Celebrity-Room Key on Front Door? Maybe not such a great idea

[kathynorth]

17 minutes ago, bobrxlex said:

Kathynorth, you got everything correct. Now there are 4 active keys and that caused the real problem..

 

 

bobrxlex, you are being very patient with this situation. I think your situation is a serious security breach and I would be asking the hotel manager to retrieve those other 2 room keys, then provide me with verification when this has been completed. These passengers are likely very nice people who just made a mistake, but the main reason to complain is to force guest relations to take proper precautions the next time something similar occurs. 

[miched]

We embarked on the Edge.  Went to our cabin to get our keys.  Honestly anyone can take it and remove whatever they want in the cabin and then replace the key.

 

There  were a few passengers lingering around.  We couldn’t find our key.  The other passengers had the same problem with theirs.  We looked around trying to find someone to help.  Finally seen someone and they said it is in your mail box.  OK also we went to look and still couldn’t find it. After wasting about 45 minutes so far we tracked down another employee and told them our problem.   He said the same thing, it is in your mail box.  OK we all can’t be missing it please come and show us. He grudgingly came and was going to show us dummies.   Surprise,  no keys.  He said he would make a call. About 30  minutes later a employee came and said the problem was that the attendant left the ship that day as his contract was done.  He said he will get us our keys.  About 15 minutes later he said that he couldn’t find them but will go to have  some new ones made.  Go to lunch and come back.   We had a drink pack and couldn't order a drink and had to carry our bags with us.

 

We did receive a sorry  for the inconveniences when we GR the next day about the problem we had.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

 

[hcat]

  Instead of properly staffing the check in area, they now have a few scanner reps  as you enter (Maybe eventually just kiosks or robots) , but not much else at the entry space.  No one there to really greet you properly, give you  key cards, map of the ship,   and the first daily, Fair amount of disorder.

 

. The burden of keys and paperwork is shifted to the cabin attendants on top of all their  other  boarding day chores,..kind of unfair.

 

Some of us have no need to drop stuff in the room and just want to go to lunch or order a drink... requires an extra trip in crowded elevators.

Edited September 24, 2019 by hcat

[happicruzer]

We’ve experienced this new key card system three times.  All have worked as it should; however, I’ve had similar concerns.

 

For someone new, first off, your outside key card is well secured in a heavy paper wrap.  I have weak wrists and have to wrestle with the packaging to open it.  If you show up at your door and the package is mangled, you will know someone accessed that card.

 

If the card is mangled or missing - yes, someone was probably at the wrong cabin.  

 

This is where I agree that guest services failed in providing the OP security both in safety use of their cabin and keeping their belongings safe from theft. 

 

I thank you for the post as I realize I probably should document my electronics, phones, cameras etc and their replacement costs.  This way - should my key card be missing - I can provide Guest Services with an itemized list of my electronics and current replacement value should stuff disappear due to their failure to inactivate the original key cards.  By providing such a list and requiring a staff member to acknowledge replacement, I feel confident old cards would be invalidated immediately.  As I told my husband, one of us would be in the cabin just in case - as happened to OP - they returned.

 

FYI, I did have my card given to someone else at the cafe.  I only found out when I couldn't open the cabin door and realized the name on the same colored card was not mine. I took the other persons card to GS but had a less than competent staff member attempt to rekey me a card. Something like ten tries before I could unlock the cabin door.  One of the reasons my card now has a unique, to me, design inked onto the face of the card.  A quick look, I know the card is mine.  

[Baron Barracuda]

This system was implemented on at least some Royal ships quite a while ago.  Assume any significant issues would have surfaced there.  X roll out indicates corporate is happy with system.  We've experienced it a few times without issue.  

[2flacruisers]

Am I to assume that this is only for the re-fitted ships, and not for those that have not gone thru the process?

[K12Guy]

48 minutes ago, 2flacruisers said:

Am I to assume that this is only for the re-fitted ships, and not for those that have not gone thru the process?

And, my question is, does this practice apply to the entire ship or only some stateroom types?

 

[cangelmd]

On 9/23/2019 at 6:55 PM, CHEZMARYLOU said:

I too wonder about the new system of having the sea passes outside the door. It seems as though it would be hard to control. Guess we'll find out in November.

It is extremely convenient - we experienced it on Equinox in a Sky Suite. Evidently they had been using it long enough to get some kinks worked out. But I definitely remembered thinking what stops someone from going into your room? I've had the experience in a land hotel of having a key issued to an occupied room, and once having someone trying to get into our room, because of double keys - scary, and you don't process what is happening at first, even with the luggage sitting right in front of you.

The other downside is that we bordered early - first suite, wanted to see the Retreat and Luminae - and you get to leave your luggage, but the attendants are really scrambling - because, of course, it's your room and the first thing I have to do (that age thing again) is go to the bathroom. The attendant really wants to get rid of you to get work done.

 

But it super convenient for you and probably also for the reservation staff and check-in folks.

[cangelmd]

3 hours ago, 2flacruisers said:

Am I to assume that this is only for the re-fitted ships, and not for those that have not gone thru the process?

That's what I want to know... we will be on Reflection in November, and have already sent in our photos, so I'm hoping that this system may apply to all ships out of FLL Terminal 25. Getting the photos ahead of time is part of how this works, but I'm not sure anyone knows until non-revolutionized ships get back to Terminal 25 (after TA for example)

[Redtravel]

Great reason not to post a photo or too much info online before checkin.  I never post my credit card or photo during online cneckin.  I would assume if you don't that the checkin at the ship would be the place where they take your photo, swipe ypur credit card, and hand you the seapass.  It would stop people who enter the wrong room getting your key seapass.  

[mayleeman]

Online checkin at the Hampton Inn in Virginia resulted in a confused desk clerk thinking we had already checked in. Went to our preselected room, and the door hit the manual flip lock when we used the card. A madder than h--- guy yelled "occupied". The clerk apparently didn't read the name on anything.

 

Went down to the desk. Clerk then spent 20 minutes finding us a new room.

 

Next morning, the manager was on desk duty. We told her what happened and I asked her to check whether our online payment for that first room was corrected as we asked the night before. Nope, we were showing being charged for both rooms.  

 

She corrected the error and then comped us for our own room. No more online checkins for us! These convenience things can backfire.

Edited September 25, 2019 by mayleeman

[fleckle]

1 hour ago, Redtravel said:

Great reason not to post a photo or too much info online before checkin.  I never post my credit card or photo during online cneckin.  I would assume if you don't that the checkin at the ship would be the place where they take your photo, swipe ypur credit card, and hand you the seapass.  It would stop people who enter the wrong room getting your key seapass.  

 

Thanks.  That is exactly what we are planning to do also, and just hope it works as you describe.

 

They used to ask for only the last 4 digits of your credit card number when checking in online, but recently they asked for the whole thing. 

So we just opted for a cash account, planning to switch it to a credit card account once we are on the ship.

 

 

 

[Redtravel]

We did that on our July cruise.  Not a problem.  Nobody had my photo or credit card before embarkation.

[capsplace]

We are sailing on the Solstice in Oct.  I guess I was anticipating a similar check in experience to that of our sailing on Millennium last November.  We've not been asked to submit photos or anything out of the ordinary.  Should we have been?

[boscobeans]

How does a person get all the way to check in, without giving out credit card information at deposit time and when making final payment?

 

 

[cangelmd]

39 minutes ago, capsplace said:

We are sailing on the Solstice in Oct.  I guess I was anticipating a similar check in experience to that of our sailing on Millennium last November.  We've not been asked to submit photos or anything out of the ordinary.  Should we have been?

The new process is only definitely happening for sailings out of Fort Lauderdale, right now that is Equinox. They rolled out the new process with the Edge in the new terminal - Terminal 25. I don't know if this process is being followed on Edge right now - she is in Europe.

The question is - is this change only for revolutionized ships - only for ships out of Terminal 25 - what?

 Based on having been through this process, I think that it is only for FLL, but could possibly be initiated on any ship that has RFID door locks - where you tap rather than insert the key. You send in your picture so that you don't have to wait in the lines to go to the stations to have your picture made for your key card. We were in a Sky Suite, and was super simple. I have heard, as hcat has said, that the process is more chaotic for all the non-suite passengers - although I think it is because people are still learning what to do - both passengers and the check-in staff.

[Nymich]

On 9/23/2019 at 8:25 PM, kathynorth said:

 

bobrxlex, you are being very patient with this situation. I think your situation is a serious security breach and I would be asking the hotel manager to retrieve those other 2 room keys, then provide me with verification when this has been completed. These passengers are likely very nice people who just made a mistake, but the main reason to complain is to force guest relations to take proper precautions the next time something similar occurs. 

Bingo!   I think it is a lazy system designed to cut down check in time and get the cattle in line. 

 

In this case it backfired and GR who should be the BEST at communicating and following through fumbled all over the place.   Thank You Kathy for pointing out that this is a security breach first and foremost.  

[Nymich]

25 minutes ago, boscobeans said:

How does a person get all the way to check in, without giving out credit card information at deposit time and when making final payment?

 

 

They took my picture Aug 31 on Equinox and made sure I had a card on file.  If not you go to the counter.

[capsplace]

8 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

The new process is only definitely happening for sailings out of Fort Lauderdale, right now that is Equinox. They rolled out the new process with the Edge in the new terminal - Terminal 25. I don't know if this process is being followed on Edge right now - she is in Europe.

The question is - is this change only for revolutionized ships - only for ships out of Terminal 25 - what?

 Based on having been through this process, I think that it is only for FLL, but could possibly be initiated on any ship that has RFID door locks - where you tap rather than insert the key. You send in your picture so that you don't have to wait in the lines to go to the stations to have your picture made for your key card. We were in a Sky Suite, and was super simple. I have heard, as hcat has said, that the process is more chaotic for all the non-suite passengers - although I think it is because people are still learning what to do - both passengers and the check-in staff.

Thank you!  😀

[dodger1964]

I guess we won't have to worry about sitting in the  crowded buffet area anymore...Board ship, grab some food from the buffet and carry it to the Penthouse Suite...when the real occupants show up we will say, "I thought this room was bigger than in the brochure...I must have mixed up the room numbers?"

 

 

[Nymich]

10 hours ago, Redtravel said:

Great reason not to post a photo or too much info online before checkin.  I never post my credit card or photo during online cneckin.  I would assume if you don't that the checkin at the ship would be the place where they take your photo, swipe ypur credit card, and hand you the seapass.  It would stop people who enter the wrong room getting your key seapass.  

I think they just take the credit card but you still get the room key on the ship.

[boscobeans]

15 minutes ago, Nymich said:

They took my picture Aug 31 on Equinox and made sure I had a card on file.  If not you go to the counter.

My initial point is why are people so worried about giving information when doing online check-in when the cruise line already has credit card information months in advance? Yes, I am aware that you can use a different credit card than the one you used before check-in.

 

We have used the new system at Cape Liberty and basically walked into the terminal and were on our way to the ship in just a minute or two. 

Keys were on our door in a sealed folio.

[TeeRick]

Mistakes like this will sometimes happen with the new system.  And passengers will sometimes be confused about the location of their cabin.  Unfortunate that the original keys were not immediately deactivated.  I still prefer this system however because it is so nice to drop off carry-on stuff when you board the ship.

[2flacruisers]

11 hours ago, cangelmd said:

That's what I want to know... we will be on Reflection in November, and have already sent in our photos, so I'm hoping that this system may apply to all ships out of FLL Terminal 25. Getting the photos ahead of time is part of how this works, but I'm not sure anyone knows until non-revolutionized ships get back to Terminal 25 (after TA for example)

I am not against having to provide our pictures ahead of time...that speeds up the process at the terminal...what concerns me is that if the keys are left at the room, and you are able to drop off your carry on luggage early, what stops someone from going in and getting your key, dropping off their luggage in your room, and then going off and doing whatever it is that they want to do, leaving you to deal with the mess until they find out where your room keys are.  Because as you know, some people don't pay attention to the rules, nor do they abide by them. 

[Turtles06]

I was on the sailing with the OP.  What happened to him was extremely distressing and he has every right to be disturbed about it.  Guest Services should have immediately canceled the original sea pass cards, as well as retrieved them.  

 

I want to add, though, that while this system is new to Celebrity, it has been used by Royal Caribbean for many years, as others have pointed out above.   We've used it twice on Anthem of the Seas without incident (the first time back in 2015).  While I don't closely monitor the RCI forum here on CC now, I did during the time leading up to those Anthem sailings, and I don't recall reports of incidents like the one the OP experienced.  I think they are rare.  I doubt Celebrity would bring this process over to its own ships if there were problems with it on RCI.

 

1 hour ago, cangelmd said:

The new process is only definitely happening for sailings out of Fort Lauderdale, right now that is Equinox. They rolled out the new process with the Edge in the new terminal - Terminal 25. I don't know if this process is being followed on Edge right now - she is in Europe.

The question is - is this change only for revolutionized ships - only for ships out of Terminal 25 - what?

 Based on having been through this process, I think that it is only for FLL, but could possibly be initiated on any ship that has RFID door locks - where you tap rather than insert the key. You send in your picture so that you don't have to wait in the lines to go to the stations to have your picture made for your key card. We were in a Sky Suite, and was super simple. I have heard, as hcat has said, that the process is more chaotic for all the non-suite passengers - although I think it is because people are still learning what to do - both passengers and the check-in staff.

 

To clear up some misconceptions:  the process is not only for ships leaving from Ft. Lauderdale.  Our Summit sailing on Sept. 8 left from Cape Liberty, NJ.  Prior to sailing, I'd uploaded our security photos and passport info as part of the check-in process.  Our Express Passes were available in our account on line to print as they've always been, as well as on the Celebrity app.  Once at the pier, our check in took about two seconds.  We were met by an agent with an iPad; I held up my phone with the Express Passes open in the app, and the agent scanned the bar codes.  That was it -- off to our seats to await boarding.  We were not in a suite, and there was nothing chaotic about the process.  Simple, easy, and fast.

 

Once we boarded, we went to our cabin, where our sea pass cards were in a sealed envelope on our door.  We put our valuables in the safe, left our carry ons, and headed to lunch.

 

Again, what happened to the OP should not have happened.  It was no way to start a cruise, and he is right to be disturbed about it.  Guest Services needs to do better in those (likely rare) instances when something like this occurs.