Does NCL Escape use Key-card-activated electricity system in Cabins?

[btc1951]

I've been reading about ships that use a Key-card-activated electricity system in their cabins, and that unless there's a key-card in the slot by the door, you can't charge any electronics while you're out of the room. Does anyone know if this is true of the NCL Escape?

[BirdTravels]

Yes. You can use any old gift card or hotel room key and just leave it in the slot for the duration of your cruise. 

[btc1951]

Thanks! Now I'll have to see if I can find an old card laying around before our cruise in November.

[MoCruiseFan]

Any devices left plugged in will be unplugged by your cabin steward.  Unattended device plugged in are a fire hazard and will get you in the naughty room if it happens repeatedly.

[CaptainBazz]

Yes, leave devices plugged in when you are out for the day and when they go to clean your room they will be unplugged. 

[KKB]

The thing I hate about this is that I can't leave electronics in to charge during the day when I'm not there!

Curious--other lines don's use this system. How is there's not a fire hazard?

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

Why not just charge them overnight when you're sleeping?

[dbrown84]

A portable battery pack is good for this.  I have a nice two port pack so I can charge two devices at once.

[debenson0723]

54 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Why not just charge them overnight when you're sleeping?

That's what I was wondering also.  I charge my devices while sleeping or when I come back into the room to nap, freshen up for the evening or whenever I am there.  Never saw a need to leave anything plugged in while gone.

[hallux]

Most phones, with the right charger, will charge 50-70% in an hour, usually the amount of time someone will spend in their room getting ready for dinner.   That rapid charging rate, however, CAN result in thermal runaway by the battery.  The phone and battery are designed in such a way as to reduce this, but it can still happen (Samsung Note 7 comes to mind as a high-profile example of a device that didn't work as intended). The device containing the battery in my attached picture was ALSO designed to prevent such issues, but it still happened.  Next step for this battery is failure of the 'pouch' and possible fire.  Fire on a ship, especially in an unoccupied space, is bad.

 

I once left an electric toothbrush on charge while I was out of my room and it was unplugged when I returned!

 

4 hours ago, btc1951 said:

Thanks! Now I'll have to see if I can find an old card laying around before our cruise in November.

My cabin on the Joy in March had a card already in the slot.  If you're staying in a hotel the night before just use that card, or fold up a piece of paper to slip into the slot.  It's just a micro-switch to trigger the circuit to the room to energize.

 

This is partially an environmental move - that turns off the lights and reduces the air conditioning demand in the room while you're not there, using less power. Do this for all cabins and you reduce the fuel burn by the generators.

[RocketMan275]

4 hours ago, CaptainBazz said:

Yes, leave devices plugged in when you are out for the day and when they go to clean your room they will be unplugged. 

I've never had my devices unplugged.

[deliver42]

You've been lucky RocketMan275.

[StolidCruiser]

55 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I've never had my devices unplugged.

Therefore the dozens of others who say theirs have been must be giving false information.

 

 

 

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, StolidCruiser said:

Therefore the dozens of others who say theirs have been must be giving false information.

 

 

 

Or, it maybe up to the discretion of the cabin steward.

No doubt some unplug them.

But mine wasn't unplugged.  

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, StolidCruiser said:

Therefore the dozens of others who say theirs have been must be giving false information.

 

 

 

Why in the world would one person reporting a different experience imply that *anyone* at all "must be giving false information"?
What's that all about?

GC

[DwayneG]

We were in the Breakaway Haven in Aprl of this year and much to my surprise found a pre-printed card already in the slot.  I can't remember the exact message but the gist was that this was there to keep the lights and outlets on.  Certainly never had that before, but this was our first Haven cruise so maybe that's what they do.

[MoCruiseFan]

1 hour ago, StolidCruiser said:

Therefore the dozens of others who say theirs have been must be giving false information plugged in is all.

 

 

 

Th cabin steward just has not happened to go to the cabin while they were

[FlGoodShips]

Agree..just charge devices at night or while you are in the room. Or, bring a portable power pack.

[FlGoodShips]

Had a card on the Joy and Encore in our slot provided by NCL when we arrived. Stayed there all week.

[LGW59]

2 hours ago, StolidCruiser said:

Therefore the dozens of others who say theirs have been must be giving false information.

 

 

 

Well aren’t you pleasant 

[Mike A]

We were on the Joy 5/29. We had a pre printed card in the slot. The room steward only placed it in half way into the slot. We had to insert it all the way in for the lights and outlets to work. He did this when ever he made up the room. We had a small clock plugged in that we had to reset whenever the room was made up which was no big deal. Was never unplugged. 
FWIW the Joy had a number of USB outlets in the room. Therefore never had a charging issue.  Can’t speak for Escape. 

Edited July 4, 2022 by Mike A

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, DwayneG said:

We were in the Breakaway Haven in Aprl of this year and much to my surprise found a pre-printed card already in the slot.  I can't remember the exact message but the gist was that this was there to keep the lights and outlets on.  Certainly never had that before, but this was our first Haven cruise so maybe that's what they do.

I found the same in my Haven on Breakaway in March.

One wonders why they would put such a card in the slot and still go around unplugging electrical devices.

Edited July 4, 2022 by RocketMan275

[GeezerCouple]

5 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I found the same in my Haven on Breakaway in March.

One wonders why they would put such a card in the slot and still go around unplugging electrical devices.

 

 

To keep the AC on?

 

That's our concern when we are out for any extended time.  It's not charging devices.

It's trying really hard NOT to return to a hot cabin/suite, one that could take considerable time to cool off again, especially if we were gone for a full day or such.

GC

[The Traveling Man]

5 hours ago, StolidCruiser said:

Therefore the dozens of others who say theirs have been must be giving false information.

 

 

 

No, just that no one had ever unplugged any of the devices that he left plugged in.  I have sailed more than two dozen times on NCL and have left items plugged in more than 100 times.  None of mine were ever unplugged by a cabin attendant.

[The Traveling Man]

3 hours ago, DwayneG said:

We were in the Breakaway Haven in Aprl of this year and much to my surprise found a pre-printed card already in the slot.  I can't remember the exact message but the gist was that this was there to keep the lights and outlets on.  Certainly never had that before, but this was our first Haven cruise so maybe that's what they do.

We have seen the same thing on our recent cruises on NCL ships which have the card slot for electrical power.  I usually pull the card out when we leave anyway.  It's easier than going around the room to turn off all the lights.