Using Something Else Other than Princess Card to Keep the Lights on in Cabin on Regal

[abisha]

Hi..I read a thread about other types of cards you can keep in the card slot in your cabin to keep the lights on other than your Princess card but cannot find the thread. I'm looking for some ideas as to what to use. Everything I have in my possession in my wallet is not something I want to place in that slot. I thought someone said even an index card (cut to size) would work but I thought it had to have a magnetic strip of some kind.

 

Thanks

[mjrich73]

What about an old gift card?

[Astro Flyer]

It's not the magnetic strip and any charge card sized card works & we've used old cruise cards.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[RocketMan275]

You could go to walmart and buy one of those $10 or $20 gift cards, spend the money on yourself, and take the card on the cruise.

 

I'm going to use an old bass pro shop rewards card that's expired.

Edited March 3, 2015 by RocketMan275

[happytovacation]

I DON't UNDERSTAND, DOES THE LIGHTS GO ON ONLY AFTER INSERTING YOUR

 

CRUISE CARD? HOW LONG DOES IT STAY ON? PLEASE EXPLAIN

 

THANK YOU

[cristine]

My husband used one of his business cards on the Royal and it worked perfectly

[Host CJSKIDS]

I used an old hotel key card.

[Thrak]

I DON't UNDERSTAND, DOES THE LIGHTS GO ON ONLY AFTER INSERTING YOUR

 

CRUISE CARD? HOW LONG DOES IT STAY ON? PLEASE EXPLAIN

 

THANK YOU

 

On the new ships you have to place a card into a slot near the door in order to have the lights function. It keeps people from leaving the lights on all the time. In theory you are to use your cruise card. In actual practice you can use an old cruise card, a hotel key card you neglected to turn in, etc. It just has to be a card in the slot.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

I second the used gift card suggestion; there is no personal info attached to it in case you leave it on the ship when you disembark.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Ryndam2002

[tiger-91]

I DON't UNDERSTAND, DOES THE LIGHTS GO ON ONLY AFTER INSERTING YOUR

 

CRUISE CARD? HOW LONG DOES IT STAY ON? PLEASE EXPLAIN

 

THANK YOU

 

A card must be inserted for the lights to turn on. There is a separate switch that can turn lights off and on, but regardless the card must be in there. When you take the card out, the lights automatically turn off after a few minutes, regardless of switch position.

[abisha]

I'll go with the gift card idea...thanks!

[RocketMan275]

I'll go with the gift card idea...thanks!

 

Or, like the guy up thread said, use an old hotel key card. That would work well if you're spending the night at a hotel prior to the cruise and 'forget' to turn it in.

 

Or, like I said, by a Friday's gift card and go out to dinner.

[ChiefBoats]

The lights will turn only if you put the card in. However it will only stay on about 30 or 60 seconds if you take the card out. They only stay on with a card. But using other cards to keep them on defeats the whole purpose of saving on energy consumption which adds cost of running the ships generator sets when it is not really needed. If some one is in the cabin then what is the problem with leaving the card in. Seems a little petty to have a problem with it.

 

_____________________

Island Princess 2008 Alaska

Island Princess 2009 (B2B) Alaska

Royal Princess (Old) 2010 Alaska

Golden Princess 2011 Alaska

Coral Princess 2012 Panama Canal

Star Princess 2012 Alaska

Island Princess 2013 Alaska

Crown Princess 2013 Western Caribbean

Caribbean Princess 2013 Western Caribbean

Royal Princess 2014 Eastern Caribbean

Royal Princess 2014 New England

Emerald Princess 2014 Western Caribbean

Edited March 3, 2015 by ChiefBoats

[Colo Cruiser]

Great ideas.

[Astro Flyer]

On the new ships you have to place a card into a slot near the door in order to have the lights function. It keeps people from leaving the lights on all the time. In theory you are to use your cruise card. In actual practice you can use an old cruise card, a hotel key card you neglected to turn in, etc. It just has to be a card in the slot.

 

As I recall it also powers the TV...once during the daytime we didn't insert the card & were going to report our TV as not working before we realized that we needed to insert our card. :o

 

It's been debated on CC about how removing the card affects air conditioning while gone but I have no knowledge about what actually happens. :confused:

Edited March 3, 2015 by Astro Flyer

[hockeygal54]

The "issue" for us on the Royal in October was on more than one occasion my friend was first in the cabin and stuck her key card in the slot. She then decided to run an errand, grabbed her card and left. Once I was on the balcony in the dark and the other time over by the desk looking for something when it was LIGHTS OUT!! I now have an old gift card that is in my passport holder just in case we're on since an equipped ship again! It'll be conveniently stored on the backside of the door! 😝

 

 

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[Mackenzie1]

As others have suggested, a hotel key card works. I always pack one in my permanently packed bag for hotels that have this type of lighting system. I'm wondering, however, if hotels are getting savvy about our work-arounds because the last hotel I stayed at required their own key card to turn the lights on. That's good enough reason to pack an old Princess cruise card.

[RocketMan275]

The lights will turn only if you put the card in. However it will only stay on about 30 or 60 seconds if you take the card out. They only stay on with a card. But using other cards to keep them on defeats the whole purpose of saving on energy consumption which adds cost of running the ships generator sets when it is not really needed. If some one is in the cabin then what is the problem with leaving the card in. Seems a little petty to have a problem with it.

 

 

 

 

Actually, it seem rather petty for Princess to implement such as system. Might work to save Princess a few bucks, but I have no obligation to save Princess money. What works for them, doesn't necessarily work for me.

Edited March 3, 2015 by RocketMan275

[GeeDunk]

My husband used one of his business cards on the Royal and it worked perfectly

 

Used a Business Card on both the Royal and Regal.

[Thrak]

The "issue" for us on the Royal in October was on more than one occasion my friend was first in the cabin and stuck her key card in the slot. She then decided to run an errand, grabbed her card and left. Once I was on the balcony in the dark and the other time over by the desk looking for something when it was LIGHTS OUT!! I now have an old gift card that is in my passport holder just in case we're on since an equipped ship again! It'll be conveniently stored on the backside of the door!

 

 

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That definitely sounds like problems with the system to me. :) My cruise card is always in my pocket. It would be a bummer to step out for something and remember after I had gone several decks away to IC or somewhere else that my card was actually stuck in the slot to keep the lights on for my wife.

 

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro recently before a cruise and, since the room was booked and paid for through Priceline, there was no checkout process to deal with. As with my cruise card the room key card was in my back pocket and I spaced on turning it in or leaving it in the room. I think my wife ended up with her's as well. (Normally I leave the card in the room or, if I have to do a checkout process, turn it in then but...)

 

It would be no problem to take something like that along on a cruise. I'm sure we have old cruise cards as well.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Thrak

[san diego sue]

We used a Starbucks used gift card. We would just lift it up so it didn't make contact when we left the cabin, and pushed it all the way in when we returned. This way we never had to look for the card.

 

On a recent cruise on another cruise line, we had old fashion safes where you had to run a credit card through to open and lock safe.

I knew this in advance, and had to bring a card that had the information strip. So I brought an old Princess card and it worked great.

[jagsfan]

I keep all my old cruise cards. Have a large Ziploc full. I often can't remember the names or years, and it's fun to go back through them. So many good times!

I always have Subway and Panera reward cards, so it's easy to use one up and replace it instead of reloading it.

[cattolica]

We just folded a piece of paper to fit in the slot. No need to remember an old gift card, credit card or anything special. There is always something in the cabin that solves the problem.

[billco]

Using something else in the slot other than the cruise card ranks right up there with not following dress guidelines on Formal night or removing the auto tip.

 

 

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[shepp]

Actually, it seem rather petty for Princess to implement such as system. Might work to save Princess a few bucks, but I have no obligation to save Princess money. What works for them, doesn't necessarily work for me.

 

Most new hotels, at least those nicer than Rodeway Inns, use precisely the same system, of course.

 

Since I always leave my cruise card on the desk by the door and grab it on the way out, and since I do what Mom taught me and turn out the lights when I leave a room, it actually prompts me both to turn off the electricity and take my card. But maybe I'm just insufficiently rebellious.