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Lifeboat Capacity-how full is the ship?


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I'm not aware of a specific method to verify capacity.  It is sometimes an issue when trying to add another person to a cabin and an agent will tell you on the phone.

Specific cabins use the specific muster stations.  A given muster station is designed to use a specific set of lifeboats.    For example muster station A1 might use lifeboats 3 and 4. 

If there are already a number of cabins for muster station A1 that have more than double occupancy such as during peak summer month when more families with kids travel, then the lifeboat capacity may be reached.  Along comes someone with two people in a cabin in that muster station who wants to add another person and despite the cabin being able to accmondate the next guest, the cruise line can't allow another guest or else the lifeboats would not be able to accommodate everyone in an emergency.  They aren't allowed to say 'In an emergency go find another lifeboat with spare room". 

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17 minutes ago, Boston Babe said:

Thanks Twangster, I got curious when @Sabrinaklai mentioned Anthem was 3/4 lifeboat capacity, perhaps she got that info from RC when trying to change something. Thought another website to get scoop! LOL

Yes, it is exactly the way @twangster explained. It becomes a problem when trying to add a 3rd or 4th person.

you'll know when you try to create a reservation for more than 2 and it tells you nothing is available for your number of guests. 

Still at KSC...free wifi ? Still frozen.

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23 minutes ago, Sabrinaklai said:

you'll know when you try to create a reservation for more than 2

Well I am not taking Liberty and Sailor so I guess I won't have to worry about that! BLAH!!  Why aren't you at KSC or are you back? I'm loving your blog! You can be in competition with @twangster!  Unless you're both BOTS!:4_joy:

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13 minutes ago, Boston Babe said:

Well I am not taking Liberty and Sailor so I guess I won't have to worry about that! BLAH!!  Why aren't you at KSC or are you back? I'm loving your blog! You can be in competition with @twangster!  Unless you're both BOTS!:4_joy:

I could never compete with @twangster. He's master blogger.  Currently waiting for the bus back to the ship ?

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On 3/12/2018 at 11:29 AM, Boston Babe said:

HI all, I've noticed people referring to Lifeboat capacity indicating how full the ship is, how do you find that out? If anyone knows, thank you!

I mean to ask that kind of question at some point. I noticed life boats are rated by X persons. Well...what defines a 'person' in terms of lifeboat capacity? The hard life boats on the Allure are rated for 370 persons. Well...there ain't no way in H - E double toothpicks that 370 randomly selected people on the ship were going to fit on one of those life boats. 340...350 maybe...but when a good number of people are 50, 75, 100+ lbs overweight...it's a cruise ship dammit! 

You have to wonder what the calculation is...I can't imagine a standard cruise ship version is being used that differs from general maritime rule of thumb.

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28 minutes ago, Gears said:

I mean to ask that kind of question at some point. I noticed life boats are rated by X persons. Well...what defines a 'person' in terms of lifeboat capacity? The hard life boats on the Allure are rated for 370 persons. Well...there ain't no way in H - E double toothpicks that 370 randomly selected people on the ship were going to fit on one of those life boats. 340...350 maybe...but when a good number of people are 50, 75, 100+ lbs overweight...it's a cruise ship dammit! 

You have to wonder what the calculation is...I can't imagine a standard cruise ship version is being used that differs from general maritime rule of thumb.

I'm certain there are maritime standards used to determine lifeboat capacity, much like how airlines use an average passenger to determine weight of the aircraft which is very critical to safe flight operations.  In America the average passenger is likely much different than the average passenger in another region such as Asia.

Lifeboats are not meant for comfort.  In an emergency it will be uncomfortable.  I recall seeing one lifeboat on some ship that stated something like "Tender Capacity 125, Lifeboat capacity 175".  Since some of them can be used for tenders clearly the crammed tender at 125 is one thing but in an emergency 175 is acceptable.  That's not to say that is what they plan to do in an emergency, just the theoretical maximum before the lifeboat would be unsafe. 

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The capacities of ships are posted online, but it's not always clear if they're talking about double-occupancy max, or total/all berths max.  Lines of course want to load up as many people as they can.  Lifeboat capacities are required to exceed the total capacity of the ship (for various reasons), and remember you don't see many of the life boats as a number of them are rigid-inflatables which can be manually deployed, but are required to automatically deploy if in salt-water, and can even deploy if the ship is heavily listing.  

As far as the size of a person, I know each seat on a lifeboat must be able to accommodate at least a 220lb person so I'd assume that's the calculation they use but I'm not sure.  If so, that would give some "breathing room" since that's above average.  Ultimately however, you can fit waaaay more people in a crowded space when the other option is swimming home.

This explains lifeboat requirements and the history.  The article on muster drills (linked in that article) may also be of interest.

http://www.cruisehabit.com/safety-sea-lifeboat-history-requirements

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15 hours ago, monorailmedic said:

The capacities of ships are posted online, but it's not always clear if they're talking about double-occupancy max, or total/all berths max.  Lines of course want to load up as many people as they can.  Lifeboat capacities are required to exceed the total capacity of the ship (for various reasons), and remember you don't see many of the life boats as a number of them are rigid-inflatables which can be manually deployed, but are required to automatically deploy if in salt-water, and can even deploy if the ship is heavily listing.  

As far as the size of a person, I know each seat on a lifeboat must be able to accommodate at least a 220lb person so I'd assume that's the calculation they use but I'm not sure.  If so, that would give some "breathing room" since that's above average.  Ultimately however, you can fit waaaay more people in a crowded space when the other option is swimming home.

This explains lifeboat requirements and the history.  The article on muster drills (linked in that article) may also be of interest.

http://www.cruisehabit.com/safety-sea-lifeboat-history-requirements

Great article Mono, Thanks for sharing!! 

 

Many people don't realize that all those other people that have the same muster station as you during the muster drill; that in case of an emergency-- will also be the occupants of the lifeboat that is above your head during that drill--again, in case of an emergency. There is a "seat" (or rather a space) inside the lifeboat for all 150 or 340 passengers. One of the crew members who is at your station during the drill will be operating the the lifeboat, the other couple crew members will be there to assist passengers. The lifeboats are rather roomy inside and ( a complete surprise to me) don't have the musty smell of a boat that has been under a tarp for a long period of time. Actually, they are kind of nice on the inside, have a (some what) padded seats and grab bars to hang on to, and have pretty powerful motors!

Also, the crews lifeboats are those inflatable rafts.

 

What I always question is the supposed system for children and their wrist bands. That--again in case of an emergency and a call to muster-- what is supposed to happen???? Ahhhh....I don't think so.....Nahhhh.....There is 100% chance that is NOT what happens.

 

 

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