Cruise cards and lanyards on Norwegian

[doctoranna]

I know, this is a tiny tiny issue, but we just got off the Pearl last Friday, and one thing that bummed me out was that they would no longer punch a hole in my cruise card so I could wear it on a lanyard.  They said it is because the cards now have an IR chip in them and punching a hole would inactivate it.  I didn't feel like paying 10 bucks for a lanyard with a plastic pouch on it in the gift shop, so just ended up carrying the card in my pocket, though had to keep remembering not to put it in the same pocket as my phone, which has a nonslip case that often pulls things out of my pocket.  Again, I know, totally a first world problem, but just a heads up for anyone who likes to wear their cruise card around their neck.  Bring a plastic pouch to clip on your lanyard.  I am liking Princess more now, since they provide a lanyard that allows me to wear my Ocean Medallion around my neck for free.

[Av8torcrj]

8 pack, lanyards, Amazon, $8.99. 

[MoCruiseFan]

LOL

[EvanBedar]

43 minutes ago, doctoranna said:

.  I am liking Princess more now, since they provide a lanyard that allows me to wear my Ocean Medallion around my neck for free.

Or in a stylish plastic wristwatch band. ⌚️ 

[BirdTravels]

The NCL chip is at the bottom right of the card. The antenna loop runs around card about 1/2" from the edge making it hard/impossible to punch with a regular punch without compromising the card. 

[HuliHuli]

Yep, totally first world problem @doctoranna.  Buy a lanyard with a pouch.  $10; probably will last ten cruises - buck a cruise!  Personally I don't choose cruises or cruise lines based on how I might carry my room card.  Now, back to my boat drink.

[UKstages]

i myself prefer not to wear a lanyard with a plastic sleeve. (because it makes me look like i'm on a field trip  to a museum with my 2nd grade class.)

 

i use a "slim clip" to hold my NCL ID keycard, my NCL casino card and credit cards (when going ashore), along with $1 and $5 bills for tips. about seven to ten dollars, depending on where you buy it. it's compact, thin and fits in my front pocket; the shape and the design makes it easy to pull out, independent of anything else that might be in there.

 

Edited September 20, 2022 by UKstages

[GeezerCouple]

1 hour ago, UKstages said:

i myself prefer not to wear a lanyard with a plastic sleeve. (because it makes me look like i'm on a field trip  to a museum with my 2nd grade class.)

 

i use a "slim clip" to hold my NCL ID keycard, my NCL casino card and credit cards (when going ashore), along with $1 and $5 bills for tips. about seven to ten dollars, depending on where you buy it. it's compact, thin and fits in my front pocket; the shape and the design makes it easy to pull out, independent of anything else that might be in there.

 

 

 

Looks great, except for women (or anyone) who have clothing that rarely includes pockets.

😠

Very annoying, and not just on cruises.

 

GC

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, UKstages said:

i use a "slim clip" to hold my NCL ID keycard, my NCL casino card and credit cards (when going ashore), along with $1 and $5 bills for tips. about seven to ten dollars, depending on where you buy it. it's compact, thin and fits in my front pocket; the shape and the design makes it easy to pull out, independent of anything else that might be in there.

 And you put this in your purse?

[fava]

This is what I do. They are called hang tabs or repair tabs. You stick one on each side of the card and put your lanyard through the hole. They can be found at places that sell supplies for retail stores. You can also get a similar item on amazon for repairing vertical blinds, search for "repair tabs".

 

The lanyard or carabiner doesn't interfere with the swiping of the card and you don't need to remove the card from the sleeve every time you use the card.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, fava said:

This is what I do. They are called hang tabs or repair tabs. You stick one on each side of the card and put your lanyard through the hole. They can be found at places that sell supplies for retail stores. You can also get a similar item on amazon for repairing vertical blinds, search for "repair tabs".

 

The lanyard or carabiner doesn't interfere with the swiping of the card and you don't need to remove the card from the sleeve every time you use the card.

And... you clip this to your dress somehow?

[fava]

2 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

And... you clip this to your dress somehow?

In my case it attached to a belt loop since I don't wear a dress.  However you could easily attach a lanyard and wear it around your neck.

[doctoranna]

LOL!  So many great solutions to my first world problem.  I have several lanyards with plastic pouches at home, left over from the job I retired from, so I declined to buy another one.  Yes, I am cheap.  I will certainly remember to bring one the next time I cruise Norwegian.

[MoCruiseFan]

I just put the card in my pocket

 

[ziggyuk]

 

I got these some time ago before getting on the Encore, used them on 4 cruises now and they are brilliant, they work perfectly with a lanyard and if you position it away from the magnetic strip they can still swipe the card with it still attached.
https://www.amazon.com/Gripper-Holder-Plastic-Standard-Thickness/dp/B0B4VP78PV

 

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by ziggyuk

[Yesimapirate]

44 minutes ago, ChC said:

Work/Office ID badge holder works wonders. I know most of you are retired or no longer working in an office environment, but you can get one of those ID badge holders (plastic card holder with one side open to show ID that can be attached to lanyards) from office supply shops, or simply ask your children for a spare one.

Just because we're cranky doesn't mean we're old!  And I don't think most companies give these out.

[Av8torcrj]

They will argue over anything. Clip it to your dress, hang it on your dress, glue it to your dress, tape it to your dress, tie it to your dress, staple it to your dress, crank it up your dress, retired it to your dress, better yet, or simply STICK it in your dress. 

[EvanBedar]

God this place has so many people that are so mean to each other.

Eeek.

[cruiseny4life]

I know ladies don't have many pocketed options...still don't know why this is, but I'm a guy, so I won't say anything more on that...

 

My best solution is to use my pocket. If not my pocket, then my husband gets to carry my card. My personal preference is to not use lanyards, belt hanging on thingies, or large cash clips in my pocket. I don't like any of those things. 

 

So...pockets it is! Or my husband's pocket! 🙂 

[doctoranna]

I have noticed that more women's clothes are available with pockets.  I will not buy anything for daily wear that does not have pockets.  I have also noticed that more and more prom dresses are being made with  pockets.  It's about time.

 

That said, anything that ends up in the same pocket as my phone is at risk of getting lost, as the non-slip case on the phone tends to pull whatever is in the pocket out with it when I take the phone out.  Like I said, first world problems.  Just wanted to alert the lanyard-users, of which there are many, that clipping the card to a lanyard after getting someone at the service desk to punch a hole in it is no longer an option on NCL.  Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

[fava]

16 hours ago, ziggyuk said:

 

I got these some time ago before getting on the Encore, used them on 4 cruises now and they are brilliant, they work perfectly with a lanyard and if you position it away from the magnetic strip they can still swipe the card with it still attached.
https://www.amazon.com/Gripper-Holder-Plastic-Standard-Thickness/dp/B0B4VP78PV

 

 

I do like those.

 

How strong is the grip?  Are the cards going to fall out easily?

[grozzy1]

So the cards have a barcode, magnetic strip and RFID? Couldn't they just pick one?

And as a side question I'm guessing that they're not waterproof, and taking them for a swim is not a good idea?

[BirdTravels]

19 minutes ago, grozzy1 said:

So the cards have a barcode, magnetic strip and RFID? Couldn't they just pick one?

And as a side question I'm guessing that they're not waterproof, and taking them for a swim is not a good idea?

Getting your card wet is fine. 

[ziggyuk]

5 hours ago, fava said:

I do like those.

 

How strong is the grip?  Are the cards going to fall out easily?

 

They really grip very well, I was worried it might fall out at first but there is a rubber grip inside that is angled backwards like a burr so it's really strong.
I put it on the short side of the card near to the corner away from the magnetic strip so they can still swipe it.
We have both used them on 4 cruises since we bought them and neither of us have had them fall off, we do tend to take our lanyards off in port though.

[ziggyuk]

5 hours ago, fava said:

I do like those.

 

How strong is the grip?  Are the cards going to fall out easily?

 

This is how they look on a real card.
PS. we don't pull them off the gripper at bars we unhook them and hand them over attached.