Wrist Bands?

[kevingastreich]

1 hour ago, cruisinteach2 said:

No wrist band for me either! Prefer lanyard that I can slip inside shirt when off ship yet still have with me.

As for needing card for light slot - we just throw old HAL cabin card in suitcase and use it - as long as it has magnetized strip it will work. Also works for cabin safe if safe is not one that you input a code to open.

Generally, it's a mechanical action not an electrical one so any card, any orientation would work, magnetic strip or not. 

[Tom O.]

30 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

Generally, it's a mechanical action not an electrical one so any card, any orientation would work, magnetic strip or not. 

 

That's right. The last cruise where I had one of those light switches, I used my Auto Club card in there and it worked for me. I was worried that I might walk out of the room and leave my room key in that slot.

[Crew News]

2 hours ago, cruisinteach2 said:

No wrist band for me either! Prefer lanyard that I can slip inside shirt when off ship yet still have with me.

As for needing card for light slot - we just throw old HAL cabin card in suitcase and use it - as long as it has magnetized strip it will work. Also works for cabin safe if safe is not one that you input a code to open.

 

I asked my Room Steward for a blank card and that is what I used on the Nieuw Statendam.  I have also used my old PetSmart card without a magnetic strip.

[summer slope]

We've never put a card in a slot to keep the lights on.  I guess I've never cruised on those ships.

[RocketMan275]

3 minutes ago, summer slope said:

We've never put a card in a slot to keep the lights on.  I guess I've never cruised on those ships.

Keep cruising and before long you will.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, summer slope said:

We've never put a card in a slot to keep the lights on.  I guess I've never cruised on those ships.

 

It’s on the newer ones.  A lot of hotels in Europe use the same system to save on electricity/power.

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

As a solo, I liked the card slot. That way I always knew where my key was. But when two people are sharing a room, it's always "whose key is this?" and that gets old quickly. 

[TAD2005]

The cruise lines that have the tracking medallions or other tracking devices have invested a ton of money into ship-wide sensors, wiring, hardware and software.    Knowing that cruise lines do not do anything  unless they can see a profit in it,  you know that this tracking technology is not being done strictly for the guest's convenience.   

[kevingastreich]

21 hours ago, TAD2005 said:

The cruise lines that have the tracking medallions or other tracking devices have invested a ton of money into ship-wide sensors, wiring, hardware and software.    Knowing that cruise lines do not do anything  unless they can see a profit in it,  you know that this tracking technology is not being done strictly for the guest's convenience.   

Disney is pioneering that technology. It is definitively a love-hate relationship.

[MudderBear]

I am a Disney Annual Passholder, so I frequent Disney (Orlando) quite a bit.  The wristband is amazing.  It opens doors, gets you into the parks (plus the finger scan), and you have the option of linking it to your credit card for purchases (then must establish a PIN code).  It is amazing.  Nothing to carry.  Wristband stays on in water,  everywhere.  I think it's way better than carrying a card (even on a lanyard).

[Essiesmom]

On 1/3/2020 at 6:20 AM, kevingastreich said:

Usually, any card will work. It doesn't have to be your cabin card.

Not on Seaside.  I had taken two older MSC cards and they didn't work.  It has to be a card from the current cruise.  Funny thing, though.  The last morning I was running around taking cabin pics, and discovered for insides, I couldn't turn the lights on without a card, but MY card worked in any cabin slot.  EM