Safety Drill Change

[Whynd1]

On our recent Adonia cruise a lady seated close to is refused to put her lifejacket on because it would mess up her hair !!!

She did have a very large amount of hair that had a lot of back combing. She said I've done lots of cruises I know what to do, the crew just left her. The entertainments chap said to us afterwards she would put it on quick enough in an emergency.


Like dsey

[GillD46]

On our recent Adonia cruise a lady seated close to is refused to put her lifejacket on because it would mess up her hair !!!

She did have a very large amount of hair that had a lot of back combing. She said I've done lots of cruises I know what to do, the crew just left her. The entertainments chap said to us afterwards she would put it on quick enough in an emergency.


Like dsey

Quite honestly I think she should have been reported to the Captain. We have done 40+ cruises but always attend and comply with whatever is asked of us. Recently we went on Oceania Riviera for the first time. The life jackets looked pretty much what we were used to, but when it came to fastening them, we realised they were very different and we needed a minute or two to work it out.

Nobody should be above practising, however many cruises they've been on.

[Whynd1]

I was surprised that they left her, after they spoke to her and asked her to put it on.
I just assumed as it was the first cruise back they were being a little leniant.

All I can say is silly woman.

[Mervyn and Trish]

On our winter cruise on Ventura they had a new type of lifejacket with a strap that went through your legs. Doesn't matter how many cruises you've done before, things change. And you don't want to find that out in an emergency. You'd think if she'd done so many and knew the drill she'd have left the hair do till later!

[towny44]

On our winter cruise on Ventura they had a new type of lifejacket with a strap that went through your legs. Doesn't matter how many crui2ses you've done before, things change. And you don't want to find that out in an emergency. You'd think if she'd done so many and knew the drill she'd have left the hair do till later!

After all the complaints there were about these new LJ's on Britannia, only P&O could be stupid enough to extend their use to other ships.

[Mervyn and Trish]

They're designed not to kill you if you have to jump overboard. Seems a reasonable aim to me.

[daib GC]

They're designed not to kill you if you have to jump overboard. Seems a reasonable aim to me.

Come on stop using fact and common sense to knock townie's moan about P&O.

[Mervyn and Trish]

They're designed not to kill you if you have to jump overboard. Seems a reasonable aim to me.

Come on stop using fact and common sense to knock townie's moan about P&O.

Ok guv. Fair cop.

[towny44]

They're designed not to kill you if you have to jump overboard. Seems a reasonable aim to me.

Oh you mean the others were designed to kill you?
I guess the man in charge of making this decision maybe has shares in the company making the new ones, or is that just too cynical of me.

[Mervyn and Trish]

If not used exactly as directed I'd suggest the old ones have a risk of seriously hurting you if you jump in. And we all know how good some cruise passengers are at following instructions!

[Ray B]

( They're designed not to kill you if you have to jump overboard ) I cannot remember the last time the instructions on how to enter the water, should you have to jump, were given out at drill. Is this something that has been dropped or are they still giving out the method of jumping ?
The instructions were made very clear on how to jump and still have your life jacket and not get 'chinned' by it, nip the nose, feet first, etc, etc.

[Boris+]

I don't like the idea of this strap between the legs lark - it's ok for men and those wearing trousers/shorts, but I think it's a daft idea as some people wearing dresses/skirts might just be tempted to put them on incorrectly (eg without the strap between the legs). At the very least it might just mean people having to be persuaded to fit the life jackets correctly, and that is going to waste time and effort on the part of crew members - don't forget the added safety hazard of the strap causing a trip if it is too long and 'left to dangle' or possibly get caught in equipment (door hinge etc) and delaying the wearer from progressing to safety.

Maybe if these new lifejackets are going to be rolled out throughout a fleet, then there should be a new dresscode banning the wearing of dresses and skirts?

If there was nothing wrong with the current/previous design without this new strap, why rock the boat? If it ain't broke, why fix it?

[wolfie]

If not used exactly as directed I'd suggest the old ones have a risk of seriously hurting you if you jump in. And we all know how good some cruise passengers are at following instructions!

Exactly, and, you are always told NOT to jump, just walk off

[wolfie]

I don't like the idea of this strap between the legs lark - it's ok for men and those wearing trousers/shorts, but I think it's a daft idea as some people wearing dresses/skirts might just be tempted to put them on incorrectly (eg without the strap between the legs). At the very least it might just mean people having to be persuaded to fit the life jackets correctly, and that is going to waste time and effort on the part of crew members - don't forget the added safety hazard of the strap causing a trip if it is too long and 'left to dangle' or possibly get caught in equipment (door hinge etc) and delaying the wearer from progressing to safety.

Maybe if these new lifejackets are going to be rolled out throughout a fleet, then there should be a new dresscode banning the wearing of dresses and skirts?

If there was nothing wrong with the current/previous design without this new strap, why rock the boat? If it ain't broke, why fix it?

Because they are safer. They won't come up and knock you out when you hit the water if you have something between your legs to anchor down the life jacket; even I can see the sense in that.

You can't seriously expect a dress code for wearing life jackets and, of course, it must be applicable to all, not just ladies, that's discrimination on the basis of gender.

Give me a safe exit into the water with something between my legs any time as opposed to the alternative..............drowning.

[Boris+]

That's all well and good for the female of the species, however the male of the species may tend to have concerns about their nether regions?

I think that the current (non-strap between the legs) design IF CORRECTLY WORN won't 'come up and hit you when you hit the water' - and the previous instruction for departing the ship directly into the water was to put your arms across the life belt as you stepped off. I don't this this instruction was to increase the effectiveness of a left belt, but was given in the hope that it would prevent broken arms, as arms flailing about could suffer injury. However, keeping your arms across the life belt means you might just enter the water to a greater depth, many people would 'deploy' their arms in an attempt to minimise the depth of their under water experience.

[david63]

This "stepping off" the ship into the ocean is all hypothetical as in all probability, with or without a lifejacket of any type, you are unlikely to survive. Personally I would take my chance at clinging on to something solid than go into the water from a height.

[Dancing Queen]

Exactly David it is all hypothetical because the majority of people just wouldn't be able to step off a ship out of fear especially if the seas were raging, even in calm seas it would take a lot of 'bottle' .. let's hope none of us ever have to put it to the test.

[GillD46]

Exactly David it is all hypothetical because the majority of people just wouldn't be able to step off a ship out of fear especially if the seas were raging, even in calm seas it would take a lot of 'bottle' .. let's hope none of us ever have to put it to the test.

There is no way on earth I could step or jump into the ocean. I am terrified of deep water and a very, very poor swimmer so I'd be one of those clinging on to something - or more likely someone!

God willing, it never happens.

[Quizzical Bob]

Many of the Titanic passengers were killed by their lifejackets when they jumped into the water. Wherever possible don't jump into the water but step into it having first made sure that the water is clear of debris and other people. Practice makes perfect and you don't want to be working out how to use the straps in an emergency situation.

Apart from all that, happy cruising!

[Manoverboard]

Jump off / step off .... makes no difference to me, I'll be taking a cyanide pill instead

[Stephen]

And as the ship is going down and your levelling with the sea don't forget to dip your toe in first to make sure it's not too cold

[Honk honk]

On a recent cruise on Britannia we got talking to the safety bloke at the drill.One of the reasons for change of life jacket he said,was to accommodate the larger sized passengers ..

[towny44]

On a recent cruise on Britannia we got talking to the safety bloke at the drill.One of the reasons for change of life jacket he said,was to accommodate the larger sized passengers ..

Why not just issue them to the fatties then, it might encourage them not to eat for England.

[Stephen]

.....or just let them jump first and use them as buoyancy aids

[Mervyn and Trish]

I should think larger passengers would have more trouble than most bending down to do up the new strap!