Royal Caribbean Group will replace one of the least popular but most important cruise traditions—the safety drill—with “Muster 2.0™,” a completely new approach to delivering safety information to passengers. The innovative program, the first of its kind, reimagines a process originally designed for large groups and transforms it into a faster, more personalized experience that fosters the highest levels of safety.
With Muster 2.0, key elements of the safety drill—including a review of what to expect and where to go in case of emergency, as well as instructions on how to properly use a life jacket—will be made available to passengers individually (instead of in groups as has been the practice historically). The new technology, called eMuster™, will be used to provide information to passengers via their mobile phones and the interactive televisions in their cabins. Passengers will be able to review the information before the ship sets sail at their convenience. This will eliminate the crowds that traditionally gathered during this process. This new approach also allows everyone on board to maintain greater distance from one another as passengers move around the ship, while also allowing them to enjoy their vacation more without interruptions.
After reviewing the information individually, passengers will complete the drill by visiting the muster station, where a crew member will verify that all steps have been completed and answer any questions. All of these steps must be completed before the ship departs, as required by international maritime law.
“The health and safety of our passengers and crew are our top priority, and the development of this new drill process is an elegant solution to a process that, besides being unpopular, had become outdated,” said Richard Fain, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “The fact that this also saves our passengers time and allows the ship to operate without interruption will simultaneously enhance the health, safety, and satisfaction of our passengers.”
“Muster 2.0 represents another step in our mission to enhance our guests’ vacation experience by eliminating points of friction,” said Jay Schneider, Vice President of Digital at Royal Caribbean Group. “In this case, what was most convenient for our guests also proved to be the safest option given the need to reimagine social spaces due to COVID-19.”
This process marks the first dramatic change to safety drills in a decade, since Oasis of the Seas moved life jackets from passenger cabins to emergency assembly points, which improved the evacuation process and was an initiative widely followed by the industry.
With more than a year of work and preparation behind it, Muster 2.0 is also an initiative that will form part of the broad group of protocols and procedures that Royal Caribbean Group is developing together with the Healthy Sail Panel that was recently launched in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
“This new process represents the kind of innovation the Healthy Sail Panel is focused on as part of its mission to improve safety and health on cruise ships,” said former Utah Governor Mike Leavitt and co-chair of the Healthy Sail Panel, “And it shows that we can achieve great things if we think differently about safety issues.”.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to Royal Caribbean Group on this groundbreaking milestone. It is exactly what our industry needs in these unprecedented times, and we appreciate their generous offer to participate in this innovation,” said Frank del Rio, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “In this industry, we all work together to enhance health and safety, and this is a prime example of that.”.
The concept for a simulation exercise for ocean-going vessels is patented in the United States and patent-pending in major countries worldwide, including several cruise ship flag states. The company has also worked with international regulators, the U.S. Coast Guard, and other maritime and governmental authorities to ensure it meets all safety requirements.
In addition to introducing the new process across its own brands – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara – Royal Caribbean Group is offering to license the patented technology to interested cruise lines and will waive patent licensing fees for the duration of the global pandemic. Patent licenses have already been granted to the company’s joint venture, TUI Cruises GmbH, as well as to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Muster 2.0 was first tested in January of this year aboard Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas . Passengers who participated in the trial showed a preference for this new approach and reported improved understanding and retention of the safety information provided.
