A Passenger is Left on the Dock for Failing to Attend Cruise Ship Muster Drill

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After Costa Concordia passengers claimed that the ship set sail without a muster drill and the tragic sinking disaster occurred before a muster drill had been implemented, are cruise lines laying down a hard line for muster drill attendance?

One passenger on a Holland America cruise, the Westerdam, was debarked last Sunday for failing to comply during the mandatory cruise safety drill.

Anyone who has been on a cruise is familiar with this temporary break in the vacation fun when the bars are closed and passengers are ordered to gather at their assigned meeting places. The muster drill is a required emergency practice session in which passengers are informed of what to do in an emergency, and they practice donning life jackets.

In the wake of the Costa Concordia sinking, cruise lines are examining their procedures and tightening where they may have previously been lax. It is likely that failure to check in at the muster drills in the future may prompt increased passenger action and it’s likely well within the cruise line’s rights. The cruise contract typically has language stating that passengers can be denied transportation either before or during a cruise in situations where they fail to abide by the rules of the ship.

FYI: We can’t find anything in the travel insurance policies we read that indicate travel insurance would pay to get this passenger back home, but the travel assistance services teams might be able to help him arrange for a flight home.