Your muster station is where you’d assemble if the ship had to be evacuated. On P&O and Royal Caribbean ships, for example, the drill is now a short individual visit, not a mass assembly: you go to the station, a crew member scans you in and talks you through what happens in an emergency, and you get on with your day. On Royal Caribbean you watch the safety information on the app or the cabin TV first, and the visit confirms it.
The deadline is set by international law, not by the cruise line: it has to be done before the ship sails.
Why It Happens Before Sailaway
The requirement sits in SOLAS, the international convention on safety of life at sea. Chapter III, regulation 19 covers voyages where passengers are on board for more than 24 hours, which takes in almost any cruise. On those, “musters of newly-embarked passengers shall take place prior to or immediately upon departure”, and passengers “shall be instructed in the use of the lifejackets and the action to take in an emergency”.
It hasn’t always read that way. The earlier version let the muster happen within 24 hours of embarkation. The rule was tightened in 2013 and came into force on 1 January 2015, so the drill now happens before the ship departs instead of at some point the next day.
The same regulation requires a safety briefing over the public address system, or something equivalent, so it reaches everyone who hasn’t already heard it. That’s why the announcement comes through whether you’re in your cabin, on deck or in a bar.
What Actually Happens on the Day
On P&O, your first stop on board is your muster station. Staff tell you where it is as you embark, and at the station a crew member scans your boarding pass and talks you through the safety procedures, then you’re free to explore. The same crew member can also tell you whether your cabin is ready.
P&O ask guests not to throw away or delete the boarding pass once they’re on board, because it’s what the crew scan at the muster station. If yours is on your phone, a screenshot taken before boarding saves relying on the signal at the terminal.
Royal Caribbean splits it between the app and the station. You review the safety information on the app or the cabin TV and confirm you’ve done it, then visit your assigned assembly station and scan in with your stateroom key, where a crew member checks the steps are complete and answers questions. You hear the emergency signal itself when the captain sounds it before sailing. The app runs on the ship’s wi-fi, so it doesn’t need an internet package. Because there’s no large group assembly, you choose when to go, as long as it’s before sailing.
Do You Need to Bring Your Lifejacket
Often not. Royal Caribbean moved lifejackets out of cabins and down to the muster stations on Oasis of the Seas, saying it improved the evacuation process, and describe the approach as widely followed across the industry since.
If you’ve sailed before and remember carrying an orange bundle down the corridor, that’s the change. Your own ship’s instructions will say which applies.
Getting It Out of the Way
Going straight there when you board, before lunch and before the cabin, gets it done while the station is quiet, and on P&O it also tells you whether your cabin is ready. You also learn the route from the public decks while you’re calm and unhurried, which is the point of the exercise.
Because you scan in, the crew know exactly who has done it and who hasn’t, so if you forget, you’ll be found and reminded.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s the safety briefing that tells you where to go in an emergency, what to do, and how to use a lifejacket. SOLAS requires it on any voyage where passengers are on board for more than 24 hours. On lines such as P&O and Royal Caribbean it’s now a short individual visit to your station, not a mass gathering.
Before the ship sails. SOLAS requires musters of newly-embarked passengers to take place prior to or immediately upon departure, a rule tightened in 2013 that came into force on 1 January 2015.
Yes, but the format has changed. On P&O you go to your muster station on boarding, and a crew member scans your boarding pass and talks you through the procedures. Royal Caribbean has you review the safety information on the app or cabin TV first, then scan in at your assembly station. Either way it has to be done before departure.
Often not. Royal Caribbean moved lifejackets from cabins to the muster stations on Oasis of the Seas and describes the approach as widely followed since. Your own ship’s instructions will say which applies.
You’ll be reminded. Because you scan in, the crew know exactly who has completed it, and anyone outstanding will be found before the ship sails. It’s quicker to go on boarding.
Not long, because you’re scanned in and briefed individually instead of waiting for a whole ship to assemble. Going early, as soon as you board, avoids any wait at the station.
Royal Caribbean introduced its app-based approach in 2020, saying that letting guests review the safety information individually removed the need for traditional large group assemblies. The requirement to finish every step before departure didn’t change, because that part is set by international maritime law.
How We Verify This Advice
We aim for practical, low-risk guidance. Before publishing and during updates, we check core planning details against official sources and current operator information.
What We Check
- Berth and terminal details, including whether the port is walkable or requires a transfer
- Transport options and realistic return timing for different port types
- Details that change frequently, such as fares and schedules, with up-to-date notes where relevant
Typical Sources
- Official port authority and terminal updates
- Cruise line port notes and day-of-call instructions
- Local transport operators and official tourism resources