You’ve queued through Embarkation Day, unpacked your bags and now you’re ready to get your holiday well and truly going. Hold on just a sec. Before you go bombing into the pool, there’s the small matter of the muster drill to deal with first.
Below, we’ll walk you through what you can expect from a muster drill, including what the procedure is, what it involves, and any etiquette you might want to know about ahead of time. Let’s get started!
A muster drill is a mandatory safety drill that happens on all cruises, as laid out by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. They are sometimes referred to as a ‘lifeboat drill’ or ‘safety drill’.
Taking place before the ship sails, the drill lets guests familiarise themselves with where to assemble in the (unlikely) event of an emergency.
Your ship’s loudspeaker will let you know where and when your muster drill is to take place ahead of time. When it’s time to gather, another announcement will happen, informing you that the drill is about to start.
There’s also an announcement for crew members to take their places. They’ll be stationed in the stairways and corridors where your cabin is located. Should you get lost or you’re unsure of where to go, the crew – who’ll be wearing high-vis jackets – will be able to guide you in the right direction.
The muster drill formally begins with seven blasts of the ship’s general alarm, followed by one long blast of the ship’s horn and the Captain’s announcement. This is your cue to head to your designated muster station.
Bring your cruise card with you, as this will be scanned to record and prove that you attended.
With everyone gathered, you’ll then be walked through the process for safe evacuation should an emergency take place. It also gives guests a chance to familiarise themselves with their surroundings and the routes to the ship’s lifeboats.
The muster drill will also advise:
The muster drill might also cover some practical tips about hygiene and handwashing onboard, as well as what you should do if you see a man overboard or if you need to report anything suspicious.
After the muster drill has taken place, you’ll hear a final alarm to signal the end. Now you’re free to hit the pool, grab a cocktail or head to that restaurant you’ve had your eye on.
A muster station is the place on your cruise ship where the safety drill takes place. They can either be inside or outside. It’s usually written on your cruise documents, and it’ll likely be written on the back of your cabin door too.
If it’s due to be held inside, your muster station will usually take place in a lounge, theatre, restaurant, or bar. If it’s held outside, it’ll be on your ship’s promenade deck. At an outside muster station, you’ll be asked to form lines like you would in a real emergency. There tends to be more standing during an outside muster drill, so we’d recommend wearing closed shoes that you know you’re comfortable in.
No. Every guest, including children, must attend the muster drill, even if you’ve sailed on the same ship or cruise line before.
If you miss or skip the muster drill, you’ll be invited to attend another drill later on. Cruise lines are pretty no-nonsense when it comes to their muster drills, and if you fail to attend this one, then they can disembark you from the cruise, without any sort of refund. We’d recommend not trying to get away with skipping the muster drill in any way.
With every cruise guest gathered at their muster stations, things can become a bit of a bottleneck when the muster drill ends. Queues and long waits for lifts and elevators will also be a frequent occurrence. For this reason, it’s a good idea to hang back or head to a quiet bar and wait for the rush to calm down before you make your way back to your cabin.
Once the muster drill has kicked off, your ship’s lifts and elevators will not be operational. If you need to use either of these to get around, then you should set off for your muster station as early as you can.
Remember, everyone else will be attending the muster drill at the same time as you, so if you’re late, you’ll only be holding up the rest of that part of the ship – no big deal. Avoid the death stares and make sure you’re on time.
If you’re tempted to take a peek at your phone during the drill, then be aware that you’ll get a talking to by the crew. Repeat offenders may have their phones taken away for the duration of the drill too. Pay attention and keep your phone in your pocket while the crew are speaking.
It depends on the cruise line, but you may need to bring your life jacket with you to the muster drill – though this is becoming less of a requirement. If you’re unsure, you can always play it safe and bring it with you.
Truth be told, muster drills are a bit of an inconvenience, especially when you just want to get on with having a great time. Luckily, a new innovation now allows guests to familiarise themselves with safety procedures on their smartphones. Step forward: e-mustering!
Not only is this way more convenient, but in a post-COVID world, it keeps everyone safe too. After reading through the safety info and watching any accompanying videos, guests then head to their muster station to check in and finish the drill. No queues, crowds or lines needed.
Each line has its own app and digital process for the muster drill, as well as some “incentives” for completing it. For instance, Carnival limits the number of pre-muster drinks that guests can have, lifting this limit after the drill has been completed. Viking, meanwhile, won’t let you sit back and enjoy your stateroom’s TV until their muster video has been watched.
The e-muster process still has a few kinks to overcome – notably, it’s been causing delays with sailing as ships wait for everyone to get up to speed with the drill – but it’s great to see cruise lines adapting and changing with the times.
