A few Carnival guests received an email stating they'd have to complete a mandatory in-person safety briefing on their upcoming sailings.
Following the pandemic, many lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Celebrity, introduced e-muster drills as a way to ensure social distancing among guests. Years later, the virtual muster drill remains in place on many cruise lines, offering a more streamlined and efficient process.
However, passengers sailing aboard Carnival Valor, Carnival Liberty, and Carnival Conquest will be required to attend an in-person muster drill once again.
During an in-person drill, all guests report to their assigned assembly stations for a short briefing given by a crew member, where they receive instructions on safety procedures, emergency protocols, and the location of their assigned lifeboats and life vests.
Though you receive the same information during a virtual drill, passengers don't have to go to their muster drills at the same time. Certain lines do their e-muster drills differently, though.
For example, guests sailing on a Royal Caribbean ship can watch the required safety videos through the mobile app and visit their assembly station on their own during set hours for a quick check-in.
Carnival is slightly different. While the app doesn't have any videos, passengers can still report to their muster stations on their own time, rather than all at once, for a short briefing. It's far more convenient than the old-fashioned drill that packs guests together like cattle.
Unfortunately, that option isn't offered on three upcoming Carnival cruises. Passengers on Carnival Liberty's March 16 voyage and Carnival Valor and Conquest's March 17 sailings must complete a traditional in-person muster drill.
“Shortly before departure, a full safety drill will take place on your upcoming sailing,” an email sent to booked guests reads, “This is a mandatory procedure, and all guests will be required to participate in this brief but essential exercise.”
“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 notification continues.
Typically, in-person drills take around 20 to 30 minutes. Before the drill, just as when Carnival does its regular safety announcements over the PA system, the bars will close.
To help speed along the process of the in-person drill, it's recommended to report to your assembly station as soon as possible, as the briefing is required for all guests. Other good tips to help speed the process along include leaving food and drinks behind, putting your cell phone away, and staying quiet while crew members conduct the drill.
While many guests have become accustomed to the flexibility of virtual drills, Carnival's random in-person muster drills ensure that the crew is trained and prepared for emergencies.
Read more: 10 lessons learned after trying Carnival for the first time
Carnival cruisers aren't fans of the in-person safety drill
John Heald, Carnival's Brand Ambassador, posted a poll on his popular Facebook page in 2023 asking if they had a preference for whether the cruise continued the e-muster drill.
Out of over 35,600 respondents, an astonishing 98% indicated they were happy with the e-muster drill, while only 2% said they'd prefer to return to the old drill.
Anne Handley said, "It’s quicker, easier and I actually get to see how the life jacket works since it is a much smaller group. Last time we did the old way - I saw nothing and got an aching back from standing so long waiting for others to come to the muster station."
"E-muster is [one] of the best things to come out of Covid. It's quick, efficient, and everyone gets the information they need quickly," added Joanna Campbell.
Sharon Eshelman Phillips commented, "The new way is so much easier and quicker. Please do NOT go back! We would be stuck waiting for slowpokes, sweating like crazy and you couldn’t really hear it. The mass exodus was horrible for stairs and elevators. This was is at our leisure and so much more convenient and informative!"
Read more: Simple tips to safely take a cruise ship vacation
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on nearly 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
