Cruise: The one thing cruise holidaymakers absolutely have to do attend the muster drill (Image: Getty Images) Cruise ship holidays are a time for passengers to let their hair down in many ways. But there are still rules that need to be obeyed - especially when it comes to health and safety. Former cruise ship worker Joshua Kinser revealed what everyone has to do at the start of cruises. However, he warns in his book, Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Member, passengers often “hate” it. Related articles Royal Caribbean cruise: How much luggage is allowed? Cruise ship officer reveals codeword for crew and passengers dating Cruise ship worker reveals what you MUST do on a cruise holiday - even though you’ll hate it The one thing cruise holidaymakers absolutely have to do, no matter which cruise line they’re with, is attend the muster drill. No matter how dull you might find it, or how many you have been to on previous cruises, this drill is compulsory. “It’s no secret that passengers have a special hate/hate relationship with the emergency boat drills that take place at the beginning of each cruise,” said Kinser. “For most passengers, it only takes one boat drill to become instantly aware that they are something you absolutely dislike.” Kinser continued: “I fully understand the desire to throw the boat drill over the rails. “Nothing says care-free holiday like starting it off donning your life jacket so you can listen to an officer tell you what to do if an iceberg slices the hull of the ship wide open like a can opener or how to jump overboard it the cruise liner runs aground and become the world's largest artificial reef off the coast of Italy.” Cruise: “Passengers at boat drills are notorious for being insubordinate nonconformists" (Image: Getty Images) However, Kinser urges passengers to have some sympathy for the cruise crew carrying out the muster drills. “Passengers at boat drills are notorious for being insubordinate nonconformists who refuse to get in or stay in line,” he wrote. “I quickly grew to understand that most people who are on a vacation have the same motto of: ‘I’m on a cruise. Don’t tell me what to do.’ “This often made ship life and for the lowly crew member who was just trying to do their stupid job at the boat drill and then move on with their life.” Fortunately, crew do grow a thick skin. “As a crew member you, over time, develop a high threshold for stress,” said Kinser. Related articles Cruises: Never be caught out by doing this on a cruise ship holiday How much luggage are you allowed on a P&O cruise ship holiday? Cruise: “In all seriousness, these emergency boat drills could save your life" (Image: Getty Images) “I became rather desensitised to the triggers of buttheads, rebels and drunken rabble-rousers.” However, the Kinser also warned passengers of the importance of these drills. “In all seriousness, these emergency boat drills could save your life,” he said. Shirking the muster drill could result in serious trouble for cruise passengers. In 2012 Seabourn Cruise Line kicked an elderly couple off the ship when they failed to show up at the drill. In a statement, Seabourn confirmed that the pair were debarked after the wife refused to attend the mandatory passenger emergency drill "despite multiple explicit warnings and personal communication by ship's officers."All rights reserved for this news site express.co.uk and under his responsibility