hotel room cards for safes

[humboldt]

Will an old card, previously used for a hotel room, work to open and lock the room safes? Thank-you!

[Guest carlogesualdo]

I believe so. Anything with a magnetic strip. An old hotel room key card is perfect.

[jaja]

I keep an expired store credit card (with totally unusable number) in my travel bag...just for use with safes....works fine...year after year...

[BND]

I usually use a grocery store card. You can also use a gift card, or anything with a magnetic strip. Just don't use your s&s card.

[trock]

Last cruise I took a blank Quiznos gift card

worked fined

[glrounds]

I use an old library card . . . :)

[montekat]

I tried the hotel cards a couple of times but they never worked. I usually keep a couple of cards from the casino and slots near us and they work fine. That way, my husband and I can both keep a card to the safe.

[4kidsplusty]

Will an old card, previously used for a hotel room, work to open and lock the room safes? Thank-you!

we leave in less than a month & have a quick question.after we use a card to open safe will any card open safe or just card we used to begin with? husband is afraid that after we put things in safe and use card,that any card will than work and it could be broken into

[154300]

we leave in less than a month & have a quick question.after we use a card to open safe will any card open safe or just card we used to begin with? husband is afraid that after we put things in safe and use card,that any card will than work and it could be broken into

Just the card you originally swipe and load into the safes memory can be used to open it again.

[happy cruzin]

I tried the hotel cards a couple of times but they never worked. I usually keep a couple of cards from the casino and slots near us and they work fine. That way, my husband and I can both keep a card to the safe.

 

Me either :( !! But an zero balance gift card - like Starbucks or Target works every time. Go figure...I thought any magnetic strip would work - but that has not been the case for us :rolleyes: .

[4kidsplusty]

Just the card you originally swipe and load into the safes memory can be used to open it again.

thanks

[DukeFamily]

I've seen this talked about before and I don't understand it! The ONLY safes we've ever found on our cruises used a key pad - where you put in your own code # to use. That was true on Ecstasy two weeks ago, too. What kind of safes are y'all talking about and doesn't the cruiseline GIVE you something to open the thing? Why are people going out of their way bringing these random cards with them to open the cabin safe? I know it's neither here nor there that I don't understand what y'all are talking about, but it puzzles me and I've read about it so much, I finally just gotta ask!

[CruzVinnieCruz]

I tried the hotel cards a couple of times but they never worked. I usually keep a couple of cards from the casino and slots near us and they work fine. That way, my husband and I can both keep a card to the safe.

 

 

Since I travel for business and the DW is a flight attendant we have a collection of old hotel key cards. I have tried many different hotel key cards and none of them worked. We use an old expired gift card and it works fine.

[corinnv]

Me either :( !! But an zero balance gift card - like Starbucks or Target works every time. Go figure...I thought any magnetic strip would work - but that has not been the case for us :rolleyes: .

I could not use a hotel card either. I used my Staples copy center card. (It still had a balance.)

[I Am Canadian, Eh]

I've seen this talked about before and I don't understand it! The ONLY safes we've ever found on our cruises used a key pad - where you put in your own code # to use. That was true on Ecstasy two weeks ago, too. What kind of safes are y'all talking about and doesn't the cruiseline GIVE you something to open the thing? Why are people going out of their way bringing these random cards with them to open the cabin safe? I know it's neither here nor there that I don't understand what y'all are talking about, but it puzzles me and I've read about it so much, I finally just gotta ask!

 

 

On some (most?) ships, instead of the keypad, you swipe any card with a magnetic strip to lock the safe - and the SAME card to reopen it. In theory, you could use your cabin key, or a credit card, but some people have had problems with the safe 'scrambling' the card, so that's why you hear people bringing old gift cards, etc to use.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

I've seen this talked about before and I don't understand it! The ONLY safes we've ever found on our cruises used a key pad - where you put in your own code # to use. That was true on Ecstasy two weeks ago, too. What kind of safes are y'all talking about and doesn't the cruiseline GIVE you something to open the thing? Why are people going out of their way bringing these random cards with them to open the cabin safe? I know it's neither here nor there that I don't understand what y'all are talking about, but it puzzles me and I've read about it so much, I finally just gotta ask!

 

The older ships have a keypad to enter a code for the safe, The newer ships the safe have a magnetic card reader. The same kind that you would see in a grocery store to swipe ATM cards. A passenger can take any card that has magnetic stripe to lock or open it. When you get to your cabin the safe will be open, swipe a magnetic card in the reader and it locks. Now only that particular magnetic key card will open it again. Once it's open you could use a different card to close it if desired. Now that card would be the only card that could open it.

[Marie51]

Can I use an old sign & sail card?

[Gayle V]

Hello 4kidplusty, 154300 is correct. The card you use to lock the safe is the card you need to open it. (Other wise it wouldn't really be locked, would it?)

 

But not to worry, if you should happen to lose the card, you can still get into the safe by calling the pursers desk. They will send someone down to your cabin, who can get it open. He will require ID from you and a signature and to see your S&S card, to do so.

 

And if your ship should have the kind of safe that opens with a number code, the same proceedure holds true, should you forget the number that you used. They can get you into the safe, you just have to show your photo ID, and S&S card, and sign.

 

(Can you tell that this has happened to us a few times ? :-)

[happy cruzin]

Can I use an old sign & sail card?

 

Ahhhhh...good question. I have never tried that!

[happy cruzin]

I could not use a hotel card either. I used my Staples copy center card. (It still had a balance.)

 

Oh...sorry :o ....I did not mean that it HAD to be a zero balance.

I just keep one or two cards that no longer have any value in the folder with all of my "cruise stuff". That way I am always ready to go at a moments notice ;) :D !!

[4kidsplusty]

Hello 4kidplusty, 154300 is correct. The card you use to lock the safe is the card you need to open it. (Other wise it wouldn't really be locked, would it?)

 

But not to worry, if you should happen to lose the card, you can still get into the safe by calling the pursers desk. They will send someone down to your cabin, who can get it open. He will require ID from you and a signature and to see your S&S card, to do so.

 

And if your ship should have the kind of safe that opens with a number code, the same proceedure holds true, should you forget the number that you used. They can get you into the safe, you just have to show your photo ID, and S&S card, and sign.

 

(Can you tell that this has happened to us a few times ? :-)

thanks makes us feel better:D

[HeidiHo]

Hotel card wouldn't work for me either.

[happy cruzin]

The older ships have a keypad to enter a code for the safe, The newer ships the safe have a magnetic card reader. The same kind that you would see in a grocery store to swipe ATM cards. A passenger can take any card that has magnetic stripe to lock or open it. When you get to your cabin the safe will be open, swipe a magnetic card in the reader and it locks. Now only that particular magnetic key card will open it again. Once it's open you could use a different card to close it if desired. Now that card would be the only card that could open it.

 

FYI...the pictures posted by nolaAlive show that the Splendor has a key pad. Maybe they went back to the keypads because the magnetic strip ones can be a pain.

[Blackchips Ahoy]

The older ships have a keypad to enter a code for the safe, The newer ships the safe have a magnetic card reader. The same kind that you would see in a grocery store to swipe ATM cards. A passenger can take any card that has magnetic stripe to lock or open it. When you get to your cabin the safe will be open, swipe a magnetic card in the reader and it locks. Now only that particular magnetic key card will open it again. Once it's open you could use a different card to close it if desired. Now that card would be the only card that could open it.

 

 

I'm not sure, but I think the Splendor has the punch pad variety. I saw a picture in a thread somewhere else.

 

Brilliant idea from the OP who said they use their local casino slot cards to open/close the safe. A great way to have 2 'keys to the safe.' Outstanding.

 

 

 

I gotta' tell ya', we learn more tips and tricks for smoother cruising' on here than anywhere else.:cool:

[Gayle V]

Hello Dukefamily, We've run into both kinds of safes on various ships. Be happy to have had the key pad type. I like them much better, as you can choose a number and the both of you can get into the safe. With the card type, only the person with the card gets in.

 

The card type works very simply. On the outside of the safe door is a place that you slide the edge of a card through. It looks like the device that a store clerk would use to swipe your credit card when you charge something. All you have to do is close the door to the safe, and swipe the card. That locks it. Later when you want to get into the safe, just swipe the same card, the same way and the safe door opens.

 

The other negative to the card type safe is having to carry the card around with you. Just one more thing to keep track of.