Did you know that nearly 250,000 crew members are currently employed in the cruise ship industry?  Working on a cruise ship is a dream-come-true for many and despite cruising being one of the safest forms of travel, unexpected emergencies do occur.  On 10 April this year, the MSC Armonia ran into the dock at the port of Rotan in Honduras.  Thankfully no one was injured but it could so easily have turned into a full-blown disaster.  As a cruise ship crew-member, you always need to be fully prepared for any emergency situations that may arise. By adhering to proper safety protocol, crew members can help ensure that everyone aboard the cruise ship is kept out of harm’s way and have the best chance of survival should disaster strike. There are a number of basic safety guidelines that crew members should follow to make sure that everyone has the best possible experience while on board the ship.

Make the best of your cruise ship’s safety training

Every time a crew member joins a ship he will be expected to participate in safety training.  These refresher courses recap pertinent information pertaining to maritime safety rules and regulations, emergency signals and evacuation procedures. During safety training each crew member will be assigned an emergency duty. It is generally the responsibility of each department head to educate the crew members in their department about what their responsibilities entail. One of the most effective safety training methods for cruise ship crew members is simulated emergencies that are practiced on a regular basis to ensure everyone knows exactly what to do should an emergency arise.

Become comfortable in operating emergency equipment

Human life is given the utmost consideration while at sea which is why a cruise ship is fitted with numerous pieces of potentially life-saving equipment. This equipment, together with the extensive safety knowledge of the crew, aims to keep both passengers and crew members safe on the voyage. One such a piece of lifesaving equipment is the humble life jacket that is both dependable and versatile. Once a crew member boards a vessel he will be expected to know not only where to locate the life jackets during an emergency but also how to help passengers in putting them on correctly.  Experts from Life Jacket Pro reiterate the importance of all life jackets upon a vessel being easily accessible as precious time can be wasted if they are stowed out of site.

As much as we want to believe that cruise ship emergencies only happen to other people, there is unfortunately no way to ensure it.  What is however possible is to arm yourself with as much knowledge and practical skills that will afford you the best possible chance of keeping not only yourself safe but the countless passengers onboard the cruise ship you are working on as well.