Safety Drill Change

[qbman1]

Too true - I do it all the time and get myself into all kinds of trouble !

[towny44]

I'll second that!

[Stephen]

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[Gill W]

On Aurora, everybody did a 'stepover' test. On the way to the tender point, you had to show that you could step over lines marked on the mat, about 18 inches apart

[Mervyn and Trish]

That seems sensible and delays no one

[London Cruiser]

Was told today by someone I know who was on Oriana two weeks ago that the new safety drill policy was not used, deduce from that what you may !

[wolfie]

On Aurora, everybody did a 'stepover' test. On the way to the tender point, you had to show that you could step over lines marked on the mat, about 18 inches apart

That would really slow down tender embarkation. The stepover only needs to be done by those with mobility issues and also wanting to get off the ship at a tender port. At the stepover tests we have attended, there is some bod with a clip board checking off names when you enter the venue. That is utterly pointless unless you enforce the criteria. Attend if you intend to use a tender, express that you don't wish to use a tender and be taken off the list.

For further clarification, when you register as being mobility impaired a letter arrives in your cabin askingfor your attendance at this stepover test, so it's not sent to all passengers.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I still think slapping a barcode on everyone's forehead as they board is the best method. They could then be automatically scanned wherever they went

[qbman1]

Good plan - and they could tattoo anyone Caribou and above to save the trouble of stickers

[Gill W]

On Aurora, everybody did a 'stepover' test. On the way to the tender point, you had to show that you could step over lines marked on the mat, about 18 inches apart

That would really slow down tender embarkation. The stepover only needs to be done by those with mobility issues and also wanting to get off the ship at a tender port. At the stepover tests we have attended, there is some bod with a clip board checking off names when you enter the venue. That is utterly pointless unless you enforce the criteria. Attend if you intend to use a tender, express that you don't wish to use a tender and be taken off the list.

For further clarification, when you register as being mobility impaired a letter arrives in your cabin askingfor your attendance at this stepover test, so it's not sent to all passengers.

The stepover test for passengers with mobility issues was done as you describe.

The there was also a mat as you walked towards the tender point, with two lines on it 18 inches apart. All passengers had to show that that they could take a step of 18 inches as they walked over the two lines. No clip boards, just a member of the crew watching. It didn't slow up the process at all

[daib GC]

On our latest Britannia cruise they had the test and you were given a card to say you had passed. You had to show the pass to board the tender.

I did not do it as I had seen the forecast for Guernsey. We did not get in.

And they scanned the cards at the drill. Those who did not attend got a letter. And had to do it later.

[david63]

There were plenty of signs about the "step over test" both on the ship and in the Horizon the other week on Adonia but nothing came of it - even though we had a tender port (Guernsey - that we did get into)

[Boris+]

I suppose my main 'gripe' about safety drill attendance is that it feels like quite a number of people arrive late and then demand seating. In the case of people with mobility issues, I can understand, but people who are perfectly mobile in my opinion have lost their 'right' to claim a seat if they arrive late.

We always attend, and on various cruise lines we've noticed names being ticked against on a list by a crew member - we simply had to say our suite number as we entered the safety drill area.

[towny44]

There were plenty of signs about the "step over test" both on the ship and in the Horizon the other week on Adonia but nothing came of it - even though we had a tender port (Guernsey - that we did get into)

This test only applies to passengers with limited mobility, so anyone arriving at the tender platform in a wheelchair, scooter or using a walking aid, should have taken the test and should be on the list if they passed.

[david63]

All the "blurb" said that it applied to everyone - nonetheless even those with limited mobility did not have to prove that they could pass the test as was proven by a woman in front of us when we were getting the tender who could hardly put one foot in front of the other without her walker - and struggled even then.

[Stephen]

I suppose my main 'gripe' about safety drill attendance is that it feels like quite a number of people arrive late and then demand seating. In the case of people with mobility issues, I can understand, but people who are perfectly mobile in my opinion have lost their 'right' to claim a seat if they arrive late.

We always attend, and on various cruise lines we've noticed names being ticked against on a list by a crew member - we simply had to say our suite number as we entered the safety drill area.

I can't. Like everyone else, leave more time for your journey.

[Boris+]

Sorry Stephen, I don't understand. I thought that maybe people with mobility issues who are late for muster might be late due to lifts being busy.

[Barb44]

Boris, I don't understand what you mean when you say they might be late due to the lifts being busy. I thought that we were not allowed to use the lifts when attending Muster, as that is part of the safety drill.

[Stephen]

Again, think ahead and leave more time to allow for things like lifts being occupied.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the disabled, but it's the same for everyone whether you are abled bodied or not. We all know the time we have to be at muster stations, so allow yourself that extra bit of time, especially if you have mobility issues. And if someone with obvious mobility issues arrived a bit late I would like to think someone, me included would offer their seat.

[david63]

We all know the time we have to be at muster stations

We do - but now they are saying not to go to the muster station until you hear the emergency signal. In fact a couple of cruises ago we went down about five minutes before the allotted time and were told to go away as the drill had been put back due to late arriving passengers.

[Stephen]

You can't win

[Manoverboard]

Boris, I don't understand what you mean when you say they might be late due to the lifts being busy. I thought that we were not allowed to use the lifts when attending Muster, as that is part of the safety drill.

That's right ... but ... how does somebody in a mobility scooter / wheelchair get down the stairs for goodness sakes ?

Does somebody have to carry them there and back ?

[towny44]

Boris, I don't understand what you mean when you say they might be late due to the lifts being busy. I thought that we were not allowed to use the lifts when attending Muster, as that is part of the safety drill.

That's right ... but ... how does somebody in a mobility scooter / wheelchair get down the stairs for goodness sakes ?

Does somebody have to carry them there and back ?

In a real emergency that's exactly what I hope, and have been advised, will happen; but as far as the muster drill is concerned lifts can be used by those with walking difficulties, but they do now advise in the pre-drill PA announcements that you should not attend your muster station until the emergency signal has sounded.
Which of course does mean that wheelchair and scooter users are always going to be the last to arrive, unless lift usage is better policed.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Though of course wheelchair and scooter users bring their own seat! I imagine those Boris meant were those with mobility issues short of needing a wheelchair. Of whom there are a number. On some cruises most of the passengers!

[CaroleF]

Recently, due to knee problems, I've used a scooter to board and with only one exception, then only used it ashore. I can get round the ship fairly easily but one thing I can't do is to stand for long periods. So we always go to the Muster Drill at least 20 minutes before the time it's scheduled to start so I can get a seat easily. We spend the waiting time people watching - always interesting. On one cruise, I think I may have mentioned this in a cruise report, we were on our way down to, I think it was Starlights on Oceana,when we saw two women coming towards us in the cabin corridor, both wearing life jackets. So I, thinking I was being helpful, told them they didn't need to wear their life jackets. "Oh yes we do," said one of the women. "I know, I've been on lots of P&O cruises and you always arrive wearing your life jacket!" I said nothing. We went down in the lift - sorry I can't do stairs - and got sat down near the entrance in Starlights. I was using a walking stick at the time as it was pre my knee replacement and the crew member at the entrance kindly directed us to seats near the door.
About five minutes later the two women arrived, the one who had informed us we were wrong still wearing her life jacket, the other one had taken hers off. By this time the room was filling up and the two women ended up sitting opposite us. About a minute later the crew member in charge said again, "Do not put your life jackets on, you'll be told when at the end of the Captain speaking." The women looked as though she was about to tell the officer she didn't know what she was doing but eventually took it off. We didn't say anything. Eventually her friend said, "You must have got it mixed up with another cruise line." Trying to be pleasant I asked, "Have you been on Oceana before?" The know it all said, "Yes, don't really like Oceana." Well that was the end of the conversation. I really felt sorry for the companion, goodness knows what sort of cruise she was going to have. We never saw them around the ship after that!