In an email sent to travel agents this week, Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed the return of virtual muster drills.

“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 company said.

After switching to the virtual e-muster drills during the pandemic, the company had recently returned to the more traditional in-person drill procedures.

“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,” Norwegian Cruise Line added.

The change is expected to be carried out in a phased way, with effective dates for specific ships being released throughout the month of April.

As new health and safety protocols debuted, several cruise lines moved to more modern muster drill procedures following the COVID-19 pandemic operational pause.

As Cruise Industry News reported in 2021, brands like Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line introduced new methods of informing the passengers about the onboard safety procedures.

Royal Caribbean, for instance, launched the new Muster 2.0 program, which is said to transform the process originally designed for large groups of people into a faster, more personal approach that encourages higher levels of safety.

With the new method, guests use their stateroom TVs or a smartphone to review safety information individually before visiting their assigned assembly stations.

Carnival, on the other hand, turned the safety drill into a two-part process that starts with a visit to the guests’ assigned muster station.

After following instructions available on the company’s HUB cell phone app, the passengers are asked to watch a safety video on their cabin TVs, effectively completing the process.