How are the cruise cards handled?

[MNfamilycruiser]

I have been considering getting a lanyard or other method of holding cruise cards before my upcoming cruise. But I typically hold my card as well as those of my children.

 

My question is: When getting on and off the ship - how does Princess handle the cruise cards? Do they take them and slide them into a machine to "read/see" your picture. Does it work if you have the card hooked to something? Would it work if I had several cards attached to one lanyard? If you have the card on a lanyard, do you just take the whole thing off your neck and hand it over?

 

We are frequently getting on and off the ship with a large group - including 2 children. I like the idea of the lanyard to keep the cards safe - no falling out of a pocket - but I want our exit/return to go quickly and smoothly :) for our own sakes - as well as for those standing in line behind us!

[cactusrose]

I always use a lanyard. When exiting the ship you will insert your card into a machine. The machine has a picture on it to show you which way it goes. As I recall you place it in with the magnetic strip up (so you can see it) and to the right. How old are your children. Can they be trusted to hold on to the card long enough to hand it to the crew member who is stationed at the machine? He will take it from them, insert it in the machine and return it to them. Otherwise I would take them off the lanyard so you can hand them to the crew member and allow him to insert them one at a time as each of you go through.

[ccrain]

Wal Mart has a lanyard with a removable pinch clip that connects to the card with about 6" of lanyard. That allows you to remove the card, hand it to a waiter or server for a drink, remove it easily for getting on and off the ship and can still carry it on formal nights in a pocket, with just 6" of cord, just to make it harder to lose, yet easier to store.

[Psee]

Most of the time your cruise card will need to be handed to a ship employee, whether at the gangway security checkpoint, or a bar, dining room, or shop. You'll need to be able to release the card from the lanyard or other card holder such as a retractable card reel for this.

 

I always take a lanyard and a retractable card reel that have either a spring clip or pinch clip so the card can be removed and re-attached easily. For the spring clip you'll need to have the card punched at the pursers's desk (since they know how to punch the hole without damaging the data stripe on the card). For some photos of the types of holders available check this:

 

http://www.lanyardfactory.com/index.html

 

Most of these holders can also be purchased at your local office supply store.

 

:)

[MNfamilycruiser]

Thank you all for the information!

I was right in suspecting that the type of lanyards I saw at our local Office Max would be more trouble than help!

I will continue to look for a different style - something that I can more easily and quickly remove the card/cards.

[Totter]

Buy a lanyard, have Princess punch a hole in it and attach. You'll never need to take it off the lanyard during your trip. The cards can be swipped while on the lanyard and contrary to what someone said, the card can be inserted any way into the reader at the gangway (I witnessed this firsthand as I was interested to see if it mattered which way it was swipped). Sometimes the ship personel take it from you to swipe, sometimes you swipe it yourself. I saw lots of people just bending over a bit to swipe their card so they didn't need to remove it from around their neck. I wouldn't put more than one on each lanyard, give each person their own.

[MNfamilycruiser]

Buy a lanyard, have Princess punch a hole in it and attach. You'll never need to take it off the lanyard during your trip. The cards can be swipped while on the lanyard and contrary to what someone said, the card can be inserted any way into the reader at the gangway (I witnessed this firsthand as I was interested to see if it mattered which way it was swipped). Sometimes the ship personel take it from you to swipe, sometimes you swipe it yourself. I saw lots of people just bending over a bit to swipe their card so they didn't need to remove it from around their neck. I wouldn't put more than one on each lanyard, give each person their own.

Hmmm... maybe the retractable kind would work well!

But, I have a 6 and an almost 8 year old - I am afraid I just wouldn't want the 6 year old to carry her own card! I will have to use something that allows me to carry at least 2 cards when we are getting on and off the ship. While we are on the ship - they don't need them, and we just leave them in the room.

[cactusrose]

The cards can be swipped while on the lanyard and contrary to what someone said, the card can be inserted any way into the reader at the gangway (I witnessed this firsthand as I was interested to see if it mattered which way it was swipped).

 

Hummm. Different ships must have different systems. I was on the Star for 27 days recently and the card would only work one way. Or maybe it's a difference in the individual machines. In any event the machine will have a picture on it as to which way you should insert the card or the crew member standing there will help you.

[MaryPoppinz]

I use one of these for mine. I can also stash some cash and a credit card, so it's large enough to hold your entire family's set of cruise cards.

 

http://www.witzprod.com/witzprod/product.cfm

 

I use the "See-It Safe® (Clear Badge Holder)"

[newkim]

But, I have a 6 and an almost 8 year old - I am afraid I just wouldn't want the 6 year old to carry her own card!

 

Our son has had his own card on a lanyard when we first started cruising - he was also 6 at the time. We told him that he was resposible for it and he did a great job of keeping track of it and never lost it. We just had the charging priveledges removed from his card at the time (and still do). So really his card is for the room and for getting on and off the ship.

 

We all have lanyards with different patterns so we can easily tell whose card is whose. We bought the lanyards at the dollar store and they aren't fancy with just a clip on the end. We have the pursers desk punch a hole in the cards. It works great for us. When we first started using a lanyard 5 years ago, I could have made a lot of money as not many people used lanyards back then and kept asking us where they were sold and if we had any extras. Now the lanyards are quite common and sold onboard too.

[MNfamilycruiser]

Our son has had his own card on a lanyard when we first started cruising - he was also 6 at the time. We told him that he was resposible for it and he did a great job of keeping track of it and never lost it. We just had the charging priveledges removed from his card at the time (and still do). So really his card is for the room and for getting on and off the ship.

 

We all have lanyards with different patterns so we can easily tell whose card is whose. We bought the lanyards at the dollar store and they aren't fancy with just a clip on the end. We have the pursers desk punch a hole in the cards. It works great for us. When we first started using a lanyard 5 years ago, I could have made a lot of money as not many people used lanyards back then and kept asking us where they were sold and if we had any extras. Now the lanyards are quite common and sold onboard too.

I will have to see I guess - the last time we cruised they were 4 and almost 6, and before that 3 and 5 - so I have just gotten used to taking care of their cards. You are probably right that they could both handle their own cards if they were on a lanyard - much different than just a loose card!