disney cruise muster drill

Help Center

How can we help you.

Health and Safety – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the compulsory assembly drill?

All Guests must participate in the pre-departure assembly drill to comply with U.S. Coast Guard and international safety regulations. Everyone on board will be notified when the drill is to begin and everyone is required to take part.

You will be asked to follow the instructions heard over the ship's loudspeakers. Once the drill is completed, it's time to set sail!

Learn more about Disney Cruise Line’s commitment to safety.

Did you find this answer helpful?

Related Questions

Are Guests who are pregnant permitted to sail?

What are my rights as a Disney Cruise Line Guest?

If someone in my party gets sick, is there an onboard doctor or nurse?

Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy: What is Muster?

“Muster” or “Muster Drill” is a nautical term for onboard safety instruction. You might hear other cruise lines or even Disney Cruise Line sometimes refer to this as the “assembly drill,” “assembly,” “safety drill,” or “lifeboat drill.” Whatever term is used, a safety lesson is required by the Coast Guard just prior to setting sail on every cruise ship.

Most Disney Cruise Line musters take place at 4:00 or 4:30 p.m. with the exact time noted in the DCL Navigator App. Your “muster station” or “assembly station” (your meeting place) will be noted on your DCL room key (also known your Key to the World Card). Most muster stations are outdoors on the lifeboat deck, but some may take place in the ship’s main auditorium or in a restaurant. Information conveyed by crew members will include emergency procedures and instructions on how to wear your life jacket.

Note that during the immediate post-pandemic return to sailing, DCL offered a virtual version of the muster drill. While some cruise lines may still allow virtual muster, all Disney assembly drills are now in person.

Disney Cruise Line in a Jiffy is an offshoot of our “ Disney in a Minute ” posts. “In a Jiffy” posts are bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney Cruise (DCL) line term or planning topic. Have a question about a DCL term that is unfamiliar to you? Suggest it here for an upcoming segment.

You May Also Like...

Welcome to a new series at Touring Plans, Disney Cruise in a Jiffy. An offshoot of our “Disney in a Minute”…

Each Disney Cruise Line ship has three main dining rooms (MDRs) that are included in the price of your sailing. On…

• 2024 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Menus
• SATURDAY SIX Artist Spotlight: The Theme Park Artwork of Bryan Bindman

Erin Foster

Erin Foster is an original member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel (now PlanDisney), a regular contributor to TouringPlans.com, and co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Disney Cruise Line. She's been to WDW, DL, DL Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Aulani, DVC Vero Beach, and DVC Hilton Head. She's a Platinum DCL cruiser and veteran of 10 Adventures by Disney trips. Erin lives near New York City, where she can often be found indulging in her other obsession - Broadway theater.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

The Disney Cruise Family Travel Blog

Travel and Fun Things To Do

In-Person Muster Drills are Returning

One positive change that came from Covid was the change to the muster drill. During Covid, Disney used self-guided in-app muster station check-in, universally preferred to the in-person drill. I have heard whispers that the in-person muster drill would be returning.

Disney has announced it will return on the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream this weekend and to the rest of the ships by November 20, 2022.

• Saturday, November 12, 2022: Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy
• Monday, November 14, 2022: Disney Wish
• Wednesday, November 16, 2022: Disney Wonder
• Sunday, November 20, 2022: Disney Magic

This transition will ensure all Crew Members and Guests are fully aware of the safety procedures in an emergency. The DCL Navigator App will continue to notify Guests of their assigned assembly station, provide directions for getting to their location and share additional safety information with Guests.

What is your opinion are you happy to see the old muster drills returning? Make sure you sign up for our newsletter to keep up with the latest Disney Cruise News and tips and tricks.

This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning, that if you make a purchase through my links, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support of this site.

Related Posts

Current Disney Cruise Discounts April 8, 2024

Disney Wonder Adult and Children Tiana’s Place Mardi Gras Menu Alaska

Disney Cruise Line Bringing Back In-Person Muster Drills

Disney Cruise Line is bringing back the in-person muster drills where groups gather at their assembly stations at a designated time, removing the ability to complete the process through the Disney Cruise Line navigator app.

What’s Happening:

• Disney Cruise Line  passengers will once again take part in mandatory muster drills, including in-person assembly at a scheduled time, and are set to return to cruises in the very near future.
• Disney Cruise Line has shared that they regularly review their processes and have made the decision to reintroduce the in-person assembly drills.
• Saturday, Nov. 12: Disney Dream & Disney Fantasy
• Monday, Nov. 14: Disney Wish
• Wednesday, Nov. 16: Disney Wonder
• Sunday, Nov. 20: Disney Magic
• This transition will ensure all Crew Members and Guests are fully aware of our safety procedures in the event of an emergency. The DCL Navigator App will continue to notify Guests of their assigned assembly station, provide directions for getting to their location and share additional safety information with Guests.
• One COVID Change on not just Disney Cruise Line, but in the industry in general that was surprisingly well received was the change to the muster drill. Disney (and others) have used self-guided muster drills through their app that they can perform in a designated window, and they will be led to a crew member to check-in and complete the process after several videos and tutorials. Disney Cruise Line is among the, if not the first cruise line to return to the mass assembly muster drill format.

Is the Traditional Cruise Line Muster Drill Coming Back? Lines Starting to Drop E-Muster

When cruise lines resumed operations in 2021 -- following a long hiatus due to the global pandemic -- one of the welcome changes we saw onboard was a move to socially distanced digital muster drills, or the "e-muster."

Many passengers welcomed the move -- waiting outside on deck for up to an hour, sometimes longer and in hot weather, for all passengers to assemble and the safety drill to be completed (and all bars closed) -- had become somewhat of a drag.

For the e-muster, passengers are required to watch the safety video either before they board or in their cabin, then make their way to the muster station to tap their cards on a reader to acknowledge they have visited -- in their own time.

The problem is many passengers have either been ignoring the video or not visiting the muster station, so some cruise lines have reverted to the traditional muster drill format.

Which Cruise Lines Have Scrapped the E-Muster Drill?

Norwegian cruise line.

Norwegian Cruise confirmed to Cruise Critic it has in fact reverted back to the traditional muster drill.

The line released the following statement:

"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.

"This policy will go into effect immediately upon each vessel's next embarkation day."

Cruise Critic members first revealed that NCL had reverted to the traditional cruise ship muster drill on at least some of its voyages back in November 2022.

On November 22,  Scamber  said on  NCL's Boards page : "We were just on the Bliss, and we had to meet where our muster station was (there were people along the way to point us in the right direction) and they scanned our card and that was it, we were on our way.  Much prefer it this way than standing around waiting for everyone to get there like the old way."

Disney Cruise Line

On the same thread on November 26,  prmssk  added: "I know Disney has gone back to the traditional muster drill. And we have a couple isolated reports on NCL but no official policy change. Are there others that are going back that I'm missing? I don't think at this point we can say many or most are going back to traditional muster drills."

"The Disney Cruise Family Travel Blog" also wrote a posted on the subject, titled " In-Person muster Drills are Returning ," on November 14, 2022, revealing that  Disney Cruise Line  has reverted to traditional muster drills.

Cruise Critic has contacted cruise lines for comment and will update this story when we hear more.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

Disney Cruise Line Information

DCL Fan is your source for Disney Cruise Line Information, News, and Discounts

Disney Cruise Line to Return to In-Person Muster Drills

Disney Cruise Line has announced that they are making a gradual return to in-person muster drills.

I know that I’m not the only one who absolutely loved being able to complete the muster drill simply by sending one member of our traveling party to the assigned station and scanning in with a crew member. Easy peasy, but similar to the very low capacity that so many of us enjoyed when cruising first restarted after the pandemic, this must also come to an end.

The start dates of the return of in-person muster drills are below:

• Disney Dream: November 12
• Disney Fantasy: November 12
• Disney Magic: November 20
• Disney Wish: November 14
• Disney Wonder: November 16

About Post Author

Jackie Gailey

Senior Editor at The DIS and DCL Fan | Disney Vacation Club Member | Thrilled to have been a ’13/’14 Disney Parks Moms Panelist (now planDisney) | Lover of all things Disney; the Magic of Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line | ºoº

See author's posts

Share this:

• ← Palo Brunch Review on the Disney Wonder
• Freezing The Night Away – Frozen Disney Wonder Deck Party →

You May Also Like

Port Arrival Times No Longer Required for Pearl Castaway Club Members

Disney Cruise Line Faces 4 Lawsuits Alleging COVID-19 Contraction Aboard March Cruise

Disney Cruise Line Releases Summer 2022 Itineraries

Discover more from disney cruise line information.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

The Disney Cruise Line Blog

An unofficial disney cruise line news, information, weather, and photo blog..

Tag Archives: Muster Drill

In-Person Guest Assembly Muster Drills Returning

Disney Cruise Line is bringing back traditional guest assembly drills on embarkation day. Going forward, all guests will be required to report to their assigned assembly station in person at Continue Reading →

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

• Disney News
• Walt Disney World
• Disney Reviews
• Disney Info
• Disney Merch

In-Person Muster Drills Returning to Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line is bringing back their old in-person muster drill system. Guests sailing with Disney in the coming weeks will be asked to once again attend a mandatory in-person muster drill at their assigned location.

This change is reportedly rolling out to Disney ships throughout November. It’s reported, but not officially confirmed, that the lack of guest compliance with the virtual system (no one watching the videos) is why the old in-person drill is returning.

One guest on the Disney Fantasy said the in-person drill returned on November 12, 2022.

Y’all thought I was joking… https://t.co/0LE3MwhKSG — Scott Sanders 🦃 (@TheDCLBlog) November 12, 2022

Previously, guests were able to use their phone to check-in at their location, and then complete their muster drill through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. The move to a virtual muster drill process, which was a change due to COVID-19, was one of the best things to come out of the health and safety regulations when sailing resumed.

Guests need to prepare for the in-person muster experience at the start of their sailing. Honestly, it’s not a great time. Unless your meeting location is in one of the indoor theatres or spaces, guests must stand outside on Deck 4 in close quarters with other guests. This can be a very hot and uncomfortable 15 or 20 minutes at the start of the cruise.

Keep visiting NotesFromNeverland.com for the latest Disney news and information.

• Disney Cruise Line

FREE Disney Travel Planning

Trending Disney Merch

No products found.

Popular Articles

Here’s How Disney Travel Agents Can Save You Money

Disney Preparing to File Permits for Massive Magic Kingdom Expansion

Recent articles.

Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Earns a Michelin Star

Enzo’s Hideaway in Disney Springs is Hosting Bootlegger’s Dinners in May 2024

Related articles, how is the disney treasure different from the disney wish, new commemorative display at castaway cay will honor guests with 50+ disney cruise line voyages, work underway on global dream ship transformation for disney cruise line.

We're Disney vacation experts who have visited Disney theme parks, resorts, and cruise ships countless times. At Notes from Neverland, we cover Disney news, provide reviews, and give vacation advice. This site is not affiliated in any way with the Walt Disney Company.

Contact us: [email protected]

Privacy & Disclosure Policy

• Search forums
• Disney Cruise Line
• Disney Cruise Line Forum

Fantasy Muster Drill station I Location

• Thread starter Love2Cruise2015
• Start date Feb 9, 2023

Love2Cruise2015

Dis veteran.

• Feb 9, 2023

Its my understanding that the old muster drill is back (when I last traveled back in July we were doing the COVID muster drill-Which I LOVED) but I was wondering if anyone who has recently traveled on the Fantasy Cruise ship can tell me where muster drill station I's location is?  

Yes, the in person mister drill is back. Only took about 15 minutes on 1/28. Do not know where mister drill location I is.  

RedHead0186

According to this spreadsheet (which is super helpful!), muster station I on the Fanstay is on deck, port side, miship. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...JZ-yFsb4U1KPZUd3AC8RN-kl8/htmlview?fs=e&s=cl#  

RedHead0186 said: According to this spreadsheet (which is super helpful!), muster station I on the Fanstay is on deck, port side, miship. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...JZ-yFsb4U1KPZUd3AC8RN-kl8/htmlview?fs=e&s=cl# Click to expand...

Share this page

Dis news & updates.

• Let's Make Disney Cruise Line's Palo Chocolate Souffle
• Calling All Disney Pros: Test Your Disney Dog Knowledge Now!
• Let's Learn to Draw Sorcerer Mickey From 'Fantasia'
• New Treats at Vivoli il Gelato in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World
• Nothing is Amore About Mama Melrose's New Menu at Disney's Hollywood Studios

New DISboards Threads

• 8 minutes ago
• Disney Resorts

• 52 minutes ago

• Today at 7:42 PM
• Community Board
• Today at 7:41 PM
• Today at 7:16 PM
• Disney World Tips

• Today at 6:49 PM

• Walt Disney World News
• Walt Disney World Articles
• Disney Cruise Line News
• Disneyland News
• General Disney News

GET UP TO A $1000 SHIPBOARD CREDIT AND AN EXCLUSIVE GIFT!

Latest posts

• Latest: Kgrace1989
• A moment ago

• Latest: flav
• 3 minutes ago

• Latest: Gary Stocker
• 4 minutes ago

• Latest: katyringo

• Latest: StarWarsMomofGirls!

• Cruise News

Cruise Line Brings Back In-Person Muster Drill

Sarah Bretz, Contributor

• November 14, 2022

Disney Cruise Line has learned that just because something is made quicker and easier doesn’t mean that people will be more inclined to do it.

The line is bringing back in-person muster drills on all of its ships due to a reported lack of willingness from passengers to do the digital safety drills that have been in place since the line resumed voyages in 2021.

In an update to travel agents, Disney said “We regularly review our processes and have made the decision to reintroduce the in-person assembly drills. All Guests will be required to report to their assigned assembly station in person at the scheduled time on embarkation day.”

In-person muster drills have already resumed on Disney Dream, Fantasy, and Wish. They will be returning on November 16th on Disney Wonder and on November 20th on Disney Magic.

The update continued, “This transition will ensure all Crew Members and Guests are fully aware of our safety procedures in the event of an emergency. The DCL Navigator App will continue to notify Guests of their assigned assembly station, provide directions for getting to their location and share additional safety information with Guests.”

MORE: Carnival Venezia 2023 Voyages Released, Includes a Sailing With 9 Sea Days

When cruise lines resumed sailings following the cruise industry shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coast Guard allowed them to implement a muster drill process that was mostly digital. In most cases, passengers would watch a video detailing where life jackets were, how to put them on, and where to find the map to each muster station. The only physical part of the drill was when guests had to check into their muster station within a certain timeframe so they knew where it was. This was designed to streamline the process and prevent large crowds from forming at each station.

As of right now, cruise companies have been allowed to keep their e-muster procedures and most have with positive passenger feedback. Disney Cruise Line, however, is going back to in-person muster drills to ensure that every guest participates fully and knows exactly what they should do in case of an emergency.

It’s unknown whether the Coast Guard will eventually require all U.S.-based cruise lines to go back to this form of safety drill.

READ NEXT: Castaway Cay: 10 Fun Facts About Disney Cruise Line’s Private Island

Recent Posts

Carnival cracks down on unsanctioned poolside gambling during cruise, gastro outbreak hits luxury cruise ship, four msc ships will cruise from north america next summer, cruise line adds “glacier day” to its alaskan cruise itineraries, share this post, related posts.

Next Norwegian Ship Will Sail with New Restaurants

Third Disney Cruise Staffer Arrested for Possession of Underage Images

Bringing you 15 years of cruise industry experience. Cruise Radio prioritizes well-balanced cruise news coverage and accurate reporting, paired with ship reviews and tips.   

Quick links

Cruise Radio, LLC © Copyright 2009-2024 | Website Designed By   Insider Perks, Inc

Type your email…

Muster Drill Breakdown: Ensuring Cruise Safety for All Passengers

A muster drill is an important part of any cruise, ensuring the safety of all passengers and crew members in the event of an emergency. These safety drills are a mandatory event for every cruise ship on the sea, so you will likely be familiar with them if you are a veteran cruiser. But if you are a first time cruiser, rest assured that these are a simple and standard part of every voyage, and not something to be intimidated by. If you are wondering what to expect and what will be expected of you during a muster drill, then read on as we break down the ins and outs of these important cruise safety events.

Safety First With a Muster Drill

A muster drill is a mandatory safety drill that is done at the start of a cruise, and is an important part of ensuring passenger safety during an emergency. During one of these drills, passengers will be familiarized with the onboard emergency procedures and evacuation routes of the ship, so that they can be prepared if something goes wrong. While emergency situations on cruise ships are rare, the last thing you want is for large groups of passengers to be panicked and unsure of what to do during an emergency, so it is important that everyone participates to ensure cruise safety.

What to Expect During Your Muster Drill

You can usually expect muster drills to be held shortly after embarkation, but before the ship sets sail. Cruise ships are not allowed to depart until the drill is complete and it is mandatory for all passengers to participate. Passengers gather at designated muster stations, which will be indicated either on their key card or on a map of the ship. Once there, crew members leading the drill will demonstrate how to properly wear a life jacket, instruct on where to locate lifeboats, and point out the evacuation routes. That way, every passenger on the ship will be ready for a smooth and safe evacuation if the need arises.

Duration and Format

While every cruise ship is required to complete a cruise safety drill, the duration and format varies from cruise line to cruise line, typically lasting around 30 minutes. Passengers are required to listen to safety announcements and follow whatever instructions the crew members give during the drill.  While muster drills are traditionally held by crew members, some cruise lines have started using innovative technology like electronic muster stations so that passengers can complete them on their own time, instead of having a designated time and place. You will be instructed during embarkation on how your cruise will be handling its drills.

Importance of Participation

While it may not seem like you need to worry about these safety protocols, especially if you are not a first-time cruiser, it is still both mandatory and necessary for all passengers to participate in a muster drill. That is because reminders of safety protocols and details about the ship you are boarding will help ensure not only your safety, but the safety of all on board. If people are unprepared during an emergency, that can contribute to increased panic and cause people to need additional assistance in getting where they need to go, which can endanger other passengers on board as well. Taking cruise safety seriously is important to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Tips for a Smooth Muster Drill Experience

To make sure you have a smooth experience, you will want to arrive promptly at your designated muster station, so as to avoid delaying the drill for yourself and others. Make sure you pay close attention to the cruise safety instructions and ask questions if you have any concerns. The most important information to take note of is the location of emergency exits and life jackets, so that you can quickly access them if you need to. If you are in an emergency situation, remain calm and remember what you learned during the muster drill to make sure you and your traveling companions get out safely!

To book your own cruise vacation today, visit Cruises.com for the largest selection of cruise line deals — we can help you book the smart way! We give you our exclusive bonus offers and all qualifying cruise line offers , plus all of the cruise line loyalty program benefits . Book online at Cruises.com or call 800-288-6006 today.

Related: Which Cruise Line Is Right For Me?

Share this:

cruises.com

This is likely the real reason some cruise lines are returning to in-person muster drills — and it has nothing to do with safety

Is the way many cruise lines handle safety drills at the start of sailings unsafe?

One of the world's biggest cruise operators, Norwegian Cruise Line , suggested as much last week when it changed the way it handled safety briefings on ships.

In a short and somewhat vaguely worded statement, the line cited "the safety of our guests and crew" as the impetus for an abrupt return to mandatory in-person safety drills, known as muster drills, for passengers at the start of sailings.

The in-person drills will take the place of "e-muster" drills that involve passengers reviewing safety information electronically on their smartphones or on cabin televisions on embarkation day.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Still, if there is a safety issue with e-mustering, it's not something that most other lines are seeing, nor is the U.S. Coast Guard, which reviews safety plans for cruise ships.

Over the past four 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.

The world's two biggest cruise brands, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line , have both said in recent days that they would continue offering e-muster safety briefings on ships, suggesting that it was an innovation of recent years that enhanced passenger safety.

In a statement sent to TPG, Carnival hinted at what could be the real reason that Norwegian is doing away with e-mustering on ships: It requires more staffing to do.

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 sees the e-muster process as, if anything, safer than the old style of in-person mustering.

"Our implementation [of e-mustering] has also received very positive feedback from the U.S. Coast Guard and other safety experts, as well as generated positive comments for effectiveness from our guests during our post-cruise survey results," Carnival added in its statement to TPG. "We will continue to utilize our e-mustering process while always looking for ways to improve its effectiveness."

In a statement to TPG, Royal Caribbean Group also suggested e-mustering was a better way of doing safety briefings on ships than in-person muster drills.

"Royal Caribbean Group created and implemented the Muster 2.0 experience to improve safety onboard, and enhance the overall guest experience," the company said in the statement. "Royal Caribbean Group and its brands have no plans to change its Muster 2.0 experience, which has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from guests worldwide."

Royal Caribbean Group is the parent company of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises . It also owns a partial interest in Germany's TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

Related: The 8 types of Norwegian Cruise Line ships, explained

Norwegian did not mention staffing issues or cost-cutting in its statement. However, the line's move away from e-mustering comes as it is cutting costs in several other onboard areas by reducing passenger service and amenities.

In recent weeks, Norwegian announced that room stewards on its ships would no longer tidy up cabins twice a day, cutting the servicing of rooms fleetwide to just once per day. It brings to an end an elevated level of service that has been a hallmark of the line for decades.

The line has also recently cut entertainment offerings on ships, closing big-name production shows on vessels, such as "Kinky Boots," that were hallmarks of the brand.

The cutbacks have come even as Norwegian has sharply hiked fees for onboard service as well as other onboard fees. The line pushed through an unprecedented 25% hike in service fees for passengers in most cabins on Jan. 1.

The brand also recently increased the cost of its Unlimited Open Bar Beverage Package by about 10%, to $109. The cost of a higher-end drinks package shot up to $138 — the highest level for a drinks package in the cruise business.

The cutbacks to service and hikes to fees are occurring as Norwegian's parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, is trying to restore its balance sheet after three years of massive losses. The company also recently laid off about 9% of its shoreside staff.

Other than its short statement on the topic, Norwegian would not comment to TPG about its elimination of e-mustering on ships.

Related: Why we love Norwegian Cruise Line's new Norwegian Prima

"The safety of our guests and crew members is our number one priority," was the specific wording of Norwegian's statement. "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."

A spokesperson for Norwegian told TPG the line had nothing to add on the topic at this time.

In addition to Norwegian Cruise Line, two sister brands owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings — Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — also have returned to in-person muster drills.

One other major line, Disney Cruise Line, also switched back to in-person muster drills in November, citing safety.

"We regularly review our processes and made the decision to return to in-person assembly drills in November to ensure all crew members and guests are fully aware of our safety procedures in the event of an emergency," the line said in a statement sent to TPG.

Royal Caribbean Group was the first cruise company to implement an e-mustering system on ships, after developing the technology over the past decade. The new system has won widespread praise from cruise passengers and industry watchers, including an innovation award from TPG .

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• The 15 best cruise ships for people who never want to grow up
• What to pack for your first cruise