Taking cruise card in San Francisco Port

[Coral]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I thought you had to have your card when you disembark, for ship personnel to slide through the computer one more time. Do you mean "lose it" between the ship and immigration?

 

If you lose it half way through the cruise, they will make you a new one.

 

If you don't have it when you disembark, I assume they will let you off. This has happened to be previously when I couldn't find it to disembark - they just told me to go on. They don't want to hold up the lines disembarking.

[cdngrl]

no, lose it a day or two before and the pursers desk will issue a replacement that you can submit when disembarking.

[here2cruise]

I'm losing mine on every ship & every port in the future.

 

great idea!!! i think i'll do the same!!

[leeanninfla]

OK, anyone want to put a wager on how long it will take for there to be replacement card fees for all these "LOST" cards on the ships?

 

I give it 60 days.

[4cats4me]

I have a stack of Princess cards x 2 [DH and myself] just taking up room in

the drawers. They can take all the cards from me they want in the future:D

[abbydancer2003]

We got to keep our cards when we did the RT San Francisco cruise on the Dawn last September. Customs, which was on the ship since Victoria was our last stop, did punch a hole in the card, though. I think it was to indicate you'd cleared before they'd let you off.

 

My husband lost my card on the next to last day (not on purpose) so I have 2 cards from that cruise. We'll save them, it was our first cruise as Platinum, so it was our first silver card.

 

I think that will be our last cruise on the Dawn - our first cruise was our honeymoon on the Dawn 10 years ago when she was new. I still have that card, which did have the picture of the ship.

[caribill]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I thought you had to have your card when you disembark, for ship personnel to slide through the computer one more time. Do you mean "lose it" between the ship and immigration?

 

 

Most of the time on Princess they have not had you "slide the card" when disembarking.

 

Certainly when they put all the collected cards into a giant bag, they are not going to take the time later to go through each one and do anything with them.

[Essiesmom]

I have always been able to keep my card...But was warned before my last cruise that Cunard would collect the cards as you left the ship. but if you went to the Purser's desk, and asked for a replacement because you wanted to keep yurs as a souvenir, they might cancel your original and issue a new one. So I did that...she did it reluctantly...I asked why they collect them, and she said it is because there is so much info about you embedded in it it becomes a privacy/identity issue. So maybe it is a Carnival Corp. thing. EM

[spongerob]

I have a stack of Princess cards x 2 [DH and myself] just taking up room in

the drawers. They can take all the cards from me they want in the future:D

Agree, they're totally useless. I haven't found a single bar or restaurant around here that will take them when it's time to pay the tab.:(

[rcacace]

Here is the reply letter I received from Princess about the card collection. The part about collecting them to unsure all pax have disembarked had me laughing.

 

"Thank you for your correspondence regarding your cruise onboard Dawn Princess. We appreciate the time you have taken to share your concerns regarding your cruise cards, and we welcome the opportunity to respond at this time.

While we were pleased to learn you enjoyed your sailing overall, we regret to note your concerns regarding the confiscation of your cruise cards at the end of your sailing. We take all cruise cards from passengers when leaving the vessel for the last time during disembarkation. This is done for security reasons and to help us ensure that all passengers have disembarked from the ship. We can assure you that all cruise cards are immediately destroyed following their surrender at the gangway. We are sincerely sorry for any confusion and disappointment you experienced due to this situation.

Mr. and Mrs. XXXXX, again, thank you for contacting our office. Passenger satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we are sorry for your disappointment in this area. We are pleased you enjoyed all other areas of your sailing, and it will be our pleasure to welcome you onboard again for what, we are certain, will be a completely enjoyable holiday at sea. Until then, we send our kind regards.

Sincerely,"

[Colo Cruiser]

Agree, they're totally useless. I haven't found a single bar or restaurant around here that will take them when it's time to pay the tab.:(

 

 

 

Or a visiting ship in port either. :rolleyes:

[aaerobear]

It is NOT San Francisco or the CBP people that demand the cruise line take your card. It is either princess or each ships security people. We have different lines sailing into SFO and it seems the Dawn is the only one taking the cards.

 

I do have to agree that it doesn't make a difference to me as they just become clutter, and, as Brian said, what good is a pile of black cards?

 

Ed

[Philip217]

The VERY LAST thing that any cruise line wants is to schedule extra staff at the gangway on debark day to hassle the passengers to turn over several thousand plastic card keys so the ship can then have the extra work of recycling them as waste.

 

My company has the same problems as Princess. Every now and then on debark day, just as we are getting the ship cleared, some cowboy in a local Port Security Uniform announces that the ship must confiscate and account for all debarking passenger keys - or face fines/difficulties/delays.

 

We have no choice. We do it.

[melika091900]

just take a pic of your card once you board.. no biggie...

[bdjam]

just take a pic of your card once you board.. no biggie...

Now THATS a good idea.

[Coral]

The VERY LAST thing that any cruise line wants is to schedule extra staff at the gangway on debark day to hassle the passengers to turn over several thousand plastic card keys so the ship can then have the extra work of recycling them as waste.

 

My company has the same problems as Princess. Every now and then on debark day, just as we are getting the ship cleared, some cowboy in a local Port Security Uniform announces that the ship must confiscate and account for all debarking passenger keys - or face fines/difficulties/delays.

 

We have no choice. We do it.

 

What company do you work for?

[CruiseAholic]

Have only had this 1 time, that was this past February in New York as we disembarked the Queen Mary 2. They took the cruise cards.

 

Now, as far as having anything to do with the port....disembarked the Caribbean Princess in the SAME pier in New York in May, and DID NOT have the cruise cards taken. I have disembarked ships at this same terminal several times and the Queen Mary 2 was the 1st.

[Colo Cruiser]

My company has the same problems as Princess. Every now and then on debark day, just as we are getting the ship cleared, some cowboy in a local Port Security Uniform announces that the ship must confiscate and account for all debarking passenger keys - or face fines/difficulties/delays.

 

We have no choice. We do it.

 

 

 

You should be proud with that statement. :rolleyes:

[Philip217]

Coral,

 

I work for a large mass market cruise line - not unlike Princess.

 

There is really no understanding the logic behind why Port Security singles out one ship or one cruise line, and not another.

 

The same thing happens with US Immigration. One cruise ship pulls in and the CBP tells them that they must inspect ALL passengers before letting anyone ashore. One hour later another cruise ship pulls in at the next pier and is told that they can let individual pax go ashore as soon as they have been inspected.

 

There is very little consistency between US Ports. In New York, Seattle, Honolulu, and Miami, and LA, you can take advantage of the special baggage handling service where you can leave your bags outside your cabins, and next see them when you get off the plane at home.

In Boston, Ft Lauderdale, St Thomas, San Juan, and San Diego this is strictly forbidden.

 

Even worse, they keep changing their minds in each port, so the listing above is probably out of date.