Key Aspects:
- A guest aboard Independence of the Seas has been offended by women storing their SeaPass cards in their bras.
- This led to a viral discussion of various other storage options as well as how dirty a card would really be if it was so stored.
- Many other women have admitted to doing the same, but there are also alternatives that can be even more practical and useful.
The long-standing debate over whether or not to wear a lanyard to carry one’s cruise card is getting a bit more intimate these days. Specifically, one alternative to lanyards is raising eyebrows onboard Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas.
A guest shared their thoughts on Reddit, noting what they feel is a disgusting practice of storing one’s SeaPass card, shall we say, close to their heart.
“Twice I’ve seen ladies reaching into their blouses to locate their SeaPass which was stashed in their bras,” the guest described. “This is frankly disgusting for the crew members and for everyone who has them touch their drinks glasses afterwards. Please just buy a lanyard.”
Independence of the Seas is currently homeported from Southampton, offering a diverse range of summer European sailings.
At the time the post was made, the Freedom-class ship was sailing a 3-night weekend getaway to Zeebrugge, Belgium. Shorter weekend cruises are notorious for being more of a party atmosphere with fewer inhibitions.
Granted, I’m not sure I could become so uninhibited as to go rooting for my SeaPass card in garments unknown, but some women have more storage space than others.
There’s also a crew member element to this, where guests will give the card to a crew member to purchase a drink, or even buy something at the onboard store. If you notice a crew member is hesitant to touch the card, that could be a reason. Often, they will just grab the number.
The original poster did not provide further details about just how the women had stored their cards, given that slipping a card under a strap would be radically different than tucking it, well, you get the idea.
It is also possible the women were wearing swimsuits at the time, though the options for where to stash one’s card would be about the same.
As for the hygiene aspect, some guests pointed out that not everyone washes their hands with the preferred frequency or attention to detail after using the restroom.
“Because skin anywhere on your body is different and less clean than your hands?” one commenter noted.
“I’m pretty sure the hands have more germs and filth on them than the chest does,” another agreed.
It was further noted that if someone tucks their lanyard inside a shirt so it isn’t immediately visible or bouncing around, the card could still get sweaty and would still require extraction to use.
The practical limitations of women’s fashion also came into the discussion.
“If I had a pocket it would go in there,” one commenter said. “The issue is women’s clothing not made with pockets and cruise lines not providing a lanyard. Until then, God’s pocket (aka my bra) reigns supreme.”
Where Else Can a SeaPass Card Be Stored?
In just three days, the Reddit thread has more than 380 comments, many of which discuss various storage alternatives for one’s ship card.
Read Also: How to Dress for Royal Caribbean Formal Night and What It’s All About
The idea of wrist bands or medallions was a popular choice for many readers, while others noted that there are, in fact, bras with pockets. (There’s something for every cruiser’s wish list!)
While not everyone enjoys wearing a lanyard, other options are crossbody bags, those small stick-on pockets for the back of a phone, or even belt bags.
One commenter finally had the best idea of all when they noted, “I’d suggest not staring at other peoples…” well, let’s stick with “Nature’s purse” as several people described it.
Strange Place to Stash a Cruise Card Offends Other Guests
