What's the purpose of the deadbolt?

[izmeeh]

I read a few threads about using the deadbolt if you don't want the steward to enter your room unannounced. Well, I always use the deadbolt: at home, at hotel, and on a cruise. It wasn't even 8 AM on sea day. The steward knocked on the door. Didn't want to get out of bed, I figured they were just wanting to clean the room and I said (loudly) "come back later." He proceeded to unlock the door, said something about just checking, and closed the door. I thought that was odd. Checking for what?

 

Is there an easy solution to secure your door from the inside? The chair?

[JLC@SD]

Probably checking to see if you were still in the room.

 

how about the "Do Not Disturb" sign and the dead bolt.

[golfadj]

8 am on a sea day is too early to be knocking let alone opening cabin door.

 

Early riser but would not be amused at this.

[Frank12]

8 am on a sea day is too early to be knocking let alone opening cabin door.

 

Early riser but would not be amused at this.

Me neither!

[YB Nrml]

I've heard that if you've had your Do Not Disturb sign posted for a few days and/or the steward hasn't been able to get in and clean then someone (security?) comes to check on the passenger for safety purposes.

[Frank12]

I've heard that if you've had your Do Not Disturb sign posted for a few days and/or the steward hasn't been able to get in and clean then someone (security?) comes to check on the passenger for safety purposes.

 

This person said "come back later". No reason for the steward to open that door!

[TITISSA]

I don't think the dead bolt works at all. When my kids are across the hall from us and they dead bolt the door at night, I'm always able to open the door to their cabin in the morning without any problem...

[sparks1093]

On my previous cruise on another line I was able to use my own card to open the door with the dead bolt engaged. Regardless it's a little too early to be checking at 8 a.m. (DW would be asleep and I'd be having my 3rd cup of coffee topside).

[golfadj]

This person said "come back later". No reason for the steward to open that door!

 

I have never complained to a superior of the steward but for this I would.

[BigDfromTN]

Best use I have found for the dead bolt is...

 

To flip it when the door is open and you are going to be in the hall or right next door but do not want to leave your door standing open. Flip the dead bolt and it will not latch shut and stay ajar.;)

[happy cruzin]

8 am on a sea day is too early to be knocking let alone opening cabin door.

 

Early riser but would not be amused at this.

 

Agreed!

[sunshine252]

I pack one of those .99 plastic door wedges for this reason. I've never needed it b/c "that other line" we've sailed on always had one behind the door for the steward to prop them open as needed. I'll surely be packing it on our upcoming cruise now though! We're usually up & gone with the sun but the one day I sleep in would be the day something like this would happen. LOL

[sparks1093]

Best use I have found for the dead bolt is...

 

To flip it when the door is open and you are going to be in the hall or right next door but do not want to leave your door standing open. Flip the dead bolt and it will not latch shut and stay ajar.;)

 

Excellent idea.

 

I pack one of those .99 plastic door wedges for this reason. I've never needed it b/c "that other line" we've sailed on always had one behind the door for the steward to prop them open as needed. I'll surely be packing it on our upcoming cruise now though! We're usually up & gone with the sun but the one day I sleep in would be the day something like this would happen. LOL

 

It wouldn't solve the knocking on the door issue, which would probably greatly increase if they couldn't open the door.

[sarahleebones]

Best use I have found for the dead bolt is...

 

To flip it when the door is open and you are going to be in the hall or right next door but do not want to leave your door standing open. Flip the dead bolt and it will not latch shut and stay ajar.;)

 

Exactly what I use it for too!

[YB Nrml]

This person said "come back later". No reason for the steward to open that door!

 

Except that crimes do happen on cruise ships. Security will check to see if cabin occupants are ok if they haven't been seen by the steward for a few days or the steward's not been able to get in and clean.

[waldocruiser1]

He/she was just checking to see if you were still;

 

Sleeping

showering

naked

having ***

left any valuables out on the table

 

Give me some time and I might think of more reasons,

 

Because you really over slept and it was 8 at night, or you had your watch on upside down and it was 10 am instead of 830

 

Just stick the door stop up to the crack of the door and it wont open without force.

 

We usually leave one of the closet doors (one closest to the door) open to block the light from under the door, also serves as a last line of defense if they open the door, they hit each other.

[cuyahoga11]

I use the snoozin/cruizin door hanger and have never been disturbed by a knock or someone entering my cabin.

[maldenmusic]

I use the snoozin sign every night just in case. Also, once my adult-daughter got sick-so sunburned it made her sick-I just told my room steward not to bother cleaning that evening and the next day and they didn't.

[izmeeh]

Except that crimes do happen on cruise ships. Security will check to see if cabin occupants are ok if they haven't been seen by the steward for a few days or the steward's not been able to get in and clean.

 

Thanks for the replies, all. I know I read a lot online so I don't want to be all paranoid about things like this.

 

I understand the security issue. However, there shouldn't be any with us. This was a 4 day cruise. They made the bed twice a day. There wasn't anything on the Fun Times that we wanted to do before 10 AM so we decided to sleep in a little.

 

Regarding the "Do Not Disturb" sign, I didn't think to put it out since I didn't know they would come by that early. On the other days, they didn't show up even after we finished our breakfast.

 

I'll be back on the same ship in April. I know to bring a door wedge and keep that closet door open.

[Essiesmom]

I asked my steward (on Celebrity) if he could open the door if the deadlock was on. He said his passkey would not open it, but that the keys of other occupants of the cabin would. I asked about the keyed lock below the card operated lock, and he said his supervisor had a key that would open the cabin using that lock. Also that the locks are battery operated. EM

[firefly333]

Probably checking to see if you were still in the room.

 

how about the "Do Not Disturb" sign and the dead bolt.

 

I put out the do not disturb on my princess cruise, while I ran to grab some coffee and was going to come back and clean out the safe on debarkation day.

 

I was surprised to see the cabin steward making up the pushed together beds. I asked, did you see the do not disturb, thinking he would say no ..he said YES.. what?? I thought to myself .. who do you think the sign is for?

 

He went back to making the bed, and I had to ask him to leave. I wrote princess about this incident, and they offered me $100 for a future cruise, which I never used.

 

It was a new cabin steward in his first contract. He also told me "well I need the extra time is why I came in".

 

I have had a incident on each cruiseline so far with a bad cabin steward, one per line!!! so cant blame any one cruiseline.

[golfadj]

I put out the do not disturb on my princess cruise, while I ran to grab some coffee and was going to come back and clean out the safe on debarkation day.

 

I was surprised to see the cabin steward making up the pushed together beds. I asked, did you see the do not disturb, thinking he would say no ..he said YES.. what?? I thought to myself .. who do you think the sign is for?

 

He went back to making the bed, and I had to ask him to leave. I wrote princess about this incident, and they offered me $100 for a future cruise, which I never used.

 

It was a new cabin steward in his first contract. He also told me "well I need the extra time is why I came in".

 

I have had a incident on each cruiseline so far with a bad cabin steward, one per line!!! so cant blame any one cruiseline.

 

Would think they would cover this in the first week of training. Totally unacceptable.

[GWoman8920]

I manage a hotel. After 3 days we enter your room whether you want us to or not. This has to do with safety and security. I have no idea what the cruise industry does, but after 3 days you will let me in. Obviously I don't just walk in regardless of what the guest tells me. But I do explain to them that we must inspect the room and check the occupants. We don't have to clean. Just check and then we are on our merry way.

[izmeeh]

@ Firefly333 -- There were 2 stewards cleaning my room when I came back from breakfast on debarkation day. I didn't have the sign out and didn't think much about it since they did tell us to clear the room by 9 AM. It was 9:05 AM when we came back to the room. They apologized saying that the room was to be cleaned earlier than the other rooms for a VIP member.

 

@ GWoman8920 -- I'm guessing that is if you don't see them for 3 days? On this cruise, the steward(s) came in my room at least 5 times before this incident.

[robin13]

I was on The Magic last October and my DH went back to the cabin early while I stayed in the casino. When I went back to our cabin (at 1am) I put my card in the slot and all I received was a red flashing light. I tried several other times but still the red light. I then started knocking on the door but my DH did not respond. I even went to a phone and tried to call him but no response. I then had to go to security and tell them that I was locked out of my room. They sent someone up who had a key to get in and when the guy opened the door there was my DH sound asleep. The security guard said that he had to go in the room with me to make sure that everything was all right. Of course he could hear my DH snoring so he knew that he was still alive. I come to find out that DH took an Ambien and didn't realize that he had turned the deadbolt. I still to this day think that he knew that he turned the deadbolt and was mad at me for staying in the casino!