The cruise line has updated its safety drill amid Covid-19, writes Clodagh Dooley
Every company in the tourism industry has been busy innovating for the safety of their customers and staff, as a result of Covid-19. And I’ve been very impressed with how dedicated our local tourism businesses are being, reinforcing their new procedures and creating peace of mind for visitors.
In the wake of the pandemic, Royal Caribbean Group has also been making innovative changes.
The company announced on Friday that they’re replacing and redeveloping one of the most recognisable parts of a cruise holiday – the safety drill – with Muster 2.0™, an entirely new approach to delivering safety information to guests.
With Muster 2.0, the key elements of the safety drill – including reviewing what to expect and where to go in case of an emergency, and instructions on how to properly use a life jacket – will be accessible to guests on an individual basis instead of a group approach that has been followed historically. New technology, eMuster™, will be used to help provide the information to guests via their mobile devices and interactive stateroom TVs.
Holidaymakers will be able to review the information at their own time prior to setting sail, eliminating the need for the traditional large group assemblies. The new approach also enables everyone on-board to maintain better spacing as guests move about the ship. It allows guests to enjoy more of their holiday with no interruption.
After reviewing safety information individually, guests will complete the drill by visiting their assigned assembly station, where a crew member will verify that all steps have been completed and answer questions. Each of the steps will need to be completed prior to the ship’s departure, as required by international maritime law.
Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group, says, “The health and safety of our guests and crew are our number one priority. The development of this new muster process is an elegant solution to an outdated, unpopular process. The fact that this will also save guests time and allow the ship to operate without pause means that we can increase health, safety and guest satisfaction simultaneously.”
More than a year in the making, Muster 2.0 is also an initiative that will be part of the comprehensive set of protocols and procedures Royal Caribbean Group is developing, along with the Healthy Sail Panel that was recently assembled in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
Muster 2.0 was first tested on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas in January 2020 and feedback has been positive so far. Guests who took part in the mock process indicated a strong preference for the new approach, and also reported better retention of the safety information.
In addition to introducing the new process on the ships of its own cruise lines – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara – Royal Caribbean Group is offering to license the patented technology to interested cruise operators. The Group will waive patent license fees during the time the world and industry battle the global pandemic.
Patent licenses have already been granted to the company’s joint venture, TUI Cruises GmbH, as well as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Visit royalcaribbean.com
Clodagh Dooley
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