Room Key Card Hint...

[lola4795]

In my Pearl review I forgot to mention something that worked really well for us in regards to our room keys:

 

I've heard about people punching their room keys and attaching them to lanyards. I kind of put my own twist on this. Maybe someone else has done this too, but I don't think I've seen it mentioned here.

 

I took along a hole punch because I didn't want to bother going to the front desk or wherever. I punched a hole in the corner of the card (not the end with the magnetic strip!). I then attached a cheap carabiner (those claspy thingies) through the hole. We were able to just carry around our room cards attached to our belt loops that way.

 

Our keys were always handy, but we didn't have to deal with having them hang around our necks!

[Preds]

In my Pearl review I forgot to mention something that worked really well for us in regards to our room keys:

 

I've heard about people punching their room keys and attaching them to lanyards. I kind of put my own twist on this. Maybe someone else has done this too, but I don't think I've seen it mentioned here.

 

I took along a hole punch because I didn't want to bother going to the front desk or wherever. I punched a hole in the corner of the card (not the end with the magnetic strip!). I then attached a cheap carabiner (those claspy thingies) through the hole. We were able to just carry around our room cards attached to our belt loops that way.

 

Our keys were always handy, but we didn't have to deal with having them hang around our necks!

We've done the exact same thing our last 3 cruises. It's great aint it!

[neverthought]

We've done the exact same thing our last 3 cruises. It's great aint it!

 

We do the same, punch our own hole, but we use those springy-stretchy things. Attach it to ourselves, belt loop, button hole whatever and then just slide it in a pocket. It's always attached and we don't worry about dropping or losing it somewhere. Necessity is the mother of invention! Happy cruising all...

Neverthought

[CC Help Michell]

We've done the exact same thing our last 3 cruises. It's great aint it!

 

Us, too -- works great! :)

[Meggiewegs]

Great ideas! Thanks!

[Farmerlaine]

We did that our last trip too. Dh was able to use belt loops as all of his clothes had them. I had some shorts without them, but they did have pockets, so I pinned a diaper pin (so it wouldn't open) to the inside of my pocket and looped the biner through it. I did it on a pair of pants once too, worked well. DH thought I was crazy to take these diaper pins with us, till he was wandering around the cabin in his swimshorts, wondering where to clip his to, so I stuck one on the inside of his waistband, and he clipped his biner through the little portion that poked through.

 

The springy thing would be good, I should look for one!

[KJPG]

My husband looked at what I was packing for our first cruise - an over the door holder, duct tape and a hole punch - and proceeded to make fun of me.

 

Now he just knows that as soon as we get our cards, the hole punch will be the first thing I pull out of my bag. My card gets punched and I put it on an IKEA lanyard. It has a detable thingy that goes in my pocket when I don't want to wear the whole thing.

 

(And never question the taking of duct tape - I fixed a toilet with it on that first cruise as well.) :D

[almtyrob]

Every suitcase should have a duct tape dispenser. That stuff can fix anything. Try fixing a pant's hem with it. It lasts forever & even when wet.;)

[Jeffski]

If you're wearing pants with a belt loop I would assume they also have pockets? Can't you put the card in your pocket? I have 2 swimsuits with a velcro pocket on the side (one by Quicksilver, one by Oakley) and they held the card all week even in the pool and the ocean. Only problem was that after a couple days my signature on the back would wear off. We saw tons of people on the ship with the lanyards which we thought was a little funny. If that's what you need to do to keep from losing it then go for it.

[gsc500]

My husband looked at what I was packing for our first cruise - an over the door holder, duct tape and a hole punch - and proceeded to make fun of me.

 

Now he just knows that as soon as we get our cards, the hole punch will be the first thing I pull out of my bag. My card gets punched and I put it on an IKEA lanyard. It has a detable thingy that goes in my pocket when I don't want to wear the whole thing.

 

(And never question the taking of duct tape - I fixed a toilet with it on that first cruise as well.) :D

 

Every suitcase should have a duct tape dispenser. That stuff can fix anything. Try fixing a pant's hem with it. It lasts forever & even when wet.;)

 

I read they were patching up the space shuttle with duct tape!! :eek: :D

[LemurCat]

We saw tons of people on the ship with the lanyards which we thought was a little funny. If that's what you need to do to keep from losing it then go for it.

 

Some folks are just used to wearing their ID around their neck -- it's a standard requirement for a lot of companies. And to be honest, for what, $5 you get a nice lanyard and hole punched in your card for you without the hassle of having to pack a hole puncher (or in my case, buying a hole puncher, remembering to pack it, etc).

[Guest Anorak33]

We saw tons of people on the ship with the lanyards which we thought was a little funny.

 

 

Funny?

 

 

 

What is funny about it?

 

 

I must be lacking a sense of humour as I can't see anything remotely amusing about it.

 

At our CC Meet'n'Greets for the Transatlantics we all have lanyards given to us, and very useful they have been.

[Jeffski]

Funny that you have to wear it around your neck to not lose it I guess. My family plus the group of people we were with found it amusing. No offense intended. I guess it's like the kid on a leash debate...some people think it's a great idea and others think it's just weird. Neither is right or wrong.

[Cruise_More_Often]

I lost my key card once because I put it in my pocket. Never again! I usually use lanyards because they're so easy and my pants rarely have belt loops.

[flashdog_1]

On NCL do you have to give the whole "key" when you buy a drink etc. so they can scan it? My first cruise I had something like a luggage tag holder to put the card in, and it didn't work since they wanted the whole card, not just to scan it while attached to the springy thing.

[KJPG]

That's why I like my lanyard - it has a detachable (I really do know how to spell) end so I can just unclip it and hand it over. I usually end up with DD's card + a soda card so a lanyard is a very cool hands free kinda thing. At night, I keep the unclipped part in the small purse that I carry to dinner & the casino.

 

Oh, and I have a bag of stuff that I keep together for cruises - roll of tape, over the door thing, notepad, pens bottle holders etc. I keep my hole punch with that. All I have to do is add that bag of stuff to my carryon bag.

[LOWTYD]

That's why I like my lanyard - it has a detachable (I really do know how to spell) end so I can just unclip it and hand it over. I usually end up with DD's card + a soda card so a lanyard is a very cool hands free kinda thing. At night, I keep the unclipped part in the small purse that I carry to dinner & the casino.

 

Oh, and I have a bag of stuff that I keep together for cruises - roll of tape, over the door thing, notepad, pens bottle holders etc. I keep my hole punch with that. All I have to do is add that bag of stuff to my carryon bag.

 

Nice ship on stick by the way!

what is the over the door thing?

[jackpine]

what is the over the door thing?

 

 

I think they are talking about the over-the-door shoe holder. Great for storing things needed while on your cruise. Just put it over the door in the room. Makes for easy access to all loose articles (camera, hairbrush, sun tan lotion, etc...) that would otherwise be all over the place.

[Ask4Jay]

Last thing to go into the suitcase and first one to come out is my trusty Swiss Army Knife with a reamer. Once we are in the cabin, I poke a hole in one of the corners (opposite the magnetic strip) and then ream it to the correct size for an old-fashioned lamp pull chain. Still have one of those chains from my working days; bought about 4 feet at the hardware store for DW. On board we carry them around our necks. 'Lost' one of them to a wine steward. She really liked it when she ran my card, so at our last dinner we gave it to her.

[njlandlubber]

ok, just one question for a first-timer.. i keep seeing all these DW, DH, DS, SS.... what are these abbreviations ?

[Mooder]

ok, just one question for a first-timer.. i keep seeing all these DW, DH, DS, SS.... what are these abbreviations ?

 

It refers to a family member, as in "Dear Wife" "Dear Husband" "Dear Sister" "Dear Daughter" etc. "SIL" would be sister in law. I don't know about "SS" (unless its followed by the name of a ship :) Welcome to the boards!

[njlandlubber]

so silly of me... i should have figured this out.. LOL... thanks ! :D

[yakdaddy42]

ss stands for stupid sister just joking

 

could be for sail and sign card

[Ms belp]

ss stands for stupid sister just joking

 

could be for sail and sign card

 

Step-son, maybe? I personally like stupid sister though!:D

[BeachBumMama]

I guess it's like the kid on a leash debate...some people think it's a great idea and others think it's just weird.

Oh, those are for kid's? Dear hubby was complaining it was a little tight on the last cruise, but I needed something to keep him back from the casino.:p