Cabin Steward's Card Key Opens Deadbolt

[Princess Patches]

I was on the recent Golden Princess transatlantic crossing. On the first night on the ship I was tired and went to bed very early. I bolted my door from the inside so as not to be disturbed by the cabin steward's evening turndown service. About 30 minutes later there was a knock on the door, which I did not bother to answer because I knew the door was bolted and the cabin steward could not enter. Seconds after the knock the door opened and the cabin steward entered. He was very embarassed and apologized. We tested the cabin door again. I bolted the door from the inside but his card key was able to override the deadbolt. We both thought the door was broken and he called an engineer to fix it.

 

The next day the engineer showed up and assured us the door was not broken and this is the new system. Some family members were in the cabin next door to mine and the engineer showed us that the cabin steward's card key overrode the deadbolt on the cabin next door as well.

 

The engineer told us that, in an emergency, they used to override the deadbolt with a metal key in the keyhole that is directly below the card key slot. However, the system was recently changed and now the cabin steward's card key opens the deadbolt. Obviously, this leaves passengers with no privacy in their cabins.

 

Has anyone else experienced the cabin steward entering when the deadbolt is on? This new lack of privacy in the cabin is enough to make me consider sailing another line.

[chrysalis]

using the "do not disturb" sign is the way to avoid this problem....and I suspect that in real emergency situations it is probably good that the over-ride is easily done, but there should be some indication in the cabin that this is the case.

 

Did you have your "do not disturb" sign out?

 

Switching cruise lines sounds a bit drastic to me....

[Charles4515]

Has anyone else experienced the cabin steward entering when the deadbolt is on? This new lack of privacy in the cabin is enough to make me consider sailing another line.

 

If you want privacy you should put the Do ot disturb card in the lock.

[dforeigner]

I do not see it as a lack of privacy. The steward did knock on the door prior to entering. Chrysalis pointed out the use of the "do not disturb" sign. Lack of privacy would be having security cameras inside your stateroom. I know this is an extreme analogy but simply trying to make a point. The bottom line, it is your money and you are entitled to spend it where-ever you choose to do so.

[Princess Patches]

For the remainder of the cruise I did use the "Privacy Please" sign but we had one more incident of his entering the room. I believe it was due to my putting the card in upside down. I prefer the deadbolt system because it was foolproof.

 

It seems simple to give the cabin steward a card key that does not open the deadbolt for his everyday usage and an emergency card key that does open the deadbolt that could be kept separately and used for emergencies only.

 

The question which I have not received a response to yet was has anyone else had a similar experience on any of the other Princess ships? I sailed on the Crown on October and the deadbolt worked just fine on that ship.

[Admiral Horatio Nelson]

I can see this from both sides of the argument. I agree that having the dead bolt makes you feel secure inside your cabin. The problem arises in an emergency when it is the cabin steward who checks the cabins are empty and hangs a sign on saying so and then informs the bridge all cabins are clear. The old policy was that the SECO and his staff had dead bolt overides and would be issued in emergency cases, however depending on the emergency there may be no time to do this.

 

I don't think changes cruise lines will solve your problem. The very nature of cruise ships means that access to all areas must be had by ship's crew for safety reasons.

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

I would look at it this way if there was a fire onboard one night and were trapped needing help and your cabin steward was trying to get in to assist you and you had the dead bolt on, and he had to go to fetch a key would you be happy.

 

I think having access is more important than keeping the door locked,

 

so long as we put the sign in the door saying do not distrub,

 

and the fact that the steward knocks and shouts a warning

 

I think things will be fine

 

I am sure from time to time both stewards and us will get caught out but so what if the steward sees me stepping out the shower I feel more sorry for him that any harm done to me.

 

As to moving cruise lines I can see, if this is being done due to saety then all cruise lines will follow.

 

yours Shogun

[QM2 Cruiser]

 

I can't remember exactly from my last Princess cruise, but on other lines the back of the do not disturb sign says "please make up room." These signs may be separate altogether; I’m not totally sure, maybe someone else will know for sure.

[chrysalis]

 

I can't remember exactly from my last Princess cruise, but on other lines the back of the do not disturb sign says "please make up room." These signs may be separate altogether; I’m not totally sure, maybe someone else will know for sure.

 

the Princess sign has 2 sides "make up this room"...and "do not disturb"....so putting the sign up-side-down in error is actually inviting the Steward to enter your room asap.....

[easykruz]

I was on the recent Golden Princess transatlantic crossing. On the first night on the ship I was tired and went to bed very early. I bolted my door from the inside so as not to be disturbed by the cabin steward's evening turndown service. About 30 minutes later there was a knock on the door, which I did not bother to answer because I knew the door was bolted and the cabin steward could not enter. Seconds after the knock the door opened and the cabin steward entered. He was very embarassed and apologized. We tested the cabin door again. I bolted the door from the inside but his card key was able to override the deadbolt. We both thought the door was broken and he called an engineer to fix it.

 

The next day the engineer showed up and assured us the door was not broken and this is the new system. Some family members were in the cabin next door to mine and the engineer showed us that the cabin steward's card key overrode the deadbolt on the cabin next door as well.

 

The engineer told us that, in an emergency, they used to override the deadbolt with a metal key in the keyhole that is directly below the card key slot. However, the system was recently changed and now the cabin steward's card key opens the deadbolt. Obviously, this leaves passengers with no privacy in their cabins.

 

Has anyone else experienced the cabin steward entering when the deadbolt is on? This new lack of privacy in the cabin is enough to make me consider sailing another line.

 

 

I agree with you 100%, why have a deadbolt if it does not have any use. I can come up with a dozen reasons why this is being done but unfortunately it does not solve the problem. I suggest that you write Princess home office and ask for an explanation, is this a new policy per Princess or just a new policy per the Golden Princess ship? Also, I agree with the comments "from now on put your do not disturb sign on the door".

 

Please post the Princess answer when you receive it.

 

Bill

[Colo Cruiser]

I would rather the ships personel have access to my room even when the deadbolt is activated. :)

 

In my 35 Princess cruises I have never had a problem of someone entering my room when I was there and have never had anything taken from my room either.

 

I always use my Do Not Disturb sign. :)

[Charles4515]

I agree with you 100%, why have a deadbolt if it does not have any use. I can come up with a dozen reasons why this is being done but unfortunately it does not solve the problem. I suggest that you write Princess home office and ask for an explanation, is this a new policy per Princess or just a new policy per the Golden Princess ship? Also, I agree with the comments "from now on put your do not disturb sign on the door".

 

Please post the Princess answer when you receive it.

 

Bill

 

I don't know why people think it is to stop cabin attendants and other staff from opening the door. The deadbolt lock is to stop someone who has no key from breaking into the room. Intruders and burglers. That is the use of a deadbolt lock. You should expect the staff to have keys to the locks. If you want privacy put up the do not disturb sign.

[sultan_sfo]

I am glad that you posted this so we have all become informed of this. I still think the new system should make the Steward "aware" that the dead bolt is "on" without posting the "do not disturb" sign (by some red/green dot or whatever). It is a case of inadequate design. /Sultan

[GloriaF]

I remember reading someone suggested putting a rubber door stop behind your locked door as double insurance when you do not want to be disturbed. But putting the "Privacy" sign out has always done the trick for us. Of course, you do have to be sure you take notice of which side sign is up. As another post said, the "Service Please" is an invitation to enter the room asap.

 

I noticed that Sun Princess had rubber door stops in each "mail" box outside the room on our last cruise. I had never noticed them before.

[MaryPoppinz]

I don't have any problem with the cabin steward being able to override the deadbolt, but why was he doing this when there was neither an emergency nor a concern about one?

[sultan_sfo]

Thwarting the "system" by placing door stops etc. defeats the whole purpose of rapid evacuation of cabins in case of emergencies! /Sultan

[sultan_sfo]

Because he/she does not know that the deadbolt is "on"! /Sultan

 

I don't have any problem with the cabin steward being able to override the deadbolt, but why was he doing this when there was neither an emergency nor a concern about one?

[TexasMom2]

If the deadbolt is activated, that means someone is inside the cabin and bolted it for a reason. If the steward doesn't get a response, that means the occupants are sleeping or showering, or possibly on the balcony. I don't think they should enter if it's bolted with their passkey, unless they haven't been able to get in for a whole day, IMHO.

[Charles4515]

If the deadbolt is activated, that means someone is inside the cabin and bolted it for a reason. If the steward doesn't get a response, that means the occupants are sleeping or showering, or possibly on the balcony. I don't think they should enter if it's bolted with their passkey, unless they haven't been able to get in for a whole day, IMHO.

 

They don't know the deadbolt is on. It is being said that the cabin attendents key opens the door whether it is on or not. I don't know whether that is a change or was always the case. I don't know where the expectation comes from that the deadbolt would prevent the staff from opening the door. My expectation was always to put the Do not disturb card in the lock if i wanted privacy. There should be no expectation that the staff can not overide the deadbolt.

[Druke I]

I for one think the OPs concern is misplaced.

 

I am glad to know that the cabin steward can override the deadbolt, given an emergency.

 

I for one place faith in the "Do Not Disturb" card - and try not to reverse it to "Please Make Up Room" side.

[Lynda90]

I don't know why you were mad about this. It is for your own protection. I am happy to know that the cabin stewards have that kind of access. It makes me feel more secure knowing they can enter in case of fire or other emergency. As others have said, just put the "privacy" sign on the door. That way you won't be bothered unless there is an emergency. That's what the sign is for.

[MaryPoppinz]

Because he/she does not know that the deadbolt is "on"! /Sultan

 

WHAT?!?! Are you saying that the master key the steward uses to open his assigned cabins simultaneously opens the deadbolt?? No! There should be a separate key available on his ring that opens both. Under 'normal' conditions, he should only be opening the door when the deadbolt is off, in an emergency, he uses the key that opens both.

[MaryPoppinz]

As long as there is nothing going on in the cabin that can't be shared with the room steward, the OP's concern is misplaced. Otherwise, I think she raises a very valid point here. ;) Because, really, a deadbolt should be an equally good signal to the cabin steward as a "Do Not Disturb" sign that one is not receiving guests!

[Princess Patches]

WHAT?!?! Are you saying that the master key the steward uses to open his assigned cabins simultaneously opens the deadbolt?? No! There should be a separate key available on his ring that opens both. Under 'normal' conditions, he should only be opening the door when the deadbolt is off, in an emergency, he uses the key that opens both.

 

I think Mary Poppinz is the only poster who understood my question. It was not clearly worded. I have no problem with the room steward or any other cruise staff member having an emergency key that opens the deadbolt in an emergency. I have always assumed they do have such a key. I want them to have such a key for emergencies such as a fire or if I am incapacitated.

 

The cabin steward was using a master key to open my room door that simultaneously opened the deadbolt. He used this key to enter my room for nonemergency, twice daily cabin cleaning. When I inquired about this both to the cabin steward and his supervisor I was told that this was the new Princess policy. The cabin steward now has only one key and it always opens the deadbolt. He no longer has two keys, one that will get him into your cabin for nonemergency cleaning purposes and one that he can use in emergencies only.

 

It defeats the purpose of even having a deadbolt. I don't understand why the steward needs to use an emergency "deadbolt override" key for nonemergency situations such as cleaning the cabin. I have sailed on a variety of Princess ships over the years and have never had this occur before this occasion.

 

My question, more simply put, is:

 

Is it a new Princess policy to use the emergency deadbolt override key at all times now, even for twice daily, nonemergency room cleaning, or was I misinformed and this situation is limited to my cabin steward on the Golden Princess?

[TexasMom2]

They don't know the deadbolt is on. It is being said that the cabin attendents key opens the door whether it is on or not. I don't know whether that is a change or was always the case. I don't know where the expectation comes from that the deadbolt would prevent the staff from opening the door. My expectation was always to put the Do not disturb card in the lock if i wanted privacy. There should be no expectation that the staff can not overide the deadbolt.

 

Well, that is something I did not know and is disturbing to me. When I stay in a hotel, the Do Not Disturb sign doesn't always keep the staff out, so I use the deadbolt in addition to the DND sign, just in case.