I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN ON MY CRUISE

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO DO THIS AGAIN ON MY CRUISE.
Much to my surprise and everyone elses we had to do an in person muster drill on out last cruise. So are in person muster drills coming back now after all this time.

[@jvandermoer1076]

Crew member here: I've said this before, I'll say it again. These muster drills are not for the guests, they are done for the crew. If you think things were a bit confusing during a drill, imagine what a real emergency would be like. Unless they crew gets trained periodically, they simply don't know what an emergency situation will be like. Afterward the safety/management people go over how the crew performed and things are evaluated and dealt with at crew drills done on port days. Don, if you were ever in a real emergency you'd be the first one complaining about how disorganized it was and how untrained the crew was. Crew are on contracts so there is constant turnover and you have to do some emergency training with guests. Quite honestly it should be done more frequently.

[@NYnative61]

Same as running a mock code in a medical setting. To learn and work out the kinks before real-life situations arise.

[@vanceb1]

You respond the way you're trained. If they don't have these drills then any emergency will be chaos.

[@davesimms8825]

I agree the crew needs training.

[@dwayne7356]

People will response to how they were trained. Just the fact that you report to these video cruises musters without your life jacket is exactly how people will report.

[@Cruisetravelexplore]

That makes sense

[@Janetmontesano]

The staff confusion proves the importance of surprise random muster drills! Well done, Princess!

[@maryshea-tn7gz]

My first cruise in ‘83 was on NCL. The muster drill was like a moving party, very few took it seriously, people were walking around with drinks, talking and laughing. It was hard to hear the lifeboat captain who looked very exasperated. My next cruise was HAL and wow what a difference. There was no goofing off, they were very serious about your life jacket being worn properly and insisted on quiet so the instructions could be heard. It was so different from my first experience and I appreciated what the crew was trying to do. I felt sure that the crew knew exactly what to do in an emergency. It really is a serious matter and doesn’t take THAT much time.

[@TerranceGoulding]

The fact there was confusion suggests to me that muster drills are still necessary!

[@Girasole5849]

I was on Majestic Princess 1 week before you, and we did not have to do the full muster drill. We watched the video in our cabin and reported to our muster station. Very easy. I would think this drill on your ship was more for the crew. More safety training for crew is never a bad thing.

[@georgianalee3618]

I was told it was mandatory to do it every six months.

[@jessemackey3758]

That Muster Drill was most likely for the entire crew to ensure that they remember how to actually muster all passengers in the muster station. The new muster station check in only involves a few of the crew, not the number of crew that ate involved in an actual emergency.

[@Marvin-P]

I don't see a problem.

[@steveobrien4141]

Try and tell the costa concordia passengers that going light on safety is ok. i'm a retired ships officer.

[@Sailor3598]

Just grin and bear it Don! Periodically the crew need to refreshed on their emergency training too. Organizing the passengers during a possible Emergency situation. I doubt it took much away from anybody's vacation. Us veteran cruisers all remember back when this was the norm on every cruise!

[@Cenlalowell]

He doesn't have to cruise. Muster drills are vital to a ship's safety. It should be done more than once a week

[@ruthkringle1353]

At least you didn’t have to bring your life jacket like we use to.

[@tracywalker244]

😂😂

[@paulready8897]

The muster drill is a Coast Guard requirement or Maritime law. I served on US Navy Ships and every so often there were in person muster drills.

[@garyoberst2399]

It's a good idea. Always easier on paper than in person for a crew lead person to explain what needs to be done, different to experience.

[@gregkrech8393]

I'm sorry Don, but questioning the need for the Muster Drill is akin to questioning the need for the Pre-flight safety demonstration on an aircraft.

[@johnholland6842]

When all said and done, It's a few minutes out of your day, And if there was an emergency, It could save your life.

[@madelyn1210]

Thanks for this update. I was on that cruise and was very confused by this. As you said, when we watched the video and went to our muster station, I thought we were done.

[@thomasformanek465]

The Captain calls the shots. Just deal with it.

[@coachster]

You would think these cruise vloggers would want all passengers, especially new cruisers, to put safety first and learn the muster drill. These days, 100% people will play the video and not even pay attention to it.

[@Fish29077]

Always been the case

[@DaleChurchward]

Honestly Don, because of the purpose behind the muster drill, and knowing how people are in an actual emergency, I believe all cruise lines should return to an in-person muster drill on every cruise. It really is a small inconvenience for if the unthinkable should happen on your cruise.

[@cvbazzell]

Nope.

[@ruthm3813]

The fact that everyone was in disarray about having to go personally to a muster drill shows it does need doing once in a while, to check crew can actually do what they are supposed to do with real people who are confused, No, I would not like to have to go back to the old system for myself, but having the ship to go through it every so often to help the crew training is a good thing.

[@tomrunning357]

Ketchup to the muster drill and mayo you relish the remainder of your cruise.

[@TraceyGaylard]

We had a recent muster drill too onboard the Royal Princess. Ours was mid cruise. Princess said they have to do it every 6 months. We were just the unlucky cruises. Ours was poorly organised with a lot of disabled people needing to assemble in the art gallery for 20-30 minutes where there was no seating at all. I hope they learn from that and rethink where they are asking people to gather.

[@twaunniebusse7262]

I think that the periodic one for is there for safety measure to help keep the crew know what to do at the muster stations with actual people there- like you said the crew was a little confused while you were there at the Munster station

[@estherwilson7913]

Remember on the NCL Majesty,you wore the Life jacket and stood next to your Life boat,last year on the escape you just checked in at your station

[@joelroach416]

I do not ever want to go back to the in person muster drills, but I do know that just walking past someone in the hall with a scanner does not stick in your mind like actually going to the location and being their a few minutes.

[@Wellch]

Being there in a few minutes.

[@SausalitoVicki]

Hi Don! Thanks for another fun video!

[@stevepetaci6048]

Probably a training for the staff if there is a problem with the technology so that they know how to do it the old way.

[@donaldedmondson4918]

That's news, funny having the muster like that ⚓️

[@kathleenabell5933]

I was on this ship the week prior and didn’t have that experience with the muster drill . Wow

[@teresah5318]

On our last cruise in March on the Emerald, they did crew only drills several times in the 29 days we were on that ship. It kind of messed up walking around on the ship because they would have areas blocked off. Then when you asked how can I get to... it would be wrong. Oh well. Thanks for sharing!

[@rickrich7325]

Our first cruise years ago on Royal Caribbean and we were in our room and then my wife left to go wander around and about 20 minutes later there was a knock at my door. I hadn’t heard the drill siren because someone before us had turned the volume off the speaker in our room! At least the staff realized what had happened and I don’t think you can turn the volume off those any longer and rightfully so!

[@judymay2536]

Muster Drills in person are confusing, but it is good training for the crew. We try to remember our mustard station. I cannot imagine, if it was not a drill and an emergency. How many folks would remember where they go, much less, what to do. Saftey!

[@candiseaddy8942]

All I can say is wow

[@adoptsalot]

Could be training, could be insurance-related, could be a compliance issue... inconvenient maybe, but not really a bad thing.

[@vanceb1]

Legal requirement. 46 CFR 199.180(c)(2) "Every crewmember must participate in at least one abandon-ship drill and one fire drill every month. The drills of the crew must take place within 24 hours of the vessel leaving a port if more than 25 percent of the crew have not participated in abandon-ship and fire drills on board that particular vessel in the previous month."

[@dalejay8901]

That was so fun to learn that the Elvis Tribute Artist Dan Middleditch was there on your cruise. He gave me consent to post a video of his first cruise performance ever which was on the Diamond Princess's first sailing in Japan after COVID. I spoke with him earlier this year when he was once again on the Japan sailing Diamond Princess. He mentioned that his Dad appreciated getting to see that video. (I think if you just search on KZbin using his name and Diamond Princess it should come up. If not my KZbin Channel should be linkable through the green circled D on this post and it should be easy to locate among my posted videos. Alternatively one can enter Dale Jay Alaska in the KZbin Search bar and that should take you to my posted videos.)

[@patriciacopling7908]

Still have to do it with silversea & i agree with it, not a problem

[@aaronpina6155]

First world problems. I've been on many cruises and I understand the frustration, but it's very limited to the whole time you will spend having fun.

[@georgianalee3618]

We did exactly the same thing based on the same reason on Royal Princess on our way from Yokohama to Vancouver recently except it was not on the boarding day. The whole process I think was a bit confusing and not at all well organized. Can’t imagine what it will be like if there is a real emergency.

[@emiliawalker4346]

Good to know, I wonder if other lines are doing this?

[@LauraPerry63]

I only did an in person drill the other was like you said we did ours on the phone went to our place to get checked off

[@denisekraus2951]

Muster drills are good for the passengers as well as the crew members.

[@aprilperlman6416]

How do we get in touch with you to book a cruise?

[@louisegirl100]

I’m all for safety but our first cruise muster drill was out by the lifeboats with all of us in our life jackets and it was hot and very crowded. And of course it took longer because several people didn’t show up and we waited. It was miserable.

[@gracechristianschoolcypres3189]

It's all about muscle memory. I don't think they should've ever gone away from these drills being done the old way.. These drills reinforce to the crew, how things are supposed to be done. If they do them before every single cruise, there's an opportunity that they're going to experience things that may have not happen before that they will understand how to work through. Also, I don't trust that people are watching all of these videos and paying attention in their rooms. I think this is a spectacular thing. It's worth a 20 minute inconvenience to ensure the crew is continually being trained and reinforced with good behaviors.

[@AnneJones-z9u]

Do you fancy going to your muster station when it is below the water line!

[@zim1978]

This was more for the crew’s practice than the passengers. It’s to see how they handle getting everyone where they need to be. Good news for me is I’m sailing on Majestic Princess in August, so at least I won’t have to do it. lol

[@johnhoward9403]

If that’s your only beef it should be a great cruise.

[@yonietannett6964]

People are not doing the muster drills on their TV. When an emergency happens, it takes hrs for the crew too find everyone

[@NYnative61]

The new muster drill works so well, watching the safety video and checking in at your station. If you don't watch the video in your room you will receive a letter from the captain stating that he knows you haven't watched it and to watch it ASAP upon reading this note. 🙋‍♀🙋‍♂ We know this firsthand ☺....

[@ruthm3813]

How do they know you haven't watched it? It can even be on the TV screen in the cabin and nobody be watching/taking it in. You can be out of your cabin all afternoon and never see it, all the while the TV is playing the info to an empty room.

[@NYnative61]

@@ruthm3813 I’m sure they can see if the video played in your room or not, regardless if you are actually watching it or not. We never played it in our room, thinking being signed off by the muster station attendant was enough. We were wrong and received a letter…

[@coachster]

Doesn’t help when people play the video and don’t actually watch or pay attention.

[@OMCPoker]

Coast Guard requirement.

[@SheRozieDragon]

Disney had in-person muster drills on our last cruises, last November (b2b), and February 2024 (b2b) on all of the cruises.

[@joewines3883]

We havent heard of them doing this in a while. Every six months it might be for the insurance or the coast guard.

[@richardgenerazio5280]

Last 2 months - 3 cruises. 2 princess , 1 celebrity. No muster . Just a pass by and scan your key. Yes on Princess you had to watch the tv OR no tv… lol

[@davidhudson5452]

Poor Don Don To bad you dont like it stay home then

[@Wellch]

But not too bad.

[@williamcooper6830]

Two Thoughts..One some people are on their first or second cruise. Two by your own statement some had no idea where their station was located. I do not care for going in-person but if your information is correct it seem some passengers and crew are nor sure where they need to report in an emergency?

[@T3TerTerTer]

Yep, crew have to practice also. Don, you got lucky and hit the lotto. You should have went to the casino that night.

[@gilliansalmon2382]

Experienced same on Hal Koningsdam. It is maritime laws apparently

[@incognito459]

This happened to us in March on the Holland America Eurodam. But we didn't do the e-muster first, we were told from the get go that the Coast Guard was there and we were going to have to do the in-person style on this sailing. In Ft. Lauderdale, on the blazing hot deck outside. And it was just as miserable as I remember it. Torture.

[@jillthomas1842]

You always have to do in person muster drill on Disney.

[@cynthiareifsnider5794]

When it was mandatory, before COVID, many people didn't like it, but it was handled seriously by the crew.

[@motel1029]

Well, that sucks Don!!

[@marthagrant143]

Hope they don't bring those musters back anytime soon.

[@brentpayne4215]

Majestic princess

[@bryanwebb9036]

I’m curious where this 6-month requirement is being imposed, but I can see how it induces the extra muster as skipping the electronic muster on specific sailings would be too prone to errors.

[@manlikebear1323]

Don- I would agree we don't want to return to in person muster drill. However, I do see the benefit. The requirement of 2 times a year may not really help the passengers, but more importantly, it would tell the ship staff the shortcomings of dealing with the people during a muster. .

[@nancyrobey58]

Do all cruislines do this once every 6 months?

[@randijaffe-7665]

Strange that you all had to muster? It was awful when we all had to wear our life vests and stand outside for quite awhile- people fainted due to the heat and mass of people!

[@jeanetteraichel8299]

I remember the last in person muster drill in 2019. It took the better part of one hour because some people think they can miss it. It took so long the ship left, and I like watching the ship leave. They should do weekly in person drills with 25% of the crew, buy just crew, they can meet at their stations, get instructions, and then it's over as fast as it started and passengers wouldn't even know

[@jfk609]

Yes, that was what they old us, and we just happen to be the lucky ones for this.

[@R.a.t.t.y]

What I would t have taken just t te the passengers and crew that it’s a requirement once every six months?

[@Honolulu-Blue]

Thanks for sharing, Don. Let me get this straight - there was only ONE muster station and ONE drill for EVERYONE on this sailing? That doesn't sound right. In pre-pandemic times, bigger ships had many muster stations - either indoors or outdoors. IIRC, the Vista Lounge isn't designed to hold anything close to the ship's capacity, and to try it without alternate locations seems like a disaster waiting to happen. I think I (and maybe you) are missing part of the story here.

[@jaypurvis7191]

I imagine if muster drill does go back to how it use to be its going to be because maritime laws pressured the cruise industry to do so

[@norinechang2564]

I think your cruise was the guinea pig. Crown Princess didn't have this last week.

[@darryld_009]

these were always a bit chaotic I could only imagine how bad it was with no warning. I guess you drew the short straw

[@MikeBaxterABC]

1:01 ... Don: "Away I go, Dum Dum,Dum, Time to start my Cruise!!!" ... "Nope!! We had to do another in person Mustard Dill" Yum Yum, Yum!"

[@sonnykat462]

Well, never having been on a cruise, doing a drill would be a good idea for my first trip. Not everybody has been on a cruise hundreds of times.

[@TWSmith42]

As training for crew, as @jvandermoer1076 tells us, a traditional muster makes sense. As a passenger, I like the new style. Still, safety first!

[@coachster]

Get over yourself. Just because YOU cruise so frequently doesn’t mean you should get a pass on in person drills to get to do the video version. You probable don’t even pay attention to it anymore, let the video play and go through the motions. The fact that there was confusion means that there are crew and passengers who didn’t know what to do. Cruise lines should 100% go back to in person muster drills.

[@andrewmeitner4818]

How do I get on a cruise with Don❤

[@danasandoval624]

If the crew is not up on the muster drill there is a problem and it doesn’t sound like this mass chaos doesn’t sound like it was overly helpful. If it’s for the crew then the crew once a month or so should be rounded up in groups & made sure they know what to do. Gathering a large room full of people just because the crew needs training yet the people basically have nothing to do in the training is a good way to once again start spreading illnesses. I want the crew to know what they are supposed to be this didn’t look like it was accomplishing that at all. Mock drills can be done without people and should be all the time. I think we are seeing a less trained staff after the pandemic. We saw it on our cruise in April and hope it isn’t the norm. We will see on our upcoming cruise if it seems the same.

[@joeseatac331]

We were sent, after some crew confusion, into the photo gallery venue. It was hot and crowded. We couldn’t see the demonstration or hardly hear anything. We waited a long time for a lone passenger to finally arrive. After reading why this happened, our aggravating inconvenience dissipates- we are alive and well. Just explain why things happen and your guests will be happier and more cooperative.

[@susanjoy3513]

They need to stay with the not in person muster drill

[@edbloom4897]

So Princess specific question.......How far in advance on embarkation day will be I be able to watch the video on my phone? I have been told (via app and on-line check) that we can't board until 12:30 (three ships in Vancouver that day must disembark). Luggage will be handled by hotel staff (and tipped well for the convenience). We hope we can be sitting in the coffee shop between hotel check-out and Cruise check-in time and watch it. Then when we board, we head to our station, have medallion scanned, head to cabin, drop our carry-on bag and commence to consuming food and beverages.

[@rhondawilson1206]

You will need to physically be close enough to the ship to get onto its WIFI. Even then your medallion might not register you as having watched the video as well as it does in your stateroom.

[@edbloom4897]

@@rhondawilson1206 Thank you. I saddened by learning this. I guess i will just have to get on board, grab a coffee and croissant from the International Cafe, sit down eat, drink and binge watch safety videos. I was so hoping to get them done before hand.

[@jeffreyclinard2002]

Disney still has in-person muster station drills. So, it's not every line that does the app thing. Honestly, I'm more bothered by T-Mobile Arena playing the evacuation plan video before warm-ups. I think it should be played right after the national anthem. I know they don't want to interrupt the excitement of the hockey game, but I'm kind of a safety first type of person.

[@MrRonfelder]

No big freak doing the old gained muster drill. Even wearing the life jacket.

[@darayusengineer4152]

It’s better to know in emergency.

[@robingastonia]

I did not know they had stopped them. I remember one of those drills we have flown to Puerto Rico to go on a Southern Caribbean cruise and we had the drill. It was so hot, I was so tired. I was so wanting for the drill to end, I actually fainted, that is one way to get attention and get out of those terrible drills. lol I never knew they had stopped them, that is how long it has been since I was on a cruise. I am glad I went on cruises years ago because all of the reviews sound like cruising is so different and so much more expensive. I don't think I would want to go on a cruise now. The airflights and just cruising is so different.

[@tduck828]

Ugh I hope that isn't the case going forward!

[@KeithPhillpott]

I drop my backpack in the buffet first.

[@brendank66]

I really hope in person muster isn't making a comeback

[@rogersargent7232]

Personally, I would like to see all first time cruisers.Complete a traditional muster drill. Some people just use the video as background noise as they unpack

[@nicolemiller4688]

This sounds like bad communication on the cruiseline's part.

[@davee8113]

Muster drill should only be for extreme ice expedition cruises , ice is no joke , otherwise , it’s a waste of time

[@gobbsmacked9777]

I enjoy the Muster Drill . . . sometimes I choose a Dijon, sometimes spicy brown, and if I'm on a premium cruise line, Grey Poupon.

[@lissajeri1492]

So Don...is this just to fill content for your channel or were you really surprised or are you just a complainer? I've had friends who have been on a cruise ship and have had to abandon ship. Have you ever had to? Oh boy, a video and a check in and a bunch of scooters going to the muster station. Do you not see why actual muster could be important? And Don, who cares s flip if the entertainment talent were annoyed. In case of an emergency, do they just become more passengers who need assistance or are they part of the solution?

[@haroldbutton7693]

Would you rather stand outside on the open deck with hundreds of other passengers at your muster drill station?

[@mattsvids0120]

They BETTER NOT Go back to in person muster drills AGAIN 😡 THERE IS LITERALLY NO NEED! (As someone who is extremely claustrophobic I happen to enjoy watching the video and then just going down to the mustard station and signing in telling them that I've completed it. All they ask at the station is "do you know how to work a life jacket"And at that point I just inform them that my brother and I have both taught canoeing and kayaking and we absolutely know how to work a life jacket/vest and then they are like"okay good to know enjoy your trip"And my brother and I go off and start our vacation!

[@Corri.dr.K]

NO!!!

[@carolfinnis6152]

I hated those muster drills, so hot and uncomfortable

[@karenjensen2345]

I don't care one way or another if we have to do a group muster or not.

[@martinpowell2475]

Youir whining about this seems over-wrought. When it comes to on-board safety, I will happily defer to a ship's captain's sense of what is necessary, rather than rely on a civilian customer's perspecitive.

[@jeaninealexander2061]

It didn’t sound unreasonable to me.