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New Cruisers Tip #5: The Life Boat Drill
By Dave | June 12, 2008
You’re on deck sipping on your drink (or at the buffet like me) a couple hours after boarding your cruise ship for the first time, when a ship officer comes on the PA system and announces that in a little bit everyone will have to put on their life jackets and head for their “muster station” for a life boat drill. You might think to yourself, “why are we doing a drill? This is a vacation, not boot camp.” Unfortunately, cruise ships are required to hold a life boat drill prior to departure. All guests must attend, and yes, at some point you’ll have to put on your life vest.
Like the fire drills back in school, the staff treat the situation as if it were a real emergency. After they make the announcement that the life boat drill is taking place, they will sound the ship’s emergency whistle. Seven short blasts followed by one long blast. This is done over the PA speakers and the ship’s horn. If you’re in your cabin watching TV, it will be muted while this takes place. Sorry, there’s no getting around it. Also, no elevator are allowed. Everyone must use the stairs. Of course, I’m sure they make exceptions for disabled. If you’re thinking about doing something else during the drill, forget it. Everything is closed during the drill. Finally, the room stewards check every room to make sure everyone is in attendance, as required by law.
Once at your muster station (which is listed with directions on the back of your cabin door), you will be packed together like sardines while the crew give you the emergency instructions, as well as how to wear your life vest. You never actually get into the life boat during the drill, but your muster station is where you would go should there ever be the need to get on it, which is what this drill is about. Here is where my tip comes in. I suggest you wait until the absolute last second to leave for your muster station. Why? If you leave right away, you will have to stand for a while until everyone else arrives. They won’t start until everyone is present. Secondly, it’s usually hot outside when this takes place (unless your up north in the winter), and the life vest only makes it feel even hotter. So if you’re last to show up, you’ll probably be right by the door. This is good for two reasons. First, you’ll be by the air conditioning the whole time. Second, you’ll be first out of the drill, which means you can be first back to the buffet afterward…
So that’s my tip on the life boat drill. Wait a little before going, you’ll be thankful you did.
On a related note, you might notice the crew in life vests a couple days into the crew. This is nothing to get alarmed over. The crew must perform their own emergency drill as well, in which they report to their designated station. I believe the ship’s whistle might sound during this as well, but I’m not entirely sure. I’ll let you know in a few weeks. To ease your worries, an officer will make an announcement prior to this drill stating the crew will have to go through their emergency procedures.
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Topics: Tips for New Cruisers |