Depending on the cruise line, this means the crew will carry out weekly or monthly inspections, as part of a drill. This ongoing testing and training ensures the ship carries safe lifeboats, which, in the event of an emergency, can be handled by fully qualified crew.

Cruise ships follow extremely strict international safety regulations under the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) convention. In 2026, cruise ships are required to perform a "fire and abandon ship" drill for the crew every month. During these drills, lifeboats are lowered to the embarkation deck and, in many cases, into the water to ensure all mechanical launching systems and engines are fully operational. Furthermore, every single lifeboat on a ship must be launched into the water and maneuvered by a trained crew at least once every three months. For passengers, a mandatory safety briefing (the "Muster Drill") occurs before every single departure. While passengers no longer have to physically stand by the lifeboats in many modern "e-muster" systems, the crew's behind-the-scenes testing is relentless. These tests are meticulously logged and subject to random audits by the Coast Guard and international maritime authorities to ensure that, in the highly unlikely event of an emergency, every piece of life-saving equipment will function perfectly.