Issues with Electronics Deactivating Keys?

[murfturf]

Has anyone had this problem?

 

I carry a small over the shoulder bag that fits my camera, lipstick and my SeaPass card. On one of my other cruises, my SeaPass card wouldn't work. I was in the Spa and couldn't pay! I had to try and find the hubby so he could pay, and then go to GR to see what was up. I got quite the scolding from the gentleman at the desk telling me to not keep my key next to my camera. Where else should I keep my stuff? I wonder if there is something I could place in my bag between the two that would help?

 

I also have had hotel room keys deactivated from the magnets on purses, so I wonder if that was more the issue. I'm still taking a small purse on this cruise - and I'll make sure it doesn't have a magnet to see if that really was the problem!

[joe6666]

My Ipad 3 and it's cover seem to have a powerful magnet that will wipe out the sea pass card.

[JAYV1]

I carry a magnetic money clip, I took me 3 trips to the guest services desk for new cards before I figured it out...LOL

[Jace_91]

I carry a magnetic money clip, I took me 3 trips to the guest services desk for new cards before I figured it out...LOL

 

I think these cards are extra sensitive but its the magnet not the electronics that are wiping the info. Keep my card next to my iphone all the time on ship. Had friends go three 4 cards before they could get one to work.

[goose30]

I doubt that you got a scolding. He probably was just pointing out (in his native manner) that the card and electronics (magnets) don't mix and you took his tone to be "scolding".

[mwood0612]

I too have a little hipster that I carry on the ship and have had issues with my seapass card getting deactivated. Any tips and/or tricks to prevent that would be helpful! It is quite annoying to carry everything I need in my purse then STILL have to put my card in my pocket for fear of deactivating my card!

[Spring Valley]

Last week we had to get our key cards redone 3 times and couldn't figure out why, and they told me not to have the magnetic strip next to another one, in which i was always carrying my wife's card in the same pocket, so they would wipe each other out.

 

Keith

[JMG]

Yes, it happened to me once. Last cruise I was in the spa getting my nails done and the manicurist was talking to her roommate about her roommates card not working because of her camera or magnetic clasp. Because of her hours, she had a problem getting to the place where she could get a new card so the 2 gals had to stick together is the one wanted into her cabin.

[merees17]

Used to happened to me at least once each cruise.

 

Ditched the purse with the magnetic clasp.

 

Now carry wristlet with zipper.

 

Hasn't happened since.

[Kellie Poodle]

I have several pretty lanyards. When I board the ship, I get a hole punched in my sea pass card at the guest relations desk and put it on the lanyard.

 

On formal nights when I don't want to wear the lanyard, even the rhinestone one;), my little Sony digital camera does not seem to bother the sea pass if they are both in my evening bag.

 

My big Canon camera that requires a neck strap, will deactivate a sea pass on the lanyard, so I try to be careful about tucking the lanyard into my shirt or finding a pocket for it.

 

I do have to say that I've had less problems with RCI sea pass cards deactivating when next to the Canon than I have had with Celebrity sea pass cards. I've blazed through as many as six cards on X cruises and none on RCI.

[luckyprincess]

This happens to me all the time at hotels because I end up with my phone and camera next to my key...

[mwood0612]

So is it the phone or camera that typically deactivates the cards?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[printingchick]

Yup...had the same problem. For me it was the camera. I don't use my cell phone on cruises.

 

I started carrying the card in a pocket of the small travel wallet, hoping that having a piece of material between the camera and the card would help. It seemed to. But before that, I'd wiped out my card a couple of times.

[emilygrace]

This happens to me if I put the card in my pocket. After replacing my card for the 3rd time the guy at GR asked if I was carrying it in my pocket and I said yes. He said with some people their body chemistry (or probably magnetic personality) deactivates the card. No wonder I was always having to get my work ID card (which was also my time card) replaced. Since I've switched to using a lanyard on cruises I haven't had this problem.

 

At dinner I usually have a small wristlet or bag and keep my card in there (with my Canon point and shoot camera) and it's just fine.

[printingchick]

In a related episode, one of the the gifts at my Meet & Mingle on Freedom of the seas was a refrigerator magnet that said: "I Attended the Meet and Mingle on FOS".

 

You guessed it, I tossed everything together in the same "beach bag" before hanging out at the pool and wiped out my Seapass card!

[youngatheart136]

I have never had this happen on Royal Caribbean or Holland American, but I went through at least 4 seapass cards on my Celebrity cruise last March. I used te same "mini-backpack" thing I picked up on a Royal cruise for all three, so I have to believe it is the seapass and not my "stuff". Same camera etc all three trips.

[RJHNorthyorks]

Happened to me twice on our last cruise. I understand it was due to carrying the card in my bag with mobile. Changed without any difficulties.

[arom729]

I doubt that you got a scolding. He probably was just pointing out (in his native manner) that the card and electronics (magnets) don't mix and you took his tone to be "scolding".

 

No disrespect, but I think tone of voice is how one can tell it's a scolding, no matter what a particular person's accent may be.

 

In my personal experience, I received close to a scolding for carrying my phone w/ my Sea Pass on the first day on board (when we were still docked and had full service). I don't think I was the first with this problem, so I can only imagine some guest services people do get "short" with the myriad of passengers that wipe their card.

[Doug S]

Happened first time on our last cruise Dec 2012. Not electronics, but like some others have said, a purse. The wife's new coach purse had a strong magnet clasp on the inner pocket that took out 2 passes before we figured it out. With all the card keys, and electronic storage people carry, it seems like a bad idea to use a magnet in a purse design.

[cb at sea]

Yep...the magnet (and it's not THAT powerful!) on my purse will deactivate my keys.....it's a pain! They need to make the keys less susceptible to magnets!!!!!

[tulsacubfan]

I've not had it happen on a cruise, but often do for hotels....the strangest though was we were in Pensacola and every day when we would come back from the beach, the room key would not work. I think it was our fifth room key when the girl asked if we were taking it in the ocean with us! She said the salt water will deactivate. We thought she was nuts (yes, my husband was putting the room key in the zippered pocket in his swim shorts), but the next day he did not take it in the ocean with him. Sure enough....worked fine. So, either use a waterproof bag or case, or don't take the key in the salt water!

[BillOh]

Has anyone had this problem?

 

Yes

I got quite the scolding from the gentleman at the desk telling me to not keep my key next to my camera. Where else should I keep my stuff?

 

I love when people pretend expertise, but I'm sure he was told that by someone he trusted. Having a degree in Engineering and having worked on some card readers, Its unlikely the camera had much/anything to do with it. I had mine fail on Allure and never was near an electronic device. I try to keep my seapass dry and out of the direct sunlight.

[BillOh]

I've not had it happen on a cruise, but often do for hotels....the strangest though was we were in Pensacola and every day when we would come back from the beach, the room key would not work. I think it was our fifth room key when the girl asked if we were taking it in the ocean with us! She said the salt water will deactivate. We thought she was nuts (yes, my husband was putting the room key in the zippered pocket in his swim shorts), but the next day he did not take it in the ocean with him. Sure enough....worked fine. So, either use a waterproof bag or case, or don't take the key in the salt water!

 

There is some logic to that. The only one I lost on my previously mentioned cruise, it was in the pool, I forgot and put it in my suit as well.

[Daghis]

My SeaPass got messed up during an evening in the casino. I put the SeaPass card in one slot machine where it worked, moved to a different slot machine, and found that it wouldn't read the SeaPass. I tried a few others and found that none of them would read it. I tried pointing this out to the casino staff, but they were uninterested and simply directed me to Guest Services to get a new card.

 

The casino staff did advise me how to insert the card in a way that was a bit more reliable (only inserting it part way instead of all the way in until it clicks). I didn't have any problems after that.

[Kellie Poodle]

Yes

 

I love when people pretend expertise, but I'm sure he was told that by someone he trusted. Having a degree in Engineering and having worked on some card readers, Its unlikely the camera had much/anything to do with it. I had mine fail on Allure and never was near an electronic device. I try to keep my seapass dry and out of the direct sunlight.

 

 

I beg to differ with you, engineer person. I know for a fact that my sea pass became de-magnified by my Canon SX camera on Celebrity Infinity. It happened several times and each and every time it happened, I had the camera around my neck as well as the sea pass on a lanyard.

 

While you may have the academic degrees, I have the practical experience and I believe reality trumps theory. :D