My 1st cruise and this seriously had to happen???

[AlanFromFL]

If you do not have a room safe, then it is obvious one should ever leave anything of value behind when departing the room as room stewards, housekeeping, and god knows who can get in your room. It is just common sense.

 

OK, I'll reword my comment...

 

"what if that drunk had stumbled into their room when they were away and decided to relieve himself in your bed"?

 

It doesn't have to be anything of intrinsic value, it could be your toothbrush, for cryin' out loud...but the sheer fact that anyone could have entered the OP's stateroom at any time, that's most certainly a problem!

[Aquahound]

And how was this not RCI's fault? If they conducted the proper maintenance, as they say they do, this would not have happened. And to some of you, this may be a laughing matter, but God forbid it was you, with your children in the room! Not so funny, is it?

 

You have to read things in perspective. Perspective is exactly what many folks are putting this in to. You were the recipient of an unfortunate and unlikely set of circumstances. Not only did the batteries on your particular door die, but some drunk picked your particular door to enter.

 

I don't blame you for being surprised and upset at the circumstances, but it's tough to put so much blame on the cruise ship when batteries die so infrequently and suddenly.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

I have a stupid technical question. If the battery was dead, how does that make any SeaPass card work? :confused:

 

Is it that the door didn't lock at all? Otherwise, wouldn't it still take a power source to recognize a card (any card), then release the lock?

 

 

I thought the same thing. Hotels uses the same system of key cards with a battery operated lock. If the battery was dead, the door can not be unlocked. This happened at the hotel I was MOD (manager on duty) for, it was the weekend and had to call chief engineer in for the repair.

 

Also why wasn't your dead bolt used??? :confused: :eek:

 

***

[rolloman]

OK, I'll reword my comment...

 

"what if that drunk had stumbled into their room when they were away and decided to relieve himself in your bed"?

 

It doesn't have to be anything of intrinsic value, it could be your toothbrush, for cryin' out loud...but the sheer fact that anyone could have entered the OP's stateroom at any time, that's most certainly a problem!

 

And you are missing the point that several people YOU do not know are entering your room on a regular basis often during a cruise. Why is that so hard to understand? If you do not have a safe, do not leave valuables in your cabin. When you retire at night, use the deadbolt. If anything from this, maybe it is a reminder that everyone should check their door out to make sure it is working properly. Please don't get into hypotheticals like someone relieving themselves in your bed, in the unlikely event this happend you could just call housekeeping and have them change your bedding. Just make sure when you go to the deck party later that night to watch out for falling asteroids which could strike you down.

[AlanFromFL]

I thought the same thing. Hotels uses the same system of key cards with a battery operated lock. If the battery was dead, the door can not be unlocked. This happened at the hotel I was MOD (manager on duty) for, it was the weekend and had to call chief engineer in for the repair.

 

Also why wasn't your dead bolt used??? :confused: :eek:

 

***

 

It would appear that the default setting for this card-key lock thing is to be UNLOCKED whenever the battery is dead. Therefore, I suspect that anyone could have opened the door by simply moving the handle, no card key required (it just APPEARED that the drunk's card key worked). Again, this is most certainly an unacceptable situation. :eek:

[MIcruiser99]

Your husband was still able to enter after you turned the bottom latch?? Now THAT is scarey!! And definately more than a battery issue..you should not be able to unlock the door from the outside when that dead bolt is engaged...

 

And as far as worrying about my "things' being stolen...I am more concerned about my personal safety than I am about anything I might carry on a cruise...things can be replaced.."I" can't..

 

 

Maybe the older ships have different locks? Most newer ships and hotel rooms allow you to use the deadbolt and no one can enter when locked. Something doesn't sound right with the whole lock system on that cabin.

 

I am sorry that the OP had such a fright, I would have been awake the rest of the night after that!

[rolloman]

Maybe the older ships have different locks? Most newer ships and hotel rooms allow you to use the deadbolt and no one can enter when locked.

 

Yet another reason to never sail the two biggest hunks of bolts in the RCCL Fleet. Majesty and Monarch. Should not be too much longer before they are no longer an option.

[critterchick]

I'm getting old lol because I remember being on the older ships when you had no safe and we lined up at pursers desk to drop off valuables to be put in boxes in back of pursers desk. Reading the above post reminded me. It was back in the late 80s

 

Monarch still has those boxes, since only the cabins on Decks 9 and 10 have safes in them.

 

 

Maybe the older ships have different locks? Most newer ships and hotel rooms allow you to use the deadbolt and no one can enter when locked. Something doesn't sound right with the whole lock system on that cabin.

 

I am sorry that the OP had such a fright, I would have been awake the rest of the night after that!

 

The locks on Monarch were changed around 2004 or 2005 as I recall. The first time we cruised her in 2004 we had to use a conventiional key - our Seapasses were only good for charging, not opening the doors. So she has the current generation of locks.

 

OP, I would have been upset as well, and I don't fault you for not using the deadbolt or putting a chair under the door handle. But I also don't think, since the only real harm was a terrible fright (assuming you pr DH don't have a heart condition), that any compensation was in order. Although I would have taken the $50 if offered.:o

[kellbellscruise]

Did you notify your room steward and he just blew you off or something? What is "just" compensation in your book?

[gadaboutgal]

Thank you for sharing your story. I will be cautious of checking our door lock in the future. How really freaky, that of all the rooms the drunk might have accidentally stumbled in to-it was yours with the unworking lock! You would wish such odds would work for you when buying a lottery ticket!

[kc320]

It would appear that the default setting for this card-key lock thing is to be UNLOCKED whenever the battery is dead. Therefore, I suspect that anyone could have opened the door by simply moving the handle, no card key required (it just APPEARED that the drunk's card key worked). Again, this is most certainly an unacceptable situation. :eek:

 

That sounds like the most likely scenario...

 

 

 

Yet another reason to never sail the two biggest hunks of bolts in the RCCL Fleet. Majesty and Monarch. Should not be too much longer before they are no longer an option.

 

Majesty has deadbolts on the doors...at least the JS I was in the end of April did..

[RetireeWannabee]

I agree.

 

What happened to you, Liz, was unfortunate, but it truly could have been prevented by your use of the deadbolt/extra lock.

 

I don't know about anyone else, but I *always* lock the door before going to bed.

 

$50 is pretty nice compensation!

 

Ditto.

 

not sure what comp OP thought should be forthcoming ? :confused: maybe getting to select which drunk gentleman came in the next night?

[pam_1024]

You should have known this could have happened. I'm sure if you get into the fine details of your agreement to which you agreed when you went on the cruise, things like this are not the responsiblity of the cruise line. Which is why you should have known to bring a bungie cord, and secure your door before retiring. ;)

 

Or...

 

Being the engineer that I am, I'd just write that off as something that will almost certainly never happen again.

 

Like getting struck by lightening. or

Like winning the lottery. or

Having no one in the audience bring a bag of cheating props to The Quest. or

Having no line at the customer service desk.

 

Just chuckle, and move on :)

 

You should have known this could have happened???? Really???? I must say, I've never actually thought when i go to sleep in my cabin..."hmmm....wonder if a drunk will come wondering into my room when my son and I are sleeping tonight?" It's always so easy for people who have never had something like that happen to blame the person. Gotta love those RC cheerleaders! Never cease to amaze me. :rolleyes:

[Sandy Sails]

You should have known this could have happened???? Really???? I must say, I've never actually thought when i go to sleep in my cabin..."hmmm....wonder if a drunk will come wondering into my room when my son and I are sleeping tonight?" It's always so easy for people who have never had something like that happen to blame the person. Gotta love those RC cheerleaders! Never cease to amaze me. :rolleyes:

 

He was just kidding...

[Chief Cruiser]

Why are people blaming the victim? You should be ashamed of yourselves.:mad:

 

I hope you're never the victim of a crime and the judge throws the case out because it was all your fault you got robbed, raped, beaten up, had your identity stolen, etc.

 

Cabin doors locking is the responsibility of the cruise line. I suppose if the OP had been killed by this person it would have still been her fault :rolleyes:

 

Ok...can we compromise and say both had a little fault in this? The IMPORTANT things are:

 

1. No one got hurt and for that we all can be grateful.

2. There is a deadbolt on all cruise ship doors and I'll bet from now on that will be the first thing they find and do when entering their cabin on their next cruise. Chances of a repeat occurence of Otis strolling in to lock himself up are now slim and none.

3. We ALL learned a little something here that we can take with us on our next cruise!

4. At least they got something out of the situaiton. $50 SBC is fair....at least to me.

 

Live, learn, and cruise I say! :)

[andrzej5914]

During my extensive travels for business all over the world, staying in mid-range and higher hotels for about 1/2 of every year for 10 years stright, I have never encountered a door that did not have a dead bolt or at the very least, a chain lock. Once I retired into the room for the night I always made sure I used the back up. The dead bolt or chain lock has nothing to do with dead battery or whatever. It's manual.

 

Somebody said, "yeah, but what if this happened during the day and they were not in?" Well, it didn't, but if you are worried about it, do what I always do. When I leave a hotel room, I make sure the door is locked by trying the handle/door knob. Simple really.

[happy cruzer]

During my extensive travels for business all over the world, staying in mid-range and higher hotels for about 1/2 of every year for 10 years stright, I have never encountered a door that did not have a dead bolt or at the very least, a chain lock. Once I retired into the room for the night I always made sure I used the back up and the dead bolt or chain lock has nothing to do with dead battery or whatever. It's manual.

 

Somebody said, "yeah, but what if this happened during the day and they were not in?" Well, it didn't, but if you are worried about it, do what I always do. When I leave a hotel room, I make sure the door is locked by trying the handle/door knob. Simple really.

 

Exactly what alot of us do! Thanks for explaining it.

[Ocean Boy]

Okay, my 2 cents.

 

While I feel for the OP and i'm glad you were not physically harmed, I have to agree with all posters regarding using the deadbolt on the door then no one would have been able to enter.

 

We always turn the deadbolt and also use the bar (think chain found on some doors at home) that is also on the door.

 

Ok, here is my 2 cents. Why bother locking your door when you leave your cabin? Maybe everyone should just leave their cabins unlocked and everyone on the ship can have a free for all helping themselves to whatever they want from any cabin that they choose.

 

Great, with the dead bolt you can secure your cabin while you are in it. I spend far more time out of my cabin with all of my "stuff" left in it.:rolleyes:

[Ocean Boy]

Yet another reason to never sail the two biggest hunks of bolts in the RCCL Fleet. Majesty and Monarch. Should not be too much longer before they are no longer an option.

 

I have to agree with you on this point!:D

[Ocean Boy]

During my extensive travels for business all over the world, staying in mid-range and higher hotels for about 1/2 of every year for 10 years stright, I have never encountered a door that did not have a dead bolt or at the very least, a chain lock. Once I retired into the room for the night I always made sure I used the back up. The dead bolt or chain lock has nothing to do with dead battery or whatever. It's manual.

 

Somebody said, "yeah, but what if this happened during the day and they were not in?" Well, it didn't, but if you are worried about it, do what I always do. When I leave a hotel room, I make sure the door is locked by trying the handle/door knob. Simple really.

 

What is so simple? Just because the door is locked when you leave doesn't mean the battery won't die while you are out and your room suddenly becomes available to everyone. You find this to be ok? I don't. Simple really.

[Paul65]

Wow. That would have been quite the surprise to have someone stumble into your room in the middle of the night.

 

I'm not quite as needy about "getting something" to make up for the things that happen in life, though. I would have been satisfied with an apology and a quick response in fixing the malfunctioning lock. A $50 credit would have just been a bonus.

[andrzej5914]

What is so simple? Just because the door is locked when you leave doesn't mean the battery won't die while you are out and your room suddenly becomes available to everyone. You find this to be ok? I don't. Simple really.

 

if the door is locked when you leave and the battery goes dead, it will stay locked. It will not magically unlock.

[Scotty G]

I wonder if all the ships have the deadbolts on the door as a backup? I know I always use them but I have also never really sailed an OLDER ship...I can understand that it CAN happen but it never should...

I can assure you that the Monarch (one of the two oldest ships) has the hotel style locking mechanism that you turn to set the lock internally. This does keep one from entering as when I return late at night my wife has to undo it to let me into the cabin. This is not a back up but the primary way of keeping unwanted visitors out unless there is an emergency. I have never heard of the battery issue with these locks.

Question for the OP. Were the lights on the outside working that indicate that the doors is locked; and, then open? I am assuming a dead battery would eliminate the lights. This is something the cabin steward should be trained to look out for.

[jbond]

When I leave a hotel room, I make sure the door is locked by trying the handle/door knob. Simple really.

According to the OP, you still had to use a seapass card to open the door, but any seapass would work. So your solution is not quite so simple.

[BlueSkySailing]

Why is this NOT rccl fault. Their daedbolt did not work. They failed to maintain their equipment. I should not have to use a chain, push a chair up against the door to keep any one with a seapass out of the room. The hotel/cruise ship lock just don't go bad. I work in Apartment Maintenance with deadbolts like these and the batteries just don't die. They take about a month before the default kicks in and it will let you open it up. It will not go completely die because you have to get inside the door to change the batteries. Kicking in doors are fun but a pain to fix :o So yes if rccl were doing their jobs this would never happen. We now know what to look for. But it's not the OP's fault at all. But as always what do I know right :o