Do you pay attention at safety briefings?

[Not so ancient mariner]

I think you might on this flight!

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ ... tart=0&end

[Onelife]

Hi Not so,

That was absolutely brilliant. ...not so sure the airline would have fared well in the American high court had something had happend but they certainly took off relaxed.

Great link...thanks

Keith

[GillD46]

I bet everyone was paying attention to that!

[Dancing Queen]

Very good

[towny44]

Reminds me of the singing flight attendant we once had on an Alaska Air flight from Vancouver to Seattle, who sang a rhyming safety briefing to us before the flight. After she finished and we had all applauded the Captain came on the tannoy and jokingly told us not to encourage her.

[Boris+]

Quick answer to that - yes. However, it was very interesting to listen to the safety briefing on a ship recently where they were very precise and informative about the safety of children on board. They covered all the usual points very well, but this thing about safety of children - and especially children who had become separated from the parents (eg if they were at the kids club) was done very well indeed - and it's a point I've never heard raised before.

[gfwgfw]

Of course

But it always occurs to me if there, hopefully never, a major need for a mass exodus to get what is tantamount to the populace of a small town safely into the life boats

[JoanneB]

The lack of attention at lifeboat drills on board does worry me, and also the inability of a majority on our last one to follow simple instructions. Our lives would depend on other people like them.

I did ask one of the officers if any cruise line had ever done a full dummy run to evacuate a ship with a proper representation of the age/ infirmity of the normal passenger load, and the answer was no. They have done a mock lifeboat launch with a full load but no more than that.

[anniec]

I did ask one of the officers if any cruise line had ever done a full dummy run to evacuate a ship with a proper representation of the age/ infirmity of the normal passenger load, and the answer was no. They have done a mock lifeboat launch with a full load but no more than that.

I don't think they could do it. I hope I'm proved wrong; it's only a matter of time before one of these giant ships has a major problem.

[Dancing Queen]

Let's be honest .. if you had to abandon ship mid north Atlantic in a force 12 I doubt anyone would survive.

[Happydays]

Well I laughed out loud at the video, sooooooooo funny at least it made everyone look and listen )

[Not so ancient mariner]

It would be impossible to launch conventional lifeboats from davits in a force 12. Your only chance would be the freefall type of lifeboat they use on oil rigs and some cargo ships.

[Frank Manning]

To some extent you are right Oh Ancient One, but they could be launched, it would just be questionable as to how safely. When I look at the infirmity of some of my fellow cruisers I do wonder what would happen in a real emergency, especially on these new super size cruise ships. The quick launching boats (Free Fall) on tankers are a SOLAS requirement which I think post dates Piper Alpha, but it is difficult to see how they could be incorporated on a ship like Britannia. One big advantage is that if they are covered then smoke from fires is less dangerous for a while.

It isn't always the weather. There are some real 'cowboys' in command of merchant ships these days. If you dont believe me you should read the reports in Numast Telegraph. It would only take a collision to create a real emergency aka Costa Concordia, and despite the death toll on that, they were incredibly lucky to beach her before she capsized with worse consequnces. In the collision between the Royston Grange and the oil tanker Tien Chee off the River Plate all of the crew and passengers plus the pilot were killed by Carbon Monoxide from the resultant fire which consumed both vessels.

I'm afraid that too much imagination added to bad experience makes me very nervous of the potential for error..."from rock and tempest, fire and foe, protect them where so 'ere they go".

PS I think I am wrong about Free Fall Lifeboats being post Piper Alpha, they were mandatory on NEW BUILD tankers much earlier, (possibly 1974) and on bulk carriers from 2006. The regs for lifeboats are pretty strict.

[Capt Black]

I always wonder how many passengers would actually return their cabins etc if the old seven (or more) short followed by one long was sounded.

[Boris+]

A long time ago (or so it seems) we were on Arcadia, at dinner - so far, so good. The starters had been delivered, and then the emergency hooter started sounding. Well, (this was in the MDR) by the time we got to the 3rd hooter people were eating more quickly and starting to empty their glasses, by the time we got to the 5th hooter any spare bread rolls were being put into pockets and handbags - and by the time we heard hooter blast number 7 all the tables were perfectly devoid of food and/or drink! Then a sheepish male voice made an announcement - it wasn't an emergency, someone had pressed the wrong button on the bridge!

We thought it was very funny - and there was a long period of joking and chatting whilst the waiters scurried around trying to get the main courses out to the tables!

But yes, if the 'big seven' ever did happen for us we would return to our accommodation (no matter which cruiseline), simply because we don't always just happen to have a warm hat and medication with us.

Fingers crossed we won't ever hear it again - apart from the safety briefing.

[Frank Manning]

Yes Boris, fingers and everything else crossed!! That must have been terrifying for a few minutes. We have heard three coded fire party warnings in ten years of cruising and each time they were not a pleasant experience.

I see in this month's Nautilus Telegraph a report about fire doors on cruise ships failing to open properly, and yet another accident related to lifeboat launching and retrieval.

[Not so ancient mariner]

A couple of years ago I was on sitting on the balcony of our cabin on Oceana when we were docked in Casablanca. There was an announcement over the pa system " For exercise, for exercise and then details of whatever the practice was. This was unheard by me and many others, as general announcements aren't broadcast into the cabins. However the general alarm that followed shortly afterwards was. Cue lots of concerned passengers opening their cabin doors to find out what was going on - to see crew members scurrying around with lifejackets on.

I believe reception had a busy half hour placating alarmed/annoyed passengers.

[Boris+]

On an embarkation day, we were in the first group to board the ship, and we wanted to leave the lounge we were put in so that we could have lunch, but we wanted just to pop our valuables into our accommodation first. So, we were escorted up to our accommodation to deposit the stuff, but we noted that all the fire doors on our accommodation deck between the lifts and our accommodation were shut, and the butler who was escorting us explained that the fire doors were being tested before the cruise started.

[Dancing Queen]

I didn't know you had been on Arcadia Em, same class ship as QE and QV ( both of which you know I love ) only ever did the one cruise on Arcadia and hated it but could never put my finger on why, what was your opinion ?? I keep thinking should we give it another try as it might have a different feel to it now I have experienced the same class different brand or was once enough for you as it was me.

[anniec]

I didn't know you had been on Arcadia Em, same class ship as QE and QV ( both of which you know I love ) only ever did the one cruise on Arcadia and hated it but could never put my finger on why, what was your opinion ?? I keep thinking should we give it another try as it might have a different feel to it now I have experienced the same class different brand or was once enough for you as it was me.

Strange, isn't it, how some ships you love and some you don't, often with no logic. We also disliked Arcadia (and Celebrity Eclipse), no idea why, as we love QV and QE. Loved Balmoral and Oceana, despite them being ostensibly somewhat less luxurious, not keen on Oriana, but then that took lack of luxury to a whole new level .

Having said that, we're looking at booking Arcadia for September, solely because it's going where and when we want to go, and will go expecting to enjoy ourselves.

[Dancing Queen]

Ahh now I loved Celebrity Eclipse Annie, you are right often there is no logic, funnily enough the one thing that did bother me about Arcadia before going on it was that it was adult only as I like to see children on board, I was expecting a much 'older' crowd but as it happened that wasn't the case, the one thing I couldn't fault Arcadia for was the crew some of the best we have ever had.

[Boris+]

Hi Jo,

Yes, I've been on Arcadia several times - and really enjoyed it. We found that the staff were great, the accommodation was impeccable and the menus etc fitted the bill - just right. We didn't bother much with entertainment, but we had a good time just the same. The only thing I didn't like was the midships lifts which are 'on the outside', the glass ones - but then I don't like those on terra firma either.

Fond memories, and especially Arcadian Rhodes and the Crows Nest (could have got the name wrong, but the bar forward with that lovely curved expanse of glass). The mocktail choice was great - and the lovely hamper of tea/coffee/chocolate and those smashing bikkies in the suite were really lovely. We had aft accommodation several times, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

I might just mention one thing though - I'm no longer a Cunard fanatic and I reckon it will be a very very long time before I book on a Cunard outing again. That was then, this is now - but still most definitely cruising.

[Silver_Shiney]

I might just mention one thing though - I'm no longer a Cunard fanatic and I reckon it will be a very very long time before I book on a Cunard outing again. That was then, this is now - but still most definitely cruising.

What's happened to suck the jam out of your doughnut, Em?

[Boris+]

Hi Alan,

It's simple - the human condition - I don't like being taken for a sucker. If I pay for QG, then that is precisely what I (a) expect and (b) deserve to receive in good measure. No, there's nothing special about me, I'm not a snob - just if I pay for something I like to have what I'm promised when the money is extracted in the first place.

I don't expect to have things which I have had on previous Cunard cruises refused (eg simple dietary requirements which are advertised as being readily available), I find rationing of stuff like toiletries, drinks in the fridge and fresh fruit in my suite a disgrace - and then on top of that Cunard called me a liar when I made a polite but firm complaint. I don't like it when I ask for a simple hot drink in the Lido or Kings Court and the staff look down their noses at me and can't be bothered to help, neither do I like it when I ask for an orange juice and get told that there isn't any!!! The list is too long really, so I'm not going on about it.

Then we found something we liked more than Cunard, and that's where our dosh is going at the moment. Busy counting down and having loads of fun though! We think there is more fun to be had on other cruise lines. Yo Ho Ho!

[Dancing Queen]

Having been on a Cunard ship less than 6 months ago I can't say I found any evidence of 'rationing' Em, toiletries galore same with the fresh fruit and the fridge stocked ( with extra's on the side ) with the drinks of our choice. No problem with dining either whether on or off the menu in fact our waiter last time went out of his way ... I don't care for the small appetizers they serve prior to your meal so always refuse them our waiter was determined I wasn't going to miss out so made a point of finding out what sort of things I liked and then had the chef do a special for me each evening, it really wasn't necessary but such a kind thought.

Err as for the Lido or Kings Court I think you will find it is 'self service' ( the secret is in the name ) unless you are referring to when they push the trollies round offering tea/coffee if this is the case then they do only offer bog standard tea and coffee and whilst it may be your personal choice to have something different if they went off to get what each individual preferred then they wouldn't be giving a service to the majority of their passengers, same with the orange juice someone had probably gone off to get more stock and the staff member was just telling you there wasn't any maybe you think he should have expanded on the explanation but he wasn't a mind reader and would it have really been a big inconvenience to have tried another drinks station, what you have to remember is these machines are used by several hundred passengers at meal times and they are going to run out occasionally and not just on Cunard.