Norwegian Cruise Line reverses course on a major change after complaints
That sure didn't take long.
Just two months after making a major change to the way it handles safety briefings, Norwegian Cruise Line is reversing course.
In a statement sent to TPG on Tuesday, the world's fourth-biggest cruise line said that — effective April 1 — it would bring back the "e-muster" safety drill process that it had in place until late January.
The e-muster safety drill process involves passengers reviewing safety information electronically on their smartphones or on cabin televisions on embarkation day, combined with a quick in-person visit to their muster stations.
It was replaced in late January by an in-person muster drill process where all safety information is relayed to passengers at one time in a shipwide call to muster stations.
In its statement to TPG, Norwegian cited "an effort to enhance the onboard guest experience" as the impetus for the abrupt return to e-muster safety drills at the start of sailings.
Norwegian faced considerable criticism from fans after it changed the muster drill process in January. Many cruisers prefer e-muster drills to in-person muster drills on ships, seeing them as less intrusive.
Related: The 8 classes of Norwegian Cruise Line ships, explained
The backtracking on the muster drill change could be awkward for Norwegian, as it originally cited "the safety of our guests and crew" as the reason behind its switch away from e-mustering in January.
In reversing course, Norwegian could be seen as backtracking on something that it considers a safety improvement.
"The safety of our guests and crew members is our number one priority," was the specific wording of Norwegian's statement in January after it eliminated e-mustering. "We continuously evaluate our procedures for providing detailed instructions on safety and security measures to our guests, and as such have made the decision to reinstate synchronized, in-person muster drills on embarkation day across all vessels within the fleet."
Norwegian also cited the "safety of guest and crew," using the very same wording, in its statement on why it was switching back to e-mustering.
“In an effort to enhance the onboard guest experience while keeping the safety of our guests and crew our top priority, we will reinstate e-muster drills through our online check-in for sailings beginning April 1, 2023," the statement read. "We are committed to delivering an exceptional and safe experience on board and, as such, will continue to actively evaluate and modify our processes for best practices.”
Over the past several years, many cruise lines have switched from in-person muster drills to e-mustering, calling it a major improvement for passenger comfort while also a better way to do safety briefings from a safety point of view.
In addition to Norwegian, two of the brand's sister lines — Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — eliminated e-mustering in recent months. Disney Cruise Line also recently eliminated e-mustering. However, most cruise lines continue to offer e-mustering.
The world's two biggest cruise brands, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, both said in January that they would not follow Norwegian in switching away from e-mustering. Both lines suggested that it was an innovation of recent years that enhanced passenger safety.
In a statement sent to TPG in January, Carnival suggested that lines that were doing away with e-mustering on ships were doing it not for safety reasons but to cut costs. The line noted that offering e-muster safety drills instead of in-person safety drills requires more staffing.
Cruise lines that use e-mustering must position crew members at muster stations for several hours on the first day of a cruise so that passengers can visit the stations for a brief orientation — a requirement of e-mustering. The result is that a significant number of crew members are tied up on embarkation day with the e-mustering process.
Related: The ultimate guide to Norwegian Cruise Line
"E-muster requires more staffing resources," Carnival noted in its statement to TPG. "But our experience with the e-muster process has been extremely positive, and we are able to provide our guests with critical safety information in a more individualized manner, including them understanding very specifically where their muster station is and how to get to it."
In other words, Carnival saw the e-muster process as, if anything, safer than the old style of in-person mustering.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.