NCL Jade - Key Card

[Desert_ Dweller]

Can anyone tell me if the key cards for the  Jade  have a chip in them  or can the key cards be "punched"  and attached to a lanyard for convenience ?

If you have any info. on other NCL ships, that would be helpful as well.

 

[JesseB]

I’ve never seen a chip card on NCL

[Desert_ Dweller]

Good to know. It was mentioned by a fellow  cruiser  for  an up coming cruise.

[JesseB]

Even a chip card could be punched as long as not in the chip, RFID is where you have to be careful 

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

6 hours ago, JesseB said:

Even a chip card could be punched as long as not in the chip, RFID is where you have to be careful 

I think the OP is referring to RFID, which I think is used on some of the ships. I am sure someone can confirm.

[JesseB]

I’ve only ever seen mag stripe on NCL

[Paul Bogle]

Other than color our room keys have always been the same on Gem, Jade, Pearl, Breakaway and Getaway.

No problem punching a hole in a corner to attach to a lanyard. We see many people who have done this on every sailing.

[All-ready2cruise]

For the Jewel class ships, there's no chip. Was on the Jade end of January and no chip then/no probem with hole punch. It's possible the newer ships, maybe Bliss and on my next cruise on the Encore, the cards may have the chips.  Doubt there'll be any problem with hole punches before then. 

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, JesseB said:

I’ve only ever seen mag stripe on NCL

 

4 hours ago, Paul Bogle said:

Other than color our room keys have always been the same on Gem, Jade, Pearl, Breakaway and Getaway.

No problem punching a hole in a corner to attach to a lanyard. We see many people who have done this on every sailing.

 

Incorrect. The newer ships have proximity readers with RFID key cards. Those can not be punched. 

Edited March 13, 2019 by BirdTravels

[Turtles06]

Just now, BirdTravels said:

In correct. The newer ships all have proximity readers with RFID key cards. Those can not be punched. 

 

RCI has been using RFID key cards for years on their big, new ships.  We had them on Anthem of the Seas.  They can be punched, but this needs to be done at Guest Services, as they know where to do it to avoid the chip.   We had our RFID cards hole-punched on both of our Anthem cruises, no problem.

[jaapie]

3 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 

 

Incorrect. The newer ships have proximity readers with RFID key cards. Those can not be punched. 

When was that introduced? I was on the Breakaway in November 2018 and had my card punched.

[Turtles06]

27 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

RCI has been using RFID key cards for years on their big, new ships.  We had them on Anthem of the Seas.  They can be punched, but this needs to be done at Guest Services, as they know where to do it to avoid the chip.   We had our RFID cards hole-punched on both of our Anthem cruises, no problem.

 

Just an edit to my own post -- we may not have asked to have our cards punched both times on Anthem (we also had "WOW" bands, making the cards less necessary), but if you do encounter the RFID cards, do take them to Guest Services for hole-punching.

 

[timf2001]

Only Joy and Bliss currently have RFID keys.  It's safe to assume Encore will as well.

[geneticfreak]

Was on the Jade a couple weeks ago and they do not have the RFID cards yet, but I was told that they are not allowed to punch the cards anymore. If you want it done it is best to bring your own hole punch. 

[Paul Bogle]

17 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

 

 

Incorrect. The newer ships have proximity readers with RFID key cards. Those can not be punched. 

 

I mentioned five ships, none of them "newer" nor with proximity readers. Since the OP was asking specifically about NCL Jade why are you confusing things?

Edited March 13, 2019 by Paul Bogle

[kdmbluerzr]

We were just on the Jade for the 10 day So Carib sailing. Disembark was Monday 11th.  Several of our friends had their key cards punched by NCL and purchased lanyards from NCL gift shop and attached the cards.  No problem. 

Happy cruising all!   🙂 

[don't-use-real-name]

Swipers Sliders Chippers RFID - LIONS TIGERS and BEARS - jeeze what's a cruiser going to do ?

 

Swipers Sliders

Conventional old ship stuff you use your key card to enter you cabin by inserting it into the slot.

You buy something on board or pay for a dinner entrée - your card is swiped and your on board account is debited.

These swipers (sliders) have a magnetic stripe on the reverse of the key card - tampering with that stripe may make

it unable to open doors or make purchases or come and go off the ship.

Holes can be punched in these cards as long as it is not in the magnetic stripe - also the hole should be spaced

far enough from the stripe so the card can be read as it slid through the card reader.

 

Chippers

Semi-new technology - card is still inserted into the slot to open the cabin door - small light flashes access granted.

These cards still have the magnetic stripe on the back for sliding through card readers.

Some ships after renovation dry-dock may have these installed.

Holes are NOT punched anywhere near the small rectangular holographic image in the left center of the face of

the card - holes best punched in the lower right corner opposite end of the card.

 

RFID aka proximity

New stuff just like cell phones wirelessly mating to copy data.

The card is waved in front of the reader and voila the access to your room is permitted - I don't know about

the exact method for transacting purchases - presume that you buy something in say the gift shop and

after inputting the sale your card is waved in front of a reader completing the sale. Maybe a signature is

required to complete the sale. This method maybe prone to misuse and security issues - but the convenience

of opening ones cabin door simply by being in proximity is great if you hands are full.

As for punching holes in the RFID cards check with Guest Services - probably best not to punch holes simply

put the card in a plastic pouch folder with lanyard and wave that assembly in front of the door reader.

 

There could very well be combinations of these features - like my American Express card has Chipper and

Slider functions on the same card.

 

In any event if your cruise key card malfunctions a visit to Guest Services is needed to get a new one.

Malfunctions:

Hole punched in magnetic stripe

Magnetic stripe rubbed/scraped off

Any card left too long in the presence of a magnetic field scrambling corrupting its data

And the ultimate insult - cutting the card into pieces - bending folding mutilation to the "Nth" degree !

 

Be kind to your card at least for the duration of the cruise !