Carnival Cruise Line makes surprise muster drill change
The cruise line has bad news for passengers booked on certain sailings.
Carnival cruise passengers won’t be happy to learn that the cruise line is conducting its mandatory safety exercise in an alternative way, at least during some sailings.
Before any cruise ship can set sail, all passengers are required to participate in the cruise muster drill, a safety briefing that was greatly improved by most cruise lines as a byproduct of the pandemic.
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Prior to the pandemic, cruise ship muster drills required passengers to gather in large groups and don a life jacket while listening to a lengthy safety briefing. Passengers often complained about the time it took to complete the drill and how uncomfortable it was to stand around in a life jacket under the hot sun.
Fueled by the need for social distancing as cruise lines resumed operations post-pandemic, cruise lines introduced modernized approaches to the muster drill in 2021.
Carnival Cruise Line’s new approach to the muster drill is a self-mustering process where passengers simply need to stop by their assigned muster station during the embarkation process. Passengers check in with one of the dedicated muster station team members, who demonstrates the correct donning of a life jacket. Safety information is also provided through videos playing on board.
Passenger response to the new process has been overwhelmingly positive and Carnival has said it has no plans to revert back to the old style of muster drill.
However, it turns out that there are some occasions where cruise passengers will again have to endure the traditional muster gathering.
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In-person muster drill gatherings return on occasion
Carnival Cruise Line has notified passengers booked on some March cruises that their sailing will include a full safety drill shortly before departure instead of the self-muster safety briefing format.
In recent guest advisory communications, Carnival noted that its safety briefing “procedures will mostly follow a self-mustering format but occasionally, the team will conduct a full safety drill on random sailings.”
The occasional change in procedure is likely made in order to provide necessary training for the cruise ship’s crew members according to standards set forth by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
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Passengers on impacted sailings can expect to receive an email from the cruise line ahead of their sailing to notify them of the full safety drill and help avoid confusion during the embarkation process.
“Ship-wide announcements will provide guidance on the process, which will include collective gathering at your assigned muster station to familiarize yourself with the necessary steps to take in the unlikely event of an emergency,” recent notices explained.
Passengers don’t want to see old muster process make a comeback
The news that full in-person muster drills would happen on random cruises surely wasn’t met with cheers from passengers on the selected sailings. Cruise passengers have made it very clear that they much prefer the new self-mustering process.
“Who misses the old muster process? Not me,” burymewithmybootson_ wrote in a discussion in the CarnivalCruiseFans community on Reddit alongside throwback photos of passengers crammed together shoulder to shoulder during a muster drill of the past.
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“Not a single person. It was the second worst part of the cruise. The worst part being debarking,” Jiwalk88 replied.
“I’d argue it’s even worse than leaving,” DWPAW-victim added.
Others shared unpleasant memories of the old muster gatherings.
“I can recall being outside for well over an hour in the scorching hot Florida summer sun because a few people decided to be selfish and show up late to the muster. I miss the old muster drills zero percent,” SoFlyInTheSky wrote.
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