Keys to rooms

[j4giz]

We haven't sailed Viking Ocean cruises before but we're booked on the Iceland and Norway Arctic Explorer in August.  What keys or cards are used on Viking ships?  Are they cards that you keep in a lanyard and use for purchases on the ship or are they keys or bracelets?

 

[PRH]

They are cards like you get in a hotel.  They are not punched and Viking does not sell lanyards.  If you want to carry your card in a lanyard, check amazon for the ones you slip into a clear plastic sleeve.

[formernuke]

Cards. No lanyards for sale that I've ever seen.

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, PRH said:

They are cards like you get in a hotel.  They are not punched and Viking does not sell lanyards.  If you want to carry your card in a lanyard, check amazon for the ones you slip into a clear plastic sleeve.

 

If you bring your own lanyard they will punch a hole in the card form you.

 

DON

[millybess]

We were able to get the red Viking lanyards from Guest Services for our card.  They are the same ones that they use for the QuietVox.  They will punch a hole for you to attach the card.

[Azulann]

I carry the room card . But after first day or two every bar tender / waiter either knows my room number or just ask for my room number. All staff have devices that I am sure they can also bring up my picture too along with my room number .  Need it to get on and off ship and open your door. Btw bring a fake card to keep in device inside your stateroom so the lights stay on . I do not use my room card for that feature . 

[TayanaLorna]

Viking Guest Services was never successful in punching a hole in my card without deactivating it.  I gave up and keep it in a zipped pocket on excursions or in a small crossbody bag when on the ship along with my cell phone, comb and hand sanitizer.

[SailorPaulH]

I saw someone using a wrist band card holder, which seems like a neat idea.

[Peregrina651]

7 hours ago, Azulann said:

Btw bring a fake card to keep in device inside your stateroom so the lights stay on

 

And if you don't have a piece of plastic, a folded piece of paper will work. (Just make sure that it is big enough that you can get it out of the slot).

[formernuke]

At least on some ships housekeeping leaves a card in the slot for you to avoid this annoyance 

[KaDarr]

So is your room key also your ship i.d.?

[duquephart]

Yes. For everything aboard.

[austinetc]

The card is also used to lock/unlock the locker room lockers in the spa. Like a magic wand. 

[OneSixtyToOne]

6 hours ago, duquephart said:

Yes. For everything aboard.

Should be noted that if you leave the ship on your own, some ports won’t let you back into the port without showing it, and you also need to tap in and out anytime you leave or return to the ship.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

if you leave the ship on your own,

 

And even if you don't leave on your own, since there are some ports where the tour buses are on the other side of port security or no buses are involved at all. In most ports you must flash your room key to get through the gate.

 

But no worries about forgetting your card since you cannot get off the ship without it, no exceptions.

 

BTW, that includes leaving at disembarkation; you will have to present your keycard one last time in order to leave the ship. That is how they keep track of who is still on the ship.

[SantaFe1]

33 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

But no worries about forgetting your card since you cannot get off the ship without it, no exceptions.

Well, clearly, you’ve never met anybody as pathetic as I am. I used my card to get off the ship and then somehow lost  it.  The port authorities wouldn’t let me back on.  So my husband had to go onto the ship, while I sat in the port building, and tell Viking my predicament.  They were very nice, printed me a new card, and brought it out to me, so they could verify who I was.  I was chagrined, is who I was!

[austinetc]

On 5/9/2023 at 12:29 PM, Azulann said:

Btw bring a fake card to keep in device inside your stateroom so the lights stay on . I do not use my room card for that feature . 

If I recall correctly, when the card is removed from the device, not only do the lights go out, but also power to the outlets. So if you carry lots of things that need charging, it's wise to use a fake card.

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

Well, clearly, you’ve never met anybody as pathetic as I am. I used my card to get off the ship and then somehow lost  it.  The port authorities wouldn’t let me back on.  So my husband had to go onto the ship, while I sat in the port building, and tell Viking my predicament.  They were very nice, printed me a new card, and brought it out to me, so they could verify who I was.  I was chagrined, is who I was!

 

My worst nightmare.  😨

[Squawkman]

4 hours ago, austinetc said:

If I recall correctly, when the card is removed from the device, not only do the lights go out, but also power to the outlets. So if you carry lots of things that need charging, it's wise to use a fake card.

Are you sure about that? I’ve left things charging when I left the cabin with no card in the slot and they did get charged.

[austinetc]

5 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

Are you sure about that? I’ve left things charging when I left the cabin with no card in the slot and they did get charged.

I'm not 100% sure today. It was my experience in 2015. Since then I keep a card in the slot.

 

We were on the first Ocean ship in it's first year. Perhaps they made an adjustment.

Edited May 11, 2023 by austinetc

[LindaS272]

5 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

Well, clearly, you’ve never met anybody as pathetic as I am. I used my card to get off the ship and then somehow lost  it.  The port authorities wouldn’t let me back on.  So my husband had to go onto the ship, while I sat in the port building, and tell Viking my predicament.  They were very nice, printed me a new card, and brought it out to me, so they could verify who I was.  I was chagrined, is who I was!

I lost mine in the Falklands but they had a list at the tenders and just looked me up. Dave lost his last year in Cadiz and they just waved him through. Other times the port/security people just wanted you to show your card before proceeding. Now, if we’d lost our cards when we were in St. Petersburg, then I’d worry! 🫣

[SantaFe1]

19 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

I lost mine in the Falklands but they had a list at the tenders and just looked me up. Dave lost his last year in Cadiz and they just waved him through. Other times the port/security people just wanted you to show your card before proceeding. Now, if we’d lost our cards when we were in St. Petersburg, then I’d worry! 🫣

See, I knew I could t have been the only one.  I’ve been trying to think where I did this.  I think it was in Iceland in 2021, mid-Covid and  so very strict.  

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by SantaFe1

[Famsw]

Don't do what I did and pack away my little clutch with the card into the suitcase I set out the night before disembarkation. Yes I had to get a new card at guest services before I could leave the ship.

[Krazy4Kruisin']

On 5/10/2023 at 4:11 PM, austinetc said:

If I recall correctly, when the card is removed from the device, not only do the lights go out, but also power to the outlets. So if you carry lots of things that need charging, it's wise to use a fake card.

That would seem stupid for power to outlets to go out when lights go out. If you charge your phone, ipad, etc overnight, you'll surely not keep your stateroom lights on overnight. Or am I misunderstanding what you're saying?

 

[OneSixtyToOne]

15 minutes ago, Krazy4Kruisin' said:

That would seem stupid for power to outlets to go out when lights go out. If you charge your phone, ipad, etc overnight, you'll surely not keep your stateroom lights on overnight. Or am I misunderstanding what you're saying?

 

It’s not when the lights go out. The card enables a master power switch that allows the light switches to operate. You leave a card in the slot when you are in the room.

 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne