Locked Out of our Cabin-keypad battery died

[cruiser1956]

Our cruise on the Mariner February 17th was a lot of fun. We experienced several things we had never experienced before. Some good, some, well, not so good. But, I have never been locked out of my own cabin.

 

It was a beautiful morning, like many cruise mornings for us. We sleep in later than normal. Head up to the Windjammer for breakfast, then right back to the cabin to plan the rest of the day. Get to the cabin, and my key does not work. Check hubby's. Nope, his does not work either. Funny how many times you can swipe your card before you realize it really is NOT going to work. We looked at each other for about 3 minutes, then it was off to find the cabin steward. He was in the cabin 3 doors down. He tried his key, nope, it did not work. He tried his fancy key, again, no luck. He radio'd the maintenance department. We waited. And waited. And Waited. 20 minutes of staring at our cabin door, and no maintenance person. Do you know how many people walk back and forth in the hallway in 20 minutes? Everyone smiled, said good morning, then wondered why we were locked out of our cabin. The cabin steward radio'd his supervisor. He said he wanted someone to come right away, we had waited now 30 minutes in front of our door for someone to open it. The supervisor came, tried his key, nope, it did not work. Finally the supervisor called Maintenance. Maintenance came, they tried their fancy key. No luck. They took the key pad apart, no luck. They could not fix the lock unless they could get in the cabin. Our cabin steward asked us if our balcony door was locked. I guess they were going to go from balcony to balcony to let us in. Our balcony door was locked, we are good little cruisers and follow the rules. Then the cabin steward remembered we had adjoining cabins. He went into the next cabin, went through the adjoining door, and unlocked our cabin from the inside. Maintenance was able to fix the lock in quick order after that. The entire repair took an hour.

I wonder, had we not had adjoining cabins, how would they have opened the door? I am just so happy this happened after breakfast, and not after dinner, dancing, and drinks!

Anyway, just one more adventure in cruising.

[bradpole]

Our cruise on the Mariner February 17th was a lot of fun. We experienced several things we had never experienced before. Some good, some, well, not so good. But, I have never been locked out of my own cabin.

 

It was a beautiful morning, like many cruise mornings for us. We sleep in later than normal. Head up to the Windjammer for breakfast, then right back to the cabin to plan the rest of the day. Get to the cabin, and my key does not work. Check hubby's. Nope, his does not work either. Funny how many times you can swipe your card before you realize it really is NOT going to work. We looked at each other for about 3 minutes, then it was off to find the cabin steward. He was in the cabin 3 doors down. He tried his key, nope, it did not work. He tried his fancy key, again, no luck. He radio'd the maintenance department. We waited. And waited. And Waited. 20 minutes of staring at our cabin door, and no maintenance person. Do you know how many people walk back and forth in the hallway in 20 minutes? Everyone smiled, said good morning, then wondered why we were locked out of our cabin. The cabin steward radio'd his supervisor. He said he wanted someone to come right away, we had waited now 30 minutes in front of our door for someone to open it. The supervisor came, tried his key, nope, it did not work. Finally the supervisor called Maintenance. Maintenance came, they tried their fancy key. No luck. They took the key pad apart, no luck. They could not fix the lock unless they could get in the cabin. Our cabin steward asked us if our balcony door was locked. I guess they were going to go from balcony to balcony to let us in. Our balcony door was locked, we are good little cruisers and follow the rules. Then the cabin steward remembered we had adjoining cabins. He went into the next cabin, went through the adjoining door, and unlocked our cabin from the inside. Maintenance was able to fix the lock in quick order after that. The entire repair took an hour.

I wonder, had we not had adjoining cabins, how would they have opened the door? I am just so happy this happened after breakfast, and not after dinner, dancing, and drinks!

Anyway, just one more adventure in cruising.

 

When you say the crew used their keys, did they only try the electronic card keys? Or did they have physical metal keys?

 

I am no expert on this subject, but from reading Captain Albert's blog (a Holland America Line captain) there is one or two physical metal keys on the ship that can be used to open the door manually. The captain would have one, and perhaps one or two other very senior officers.

[mo&fran]

On Explorer, when you close the balconey door and move the handle to the up position, the door is latched shut. there is a seperate button that needs to be moved to actually lock it. i do not think we actually lock it ever, just latch it. there is a handel outside the door, and it can be unlatched, as long as the seperate lock is not set.

[Tyler80]

Don't all the stateroom doors have a keyhole? This makes no sense.

[ticktoneer]

This happened to us on Indy last November :-)

[chengkp75]

Usually, the Captain, Staff Captain, Staff Chief Engineer, and the Security Officer will have "hard keys" to unlock the door. Surprised the maintenance guys didn't know this. Mine always did, though its not general knowledge for the whole crew, for security reasons.

[Pomperaugrr]

Thankfully it didn't happen while you were in your room! :p ;)

[chengkp75]

Thankfully it didn't happen while you were in your room! :p ;)

 

Hopefully humorous, as the handle will always let you out, even if the keypad battery is dead.

[hawlcruiser]

We had the same experience on the Voyager several years ago. It was during the Super Bowl and we really wanted inside that cabin!! After several times, they finally got an engineer to de-activate the lock. Not a fun time. We finally saw the last five minutes of the game. Should have gone to one of the lounges that had the game but we thought they would have it open much quicker than they did. As I remember, they said that a battery in the lock had died!!

[cruiser1956]

When you say the crew used their keys, did they only try the electronic card keys? Or did they have physical metal keys?

 

I am no expert on this subject, but from reading Captain Albert's blog (a Holland America Line captain) there is one or two physical metal keys on the ship that can be used to open the door manually. The captain would have one, and perhaps one or two other very senior officers.

 

I always thought the metal key would open the door, and bypass the electronic part, but I was wrong. The cabin steward tried his metal key. Maintenance tried his metal key, the supervisor tried his metal key. We did not bother the Captain... I am sure he had more important matters to worry about.

[cruiser1956]

Don't all the stateroom doors have a keyhole? This makes no sense.

 

They do, and they tried. It did not work.

 

"this makes no sense" is one of the nicer comments my DH had while we were watching a hallway full of RC employees try to open the cabin door.

[Pomperaugrr]

Hopefully humorous, as the handle will always let you out, even if the keypad battery is dead.

 

Ummmm, yes, I was hoping the attempt at humor would be seen...kind of like locking your keys in the car while you are still inside...:rolleyes:

 

Eric

[MAJ]

Hopefully humorous, as the handle will always let you out, even if the keypad battery is dead.

 

Please : Please : reassure me that I cannot be locked inside my cabin

 

I was feeling panic reading the previous posts as I suffer from claustrophobia

and my next cruise is an inside cabin

[travelplus]

Our cruise on the Mariner February 17th was a lot of fun. We experienced several things we had never experienced before. Some good, some, well, not so good. But, I have never been locked out of my own cabin.

 

It was a beautiful morning, like many cruise mornings for us. We sleep in later than normal. Head up to the Windjammer for breakfast, then right back to the cabin to plan the rest of the day. Get to the cabin, and my key does not work. Check hubby's. Nope, his does not work either. Funny how many times you can swipe your card before you realize it really is NOT going to work. We looked at each other for about 3 minutes, then it was off to find the cabin steward. He was in the cabin 3 doors down. He tried his key, nope, it did not work. He tried his fancy key, again, no luck. He radio'd the maintenance department. We waited. And waited. And Waited. 20 minutes of staring at our cabin door, and no maintenance person. Do you know how many people walk back and forth in the hallway in 20 minutes? Everyone smiled, said good morning, then wondered why we were locked out of our cabin. The cabin steward radio'd his supervisor. He said he wanted someone to come right away, we had waited now 30 minutes in front of our door for someone to open it. The supervisor came, tried his key, nope, it did not work. Finally the supervisor called Maintenance. Maintenance came, they tried their fancy key. No luck. They took the key pad apart, no luck. They could not fix the lock unless they could get in the cabin. Our cabin steward asked us if our balcony door was locked. I guess they were going to go from balcony to balcony to let us in. Our balcony door was locked, we are good little cruisers and follow the rules. Then the cabin steward remembered we had adjoining cabins. He went into the next cabin, went through the adjoining door, and unlocked our cabin from the inside. Maintenance was able to fix the lock in quick order after that. The entire repair took an hour.

I wonder, had we not had adjoining cabins, how would they have opened the door? I am just so happy this happened after breakfast, and not after dinner, dancing, and drinks!

Anyway, just one more adventure in cruising.

 

Shouldn't there be a manual override? Lets say you were locked in the cabin and there was an emergency? Furthermore isn't there some indicator that tells the cabin steward before you board that the battery is dead? Just like in a smoke detector. If there is no manual override then I believe its in violation of the Maritime Code of Fire etc.

 

Funnily enough last night over the fire department scanner that I listen to online there was a guest in a hotel room whose key card automatic door would not open and they called the fire department to break the door down. This must be very costly.

 

I'm surprised there is no manual key to unlock the bolt in an emergency.

 

Whats your take?

[chengkp75]

Please : Please : reassure me that I cannot be locked inside my cabin

 

I was feeling panic reading the previous posts as I suffer from claustrophobia

and my next cruise is an inside cabin

 

While the batteries in the card readers/keypads on the outside of the door can be a pain for the staff, the inside handle will always override the electronic lock and the deadbolt, just like any hotel room. That is an international safety requirement.

[travelplus]

And I hope there was a hefty OBC waiting for you after this ordeal LOL

[chengkp75]

Shouldn't there be a manual override? Lets say you were locked in the cabin and there was an emergency? Furthermore isn't there some indicator that tells the cabin steward before you board that the battery is dead? Just like in a smoke detector. If there is no manual override then I believe its in violation of the Maritime Code of Fire etc.

 

Funnily enough last night over the fire department scanner that I listen to online there was a guest in a hotel room whose key card automatic door would not open and they called the fire department to break the door down. This must be very costly.

 

I'm surprised there is no manual key to unlock the bolt in an emergency.

 

Whats your take?

 

Unfortunately, there is usually no battery indicator, except that some will show yellow when operated by a key card when the battery is low. Most ships try to change out the batteries on a whole deck, for instance, at one time, but as you know, not all batteries last the same. There is a "hard key" (regular metal key) that will override from the outside.

 

Interesting about the hotel. I have never been in a hotel where the inside handle does not override the electronic lock. This is usually evident from the mechanical screeching that happens when you move the inside handle. You are correct that a lock that does not let you out of a cabin would violate the SOLAS regulations, but a hotel door similarly equipped would violate most fire codes as well.

[orville99]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0nRvqfiqZI

[Guest maddycat]

On Explorer, when you close the balconey door and move the handle to the up position, the door is latched shut. there is a seperate button that needs to be moved to actually lock it. i do not think we actually lock it ever, just latch it. there is a handel outside the door, and it can be unlatched, as long as the seperate lock is not set.

 

That's good to know. We've sailed on the Explorer several times and I never knew that there was a seperate button to lock the balcony door.

[Paul65]

Usually, the Captain, Staff Captain, Staff Chief Engineer, and the Security Officer will have "hard keys" to unlock the door. Surprised the maintenance guys didn't know this. Mine always did, though its not general knowledge for the whole crew, for security reasons.

 

Maybe they did know it. But it all went pretty quickly, once maintenance showed up. I'm not surprised the maintenance guys looked for other ways first, rather than asking a senior officer to come down with a hard key as their first option.

[Brigbound]

And I hope there was a hefty OBC waiting for you after this ordeal LOL

 

3 Free credits for the Key Master Game in the casino?

[Familygoboston]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0nRvqfiqZI

 

Funny!:D

[Canadian Tyler]

That sucks, but glad they eventually got it opened. I think I would have headed somewhere like the Solarium and relaxed for a while. Must have been like waiting for paint to dry!

 

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[Iamthesea]

So how did they get into the stateroom from the adjoining room? :confused: Don't the doors lock from each side? Was the door from your stateroom to the other not locked?

[cruiser1956]

That sucks, but glad they eventually got it opened. I think I would have headed somewhere like the Solarium and relaxed for a while. Must have been like waiting for paint to dry!

 

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

 

Probably would have, but everyone kept saying... we will have this open in just a few minutes.