This post unfortunately deals with one of the least fun (but most important – safety first!) experiences on a cruise ship – the safety/lifeboat/muster drill. Believe it or not, there are actually a few things you can do to make the drill as smooth & painless as possible. Here they are:
Be Prepared
By this I don’t mean be prepared for an actual emergency (although you should always be prepared for that too), but pay attention to the clock and be aware that the safety drill is about to happen. You don’t want to be sitting down with your hot plate of chicken tenders right when the drill starts. You also don’t want to have just finished getting your kids changed into suits & sunscreened up, only to have the drill begin the second they jump in the pool. It helps that all ship activities are suspended for 30 minutes before and after the drill, but pay attention to the time and know that it will be happening soon. If you have young kids, I suggest making them go to the bathroom shortly before.
Know Where to Go
Each lifeboat station has a letter. Your station letter will be printed on the bottom left of your room key. We were station “I” on our most recent cruise (trip report here). I circled the capital I because it sort of just looks like a random line:
Your station letter, as well as the location on the ship, will be on the back of your stateroom door like this:
The above picture was for room 9024 on the Dream (stateroom review here) and we were station A, which met in the balcony of the Walt Disney Theater.
Get to Your Station On Time
The drill is usually at 4:00, but check the first day’s Navigator to be sure. Please be on time because the sooner everyone gets to their station, the sooner the drill will be over. I have found that it doesn’t help to get there early either. If you get there early, you will just have to wait even longer because the majority of people show up right at 4:00. This makes a big difference if your station is outside on deck 4 in the direct sunlight on a hot day (has happened to us 4 times), or if you have young kids that get antsy quickly.
Don’t Take Your Life Jacket
At some point in the past (not sure when they changed the rule), you were required to wear your life jackets to the drill and it looked something like this…..
….except I have never seen this many people smiling at a safety drill before. What is up with the woman with her hand in the air? Maybe she came straight from the bar?. Speaking of which, that leads me to my final tip……
Follow the Rules
They frown upon showing up drunk, as well as eating, talking, using devices, or sleeping (yes, I’ve seen it happen) during the drill. It really is in everyone’s best interest if you just patiently wait and listen to the instructions closely. It only takes a few minutes, and you definitely want to know exactly what to do in case of an emergency.
FYI, if you’ve never seen the inside of a life boat before, this is what they look like:
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Thanks for the information . How long does the drill last? I will have an antsy 23 month old plus an 8 and 10 yr old. I’m not worried about the older Gil’s but our toddler is starting the very difficult phase.
I don’t think I have ever closely watched the time, but it seems like it lasts about 20-30 mins. Don’t get there early or you will obviously have to wait even longer. Some stations are in restaurants, some are in the theater, & some are outdoors on the deck. For a squirmy toddler, I think the restaurants or theater would be easier for you because you are seated & could bring something to try & keep your toddler entertained. Out on deck, you have to stand, sometimes directly in the sun, and everyone has to scoot really close together. If you do end up outside, the CMs in charge are usually sensitive to young children & the elderly. Once my daughter was asleep in my arms, and we were allowed to leave a few minutes early. They will help someone find a seat if needed. I would just bring something for him/her to do and I think you will be fine. Enjoy your cruise!
Hi! This was really informative. We are going on Disney Dream next April. I will be traveling with my 26 year old son with autism and my husband age 59 who has Parkinson’s. My husband’s walking has slowed down considerably. Do you have suggestions on how we handle the drill?
Thanks
Hi Barbara! My best advice is to not be afraid to ask employees for help if you need it. If you let them know your needs, they will try their hardest to help you. Do loud noises bother your son? They will sound the emergency horn during the drill and it is VERY loud. IF you think this will bother him, perhaps bring earplugs or make sure he covers his ears. You could ask your station leader to make sure and warn you right before they sound it. For your husband, do you think a wheelchair would be helpful for going to/from the drill? If so, you could request one from guest services ahead of time. There are large crowds moving in and out of the muster stations before & after the drill so it may be hard for him if he is moving really slowly. Or, you could show up to the drill early and then wait a few minutes for the crowds to die down afterwards if you think it would be easier to try and avoids the crowds altogether. I hope this helps!
I was wondering how many people can fit into one lifeboat on the Disney Dream/Fantasy?
I’ve heard around 300, but I have no way to verify that.