The Dreaded Cruise Ship Muster Drill

On my first cruise I ever went on, I couldn’t understand what the big deal was about going to the muster drill. I overheard people standing outside in line on the promenade deck, moaning and groaning, and couldn’t understand why they were complaining about such a simple task. Something that was very important for our safety. That was until I had taken my 3rd muster drill. After that, I was doing the moaning and groaning along with the others.

Muster drills, however, will always leave you with something to talk about later down the road. It usually ends up being a memorable moment of your cruise vacation. At least mine has been.

Muster drills give your family the opportunity of being able to take photos of you at your worse. Even though the bright orange life jackets that can be seen from space, do not make the best fashion statement, they are necessary to save your life, if something happens to the ship.

The drills also keep you entertained by watching people try to blow on the whistles that are attached to the front of the life jacket, while you stand there in wonder of whom was the last one that had that same whistle in their mouth.

I’ve always been envious of the people that, for some reason, get to sit in one of the restaurants in air conditioning on the ship, while they get instructions explained to them during their muster drill. Why haven’t I ever gotten that lucky to do that? Most of the muster drills I’ve attended, have been standing outside on the promenade deck, in 95 degree heat, with a hot life jacket wrapped around my neck for 30 minutes, yet it feels like 2 hours.

Our cruise that we took in 2015, allowed us to leave the life jacket inside our stateroom, and attend the drill without it. Supposedly, it was more dangerous when people walked to the drills with their life jackets hanging at their side with the belts dragging on the floor, so the drill was changed at that point to leave the jacket in the room. There’s enough life jackets in lockers on the side of the ship to cover everyone on the ship anyways if needed.

Our cruise that we took last year in 2016, we were on a cruise line where they required us to take our life jackets to a dining area inside the ship and wait to hear the instructions while we put the jacket on (even though most didn’t put the jacket on and just listened to the instructor). So, depending on the cruise line that you travel on, will determine the type of muster drill you’ll be dealing with.

The excitement of a cruise, outweighs that crazy muster drill any day of the week anyways. Not only is it for your benefit, it will also give you something to take back home and talk about.

Photo Credit: mine (Debbie G. – lovelights)