NCL to return to E Muster Drills April 1

[Cheburashka]

It just is not necessary anymore. There is still Covid on board cruise ships, Disney is no exception. Why purposefully cluster people together? There was such an outcry from NCL cruisers to change back to the online muster drill, it happened, and fairly quickly.

Disney management tends to tune out guest complaints about policy, so unfortunately I don't see them going back to the more convenient method they used after reopening if they find the standard drill more convenient for themselves.

All people need to know is where to go in an emergency, and to take their floatation device. Go to your muster location immediately with your device, then follow directions. It's really simple and not something people need to line up and stand around for to be able to process. In a real emergency, many people would be panicking and the best they would be able to do is show up at a muster station and follow orders, anyway. Half of them probably won't bring their floatation device at all.

If the current muster drill made guests bring and practice putting on their floatation device, that might be worthwhile, but it doesn't include that, so it's no better than just making guests find their stations and click on a QR code.

Half of the guests can't even see the CM modeling putting on the device while standing in crowded lines on the deck, anyway. At my drill last week, they crammed everyone tightly together ("get shoulder to shoulder with the person next to you, shoulder to shoulder") and I was in the back, unable to see anything. The virtual muster drill where you get a clear image of what to do via the TV screen is more instructive.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

We just got off royal and the online/app drill was so much better.

 

[Cheburashka]

We just got off royal and the online/app drill was so much better.

Sigh. It's frustrating that DCL took away nice things like paper navigators and onboard booking agents because they want everything to be on the app, but they won't do the most annoying part of the cruise via the app.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Disney management tends to tune out guest complaints about policy, so unfortunately I don't see them going back to the more convenient method they used after reopening if they find the standard drill more convenient for themselves.

All people need to know is where to go in an emergency, and to take their floatation device. Go to your muster location immediately with your device, then follow directions. It's really simple and not something people need to line up and stand around for to be able to process. In a real emergency, many people would be panicking and the best they would be able to do is show up at a muster station and follow orders, anyway. Half of them probably won't bring their floatation device at all.

If the current muster drill made guests bring and practice putting on their floatation device, that might be worthwhile, but it doesn't include that, so it's no better than just making guests find their stations and click on a QR code.

Half of the guests can't even see the CM modeling putting on the device while standing in crowded lines on the deck, anyway. At my drill last week, they crammed everyone tightly together ("get shoulder to shoulder with the person next to you, shoulder to shoulder") and I was in the back, unable to see anything. The virtual muster drill where you get a clear image of what to do via the TV screen is more instructive.

All of this. We were one of the first to arrive because we got herded by CMs while doing the Midship Detective agency. It started very late, and by the time they had squeezed everyone else in the height order made no difference because they put other families with tall people in front of ours. It was a complete and utter waste of everyone's time, my kids were hot and miserable. In the future I'll just stay in my stateroom until the last possible second. Rather be the one who shows up bang on time than the sucker stuck on a deck with no shade for 45 minutes.

 

[cmph]

Wholeheartedly agree to all of the above. We showed up for our March cruise 2min before. DD and I were put at the front of 2 lines. I'm 5'10". She's 5'11". And honestly, even at the front, you can't follow all that well when it's so crowded! You're trying to listen to your own lead, but you're so close to the other leads/groups, and then of course there are constant interruptions when the latecomers show up or someone tries to locate missing people.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Sigh. It's frustrating that DCL took away nice things like paper navigators and onboard booking agents because they want everything to be on the app, but they won't do the most annoying part of the cruise via the app.

Oh and nothing shut down on Royal either on day 1. We checked in boarded ate lunch got luggage in room and then swam all afternoon with nothing closing down due to the safety drill.

 

[cwis]

As much as probably every cruisers I'd prefer to sail with an e-muster. Maybe with an improved procedure, where you check-in at multiple places along your route (stateroom/stair/muster station).

But all they want is that if there's an emergency they don't have liability. Like “look we enforced the procedures for the muster drill so it's guests' fault if/when something turns wrong.”

If Disney actually cared after safety, they would

• make sure everyone listens
• make sure people use the correct evacuation route

If Disney actually cared about guest satisfaction they would

• ask and listen about feedback on the muster drill (which they never do, as a previous poster pointed out, Safety goes before Show)

 

[Cheburashka]

If Disney actually cared after safety, they would

• make sure everyone listens
• make sure people use the correct evacuation route

Of course DCL cares about safety. That's why they have constant lifeguards for pools that are 3 feet deep. That's why there is so much plexiglass on all the railings. Safety is a huge part of Disney's brand and it's obvious that they do care about it.

There isn't much you really need to listen to, for safety's sake, in a muster drill. You need to know where to go, and to bring a floatation device. Those are the necessities for safety.

Trying to make people use only one evacuation route isn't helpful because many people could be coming from different areas of the ship due to having to collect their children. Also, if there's a jam in one area for whatever reason, it's better for people to divert in an emergency than remain stuck in the jam.

 

[cwis]

Of course DCL cares about safety. That's why they have constant lifeguards for pools that are 3 feet deep. That's why there is so much plexiglass on all the railings. Safety is a huge part of Disney's brand and it's obvious that they do care about it.

There isn't much you really need to listen to, for safety's sake, in a muster drill. You need to know where to go, and to bring a floatation device. Those are the necessities for safety.

Trying to make people use only one evacuation route isn't helpful because many people could be coming from different areas of the ship due to having to collect their children. Also, if there's a jam in one area for whatever reason, it's better for people to divert in an emergency than remain stuck in the jam.

For clarity I was not and am not attacking Disney. I know people around here are pretty quick to jump in, but that's beside my point.

This is industry practice.

Disney does what they are told they need do. Their business if selling cruises not ensure their safety. Regulations do. As such as enforcing them. Which once again Disney do.

As a guest I still believe that regulations are poor in this area, and I take for example the many unfortunate deaths every times a ship had to be abandoned. And I wish the industry improves. Like the air industry has done in the last century.

And, as a guest, I wish Disney would make sure people actually listen. As a guest, I wish I were directed to the correct evacuation route by the drill assistants when going from my stateroom to my station. I wish the "no seating in stairs at all times because they are evacuation routes" were really enforced.

 

[Cheburashka]

This is industry practice...Disney does what they are told they need do. Their business if selling cruises not ensure their safety. Regulations do. As such as enforcing them. Which once again Disney do.

Just making the point that DCL does care about guest safety. Regulations don't make them use the lifeguards as they do or design the ships as they do. Plenty of mass market cruise ships don't have those safety features and have had corresponding child tragedies from drownings and falls.

The current muster drill does provide for guest safety. So would a virtual drill, which they could also choose to do if they wished.

 

[cwis]

Just making the point that DCL does care about guest safety

Once again this is beside the point of this thread. Disney cares about safety as much as every other lines, and as cruisers we are safe on DCL as much as on every other lines. Not sure why your point of view focus here whereas this thread is about the experience.

 

[71 Truck]

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..

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

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..

Yes, but on my cruise, the horn blew 30 minutes after people had been herded onto the deck by pushy crew members. So it was nearly an hour in the hot sun, with small kids, or more than an hour, in our case, because our section of the ship was the last to go even after the horn blew. Which is why I won’t show until a second before the official start time ever again.

 

[71 Truck]

Yes, but on my cruise, the horn blew 30 minutes after people had been herded onto the deck by pushy crew members. So it was nearly an hour in the hot sun, with small kids, or more than an hour, in our case, because our section of the ship was the last to go even after the horn blew. Which is why I won’t show until a second before the official start time ever again.

My wife and I get on the ship and have lunch in a sit down restaurant. By the time we are done it is close to the time rooms are ready.
When we arrive at our room most of the time our luggage is there so we un pack and sit down and relax for a little while.
By this time it is about ten to fifteen minutes before the horn blows for the drill.
The horn blows, we go to our station or meeting place and watch the drill. In our case it is usually only about 20 minutes then we are done. This is how we have been doing it for years.

My wife and I have never done the E-muster drill and if some of the reports were true that Disney went away because of lack of proper participation on the part of some guest it's a shame. As I have said some may have ruined it for others.

 

[Cheburashka]

if some of the reports were true that Disney went away because of lack of proper participation on the part of some guest it's a shame. As I have said some may have ruined it for others.

I don't buy that. Every cabin had to do virtual check-in at the muster station- it wasn't optional, so there was no way to get out of it any more than you can get out of the current muster drill. What those posters were probably referring to was that the entire family likely didn't sit in their staterooms paying rapt attention to the entire safety video, but that was never necessary, anyway, as all that is needed is to know where to go for muster and to bring your family and flotation device. And that would be no different than on other lines that are continuing the virtual option.

Some posters tend to prefer to blame other guests for unpopular decisions that Disney makes. In this case, it's pretty clear that Disney prefers in-person muster for staffing/scheduling reasons.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

I don't buy that. Every cabin had to do virtual check-in at the muster station- it wasn't optional, so there was no way to get out of it anymore than you can get out of the current muster drill. What those posters were probably referring to was that the entire family likely didn't sit in their staterooms paying rapt attention to the entire safety video, but that was never necessary, anyway, as all that is needed is to know where to go for muster and to bring your family and flotation device. And that would be no different than on other lines that are continuing the virtual option.

Many posters here prefer to blame other guests for unpopular decisions that Disney makes. In this case, it's pretty clear that Disney prefers in-person muster for staffing reasons.

Fully agree. Plus those that want to be informed will be those that don’t care won’t pay attention no matter what way they do it.

 

[Cheburashka]

those that want to be informed will be those that don’t care won’t pay attention no matter what way they do it.

Yep. Just like on an airplane. People there are actually strapped into their seats during the safety briefing, and still, a lot of passengers ignore it. Probably fewer than half of all airplane passengers could independently model turning their seat cushion into a flotation device even right after the flight attendant's briefing.

 

[Chirple]

I do have a question for those who have cruised on DCL pre and post Covid protocols. How different are outdoor muster drills today vs pre March 2020?

We are Platinum and have been cruising with DCL since 2005, but our last pre-Covid drill was February 2020 (outdoors) and first post-Covid was November 2022 (indoors). We've had a mix of outdoor and indoor muster drills over the years. Yes, outdoors felt crowded; but we always felt more jammed together at the Sail Away party so we stopped attending.

 

[Cheburashka]

I do have a question for those who have cruised on DCL pre and post Covid protocols. How different are outdoor muster drills today vs pre March 2020?

They are exactly the same. They still make strangers stand shoulder to shoulder.

 

[71 Truck]

I don't buy that. Every cabin had to do virtual check-in at the muster station- it wasn't optional, so there was no way to get out of it any more than you can get out of the current muster drill. What those posters were probably referring to was that the entire family likely didn't sit in their staterooms paying rapt attention to the entire safety video, but that was never necessary, anyway, as all that is needed is to know where to go for muster and to bring your family and flotation device. And that would be no different than on other lines that are continuing the virtual option.

Some posters tend to prefer to blame other guests for unpopular decisions that Disney makes. In this case, it's pretty clear that Disney prefers in-person muster for staffing/scheduling reasons.

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.