safe in cabin

[beaupeep]

Hi, DH and I have booked our first cruise with Holland America, on the Zaandam, and my question is about the in room safe. I've heard that you need a credit card to open and close the safe, but what if I want to put my c/c in the safe? Can I use my sail and sign card instead?

[eh2zed]

Don't know where you heard that. The HAL ones I am familiar with use a 4 digit code you select.

[beaupeep]

:DThanks eh2zed. I'm glad to know that it has a code instead of swiping your card. Not sure where I heard that, but must have been an "unreliable" source

[yogi2929]

Do not use your ship's card for the safe. It will deactivate it. We have used store loyalty cards and casino cards. The nice thing about the casino cards is that you can get multiples.

[beaupeep]

Oh, so you have to swipe a card then to open an close, just don't use your ship card

[Taxguy77]

ours was a digital number, no card.

[jym613]

We have had both, the code and the swipe. We were advised to use drivers license to swipe with which is what we used.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It has been a while since we sailed on the Zaandam.

HAL has both the 4 digit safes and card safes.

For the ships where we have to use a card, we use an old expired AAA card. You can use an old library card, expired credit card, etc.

[jollyjones]

I had a swipe safe in my cabin on HAL (Veendam) recently and I have no problem with the concept of using some otherwise valuless card but then how do you secure that card? You can't just leave it in the cabin (might as well just leave the safe open) but then you have to take it everywhere with you; yes, I know I have to take the s&s card with me as well but it's just a piddling irritation. Code safes are so much more convenient.

[eh2zed]

Never ran into swipe safe that I can remember. Code safe seems so much easier. Must be a reason. Anyone know?

[erinmarie424]

There's lots of places to "hide" your card - makeup bag, top zip pocket of suitcase which is under the bed, first aid kit, zip pocket inside excursion tote bag, inside a clean sock and a couple others I'm embarassed to mention - after much deliberation we went with the sock......

[beaupeep]

thank you to everyone who answered, now its much clearer to me. There are two types of safes, if i get the swipe type, I can use any card with a magnetic strip, it doesn't have to be a credit card, and I hide the card somewhere where I won't forget after a few glasses of wine:p

[yogi2929]

........ Code safes are so much more convenient.

 

 

If your DH locks the safe with the wrong code, the pursers desk can open it up for you.

[Starr Mtn]

We usually bring a grocery store membership card if that is what

the safe requires. No problem loosing that card ...

 

Otherwise - just set up an easy combination that you can

both remember.

 

And when all else fails - there is help on board !

 

Just be sure on your last morning that you carefully check

the safe and don't leave something behind ! We usually

bring a few small zip-lock bags to put things in the safe -

instead of putting small things on the bottom .

[beaupeep]

Now thats a really good tip, usually we just toss everything in there and then we have to feel around the bottom and under the rims to make sure we get everything back out.

[VROOM]

hi

 

Yes you can use your room card, it siad credit card and i was confused first time as i also wanted to put credit cards in safe. Just follow the insrturctions i think they were on the door or in the cupboard where the safe is just use room key card as well.

 

Maree