Using the in-room safe?

[canadarocks]

Right after our last cruise, I'm sure I read something on here about using an old credit card or library card (anything with a magnetic strip) to operate the lock/unlock feature on the in room safe and then keeping that particular card hidden in the room.

That way one person's ship's card doesn't have to be used, and therefore anyone staying in the room can access the safe (without the other person being there). Did I imagine reading this..... or is it true?:confused:

I would do a search, but how do you ask this question in a few words? ;)

[cnbfrank]

I've only been on one HAL ship - Veendam in Jan 2011. The safe there did not use a card, but a 4 digit number that you could change as many times as you liked. We used the same number for all 17 days and had no problems with the safe at all.

[sail7seas]

Any card with a magnetic strip will operate the safes that require a card vs. a key pad where you select your own four digit number. HAL has both styles.

For example, Maasdam has the style that requires the magnetic strip and DH and I use an old department store card. That store is now out of business so the card has no other value. By using that card, we can lock up our cards that are valid and useable for charging. :)

[canadarocks]

Any card with a magnetic strip will operate the safes that require a card vs. a key pad where you select your own four digit number. HAL has both styles.

For example, Maasdam has the style that requires the magnetic strip and DH and I use an old department store card. That store is now out of business so the card has no other value. By using that card, we can lock up our cards that are valid and useable for charging. :)



Whew, thanks! So I DIDN"T dream it!! ;)

I'll be bringing an old card in case the Westerdam uses the "strip system"!

[sail7seas]

Westerdam safes use keypad and you select the four digit code.

[canadarocks]

Westerdam safes use keypad and you select the four digit code.



Thanks. How about the Eurodam? (we're aboard this summer)

[DizzyDallasDi]

Thanks. How about the Eurodam? (we're aboard this summer)

Eurodam also uses the 4-digit code.

[Tobester]

Does anyone know what style the Amsterdam uses? We'll be on her in a couple of months and I'd like to know if I should bring an old credit card.

[Krazy Kruizers]

it seems that the older ships that have gone through a major dry dock have gotten the new safes which are the key pads ones

as far as i know the amsterdam still has the credit card or any magnetic card for the safes

[Doughnut Dolly]

I"m sorry about extending this line, but which is the Zuiderdam, card or number. Thanks in advance.

[jtl513]

I"m sorry about extending this line, but which is the Zuiderdam, card or number. Thanks in advance.keypad

[sapete]

Just to add to the list: Oosterdam-keypad

[arzz]

The Amsterdam safes use a programmable keypad for entry -- I do not know for how long, but since at least the fall of 2008.

When we are on the ships with magnetic cards, we use an empty Starbuck's card.

[mr green]

One word of warning re safes, when going ashore, take anything that you need out of the safe EARLY. One day on Mercury the batteries went dead, and we only just got security in time to get our tickets out!!!

john

[bernie5]

Anyone know about the safes in the Noordam?

[catl331]

Anyone know about the safes in the Noordam?All four Vistas and both Signature ships have the keypads. Some of the older ships also have them. The Sig ships have larger safes than all others.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Anyone know about the safes in the Noordam?

newer ship -- thus you have the key pad type of safe where you enter your own 4 digit code

[Krazy Kruizers]

One word of warning re safes, when going ashore, take anything that you need out of the safe EARLY. One day on Mercury the batteries went dead, and we only just got security in time to get our tickets out!!!

john

we have had the batteries die on quite a few ships -- security didn't open the safes and change the batteries -- a regular maintenance man did

[fqtvguy]

Does anyone know what style the Amsterdam uses? We'll be on her in a couple of months and I'd like to know if I should bring an old credit card.

Amsterdam uses the 4-digit codes (was on in June/July 2010).

[elycelynne]

The Sig ships have larger safes than all others.

Oh, so THAT'S why I was able to fit my purse in the safe on the Eurodam when I didn't recall being able to do so on the Westerdam (same purse). Thanks for clearing that up!

[RAYSAN11]

Anyone know which safes the Zaandam has?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Amsterdam uses the 4-digit codes (was on in June/July 2010).

thanks for updating me -- glad the amsterdam now has the new safes as she didn't when we were last on her

[RAJKR74]

On our trip on the Westerdam in April 2009 thru the Panma Canal we had our safe "lock up" 4-5 times during the cruise. Had to call the security officer and she came up and attached a cable connected to a key pad and cleared the lock. Never could figure out what I was doing in entering the 4 digit code to lock it up. Got kind of fustrating but the secrity officer took it in stride evertime they were called like maybe other passengers did the same thing......

[peaches from georgia]

On our trip on the Westerdam in April 2009 thru the Panma Canal we had our safe "lock up" 4-5 times during the cruise. Had to call the security officer and she came up and attached a cable connected to a key pad and cleared the lock. Never could figure out what I was doing in entering the 4 digit code to lock it up. Got kind of fustrating but the secrity officer took it in stride evertime they were called like maybe other passengers did the same thing......
You probably weren't doing anything wrong at all. I'm sure you are fully capable of putting in a 4 digit code! ;) We had our safe lock up like that on another cruiseline. Security came up immediately with a new safe. They said it happens all the time; the computer in the safes just screw up and it's not uncommon. You should have just been given another safe as the one you had obviously had a computer problem since it kept happening.

[kazu]

It's happened to us a couple of times. No big deal especially since just had to get our concierge ;) She fixed it in a jiffy.

I think these things can also happen when the battery is getting low.

So, since we have covered nearly every ship - except the one I'm going on & haven't been before - I am assuming the Prisendam probably has the 4 digit code?

[arzz]

Yes, Prinsendam does have the four digit code safes!

[peaches from georgia]

It's happened to us a couple of times. No big deal especially since just had to get our concierge ;) She fixed it in a jiffy.

I think these things can also happen when the battery is getting low.


Maybe no big deal the first time, but annoying when it continues to happen and you are rushing to get to dinner and can't get your jewelry out of the safe. And if not in a dlx suite there is no handy concierge nearby and you would have to wait for security to come. If it happens more than once I would expect a new safe.

[kazu]

Maybe no big deal the first time, but annoying when it continues to happen and you are rushing to get to dinner and can't get your jewelry out of the safe. And if not in a dlx suite there is no handy concierge nearby and you would have to wait for security to come. If it happens more than once I would expect a new safe.


good point Peaches from georgia - it only happened to us once so it wasn't a big deal. and being in a deluxe verandah can have some advantages for this kind of stuff :)

I would think HAL would replace a safe if it wasn't operating right if they had one. I don't know how many spare safes they would have on board :confused:

[kazu]

Yes, Prinsendam does have the four digit code safes!

Thanks very much for confirming :) much appreciated :)

[peaches from georgia]

good point Peaches from georgia - it only happened to us once so it wasn't a big deal. and being in a deluxe verandah can have some advantages for this kind of stuff :)

I would think HAL would replace a safe if it wasn't operating right if they had one. I don't know how many spare safes they would have on board :confused:
I agree about the benefits of a dlx suite and having the concierge handy. That's just one of the reasons we only book an SA when we are on HAL. But 99% of the pax are not that fortunate unfortunately.

Don't know how many extra safes HAL would have ready. My experience was on another cruiseline that had a new safe installed quickly when ours locked up.

[sail7seas]

I really like the big new safes on the Signature Ships. They hold all the electronics some folks worry about leaving around. I have left my netbook on the counter many times with no problem but sometimes I lock it up. It's nice to have the choice.

[Krazy Kruizers]

of all the times that the batteries have died on our safes -- usually before the neptune lounge is open -- we have just called the front desk and a maintenance man came to the cabin - never had security come

[peaches from georgia]

When our safe was replaced that cruiseline sends a security officer along with the maintanence man and the new safe, as the old safe has to be opened and to prevent any possibility of later any accusation of something missing. The whole procedure took about 3 minutes.

[sail7seas]

When we could not open our safe on two different occasions on HAL, Security came to our cabin and would only open it with us present. Fast, easy, professional.

[peaches from georgia]

Of course we had to be there also, but the addition of a security officer prevents any problems later on, not that there would be, but it is protection for the maintanence man just in case.

[heirloomz]

Oosterdam, keypad, right?:eek:

[mr green]

Anyone know which safes the Zaandam has?

The key pad type.

john

[fqtvguy]

Oosterdam, keypad, right?:eek:

Yes Oosterdam uses the keypad to access the in-room safe - I was on the Oosterdam in September last year and that is how we secured the safe.

[jaspersmycat]

January 2011 - We had an inside cabin on Main Deck - It had card-type safe.

Maybe this ship has some of each?

[Typhoon1]

If you're staying at a hotel pre cruise, keep one of the key cards and use it for your safe if the ship has the card type.

The same thing works for the slot on the Niew Amsterdam that controls the lights.

[kazu]

If you're staying at a hotel pre cruise, keep one of the key cards and use it for your safe if the ship has the card type.

The same thing works for the slot on the Niew Amsterdam that controls the lights.

That's a really good tip from Typhoon 1 - that's exactly what we did on the our NA cruise last time for the lights :D

[sail7seas]

I agree...... great reminder, Typhoon. Now that you mention it, I remember reading about the card slot for the lights but it slid into oblivion in my memory bank. I always have the Hyatt Pier 66 keycard still in my purse when we get to the ship so know I'll have it handy to use for the lights.

We haven't seen that sort of arrangement since visits to Europe.