Cruise holidays hosted by Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises are set to feature guest muster drills on the day of departure.


The move was introduced by parent company Prestige Cruise Holdings in the wake of the recent tragic events off the coast of Italy.


Under current rules, all crewmembers aboard Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises undergo muster drills on the same day of departure.


However, as Prestige Cruise holdings executive vice president of vessel operations Robin Lindsay explained, this is now set to change.


“The drill is held the following morning, primarily to accommodate late-arriving guests,” he said.


“However, in light of the recent tragic event, Oceania and Regent have adopted a new policy that requires all muster drills to take place on day of departure.”


Prestige Cruise Holdings' ships currently adhere to all International Maritime Organization (IM0) and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) conventions, which include comprehensive rules on safety equipment and procedures.


What do you make of these changes? Is this the right approach?