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

25 күн бұрын

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

@vanceb1

25 күн бұрын

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

@davesimms8825

25 күн бұрын

I agree the crew needs training.

@dwayne7356

25 күн бұрын

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

25 күн бұрын

That makes sense

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

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

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.

Everyone hates the in person muster drill, yet you identify reasons why it is prudent to periodically do the drill. If staff was confused on a test drill, imagine a real emergency.

@sharonbirkett

25 күн бұрын

If the staff are uneasy about the procedures then we should definitely definitely have the standard muster drill where people have to participate. Safety is our main factor

I don't see a problem.

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

I remember the days when you had to wear your life and stand outside on the ship's deck in the hot FL sun until all of the group arrived. There were always the late arrivals.

@NYnative61

25 күн бұрын

Ah yes, those were the days! Lol!

@marianneward8980

25 күн бұрын

Or when they were more concerned with you standing in a perfectly straight line over the actual safety instructions while dealing with the heat & late arrivals that you mentioned.

@debbunge1843

25 күн бұрын

And doing this with a 3 year old who cried bloody murder when I tried to put her life jacket on.

@kevinlanier6317

25 күн бұрын

Back when you were treated like a person and not a cash machine that needs to be drained with nickel and dime charges.

@tracywalker244

23 күн бұрын

@@kevinlanier6317So true

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.

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

@tracywalker244

23 күн бұрын

😂😂

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.

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.

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

21 күн бұрын

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

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

25 күн бұрын

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

Imagine needing to get 5+K people sorted and safe and off a ship.....I think it probably should be done once a month!

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.

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.

The Captain calls the shots. Just deal with it.

@coachster

23 күн бұрын

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

22 күн бұрын

Always been the case

I am just amazed at the attitude of some people. These are probably the same ones who would have no idea what to do in a real emergency and put themselves and others in danger.

As a first time cruiser, I had a hard time finding my station. The room you were in was full, so a group of us were out in the hall waiting for it to begin. Crew members demonstrated how to put on the life jacket and we could hear the tones and announcement. It went by faster than I had expected. After that, I returned to my cabin and watched the video. Didn't take that much time. I welcome any safety training. If there was an emergency, I definitely want to know what to do. If I ever cruise again, I will willingly go to the in person training for a refresher.

@Cenlalowell

21 күн бұрын

No imagine it's night time and the ship lost power. These are things FAMILIES should be practicing and talking about during the cruise

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

Keep up the good work!

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.

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.

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

25 күн бұрын

Nope.

How bizarre that most the crew didn't know about muster? Good thing detective Don was on the case!

@vanceb1

25 күн бұрын

They have a lot of turnover. They have to train continually.

Again, you were just the lucky one Don!

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.

Hi Don! Thanks for another fun video!

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

25 күн бұрын

Being there in a few minutes.

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.

Coast Guard requirement.

Good morning Don. Love your show.

I can't help but be reminded of, "Train like you fight. Fight like you train." Even though one may have gone through the training initially, and intellectually you understand what you have to do, if you don't actually physically go through the motions in a long time, you realize you don't remember and are no longer as familiar and ready as you may have thought you were.

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

All I can say is wow

Our room steward froM HAL told us that they would be having random muster drills. I never minded them. I preferred when they were by your lifeboat (as compared to say the dining room). It was a good way to bond with your fellow passengers 😂.

@rhondawilson1206

25 күн бұрын

And a good way to know where your life boat was.

@beachblythe

25 күн бұрын

@@rhondawilson1206 yes!!!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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 KZread using his name and Diamond Princess it should come up. If not my KZread 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 KZread Search bar and that should take you to my posted videos.)

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!

and those complaining about it would be the first to not have a clue if there were a real emergency - 93 cruises for us over the 40 years and its changed a bit, and its pretty common information, until there is a real emergency (and they do happen) so...... stop complaining. most are drunk by the time the muster takes place and in party mode and would not have a clue in a real emergency.

Majestic princess

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

@vanceb1

25 күн бұрын

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."

Wow that's interesting

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.

I’d rather do the whole muster drill - life jackets on deck included- at least then I would have practiced in case anything happened and I would know that the crew knew what they were doing too!

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!

This was probable to make sure crew knew what to do

Good Afternoon Don

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.

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

They have footaage of people in emergency situations,and have experimented on people; people can be really stupid. Really stupid. Basically, getting them, you or us to do an actual rehearsal is the most reliable way of getting people to correctly evacuate in an emergency.

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

That's crazy Don lol

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

We took majestic out of Seattle the week after you, we didn’t have to do this….

Carnival Magic did one as well on my april Cruise.

We were on Holland America Westerdam leaving Seattle on May 12. We too were surprised that there was a mandatory muster drill. In our case the stations were on the promenade deck with no seating available.

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.

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

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

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

Disney always does in person drills

Well, that sucks Don!!

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.

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

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

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

Experienced same on Hal Koningsdam. It is maritime laws apparently

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

I've been to two extended muster drills in the past years and a half (NCL and Princess), and both times I left the cruise with COVID. There's a reason they decided that gathering large groups of people in a room was a bad idea - they should remember that. I've also been to several small muster drills - they wait until they have five to ten people, do the drill, release that group, and start with the next one. If a six month requirement is in place, then fulfill it with quick, small groups, not large and extended.

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

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

I remember when we had to get our life vest from our staterooms and report to the outside on the side of the ship standing up in the heat while the ship was in motion

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!"

I think this is partially due to people not doing the easier drills, we were on a couple of Royal cruises recently where over 900 people had not completed the “ new drill” . Some people are lazy..

From what you described, I would say the in person drill every six months is for the crew's benefit. I have not cruised since the start of the lockdowns, three cancelled, but do remember that a large number of passengers just do not pay attention to what is taking place for a drill, even the ones without reporting, you still had many that did not do it and had to be reminded. Also, keep in mind that the recent deaths with disasters have been due to the crew not doing their job.

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

SAFTY. FIRST DON!!!

@kathybrem880

25 күн бұрын

Except, it doesn’t really do anything

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

I think muster drills are needed every cruise. Safety is paramount. People dont listen or watch the video.

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

@Wellch

25 күн бұрын

But not too bad.

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

25 күн бұрын

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

24 күн бұрын

@@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

23 күн бұрын

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

Yeah, that's kind of odd.

Suggestion you take a look at "Sinking of the Concordia caught on camera (Documentary)" by Matt Antcliff on the KZread Video Dispensing machine. Passenger footage that goes from normal pleasant cruise night to being in a person's residence. This is why it is important to have poroperly trained crew (in this case, the captain was derilict in his duties, but it does show what happens). And your source was right, these drills are to train the crew more than train the passengers. Hopefully crews explain what to do if you are already at your muster station, go back to stateroom to get life vest or get one from somewhere near muster station? As a side note: on the Titanic, the crew had not yet had the drills on how to lower those lifeboats and learned the hard way. Remember that a lot has to happen behind the scenes that you, a passenger don't see because you are at muster station. But ship must be searched, staff must now how to count passengers, and someone need to be sure at one point there are 0 souls left on board. (you'll note on Costa Concordia nobody was counting).

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?

Hey Don

We were on the cruise before you and didn't have to do this

When you do the lifeboat drills, who rows the boat? 😂

No on muster drills?

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.

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

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

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. .

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!