It is required that there be at least one life boat drill on each cruise. I don’t know who requires it but it makes good sense.
What is required seems to vary from cruise line to cruise line. OK, I’m only on my second line but there is a dramatic difference between the way it was done on Holland America and Norwegian.
On Holland America, we stood out on the decks in rows for 20-30 minutes while they accounted for everyone and then gave their little spiel. Now I am less than 5 feet tall and I was behind a tall lady with people in the rows on either side of me. No wonder I felt claustrophobic. Add the life jacket that came up high on my short neck. Ugh.
I know this may approximate real life conditions more than NCL but I liked NCL’s method better.
Instead of going down to the meeting area with the vest already on, we were instructed not to put it on in our rooms. We met in different areas where we could sit down. My group met in the theater so it felt very open. I happened to get a seat on the first row of the balcony so it felt even roomier.
The vest didn’t feel quite as confining around my neck. And not having people crammed in around me helped a bunch.
A couple of other tips I figured out.
- Don’t rush down to the area for the drill. Everyone can’t all get there at the same time anyway. Less time in the group meant less time to stress.
- Don’t rush back up to your room either. There is only so much room in the hallways, elevators, and stairs. Relax, this is vacation so let the crowd thin out a little.
Seriously though, the drill could save your life so pay attention. Do as instructed. It doesn’t really last that long and then you are free to do, well, whatever you want!