Cruise ship mandatory Muster Drill

When you board your cruise ship the excitement becomes almost too much to handle, there are a million things to explore and discover on your ship and that’s before you even get out of the port. One thing that must be adhered to before you set sail is the mandatory Muster Drill.

For those amongst you that may have not yet cruised let me explain to you what this is.

The Muster Drill is a mandatory exercise that must be carried out by law within 24 hours of the ship leaving port. It is in most cases done before the ship sets sail. You will be prompted when all passengers have boarded by the ship’s Captain as to when and where the drill will take place. Usually there is information on the rear of your cabin door explaining where your Muster station can be found. The drill is a way for crew to educate passengers on what to do if there is an emergency or if you have to abandon ship.

Every Cruise Line has a different way of how they conduct this exercise, some meet in selected venues on board the ship and others can gather passengers out on open decks so please be sure you attend the drill so you know exactly where you are to meet. If you have cruised before, even on the same ship please do not automatically assume you know where your muster station is. You will find that your cabin placement concludes your muster station and again it is mandatory that you attend regardless.

During the exercise the ship’s crew will be placed in various locations in order to guide you to your station so don’t worry about finding it yourself, the crew will assist. The drill usually lasts around 20 minutes and during this time you will be shown how to wear your life jacket properly, where to meet in the event of an emergency and what to do if for example the corridors were obstructed by fire, smoke or anything else that could be encountered.

If you would require assistance in the event of an emergency due to a physical or medical condition this is also the time you must inform staff so that measures could be taken to ensure your safety. Passengers with small children and babies must also obtain special survival suits from staff during this time as they are not always located within your cabin straight away. If you require this please ask during your station drill.

If you don’t remember everything don’t panic! The likely hood of there being an emergency is slim however it always pays to be prepared. If nothing else, simply remember the name of your muster station for example “muster station A” you will find signs across the ship which indicate if the area is a muster station and again all information should be on the back of your cabin door. Just familiarise yourself with your surroundings and note any emergency exits close to your cabin.

On a closing note please do not try and avoid the drill by hiding in your cabin, all cabins are thoroughly checked two or three times to ensure passengers have vacated. If you manage to not include yourself in the drill you will be asked to attend at a later time, usually the following day.

Cruise Lines have the right to disembark any passengers that do not adhere to the laws and rules set out especially when it is related to crew and passenger safety.