Will the muster drill process ever change?

[CMontheseas]

It depends on their contract. I was friends with a Princess and also a dancer in shows including Sail-a-Wave.
The Cast are definitely involved in drill

YES. I’ve had to have cast dismissed earlier just so they could quickly run and get ready to perform

 

[Mags2002]

YES. I’ve had to have cast dismissed earlier just so they could quickly run and get ready to perform

me literally every cruise!

 

[CarolynFH]

Ohhh, now I’m realizing that when we go to muster drill on embarkation day, I can look around at the CMs and try to identify the princesses and other performers that I might visit with later! DH and I are so rule-compliant that we’ll probably get to our station early, and I’ll need something to occupy my time while we wait for everyone else.

 

[Dug720]

During Virtual Muster nothing was supposed to be open at all as mandated by the US Coast Guard.

That is interesting. When I was on Celebrity this past summer, we had the virtual drill. The bars in the areas that double as muster stations were closed, but other bars like on the pool deck and the sunset bar were definitely open pretty much from the time boarding started. I wonder how they get away with it - or if they're just willing to take the hit at inspections since with the push to have a beverage package there would be a riot if they were closed. (There was enough of an uproar when the Grand Cayman tax thing started and only one bar was open while the ship is anchored there.)

edit for clarification: I'm not saying it's not the case at all. I'm just musing that other lines do have bars open and wondering if they just decided to take whatever penalty the Coast Guard levies on them or if they got some kind of special dispensation as long as the bars in the areas of the muster stations remain closed.

 

[Karin1984]

I was looking up what the coast guard's rules are, and came across this article:

https://cruiseradio.net/cruise-ship-muster-drill-changes-2023/

In the article it quotes Royal:
Greg Prudy, vice president: “We’re always open to change,” he said, “but we’re not so open to going backward. So we will always look for moving forward and doing things if they’re better… for our guests and our crew.”

He added that they were seeing a higher percentage of compliance with the new format than they’d had with traditional mustering.

And Carnival:
“Our implementation has also received very positive feedback from the U.S. Coast Guard and other safety experts, as well as generated positive comments for effectiveness from our guests during our post-cruise survey results,” Chiamis says. As a result, “We will continue to utilize our e-mustering process while always looking for ways to improve its effectiveness.”

The article also says that when Norwegian went back to traditional, it 'coincided' with cutting back their entertainment crew, but claiming safety was the issue.

IF we go by that this is indeed about safety and compliance, what do Royal and Carnival do different?

 

[happycamper47]

The article also says that when Norwegian went back to traditional, it 'coincided' with cutting back their entertainment crew, but claiming safety was the issue.

IF we go by that this is indeed about safety and compliance, what do Royal and Carnival do different?

NCL is doing virtual so that is currently not correct and you have to watch the video in order to complete on-line check in and again in your cabin to clear the TV. Not sure when that changed again and they still have limited entertainment.

 

[71 Truck]

I was looking up what the coast guard's rules are, and came across this article:

https://cruiseradio.net/cruise-ship-muster-drill-changes-2023/

In the article it quotes Royal:
Greg Prudy, vice president: “We’re always open to change,” he said, “but we’re not so open to going backward. So we will always look for moving forward and doing things if they’re better… for our guests and our crew.”

He added that they were seeing a higher percentage of compliance with the new format than they’d had with traditional mustering.

And Carnival:
“Our implementation has also received very positive feedback from the U.S. Coast Guard and other safety experts, as well as generated positive comments for effectiveness from our guests during our post-cruise survey results,” Chiamis says. As a result, “We will continue to utilize our e-mustering process while always looking for ways to improve its effectiveness.”

The article also says that when Norwegian went back to traditional, it 'coincided' with cutting back their entertainment crew, but claiming safety was the issue.

IF we go by that this is indeed about safety and compliance, what do Royal and Carnival do different?

This is some of what I posted earlier,
"It was unofficially reported the the main reason Disney went back to the old style drills was because of lack of sufficient participation on the part of the guest."

Of course this is all speculation because as far as I know Disney has never officially said why they went back to the old muster drill.

So according to the article above, it sounds like Royal and Carnivals guest are doing what is expected of them to comply with the rules to allow them to keep doing the virtual muster drill.

 

[happycamper47]

This is some of what I posted earlier,
"It was unofficially reported the the main reason Disney went back to the old style drills was because of lack of sufficient participation on the part of the guest."

I wonder if that could be due to the number of children, which is normally higher on a DCL cruise, or the number of 1st time cruisers.

 

[Karin1984]

I wonder if that could be due to the number of children, which is normally higher on a DCL cruise, or the number of 1st time cruisers.

2 things we do not know for sure, Royal aims at families as well. We do not knw where there are more kids on board or more 1st time cruisers.

Carnival doesn't aim at families, but with the party vibe on board... that doesn't really sync with a rule following crowd.

Anyone here who cruises both DCL, royal and/or Carnival who can tell if there is a different approach in how they communicate the e-drill to their passengers? Or procedure? (In case of Disney how they used to)

 

[Jsoenning]

We sailed RCL in Alaska and Carnival out of Galveston in 2023. Both had us go to the muster station right away.

Carnival demonstrates putting on the life vest continuously via live demo. They swiped our cards and then we watched. I felt they would’ve said something had you tried to skip the demo.

On RCL we sailed Star class so may not be standard. They swiped our cards at the muster but I seem to recall watching the life vest as a video in the room. They had us say who all watched it? This was in June so memory is fuzzy.

Both lines were efficient. I found I got more out of both than on Disney.

Any line I gather up our kiddos in the room and show on back of door which way to our muster, left or right and which floor. I then quiz them to ensure it stuck. When we’re on the floor again we point out the muster point as well.

As mentioned in earlier post the crowd up and attempt to see / hear is rough to me. I also don‘t enjoy being packed together with folks sneezing and coughing but I’m a germophobe by nature.

 

[goofy4prez]

I have no problem at all about how Disney does their muster drill. I would rather be inconvenienced for a few moments of my life than others and myself not knowing what to do during the unlikely event that there was an emergency that could cost the life of myself or others. I know it gets packed in these muster drills, but the next several days on a Disney cruise ship is not likely going to be an experience of isolation. That's just me.

 

[OKW Lover]

Having recently experienced DCL's muster drill and having also experienced RCL's muster drill less than 3 months ago I'm firmly in the camp of preferring the virtual muster drill. Forcing us to stand around in the sun for 30 minutes while waiting for a 2-minute demonstration was tedious. No, I didn't feel any safer (or less safe) for having done it.

 

[happycamper47]

Having recently experienced DCL's muster drill and having also experienced RCL's muster drill less than 3 months ago I'm firmly in the camp of preferring the virtual muster drill. Forcing us to stand around in the sun for 30 minutes while waiting for a 2-minute demonstration was tedious. No, I didn't feel any safer (or less safe) for having done it.

Maybe it's time for a mass letter writing/email campaign.....Who's got Josh's email?

 

[71 Truck]

As people who have possibly been on multiple cruise and have done the muster drill many times have to remember, there are people on their first cruise ever who have never done a muster drill so they may not know what is expected of them.

This is some of what I posted back in 2023

"I posted this back in March and still believe it to be true.


It was unofficially reported the the main reason Disney went back to the old style drills was because of lack of sufficient participation on the part of the guest. So I guess some may have ruined it for others.

Remember this also gives the crew, especially new crew a chance to also train. These are the people who are going to help save your life in an emergency while people are running around panicking because they do not know where their muster station is.

In an emergency even if people are only half paying attention at the in person muster drill they got some of the information and at least know where to go. If the guest can't remember where to go than thats their fault not the cruise lines. they did their part.

If only one person had to check in at the staging area and no one from the party bothered to watched the in room video because it took up to much time from their cruise this is a problem.
In an emergency especially, if the rest of the party is separate from the person who went to their muster area they might not know where to go.

On our last cruise on the Fantasy in November 2022 from the time the horn blew to start the drill till the time we were released from our muster station it was exactly 20 minutes. And our muster station was on the Starboard side of the ship in the sun.
If there are people who cant stand in the sun for 20 minutes they should find out from the cruise line if there is an alternative place they can meet.

I do not think 20 minutes is a lot to ask from people to help protect their safety in an emergency. this was on a cruise that was 142 hours long so 20 minutes is not a lot to ask..

I posted this in June
One of the things I read was that if a room had four people in it one person would gather all the Key to The World cards and go to the muster station to check in. That meant that potentially three people did not know where the muster station was. Potentially, during an emergency if every one from the room was not together some people did no know where to go.
It may have been apparent to Disney, guest either not knowing what to do or intentionally, possibly not doing what Disney wanted them to due may caused Disney to go back to the old muster drill. This is all of course just speculation as that Disney has never as far as I know put out an official statement.


Second update, our last cruise was December 2, 2023 on the Fantasy and the muster drill was still only 20 minutes."


I also posted this
"I think it comes down to this, this is the way Disney wants the muster drill done. If you want to sail on Disney then for now we will have to do it their way.

I still think the in person muster drill is the best way to make sure everyone has been shown what is expected of them in an emergency.

Of all the times I have sailed Disney (14 times) I have not thought the in person muster drill was an inconvenience.
For my wife and I 20 minutes is not a lot to ask of us to ensure we have been told what to do and where to be in an emergency.

I have also said in the past, maybe Disney has not heard from a significant number of it's guest that they would like to go to a different kind of muster drill other than the in person drill."


And this

"This is some of what I posted earlier,
"It was unofficially reported the the main reason Disney went back to the old style drills was because of lack of sufficient participation on the part of the guest."

Of course this is all speculation because as far as I know Disney has never officially said why they went back to the old muster drill.

So according to the article above, it sounds like Royal and Carnivals guest are doing what is expected of them to comply with the rules to allow them to keep doing the virtual muster drill."

 

[meliscan]

As people who have possibly been on multiple cruise and have done the muster drill many times have to remember, there are people on their first cruise ever who have never done a muster drill so they may not know what is expected of them.

This is some of what I posted back in 2023

"I posted this back in March and still believe it to be true.


It was unofficially reported the the main reason Disney went back to the old style drills was because of lack of sufficient participation on the part of the guest. So I guess some may have ruined it for others.

Remember this also gives the crew, especially new crew a chance to also train. These are the people who are going to help save your life in an emergency while people are running around panicking because they do not know where their muster station is.

In an emergency even if people are only half paying attention at the in person muster drill they got some of the information and at least know where to go. If the guest can't remember where to go than thats their fault not the cruise lines. they did their part.

If only one person had to check in at the staging area and no one from the party bothered to watched the in room video because it took up to much time from their cruise this is a problem.
In an emergency especially, if the rest of the party is separate from the person who went to their muster area they might not know where to go.

On our last cruise on the Fantasy in November 2022 from the time the horn blew to start the drill till the time we were released from our muster station it was exactly 20 minutes. And our muster station was on the Starboard side of the ship in the sun.
If there are people who cant stand in the sun for 20 minutes they should find out from the cruise line if there is an alternative place they can meet.

I do not think 20 minutes is a lot to ask from people to help protect their safety in an emergency. this was on a cruise that was 142 hours long so 20 minutes is not a lot to ask..

I posted this in June
One of the things I read was that if a room had four people in it one person would gather all the Key to The World cards and go to the muster station to check in. That meant that potentially three people did not know where the muster station was. Potentially, during an emergency if every one from the room was not together some people did no know where to go.
It may have been apparent to Disney, guest either not knowing what to do or intentionally, possibly not doing what Disney wanted them to due may caused Disney to go back to the old muster drill. This is all of course just speculation as that Disney has never as far as I know put out an official statement.


Second update, our last cruise was December 2, 2023 on the Fantasy and the muster drill was still only 20 minutes."


I also posted this
"I think it comes down to this, this is the way Disney wants the muster drill done. If you want to sail on Disney then for now we will have to do it their way.

I still think the in person muster drill is the best way to make sure everyone has been shown what is expected of them in an emergency.

Of all the times I have sailed Disney (14 times) I have not thought the in person muster drill was an inconvenience.
For my wife and I 20 minutes is not a lot to ask of us to ensure we have been told what to do and where to be in an emergency.

I have also said in the past, maybe Disney has not heard from a significant number of it's guest that they would like to go to a different kind of muster drill other than the in person drill."


And this

"This is some of what I posted earlier,
"It was unofficially reported the the main reason Disney went back to the old style drills was because of lack of sufficient participation on the part of the guest."

Of course this is all speculation because as far as I know Disney has never officially said why they went back to the old muster drill.

So according to the article above, it sounds like Royal and Carnivals guest are doing what is expected of them to comply with the rules to allow them to keep doing the virtual muster drill."

I just got off a Carnival cruise and we all looked at one another and said we prayed there wasn't an emergency. The crew didn't seem to have a clue what was going on. Plus all the life jackets on the Carnival Jubilee are stored at the muster stations. All I can see is chaos of people fighting and crowding for life jackets and it being out of control. Our last muster drill on Disney was about 15 minutes if I recall. I at least felt better prepared on Disney than on that particular Carnival ship.