Credit Card and Room Safe

[Sitzmark]

So basically the more you use it the more chances there are of it crapping out?

 

Yep, and the longer you have it.

 

 

To be fair it is not unreasonable that they try to use the cheapest cards, if you do the math you'll see that one ship is handing out well over 200,000 cards a year. That doesn't even take into consideration spares for the folks that lose a card. Since these typically don't need to function longer than a week there is no reason to use better mag stripe technology like a credit card uses.

Edited March 31, 2017 by Sitzmark

[firemanbobswife]

Yep, and the longer you have it.

 

 

That makes sense. Thanks for the info.

[sparks1093]

I have had that happen with our S&S key even when not using it for the safe. Luckily we were together so at least we could get into the cabin.

 

I don't know the mechanics behind it, all I know is what I've been told by at least 3 different Ship's Department Heads, two of which were Officers. Maybe the safes have a higher incidence vs the door locks because you have to swipe it all the way through instead of just inserting a small portion. Or maybe they have a lot of S&S cards that end up getting demagnetized and found the safe to be the culprit. I honestly have no idea. They must have a reason for it so I'll stick with what they tell me and not risk being locked out.

 

It doesn't make any sense to me not to use another card because, like you said, even when using a S&S card, only the one person's works. So why not just use an old gift card and reduce your risk of being locked out? It would really stink to try and ding off the ship to find out that your card doesn't work so then you get to get out of line, go to GS, get a new one, and get back in line (assuming the A PASS system uses that same magnetic strip).

 

If my key card ever stops working maybe I'll consider it but I've never had a key card (both in hotels and on the ship) stop working because I used it in the safe (or ever stop working for that matter). I have read that scratches can cause a magnetic strip to stop working and conceivably a card reader could possibly scratch a card, but it's more likely to be scratched by other things. It's my understanding that when you present your card to be dinged off it's reading the bar code on the card and not the magnetic strip on the back. I have no doubt that you were told what you were told but in my experience an officer will tell you anything to keep from saying "I don't know" and saying that the safe is the culprit is a safe statement (no pun intended). I have to carry my key card with me so that is what I'll use. I don't want to have to worry about finding some other card to use.

[Saint Greg]

That shouldn't allow them allow them to get into my safe. Each card should have a unique card number encoded on it. Then when they print your card it should add your vfip number to it. That's like saying if I lost my s&s card and you found it, you could get into my room the entire cruise. They'd remove that card number from being able to access my room. I'd bet the stewards have one card and the number that is encoded on that card is added to all of the rooms they clean.

 

 

 

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After actually looking at it, they encode a bunch of crap on the S&S cards. Your full name is on it...Folio number is on it twice...debarkation date is on it. All they should really need to encode on S&S is your VFIP number....then their system matches that up with your name, folio number, etc....They probably have an old system. They don't even encode the VFIP number.

Edited March 31, 2017 by Saint Greg

[Saint Greg]

 

 

It doesn't make any sense to me not to use another card because, like you said, even when using a S&S card, only the one person's works.

 

Actually it makes all the sense in the world. Why would you want your wife to have access to the money?

[firemanbobswife]

If my key card ever stops working maybe I'll consider it but I've never had a key card (both in hotels and on the ship) stop working because I used it in the safe (or ever stop working for that matter). I have read that scratches can cause a magnetic strip to stop working and conceivably a card reader could possibly scratch a card, but it's more likely to be scratched by other things. It's my understanding that when you present your card to be dinged off it's reading the bar code on the card and not the magnetic strip on the back. I have no doubt that you were told what you were told but in my experience an officer will tell you anything to keep from saying "I don't know" and saying that the safe is the culprit is a safe statement (no pun intended). I have to carry my key card with me so that is what I'll use. I don't want to have to worry about finding some other card to use.

 

 

I can understand where you're coming from. However, never once did I ask why I shouldn't use my S&S card so I never got the "I don't know" answer. They asked each time to see the card that I was using for my safe and once I showed it to them, they said good and they wanted to make sure it wasn't my S&S card. The only thing that was said was that the safe could demagnetize it. The one time we were able to determine that my Victoria's Secret card was kaput so I used a different one.

 

I loved to keypad safe on Vista. Made it so much nicer. I also liked that they scanned your S&S card with an iPad to get on and off the ship which was quicker. So for that I know they used the barcode, but as far as the old way, I'm not sure what it reads.

Edited March 31, 2017 by firemanbobswife

[wemjam]

As I have said too. We always use the sail and sign card and I go in and out of the room and in and out of my safe about a bazillion times a cruise...and in all our cruises (over 25 now) we have NEVER had our card demagnatize on us on any trip. I just don't see any logic in having to carry or hide a second card just for the safe.

 

As far as the room steward having the same room key as me and accessing my safe with it. There are numerous ways to get into these safe without them having to swipe a card if they really wanted to. Go look at you tube. You can get in with a potatoe lol!

 

After all the years cruising now I don't worry about my room steward. I have accidently left money, cameras, and even jewelry sitting out and it never was touched. These people need their jobs and it takes YEARS to achieve a room steward position. Now mind you, common sense should prevail and things should be locked away. But even the safe isn't "safe."

 

That's why I don't travel with anything that is irreplaceable or not highly insured.

[BoDidly]

As I have said too. We always use the sail and sign card and I go in and out of the room and in and out of my safe about a bazillion times a cruise...and in all our cruises (over 25 now) we have NEVER had our card demagnatize on us on any trip. I just don't see any logic in having to carry or hide a second card just for the safe.

 

As far as the room steward having the same room key as me and accessing my safe with it. There are numerous ways to get into these safe without them having to swipe a card if they really wanted to. Go look at you tube. You can get in with a potatoe lol!

 

After all the years cruising now I don't worry about my room steward. I have accidently left money, cameras, and even jewelry sitting out and it never was touched. These people need their jobs and it takes YEARS to achieve a room steward position. Now mind you, common sense should prevail and things should be locked away. But even the safe isn't "safe."

 

That's why I don't travel with anything that is irreplaceable or not highly insured.

You've been lucky then . As for the cards had a few crap out on me, took some important vacation time to get the matter straighten out .

[jimbo5544]

The reason is the cards are cheap. They are designed for short term use where the data can be written and rewritten easily. Hotels and cruise lines also don't typically maintain the encoding equipment properly which results in garbled and less reliable cards.

 

 

Bingo

 

 

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[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

I use my room key from my pre-cruise hotel. I leave it on top of the safe. The only people in my cabin are the 2 of us that are cruising and my cabin steward.

[wemjam]

You've been lucky then . As for the cards had a few crap out on me, took some important vacation time to get the matter straighten out .

 

By no means was I advocating leaving all your valuables sitting out, and I said that too. Just saying when I have realized I accidently forgot to put something away it was never bothered at all.

 

In my travels I have found people are overwhelmingly mostly honest and good. My husband always says "locks only keep the honest people out." If someone wants your stuff they will find away to get it. So hiding your key, using a safe, etc. are really only precautionary measures. There are no guarantees in life. That's what insurance is for lol!

 

I have had trouble with my room keys at hotels and resorts, and it is annoying. Just never on a cruise.

[firemanbobswife]

I use my room key from my pre-cruise hotel. I leave it on top of the safe. The only people in my cabin are the 2 of us that are cruising and my cabin steward.

 

 

That reminds me of when my VS card quit working, the lady said it was fine to leave my new card right by my safe as the room stewards won't bother anything in there. The topic came up because I said something along the lines of I wish it wouldn't have been the card with the issue because I had a hole punched in it already and I liked to keep it with my S&S card around my neck. I ended up using my Carnival MC and hid it in one of the drawers. I don't think they would rummage through drawers looking for cards, but being it was my CC, I didn't feel comfortable with it right there.

[BoDidly]

I use my room key from my pre-cruise hotel. I leave it on top of the safe. The only people in my cabin are the 2 of us that are cruising and my cabin steward.

Living life on the edge ? :D

Different people can enter your room other than your Steward. Maintinence​, room service etc.

Edited March 31, 2017 by BoDidly

[Saint Greg]

Living life on the edge ? :D

Different people can enter your room other than your Steward. Maintinence​, room service etc.

 

 

Very true. I once found my room like this...with nobody around.

 

 

 

 

I guess they decided the door was broke...maybe the steward reported it. I didn't have any problem with it. A few mins later maintenance showed up, but they definitely left my room unsecure. I don't know for how long.

 

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Edited March 31, 2017 by Saint Greg

[HillBilly Bob]

Where do you hide your credit card to open your safe?Thanks!!

 

They say not to but I use my SignNSail card....I have to take the card from the room anyways!

[telebax51]

Can you use your s&s card? It has a magnetic strip. Just a thought that way you don't have to worry about people searching in all the hiding spots mention hear. ��

 

I don't know if it would work with multiple cards. They should have the same coding to unlock the cabin door. Might need to try it out.

 

yes you can i always use the one from my previous cruise to lock and unlock the safe never had any problem

[BoDidly]

Very true. I once found my room like this...with nobody around.

 

 

 

 

I guess they decided the door was broke...maybe the steward reported it. I didn't have any problem with it. A few mins later maintenance showed up, but they definitely left my room unsecure. I don't know for how long.

 

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I can relate to that , noticed several doors open where the steward was suspose to be cleaning only to be in a different room. Spring Break and it's GAME ON !

[Organized Chaos]

Only time our steward ever touched anything left out was when he put my sunglasses on our towel critter. :D But I get it, the safe offers peace of mind. I believe the stewards to be trustworthy, but that doesn't mean we'll leave valuables out.

 

For those suggesting to just use our S&S card because we carry it around with us anyway, keep in mind that the OP's intent for this thread was to ask where people hide their cards so others in the cabin can use it when we're not around.

[Taylorcast]

ok kind of following up to the safe question.

here is the background on my question- i am getting married July 8 and we are going on our honeymoon on the Carnival Pride August 6...

i have never been a big jewelry wearer.

 

i want to wear my rings to wear on the ship, but have been told by the jeweler i shouldn't wear them in the pool, shower, beach, etc... do you leave your wedding rings in the cabin safe when you go into port for the day? or does it depend on the type of excursion? or do you not bring them on your cruise at all, and leave them at home?

[Sitzmark]

ok kind of following up to the safe question.

here is the background on my question- i am getting married July 8 and we are going on our honeymoon on the Carnival Pride August 6...

i have never been a big jewelry wearer.

 

i want to wear my rings to wear on the ship, but have been told by the jeweler i shouldn't wear them in the pool, shower, beach, etc... do you leave your wedding rings in the cabin safe when you go into port for the day? or does it depend on the type of excursion? or do you not bring them on your cruise at all, and leave them at home?

 

As someone who has collected countless bits of jewelry from the bottom of lakes and quarries while scuba diving with a metal detector I can certainly agree with the advice to not wear jewelry to the beach. With that said we would typically leave these items in the room safe.

[dmdiver]

For magnetic strip safes, we use an old S&S card from another cruise line and put it on my lanyard. You can always save a used up gift card as well. The push button safes are nice since both people can access when they aren't together.

[dmdiver]

ok kind of following up to the safe question.

here is the background on my question- i am getting married July 8 and we are going on our honeymoon on the Carnival Pride August 6...

i have never been a big jewelry wearer.

 

i want to wear my rings to wear on the ship, but have been told by the jeweler i shouldn't wear them in the pool, shower, beach, etc... do you leave your wedding rings in the cabin safe when you go into port for the day? or does it depend on the type of excursion? or do you not bring them on your cruise at all, and leave them at home?

 

 

I don't even take my real rings on vacation with me. I have a cheap cz that I wear for dinner. The rest of the time, all jewelry stays in the safe. I don't wear any jewelry in port.

[Westchester_Gal]

I use a number code to open hotel safes and hide the credit card inside the safe.

Ditto. Why run the risk of the credit card being stolen?

[timeinthesand]

We ALWAYS use our sail and sign card, NEVER a credit card and NEVER have had a problem 27 cruises so far lol!. You have to use one card though. We usually use my husbands, as he keeps this on him at all times (sometimes I don't take mine when we leave the room - like when dressing for dinner, etc), so no need to "hide" anything.

 

 

I was told that it is best not to use it as the steward will then have access to your safe.

 

I trust the room stewards as much as the next person, so I have no concerns whatsoever in using my sail and sign card. I use a carnival gift card sometimes, too. I keep it in my wallet, or in my waterproof box on my lanyard.

 

If you are taking a gift card to use for the safe, keep in mind it will probably need to have the wide magnetic strip on the back, the narrow one is very finicky.

 

Before anyone wants to debate me on this, I say this is what I know from experience, to each their own, and happy cruising!

[torcruise]

I use my Dave and busters card, and where it around my neck on the lanyard. I would never use a credit card.