as soon as you get there that you are there--you know that they will be wonderful about accomodating you

Have a GREAT Cruise!

Anne

 

[HookedonMagic]

We've never missed (or been late to) a drill...however, on our DCL cruise last month, we should have. We were travelling with our infant son, so we were especially uncomfortable trying to hold him while wearing life jackets and stand in the hot sun. Our drill leader DID NOT CALL off any cabin numbers (per the normal drill). We simply stood in line and waited for the shipwide broadcast to end. Afterwards, we still stood around a moment, looking for someone to report to...we were simply told the drill was over and we should go back to our room.

I'm not encouraging anyone to skip the important drill, I'm simply telling it like it was on the Wonder last month. I agree with the other posters, grin and bear it and go to the drill. In the big scheme of things it is no big deal, and I for one, would certainly hate to prolong anyone's drill by not showing up.

 

[wdwnut76]

Lisa -- I agree with a previous poster who said that you should let DCL know that you're hearing impaired. If there was an emergency, they would know how to contact you.

One month and three days to go till my cruise!!!!

 

[cathie]

We travel with a handicapped friend that uses a very large power wheelchair. Our room steward told our friend that he should not do the safety drill & that one of our party of 8 should stay in the cabin with him. If DCL knows about any disability issue that would make it difficult to be in a crowded situation they will excuse that person from the drill. (He has to use an elevator so it wouldn't work>) In the event of a real emergency DCL knows his needs & he would be taken care of.

 

[Talking Hands]

DCL knows I am hard of hearing. Interpreters are arranged for. I just don't know what the will be there for. The shows I know they will interpret. What else I am not quite sure of and I can't depend on my daughter to be with me when I need her. She is a beautiful young lady but she doesn't like to hang around Mom much.
For all I know she will be checking out some young man or find out one of her friends is an entertainment CM and I'll not see her the rest of the cruise.
My trip to Disney last June was like that. The girls knew some of the guys in Shockwave and I saw them maybe 2 times the entire weekend. I was completely wheelchair bound that trip and dh sent them to care for me. HAHAHA!

 

[dzneprincess]

Originally posted by keith & co.
Her is our story......... Last cruise WE WERE AT THE DRILL -- with a fussy 2yr old and an overly excited 8 yr old who was constantly chatting with Mama & Papa........ Needless to say we couldn't hear our name called and didn't respond . We did, however, take the required and hokey "Everyone in their vests" shot. So when we got a "Nasty Gram" from the safety officer(?) we had proof that we were there!
If for no other reason....... Go to take the hokey picture
Barbara

That very thing happened to us, on our one and only DCL cruise. WE went, and had a 2 & 3 year old that weren't very happy. We really didn't know what we were doing, we dodn't know anything about the dis or other message boards then. Well alter that evening we got a nasty gram, but there was really nothing to do about it.

 

[Flyrfan]

Bottom line, it is for your safety as well as your family's safety. Would you drive around with a child in the front seat with an air bag while unbuckled? ..............GO TO THE DRILL!!

What does the fine print have to say?

 

[rae519]

Maybe Disney needs to change their procedure in checking off staterooms if there is a problem with the noise level. I know we have always been asked what our number is when we go to Animator's Palate - our muster station.

I can appreciate the fact that people are there but are missed on the list BUT it's those who elect to NOT attend who should be escorted off! Again, Disney needs a better system possibly to verify this.

I also listen attentively to the stewardess and figure out how many aisles I am from an exit when I am on a plane or bus or in a restaurant. I take no chances when it comes to my life or the lives of my loved ones.


Rae

 

[PammyK]

Originally posted by HookedonMagic
... Our drill leader DID NOT CALL off any cabin numbers (per the normal drill). We simply stood in line and waited for the shipwide broadcast to end. Afterwards, we still stood around a moment, looking for someone to report to...we were simply told the drill was over and we should go back to our room.

The adult life jackets have your stateroom number printed on them. When you arrive at your muster station the station leader usually looks at the number and checks you off his/her list. They seem to only call the stateroom number if they didn't see you arrive.

 

[inkkognito]

We still go to the safety drill, even after 30 cruises (most of which are in the same cabins...either SPR or 5650). Believe me, it won't kill you.
Interestingly, the station for 5650 is the same stateroom for 2626 (the room from H-E-Double Hocky Sticks). After our traumatic experience in that stateroom, hubby and I always nudge each other and exchange sympathetic glances when they call the poor souls who are in it.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[tezb]

I think DCL does take it seriously. On our first cruise, I was feeling very faint and lightheaded while standing on Deck 4 for our drill. I felt so bad that I had to leave the line for fear I might faint (I was slightly anemic at the time but didn't know it). Anyway I walked over to a CM and told her I felt faint and needed to sit or get some air and her response was, "Look at me, I'm sweating, we're all hot!" She then told me that I needed to at least hear the drill and to stand in the doorway if I couldn't go on the deck. So I guess, unless you're dead or unconscious, there are no exceptions.

It's really not a big deal...look at it this way. Kids have fire drills in school all the time. I doubt they would ever allow a student to stay in the classroom while the others did the drill. It is mandatory and necessary for safety. The ones who didn't do the drill would be the first to sue DCL (or any other liner for that matter) if something happened and they didn't know the protocol.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by HookedonMagic
Our drill leader DID NOT CALL off any cabin numbers (per the normal drill).

We had to respond when we heard our cabin numbers on both Disney cruises -- December 2001 Magic and January 2003 Wonder.

 

[keith & co.]

Just one more little bit of info........
On our last cruise.. Princess or Celebrity(?)..... we were told NOT TO WEAR our vests, but to carry them as walking up and down stairs with the vests on can cause accidents. Can't tell you how many people I see carrying otherwise perfectly mobile children at the DCL drills for this very reason!
Does anyone know if DCL has changed their "WEAR IT" policy? I am thinking we may carry our little one's vest to the station and put it on there..... She is a big 4 yr old and I don't want to carry her down all those stairs!!

FYI dzneprincess,
Never underestimate the power of a well placed "UH-HU, we were too there!!" We informed them of there mistake -- fearing we may be forced to walk the plank -- ans we got a chocolates tray delivered to our room!! The Mouse will own up to his mistakes...
Barbara

 

[Ashley24]

O.K. Barb, I'll take the bait...What happened in that cabin??? 2626???
Ann

 

[txtara]

I was ON the fire cruise......go to the drill!!!!

 

[Momtoemma]

I too was on the fire cruise. I also was one of those people who hated and could never figure out why I had to go to those stupid drill!!!!!!!!! Although I always went, but grumbling, etc.

My advice is to go for sure. I was very glad that night (ok early morning) that I knew where I was to go and what to do. believe me when you need to be there you need to know the score ahead of time (particularly when with children and grandmother).

Go to the drill.

Debbie

 

[yvettpal]

Talking Hands-

There was an interpreter at the safety drill on our cruise.

 

[katerkat]

Keith & co -- my sister and I never put on our vests. but we've been on plenty of cruises so we know how! They never yelled at us about it though. (My mom did.... )