Cruise ship emergencies: take the muster drill seriously, follow the crew

Thousands of people can only leave a ship in an orderly way if it is clear who is where. That is why every passenger is assigned a muster station, usually shown on the cruise card or the cabin door. There the crew records who has arrived and so knows who still needs to be found.

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) sets rules for ships in international service on life-saving appliances, alarms, safety instructions and drills. How the operator carries out the drill – as a gathering on deck, as a video in the cabin or with digital registration – can vary.

Under SOLAS requirements the general emergency alarm usually consists of seven or more short blasts followed by one long blast. Still, listen to the exact announcement on board: it explains what the alarm means on this ship and what you should do.

Take the muster drill seriously, even if you have travelled often. Every ship is built differently, and routes on large ships are long and winding. If registration at the muster station is required, get registered.

Afterwards, walk two different routes from your cabin to the muster station and note stairwells and signs. In a real emergency one route may be blocked or crowded. Knowing an alternative helps you stay calm.

Agree as a family: wherever you are, go straight to your own muster station. If children are at the kids' club, ask there what happens to them in an alarm and where you will find them. That way nobody has to run through the ship looking for others in an emergency.

Take warm clothing, sturdy shoes, your medication and the cruise card. Take or put on a life jacket only if the crew instructs you to – on many ships jackets are handed out at the muster station. Go quickly but without running.

Do not use lifts; take stairs and the signposted escape routes. Lifts can get stuck, and in an emergency they are often needed for other tasks. Do not return to the cabin to fetch luggage and do not go to the lifeboats on your own.

Follow only the crew's instructions. They are trained for these situations and know which areas are safe and when each group's turn comes. Waiting can feel long, but it is part of an orderly process.

If you see someone go overboard, shout “man overboard” loudly so others hear it. Keep the person in sight without interruption and point at them with your outstretched arm. On the open sea you lose sight of a head in the water very quickly.

Throw a lifebuoy if one is within reach, and alert the crew immediately, or make sure someone else does. Do not jump in yourself. The crew knows the procedures and can turn the ship or launch a boat.

Prevention is simple: do not lean over the railing, do not climb, do not sit on railings, and never let children out of your sight on deck. Anyone who falls into cold water should first – as with small boats – lie back and float until their breathing calms down.

On expedition ships and for landings by tender or inflatable boats, additional rules apply, for example on wearing life jackets and on getting in and out. The crew explains them beforehand; listen carefully here too.

Operating lifeboats or handling a ship is the crew's job and not part of this entry. Procedures vary between operators. For passengers what matters most is: attend the drill, know the route, recognise the alarm and in an emergency calmly follow the crew.