Why Guests on Three Carnival Ships Will Face Longer Safety Drills This Weekend
Key Aspects:
Carnival Radiance, Carnival Vista, and Carnival Venezia will all have full muster drills this weekend.
It is a requirement for all Carnival ships to have full, in-person safety drills twice each year.
All guests must participate in the drill before their ship can depart the homeport.
Every cruise sailing, whether it is a 3-night weekend getaway or an epic month-long repositioning cruise, must have a safety briefing before departure. These drills teach guests where their muster stations are located in case of an emergency, as well as how to properly put on a life jacket, what the emergency signal sounds like, and other critical information.
In recent years, the e-muster or self-mustering drill has been a streamlined and much faster option for thousands of guests, but some sailings still have the more traditional full drill.
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests for this weekend’s sailings on Carnival Radiance, Carnival Vista, and Carnival Venezia to notify them that their briefings are to be the full, in-person safety briefing.
“Shortly before departure, a full safety drill will take place on your upcoming sailing. This is a mandatory procedure, and all guests will be required to participate in this brief but essential exercise,” the advisory confirmed.
Carnival Radiance held this full drill on Thursday, April 23, as she began her 4-night Baja Mexico cruise from Long Beach to Catalina and Ensenada.
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On Sunday, April 26, both Carnival Vista and Carnival Venezia will have their full safety briefings. This will be as Carnival Vista begins a 6-night Eastern Caribbean sailing from Miami to Celebration Key, Half Moon Cay, and Amber Cove.
Carnival Venezia will also be beginning an Eastern Caribbean sailing, but the 7-night cruise is visiting Amber Cove, San Juan, and St. Thomas. Originally, the cruise was to have visited Grand Turk, but Cruise Hive has already reported on that itinerary change.
What Does a Full Safety Briefing Mean for Guests?
While a self-muster or e-muster drill takes just a couple of minutes as guests visit their assigned muster stations, full safety briefings are significantly longer.
During the drill, all guests (including children) will check in to their muster station at the announced time, then must remain there while the safety instructions are relayed and life vests demonstrated. The ship’s emergency signal will be sounded, and there will be explanations about what to do if that signal is heard during the cruise.
“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,” the email explained.
In total, a full drill can take 20-40 minutes, depending on how attentive guests may be. If guests fail to find the correct muster station, do not check in properly, or do not listen to the instructions, the drill can be on the longer side.
Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald has repeatedly clarified that full muster drills are required for all ships twice each year.
“This is something that every single ship needs to do twice a year as per US Coast Guard, Australian Coast Guard, and other government agencies, and SOLAS, Safety of Life at Sea,” he has explained.
Contrary to online rumors, this is not a permanent return to the full safety drill procedure for every sailing. Whenever full drills are required, Carnival notifies guests so they know what to expect on embarkation afternoon.
These full drills also provide essential training for crew members, so if an emergency were to occur, they are familiar with the process and how to react when directing hundreds or thousands of guests to the right muster locations and ensuring everyone is safe.
Why Guests on Three Carnival Ships Will Face Longer Safety Drills This Weekend